Chenford Story ✔️

2

Lucy's POV

It had been two more months. I stepped onto the scales. 20kg. Emmet pushed me off, I was to overweight. I was taking the tablets to help loose weight but they weren't working fast enough for my boyfriend. "Gees babe, only lost 1kg since last week. Not good enough"

It reminded me of my parents, how after every other meal they would shove their fingers into my throat, making me throw up the food back into the toilet. Emmet did the same, only this time he guided my own fingers, his were to precious to be touched by my throw up. I mean, he was perfect.

I practically fell to my knees, "i-im so sorry Emmet, don't worry, I'll fix it by next week. I'll be down 3kg by then ok?" My lip was quivering. "Not good enough Babe, make it 5kg or the handcuffs come out again" I nodded my head obediently. "Of course, I'll be at 15kg by next week. I promise"

Those last two words made me slip up. I knew better than to promise Emmet anything. At least.......

"Boot get into the shop!" I slowly entered the vehicle, ready for a day on patrol. Down 6kg by next week. I knew it was possible, recommended even, to lose that much weight in a week. It was my own stupid fault I couldn't loose the weight. Eating to much, not exercising as often. Before I knew it I would be obese. Yeah. I just..... needed to eat less. I fiddled with the tablet box in my pocket. "Boot!, I asked you to put on your seatbelt!" Sargent Bradford's yelling brings me back

I snap to attention "yes sir, sorry sir"

Tim's POV

"Boot?!" I was worried about Lucy, she had always been slim, pale.... but she seemed out of it, nervous. Not to mention unhealthily thin and almost ghostly.
"Are you ok Officer Chen?" I spoke with a slight warmth I didn't even know I had, hoverer the title of Officer Chen stuck.

She replied coldly with a single nod barely acknowledging my genuine concern. I grab her wrist with my hand, she winces and I immediately pull away. "Lucy?" I never address he by her first name. "Are you ok?"

Lucy's POV

I sigh inaudibly "um yeah.. I'm fine Officer Bradford" I think some more, but only for a second "are you ok? You never call me Lucy?"

He replies quickly with a clearly rushed response "um yeah, i-i just" I giggle silently to myself at seeing Tim Bradford stumbling over his words. He composes himself quickly though "yes, I just need to check that personal issues won't affect the job"

Tim was back. Always caring about the job. My stomach interrupted my train of thoughts, a load rumble, I hadn't eaten in three days. I knew it was bad, that I was slowly shutting down, but every time I even thought about food I would practically run for the hills.

"Hey Lucy, it's already 2pm, you must be starving. Let's stop for some lunch." I hear Tim's voice in my head. Starving. Yeah you could say that, but I needed to cut down on calories, get skinnier so that Emmet would like me more. Lunch. No, please no. I hastily reply eager to escape anything to do with food.  "Oh, no I'm ok Tim, I had a big breakfast" It was a lie, I think even Tim knew that, but he let it be.

We pull up to a good stand an hour later. Tim wouldn't let go of the whole missing lunch thing. Somehow I force down a small burrito. "Hey Tim I'll be back in a sec, just need to pee" I walk hastily towards the bathroom, trying not the throw up as I went. Not here. Not while Tim was watching. I shut the stall door behind me. Breathe Lucy.

I look at my trembling hands, forcing three fingers to the back of my throat until I started gagging. It didn't take long for the entire burrito to be forced back up. My stomach growled again.

Tim's POV

Lucy had been in the bathroom a while. If you call seven minutes a while. She was probably...... I don't even know. She seemed out of it today, mentally spaced out. And she looked thin, like unhealthily thin.

I know I shouldn't have. I knew I could technically be arrested for doing it. But I looked through her bag anyway. Tablets. For weight loss. Why the hell was she taking these?! She was underweight anyway?! Just then I saw Lucy walking out of the bathroom. Her eyes looked sunken, she seemed sad.

"Hey Luce...." I began but was stopped almost instantly. "Please stop talking if it is not about a case Officer Bradford"
I bowed my head and stayed silent. It was my own stupid rule 'no personal talk in the shop' but now I was regretting it. Something else plagued my mind though.... Luce, what the hell was that?! Why the fuck had I given my boot a nickname?! I had never done it before, other than calling them boot. But that was hardly a nickname, more an insult it anything. And yet without even thinking about it, it all felt so natural, so right.

After Shift

I had told her I wanted to speak to her. To wait for me by roll call. But she wasn't there, I even checked with Angela that she wasn't in the changing rooms. She had just left me. I thought back to the shop, the tablets were unnecessary, why was she taking them. I knew after Celeb she had been anxious, even a bit depressed, but this...

Lucy's POV

I practically ran out of the station to avoid Tim Bradford. Emmet would want me home. Last time I was 5 minutes late I was whipped because he thought I was cheating, I just needed to stop for fuel. I wasn't making that stupid mistake again. It was my fault anyway, how worried he must  have been about me, I was so selfish for ntk even calling him. I felt the scars from the whip down my back. It had hurt, a lot. But surely it was nothing compared to Emmets fear about Lucy. Yeah. That was why he did it. Fear.

I looked down at my vibrating phone. Tim Bradford was calling me. A million excuses ran through my brain. I knew I said I would meet him. I had lied.