Episode 15
3406 Words
POV Fran
I got a phone call from the Big Man as soon as I opened my eyes that morning. He was supposed to go out with John and Lydia the night before. He had deliberately got John to have a wrestle with him and bet John that he couldn’t pick him up over his head. I thought John was going to have a heart attack because his face was bright red but I had to give it to the guy he managed to lift that big sneaky bastard right up off his feet and I was impressed. It didn’t surprise me when he called the next morning to say that John didn’t make it out with them and it was just him and Lydia. “How was the party?” I asked “The party was the night before, so we had missed it, so we just had a few quiet drinks just the two of us” he let out a chuckle. He did stuff like that all the time to get her on her own “yeah and I bet you were gutted about missing the party” I said in a sarcastic tone. I wondered what the f**k he was up too this time. “Anyway Franco I’ve just called Tommy and John and asked them to the driving range” I really didn’t want to go, but I was interested to see what the Big Man was up too. “Ok that’s great” “meet you there mate” when I got there they were already hitting shots and laughing as John was telling them that a little while ago he had asked Lydia to start wearing crotchless knickers all the time and she told him no, so he took a pair of scissors to all her knickers and cut them so they were all crotchless. The big man was laughing like a nutter then said “what did she do?” in a serious voice “she blue balled me son” “what? A s*x ban?” John looked gutted as he told us “and the worst part was she wore all the knickers everyday for a week and she kept crawling about on all fours to annoy me” he let out a huge laugh. The big mans face was a picture and I couldn’t help but imagine Lydia in all fours in nothing but crotchless knickers. Johns phone started to ring “its Vinnie I better get it” then my phone started to ring “it’s Harry” my heart sank John and I both stared at each other as we answered our phones. We both knew it had to be something to do with Lydia. Harry voice rang through my phone and he was in a panic, he said some guy had broke into Lydia’s bedroom and said he was going to r**e her. I dropped my golf clubs and headed straight to my car as Harry explained they heard her screaming and managed to capture the guy and the police had come and took him away but that Lydia was upset. “She’s in a bad way mate” he said, I could hear from his voice he was concerned. “You better get over here quick” as I started the engine the big man appeared at my window “what’s going on Franco?” He asked I looked over and Johns car was screeching out the car park “she’s ok but I’ll meet you at her house” I pulled away quickly I needed to see her, I needed to know she was ok. John and I were weaving in and out of traffic the whole way to her house. When we finally got there Harry was standing outside waiting for us and he was smoking a cigarette which I had never seen him do in all the years I’d know him. John and I both jumped out our cars and ran towards Harry. He was rubbing his forehead “Harry what happened? is she ok? where is she?” Asked John “she’s upstairs she won’t come out her dressing room not even to speak to the police” “is she ok?” I asked “did he hurt her” “She says she wants us to leave her alone and that she’s fine but I can hear her crying. She called her mum and I heard her saying she couldn’t live through something like that again. She said she couldn’t go on living. Do you think she would hurt herself?” No wonder he looked so worried. This was a girl he’d known and cared about for years. Lydia was great at hiding her emotions so he had never seen her even cry and here she was having a break down. It was as if all the bottled up fear and hurt she had came spilling out that day and no one had a clue what to do. It was silent between us all “what the f**k is going on” said the big man from behind me. Tommy was with him and he looked just as confused as the big man. “what the f**k has happened? What do you mean do you think she’ll hurt herself? Where is she? Let me see her” The Big Man tried to barge by us to get into the house. “Jamie calm down, a guy broke in here, she’s just upset she will calm down” said John in an authoritative tone “what happened Harry?” asked Tommy. “She was in her bedroom, the guy broke in through her balcony doors, he had his face covered and a knife, he said he was going to r**e her, we heard her screaming and ran up and got him to the ground, but she’s in her dressing room and she won’t come out and shes really upset. I’ve never heard her like that, not in all these years. That girl has been through hell with all the s**t Stefan did to her but I’ve never seen her like this” no one knew what to say, I didn’t know how much John or Tommy knew about her past and it wasn’t my place to tell them. “She will be fine she just needs to cry on her own for a while. You know she hates crying in front of people. I’ll go up and see her, if you don’t mind John?” “No you go up and see if you can calm her down son, are you going to go with him Jamie?” But the Big Man looked pale with worry and he shook his