Yesterday - Now Complete

Part 8

She stepped out into the sunshine. Immediately she was swamped by reporters shouting questions and taking photographs.

"Annie, Annie, is it true that Paul was violent?"

"Did he push you down the stairs in an attempt to kill you?"

"Does he face prison?"

She stalled briefly, stunned yet terrified. "Leave me alone!" She yelled suddenly and began to run. She managed to flag down a passing taxi and escape.

Once home the phone rang constantly. She answered it only to find another reporter on the other end of the line. She slammed it down and unplugged it. How they had discovered what her number was and where she lived, she didn't know!  Annie then drew the curtains in her whole flat then hid under the covers in her bedroom, terrified of every sound, every knock on the door.

The harassment of Annie lasted nearly three weeks. She was close to despair. In that time friends brought her shopping and she didn't....no, COULDN'T leave the house. A week in there was a knock on the door. Thankfully, this time she wasn't alone, her mother and father with her. Her father opened the door, spoke to someone and closed it again. He returned to the living room.

"Who was it?" his wife asked.

"Annie love," Annie looked up. "There's a woman at the door. She says she has news from Brian for you. She's called Cynthia." 

"Cyn?" Annie stood up looking stunned, "What does she look like?"

Listening to the description, she knew immediately it was Cyn. 

"Let her in!"

Cynthia followed Annie's father into the living room.

"Your dad and I will let you talk in privacy love," said her mother softly, and going into the kitchen.

Annie sat down and waited for Cynthia to join her.

"How are you?"

Annie shrugged. "OK. You? John? Julian?"

"We're..we're all good thanks."

"Dad said you had some news for me."

Cynthia nodded. "I'm here with a message from Brian."

"What about?"

"Brian wanted to thank you for coming forward...about Paul I mean."

Annie nodded.

"Anyway, the police have dropped the assault charge about your fall."

"OK."

"But the thing is..." she stopped.

"What?"

"The police...they'll be in touch with you about it. They're also going to ask if you want to press charges against him for the violence...before that night."

"I won't. Don't worry." Her voice was flat.

"You won't?"

She shook her head. "Yeah...tell Brian not to worry. I'm not going to take things any further."

"Oh...right." 

Cynthia looked uneasy then Annie stood up.

"Is that everything?"

Cynthia nodded.

"I'll show you out then." She stepped towards the hallway.

"Annie, I know you and Paul aren't together now but..."

""Look Cyn, we both know our friendship can't carry on. Thanks for coming. Bye."

With no other real option Cyn said her good byes and left the flat. Annie walked back into the living room and sat down again, tears rolling down her face. Her parent's returned to the room and her mother held her sobbing daughter.

"Why did it all go wrong mum? I thought he loved me! Why?"

The news of Paul's charges being dropped hit the news the following day. It proved mixed blessing for Annie as it meant the press left her flat and camped outside Cavendish Avenue, hoping for a chance to talk to the newly released Paul. It did mean though, that instead of the press, she had angry fans shouting names and obscenities about her day and night as they believed she had deliberately set out to harm Paul's reputation after being 'dumped' by him!

Finally it ended when news broke that Paul had been cleared of the charge of pushing her down stairs. The press left their camp outside her flat and instead camped outside Cavendish Avenue awaiting an opportunity to talk to Paul. In despair, Annie called Brian and begged if there was some way that he could explain to the fans that she hadn't tried to set Paul up but she didn't hold much hope of there being a change.

Two days later she received a phone call from Brian. A statement was to be made live to the TV at 5 pm that evening. Thanking him, she hung up and turned the TV on at the appropriate time. To her shock and surprise the announcement came from Paul himself, flanked by Brian, outside Cavendish Avenue. Paul held up his hands to get the watching fans and press to be quiet so that he could speak.

"As you are all aware, I have recently been questioned and charged with assaulting my former girlfriend, actress Annie McIntosh. Annie was hurt following a nasty fall down the stairs in our home. Thankfully her injuries weren't too severe and she was able to remember how the fall happened. 

Annie had recently decided to end our relationship. I was understandably very upset and had been trying to persuade her to work on our difficulties. Understandably, she wouldn't and had been making arrangements to leave. On the night of her accident Annie was gathering her belongings together. I made one last ditch attempt to persuade her to stay. She refused and I frightened her once more. In fear, she tried to run away from me, missed her footing and fell.

Annie did not make false accusations to the police. The information was given to them by another party who knew the nature of the difficulties in our relationship. Annie is not to blame for this situation. In fact it was completely the opposite as once Annie knew what I had been charged with, she came forward and spoke to the police. It is due to Annie that all charges have been dropped and for that I can only thank her.

I know that recently Annie has had much harassment from both press and fans, wanting to know what has been happening. I ask that this stops. Annie is a kind and lovely woman who has been greatly wronged by me. She does not deserve such treatment. Therefore I ask that you leave her alone to move on from the pain I have caused her."

Paul paused and was immediately bombarded with questions about why he and Annie had parted. He hesitated before speaking once more.

"I regret to say that although I did not cause Annie to fall that night, I have to admit that I have been violent towards her on several occasions."

There was an audible gasp from the press and the crowd.

"I am ashamed of my actions. I know what I did to Annie is unforgivable and very wrong. I can only say how sorry I am for what  have done.

I would like to end now by saying once more that I want nothing more now than that you leave Annie alone. She deserves no blame or criticism. She was wronged by me in the worst way possible. It is me that should be blamed and criticised. Thank you."

As his final words were spoken, he turned and walked back into the house. Annie watched him walk away slowly, dejectedly, not paying any attention to anything Brian was saying or doing. Despite everything, her heart went out to him.