What happened to Anne?

My fathers attack.

It was suspicious that the same night Pete had landed a hit on someone my mother had informed me that my dad had also been attacked, Pete stayed up the whole night ranting about how I should block him from my life, without first having the proper information, how could I accuse someone who already does so much for me? Supported me through my highs and my lows, I couldn't dare possibly think my father had any doings whatsoever, what if it was someone with a vendetta trying to attack my whole family for some silly reason?

But still, I tuned Pete out as much as I could, sitting on my love couch that I made myself after I had seen a video on Facebook, I always loved to read and now I had more of an excuse to do so, especially when the rain would pour down the window, audio book playing and enjoying the calmness of it all. But there was one issue, Pete
I couldn't listen to Pete my father would never hurt me, the police had been called by my mum and they had got ctv footage that they needed to go over and that would clear any confusion Pete has in his mind, anger had filled my entire body that I hadn't even spoken to Pete since the accusations against my Father, he called me a drama queen and that it was my father. He was utterly mad at the fact I hadn't sided with him immediately, but am I in the wrong for not? Of course, I had thought that for a split second maybe just maybe it could have been my dad trying to scare me so I would take up driving but he wouldn't dare leave his house in the state his health Is already in.

My Mother would only allow him to go to the shop and back and even the shop was just down the road so to travel 25 minutes would be out of character.

"Anne?" Pete speaks but I ignore him rethinking about taking him along on my business trip, "please, talk to me" he begs, sitting down in front of me "No.. my dad is not a monster!" I yell. He sighs getting up "Your mum just sent me the ctv footage , it wasn't your dad" I grab the phone out of his hand and a smile crept over, "I told you," I say with such a confident voice that even Pete now is completely silent "it was... someone he worked for, years ago.." he mumbled, "I knew it would be a personal attack, do you not remember his old job?" "What No.. of course, I do, he would collect people's furniture and belongings if they didn't pay up."I nodded taking a sip from my wine glass, but still,

I was still mad at him, and I couldn't just forgive him immediately after what had happened. I had spent a long phone call with Laura and even she was disappointed, "You deserve better, who goes and accuses someone without concrete evidence and proof" She was correct on that one, even if it had been my dad I would have waited before throwing punches. "I'm sorry for being a twit" he mutters so quietly under his breath almost like the words weren't matching, he almost seemed like he had wanted it to be my dad, I thought he would have been happy to hear that, but this was just the beginning of Pete's sudden mood changes.

The next 3 days he hadn't even asked if I was okay, or even my dad, trying to talk to him was like talking to a newborn baby, "I'm fine" he would sigh if I even asked what was bothering him. What was going on in his head that he couldn't even talk to me about?, the late hours he now works, not being home on the weekends I wanted to question him about the matter but I knew it would just cause another escalated conversation.

Pete had fallen out of love with me, well that's how it felt anyway. "I'd just leave him" Maggie coughs as her cigarette dangles from her hand I
Didn't say anything, I couldn't leave him, after 10 years? "What about you and Albert?" Laura chimes in. "Well, I hate that son of a bitch" she says so quickly.

I had always wondered how Maggie could stay with such a man, the stories she speaks sound horrific, I'm glad that In this case, I know things can only get better.. "men.. all the same," Maggie sighs and I and Laura just look at each other, we have known Maggie since we first started, she didn't get to on adventures like us, she was the research assistant, spending all day at a computer finding places that we then go and visit, she always speaks about she had a dream of visiting the world but with her age catching up to her just never had the time to get up and do it

Being a young mum too with kids I could
Already imagine how tough it was, her parents had disowned her from the second she gave birth all she had was Albert and I could already imagine the stress it out on the relationship "Hey mag?" I smile with an idea "Want to come with me on my next trip?" Her face is shocked "Really?" Her eyes beam almost like her eyes will pop out at any second "Yes really!!" I say excitedly  she wraps me in a warm embrace "Thank you, I'd love to!" It was the first time I had seen Maggie so calm and happy, she always seemed so gloomy and dull, but I know this will be life-changing for her. She walks away, phone in hand.

"I thought you would have asked me first?" Laura questioned her eyebrow raised "But look at how Mags is happy!" Laura hissed with a sigh unhappy with my decision but for the first time I wasn't interested in it, I knew that it was the decision I wanted and that's all that mattered, I simply got up from the brick wall that had now left my legs numb, and walked back inside, leaving Laura to her thoughts.

I still had some time before my next trip, I wanted to go and treat myself, I think that it was to get some lovely clothes although what should I buy more of? Summer outfits or winters, "hmm" I muttered to myself and Jerry across from me spun round from his chair "Problem Anne?" He smiled placing my cup down I shook my head "Worried about the trip?" He asked, which was a first I had never actually had a conversation with him before.

Apart from the time I told him to stop sending me flowers every day, he insisted that I was "welcome to the team" but it made me uncomfortable he soon stopped "No problem, just contemplating on what outfits I should buy for
My trip" he goes silent before turning to his computer "I can give you a hint if that helps?"

I think for a second, no I can't do that.. it would take the fun out of it.. but then it wouldn't be knowing where I'm going "Okay.. yes sure but only the weather, not the location" I make sure, "warm" he simply smiles and turns around.

Warm... now that would be perfect considering the British weather and how gloomy it has been, just almost 1 week to go and me and mags will be sipping cocktails till sundown! Even thinking about it is making me want to grab a cheap airline flight and enjoy the weekend at some beautiful beach...

But for now, my work day is finally over and that means I get to sit in an empty house and watch crappy telly until Pete arrives home; the commute home isn't too bad there wasn't a single person on the train it seemed which meant I got the whole carriage to myself, the rain poured heavy and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to lay on the sofa in a blanket with Pete with a good takeaway but oh how I wished that could happen.

"Pete?" I yelled to see if he was in but there was no reply which meant that he had another late day at the office, which I didn't mind... I had put my keys down on the kitchen counter turning on my coffee machine, but my eyes were immediately hit with Pete's laptop in the corner. He never leaves it on, only if it is a rush. I should look at it, right? But... I immediately run to the laptop, "Enter password?" Since when I mumble angrily.

After a hundred tries it was useless I heard the keys rattling in the background and immediately put it back in place. I grab my coffee and head through the dining room to the front room. He does not say anything but I hear him in the kitchen "There you are" he says, before leaving again...

I need to get on that laptop... I don't know why but I do he is hiding something from me and if he won't tell me I will find out for myself. I do trust him, right? Is this the best thing to do?

To be continued...

☺️Thank you if anyone is reading this! Means a hell of a lot to me, I used to write a lot of years ago but I stopped, I seem to get writer's block, but this is the first time I have been invested in completing a story! Please bear with me if there are mistakes I will go through and fix some and even change words if they don't make sense 💕☺️-