Turning to see him already heading back to his brother, she gave a sigh of relief and slowed her steps.
Sally was not best pleased. "What were you thinking of? He was practically throwing himself at you, and then you frightened him off. Why? I mean, think about it. You haven"t been out on a date in ages. All this time, and you still haven"t found the right man. For all you know, he could have been the one. As for me, I"m already spoken for, as you well know."
Anne smiled. "So, stop looking in the shop window if you don"t intend buying. Mick and you have been married for, what ... eight years?"
"It"s just a bit of fun, but having a bite to eat with two good-looking strangers doesn"t really mean anything, does it? Besides, I was hoping you might strike lucky."
Sally had witnessed Anne"s nervousness with that man, and she had seen her react like that before when any man got too close. It troubled her.
"Seriously, I"m only thinking of you, Anne. If you don"t start going out more, and meeting new people, you may never find the right man." She tried to lighten the situation. "Honestly, anybody would think you were afraid of making a commitment."
When Anne fell silent, Sally realised that somehow, she had touched a nerve. "All right then, forget I said that. Come on, let"s get something to eat, before we head off home."
Sally continued to chat as they walked down the beach towards the cafe.
Anne only pretended to listen. She could still feel the strength of the man"s fingers gripping her wrist. It had awakened so many memories. Her tormentor had kept her trapped so often by those very same means except, unlike just now, his iron grip had left indentations on her bruised skin for days after.
Often, that was how the real violence began ...
Anne quickened her steps to escape from the beach and the two men, so that Sally had difficulty in keeping up with her. "Hey! Slow down." Running up alongside, she linked her arm with Anne"s. "We"re not in that much of a rush."
As they hurried along, Sally noticed how pale and nervous Anne was, and how every so often she would glance over her shoulder as though worried someone might be following.
"Jeez! You"re trembling! Anne, what"s wrong? Did he say something to frighten you?"
"No, and there"s nothing wrong," Anne a.s.sured her. "I"m just thinking about the drive home and the traffic getting busy."
"If it"s worrying you that much, we can leave right now. I don"t mind one way or the other."
She did not believe Anne"s explanation, especially as Anne was an experienced driver, more than capable, even in the thickest of traffic.
Anne would not hear of abandoning their plans. "No, we said we"d go to the cafe and head off home after that. So that"s what we"ll do. And stop worrying about me, I"m just cold, that"s all." She feigned a shiver. "I"ll be right as rain with a hot drink inside me." Squeezing Sally to her, she forced a smile. "I"ve had a really wonderful time today. I"m so glad I"ve got you as a friend."
"Me too." Sally gave her a little hug. "We"re good together, you and me ... like sisters, eh?"
"Yeah." As they climbed the steps to the little cafe, Anne felt guilty. "Sally?"
"What?"
"I"m sorry for being a pain just now."
Sally feigned surprise. "What? You being a pain? Never!"
They were in brighter mood as they entered the cafe. "Can you get the order?" Anne asked. "I need the loo."
"Course. What do you want?"
"Coffee. And chips, please, with peas and a slice of bread and b.u.t.ter."
While Anne went off to the toilet, Sally glanced about, relieved to see there were only two other people in the cafe, because that meant they would be served quicker, and then they could get a start home that much sooner. That would be a good thing as Anne still appeared to be unnerved by that man"s advances.
Sally found a table right in the corner.
"Can I take your order, please?" The woman looked to be in her forties, prim and tidy, with a frilly white cap perched jauntily on her dark hair. "Is it just the one?"
"No, two; my friend"s gone to the loo, but she"s left her order with me."
"That"s fine." The waitress had her pen and notepad at the ready. "Drinks?"
"One coffee, and one lemonade, please, no ice."
When the entire order was given, Sally settled back in her chair and gave a lazy yawn. "Whew! It"s been a long day."
Five minutes pa.s.sed, and the drinks were delivered.
Then another five minutes, and by now Sally was growing impatient. What the devil is she doing in there? The meals will be here soon.
Picking up the menu, she began to browse through it absent-mindedly. After a minute or so, she replaced it on the table.
In the toilets, Anne washed her hands at the basin, and for a long moment she just stood there, deep in thought.
