Someone Else's Dream (10 page)

Matt had just come to pick her up after she had been given the all-clear, by the doctor. Marcia’s parents lived in Sheffield, a fair journey from the Doncaster hospital where she was treated. Matt was only a ten-minute drive away and he did live just down the road from her. She had text him asking him to pick her up and within twenty minutes he was there. She sat silently, on the short drive home, her face was still pounding as the painkillers she had been given appeared to be wearing off. She was feeling a little bit awkward after rejecting his request for ‘dinner’, but Matt’s demeanour didn’t give off any animosity and she was thankful for that. By the time she got home she was thinking how nice it was he had lusted after her and her feelings towards him came rushing back to what they were previously.

She felt guilty now for rejecting his offer though she did wonder why he hadn’t really bothered with her for three years, it was as if suddenly he was let loose. She’d thought, to sleep with him all those years ago, would have been just a one off. He had been vulnerable and she had taken advantage. She wondered what had suddenly changed. The truth was, nothing had changed with Matt, he had just returned to being the man he’d used to be. People would see him as charming until they saw what it really was about him; deep and confused.

As she got out of the car to her flat, she smiled, thinking, as soon as she was more presentable she might text him ‘desert’. She needed that comfort, the closeness and attention he gave her, though by the look of her face she thought it might be a while before she became desirable again.

Marcia opened the outer door of her ground-floor flat, by punching in a code. Matt stood and watched and they both walked into the foyer where she fumbled in her bag for her keys before opening her flat door. Matt was still behind her.

“I’ll come in and make you a cuppa, make sure you got everything you want. I’ll pop down the shop, as well, if you need anything”. He wasn’t asking, he was telling her what he was going to do. It unnerved Marcia a little but she put it down to no more than he being helpful.

“I just need a nice, hot, bath, Matt; though a decent cuppa wouldn’t go amiss. That stuff in the hospital is horrid. One sugar in a coffee, please. The milk still should be okay.”

“I’ll bring some over later,” Matt told her. Marcia appreciated the offer and the kindness, but she wanted to be on her own; just have a nice bath and a good night’s sleep. It all felt a little too much.

“No really, I don’t drink much, I just need an early night.” Matt didn’t answer. Marcia sat in the lounge whilst Matt was in the kitchen making coffee. She wished he would go, so she could take the coffee in the bath with her. She wanted to wash away that disinfectant smell of the hospital, along with the memories of the attack. It had been two days now, since she bathed.

“Can’t find the sugar,” she heard Matt shout out. Sluggishly, she got up from the sofa and walked into the kitchen. She brushed past him and Matt raised his hand and felt her breast for just a second. Marcia stopped in shock and looked at Matt who was smiling.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that,” he smiled, very apologetically, but the look in his eye told Marcia different. She wanted to put it down as an accident and that’s what she did although she momentarily wondered when it was, she had given him a free licence to grope her.
Maybe that’s exactly what I have done!

They drank their coffee without further incident and Marcia thought nothing more of it. Matt knew it wasn’t an accident; what he had done, was instinctive. If it wasn’t for her injuries he would have done more. She was his now
,
after all, he told himself

Marcia saw him to the door and as she did so, she noticed a young couple through the outer door just about to press her buzzer. Marcia recognised them as her friends and pressed her keypad on the wall to let them in. Before anyone could say anything Matt strolled swiftly towards the young couple in their early twenties.

“She’s not having any visitors,” he said, with a tone of authority. He looked as if he was going to literally escort them out of the foyer, as he ushered them with his arms until Marcia stopped him. The young couple looked quite alarmed; they had no idea who he was. They had heard Marcia was out of the hospital and were just visiting to see if she needed anything.

“It’s okay, they’re my best friends,” she told Matt. Matt who was just about to push them back out through the door, stopped and looked at Marcia. She felt uncomfortable with the witheringly stern look on his face. It was as if he was saying, ‘he did not approve’.

Matt turned to the couple; “Okay, but don’t keep her long,” he told them and left.

“Who’s that?” the girl asked, as they went back into Marcia’s flat. “Your minder?”

“I am beginning to wonder!” answered Marcia. The truth was, she wasn’t really sure just who he was, anymore.

Thirty minutes later, with her friends departed, she was soaking in a bath full of bubbles, just glad to be home.

*              *              *

Marcia woke to the sound of the door buzzer. She had slept well and for a moment, she forgot about her attack and her badly swollen face until she put her legs out of the bed and the pain hit the left-hand side of her face.

She threw her dressing gown on and looked at the camera in her hallway. Her heart dropped for a moment when she saw who it was. Thinking she had better let him in, she pressed the buzzer for the outer door to open. She left the door to her flat on the latch, as an invitation for her visitor to come in. She was in the small kitchen when he came through.

“I’m just making a coffee, do you want one?” she asked.

“I’ll do that,” Matt said, as he put two bulging bags of shopping on the counter. “Go sit down and I’ll bring it in.” Marcia poured herself a glass of water and took it into her lounge, along with some painkillers. She didn’t want to argue or insist she was okay; she just wanted coffee and for him to go. She guessed he would be staying for one, though. She curled up on the sofa and started dozing.

She thought she must have fallen asleep as a gentle tug on her shoulder woke her up. Matt was stood beside her, but on the table was a steaming mug of coffee and a full English breakfast. For a moment, she looked shocked and confused.

