The Ultimate Take That Story *COMPLETE*
Chapter Eight
8.
Charlotte covered her mouth with her hand and wished she had had a shovel in her purse so she could’ve dug herself a hole to disappear in.
“I am so, so incredibly sorry.” She whispered to the blue eyes that seemed to pierce her soul. It was as if he was looking straight into her heart and read all her darkest secrets. She swallowed and noticed her throat was swollen. She felt her cheeks turn crimson and dared not to look at him anymore.
“Charlotte?” Dawn asked, “please come in!” She ushered Charlotte inside and Jason entered too and he stood there looking at both women as if demanding an explanation for all this madness.
“What is going on here?” He finally asked Dawn. She sighed and told Jason the whole story. Charlotte felt even worse now, not only was she betraying her best friend, the story was spreading much faster than she had hoped. They were sitting in a huge sitting room with soft big couches, luxurious pillows and blankets covered the couches and huge paintings hung on the walls. Charlotte, after all a curator, wasn’t very impressed by the choices made in the paintings, they made the room look even more bombastic with all the golden and red colours. She wanted to light a cigarette but was too afraid to ask for an ashtray so she just didn’t smoke. She just sat there fidgeting on her nails.
Jason looked stunned after hearing the whole thing. He sat in silence sipping his sparkling water for a bit.
“You do realise that Howard isn’t going to take this as just some information and let is pass by, d’you know what I mean?” He said.
“No..” Charlotte pouted.
“See, I know you don’t want to stop Julia doing what she wants to do, you just feel that Howard has a right to know.”
“Exactly!”
“Great, all I’m saying is that when Howard knows this, he WILL try and stop her.”
“You think?” Dawn asked
“No, I’m sure of it.”
***
A week later…
Julia and Charlotte sat at the clinic waiting. Julia was a shade of white Charlotte had never seen on anyone’s face. Charlotte herself didn’t feel too good either. She had been stalked by Howard the last couple of days, he was livid that Julia hadn’t told him anything and he had totally flipped out when Charlotte and Dawn had told him what she was planning on doing. He had screamed, cried and at home he had even smashed some things. Charlotte had refused to tell him when the actual date was, like Jason said, Howard was determined to stop Julia, but she was strangely nervous that somehow he had found out and would enter the clinic in a few moments. Every other minute she scanned the room hoping not to see Howard.
***
Howard hung up his phone feeling horrible and triumphant at the same time. He had never used his celebrity status to get things until now. He grabbed his cell phone and car keys and headed towards the clinic.
***
Robbie’s phone rang and he woke up from the deep black dream he was in.
“Yeah?”
“Rob?”
“hmmm..yeah who’s this?”
“It’s me, Rob. Mark.”
“Markie! Mate how you doing?”
“Great! Listen…how d’you feel about meeting up tonight?”
“Great, great…fab idea. Where do we meet?”
***
Jason looked at his perfectly arranged books. He was bored. It was raining and he didn’t feel like going out. He felt restless. He wanted to do something and at the same time he wanted to crawl into bed and sleep forever. As if he was able to sleep. He rubbed his face and felt his three day beard on his fingers. When he closed his eyes there it was again. The image of long black beautiful hair dancing in the wind and the wave of her perfume. What was wrong with him?
***
Howard slammed his foot down on the gas and raced into town. He hardly noticed the phone in his pocket ringing endlessly. He looked on the display: Vicky.
He stopped the car and picked up his phone.
“Honey…please come to the hospital…I’m having our baby!” She said nervously and happily at the same time.”
***
That night, Julia lay on the couch in the apartment and Charlotte fed her tea. Julia felt empty, sick but relieved. Her second chance was about to begin.
Charlotte cuddled her, cradled her and cried with her but in the back of her mind she was wrapped up with something else. Those big blue eyes hadn’t left her memory for one second.
***
Mark sat at the back of the restaurant waiting. Rob was 45 minutes late. He ordered another vodka and tonic.
***
Robbie found the mirror in his bathroom tossed on the floor. The white powder looked like snow in the little bag and he immediately felt better. Snow made him feel better. Made him think of Christmas, of sitting around the Christmas tree and sing songs with his mum. He closed his eyes and snorted….soon the stars and the blackness arrived. All was forgotten.
***
“Darling?” Dawn sat next to Gary in their car from their way home from her parents.
“Yeah,”
“What would you do if I said I was having a baby?”
“Are you having one then?” Gary asked, his heart missing a beat.
“No,” she answered smiling.
Gary’s heart slowed down again, he felt disappointed and he hadn’t expected that.
“As long as it’s mine..” he grinned and Dawn softly touched his left hand which was loosely holding on to the clutch.
***
Howard was holding his beautiful baby girl in his arms.
“Hello Grace…” he whispered and tears sprung in his eyes. He was crying for his child. His newborn one and the one he had lost today.
***
Mark left some money on the table and left the restaurant. Disappointed he got into his car.
Everything has changed he thought as he drove his car down the wet streets into the night.