Lucy - Now Completed!

Part 58 - June 26th 1972 ( Cont'd)

Suddenly Paul raced after her, following her downstairs into the kitchen. Lucy scowled angrily at him.

"What do you want now?"

"Dot love, can you just give me and Lucy some privacy please?"

Dot discretely left the room.

"Lucy, I'm not leaving." He held Lucy's gaze, "This is my house. We'll just have to work through this!"

"FINE!" She snapped once more, "I'll pack me and the kids up then. We'll go to dad's! Fuck you and this house!" She turned from the room.

"LUCY! STOP!" shouted Paul, following her into the hallway. His expression now changed and he spoke calmly and quietly. "Don't uproot the kids. OK. I'll go."

Lucy stopped and looked at him. "Now?"

He shook his head. "No love. Look. I understand why you're hurt and angry, I do but I think we can work through this. I love you Lucy. Only you." He paused. "I'm going back to Hamburg tomorrow for Klaus's wedding. I'm guessing you and the kids aren't coming with me now?"

Lucy shook her head.

He nodded. "OK. I'll be back in two days. Please Lucy, whilst I'm away, think about you and me...our family. Please?"

"Like you did when you went with a prostitute you mean?" Lucy glared at him. "Whatever!" she turned from him and began to walk off. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to him. "You're not welcome in my bed tonight."

That night Lucy lay alone in bed trying to make sense of her feelings towards Paul...but she couldn't. Sighing deeply, she turned on her side and waited for sleep. It never came. In the spare room, Paul lay in the narrow single bed. Lucy hadn't said a word to him all day and she'd taken the children away from him to minute he touched one of them, despite his assurances that he'd been to see the doctor that very afternoon and was now being treated. He'd missed the cuddles at bedtime story with the boys and Mary. They too had been puzzled why daddy hadn't given them good night kisses. Sighing deeply and thinking of Lucy, he waited for sleep. It never came.

The following morning Paul was already up and dressed when Lucy and the children appeared for breakfast. Dot wasn't around yet.

"Morning love. Hello kids!" He smiled at his family.

"Want daddy!" Mary shouted, fighting against Lucy.

Lucy maintained her tight grip on her daughter despite this and the shouting turned into angry frustrated tears. Paul came to Lucy.

"Give her to me Lucy love."

Lucy turned from him. "NO!"

Mary continued to cry and reach out for her daddy.

"Mary!" Lucy scolded the little girl, "No! You're staying with me!"

Mary began to sob as James and Daniel watched their parents fearfully.

"Lucy?..." Paul began.

"GO AWAY!" she yelled, startling all the children now. Mary's cries became hysterical and James and Daniel began to cry too.

Paul reached over and put his hands on Mary. "Lucy, give her to me!"

"No! I told you yesterday!"

"For Gods sake Lucy, being angry with me is one thing!" he hissed, "But you're terrifying the kids. Look at them!"

Lucy looked to the boys, both who were crying. She looked back at Mary, as if seeing for the first time how distraught her daughter was. Suddenly she let Paul take Mary from her and watched as she snuggled into her daddy, still sobbing. She turned to the boys and went to them.