Lovely Rita

Chapter 43

*Paul's POV*

The later it was getting, the more concerned I was growing about Julie's whereabouts. I knew something was up with her; the past few weeks she'd been so different just in how she acted and how I could tell she put up a front when speaking to us. She wasn't a stupid girl, but she must be lacking in something to think I wouldn't realise when someone I cared about and knew so well was hurting. I couldn't help but feel to blame.

I was sat with Linda on the sofa, watching mindless telly while Heather slept in the room down the hall. My feet were tapping and I kept glancing at my watch every now and then. This had to stop. The tension and anxiety from waiting and worrying was getting really intense.

"Linda, honey, I'm just going to phone John quick from the other room so I don't disturb you. Back in a second." I told her as I slipped away and took to the bedroom phone. I spun the dialer and waited for John to pick up impatiently, tapping my foot as I did so.

"'Ello?" Said John's lazy voice. I swallowed, not sure if I wanted to know the answer. I hoped she was still there, safe. However, I expected the worst.

"Hey, John? It's Paul." I said, trying to stall in a way.

"I know it's you, you daft gett. Whadya want?" He asked. I could imagine him with his hand on his hip chewing gum.

"It's just... Julie. Has she left yours?"

"Oh your squeeze? Yeah she left about 45 minutes ago. She not back then squire?" John asked with humour in his voice. I was kind of angry about that. He was obviously thinking in perverted terms.

"Yeah, she's not back. What state was she in when she left you?" I asked, fiddling with the cord of the phone.

"She seemed okay... I know she's an actress at heart though so it basically means shit. Damn... Paul, I'm so sorry, I didn't think. She was chatting to me and everything seemed okay again, just that she was a little upset. Shit... What are you going to do?" John asked me, and the concern was starting to grow in his voice.

"Can you pick me up? She took my car. We have to find her before she does something stupid, you know how unpredictable she is from that night years ago. Please, help me Johnny." I said, taking on a serious tone while trying to suppress the worried tears forming in my eyes.

"Sure mate. Be round in five." He said, and with that I put the phone down. Well, shit.

I jumped into John's car quickly and slapped my seatbelt on, wanting to find her as quickly as possible.

"What did you tell Linda?" John asked.

"Just that I was going to your's to sort out a tiff between you and Ju." I replied, just wanting him to go. I got the impression that he noticed from the way he never replied and simply started driving.

It was getting on, and we had been circling around town, down little roads and side lanes for what seemed like forever. My heart was beginning to race and I was feeling butterflies like never before. This was so different to anything I'd expreienced before. What if she'd hurt herself, or been hit by a car in the dark, had a crash or worse... I didn't want to think about it. I put my head in my hands and John's hand rubbed my back in a brotherly way.

"Mate, is there anywhere you think she'd go?"

"Well, I know there's a few little lanes we haven't checked. Try the more 'out the way' ones." I said monotonously, trying to hide the turmoil in my voice.

"Okay." And we turned. We trundled down a little, old, bumpy railway lane and John tapped me on my back. I sat up immediately as his car came to a hard stop.

"Paul! Your car! Look!" John said excitedly. I opened the door as fast as I could and ran over to my abandoned car. The lights were still on and the driver door was open. I searched under all of the seats in the front, in the back and the boot too. She hadn't been tied up and chucked in there at least.

"Stay there!" I yelled to John, before following the trail of light down a way.

The pounding of my feet slowed as I came to a bench. When I got to the bench, I came across a person laying on the ground next to it. Tears filled my eyes as I reached Julie, and I picked her limp, unconscious body up from the ground as the virtually empty vodka bottle rolled away. She reeked of booze and was covered in dirt from the ground.

"Julie? Come on, baby wake up. Honey pie, sweetheart, come on! Wake up!" I said, shaking her body as I whispered the words with a croak in my voice. Her body was like a ragdoll as I held her, and I was worried it was too late. I layed her down on the ground and began pushing on her chest to pump some air back into her and get her breathing, before starting mouth to mouth. I had read that was what you were supposed to do.

I had my arm under her back as I knealt down on the ground and tried to fill her lungs with air once again. I choked back the taste of paint stripper I got from the pure alcohol. Her mouth was still warm, so she wasn't dead. I sighed with relief in my head.

A cough sounded beaneath me as she came to, bewildered and drowsy. The tears I had been so desperately holding back dripped down now, and I hugged her tightly to me.

"Is this Heaven?" She said over my shoulder, her voice ragged and raspy. It damn near broke my heart.