head “No I’m the last person she will want to see” “what does that mean big man? why wouldn’t she want to see you?” asked Tommy, my phone started to ring “it’s her mum, she must be worried sick” I answered the phone. “Hi Auntie Elaine I’m just outside Lydia’s house I’m just heading into see her” The Dragons voice rang through the line “where’s that boyfriend of hers why isn’t he looking after her” “it’s not Johns fault auntie Elaine” his face fell, “he was out with us and she has security, this guy just slipped in without being seen it won’t happen again” “I want you to get rid of all her security and hire new people” “I’m not going to fire her security team” Harry was still rubbing his head. “Fran I asked you to do one thing for me when you left to live in London I asked you to look after her and now you’ve let this happen I’m really disappointed in you” and she hung up the phone. “Was that the dragon Fran” asked Harry I nodded my head “she says it’s my fault” “don’t listen to her Franco,” said the big man “go up and see Lydia” I went up stairs two at a time desperate to see her I went through her bedroom and knocked on her dressing room door. “Go away. I told you I’m fine” was all I could hear, I opened the door and she was nowhere to be seen I could hear her sniffing and crying through the bathroom door, “gorgeous it’s me, can I come in?” “yes” she said in a tiny voice. I opened the door and she had her knees pulled up and her head resting on them, I could have cried when she looked up at me with huge tears in her eyes. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her, she seemed tiny. “I’m glad it’s you Fran, I don’t want to speak to anyone else. He said he was going to r**e me Fran” and she let out a sob. I cuddled her tight “no one is going to hurt you, I won’t let them” “I couldn’t live through something like that again I’m not strong enough” “yes you are, your the strongest woman I know, I love you so much I will never let any one hurt you again” we sat hugging for nearly an hour before she would come out. I went down stairs and John and Tommy and the big man were sitting at her kitchen table drinking tea. John and Tommy stood up when I walked in “how is she Fran? is she ok?” asked John he was pale, the big man was sitting he couldn’t even look up, he was always ashamed that it was his brother that had hurt her before. That’s why he thought she wouldn’t want to see him. “She’s okay she just got a fright” “big man she wants to see you” he shook his head “Fran I can’t face her” “she said the only thing that will cheer her up is if you give her the business” A smile broke onto his face he looked relieved. “I better get up there” he said with a laugh. “big man can I watch” asked John “I’ve never seen it either, I heard it’s hilarious” said Tommy. “Yeah she said you two could come up and watch” they both laughed, as we went up stairs Waterloo by abba started playing from her bedroom.
The guy that broke into my house had been a fan that had been sending me threatening letters for about 5 years although I had no idea he even existed or had seen any of the letters. He was arrested that day in my house and I was trying to put the whole thing to the back of my mind but I couldn’t sleep and I couldn’t eat because I was a nervous wreak. I was falling apart but I had to slap a fake smile on. I had to keep pretending to be fine but I was terrified and this guy had brought up a lot of old stuff for me that I couldn’t shake. John was amazing, he hired more security and they fitted panic alarms and cameras everywhere but our bedroom. Fran and the big man were by my side constantly. To tell you the truth I couldn’t get rid of them, they would only go home for a few hours then they would come straight back. I was happy that John was ok with them being there, he said that he understood they were protective of me. Chris flew back from Argentina to see me and he was in bits and I ended up comforting him. John knew there was more to it than just some crazy stocker threatening me, he knew there was some deep routed problem but I refused to tell him. I was scared he wouldn’t understand. And as usual I just wanted to run away. But I couldn’t and I felt trapped. I told my family I was fine and because nothing had actually happened they believed me. Which I was glad of, I didn’t want the dragon showing up at my house. I just tried to get on with my life but every time I was alone I would play over and over in my head what had happened, and it terrified me that he might come back. One day I was pretty low I was sitting outside having breakfast with John and the big man and Stacey when I seen someone in my kitchen. I could just see a tall figure and I was frightened. John jumped to his feet when he heard a dog barking he went through to see who it was and I was shaking. I was relieved that it was Tommy and he had brought his dog Archie over to see me. I ran towards him, I had never been so happy to see someone in my life. Archie was the sweetest little dog “hello Archie” I said as he waggled his tail “you’ve got so big since the last time I seen you” he was l*****g my face. And I was giggling. John was smiling “Archie you have cheered her up I wish I had a treat for you” Tommy