Richard woke with a start, his alarm clock bleeping loudly. Just after the switched off his alarm, he jumped at the sound of a bottle hitting the floor...and then realised how hungover he was.

 

‘Ohhh,’ he groaned. He’d collapsed, drunk, onto the bed and fallen asleep fully clothed.

 

It was now Tuesday, and Rachel had left on Saturday afternoon. He had heard nothing.

 

 

***

 

 

Now 9am, Josie Reynolds had let the cleaner in and was sitting down to watch ‘Kilroy’, when there was a knock at the door.

 

‘Hi, Val, come on in, I’ve just made a brew.’

 

‘How’s things?’ Val asked, putting her bag over the back of a chair and sitting on the sofa.

 

‘Oh, not so bad, I haven’t seen much of that Richard Curtis have you? The poor boy.’

 

‘I always knew that Rachel was a flighty type, amazing that they lasted this long.’

 

Josie sat next to her, handing her a cup of tea, bringing out some fine bone china for the heck of it.

 

‘It’s terrible, with a baby on the way. They should be a happy little family,’ Josie was getting a bit misty-eyed, so Val decided to bring her back to Earth.

 

And who is Rachel Watson best friends with? Ros Robinson, that’s who. Speaks volumes.’

 

Josie’s face suddenly looked like thunder.

 

‘Oh yes, don’t remind me. Let’s just hope my Sam doesn’t end up like Richard, goodness knows I can’t make him see sense.’

 

Val stirred her cup of tea again.

 

‘Don’t worry too much, I can’t imagine it’ll be too long before she moved onto her next victim…’

 

***

 

Laura was looking through the book department in Wyatt-Williams, when a familiar voice mumbled into her left ear.

 

‘Looks pretty boring from where I’m standing.’

 

She spun round and saw Nathan grinning at her.

 

‘Oh. Hi,’ she flushed a little, trying to hide her attraction to him. The feeling was mutual.

 

‘All work and no play make Laura Lucas a dull girl!’

 

‘Think I’m dull, eh?’

 

He stumbled for a moment, suddenly feeling a bit less cocky.

 

‘Er, no, course not. Anyway, what about all that business at the weekend? Most fun I’ve had on a Saturday in ages!’

 

‘Well, I’m sure Richard and Rachel are glad they entertained you.’

 

 

I’m just messing with you.’

 

Laura didn’t look at him, she just carried on leafing through a book.

 

‘Hilarious, Nathan.’

 

‘Do you fancy going to the pub later?’

 

‘Hmmm, maybe somewhere more private?’

 

 

***

 

 

Jack had left others in charge of the pub and decided to pay a visit to Richard. He hammered on the door a few times.

 

‘Don’t know if you’ll get anywhere there, mate,’ Max was getting out of his car next door.

 

‘What are you doing home?’

 

‘I do take time off sometimes! Needed it after the wedding that never was!’

 

Jack noticed the bedroom window was open and wondered if Richard had heard Max joking.

 

‘Come on, Rich, open up!’ He shouted up to the open window.

 

Richard was inside, curled up foetal-like on the bed. He’d wrecked everything with Rachel and couldn’t think of how to function again right now, never mind entertain guests…

 

 

***

 

 

That evening, post-work drinkers were

 

 

still discussing Saturday’s events in The Headless Pint.

 

Jo served Gary and Phil.

 

‘Nobody seen either of them have they?’

Jo asked.

 

‘Nah, I’d heard that she wasn’t even there, that she’d left him.’ Phil replied.

 

‘What a mess,’ contemplated Gary.

 

‘Wait until Kris gets going on this one,’ smiled Jo, ‘Richard had better watch himself!’

 

‘You don’t think Kris would start winding him up do you?’ Phil was horrified.

 

‘I doubt it, Nathan seems to be keeping her more than occupied!’ Gary laughed.

 

***

 

 

However, elsewhere, Nathan was keeping Laura occupied. He’d managed to book them into The Alborford Park Hotel. They were lying in bed, music on in the background.

 

‘Well, I didn’t expect this,’ sighed Laura.

 

‘I may not have a job, but do have a few quid from mum and dad,’ Nathan grinned.

 

‘They’re quite rich aren’t they?’

 

‘Yeah, I guess, it’s just always been normal for me I suppose, don’t know any different. Phil does, we’ve had pretty different lives really…’ He tailed off, not wanting to get too close too fast.

Getting emotionally attached to women wasn’t something Nathan was particularly interested in!

 

‘Hmmm, I suppose I should be getting home soon, Mum’ll wonder where I am soon.’

 

‘A bit longer, I’m not finished with you yet!’

 

 

***

 

Gary and Phil left the pub at closing time, leaving Jo to clear up with Jack.

 

‘I might go and see if that Richard is OK in the next few days,’ Gary slurred.

 

‘You’re a good man, Gary,’ Phil was even more drunk than his housemate.

 

‘Well, we don’t each other very well, but I think it’s im….imp...important to look out for your neighbours, don’t you?’

 

‘Absoluuutely, my friend. Oooh dear, I’m not looking forward to going to work tomorrow.’

 

Gary stumbled off the kerb towards the chip shop.

 

‘I’ve got the munchies, come on, let’s get some grub?’

 

Phil sneered a bit.

 

‘Nah, I don’t fancy any, the thought of chips right now is not good.’

 

‘You go ahead then, Phil, I’ll see you back home,’ Gary went inside and emerged a

 

few minutes later with his food and decided to take a short cut to Rex Road.

 

‘Mmmm mm,’ he hummed a nameless tune as he staggered through a car park and then cut into an alleyway. An owl was hooting from somewhere.

 

The moon wasn’t even in it’s first quarter yet, so he couldn’t see much and walked into a dustbin, almost knocking the whole lot over.

 

‘Damn! Flamin’ thing,’ he mumbled, dropping his chips at the same time.

 

He bent over to pick up the bag of chips.

 

‘Hehe, didn’t spill one! Come to papa…’

 

Suddenly, he heard someone behind him, but before he could stand upright someone, or something, hit him and knocked him out cold….

© 2010 Danny Alborough / DJA Publications
All characters, names and situations are fictitious.
Any similarities to places or people, living or dead, are purely coincidental.