How Many Chances (3 page)

Ally hurried up the stairs and hid on the safety of her bedroom and waited patiently for Sid to give her the all clear.

He tapped lightly on the door about ten minutes later and popped his head around the door.

“Who was it?” she asked nervously as he sat down next to her on the bed
.

“It was Cole,” Sid said cautiously unsure of how she would react to this news.

“He is here?” She was instantly on her feet and pacing up and down as panic washed over her. Her stomach heaved at the thought of having to face him again. “Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!”

“No, don’t panic,” Sid reassured her
. “He has gone.”

“Okay,” she replied and stopped pacing
and taking a deep breath and nodded. “Good.”

“Al, you know I wanna kick his ass for hurting you,” Sid
began, it was his turn to take deep breath before he continued. “But he looks like hell. He is beside himself with worry about you.”

Ally stared at Sid but didn’t reply.

“Ally why are you doing this?” Sid asked as she sat down next to him on the bed. “Why are you hiding from those who love you? Everyone is worried sick about you. Even Gus was all over the place today. You have to stop this”

Ally didn’t reply, instead she dropped down on to the bed and buried
her face in her hands.

“Ally,” Sid said softly sitting down next to her. “Talk to me.”

“What’s there to say?” she replied as she slowly allowed her eyes to meet his. “Sid I am so embarrassed. I am just a screw up, first there was Jason. It was bad enough everyone knew about him and what he was doing. And now Cole. I trusted him and he broke my heart. And he did it for the whole world to see. And the worst part of it is, I still love him.”

“Then tell him,” Sid sighed. “So he has a kid. It is only a big deal if you let it be.”

“And what if he grows up and hates me?” Ally asked, looking straight into Sid’s face, longing for answers. “I don’t want to be the other woman in some kid’s life.”

“
And what if he doesn’t?” Sid replied softly. “Ally, there is no guarantees of anything in this world. All you need to think about is if Cole is worth fighting for. Because I think you love him and being apart from him is killing you. Look at you. You’re not sleeping, barely eating. You can’t keep this up.”

Ally didn’t reply for a few minutes. Instead she sat on the bed and stared at her hands, clasped together on her lap.

“I just need a little more time,” she finally said, looking up at Sid. “I need to think this through.”

“Okay Ally,” Sid smiled. “Take all the time you need. Just promise me you
’ll do whatever makes you happy, not what you think everyone else expects you to do.”

Ally spent that night
tossing and turning. Her heart ached for Cole. She felt so torn. Everything inside her told her to walk away. Everything except her heart. Her heart longed for him.

The next
day went by in a blur until Sid came home from work and told Ally that Cole had once again been to the garage to see if she had contacted anyone.

The guilt Ally was feeling for making
Sid lie to everyone was starting to become too hard to handle. She knew he hated lying but he did it anyway for her. He told her Cole was looking worse than he had the day before and that he was struggling hard.

Ally
’s heart broke. She wanted to go find Cole and hold him and make everything ok there and then. But she just wasn’t strong enough. Once again she spent a sleepless night tossing and turning her head filled with thoughts of Cole. She finally managed to drift into a restless sleep sometime after 5 am.

She spent most of Sunday hiding out in her room avoiding Sid. She knew he was unhappy and she felt horrible for putting him through this. On
ce again she faced a night with very little sleep until exhaustion took a firm hold of her.

When she woke the next morning it was already almos
t ten. She was surprised to find Sid sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee being that it was a Monday morning.

“Why aren’t you in work?” she asked as she poured herself some coffee.

“It’s New Year’s Eve,” Sid replied as Ally sat down across the table from him. “Gus decided not to open today.”

“But he always opens on New Year’s Eve” Ally
said as she put her mug down on the table and looked straight at Sid.

“Ally, don’t you get it?” Sid replied a little more forcefully then Ally had ever heard him before and Ally was surprised. “Everyone is beside themselves with worry about you. Your grandparents, your friends, Gus and especially Cole. For God sake the man just had
a child but he is refusing to leave here until he knows you are safe. You need to stop this. I know you are hurt but now you are the one hurting everyone else. I can’t keep lying to them. I just can’t do it.”

