When Past & Present Collide: WP&PC Read Online Free Page B

Ella’s and she only lives across the way. I will get her home safely; we don’t want to disrupt your evening.”
    With that , Taylor picked me up and started to head us home. I glanced back to Jacob and the look on his face devastated me.  I knew he wanted to help me, but it was better we kept apart for more reasons than one.
    When I had got home that evening I was gutted. Jacob’s eyes while Taylor had carried me away held a life time of hurt. I had done that to him but trust me when I say this wasn’t the last time. Fuck, why did I keep hurting the one person who truly loved me?
    The next time I hurt him nearly broke my heart though. I had dodged my run for an entire week , so the next week I changed my days, but unfortunately Jacob had the same idea as we bumped into each other. He asked whether he could join me, so we walked and talked, it was silly really, as we never knew much about each other so we discussed our families. Jacob told me all about his parents and I told him about mine. Not that I had many, Uncle Frank, Charles and my two best friends. Jacob had walked me home, but if I could turn back time I just wish things could have been so much different.
    We just weren’t right together, too much was against us. We tried the friend route, but even then we were drawn to each other too much. I had invited him in; knowing what I was doing to him would destroy him. I provoked the situation and he got destroyed.
     
    *****
    Jacob .
         Once I arrived back downstairs, I went back into the lounge. Frank was reading his paper, I knew this was hard on him; he had tried and offered all the money and man power he could, but the police wouldn’t accept it which I think he struggled with.
    He was a proud man , but his family was hurting and he wanted to take Ella’s pain away. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very forthcoming with affection but his heart was in the right place.
    Tim was doing what Tim does best; he was talking to one of the men going over any surveillance cameras they could collect from any businesses in the area. I knew the police had loads to go over so Frank had hired extra men to do it from home.
    “Frank, Tim,” I said , as I walked back out and over towards Ella’s office. They both stood up and followed.
    Once inside with the door shut, we all sat down. I could feel the tension in the room before I even spoke; I think they all sensed the same as me. Since Constable Jones left, no one had spoken.
    “Son,” Frank stated and I knew this was his way of telling me to talk.
    I took in a deep breath and shook my head. I hated discussing Ella behind her back but it needed to be done. “I’m worried about tomorrow and about Ella’s health, she hasn’t been able to stand and support herself all afternoon. What do either of you suggest?”
    “I think we need to call in her doctor again , to get her assessed,” Tim said. “She’s not managing well at all. She has refused all meals and the weight loss can be seen. I think she might be hallucinating slightly and I’m worried if it continues then she might end up seriously ill.” We all nodded in agreement, we knew this was what needed to be done as she wasn’t eating or drinking.
    I placed my hands over my face as Frank placed his hand on my shoulder, “we are here son , don’t put all this on your shoulders, share the burden with us.” I moved his hand, stood up and glared at them. “There is no burden, Frank. This is my damn family and I will fight for what is mine. What I won’t accept is that this fucker is ruining Ella. She is destroyed, heck, you saw her earlier with Beth. When have you ever seen her flip out on Beth? They’ve been best friends forever and never once has Ella raised her voice to Beth. Fuck, I know she has to every other fucker. But not Beth.”
    Frank sat back down. “I know son and you know I have private men out there. We are all doing all we can.”
    “Are we really?” I said in defeat. “Is there more we