Leaning against the towel rack, she lowered her head and closed her eyes. She had so much on her mind, what with that stranger this morning, and then the man at the beach. She gave a whimsical smile: he must have thought she was a bit crazy, the way she backed away from him as though he were a ma.s.s-murderer.
Her smile slipped away. What was it about today? It was meant to be a fun time away from everyday life. But two incidents had deeply unnerved her. Two incidents in the s.p.a.ce of one day.
Over the years she had done everything possible to put it all behind her, but now, because of two strangers, she was taken back, mind and heart, to the most unhappy and frightening time of her life.
For what seemed an age, Anne remained in front of the mirror, anxiously murmuring to herself. One minute she would be staring at the floor; the next, she was nervously glancing about.
"You got Sally really worried," she chided herself. "You"d better get your act together, my girl. Or one of these days, they"ll be coming to take you away."
Leaning forward, she placed her hands on the edge of the basin, her eyes closed and her heart palpitating.
"Edward Carter!" She whispered his name over and over. "Edward Carter ... Edward Carter, the monster who ruined my life. Never again will I be able to trust any man. I"ll never get married, and I will never have children. Oh, I would have loved to have children, but now I can"t. Thanks to him!"
Clenching her fist, she punched the wall. "I hope you rot in h.e.l.l! I hope you suffer like you made me suffer. I pray that you will never have any peace in the whole of your miserable life!"
Unaware that Sally was standing in the half-open door, she began crying; softly at first, and then she was sobbing helplessly.
"Who"s Edward Carter?" Sally"s voice cut softly through Anne"s pain.
"Oh ... Sally!" Swinging round, Anne was shocked to see her friend standing there. "He"s no one ... just someone I once knew ..." Hurriedly wiping away the tears, she was devastated that Sally might have heard everything.
Without a word, Sally wrapped her arms around her friend, and for a long moment neither of them spoke.
Then: "I"m sorry, I didn"t mean to listen to what you were saying, and you don"t have to tell me about it. But I want you to know, your happiness means a lot to me, and I don"t like to see you hurting," Sally gently a.s.sured her.
Anne felt ashamed. "It was a long time ago ... best forgotten."
"Let me help you, Anne ... please?"
Anne shook her head. "I can"t."
"All right. If you"d rather not confide in me, then that"s your choice. I"m sorry. I promise I won"t ever ask again."
Leaning into Sally"s embrace, Anne tried to gather her senses.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Presently, Anne drew away, washed her face and, putting on a smile, she said brightly, "Take no notice of me. I just got upset at something and nothing."
Sally did not believe a word of Anne"s explanation. What she had seen and heard was a woman in turmoil. A woman who was deeply affected by something that had happened to her. "Like I say, I won"t ask you again about what happened, but if you feel the need to confide in me, I"m always here for you. Remember that, won"t you?"
"I will." Anne was greatly relieved. "Thank you, Sally."
Deliberately changing the subject, Sally asked her, "So? Do you want cold chips?"
"No." Anne was surprised at the question. "Why?"
"Because I expect they"re on the table, waiting for us. The waitress is probably thinking we"ve changed our mind and run off without paying." All she wanted was for Anne to come back to the table.
Taking a deep breath, Anne composed herself. "I"m all right now. Just give me a moment, I"ll be right behind you." Over the years, she had become skilled in the art of putting on a brave face, when inside she was falling apart.
Sally understood. "OK ... two minutes, though, or I"ll be back."
Anne watched her go, and gave herself a stern warning: If you go on like this you"ll be put away in some awful place, and they"ll never let you out again.
She tidied her hair and checked herself in the mirror, before going across to the door. Whatever did Sally think of her now? When they got back home, she"d probably avoid her like the plague, and who could blame her? She gave a sad little smile; another friend lost.
Because of her self-imposed secrecy and non-committal, over the years she had lost many friends. And now she convinced herself that she was about to lose Sally, the only real friend she had.
Sally was waiting for her at the table. "I put a napkin over your chips," she told Anne. "n.o.body likes cold chips." She deliberately made no mention of what had taken place back there.
The two of them began their meals, although after Anne"s upset neither had an appet.i.te.
"Do you fancy another drink before we head off?" Because of Anne"s bizarre behaviour, Sally was not ready to leave just yet.