His
words cut through her like a knife. She knew he was right of course but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. She stood up and without saying a word walked to the sink and poured her coffee down the drain.

She turned and looked at Sid.

“I will get my things and leave,” Ally said fighting hard to stop the tears that were now dancing in her eyes. She walked to the door and stopped and turned to Sid. “I am sorry you had to lie for me. And I am sorry I am hurting everyone. That was never my intention.” Without another word she turned and headed up the stairs.

She stood and stared at her reflection in the mirror
in the bathroom. She really did look like hell. The last six day had been the toughest six days of her life.

She looked at herself and she was almost unrecognisable. She knew she needed to make everything right. She needed to let everyone know she was okay.

She wondered if she had the strength to face Cole again.

She sighed and turned away from the mirror and
pulled opened the bathroom door, when suddenly she heard the doorbell ring. She stood frozen to the spot as she listened to Sid make his way down the hallway and open the front door.

Her heart stopped when she heard Coles voice.

“Hey Sid,” Cole said and Ally could hear the heart break in his voice. Ally’s eyes filled with tears and her heart ached. “Any news?”

“Still nothing,” Sid replied and Al
ly felt like a complete bitch. She knew Sid hated lying but she had left him with no other choice.

“If you hear from her will you let me know?” Cole asked sadly.
“And tell her I am so sorry and that I love her.”

“
I will of course” Sid lied and Ally felt awful. She need to stop this straight away.

“Okay,” Cole replied. “Thanks Sid. Happy New Year.”

“Same to you Cole” Sid replied and he stood and watched Cole walk back down the pathway and climb into his car. When he closed the door and turned to see Ally sitting at the top of the stairs he looked surprised.

“I take it you heard who that was,” it was more of a statement than a question.

“I heard.” Ally replied.

“And?” Sid asked as he slowly climbed the stair to Ally.

“I think it’s time to call Caitlin,” Ally said as she smiled nervously as Sid.

Ally never felt more nervous than she did right in that moment. She was pacing up and down Sid’s living room. Caitlin and Hannah were due at the house any moment and Ally was terrified what her friends were going to say to her.

When she called
Caitlin a couple of hours earlier, she went postal down the phone at Ally. At first she was relieved just to talk to her friend but then she became angry with Ally for disappearing the way she did. But anger soon gave way to sympathy and that was the hardest part for Ally to deal with. She had worried so many people, she really didn’t deserve their sympathy.

Caitlin insisted Ally need
ed to let her friends see she was okay and go to the New Year’s Eve party they had all been planning to go to for weeks. Ally refused point blank however it didn’t matter because Caitlin was not taking no for an answer.

When
Ally got off the phone she knew she had no choice in the matter. Hannah and Caitlin would be here for her and she was going out with them whether she wanted to or not.

Sid agreed to go
with her for some moral support and Ally felt relieved. Although Sid was less than thrilled. He knew her friends would be angry with him for not letting them know where she was.

When she opened her case to find something to wear for the party
, her heart slammed in her chest when she realised the only dress she had packed was the dress Cole had bought her. She sat down on the bed and held it in her hands. Could she wear this again? Her mind filled with all the memories of the night she last wore it and her stomach lurched. It was the night in the Four Season, the night she finally admitted to Cole and to herself that she loved him. It was the happiest night of her life.

She wasn’t sure she could bring herself to actually wear the dress again. She
lay it down on the bed and turned back to her suitcase and began to rummage for something else. But there was nothing else. The dress was the only choice she had.

After she showered, she did her hair and her make up carefully. She wanted her friends to see she was fine, despite how devastated she was
feeling inside. When her hair and makeup were done she slipped into the dress.

She
stood in front of the mirror and sighed. She couldn’t help but remember the last time she wore the dress once again. She looked as good as she had that night. But her eyes were filled with so much sadness. She was determined she was going to let everyone see she was okay. She forced a smile on her face and headed down to Sid, who was waiting for her down stairs.

“You look beautiful Ally,” Sid said as she walked into the living room.

“Thank you,” Ally smiled nervously at him.

“You sure you want to do this?”
Sid asked as the doorbell chimed. Ally could feel her heart hammering hard in her chest.

