Quicklinks:
|
Great Writing - Home > Extended > Let no man put asunder - final chapter
| READING ROOM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| COMMUNITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| ABOUT GREAT WRITING | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| WORK AWAITING REVIEW |
|---|
|
| GW IS... |
|---|
|
Great Writing creative writing community is designed to prompt ideas
and provide inspiration and motivation within aspiring and amateur
authors. Whatever your topic; from love poetry to Doctor Who or Harry
Potter fan fiction, Great Writing's online writing group is where you
can make new friends and improve your creative writing. |
| WHO'S ONLINE |
|---|
| We have 1493 guests online and 19 members online |
Extended Work
| print friendly version | |
| Let no man put asunder - final chapter | |
| By LynB | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 February 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Well, after many twists and turns, this is the final chapter to this story. I would like to thank all of you who have read, reviewed and enjoyed it - if enjoyed is the right word! Thank you all - it means so much to me. Chapter 36 As she sat on her hospital bed, waiting for her parents to come and collect her, Donna’s mind was crowded with thoughts of the events that had changed her life beyond all recognition. She had a happy marriage and four beautiful children, and everything seemed just as she had always dreamed it would be, yet eighteen months later, here she was- her husband had gone to pieces, her marriage had fallen apart, and the new life she had built for herself had not worked out. Her new love had made it obvious he no longer wished to be with her and the tiny life inside her had gone. As she had lain there thinking that the whole world was closing in on her, and no one cared, she had turned around and there he was. In spite of everything that had happened, Jon had not turned his back on her. Like so many times before, he had given her a hand to hold, and a pair of loving arms to shelter her from the world, and all it had to throw at her. Maybe one day, he would be able to offer her the deep, all-consuming love he’d always had for her, before fate had dealt them such a cruel hand. Meanwhile, the children were impatiently awaiting her return, and could not concentrate on anything for very long. Tempers were becoming frayed, and the three girls were arguing about the slightest little thing. They had been through a lot over the past few days, so Jon was trying to be fairly lenient with them, but when Rosie and Clare came to blows, and began rolling around the floor, calling each other names and attempting to pull each other’s hair out by the roots, he decided it was time to step in. Emily’s impassioned pleas were having no effect, so, crossing the room in two seconds flat, he held one child in each arm, refusing to let go until they had calmed down, and apologised to each other. At first, neither of them would give an inch. “Don’t like her! She smells!” declared Rosie, glaring at Clare. “She’s got a fat bum, too!” “That’s enough, both of you!” said Jon, firmly, trying not to laugh. “Now, mummy’s coming home soon, and she wants peace and quiet. So, can you please say sorry to each other?” “Do I have to, daddy?” said Rosie, giving Clare a furtive sideways glance. “Yes, you do” he said, firmly. “Come on – sometime today would be nice!” “Sorry, Clare” whispered Rosie, glancing at her. “but you’ve still got a fat bum!” “Rosie!” “Sorry” she said, looking at the floor. “Right, Clare – your turn!” “Sorry, Rosie. I can see your knickers….” As she chanted the last few words, she swiftly lifted up Rosie’s dress and put it down again. As Jon let go of them, they began to chase each other around the living room, giggling uncontrollably – much to his relief! As Emily glanced wistfully at them, Jon knew what she was thinking, and his heart ached for her. He knew she would give anything to be able to run around with her two little sisters, and although he tried to give her everything she needed, that was one thing he knew he could not change, so he just had to make her life as happy and as full as possible. He looked up as he heard a car slow down and stop. When he realised it was Donna and her parents, he quickly opened the front door, to save her from walking all the way around the back. His eyes filled with tears at the sight of her pale, drawn features, and the totally defeated look on her face. He quickly blinked them away, and plastered on a smile for her sake. He took her arm, and led her into the living room, where she slowly and painfully sat down on the sofa. Before he had a chance to sit down, her father was besieged by cries of ‘granddad’, and requests to play various games! Her mother made her way into the kitchen, where she saw Jon standing there staring out of the window, tears pouring down his face. “I thought she could use a nice cup of tea” he said, his throat aching with the effort of trying to hide his feelings. “She’s been through a lot.” “Yes” she agreed, putting her hand on his shoulder. “but she’s not the only one, is she?” He looked helplessly at her, quite unable to say a word. She put her arms around him, and pulled him close. “It’s all right, love” she said, gently stroking his hair. “I know what happened, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am; I just don’t know what else I can