Bacardi Girl

The drive back from the airport, didn’t take long and Alison was asking him all sorts of questions. How was Sue? Why didn’t Sue come with you? And a statement of, ‘I’m so glad you got involved with Sue, she is a lovely girl and we can never repay her for the efforts in trying to help our Tim after Chloe’s death, you must bring her next time. We’d love to catch up with her.’

When Tim took his own life, Daniel went into shock, he couldn’t bear to go to the Inquest and he doesn’t know how he even managed to get through the funeral… but he did. The British stiff-upper lip sprang into action that day. But he had shed his tears in private as he stood there all bleary-eyed listening to the eulogy from Tim’s brother.

That day, all he can remember is feeling numb and alone. He remembers the mourners gathering outside to view the flowers, and that he could not hold his emotions back any longer. As a tear rolled down his cheek and he started to weep, he felt this gentle hand on his back. It was Sue. She was like a luminous angelic glow,, emitting warmth and compassion.

How he wished this very moment there was time-travel, he would go back to that day and do things differently. He would’ve made Sue part of his life a whole lot quicker, instead of trying to remain incognito, hoping no-one would speak to him. Even back then, he felt the spark of chemistry between them.

His thoughts quickly interrupted, as they pulled up at their bar, with Alison saying, ‘I do hope you haven’t booked anywhere because if you have you can cancel… you are staying with us. And that’s an order!’, whilst giving out a little chuckle.

The weather in Alicante was not of bright sunshine and soaring heat but one of rain and wet pavements, just like he had left behind. He felt as if this dark cloud was following him.

As they ran into the bar, Bob made a bee-line to the bar and poured them all a stiff drink. It was late… Daniel was tired and Alison noticed his tiredness, as she said to Bob, ‘I’m going to show Daniel to his room Bob, he looks exhausted.’ In fact, she practically frog-marched him to his bedroom. This is the happiest he has ever seen Alison and Bob in years. They seemed to have come to terms with Tim’s death and moving on.

As Daniel laid on the bed, thinking, he began to think about, what he had done. Was it fair on Bob and Alison to bring up Clare and her dirty tricks? Would it be best just to let things slide and find another way to find the truth out? Could he just knock-on Sue’s door and beg for her to tell him the truth? The thoughts were swirling around his head, he slowly drifted off to sleep after making the decision that he couldn’t bring more upset to this beautiful family. A family he wished so much he had, a family who called him ‘son’ and welcomed him as a ‘son’.

It was gone eleven before Daniel woke up the next morning, he went into the kitchen and found Alison standing there grilling the bacon and frying the eggs. She looked at him, and said… ‘I heard you get-up. The only thing living here, is they don’t do a full-English like they do back home.’ Daniel laughed. ‘So, it’s a good old fashioned fried breakfast for you, my love.’

He as just about to sit down, when Bob popped into the kitchen, after doing his bar duties, and wished Daniel good morning. Then he looked as Alison and said, ‘Have you told him, that we phoned Sue, last night and told her he had landed safely.’

The blood drained from Daniel’s face. As Bob, looked at him and said, ‘Ok Daniel what is going on, son?’ Daniel told him they had a falling out and he was taking some time to himself.

Bob looked at him as he put his hand on Daniels shoulder and said, ‘Don’t spend too much time out matey, girls like Sue don’t come along often, and you could end up finding someone like that bitch like Clare, trying to get their claws into you.’

Puzzled, Daniel looked at Bob and replied ‘What has Clare got to do with this?’

Alison interrupted abruptly as she gazed at Bob with a look that could kill on her face, ‘Bob, you know the rules, I will not let that girl destroy this family ever again. She caused our Tim to take his life, so stop right now, mentioning that trailer-trash!’

Bob, swiftly apologised to Alison as he headed back down to the bar.

Daniel finished his breakfast and helped Alison with the washing-up before saying he was going for a walk. As he walked through the bar, Bob said, ‘Off for a walk son? You don’t mind if I join you?’

Daniel replied, ‘Love the company.’

For a few minutes they walked in silence. Not a word spoken, when Bob turned to Daniel and said, ‘You don’t know, do you? You honestly don’t know what Clare did?’ Daniel told Bob what had happened between him and Sue was because of Clare turning up at Sue’s.

As they headed towards a bench overlooking the crystal blue sea, Bob mentioned the party that Chloe and Tim were hosting when Clare turned up.