“Not really,” she replied honestly. “But you know Caitlin, I am not going to win this argument.
And I guess I have to face everyone sooner or later.”

Sid gave her a
sympathetic smile before he went out to answer the front door.

Ally held her breath as she waited for her friends to walk into the living room. Caitlin was first through
the living room door. Without saying a word she wrapped Ally in her arms and held her friend tightly to her.

Then she released her and h
eld her at arm’s length, taking in every inch of her before she spoke.

“Don’t
you ever disappear on us like that again," Caitlin said in an authoritative tone. “You had me worried sick. You had us all worried sick. Don’t you ever do this again.”

“I promise
, I won’t” Ally reassured her friend as she was wrapped tightly in her arms once again.

Ally turned
to see Hannah, who was standing awkwardly by the door.

“Hey Hannah,” Ally said nervously. She knew her friend was upset with her. “You mad at me too?”

“Not at all,” Hannah huffed in an exaggerated tone trying to look uninterested. “I mean why would I be mad? After all I didn’t even get a note.”

“Hannah, I am sorry,”
Ally said walking to her friend and taking her hand. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

Hannah didn’t reply for a moment, instead she just stared at Ally. Then suddenly she threw her arms around Ally and hugged her tightly.

“Don’t ever scare us like that again.” Hannah said when she finally released Ally from her embrace.

“Okay,” Sid said, as he cleared his throat from the door. “When you ladies are quite finished. The taxi driver still has the meter running. So we should
really hit the road.”

The
three girls and Sid all headed out into the waiting taxi and they were on their way. The whole journey to the club, Ally’s mind raced and her stomach flipped again and again. She wasn’t sure if she could do this.

She tried hard not to let her mind go to Cole, but he was all she could think about. What if he turned up? She wasn’t sure she was ready for this. And she had the sinking feeling the closer they got to the club that this was a really bad idea.

When they got to the club it was already heaving. Caitlin scanned the crowd and spotted Nathan in a booth at the far side of the club and she quickly led her friends through the packed club. Nathan stood up and greeted Caitlin with a kiss before he turned to Ally.

“How
are you holding up sweetheart?” he asked her as he gave her a big bear hug.

“I’m doing okay,”
she replied and smiled up at Nathan as he released her from his embrace. He was a good guy.

She couldn’t help but quickly scan the crowd.

“He isn’t here,” Nathan said, knowing what she was doing and Ally blushed. “He is heartbroken Ally.”

“Please Nathan,” Ally said as her heart ached just as the thought of Cole being upset.
She blinked back the tears.

“I’m sorry
,” Nathan replied quickly when he saw the pain clearly etched across Ally’s face.

Caitlin introduced Nathan to Sid before Nathan stopped a passing waitress and ordered a
round of drinks.

Ally slipped in to the booth, remaining at
the edge of the chair and nervously picked at the beer matt on the table. She looked up and she smiled brightly and blushed a little when she realised she was being watched by the entire group.

“Hannah, where’s Rob tonight?” Ally asked hoping to take the focus of
f her for two minutes.

“We broke up,” Hannah scowled
and shrugged. “He wanted me to spend tonight sitting in with his parents. I told him it was New Year’s Eve and I was going clubbing. He said he couldn’t date a party girl. Me!! A party girl!”

Ally laughed for the first time
in days. She missed her friends and was happy to be back among those she loved.

They were almost an hour in the club and everyone was in great spirits. Even Ally was finding it easier to paint on the smile she didn’t quite feel. Sid was in the middle of telling them a story when Nathan looked up and his expression changed
and he quickly shot a look in Ally’s direction and she knew instantly why. Cole was there. She could sense him there before she could even see him.

Ally sat
there in the club and her heart was racing fast. It had been six days since she seenCole
.
Six days since she last touched him, last smelt his glorious scent. Six days since he kissed her goodbye and she watched him walk out the door, leaving her heart shattered in pieces.

And now there he was, stand
ing at the far side of the club, his eyes burning into her. She could feel his eyes on her and it made her skin burst into flames.

She looked over at Caitlin and her friend s
miled at her sympathetically, then she reached out to squeeze Ally’s hand reassuringly. Ally knew coming tonight was a mistake, but just how big a mistake remained to be seen.