say. Despite all that’s happened, I’ve never stopped loving you. As far I’m concerned, you’ve always been the only one for our Donna. I never liked that Steve, there was something about him….” Almost as if on cue, there was a tap on the back door, and Steve stepped into the kitchen. Jon pulled away from his mother-in-law’s embrace, his eyes blazing. His emotions were running very high, and he could hold back no longer. He walked over to Steve, and put his face right up to his. “What do you want?” he said, his voice shaking with anger. “Haven’t you done enough damage?” “I just came to see how Donna is” replied Steve, looking him straight in the eye. “You came to see how Donna is? Little you bloody care how she is! You left her all alone in that hospital bed – scared and in pain, and you didn’t give a shit! You don’t love her, do you?! You only wanted her because you thought she could give you the baby you never had with Laura! Then when it was all over, you didn’t want to know! You didn’t stick around for the finish, did you?! No, you just dumped her at that hospital, and she never saw you for dust! See! You’re not denying it, are you? You bastard! Haven’t you caused my family enough pain…” He was completely beside himself, and did not notice Donna standing in the doorway, tears streaming down her face, shaking with silent, heart wrenching sobs. “Is that true?” she said, looking at Steve. “Is he right, Steve? Did you only stay with me because you wanted a child? Tell me the truth, please! No more lies…” “Yes.” said Steve, with breathtaking flippancy. “he is right. I’m sorry, Donna – that’s just the way the mop flops!” “Why, you…” Jon drew his arm back, but he was stopped in his tracks by Donna’s anguished cry. “Don’t, Jon! ” she begged, putting her hand on his shoulder. “He isn’t worth it. Come on, love – let him go. Please, stop it! Stop it! Stop it! I can’t take any more…” Her mother held her close, gently stroking her hair in an effort to calm her down. She looked over at Steve, the look on her face chilling his blood. “I think you’d better go” she said, her voice low and angry. “You’ve caused my daughter so much heartache, and if I ever see you again, I won’t be responsible for what I might do.” “Fine” said Steve, his voice expressionless, his eyes cold. “I don’t need telling more than once. I’m out of here!” With that, he was gone. As she cried in her mother’s arms, Donna knew that would be the last she ever saw of him, and despite everything that had happened, the cold-hearted way he had just cast her out of his life still hurt. She felt a gentle tug on her arm, and turned around to see Rosie standing next to her, her lips quivering, her eyes full of tears. “Don’t cry, mummy” she said, looking up at her. “He’s gone now. It’ll be all right now – daddy can look after you.” “Daddy isn’t staying” said Donna, gently stroking her blonde curls. “I’ve caused him too much pain, so I can’t expect him to look after me, when I didn’t look after him when he needed me. Besides, he doesn’t love me any more, at least not the way he used to…” “He will one day, mummy – when he’s not so sad about Eliza.” Bless her, thought Donna, as she went back into the living room. If only life was that straightforward. It would be so wonderful if they could live life through the eyes of a child – they could see the good in anything and everything, except on the odd occasion when there was no good to be seen. She glanced over at Jon, but he turned away from her, leaving her totally at a loss. She did not realise that it was just to hide the tears that were threatening, and began to lose hope that he would ever feel for her again the way he used to. Later that day, Joanne and Danny came over and took the children out with them, to give them a chance of scene, and help take their minds off recent events. At first, during the ensuing silence, Jon and Donna did not seem to know what to say to each other, until he finally uttered Eileen’s immortal words, her solution to most of life’s problems. “How about a nice cup of tea?” “I’d love one – thank you” she said, smiling gratefully at him. As he waited for the kettle to boil, he stood in the doorway watching her. As she glanced at him, she realised that he was perilously close to tears, and held out her hand to him, inviting him to come and sit with her. He remained where he was, his hand over his face, his shoulders shaking as the dam suddenly burst. “Oh, love” she said, her heart aching for him. “Come here, and let me give you a hug. Come on, it’s all right….” “I’m so sorry, Donna” he whispered, disappearing into the kitchen. “I’m sorry…” She got up from the sofa, and followed him, her heart aching as she saw him standing with his back to her, his shoulders hunched, as he fought in vain for his self-control. She put a gentle hand on his arm, her voice soft and comforting. “Please, Jon” she said. “Just for once, swallow your pride, and let me help you. Come on, don’t be afraid to lean on me – I’m stronger than I look.” As she put her arms around him, he did not even try to pull away. He was scared and in pain, and her loving gesture was just what he needed. She held him close as he continued to sob, quite unable to say a word. Despite her best efforts not to, she began to cry with him, resting her head on his shoulder. Eventually, he spoke. “I really should learn to engage my brain before putting my mouth in gear” he said, rubbing furiously at his