When Annabelle, a young eighteen year old is sent to her grandmothers attic to fetch something she discovers some old photographs and newspaper clippings from 1919. The dates go back to when her grandmother was a child and lived out her own teenag...
I awoke early the following day after a relentless night of tossing and turning trying to shake the image of Thomas with someone else, out of my head. I didn't bother with breakfast my stomach still sick with grief. I managed to drag myself to the park around the towns centre where I stared blankly at people passing by unaware of my displacement after Thomas and I's fight. Some would call it a lover quarrel and others would call me a whore. No one of significance just someone that Thomas has access to. Just someone he can use and abuse. That wasn't me.
As I sat dazed and ashamed of myself I felt a gentle tap on my right shoulder "Guess who". I could feel the smile radiating off of him "Hey Sam" I tried to smile back as best as I could. "Walk with me?" he asked with a hint of caution in his voice, he could tell something was up. We walked in the middle of the street towards a cafe where we found a seat and sat down. "Wanna tell me what's on our mind?" he nudged my arm as he examined my features. "Believe me you don't want to know" I shook my head.
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He gazed at me one more time before taking my hand and giving it a squeeze "I think I can handle it" he reassured me. "I don't think you can" I began speaking "Whys that?" he raised an eyebrow "because even I can't" tears prickled at my eyes. "I got into a really bad fight with Thomas" I stated wanting to leave it at that however I could see the curiosity building up within Sam and he wanted answers straight away. "About what exactly?" he waited for my response.
I shook my head and stared at the wood counter top and then out the window as I mustered up the courage to tell him about what was causing me such shame. "Thomas did something stupid and I got mad thats all" I tried to get Sam to let it go but he was having no bar of it. I sighed nodding my head in submission to his pressure. "I was informed by someone close to me that Thomas was cheating on me and I made the mindless and foolish decision of going to his location looking for the truth which I found and wish I didn't".
Sam's eyebrows were raised high with surprise and shock "Oh..." was all that managed to escape his lips. "Im so sorry I had no idea it was that bad" he looked down lost in thought trying to figure out what he can do in order to fix the situation. There was nothing he could do because it wasn't his fault or his problem to solve. It was my own. And for reasons I couldn't explain not even to myself I had to resolve them quickly. Something in the pit of my stomach was warning me I needed to get everyone back together again.
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After spending the morning with Sam I decided it was time to pay Alfie a visit to thank him for the support and assistance he had provided in the past weeks. He was honest and kept his word even when times got way too out of hand for most of us to handle. I stood in his warehouse chatting away until he asked me something which made me shuffle back a few steps. "How many weeks are you?" "Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow crossing my slender arms in defence. "Oh, nevermind then" he quickly averted his gaze and stood in the centre of the walkway not knowing what to do.
"You wait here im going to make a call-" he began walking towards his office which was only a few meters away. "Who to?" I spoke as he reached the door of his office "Just a friend" he smiled lightly before turning away and entering the room. It wasn't long before he exited the room once more and made his way back to his previous standing position, now with a glass of whiskey in his right hand. "You may need some of this liquid courage" he spoke handing me the glass and looking at the floor before taking a seat on the small wooden stool.
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It would have been a good thirty minutes that the pair of us sat in our seats in the busy warehouse before Alfie ushered me into his office and sat me down in his leather chair. "Polls just arrived" I couldn't help but chuckle "Polls the friend you called?" he nodded with a serious look on his face. Within moments the door burst open and quickly shut close once more. "Whats going on?" I turned to face Polly as she walked nearer to me.
"Annabelle stand up for me please" she took my hands and helped me to my feet. I looked over at Alfie now concerned with what was going on " Somebody tell me what's going on" I looked between the pair of them before throwing my arms up in the air. "Turn to the side" Polly huffed before physically turning me to face the other side. "Now I want you to remain calm and take a seat" I raised and eyebrow and did as she said. "Annabelle... Have you and Thomas had sex recently?" I nodded " A few days ago?" I responded confused before it hit me dead in the face.
I shook my head quickly "No way" I fell into a frantic panic "Im not" "You are" Polly responded. "So who's telling Thomas then?" Alfie asked placing his hands on his hips. "I will tell him but you need to stay calm and collected until he does find out" I held my head in my hands and my mind rushed with all the possible outcomes that could become real when Thomas finds out. It would only be a matter of time until he knew the truth.
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