they say in Llandough, ciao for now.’
Unfortunately Lou’s dad picked that moment to stride back into the pub and nearly collided with Dylan and her mum.
‘What on earth is – ?‘
‘Listen mate,’ Dylan cut in, still holding onto Lou’s mum’s arm. ‘Take your woman home and keep her away from my…’ as if realizing his slip Dylan paused, Lou knew very well that she wasn’t his anything, ‘my…my Lou. If I see her near Lou again, if I find out that she’s even breathing the same air, I will not be happy.’ Dylan let go of her arm and shoved her towards her husband.
‘I told you,’ her mum said in a fake shaky voice, ‘complete ruffians. I told you this was a bad idea.
‘What happened?’ It was obvious that Lou’s dad didn’t quite know what to do at first, but, as his confusion slowly cleared, he turned to look at this wife. ‘What did you do?’
‘Oh that’s just typical,’ she spat. ‘What did I do? Never your precious daughter. God forbid that she is anything but completely perfect. Noooo, let’s just brush to the side the way she dresses and acts like a prostitute, the company she keeps, the way she treats her own mother – ‘
‘Enough!’ Her dad’s face was red as he stared at his wife in revulsion. He turned to Lou, extending a hand, ‘Lou-Lou?’
‘Just go Daddy,’ Lou said quietly, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. Her dad hung his head and for a second looking utterly defeated before he sighed, saying, ‘Come on Evelyn. It looks as though you’ve done enough for one evening.’ With a wary glance at Dylan, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, he steered his wife through the crowd and out of the double doors.
The exchange had been loud and several people were now watching Lou and Dylan. All Lou knew was that she needed to get out of there before she lost it in front of everybody. The Sands family had provided enough entertainment for one evening, and the last thing she wanted was to add her tears into the whole mortifying scene. She knew she should probably say something to Dylan, but she was in no mood to endure any more embarrassment, and explaining her mother’s words would be excruciating.
So, coward’s way out it was, and she pushed through the crowd to get to the cardy that she’d left on the bar stool. Once she’d slipped it on and sighed in relief that her marked arms were covered, she felt large hands land on her shoulders and turn her around to be confronted by a less than happy Dylan.
‘I’m taking you home,’ he told her.
His ridiculous bossiness actually made her smile despite herself. Her smile died as she saw Katie approaching the bar, craning her neck and obviously scanning for him. Lou’s eyes dropped to contemplate her shoes and she vaguely registered how much her feet hurt; there was no way she would give up wearing four inch heels, but it had to be said that after sixteen hours straight they smarted a little.
‘Hey guys,’ an out-of-breath Katie said, drawing up next to them. ‘Happy birthday Louey.’ She grabbed Lou round the waist, pulling her into a tight hug, as was Katie’s way. Lou hugged her back, she liked Katie; it wasn’t Katie’s fault that she had what Lou wanted (or what she thought she’d wanted before he became an arsehole), and anyway Lou was well practised at overcoming her jealousy as far as Dylan was concerned. But for tonight Lou had decided that enough was enough, and when she pulled away she faked a grimace and put her hand over her mouth saying, ‘I’m sorry guys but I think I’m gonna be – ‘ fake wretch, ‘s…sick. I –‘ and with that she turned and sped off towards the loos. At the last minute, and once the crowd had swallowed her up sufficiently, she hopped from foot to foot taking off her heels, and ducked down to scurry through the throngs of people.
Reaching the exit, she breathed a sigh of relief, but just as her hand made a grab for the handle it was
Unfortunately Lou’s dad picked that moment to stride back into the pub and nearly collided with Dylan and her mum.
‘What on earth is – ?‘
‘Listen mate,’ Dylan cut in, still holding onto Lou’s mum’s arm. ‘Take your woman home and keep her away from my…’ as if realizing his slip Dylan paused, Lou knew very well that she wasn’t his anything, ‘my…my Lou. If I see her near Lou again, if I find out that she’s even breathing the same air, I will not be happy.’ Dylan let go of her arm and shoved her towards her husband.
‘I told you,’ her mum said in a fake shaky voice, ‘complete ruffians. I told you this was a bad idea.
‘What happened?’ It was obvious that Lou’s dad didn’t quite know what to do at first, but, as his confusion slowly cleared, he turned to look at this wife. ‘What did you do?’
‘Oh that’s just typical,’ she spat. ‘What did I do? Never your precious daughter. God forbid that she is anything but completely perfect. Noooo, let’s just brush to the side the way she dresses and acts like a prostitute, the company she keeps, the way she treats her own mother – ‘
‘Enough!’ Her dad’s face was red as he stared at his wife in revulsion. He turned to Lou, extending a hand, ‘Lou-Lou?’
‘Just go Daddy,’ Lou said quietly, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. Her dad hung his head and for a second looking utterly defeated before he sighed, saying, ‘Come on Evelyn. It looks as though you’ve done enough for one evening.’ With a wary glance at Dylan, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, he steered his wife through the crowd and out of the double doors.
The exchange had been loud and several people were now watching Lou and Dylan. All Lou knew was that she needed to get out of there before she lost it in front of everybody. The Sands family had provided enough entertainment for one evening, and the last thing she wanted was to add her tears into the whole mortifying scene. She knew she should probably say something to Dylan, but she was in no mood to endure any more embarrassment, and explaining her mother’s words would be excruciating.
So, coward’s way out it was, and she pushed through the crowd to get to the cardy that she’d left on the bar stool. Once she’d slipped it on and sighed in relief that her marked arms were covered, she felt large hands land on her shoulders and turn her around to be confronted by a less than happy Dylan.
‘I’m taking you home,’ he told her.
His ridiculous bossiness actually made her smile despite herself. Her smile died as she saw Katie approaching the bar, craning her neck and obviously scanning for him. Lou’s eyes dropped to contemplate her shoes and she vaguely registered how much her feet hurt; there was no way she would give up wearing four inch heels, but it had to be said that after sixteen hours straight they smarted a little.
‘Hey guys,’ an out-of-breath Katie said, drawing up next to them. ‘Happy birthday Louey.’ She grabbed Lou round the waist, pulling her into a tight hug, as was Katie’s way. Lou hugged her back, she liked Katie; it wasn’t Katie’s fault that she had what Lou wanted (or what she thought she’d wanted before he became an arsehole), and anyway Lou was well practised at overcoming her jealousy as far as Dylan was concerned. But for tonight Lou had decided that enough was enough, and when she pulled away she faked a grimace and put her hand over her mouth saying, ‘I’m sorry guys but I think I’m gonna be – ‘ fake wretch, ‘s…sick. I –‘ and with that she turned and sped off towards the loos. At the last minute, and once the crowd had swallowed her up sufficiently, she hopped from foot to foot taking off her heels, and ducked down to scurry through the throngs of people.
Reaching the exit, she breathed a sigh of relief, but just as her hand made a grab for the handle it was
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