A Tale of Two Holly’s

I thank My LadyCibelle and Techsan for their rapid editing of this story. This is a story I wrote some years ago and I found it again the other day whilst tidying up my hard drive. I thought it would make a perfect epitaph to Otterley who is no longer with us. She liked this story a lot.

To Otterley

When Tony first noticed the car, he had almost stopped to ask for directions. However, the look on the driver's face made him change his mind. She had that "Go Away" look in her eyes. Tony did not blame her really, she was parked out in the middle of nowhere with two small children in the car and she didn't want some strange man stopping.

Tony drove on for maybe another half-hour before deciding that he was on the wrong road. The sun was setting on his left, and not ahead of him as it should do if he was travelling west. Tony had begun to regret taking the suggestion of the waitress back at the truck stop. He had asked her if there was a decent but reasonably priced motel around. She had asked where Tony was heading and when Tony told her she suggested that Tony turn off at the next intersection and go to the town of Huntly. There was a very good Hotel there, but as the town had been bypassed when the Freeway was built, they keep the prices down to try and attract customers. It was about half an hour off the freeway but tomorrow he could carry on out the other end of town and pick up the freeway further along.

The only sign of life Tony had seen was that one car since leaving the freeway nearly an hour ago. Convinced he had taken a wrong turn somewhere, Tony decided that his best bet was to go back to the freeway and try again. The car was still in the same spot as it had been earlier and as Tony approached it, he could see that the woman was still inside by the light from his headlights.

"Like it or not lady!" Tony thought "I'm not leaving a woman and kids sitting out here in the dark on this road," and pulled in front of her. As he walked up to her car, Tony made sure to shine his torch on himself so she could see his hopefully reassuring face. Making sure he didn't get to close to the car, Tony asked if she was having a problem and if he could be of any assistance, hoping his English accent would not alarm her.

In the back of Tony's mind was the story of the English tourist who got lost in Texas. He had managed to get himself shot when he inadvertently went to the back door of a house looking for directions. And Tony had heard, some American women carry guns in their cars!

She still looked a little apprehensive, but explained to him that the car had made horrible noises and just stopped. The engine was running but when she put the car in drive it didn't move.. She told Tony that she lived about four miles down the road, but she couldn't carry the children that far. So they had been sitting there for a couple of hours, hoping a police car or someone she knew would come along. Now the children were getting very hungry and restless.

Tony suggested that he could give her a lift home or, if she preferred, Tony could get a rope out and tow her to her home. That way she wouldn't have to get into a stranger's car. The tow home was gratefully excepted and Tony got a length of rope out, and prepared to attach it to the towing eye on the front of her car. She got out of her car and asked if she could hold the torch for him. As Tony handed it to her, their hands touched and something very strange happened. Tony can only say it was like an electric shock passed between them. She felt it too, and dropped the torch! They both said, "I'm sorry" and reached for the torch at the same time. Their heads collided with a crack and both grabbed at each other to stop themselves falling over. Half a dozen "I'm' sorry's" later they realised we were in each other's arms.

Tony told me that it was a mind blowing experience, holding this woman whom he didn't know just felt so right. For a moment their eyes met. Tony said they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They broke away from each other once more, saying "I'm Sorry!" and Tony quickly returned to attaching the rope in an embarrassed silence. She gave him instructions to her house and off they went.

As they drove it started to rain. Tony got quite wet because at every junction they came to, he had to jump out and run back to her to check they were going the right way. Eventually they arrived at her house. Talk about in the middle of nowhere. Tony couldn't see the lights of any other houses.

He disconnected the towrope whilst she took the children inside. By now it was pouring down rain and Tony was soaked. When he went to her door to say his goodbyes and ask her for directions to this Huntly Hotel she dragged him inside and saying after his kindness in helping her, there was no way she was going to let him leave until he had dried out and had a decent meal! Tony pointed out that her husband might not like it if he came home and found a strange man in her house. She said he wouldn't be coming home as he was doing thirty days in jail for getting in a barroom brawl.

In the light of the house Tony could see she was about 5' 3" quite slim with long dark hair, she was not what most people would call a raving beauty, but Tony found her very attractive. She told him her name was Holly, and asked what he was doing in the States.

