Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

The Shiniest Thing

"Georgie, Georgie I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to be disgusted with me and now....." Louise slid over the bench seat and cuddled her brother, like it was him that had the problem.
George banged on the steering wheel again and again making Lou flinch every single time. "Now you know, I'm a dirty whore" Louise started sobbing into her hands. There finally she said it out loud to another person, she was a dirty cow that spread her legs and took in all those men.

George's eyes tracked over Louise to Evie in the back seat, sleeping so peacefully, as the front seat fell apart. Evie, the angel out of all this, she wasn't even John's. What the hell was happening. Like a crazy dimension this was, George mused. John the chivalrous one marrying Louise even as she carried another man's baby. I owe John an apology. Maybe a thumping then an apology, he was a prick in the beginning and kept him in the dark but always John loved little Evie, George granted him that, he was a good father to Lou's child.

"Louie, I love you. You're NOT that. You were ra-"George couldn't say it, not now, Louise was in pain, crying her eyes out, falling deep into panic and despair "You had no role in this. He attacked you didn't he. Took from you. You aren't dirty - you're the shiniest thing in my world" 

Feeling more like a man and not a little boy everyone pegged him for, George turned and held his sister as she let her eyes cry a river and her heart break over and over again, her sobs and quaking body and the way she held on for dear life meant George was crying too. Into her hair, his tears fell for his sister. "Louise, you're the best person in my entire world. So shiny and bright, like a star. Nothing can make you tarnished to me. I love you, I do"

Louise couldn't stop herself from breaking away, sliding from the car. On autopilot, she ran. Ran the length of the pull off area her bare feet crashing hard into the sharp gravel and puddled water from the showers of rain splashed her legs, then she stood watching the fields for anything, anything that wasn't what was happening to her right here, right now, then she dropped defeated to the ground.

It was hard for George not to follow but Louise needed the run, the solitude, she wouldn't go far. Evie was here and there was not a farmhouse, walker or other motor in sight.

Louie, rose slowly, Georges footsteps like heartbeats as he approached.

Stood many metres from the car, head down and feeling like the world she had built was false, a house of cards George grabbed her shoulders tugging her into his arms, Louise slumped low and George led her slowly to her seat once again.

"Was it just this, the photograph?" Louise put the photo face down between them, wondering what else George had been given, told or found out while in Liverpool.

"It was with this but I don't think you should read it" George showed Lou a piece of paper but tucked it back in his back pocket as he leant in the car.

"George give me the letter I want to see what it says!" Louise punched George three times for his stopping her pillaging his pockets for the offending piece of paper. They tussled. On any other day it would end in laughter, tickling and friendly brother sister name calling but today George ducked away, told her off and pushed her back gently into the passenger seat.

"Louise! Stop it would you. We need to get back to John and sort this out there. I can't have you going off your rocker while I'm driving" George wiped Louise stray tears he could see as she hid her face. "We need to get back in one piece, safely with Evie don't we" George hugged Louise when she moved back over and snuggled into his side "Alright, come on let's buckle you up"

"Did you tell, Da Georgie?" Lou whispered as George went to go round her side of the car. George paused then walked round to Louise, leaning in, grabbing the seat belt then clicking the belt into the latch. Louise ignored him, she felt so dirty again, so foul and nasty.

"No Louie I haven't told a soul and I won't ever sis, not a word. I wouldn't do that to you" George kissed Lou's cheek and closed the passenger door firmly.

Lou leaned on the window, watching George rush round the bonnet to get in his drivers seat then closed her swollen red eyes, praying George got them home soon.

While Louise had been out wandering the length of the pull off George had mulled over the letter, thinking what was the best way to sort the whole debacle. Lou and John had been married from nigh on the outset of her pregnancy. John was there in the picture always, even if he was a gigantic pain in the arse and slutted around ..... he did marry Lou, so everything looked like Evie was John's. Perhaps the blood types matched and Brian could wrangle some paperwork indicating the fact.

George turned forward in his seat and started the engine as Louise wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Don't worry Lou, I have an idea"