Twelve Days - The Beginning Read Free Page A

I am a married woman? And in any case, I really can’t imagine wanting to have anything to do with someone who still uses the ‘you’re the most beautiful girl in the world’ chat up line.”
    Stephen just grinned and turned back to his conversation with Cole; apparently having rapidly developed a huge interest in cricket, Cole’s sport of choice.
    Left with no one to talk to, Elise suddenly became aware of her surroundings and the fact that the lights had dimmed indicating that the night was drawing to a close and that the slow dances were on their way. In her younger years Elise had loved this part of the evening; the guessing games as to who would dance with who and the hope for a surreptitious grope with the current object of her desire. Once she had met and married Dale, that had all changed and now, having been married for 10 years, she found the whole spectacle tedious. She refused to consider why that might be, concerned that she would realise that she was jealous that she no longer had the freedom to enjoy this part of the night.
    As if sensing her unease, Cole extricated himself from both Amelia and Stephen and took Elise’s arm, gently leading her to the floor. ‘I will always love you’ by Whitney Houston was playing and Cole sang along in a low voice, taking care to ensure his hands never touched her sore hips. It was at times like these that Elise realised how much she loved Cole and although she knew that there would never be anything more between them, it made her sad in a way that she really didn’t want to analyse.
    “Hey,” said Cole, “looks like we’re both off the hook tonight.”
    Elise followed his gaze to see Stephen and Amelia glued to each other, their mouths duelling as if their lives depended on it.
    “Ugh! Seriously, why would anyone go near that?”
    “I guess it depends how desperate you are,” replied Cole “and it makes me inordinately happy to know that I finally have ammunition to rid myself of that bitch.”
    Hearing Cole speak so strongly about Amelia brought Elise up short. She knew that things had not ended pleasantly but didn’t realise that he had such negative feelings. She was about to question him further when the music finished and the lights were raised, indicating that the show was over and it was time to go home.
    Negotiating their way off the dance floor, Elise watched as Vaughn, Stephen, Amelia and Olivia all headed out of the door together and tried to quash some ugly visuals that had just popped into her head. Celeste was sitting forlornly in the booth, also having watched the foursome leave and raised her eyes heavenwards as they approached.
    “What is wrong with me, guys?” she asked, her voice laced with desperation. “Apart from the obvious, what does that Olivia chick have that I don’t? Why can’t I get lucky just once?”
    “Ah bella,” said Cole in his worst Italian accent, “why don’t - a we go a - to a - McDonalds and a – drown a - your sorrows in a - chocolate a - milk?”
    Celeste and Elise both burst out laughing and the pensive mood passed. Linking arms they headed out the door for the 24 hour drive-thru’ and just as they were leaving, Elise realised that none of them had seen Bobby for the remainder of the night.

Chapter Three
    “You bitch!” Dale screamed at her. “I did not give you permission to go to McDonalds. I told you to go the party and come straight home. Who the hell do you think you are to ignore my wishes?”
    Dale had been drinking. A lot. This had been immediately apparent when Elise had returned home after their impromptu visit to McDonalds. Expecting her home an hour earlier, Dale had been livid when she had told him that they had stopped for a bite to eat.
    “You have no idea what you do to me when you don’t tell me where you are,” he continued, “I knew it was a mistake to let you go. You are mine, no one else’s. YOU don’t get to decide where you go and who you see. I decide that. I guess you