went into his pocket and gave John a treat for Archie and he jumped up on John. “I’m going to take him for a walk down by the water he loves splashing about” I stood up “I’ll come with you” I said. John looked a bit worried “Look after her Tommy” was all he said. Tommy and I walked down to the beach and it was the first time we had been alone since he had tried to kiss me and I could tell he felt awkward but I had more on my mind than that. “So how have you been Tommy?” I asked and he just shrugged his shoulders. “How’s Lilly?” He shrugged again. “You’re a real chatter box today” I joked and he laughed “I’m just tired, I haven’t been sleeping well lately” that’s when I noticed his eyes did look a little dark. “Why haven’t you been sleeping?” He took a deep breath “I’ve been a bit worried about you. About all this stuff. You know the guy breaking in here. It just reminded me we aren’t invincible.” Although it was sweet of him to say he was worried about me it seemed like he was more worried about himself. “You look beautiful today Lydia” he said and I knew he didn’t actually mean it because I felt dreadful. Tommy let Archie off his leash. Archie seemed a little scared to run away from him, he kept running forward then running back to Tommy for reassurance. “He’s so sweet, but he seems scared” “I know Alfie was like that to start with, but then he became really independent” I could sense his sadness every time he mentioned Alfie. “do you still miss Alfie?” “yeah and I can’t help but compare them, Archie is a good dog but I really loved Alfie, I miss him” “give it time you will feel the same way” he looked at me and he seemed really sad. “I don’t think I will, he’s just a distraction” I got the impression he wasn’t talking about his dogs but I didn’t want to carry on with this conversation. “I wish I could get a dog” “You should get a dog” “I really want one but I travel about too much” “you run away too much. I’m surprised your still here after everything that happened” i couldn’t help but smile because he really had me figured out. “I feel a bit trapped, I’m dying to run away, but John won’t let me” “he’s doing the right thing, people shouldn’t run away from their problems, the problems just follow them” and he was right, I had never thought of that way before, I could be anywhere in the world right now and still feel the same way” “you should speak to someone about all this Princess, you know a professional that can help you deal with how you’re feeling” “a shrink” “yeah what’s wrong with that? I see one I had to after you left me. I was in a bad way I was tiny when my mum left us but I still remember running after her begging her to stay. Sometimes you have to admit when things get too much, it’s like the big man with his therapy and Fran going to his AA meetings” “maybe your right Tommy, I’m not coping and now that The big man and Fran have practically moved in here I feel even worse, I’ve been walking about with my passport in my pocket ready to run as soon as they have their backs turned” He let out a huge sigh “John and the boys just want to look after you” I nodded my head in agreement “I know and I appreciate it but it’s all getting on top of me” I don’t think I had ever been so open with Tommy, even when we had been a couple. “you should run away with us” he said as Archie ran towards him “would you like that Archie? Would you like it if Lydia came to stay with us? Yes you would” He was rubbing Archie’s ears and he was waggling his tail. “See you need to run away with us now you’ve got his hopes up” he gave me a look like I might have actually said yes. But I knew he was kidding. “shut up Tommy” I said slapping his arm. “did you hear that Archie? She’s a heart breaker this one. You know I’m always here for you princess that will never change” “thanks Tommy I’ll be fine” “course you will be, your strong” “let’s just try and forget about it, thanks for coming to visit me today” “I knew you wouldn’t want to see me but you would love to see Archie” “No Tommy, you have both cheered me up” “I’m sorry about kissing you that day at my house it was wrong, you’re with John I shouldn’t have done that” I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was around. The last thing I needed was for John to hear all this. “it’s ok but don’t let it happen again” “I promise” he said “I really want to be friends” I was glad that Tommy and I had sorted out our differences but I had something on my mind other than the man breaking into my house. What the big man had told me about John not wanting a baby with me had me rattled and I had to talk to him about it. We went back up to the house and John was waiting for me at the kitchen window. I felt awful that he was on edge when he was meant to be enjoying his retirement. “You look happy kid, I think I’ll buy you a puppy” maybe he was right I had loved seeing Archie “you should give her a baby John” said Stacey He let out a laugh and they all giggled “I don’t think the kid would have time for a baby” he said as he gave me a wink and it was like a kick in the stomach. Ok, I wasn’t ready to become a mum right now but I knew I would want to be a mother one day and I needed him to know that before the wedding.
- Writer
