All The Mixed Feelings (Van McCann)

Part 69

Abby

There was a constant stream of people through the house. Police. Paramedics. Sam had called Mike and him and Eve had rushed in not long after the police's arrival.

Sam and Emily were there too. They had shown up just before the police. Rushing in to be faced with utter chaos as Chris was attacking Van. Emily had been helpless, frozen in shock by the scene she had been met by, but something had taken over Sam. No sooner had he surveyed the scene, he had charged at Chris full-pelt, aiming a well placed punch to his jaw that had surprisingly knocked him off balance. I'd heard the sickening crunch as his fist connected, seen Sam shrinking on to his knees clutching his hand in agony. I'd prayed that Sam wouldn't befall the same fate as Van as Chris had gotten to his feet and lumbered over to Sam in fury. My prayers had been answered at that point as the faint sound of sirens had gotten louder, and several police officers had burst in, swiftly incapacitating Chris and hauling him away whilst he spat desperate threats at me.

A kindly paramedic had helped me up on to a chair in the kitchen and checked me over, inspecting my bruises and cuts, but they were only superficial. I kept telling them to leave me. It was Van who needed the help. I kept repeating it over and over, even when he'd been loaded on to a stretcher and taken away. People told me he was going to be okay but I didn't believe them. I'd seen the way his body crumpled, the relentless way Chris had attacked him again and again with no mercy. The sound of Chris's boots striking his helpless body. Every time I closed my eyes I could see his bloodied face. So I tried not to close my eyes. I sat and let everything flow around me, my eyes fixed on a spot on the far kitchen wall. Eve held my hand.

"You're going to need to get that hand seen to, it's definitely broken," I heard a paramedic say, and I finally looked around to see Sam sitting hunched over, nursing his bloodied fist.

Mike went to him, placing a supportive arm around his shoulders, urging him to stand up. "Heard you were a bit of a hero mate. Come on, we'd better get you to hospital."

I rose to my feet then, rushing to Sam, flinging my arms round him. "I'm so sorry Sam, I'm so sorry..."

Sam held me close with his good hand, the other hanging limply at his side. "Abby love, what are ya apologising for?"

"All this... all this... it's all my fault..."

Sam pulled back to look at me, horrified at what I was saying. "None of this is your fault."

"But you're hurt because of me... and Van is too..."

A huge sob burst from me as I mentioned his name.

Eve rushed over then and I felt her arm around my waist. She spoke steadily to me. "No Abby, no. Don't you dare say ANY of this is your fault. This was Chris. Nobody else."

I pulled away to look at her, wanting to believe her but knowing deep down that I could have probably somehow prevented all of this. I looked down, but Eve placed her hands on my cheeks, raising my head so I had to look at her. Her voice wavered as she spoke, tears pooling in her eyes.

"He can't hurt you anymore. It's over. He's going away for a LONG time after what he's done tonight. You're going to be okay. Van's going to be okay. You need to believe me Abby. It's over. C'mere."

Then she pulled me close, stroking my back, and I melted into her. I stayed like that until the house was empty apart from me and her.

* * * * *

Sleep evaded me. I kept replaying over and over again what had happened. When I finally drifted off sometime in the early hours I dreamt of Van. We were sat outside in my garden under the night sky and he was holding my hand.