Carole - Now Complete!

Part 21 - Run for your life!

The sudden sound of voices on the landing woke Carole with a start. She panicked! They were still naked. It would be obvious to ANYONE what had been going on between them both! The last thing she wanted was to be found like this at a party! She shook Ritchie who woke up and looked at her.

"We need to get dressed!" she whispered, "Someone will find us!"

Nodding, Ritchie moved and, after dressing swiftly, he stood up. 

It tool Carole a little longer to dress as she had more layers. She asked Ritchie to help zip her dress but instead of helping,  he just laughed at her. She turned to him, a puzzled look on her face.

"What's the matter Ritchie?"

"I was just thinking it's a bit of a shame."

"What is?"

"You and me."

"I don't know what you mean!" Carole was suddenly scared.

"The fact that you and me won't happen Carole! We'll never be together. I don't want you!"

"But you.. you  said you loved me! We...we made love!" she stuttered, shocked!

He laughed the same cold laugh once more. "Remember that night I came home from touring?"

She nodded.

"All my hopes and dreams were tied together in you!" He scowled, "I thought you were pregnant. That we'd be a family together. I'd planned to ask you to marry me! I'd bought an engagement ring whilst I was in the states! You know that, don't you?"

Carole slowly nodded her head.

"I came to this party to night because I wanted to show you what it feels like."

Fear mounting, Carole whispered, "What what feels like Ritchie?"

"What it feels like to have your hopes and dreams snatched from you."

"I... I don't underst...." Her voice tailed off.

"I know you want to come back to me."

She nodded. "I love you Ritchie, I always have. But if you think you can live without the idea of a family then I'm here for you."

"That's just it though," said Ritchie, "I can't. I want kids...a whole bunch. I've met someone you know ...she's lovely and... not barren like you!"

Carole felt the colour drain from her face. "What are you saying Ritchie?"

He laughed. "I'm saying I don't want you. I spun you a line to see if you'd fall for it. And you did!"

"But we made love! You said you needed me! Wanted me!"

"Words!" He laughed again, "I admit I hadn't planned fucking you but you always were a decent ride and you offered it me on a plate, so I thought why not?"

"It meant nothing?"

"Nope! Just a quickie!"

She stumbled backwards and sat down, speechless.

"Right, I'm off. Maureen's waiting for me." He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a couple of twenty pound notes. He threw them at Carole. " Thanks for the shag!"

He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Carole stared after him. He'd used her. Made promises he had no intention of keeping. Why? What did it prove?  She moved and, on hearing the crunch of money beneath her feet, looked down. There was the twenty pound notes he'd thrown at her. He'd paid her for sex like some prostitute! Suddenly she felt sick. She dashed from the room into the bathroom and vomited.

She needed to get out of the house, away from any chance of seeing Ritchie again,  either on his own or with someone else! She looked in the mirror and took a deep steadying breath. Stepping out onto the landing so passed someone she knew and after a quick hello, she carried on walking. She tiptoed down the stairs and let herself out the front door. Once outside the full impact of what had happened between her and Ritchie hit her. Tears came in floods, blinding her. She began to run, desperate to get to her own flat a few streets away. It was dark now...almost midnight but Carole didn't care. Her only focus was to run and hide away. Turning from Cavendish Avenue on to Abbey Road, her pace slowed as she began to gasp for breath. A solitary car passed her and stopped. A woman in the passenger seat wound the window down and called to her, asking if she needed help. Carole shook her head and began to run once more.

Stepping from the pavement, she made to cross the road.  She didn't see the small van approaching and the poor driver had no chance of seeing her. She darted like an animals being hunted, straight into it's path. There was a screech of tyres and then nothing.