One Last Chance (5 page)

“Hi sweetheart,” Laura said with a huge smi
le and wrapped her arms around Ally. “Hope you didn’t mind me tagging along. I just thought, well your mom isn’t here, I knew Nan wasn’t going to come and I guess you’re kind of my daughter now too. If that’s okay with you?”

“That’s very okay with me,” Ally said as t
he tears welled up in her eyes as Laura released her from her embrace. She gave her a huge smile that said all she couldn’t in words.

Ally turned and w
ent to take the seat next to Shannon but before she could sit down, Hannah spun her around and draped a satin kiss the bride sash over her head and held it out for her to thread her arm through it.

“Oh God,” Ally sighed as both Hannah and Caitlin removed the
ir coats to reveal they too were wearing bubble gum pink t-shirts. Only theirs read bridesmaid one and bridesmaid two.

“We aren’t done with you yet,” Caitlin laughed as she pulled a tiara with a veil attached to it
out of Hannah’s bag and sat it on Ally’s head. And then to complete the picture Hannah pulled a pair of L-plates from the bag and attached them with string around Ally’s neck.

“Perfect!” Hannah exclaimed with a big, satisfied grin.

“Are you happy now?” Ally asked as she looked from Hannah to Caitlin and back to Hannah. They both nodded and smiled in unison and Ally couldn’t help but laugh.

The
y all took their seats as Caitlin called the waitress and whispered something to her. The girl smiled and nodded before she hurried off.

When she returned
, she was carrying a tray with two large bottles of champagne and champagne flutes. She was followed closely by a waiter carrying a beautiful bouquet of two dozen roses and a champagne flute of orange juice.

The
waitress sat the champagne down on the table and smiled up at Ally. When she stepped back, the other waiter placed the champagne flute of orange juice in front of Ally.

“These are for you,” the waiter said with a broad smile as he handed Ally the roses
.

“Thank you,” she said as
her face burned bright red with embarrassment. She quickly slipped the card from the flowers and opened the little white envelope. She smiled as she read the card.

My dearest Ally,

Have a wonderful night
. This time next week you will be Mrs. Thomas, my beautiful wife. And I will be the luckiest man alive. I love you gorgeous girl.

Your Cole xx

Ally smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had never felt happier than she did right in that moment. She looked up and everyone was watching her, smiling and Ally instantly felt her face burn.

“Come on,” C
aitlin said, knowing how uncomfortable Ally was with being the centre of attention. “Let’s get this party started.”

She winked at Ally as she picked up the bottle of champagne and started to fill the glasses. Ally reached for her
glass of orange juice and smiled to herself because Cole had made sure she had something too because she couldn’t drink, with being pregnant. She stared down at the card and smiled again. She really did love Cole bloody Thomas.

“
Okay everyone,” Caitlin said lifting up her glass and standing back up. “We are all here tonight because my girl here has bagged herself a hottie. And you can bet he is a lucky man to have landed such an incredible girl as my woman here. Ally, Hannah and I have been friends since our first day of school. And I know Hannah will agree when I say, we couldn’t have wished for a better friend than Ally. She is one of life’s true angels. So I ask you all to raise your glasses and join me in wishing her all the very best for the future. To Ally.”

“To Ally,” the rest of the group repeated.

Ally sat back and began to relax and enjoy herself. She even managed to forget the silly veil and the L-plates.  When the Champagne was finished, Caitlin called the waitress to order another round as when she returned, she told the group Cole had left enough money behind the counter for them to have a great night. The whole group cheered and Ally’s heart burst with pride at just how wonderful her husband to be was.

A couple of hour
s had passed and despite the fact she was the only one still sober, Ally was having a ball. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much.

After a fit o
f the giggles, she decided it was time for her to head to the ladies room.

She pushed her way through the busy Saturday
night crowd until she finally made it to the quietness of the bathroom.

She hurried into the cubicle and once she was done she returned to the vanity unit to wash her hands. She was just reapplying her lipstick when her phone beeped and she smiled,
knowing it would be Cole. And she was right.

Hey gorgeous girl, you having fun? Cx

Ally smiled and picked up her bag and headed for the door, as she tapped in her reply into the phone.

But as she stepped out the door
, she felt like she had been hit by a brick wall.

S
he began to stumble back when she could feel two strong hands grip her arms and stop her from falling.

“I am so sorry,” she heard the words but she was too busy trying to get her bearings
to take much noticed.

“It’s was my fault,” she began to apologise but
when she looked up, she could feel the blood drain from her body and her heart slam against her chest in fear. “Jason!”

“Ally!” Jason exclaimed, sounding just as surprised to come face to face with her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine
,” she said, barely able to get the words out. She pulled her arm from his grasp abruptly and quickly stepped back from him until her back was against the wall.

Her heart was now racing
so rapidly in her chest, she thought it was trying to break free from inside her. She tried to focus on her breathing.

“Are you sure you’re okay,” he reached out to touch her but she flinched and she pressed herself closer to the wall.
Jason quickly dropped his hand as a look of shame spread across his face. “Oh my God, you’re scared of me. What have I done? I am so sorry.”

“Just, please,” Ally sai
d, raising her hands and closing her eyes. “My friends are waiting for me, just let me go.”

“Ally, please,” he begged, as he stepped closer to her. “I am so
sorry. I know there is nothing I can ever say to make what I did right but I am so sorry. Please, I know you have moved on and I understand that. But I can’t bear it if you hate me. That night… that… person… that wasn’t me.”

