Until I Met You (32 page)

We got back to the house where my mum and dad could tell straight away that something was up.  I told them about the whole story and my dad nearly hit the roof.  It looked like he was about to go running after Brandon, until I told him I was fine and just needed to get my hand fixed.  As soon as I told him this, he relaxed a bit and took a look at it.  He confirmed too what Seth already thought, so we quickly climbed into my dad’s Jag and headed off to hospital.

I didn’t really want to go, but I knew it was fruitless.  The only times I have ever been in a hospital was because of those arseholes.  It was starting to become a regular pattern.

Once at the hospital, my hand was x-rayed, after waiting for nearly two hours to be seen.  It was once we were outside waiting for the results that a couple of policemen walked by.  I thought they were here for something else, but then they walked up to me and asked me if I was Angelina Bradshaw.

“That’s me,” I said, confused.

“We’ve just interviewed a very shaken Brandon Thorpes.  He was found by a passerby who saw him unconscious on the floor of Tregye Road.  He has slight concussion, but other than that he’s fine.  You’re lucky he doesn’t want to press charges.”

“You what?” Seth said, standing to attention.

The two police officers immediately stood guard, ready to pounce if Seth kicked off.

“Seth, please.  It’s okay,” I said, trying to calm him.

“No, it’s not okay, Angelina. It’s very far from okay.  You listen here officers, you’re lucky he didn’t get more than just a bit of concussion.  Do you have any idea what he did to her when she was only fifteen?  A child for fucks sake!  And you have the gall to come over here and say that Angelina is lucky she’s not being charged.  He was following her, did you know that?  He was waiting in the shadows so he could corner her.  Surely he’s the one that should be locked up.  Surely he’s the one who is in the wrong.”

“Sir, I would suggest you calm down.  Brandon Thorpe served his time for what he did.  He is able to come and go as he pleases, as long as he doesn’t break the law.”

Seth snorted.  “Yeah, so following and frightening the life out of the very victim he was put in jail for is perfectly okay, I take it?”

“It would seem that Miss Bradshaw here was far from frightened after witnessing the state Mr Thorpe is in.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” my dad shouted.  Both he and Seth were now squaring up to the officers and I could tell they didn’t like it one bit.

“I suggest you two calm down before I arrest you both under the Public Order Act.”

Seth was about to shout at them again, but I pulled him with my good hand to try and stop him.  My mum was crying at this point and I knew things would very quickly get out of hand if I didn’t try and do something soon.

“Please, Seth, Dad.  He’s not worth it.  If you get yourself arrested over that man, I would never forgive myself.  Mum’s getting upset and I really don’t want to see the two most important men in my life get carted off to a police station.”

What I said seemed to sink in.  My dad immediately sat down with Seth, and my dad placed his arm around my mother.  I nodded my thanks to Seth and turned my attention back to the policemen.  “Unless you’re arresting me for something, I think we’re about done here.  But I will say something before you leave.  I was out this morning minding my own business when Brandon suddenly appeared.  I haven’t seen that guy in eleven years, and he just turned up, trying to talk to me about that night he attacked me.  I was frightened, yes, but I was also thinking about my own survival.  Also thinking about what he had done.  I don’t know if any of you two have children of your own, but you think just for a second about how it would make you feel if your daughter had been attacked as a child, and the attacker suddenly turned up out of nowhere.  Just think for a second what it would feel like to be helpless when a policeman turns around to you and tells you that you’re lucky your daughter wasn’t charged for attacking her attacker.  Just for a moment, put yourselves in our shoes.  You know—human beings?  People who actually think and feel normal emotions that obviously seem to have been lost on the two of you.”  I sighed and shook my head.

“I don’t envy men like you.  In fact I pity you.  Just like I pity that pathetic excuse for a man hiding away somewhere in one of these hospital rooms.  I don’t know, maybe once you felt empathy for victims of crime and you’ve been doing it for so many years now that it’s frazzled your heart.  Maybe, put it simply, you just don’t have one.  But if it’s my first assumption, I would suggest you find another job, before it’s too late.”

I looked away from the now subdued police officers who had their head dipped in what could have been shame.  Seth was practically beaming with pride, and my mum’s sobbing had immediately been replaced by an open wide mouth of shock.

The policemen went by without another word, leaving us all alone again to wait on my results.  Seth grabbed my mother’s hand and apologised profusely for swearing in front of her.

“I more than forgive you, Seth.  You know that,” she said, squeezing his hand back.  “I couldn’t be more proud of you now than I am at this moment.  I’m so happy you’re going to be my son-in-law.”

She immediately started crying again and my dad was there offering her the comfort she needed.

“Angel,” my dad began.  “That was just about awesome my girl.  You definitely showed those two what for.  I can be proud that I’ve brought up such a wise little egg like you.”

“I didn’t know eggs could be wise,” I said, chuckling back.

“They know when to hatch, dear Angelina.”  He winked over at Seth and me, and we all seemed to relax that little bit more. 

I went in to see the doctor, and sure enough I had broken knuckle connecting my little finger on my right hand.  I had to have it bandaged together with the finger next to it, so it would heal correctly.  I was given medication to help with the pain and sent on my way with a promise I would go to my local hospital in approximately four weeks time.

Despite what had happened, and the pain I felt, I was feeling better about it all.  It was almost as if I had been given the therapy I needed to finally move on with my life.  Instead of seeing it as a bad sign—like I normally do—I took it as a sign to be thankful for what I have, and get on with my life.  Allow myself to be happy for once.