swollen, red-rimmed eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said to Steve – it must have been like a knife in your heart, hearing those things. I should never have said them. It may have been true, but I had no right to say it. I’ve caused you such pain, Donna, but the sight of his smug, self-satisfied face pushed me over the edge, and I wasn’t thinking rationally. I’m sorry, Donna, I’m so sorry….” “There’s no need to be sorry” she said, putting a finger on his lips to silence him. “It was the truth, after all. I suppose I knew it deep down, but it still hurt to hear it, though.” “Especially from me” he whispered, the pain in his eyes going straight to her heart. “I’m sorry…” “Will you stop apologising!” “Okay, I’m sorry…” “Oh, what am I going to do with you?” she said, smiling. “Seriously, we’re in this together – neither one of us has to face it alone. Please stay, love. We can work through it together – it’ll be all right, you’ll see!” “Everyone I love leaves me” he said, tears rolling down his face. “First Eileen, then Eliza. I’m just wondering who’s going to be next…” “Stop talking like that. You know I won’t leave you, and those four little ones worship the ground you walk on. Anyway, you’re not the only one who’s grieving, you know. That baby was as real to me, as Eliza was to you….” “I know” he said, stroking her hair. “I know” Declaring that her stomach was beginning to hurt, she pulled away from him, and walked slowly into the living room, where she sank gratefully on to the sofa. He followed her a few minutes later with two steaming cups of tea. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Donna noticed that Jon was looking very thoughtful, and eventually she could not stand it any longer, and asked him what was on his mind. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now” he said, nervously wringing his hands together. “When I was at Eliza’s funeral, I was thinking that there must be something I can do to repay her for everything she did for me. Then I thought of something she said a while back, when I doubted that I would ever sing in front of an audience again. She said she knew that I would, and that she would be in the front row. I know the second bit will never happen now, but I feel that as a tribute to her, and her belief in me, I ought to make the effort. I desperately want to do this, Donna. Ever since I stopped singing, I’ve felt there was something missing – it’s part of who I am. On the other hand, I’m scared – will you help me?” “Of course I will” she replied, taking his hand. “I’ll do anything to make up for what’s happened; I’ll help you get back to living the life you were born to live. Tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.” “Just be there, Donna” he said, softly, kissing her cheek. “That’s all I need you to do.” “I think I can manage that.” she said, with a smile. “Go for it, love. You’ll have them eating out of your hand, just like you always did.” As the news of Jon’s comeback concert spread, the tickets sold within hours, and he just could not get over the devotion of the fans. He wondered what he had done to inspire such loyalty, and it touched him deeply. He thought he had been away too long, but it warmed his heart to know they had not forgotten him. As the date of the concert drew closer, he felt some of the old fears beginning to resurface, but he was reassured by the fact that his family were in the front row. He thought of the well loved, familiar faces looking up at him, and immediately felt comforted. The days leading up to the concert seemed to pass very quickly, and, before he knew it, he was sitting in the dressing room waiting nervously for his call. Oh God, he thought, I don’t know if I can do this. He was pacing up and down, muttering to himself, when the door opened, and a voice said: “Five minutes to go! Ready?” “As I’ll ever be!” he said, sounding more confident than he felt. As he walked down the winding corridors towards the stage, he could hear the audience calling for him, and he suddenly began to feel he had taken on too much. Then he thought of Eliza, and he knew he had to do it. As he stepped out on to the stage, the whole audience rose as one, clapping and cheering, and he could feel tears stinging his eyes. Although their reaction had touched him more than words could say, he was still scared. Had he really been away too long? Could he still work an audience the way he used to? Could he still hold them in the palm of his hand, and make tears of joy stand in their eyes? As he reached for the microphone, the audience noticed his hand was trembling. Their hearts went out to him, and they loved him for his humility. As complete hush fell over the entire theatre, he began to speak, slowly and uncertainly. “At first, I wasn’t sure if I could do this” he said, his voice shaking. “but your reaction tonight has reassured me beyond doubt that I can. I want to thank you all for being here for me tonight – that means so much to me…” His voice faltered, but he soon regained his composure, and the audience held their breath, as they waited for him to begin the first song. He stood there with his head bowed, his fists clenched, as though he was trying to get all his strength together. As the orchestra struck up with the opening bars of ‘O sole mio’, he took a deep breath, and began to sing. The audience sat there with tears rolling down their faces, as that glorious tenor they all loved