Eddie and Dave Ch 12.

Chapter 12

Eddie was a little surprised when Anne turned up on his doorstep on Friday evening just as he was about to go down to The Jug House. "Hello, Anne, problems?" he asked, though he was fully aware that she had.

         "I suppose you know that I've split up with Dave?"

         "Yeah, he did mention it at work, didn't give anything away though. Didn't seem to want to talk about it. And Jeff', he usually likes to tell everyone all the gossip, but he's been a bit evasive as well."

         "It's complicated. Can you give me a lift to work and I'll tell you about it?"

         "The Burger Bar?"

         "No, I work at The Fountain Bar now. I thought you would have known that."

         "Yeah." He smiled to himself. "I suppose I can go that way, anything for an old friend."

         "Less of the old and I think we are more than just friends, aren't we?" They walked to the van and Anne waited until they pulled away. "So, you've been giving my mate Monica lessons in the van then?"

         Eddie laughed. "Yeah, but only driving lessons." He laughed again. "So what's gone wrong with you and Dave?"

         "You might not like what you're gonna hear, but it has to come out, I can't go on living a lie. Look, Eddie, can you pull over for a minute, this is really serious."

         Eddie pulled into the kerb and looked over at her. "You've not found out that he's queer, have you?"

         "Don't be stupid, Eddie, this is not funny. He's been at it with Jeff's girlfriend, Sue."

         Eddie just looked without commenting as if he were not too surprised by the revelation. "But that doesn't bother me too much, the thing is…" She hesitated and looked at him full of innocence. "Promise me, you must promise not to tell anyone." But she continued without bothering to wait for his promise as if it didn't really matter. "He sort of went off the rails when he found out about us."

         Eddie stared at her, turned his palms up and shook his head. "Found out about us, found out what about us?"

         "The baby, the baby is not his and I told him, I felt I had to. The baby is yours, Eddie. I'm carrying your child."

         Eddie was taken aback and a little unsure whether to believe her. He looked away, out of the window, thinking before he looked back at her. "But you said, you told me..."

         "I know, I lied because I didn't want to pressurise you into marrying me. We had split up hadn't we and though I still thought so much of you, I thought I would wait a while to give myself time to think, to decide how best to tell you. Then Dave started taking me out and I moved in with him and things just went too far. You don't believe me do you? You think I'm making it up, but I'm not Eddie, it's the truth."

         "But you were on the pill when we were going out together. How could I have made you pregnant if you were on the pill?"

         "I was frightened, Eddie, I didn't want people to think I was some kind of weak-willed scaredy-cat so I went on the pill, but I was frightened because of the stories about cancer and thrombosis and things like that so I didn't always take them. I know it was stupid of me, but I thought it would be all right if I just took a few now and then."

         "That's ridiculous. If you take the pill while you’re pregnant…"

         "Just like a bloke, you don't realise. A lot of women are frightened of taking the pill, there's been all sort of things going wrong, but it's all right don't worry I'll get out and walk to work. Just forget I told you. I'll see this through on my own."

         "Wait, don't be stupid. It's a bit of a shock, Anne. I need a bit of time to think it out. I just think we need to talk this over properly that's all."

         "That time in your car, or should I say your brother's car. You said you would always be there for me. Was that not true? Was that just another lie, like the car?"

         "Of course it wasn't. You know how I feel about you and it hasn't changed. I meant every word."

         "Okay. Well, why don't we meet Sunday lunchtime for a drink and we can talk it through, decide what we, sorry, what I'm gonna do."

         "Sunday!"

         "Yeah, what's the matter, have you got plans?"

         "I'm supposed to be taking Monica for a driving lesson."

         "Oh, well of course you must get your bloody priorities right, mustn't you? I'll just wait till you can spare some time for me then. After all, it's only our child's future, isn't it?"

         "No, I didn't mean it like that. I can put her off."

         "You fancy Monica don't you?"

         "I like her, yes."

         "Tell me honestly, Eddie, have you had sex with her?"

         "No, no of course I haven't."

         "Thank God for that. If you had then I'd never be able to drag her off of you."

         Eddie started to laugh. "You're a funny girl, Anne."

         "So, are the two of you like, just going out or something?"

         "No, I was going to ask her out, but things haven't got that far yet."

         "I don't mind, Eddie, if you want to choose her over me, it's all I deserve I suppose. It's just that when you told me that time that if it didn't work out, I should come and see you, and you would always be there for me. I thought you meant it." Anne began to get choked up as if she were about to cry.

         "Don't go getting upset, Anne. Of course, I meant it, I've already told you that. It's just that things have changed a bit and we need to work it all out properly."

         "I know what you're saying, I know you might want to start dating my best friend Monica, but can't you just wait till after we've had a talk on Sunday and sorted ours lives out?"

         "Of course I can and you don't have to keep on about Monica. I love you, Anne. You are the most important girl in my life. Always were and always will be."

         Anne put her arms around him and began sobbing. He kissed her cheek tasting her teardrops before she moved and began to kiss him on his lips, transforming in seconds from a sobbing girl to a hot-blooded passionate woman. She seemed to be getting out of control, but then she suddenly pulled away from him. "Come on, let's go somewhere more quiet."

         "You've got to go to work."

         "Sod work."

         "No, Anne, this is not the time. I really do need some time to think about all this."

         "It's her, isn't it? I'm not sure I believe how you feel about Monica. You're with me, but seem to be thinking of her."

         "No, Anne it's nothing to do with Monica and I'm not with you. I'm giving you a lift to work. This is a serious business and it's a bit of a shock suddenly dropping this on me, and at the moment I'm in no mood for a fumble in the back of the van."

         "Oh, a fumble, is that what you call it now?"

         "You know what I mean, Anne."

         Anne gave a large sigh before continuing. "Okay, we'll wait till Sunday then, after we've had a few drinks and a talk. What do you say, Sunday, we've a lot of wasted time to make up for, haven't we?"

         "Yes, we'll get together on Sunday. This is all too much to take in."

         Anne moved away, took her lipstick from her handbag, moved the interior mirror and began to re-do her make-up. "Come on then," she said coldly, "or I'll be late for work. You know I'm surprised at you, Eddie, I thought that you felt the same as me. Blokes ay, they'll promise the earth as long as they think they won't really have to give it. When you actually ask for them to keep a promise, they suddenly have to think about it."

         Eddie dropped her at The Fountain and she looked back into the van. "One o'clock on Sunday then. And I'll bring my diary. You know how I write everything in my diary, don't you? I'll let you read it, that'll show you that I'm not making it up."

         "You're actually gonna let someone read your diary, that'll be a first, won't it?"

         "Well, like you said, this is important, isn't it?" She smiled at him and walked off.

Eddie and Dave Ch13.  (18+) More problems for Eddie. #2295656 by Bruce.