Only Time Can Tell

Chapter Twenty-three

As the  next couple of day  passed by, Sally-Ann  had gone out to the ranch after work to do some workmon her courtyard.
She had placed a set of stone wise monkeys among  some purple pampas grass and black blood Dahila flowers. In another garden bed, she placed some stone dragons sleeping amongst  some blue and black roses, a baby hedgehog  set in a rock cress cascading and puta large pot planter and beirloom climbing rose in another garden.

Happy with the outcome  of her handy work, she sat back and thought about what she could put in the study and private bathroom.
For the study she decided on a macrame  plant hanger, a Buddha boy in a monk grey style, Ayla winter snow frost dragon and a few abstract paintings to place on the walls.
She also thought about somee circular framed planters for the private  bathroom, a floating shelf, Buddha and zen terrariums, candlesand  vintage 1970s  resin decor mirror.

Everything was coming along together nicely and the next couple of days or so she would be able to make the final move into her new home.

Back at home, she was greeted by Luke, who asked her what her day was like. Sally-Ann  told him, she went out to the  ranch after work to do a few things around the place and hopes that in the next few days or so to be moving into her new home.

Not long after dinner Sally-Ann  called it a night, it had been a rather long full on day for her and she was dead on her feet.

In the morning after dropping Skyanne  off at school, Sally-Ann  ducked in the shops to grab a few more things she needed for the house.
After she had finished  getting what she needed, she tha  decided to stop in at the tavern for a cold drink.

Sitting at the table minding her own  bussiness, she never expected  to run  into Amanda.

When she spotted Sally-Ann,  she started yelling out and accussing  her of trying to cause conflict between Steven and her.
Sally-Ann  just laughed at Amanda  and told her the only one causing hassles in her so called relationship  was herself  and all her bullshit lies, and the made up stories she spun about Steven  wanting to marry  her. Not her or anyone else was the blame for her  fuck ups, it was all her know doing.

"Look bitch, I told you more than once -  Steven is my man. He loves me, not you.... so back the fuck off! " Amanda  said getting right up into Sally-Ann's face.

Sally-Ann just stood her ground and didn't  back down when she told her she didnt think so.... in  fact she knew differently cause she heard it from the horses mouth. Then she just walked away from her.

As Sally-Ann  walked out of the tavern, Amanda  followed her and knocked her to the ground. As Sally-Ann  fell, she hit her head hard on the cemented  pavement  and knocked herself out. Amanda then lifted her foot and  kicked her while she was down and yelled," I told you Sally-Ann, to back the fuck off!"  Than she just walked  away leaving  an unconscious  Sally-Ann  there laying on the pavement.

A young couple spotted Sally-Ann  laying on the ground not moving and called an ambulance.

Back at the house, the phone rang, Karen picked it up to hear the a young lady on the other end of the phone say it was the hospital  and that they have a Sally-Ann Neil there thats just been brought in by an ambulance. Apparently  she's been attacked.

Karen couldn't  believe her ears and once she got off the phone, she dailed her  brother's  number and told him Sally-Ann  had been attack and was in hospital.  She also told him that she believes  Amanda  is behind it all because she has attacked Sally-Ann  numerous  times before, but nothing like this.  She also told him what kind of monster he was  dating and that he should show Amanda  the fucken door. "She is  dangerous  Steven and not all there in the head."

Steven promised his sister that when he gets to the bottom of this and finds out Amanda  had anything to do with it,  he was definitely going to show her the door no questions  asked. 

After hanging the phone up, he grabbed his car keys and beelined it to the hospital  to be by Sally-Ann's side.

At the hospital  he asked where he could find Sally-Ann Neil, then off he went to be by her side.
When he walked into the room and saw her, he was shocked beyond words. She looked like she had been through the ringer with Mike Tyson.  He felt digusted  and angry at how someone could do such a thing   to a person....especially  someone as sweet an innocent  as Sally-Ann. 

She was sleeping, so he quickly walked in  and took a seat next to her.

He could hear the food trolley coming up the hallway.
Trying to sit up right in her bed, Sally-Ann  let out a little groan. Steven quickly jumped to her aid and asked if she was alright.

"Steven, how, how long have you been here? " she asked.

He looked at her and told her he only just got here after  he heard what had happened. 
Sally-Ann  looked at him and told him he didn't  have to be there, especially  after the way she had been treating him.
He looked at her and asured her he was where he wanted to be and that if  was at home right now he would more than likely throttle Amanda.

"Well than, maybe it is best you don't go home than," she said reaching for the jug to pour herself a drink.

Within an hour Sally-Ann  had fallen back asleep, Steven stood up, pulled the blanket up on her, leaned over the top of her and kissed her forehead.

In the morning  when Sally-Ann  opened her eyes, she was surprised to still find Steven there.
She looked at him and told him he didn't  have to stay there all night with her. He smiled and told her he knew he didn't have  to, but he wanted to. He told her he didn't  want to leave her.

After the doctor had  done his rounds and had given her the all clear, Sally-Ann  went had a shower and changed back into her own clothes, then called Luke and Karen to tell them she could come home.

Steven  bid his goodbye and told her he had  a few things he needed to sort out once and for all with Amanda. Than he lent over the bed and kissed her on the forehead and told her that if there's  anything she needed,  call him.

Arriving at his place,  Steven parked his car, locked it up and went inside to have it out with Amanda.
She looked up from her magazine  and said,"Oh you do remember where your home is. "

Steven looked straight at her and asked where she gets off going around attacking Sally-Ann.  Off-course she tried to deny it all by saying she had no idea  what the hell he was talking about.
He just stood there,  looked her in the eyes  and told her he couldn't  believe  she the ordastardly  to stand right there in front of him and lie to his face about not seeing Sally-Ann or attacking her.

She stared straight at him and out rightly  told him, "  How the hell am I supposedly  have attacked Sally-Ann,  if I hadn't  seen her?"

Steven  lost it, called her a lier and told her to get her shit and  get the fuck out of his life.
Amanda stood there yelling and screaming it was  all lies, Sally-Ann  was spinning  bullshit and he believed  it.

Well that truly  was the last straw for Steven, he went full defence  mode and told Amanda  she was nothing but an outright piece of work and a  fucken lier. And also told her he knows she is lying cause he spent the night up at the hospital  with Sally-Ann  and had seen what she had done to her.

" Like a  a damn dog , you had kicked her while she was down,  jumped on her legs, spilt her lip and gave her a black eye and just walked away leaving her there knocked out on the cold pavement.  Nah I'm done talking Amanda. ... just fuck off!"  he told her.