Dying To Get Away

Chapter Four

Once they had arrived at Carrie's house, she got out of the car and said goodnight to Darren. When she got inside, her head was somewhere up in the clouds. She felt amazing - like she was in a dream she didn't want to hurry out of. Her mum told her that fairy tales did come true when she was little. Now she was beginning to believe it. She had certainly met her Prince Charming. But she didn't have to worry, she was in well before midnight and she didn't even have a wicked stepmother and two ugly step-sisters - just her mum and dad, and there was nothing wicked or ugly about them.

Once inside the house, Carrie made her way to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, and while making the coffee, someone walked into the kitchen.

'All right, love? Did you have a nice time?'

'Oh, mum, it was amazing. That car of his. I've never been in one like that before, and you should have seen the prices on the menu in the restaurant. You'd need to take out a second mortgage on the house to eat there, even if it were just on the odd occasion.'

'He seems a nice chap.'

'Oh, he is, mum. He is wonderful. You're not bothered about the age difference, are you?'

'He's only ten years older, love. You seem to forget, your dad is nine years older than me, and at least he has got a decent job and prospects.'

'Decent job and prospects?' Carly laughed. 'His Uncle, who owns the factory, is a millionaire a few times over.'

'Well, you won't want for anything then, will you?'

The next morning, after having little sleep because of all the excitement, Carry got out of bed, drew back the curtains and started to realise how lucky she was. It was still like a dream, but she was enjoying every moment of it. She couldn't wait till the weekend. She was just hoping that the weather would last out. It had been so warm lately, and if it were going to be like that at the weekend, that would put the icing on the proverbial cake. She knew a lovely spot in the park, just on the edge of the river that runs through it - the river Leam. They could just sit there and enjoy the food and watch the river meander through the park as though it hadn't a care.

Coming back down to earth, Carrie got ready to go and get her bus - that was once she had showered, dressed and had had her breakfast, which she ended up not touching, because of all that was swimming around inside her head.

Once the bus had dropped her off outside the factory gate, she saw Emma.

'All right?' she said to her.

'Yeah, I'm fine,' Emma answered. 'Coming to ours tonight? I want to hear everything about you and lover boy.'

'Do you have to call him that?'

'Well, what else is he, then?' You are going out together if you have ever bothered to notice - boyfriend and girlfriend. It's not as though you are both still at school and escorting each other to a debatin' society, is it?'

'I suppose you are right. I'll be at yours at the usual time.'

'Right, OK, Carrie. I'll hide all the booze belonging to that idle, worthless brother of mine. Then he'll have to give you a lift home.'

When work had finished Carrie made her way home. She was going to Emma's later, and she knew Emma would be eager to know all about what had happened on her date with Darren. She knew she was going to be grilled. Emma was not going to let go.

When Carrie had finished her tea, she went to get ready to go to Emma's, but as she was getting ready her mobile rang. She looked at the phone and saw Darren's name come up. Surely he wasn't going to cancel the picnic at the weekend. She was so looking forward to it. She had even borrowed some money from her mum so as she could buy something decent to wear. As much as she liked Primark clothes, she wanted something a bit up-market for a change. The only really decent stuff was what she went to work in, and she wasn't going in her work clothes.