You Really Got A Hold On Me

All Together Now

"Wait what?" I asked, startled. 

"A fire? Where? Are you okay? Oh my god." I looked at Paul who looked equally as surprised. 

"Yeah, I'm okay but uhhhhh" Abby looked distressed and almost lost for words, her eyes looked red from crying. 

"C'mon come on through" I said, taking her by the shoulders, half hugging her whilst I led her to the front room and put her on the couch.Then I sat on the floor in front of her and Paul took the chair on the other side of the room. 

"Abby, what's going on, what's happened?" I asked calmly though a thousand thoughts were racing through my head with endless possibilities, and not one of them good.She was crying a bit and I gave her a tissue, gently taking her hand in mine to let her know I was there. 

"Um" she finally said, between sniffles, "sorry" she blew her nose and I waited patiently, I would give Abby all the time in the world I didn't care how long it would take her to tell me, I just wanted to make sure she was okay. 

"There, there was a f-fire" she said, then wiped her eyes again "in my house, today, and -" 

I gave her another tissue because it looked like she had used up the first one already. 

"Thanks" she said gratefully, and I nodded encouragingly, willing her to go on. 

"I mean no-one got hurt thank god, Mum and Dad were out and Ben was god knows where but uhhh" I was relieved Abby's family were okay so I relaxed a little once I realised that that possibility was out of the way, "uhhh, the fire, it, it, started in our next door neighbours, we don't know how they're still trying to, trying to find out" she blew her nose again. 

"But uh, it, it spread to our house, the top floor and my bedroom is the first room next to-" some more tears found their way down Abby's cheek and I stood up and sat on the couch next to her. 

"Oh no" I said, fearing what she was gonna say next, "Abby I'm so sorry." 

"The fire, it got to my room" she cried, unable to hold back the tears now, 

"I know its silly, crying over a room -" 

"Hey, no Abby okay? It's not silly, oh I'm so sorry I really am" I said, pulling her in for a long hug. 

I felt like crying now because whenever I saw Abby sad, it made me sad, I couldn't stand to see her like this. 

"All my stuff, everything" she whimpered, "it's all got ruined." 

I hugged her again, harder this time. 

Then she continued, "I was out at the pictures with John when it must have happened" she said, sniffling, "I came back home and the fire brigade were there and everythin, it was so scary." 

"Oh my god Abby" I said, I too felt lost for words. I couldn't believe this was happening. Everything was so good this morning, it was just another normal day then it seemed this big thing had crash landed in our laps, destroying it all. 

"It, uhh, it got to my room and the firemen guys said it was beyond repair" she said, teary eyed, "and it spread to Ben's, but they put it out before it got any further. I wasn't even there when it happened so I couldn't grab anything before- " she said before tears started spilling again. 

"And, and, I asked my parents, could they fix it, fix the house but they said the damage was too bad so we have to move!" 

"Move?" I asked, worried, "move where?" 

"I dunno" she said, "I told them we're staying in Liverpool though because I don't want to leave you!" 

"Oh Abby" I said, hugging her once again, "you're not gonna leave, I won't let you okay?"