so well, and had missed so much, soared to new heights, reaching notes that only angels could hear. With every heart-stopping note, he could feel renewed joy filling his soul. For a long time he had felt there was something missing, but not any more. This was his life, what he had been born to do. As the audience rose to their feet at the end of the song, it was no longer a case of whether he had been away too long – it was as though he had never been away at all. As he went from song to song, mesmerising the audience, filling their hearts with untold joy, Donna felt a lump in her throat as she saw the expression of joy and bewilderment on his face. All too soon, the end of the concert was drawing near, and the audience fell quiet, as he announced the final song. “I won’t go into the reasons why” he said, as they watched him intently. “but this song is very special to me, and I’d like to end tonight’s show with it. I’m sure you are all very familiar with it – it’s ‘Time to say goodbye’.” Donna felt her eyes fill with tears as he began to sing. She knew the reasons behind his choice, as he had told her that it was one of Eliza’s favourites. Her heart ached for him, as she realised how terribly hard it must be for him to stand up in front of all these people, and pour his heart out. As the final notes faded away, the audience gave him a standing ovation, crying and cheering until they were hoarse. As he stood there listening to this overwhelming outpouring of love, he did not even try to stop the tears that were beginning to roll down his face. He wondered what Eliza would have thought about all this, then it occurred to him that she already knew. She had said there would be a day when he would hold an audience in the palm of his hand, and she had been right – even though she had not been there to see him do it. He comforted himself with the thought that she, like Eileen, was watching over him, and was giving him a standing ovation along with all the others. As he sat in his dressing room, completely exhausted, yet ecstatic, his head was filled with all kinds of thoughts. As an image of Eliza came into his mind, he realised that, like Eileen, she would never really be gone from his life. When he had thought that his life was over, and there was nothing left to hold on to, she had held him and kissed away his tears, and slowly and patiently helped him to live again. Whenever he had fallen, she had been there to pick him up, and she had never given up on him, and maybe most importantly of all, she had loved him. By the same token, he had helped to heal her pain, too, and made her realise that she was worthy of love. He would always be in her debt, and she would always hold a special place in his heart. He felt richer for having known and loved her. He was so lost in his thoughts, that he did not hear the dressing room door open, and Donna walk in. Suddenly, he became aware of her presence, and turned around. Her smile and the look of love in her eyes warmed his heart. “Well” he said, uncertainly. “How did I do?” “You really need to ask?” she whispered, putting her arms around him. “You needn’t have worried. You were wonderful, just like I knew you would be. So much has happened, but one thing has never changed, and that's the way your voice makes me feel – it touches my soul like no other ever has, or ever will.” “I did it, Donna” he said, holding her close. “I was so scared, but I did it. There was a time when I could only have dreamed of doing this, but now I have. I finally feel as though things are looking up at last…” “Do you think that, maybe, we could…” “I don’t know, Donna. It’s early days yet, and so much has happened…” “Jon, do you still care for me?” “You know I do, Donna, but..” “We don’t know whether we can find what we had before, unless we try, do we?” she said, looking up at him. “You loved me once, didn’t you?” “More than life itself” he said, his voice practically a whisper. “Well, couldn’t you find it in your heart to love me again? Remember what Eliza said to you, just before she died? Life is too short to waste on hate, and regrets. Think, Jon, what would she have wanted for you? She would have wanted you to carry on, and live for her - she taught you to love again. If we could learn to love each other again, like we did before, that would be the best tribute you could ever give her. Can you see what I’m trying to say?” “Yes, I think I can” he said, his hands framing her face. “Real love never really dies, does it? I think if you can be patient with me, we can get it back. If we can learn to forgive each other’s mistakes, we can rediscover what we found all those years ago. I feel that, at last, I’ve got my life back.” With that, he gently tilted her chin so she was looking straight into his eyes, and his lips slowly and tenderly claimed hers. She pressed her body against his, as she gloried in his kiss, forgetting that the rest of the world existed. She knew that it would take time to pick up all the pieces, and that it wouldn’t happen overnight, but her heart was filled with renewed hope. Donna thought they were alone, but little did she realise that from a little corner way up above the clouds, someone was watching them, and smiling to herself, because she knew they were going to be just fine.
Only registered users can rate and write comments. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
||||||||||||||||||||
 Previous item
|
Next item
|
|---|