The Honeytrap Heartbreaker

10.

By the time she had given the police a full account of what happened – a new policy Josie had in place for any incidents in the bar – it was almost midnight and she was completely exhausted.

Josie collected her things and put them in her bag which was handed to Dolton through Tom's instruction. Ella thanked Josie and was hustled into the back of the car by Tom before Josie had time to reply. She tucked herself under Tom's arm as he gently stroked her hair.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Tom asked.

She shook her head. She'd had worse injuries before. Plus there was the fear of hospitals. She had never quite told anyone before but she had managed to avoid hospitals since her mother died. They just reminded her of death and she wasn't dead, she thought she should be getting on with things and enjoying life not wasting in time in hospitals where people genuinely needed help when her bruising would pass in a few days. Her hand was nothing a few painkillers and ice couldn't fix. She had self-medicated more than one broken rib in the past so as painful as it was; she knew it could be worse. She was just grateful Tom arrived when he did.

Dolton dropped them both off outside of her apartment. Tom claimed that Ella needed to eat before she get home so she made them stop at McDonald's which meant they all had a laugh about healthy-eating-Ella and her binges on the way home. She was in good spirits once she got in and Tom stayed with her for a few hours. She had a bath and they caught up on 'Orange is the new black' nuzzled on the sofa. Tom's phone rang about 3 am and he made his excuses to leave saying one of kids needed him. She didn't mind, she was ready for bed. She kissed him good night at the door and threw her ice pack in the bin.

By the time she had gotten changed for bed Tom had phoned twice just to check she was okay, it was so adorable, he kept apologising for leaving her but said he'd be over first thing in the morning. She told him it didn't matter but he was so caring. Once she got into bed she wished he would have stayed, Frankie was snoring on the edge of the bed but she couldn't drop off, she must have tossed and turned at least forty times before the phone flashed red in the corner of her eye, she sighed knowing the message would just be the police, Tom checking up on her for the umpteenth time or Adam just finding out and overreacting but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep regardless.

Josie's number lit up the screen and she played the message:

Look kid, you've had a rough night and I feel for you but I can't have police in my bar every week. There's been a lot of trouble since you've been here and I'm not blaming you but a girl with looks like yours can do better than a dive bar. Maybe you just need that push. Basically Ella I'm firing you, I'll put your pay in an envelope under the door. Look after yourself, was nice working with you.

The machine beeped.

"FUCK!" She exclaimed falling to her knees in desperation. Just one thing after another she thought.

She searched the cupboards for anything slightly alcoholic and settled on the half-opened Jack Daniels from Christmas, she poured a measure that could only be described as a quadruple and threw it back. Two more and she staggered back into bed and fell into an exhausted heap. She was woken by what she thought was someone trying to break down her door, with a slightly sore head she groggily got out of bed to see what the noise was.

"Ella!"

It turns out the noise was a concerned Tom trying to check she was okay. She explained about Josie's message and therefore the Jack Daniels hence her not hearing her phone ring for the hundredth time which resulted in Tom coming round to check she was okay. He still hugged her tighter than usual. Ella was still feeling sorry for herself and realising it was in fact midday she went back to her old coping mechanisms and went to pour herself a glass of wine.