A Future for Sparkhouse

Chapter 13

Dear Readers,
If you're still reading this, thank you for sticking with me. This is the penultimate chapter of my first ever fanfic and I would be so grateful for any feedback from you. I can see lots of ways already I could have made the story better but I hope it has brought some enjoyment as it is.
Thanks again,
Jayne xx

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John worked hard in the last few weeks before the baby due date to get everything ready. Lisa helped as much as she could and they soon got the nursery painted and filled with things for the baby. A shiny new cot stood in the corner and a little chest of drawers that doubled as a changing table stood next to it. Lisa had spent some of her own pocket money on a colourful butterfly mobile to hang above the bed and one of the ladies in the village stopped by with a bag of baby clothes that her youngest had grown out of. Everything was in place, waiting for the new arrival.

John loved every moment of the preparation. All those years of being on his own with just his grandad for company were over. He loved the chatter between Lisa and Carol and thrived on having people at home to look after. For so long he had loved Carol from afar and could hardly believe that now he lived with her, in in fact was married to her and was about to meet their first baby. On top of that he had such a lovely relationship with his step daughter who adored him. He honestly felt like all his Christmases had come at once. Of course he still longed for Carol to love him as he loved her but he knew she respected him and even cared for him. For now that was enough.

For Carol's part she still felt that strange mix of excitement and fear that had been known by every generation of women since time began. Excitement at meeting her new baby and fear of the practical reality of it all. She was nervous of the birth and also of looking after the baby. Of course in Carol's case this was deepened by the memories of what had happened 13 years before, with her first pregnancy and Lisa's birth. At times she couldn't help herself from going back to when she first understood what was happening to her, and to her dad's angry reaction. There were still times when she half expected some kind of disapproval from John. Then she would catch a glimpse of him looking at her, so happy, or spot him coming in to the house with something else new for the baby and she would be shaken from her trip down memory's horrible lane. He would stick by her, wouldn't he? He would be a good father to this baby. He had already shown potential in his relationship with Lisa and Carol knew that she adored him.

In this final stage of the pregnancy Carol was exhausted. She took to going to bed really early, knowing that she would be awake lots in the night anyway. One evening she was sitting on the sofa, curled up next to John while Lisa was at her mate's. "You're exhausted love, " said John. "Why don't you go up now and get some sleep?" Carol nodded. She barely had the energy to lift herself off the sofa. "I'll wait up for Lisa," he added, "and come up once she's safely home." With that he gave Carol a peck on top of her head and steered her to the stairs. She got into bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. Sometimes Carol's sleep was peaceful, knowing she was being looked after and that everything would be alright. At other times it was disturbed by flashbacks and dreams of another time when she didn't feel so safe. She couldn't wait for this baby to be born and to move onto the next stage, hopefully leaving the ghosts of the past behind. Unfortunately tonight was one of those troubled nights. Dreams of her dad haunted her, and panic over the baby filled her heart. She woke in a sweat with no idea what time it was. She was only aware that John wasn't in the bed yet. After a few moments to properly wake up Carol decided to go downstairs, get a drink and find John. He always made her feel a little bit better.

Padding down the stairs in her dressing gown Carol looked into the lounge to see John sitting on the sofa watching TV. But next to him, curled up and leaning into him just as she had been earlier this evening, was someone else. John had his arm around her and was stroking her hair. It was, of course, Lisa. Still under the influence of her horrible dreams Carol stood for a moment taking in the scene and immediately saw red. Putting two and two together and failing to get four she started to yell.
"You bloody monster!" she shouted at John. "Get your filthy hands off my daughter! I should have known. I should have seen it before. It's her you wanted all along isn't it? You're just like me dad!" And with that she jumped on John and started hitting him with all her strength.
Both Lisa and John were aghast. John tried to shield himself from the attack while Lisa leapt to her feet and tried to pull Carol off him. Carol was like a demon with her arms flailing at John.
"Carol get off him! What the hell are you doing?" Lisa asked, pulling at her. John couldn't speak - he was frozen in shock with his arms over his head.
Furiously Carol turned to Lisa. "He's not getting away with this! I'm not letting him do to you what my dad did to me. He can keep his filthy hands off you." Lisa crumpled. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "He's never touched me."
"But I saw him! Arm round you, stroking your hair. What else has he done Lisa?" Carol was desperate. "What else has he done to you? Or what has he made you do to him?"
Stunned, Lisa realised what Carol was inferring, and was horrified. Sobbing she pulled Carol one more time and got her off John. They both landed on the floor in a heap.
"You stupid woman!" yelled Lisa. "He's never done anything wrong! John wouldn't hurt me. He's never done anything." Slowly Carol turned to John. She saw the hurt look on his face and in that moment she knew. She knew that he would never do anything to hurt her or to hurt Lisa. She knew that he loved them both and only wanted to look after them. She felt sick at the memory of what she had said to him, what she had accused him of.

"John, I'm so sorry," Carol sobbed as she got to her feet. "I'm so so sorry. I know you wouldn't hurt either of us."
Cautiously John stood up, half wondering if she was going to start laying into him again.
"I... I..." John couldn't form any words. He was hurt beyond belief that Carol would even think such things of him. He couldn't bear to be compared to her father when he had done everything in his power to love her.
"I'm going out," he finally declared.
"No! Please don't. Please stay!" sobbed Carol, holding on to his arms. "I'm so sorry."
"I can't. I need some air. Let me go." He peeled her off him and headed for the door.
Lisa ran to him. "John don't take any notice of her," she pleaded, "I trust you. Please don't go." She put her hand on his arm. Covering her hand with his John gave her a sad smile. "It's alright Lisa love, it'll be alright. Just let me go for now." And with that he shook her hand off his arm and walked out of the door, stopping only to grab his keys and coat. He gently shut the door behind him, not being one to slam it in drama, and was gone. Stunned into silence the two girls looked at each other in horror, both truly realising how much they needed John. Carol stepped towards Lisa, wanting to comfort her and be comforted but as she reached out Lisa pushed her away.
"Get your hands off me!" she screamed. ""I hate you! And if John doesn't come back I'll never forgive you!" With that she ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut, leaving Carol alone in the lounge, too stunned even to cry. What on earth had she done, and how would she ever put it right?