Daniel, hadn’t been to that party, in fact he was out on a farm helping a cow birth her calf. As he was working part-time whilst studying at Uni, that particular night, he received a call from a mate whose dad had the local farm, begging him to help this cow give birth. Mr Clarke was out on a family occasion and the nearest vet on call wouldn’t be there for another hour and the farmer feared by the time the duty vet arrived he would lose both cow and calf. So, Daniel went to the farm instead of the party.

‘Well son,’ he said, ‘A few weeks before the party Chloe had a bit of a bust up with Clare, with Clare accusing her of stealing her best-friend, Sue, away. When Sue found out, she told Clare to immediately stop, she was no longer her friend and hadn’t been since they were at school, and to leave Chloe alone. Anyway, the night of the party, Clare turned up, uninvited, and our Tim wasn’t feeling too good, so he took himself to bed. Clare then, got into bed with Tim and Chloe caught them. In fact, she had seen Chloe go and check on our Tim a few times. And knew it wouldn’t be long before Chloe checked if our Tim was fine.’

Bob relayed the whole fictious story about what she said, and how she was in bed with Tim, who didn’t know a thing and couldn’t even stand Clare.

‘Little did we know after Chloe’s death, Clare went to Chloe’s parents and told them that her and our Tim were going to run off together and he was not in love with Chloe at all. In fact, she played it so she looked like she was also the victim of Tim’s, as well as Chloe. Unfortunately, they believed every word she said. In fact, I can’t blame Chloe’s parents for feeling like they did, I would’ve felt the same. Clare was lying through her teeth and Chloe’s parents, saw both Chloe and Clare as passive victims of our Tim’s actions.’

‘Sue knowing what Clare was capable off, and having seen the smirk on Clare’s face as Chloe raced off in the car, went to Chloe’s parents, after finding out that they had banned Tim from Chloe’s funeral, to enlighten them, about what Clare had done to her in the past and how she was doing the same now with Chloe.’

‘Alison and I didn’t know anything about this, until Sue broke down and collapsed at the Inquest… Our Tim was begging Sue to speak to Chloe’s parents in secret. And she did, time and time again, but to no avail. As far as they were concerned, Clare was a victim as well as their daughter. Clare had foisted so many lies on them, they were too blind to see the truth. Their reasoning was caused by the symptomatic traits of Clare’s narcissistic personality.’

‘The morning of our Tim’s death, Sue came around early and spoke to our Tim, after trying one final time, to get through to them that Clare was a narcissist and a pathological liar; but they slammed the door on her face after telling her the answer was still no, Tim was not welcome at the funeral. And, he just couldn’t stand the pain I suppose, so took his own life.’

‘It wasn’t Chloe’s parents who were to blame, it was Clare for her lies and deceit.’ Bob continued.

‘So, son, that’s why Sue hates Clare so much, she took away everything that Sue ever cared for… Clare might not have physically killed our Tim and Chloe but her lies and deceit surely played a contributing factor in his death and Chloe crashing at speed into that transit van.’

Daniel, looked at Bob, with tears rolling down his cheeks, and said, ‘I’ve never liked Clare, I’ve seen her actions, acting like a petulant child when she couldn’t have her own way or what she wanted. Tim and I saw that a long time ago and that she had the hallmark traits of a narcissistic personality running right through her. In fact, we’d steer well clear of her. Just the ‘Hi Clare’ and get away as quick as we could.’

‘God now I understand why Sue, went crazy. And I don’t blame her one little bit.’

‘I asked Tim why he wasn’t going to Chloe’s funeral and he just said he couldn’t face it. If only, if only he had told me I would have gone myself to speak to them.’

Bob placed his hand on Daniel’s shoulder, in a soothing manner, as he said, ‘I know son! As I said the only person to blame in all of this is Clare. If I had to profile her in one word, it would be toxic. Hey, no mention of this to Alison, you’ll get me killed… she’s still fragile even though she puts on that brave face… deep down she’s still hurting, as we all are. But I never want to see her go into that depressive state she was in ever again, that’s why we moved here. New place, new start…’

Daniel took a deep gasp as he realised the true extent of Clare’s personality and how dangerous she could be and that she was a waste of oxygen. Daniel reached for his phone, he had to call Sue. He had to put things right… He loved her so much…and he had to win her back. As he dialled the number, he shouted out aloud.

‘Bugger… no signal!!!!

More to follow…