Caitlin watch
ed Cole as he walked to towards the DJ box and leaned in and whispered into the DJ’s ear before he turned and walked towards their table. She began to shift in her seat as her eyes suddenly widened and Ally knew he was coming over towards them. She could feel his closeness and her heart thumped harder and faster.

“Ally” he silky voice said from behind her. As soon as she heard her name on his lips her eyes filled with hot salty tears. She didn’t reply.
She couldn’t. He crouched down next to her and with the tips if his fingers, he softly took her by the chin and turned her face to his. The tears trickled down her face and he quickly reached up and brushed them away. “Don’t cry my gorgeous girl”.

He slipped his arms around her and pulled her to him. Part of her wanted to pull away but she just couldn’t. Instead she allowed herself to sink into his arms.
The arms she had missed so much As she pressed her face against his chest she could feel his heart beating. It was pounding just as hard as hers.

“Dance with me” he whispered as he suddenly
stood up and took her hand. “Please.”

He
led her out on to the dance floor and wrapped her in his strong arms and held her close to him, as she breathed the scent of him in. The sound of Rihanna’s, “Stay”, filled the sound system as their bodies began to move as one. Ally could feel herself weaken. He had remembered it was her favourite song. She missed him. She missed being in his arms. She missed everything about him. Being in his arms just felt like being home. And right then and there she knew there was no way she could live without him.

They moved slowly in time to the music. Cole never took his eyes off Ally but she refused to let her eyes meet his. He softly pressed his lips to her forehead and tenderly
stroked her back.

“I have missed you
so much,” he whispered but Ally didn’t reply. Instead she focus all her energy on refusing to let herself cry again. Ally closed her eyes sand pressed her cheek again his broad chest and lost herself in the music and the feeling that she was finally home where she belonged.

Suddenly Cole began to sing softly in her ears and the word almost took her breath away
. “Makes me feel like I can’t live without you, it takes me all the way, I want you to stay.”

Ally
’s heart broke. She wanted nothing more than to tell him she was going nowhere but she just couldn’t. Because she knew nothing had changed. He had still hidden the truth from her. He still had a son with someone else. And most importantly, her heart was still broken.

She pulled away from his embrace
slightly and stared up at him.

“I can’t do this,
I’m sorry,” she said as she broke free from his grasp, and quickly turned and headed back towards the table, grabbing her hand bag.

“Ally, what’s wrong?”
Caitlin asked as she was instantly on her feet. “Has he upset you again?”

“This was a bad idea,” Ally replied
, barely stopping long enough to catch a breath. “I just can’t do this.”

Without waiting for a response she grabbed her jacket and began to push her way through the crowd. She had just reached the door when she felt a hand take hers and pull her back. She turned to find Cole looking at her, panic
clearly etched across his face.

“Please don’t walk away,” he begged her
, the fear in his eyes was heartbreaking. “Please, Ally.”

“Cole I love you, I really do,” Ally cried as he took hold of her other hand too. “But you are asking
too much.”

“But you still love me,” it was a statement more than a question. “I know you do and I love you too. That’s all that should matter.
Ally, I’m begging you.”

“Cole
, I just need more time.” Ally pleaded.

“Ally the last time I gave you time, you disappeared for six days.” Cole said sounding a little more like the Cole she knew. “I am sorry but I am not letting you walk away again. Not until we at least talk
ed.”

“You won’t let me?” she asked almost in disbelief.

“No” he replied, a determined look in his eyes.

“Cole I am not doing this.”
she sighed and went to turn away. But before she could, Cole took hold of her arm and spun her back to him before he hoisted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift.

“COLE!” Ally protested. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PUT ME DOWN.”

“I am not letting you get away again,” he replied as he headed towards the exit.

“Cole, everyone is looking,” she cried
as she could see everyone staring at them from her upside down position.

“I don’t care,” he laughed.

Bastard
she thought to herself.
He is actually laughing

He didn’t put her down til he reached the car and he opened the front door and dropped her into the seat before he slammed the door shut and hit the central locking so she couldn’t get back out. He was talking no chances.

He hurried to that far side of the car and quickly climbed in behind the wheel.