“Don’t worry, we can rearrange for in the week.” Lindsay was obviously concerned for her friend more than her wedding photos. “But let’s get you sorted, that’s the priority. That bloody idiot Simon really has gone too far now. Should I call the police?”
“No, please!” protested Steph, panic already on the increase at the thought of the police becoming involved. “It’s really not as bad as it seems and it wasn’t entirely Simon’s fault,” she told them thinking that was quite accurate.
“I think you should, but if you don’t want to I can’t force you to. However, what I will force you to do is to go to the hospital to get checked out and stitched. Lindsay will follow us in your car,” Charlie said insistently, already helping Steph stand with her head covered by a clean tea towel.
A&Eseemed very quiet meaning Charlie and Steph were quickly shown to a cubicle where they were seen by a nurse and a doctor who agreed that the gash would need to be glued, but aside from some bruising to her face and the threat of a black eye she was fine.
They sat waiting for Lindsay to appear and for someone to come and sort Steph’s head when Charlie asked, “Should I call your dad?” She shook her head. “Or one of your brothers, or sisters, or Jon?”
She stared at him and considered playing coy but chose not to. “No thanks.”
“He will find out and be arsy about not being told you know.” Charlie smiled at her warmly.
“I will tell him, but not yet. How do you know that Jon would have any interest in my wellbeing?” she asked curiously.
“Because he is my best friend and when he came back from Geneva last Thursday night we met up and he confessed all,” revealed Charlie.
“I see.” Steph wondered why he hadn’t told her that he was back in the country, but then she remembered that he had called her and she had been more than a little offhand with him.
“He can be a strange one, Steph. He has some strange ideas about things, about doing the right thing, even when the right thing is ridiculous and the furthest thing from right for him, but he likes you, really likes you and he will do his nut when he finds out about Simon today. Please let me call him or we will both be in the shit.”
“Okay, but not yet. Once I’m sorted and can get out of here. Does Lindsay know about me and Jon?” she asked curiously.
“God no! She would have you married off with a couple of kids!” Laughed Charlie.
Steph laughed, but then sadly said, “That would be difficult as someone has already bagged the job of his wife.”
“You really need to talk to him about her, or at least let him talk,” said Charlie seriously. “I know that it can’t be easy for you, none of it, but there will come a point when you both need to address the elephant in the room. Burying your head in the sand is not going to help, quite the opposite.”
“I’d rather not think about her or discuss her and me and my head enjoy the view from the sand,” she replied, hoping to dismiss Charlie’s concerns and words when Lindsay appeared with a nurse, the doctor and the glue.
Seventeen
Once patched up, Steph was able to travel home with Charlie while Lindsay drove her car.
Safely in the confines of the vehicle, Charlie brought up Jon again. “So, are you calling Jon or am I?”
“I should be seeing him later, so I might leave it and tell him face to face.” This was not something he’d be best pleased about but she had no intention of intruding on his weekend doing whatever he was doing with whoever.
“He won’t like that you haven’t told him, but on your head be it, no pun intended. If for any reason he calls me I won’t lie to him about it.”
“I’d never expect you to.” It had never crossed her mind to ask her friend to lie for her, and it was right that they should have trust and honesty between them as the two men were old friends. Her phone suddenly sprang into life. “Jon. It’s like he has some kind of sixth sense. Hello.”
“Hi darling, are you still with Charlie and Lindsay?”
“Yes, but I’ll be home soon,” she replied honestly.
“Please don’t rush home on my account because I may not make it to yours tonight. I am snowed under with a new businessdeal and I’ve got a meeting in Manchester in the morning so it may be tomorrow or even the following night before I see you.”
She suddenly felt very alone and even more vulnerable than she had when she’d been in her car with Simon. Swallowing hard she willed herself not to cry because apart from anything else she didn’t want him to view her as weak, or for her upset to affect the business he was busy with.
“Steph? Are you still there?” he asked with what sounded like real concern now.
“Yes, sorry,” she stammered slightly. “Don’t worry about it, sort your deal out and I will see you when you’re done.” She tried to sound supportive and upbeat.
“You can sound a little disappointed,” he laughed.
“I really am.”