"Thanks, yes. I"ll have a ginger beer." Right now, Anne was in need of something with a bit more zing than coffee.
"Ginger beer coming up." Sally went off to order at the counter.
When a few minutes later she returned with the two drinks, she was concerned to find Anne seemingly deep in thought.
Sally placed the drinks on the table. "You seem to be lost in a daze. Preparing yourself for the journey back, are you?"
"Not really. I was just thinking, it"s so peaceful and pretty here. To be honest, I don"t think it would matter if I never went back."
Sally had no answer to that, but she made an observation: "You look done in. If you"d rather I drive home, I wouldn"t mind one bit. After I see you home safe, I can easily get the bus back to my house."
Anne dismissed the idea. "No. Thanks all the same, but I enjoy the drive."
"Really?"
"Yes, really!"
They sipped their drinks, and talked quietly of anything and everything except the one thing that burned in both their minds.
"Anne?" Sally"s voice was almost inaudible.
Thrusting the bad thoughts from her mind, Anne took a few gulps of her drink and replaced her gla.s.s on the table. She could feel Sally"s attention on her. "Oh, I"m sorry, Sally." She quickly started gathering her belongings together. "Are you waiting to go?"
"No, we"re all right for a while yet. But I do need to ask you something. Don"t worry. Like I said before, I won"t pry. So if you don"t want to answer, that"s fine."
Anne had half expected her to ask questions, and she was ready. "You can ask, but I can"t promise to answer."
"Earlier, at the fairground ...?"
"Yes?"
"When I reminded you about the man at Woollies?"
Anne was somewhat relieved. Initially, she feared the question might be linked to what Sally had overheard in the loo. "Oh, him! Yes, what about him?"
"It"s just that afterwards ... you said something." Sally had not forgotten. "It just made me wonder, that"s all?"
"What did I say?" Anne grew nervous. "I can"t remember. And anyway, it was probably something and nothing."
"It might not be word for word, but," Sally leaned closer, "as I recall, you said ... "confrontation sometimes brings you more trouble than you can handle", or words to that effect."
Anne feigned ignorance. "Did I really say that?"
"Yes, you did." Sally was gentle. "It was a really strange thing to say. So, what exactly did you mean by that?"
Anne measured her words carefully. "There are times when you might really want someone to leave you alone, but they never do. So you tell them straight. You stand up to them. Somehow, you have to find the courage to speak your mind." She took a moment to calm herself. "Sometimes you try and protect yourself, but then you might find that you"ve made the situation worse. That you"ve let yourself in for more trouble than you could ever have imagined."
For what seemed an age, there was silence between them.
Then Anne tried to explain further. "All I meant was that you should be careful how you say no. Some people don"t like to take "No" for an answer." Grabbing her drink she took a long swig, then put the empty gla.s.s down with a heavy thud. "Think about it, Sally. I"m sure you"ve been in that same, uncomfortable situation, at one time or another."
Sensing a c.h.i.n.k in Anne"s armour, Sally played along. "You"re absolutely right! Do you remember when the randy foreman asked me to climb the ladder at work. He said he had a bad back and wanted me to get the stock down from the top shelf. I was on to him straight away! Bad back be d.a.m.ned! He thought he"d stand at the bottom of the steps, peering up my skirt and getting an eyeful, dirty old sod! Oh, but he didn"t like it when I said no. I pretended I was afraid of heights. He lost his rag. Just like you said, he flew into a spiteful mood. Slamming and banging about, he was, and yelling at everyone for no good reason."
She gave a nervous little chuckle. "n.o.body ever knew the reason for his bad mood, and I thought it wise not to tell. But I had the feeling he would have loved to give me a battering. As it was, he made some feeble excuse to take me off my regular duties. That same day, he shifted me to the cramped back office, where they carry out stock checks and ordering."
"But I thought you hated that kind of work?"
"I do. It was my first job on starting there, and he knew it had bored me to tears. But it"s what you were saying before, he was just punishing me because I stood up to him. So I do know what you mean. And you"re absolutely right."
"It"s true. Some men are like that." Anne knew only too well. "They"re just naturally vicious. They like to hurt women. They like to see them in pain. They torment their minds, and break their spirit, and they think it"s all right. But it"s not all right, it"s wicked!"