“You’ve got to eat and I guessed you wouldn’t feel like cooking. If you have a big breakfast and just snack all day, well then, that’s okay, I won’t have to worry about you then.”

Marcia looked up at Matt and then at the big breakfast on the coffee table in front of her; she swung her legs around and sat up. It did look really tasty. She grabbed the food, putting it on her lap and picked up the knife and fork.

“I picked up some groceries for you, there’s a couple of micro meals there, not very healthy but easy to do.” He gave her a smile as she took her first bite of a sausage.

“Didn’t you do yourself any?” she asked. Her face cringed a bit as she tried to chew the sausage.

“Take little bites and no, I’ve got to go,” he walked towards the door, “If you want anything, just text.”

Marcia couldn’t believe he was being so nice and kind. The day before she’d felt really uncomfortable with him and now here he was looking after her, as if his life depended on it. “It won’t be ‘dessert’,” she mocked; quickly realising what was supposed to be funny was probably one of the misappropriate things she had ever said.

Matt turned around to face her. “I’m really sorry for texting you ‘dinner’ so soon, I was being inconsiderate.” He had a sorry look on his face and Marcia’s heart went out to him.

“That’s fine,” she said. “Maybe when I’m better hey?” she smiled. Matt smiled along with her and Marcia felt her heart miss a beat.

“Just text me if you want anything and I don’t mean ‘dessert’,” he laughed. Marcia wanted to laugh but her face was preventing her.

“Thank you, Matt,” she said.

“What are friends for eh? I’ll pop round to see you tomorrow,” he told her and left.

Marcia sat there feeling a lot better, knowing that someone who she had grown really fond of did care. She wanted her injuries to heal and herself to get back on her feet. Even as rough as she was feeling she was still thinking about the time when she would be able to text him the word ‘dessert’. “Ouch!” she said out loud, as she tried to chew on a piece of bacon.

*              *              *

Hayleigh and Dale were at the breakfast table when the postman had come. Dale had forgotten all about the intruder in the garden the night before; his head was full of the work he had to accomplish that day, although it was still preying on Hayleigh’s mind. She had lain awake most of the night thinking about it and when she did doze off, Matt was still in her head.

Dale collected the post and placed it on the kitchen table in front of Hayleigh who was sipping a coffee and staring out into the garden, thinking about the events of last night. For some reason, she didn’t think it was just kids looking to steal the fish, which just didn’t make sense. She knew who it was.

“Looks like some sort of card,” Dale said as he placed the mail down on the table. They had told everyone they knew that Hayleigh was pregnant and their forthcoming plans to marry. Hayleigh picked the card up and opened it. She guessed who it was from when she recognised the writing on the envelope. She felt herself shivering as she opened it. The signature inside confirmed it. The closing words felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart and she let the card drop to the table as if it was burning her hands.

Feeling a churning sensation in her stomach, she sat back in one of the dining chairs. The guilt that had been racking her mind had come back to haunt her; the same guilt, she was sure, was now etched all over her face. Dale didn’t say anything, not quite sure what was happening, but there was a look in his future wife’s face that he didn’t particularly like. His eyes never left hers, as he picked up the card that said congratulations on the front. He read it before placing it gently on the table.

“And... exactly how was it that you told him hon?”

She didn’t even have to reply; the look on her face said it all. He just stood there, looking at her. The woman he loved and was going to marry; the woman who was carrying his baby. He regarded the tears in her eyes were the tears of being caught, not the tears of sorrow.

“Is it even mine?” he asked bitterly, Hayleigh had never seen the harsh look that now contorted his face; a look of anger and rage, yet it felt controlled as if he was in control of that rage.

“Of course, it’s yours. I went over to tell him as we agreed and it just happened. It was just once, I’m so sorry.” She looked into his eyes trying to seek reassurance, looking for forgiveness, but his eyes just showed anger as they pierced through her.

“That was two days ago,” he simply said, as he took a seat at the table; he was trying to comprehend it all. Not quite believing what he was hearing, there was no denial, just an open admission that she had cheated on him. Hayleigh sat there crying, searching furiously for the words that would make things all right once more. Hating Matt for what he had done for her, hating herself more for letting him.

“This changes a lot of things,” muttered Dale softly, after what appeared an eternity of silence to Hayleigh. She looked at him with shock in her eyes, thinking it was all over and that she had ruined her one chance of happiness, to be left alone with a child on her way.

“I’m so, so, sorry,” she sobbed, not thinking of any other words to say. She just wanted to scream, “Please don’t let this ruin us.”

Dale didn’t want it to ruin anything. His love for Hayleigh was unconditional. He often pinched himself when he thought of them both together; a beautiful successful business woman fifteen years his younger, willing to stall her career to have his child. He wouldn’t let this ruin them. He couldn’t, but it had changed things, it had to. How was he going to live with that?

“Was that the only time?” he asked her. Hayleigh just nodded, the make-up she had so carefully just applied, now running down her face through her tears. “Would you have ever told me?” His face was stern, showing no emotion, not even anger. Hayleigh couldn’t read him. For the first time in her life, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. She brushed the tears from her eyes with her fingers, smudging the eyeliner as she did so.

“Oh, honey... yes! It’s been tearing me up inside, I love you, Dale, I will do anything,” she said, fearing her world was falling apart.