The rest of our stay there was uneventful.  Well, almost uneventful.  When Seth and I went shopping once I ventured off to get some drinks, when I bumped into Brian.  It was very awkward at first as I hadn’t seen him since that time with Veronica.  He spotted my ring and asked me about it just as Seth turned up to put a possessive arm around my shoulder.  I thought Brian was going to be nasty, or demand to know why.  I thought it was only right of him, after turning him down the way I did, with promises that I’ll never marry anybody.  Instead he wished us both luck and told Seth he was one lucky man.  Seth took it on the chin, thanking him gracefully and telling him he had no doubt himself just how lucky he was. 

I felt a new found respect for Brian now and I genuinely wished him all the happiness in the world, with most affectionate hug I had ever given him.  I felt he at least deserved that from me. 

Apart from that the rest of the stay was pleasant and uneventful.  It was just how I wanted it to be after the last couple of days.  I was travelling back to London with my fiancée.  I never thought I’d ever say that in a million years!

Chapter 18

A couple of weeks went by and I was as delirious now as I was two weeks back.  My hand was healing well and Seth and I were more in love than ever.  We still couldn’t keep our hands off each other, which everyone around us noticed, but we just didn’t care. 

We went out for a meal with Shelly and her new beau one evening when she made a comment about us being at it like rabbits.  Seth and I exploded with laughter at what she said, and we were laughing so hard she couldn’t understand why that was so funny.  It was the irony of the whole thing.

Seth told his family about our engagement and they wanted to throw us a huge engagement party, one where my family and friends would be invited.  I didn’t relish seeing Melissa again as we had met a couple of times since that first meeting.  To say they weren’t as fraught with tension as the first one was an understatement.  I knew this planned party wasn’t something she was organising by a long shot.  If it was a ‘Getting rid of Angelina,’ party, then she’d be all for it.

I accepted, as there was really no other choice.  I had my family there for support and they promised it would be a low-key affair.  Family and very close friends only.

We scheduled it for Saturday, and all that morning I was fidgeting and playing with my hair. Seth noticed I was on edge and asked me why, but I just made an excuse saying that I was nervous about our parents meeting each other for the first time.  He tried to calm me the best way he knew how by distracting me.  He told me the hair playing thing turned him on and proceeded to feel me up.  All of a sudden, my hair playing and nerves didn’t seem so appealing anymore.

We took Seth’s Jag as I said I was feeling too nervous to drive the DB9.  Truth be told, I didn’t want to rub my present in Melissa’s face.  I could have done it just to be spiteful, but that’s not the person I am.  Besides, the present means more to me than just a car. 

Once we got close to the house, we received a call from my mum telling me that they were close by.  She told us what street they were in and Seth knew exactly where to go to meet them.  Once we all spotted one another, I saw my mum and Julia waving like a mad thing towards us, as my dad and Jack just sat there, smiling.

We got to the gate and someone quickly opened it up to let us in.  There was an eagerly awaiting Paul, Joey, and Belinda standing at the foot of the steps.  We gave each other hugs and kisses and introduced them all to one another.  Joey was there with his big bear arms engulfing me as usual.  He was still always bugging me about his mum and how rude she is.  She actually classed me as ‘only an estate agent’ once when Seth was out of earshot.  Joey heard her, and I knew he had a go at her after.  Joey was right, she really was quite venomous.

“Where’s mum and dad?” Seth asked Joey.

“They’re out back, getting everything set up.  Looks like it’s going to be another nice autumn day today.  Dad thought it would be nice to eat outside.”

I went over to my mum and put my arm around her.  She was cooing like anything over the house.  I guess her face was the exact same as my reaction when I first saw it.

“It’s beautiful, Angelina.  I know you said it was grand, but I didn’t think it was this grand.”

I looked over at Seth and he placed his arm round me, squeezing me in tight to him.  I glanced up to his baby blues and smiled.  We had secretly set a date and were going to announce it today at dinner.  We spoke in detail about what we wanted once we got back from Cornwall.  Seth knew me by now and although he would be more than willing to give me the wedding of the century, he knew I didn’t want a lot of fuss.  I would get married in a black bin liner, in a garbage dump, with a tea cosy on my head if it meant I had Seth for the rest of my life.  I told him that much when we were talking about it.  He said the thought of me with a bin liner and a tea cosy on my head turned him on no end.  I held that thought for him as I went and did just that.  After his incessant laughter at how ridiculous I must have looked, he peeled it all off me and showed me just how much it turned him on.  Point taken.

After all that was said and done, we decided that a small affair in Cornwall would be best.  Seth knew that if we had it in Kent, there would be hundreds upon hundreds of people there that we didn’t know, and the whole scene would be completely over the top.  At least this way my mum would be happy and I knew I would get the smaller, intimate affair I was after.

The only problem being was, we didn’t have long.  We were planning on getting married in a month’s time.  This I knew would send my mother into hyperactive mode.  No doubt she will have a pop at me for not giving her enough time.  Not that she needs to do anything.  Seth and I were planning on getting most of the work done ourselves, so our families didn’t have to worry too much.

We got up to the door and past through the hall, where I could see them all gaping at their surroundings.  Even Jack was having a hard time not looking at everything.  He gestured a thumbs up at me and smiled, but I quickly waved my hand at him to shut up.  Seth’s mother already thinks I’m after his money.  I didn’t need my best friend to go rubbing it in even further.

We made our way out to the gardens, where there was an intimate long table situated by some elegant trees.  I had to sigh my relief when I saw that.

As we got closer, I could see my mother squinting to see Thomas and Melissa, who were both standing there staring back.  The closer we got the stranger all their expressions became—until my mother was practically rooted in shock on the grass.

“Mum, what’s wrong?” I asked.  I looked across at my dad to offer some guidance, but he, too is looking at them in surprise.  Seth squeezed my hand, complete confusion written all over his face.  Thomas and Melissa had their mouths pretty much on the floor in shock also.