Ally opened her eyes.
Looked at him and her eyes locked with the same eye’s that had looked into hers that night and all she could see was sadness.

“Ally, please.” h
e said sadly. “I was unwell but I have been… well I have gotten help. I swear I would never hurt you.”

“I just want to go back to my friends,” she managed a whisper but she couldn’t move. She was terrified.

“Okay, he said
, stepping back to let her pass. Ally took a deep breath and remaining as close to the wall as she could, so she didn’t have to even touch Jason when she passed him.

“You’re getting married then,” he said from behind her and she stopped. She wanted to run
, but she knew she needed to face him once and for all if she was ever going to move past this.

She turned slowly to face him. She looked at him confused as to how he knew she was getting married.

“The veil,” he said, pointing to her head, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Ally instinctively reached up and touched the veil on her head. She had completely forgot she was wearing it.

She looked down at
her sash and her L-plates, before she looked back up at Jason. “I hope you will be very happy,”

“Thank you,”
she managed to force the words out as her fear was slowly turning into anger. Anger at what he had done to her and anger at how he was making her feel right now.

She felt weak and pathetic, something she had fought all her life to avoid feeling.

“He is a very lucky guy,” he said, stepping closer to her, but once again she instinctively stepped back and he stopped.

“Ally, I am not going to hurt you,”
he said looking almost hurt. “Please, don’t be afraid of me.”

“You are kidding me, right,” Ally half laughed in disbelief a
s anger rose inside her. She stepped forward and stared directly into his eyes. “You won’t hurt me? You tried to rape me. You have no idea what you did to me. But I have moved on and I am not letting you take my happiness. If you want me to tell you you’re forgiven, I am sorry to disappoint you. But I don’t forgive you, I hate you.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Caitlin
’s voice came from behind Ally, making her jump with fright. Ally turned around to see Caitlin heading straight towards them with a murderous expression on her face.

She marched straight up to Jason, positioning herself between him and Ally and stared him straight in the face.

“Caitlin, we were just talking.” Jason said taking a step backwards.

“You don’t talk to her,” Caitlin growled. “You don’t even look at her. If I had my way
, you would be rotting in some hole in a field somewhere. Now you stay the hell away from her. Do I make myself clear?”

“Perfectly,” Jason replied, staring Caitlin
in the eye.

“Well don’t forget it!” S
he snapped before she turned to Ally. “Are you okay sweetie?”

“I’m fine,” Ally replied, her voice barely a whisper.

“Let’s get you back to the others,” Caitlin said wrapping her arm around Ally’s shoulder. “This kind of upset is not good for you or the baby.”

“You’re pregnant?” Jason said, this time his voice
was filled with hurt and even shock.

“That is none of your God damn business asshole,” Caitlin spat back over her shoulder.

“Ally wait,” Jason called. “Is it… is it his?”

“YES!” Ally screamed as she turned back to face Jason. “I am carrying Cole’s baby. Who else’s would it be?”

“Mine,” he said, much to Ally surprise.

“Oh please,” Caitlin said. “
Get a grip.”

“I want to know,” Jason replied, his tone now more demanding.
“It’s my right.”

“No it’s not,” Caitlin snapped in anger. “She is marrying Cole and she is carrying his baby and as for you, well you can go to hell!”

Without saying another word, she turned around and lead Ally back out towards where the others were waiting.

“Where the hell did you two get to?” Hannah asked
, quickly when she saw her friends return. Then she saw the expression on Ally’s face and panic rose insider her. “What’s wrong? What happened? Why did you rush off after Ally?”

“Jason,” Caitlin replied
, looking straight at Hannah.

“Did he hurt you?” Hanna
h asked, turning to Ally and taking hold of her by the arms.

Ally could only shake her head in response
. She was struggling hard not to cry in front of everyone else. She closed her eyes and the memory of him on top of her that night came crashing into her head and her stomach heaved.

“What’s happened?” Laura asked, suddenly next to Ally. “Ally sweet heart are you okay?”

“I just want to go home,” Ally said quietly as she choked back a sob. She wanted to go home and she wanted Cole. She had never wanted him more than she did right in that moment. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears.

“I’ve got you gorgeous girl,” Cole’s voice softly filled her ears as she could feel his arms slip around her and draw her closer to him.

Ally eyes opened and relief washed over her as she saw Cole’s face barely inches from hers.

“What are you doing here?” Ally said as she could hold the tears back no longer.

“You called me,” he said and she looked at him in confusion. “You must have hit redial and I heard you talking to that scumbag. Nathan rang Caitlin to go check on you and we headed straight here. We were only in a pub around the corner.”

“Cole, I’m sorry… I…” she said but before she could get the words out he wrapped her tightly in his arms and held her close to him. “I just walked out of the bathroom and he was there.”

“It’s okay gorgeous girl,” Cole sighed, trying hard to keep the anger he was feeling at bay. “I am here now.”

He released Ally from his embrace and held her at arm’s length.

“I need to you to stay here with Caitlin and Hannah,” he said, looking into her eyes and giving her a reassuring smile.

“Where are you going?” Ally asked but she already knew the answer.

“I will be right back I promise,” he reassured her. 

“No wait,” Ally said
, grabbing hold of his arm. “I don’t want you in any trouble.”