Tony told her that it was a coincidence her name being Holly, as he had come to the States to marry his teen sweetheart who was also called Holly. Tony had met her and they had become sweethearts for three years whilst she lived in England, her farther being stationed there as a diplomat. Then five years ago her parents separated and she returned to Florida with her mother. The plan had been that Tony would come over to join her when she finished college and they would get married.

Things hadn't gone quite to plan, as Tony had a serious road accident about two months after Holly left. He had been in a coma for eight months, and spent nearly two years in hospital. It had taken another three years for him to get fully fit again and get his compensation sorted out.

When Tony came out of the coma there was a great stack of letters from Holly. They corresponded with each other every couple of days, for the five years they were apart. And so six months ago Tony flew to Florida, they fell into each other's arms and Tony reckons they didn't let go of each other for a week. They didn't leave their motel room for three days. But after the first few weeks, things weren't going so good. Holly was feeling a little claustrophobic. Although they had been planning on getting married for the last almost eight years, they had never formally been engaged to each other, and had both been playing the field a little. Holly said, and Tony believed her, that she loved him, but now things were going just a little too fast for her. So he had suggested that he would go off for a couple of months and tour the States. If Holly didn't want to marry him when he came back, they would call it a day and Tony would return to England. She thanked him for being patient with her, but as Tony had waited five years another couple of months was not going to make much difference. So that was why, Tony was travelling alone around the States.

Holly said that it was a romantic story and said that his "Florida Holly" was a silly girl if she didn't hang on to a handsome, chivalrous man like Tony.

Tony had a shower and changed into some dry clothes whilst Holly fed the children and put them to bed. Then Holly made a meal for Tony and herself. Tony found himself sitting down to a candle-lit dinner, when Holly produced a bottle of wine; he said he couldn't drink any, as he had to drive to the hotel tonight. Holly insisted that he wasn't going anywhere! She had a spare room and had already made up the bed whilst Tony had been in the shower. "For all you know I could be an axe murderer!" Tony commented. Holly told him not to be silly. She had been alone in his company for four hours, if he was going to do her any harm he would have done it hours ago and been over the State Line by now. They both laughed and ate their meal. After they had eaten, they sat in the lounge and talked about their lives, their loves and their hopes for the future. Just before they went to their separate beds, Holly said that there was a wonderful lake nearby. "It's a must see!" if you are in this part of the country. Before Tony left tomorrow she would take him there to see it, maybe take a picnic.

As Tony came down stairs in the morning he heard a man's voice in the kitchen and was unsure whether to make his presence known. But Holly called out for him to come into the kitchen. "This is my English Knight In Shining Armour" she announced as Tony walked into the room. Tony saw a large man standing by the door. "Meet Jake, Tony! He's going to take my car away and work his magic in it, he's the best mechanic in the State!" Tony noticed the big man blushing and thought to himself that he wasn't the only man around that was captivated by this enchanting woman. Tony went outside with Jake and helped him hook Holly's car up to his Tow truck. As they worked Jake said "Great girl, ain't she! It's a dam shame she fell in love with the arsehole she's married to! She could have the pick of the guys in town but she married that creep! He knocked her about once you know. When the guys from pool hall found out they kicked the shit out of him. He hasn't laid a finger on her since. Everyone tells her to dump the slob, but she won't! She says she loves him and is gonna stay with him!"

Tony and Holly went to the lake shortly after Jake left. They walked by the Shore carrying a child each. Holly said that Tony was going to make a good father and she was feeling rather jealous of his Holly.

Just after midday Tony said he thought he should take Holly and the girls home because he had better get moving soon. Holly looked at him and asked him to stay with her one more night! They both new they wanted each other. Could they just spend one night together? Then tomorrow he would leave and she would collect her husband from jail. Tony put his arms around Holly and kissed her.

The following morning Tony kissed Holly goodbye. They were both crying. Tony knew that he had left a great chunk of his heart with Holly. He wondered how come a man could be in love with two women at the same time. As he carried on with his travels he found the two women getting blurred together in his mind. He wasn't sure that he shouldn't go back and persuade this new Holly to come away with him. but he realised she loved her husband. She had spent a wonderful night with him, but she had known he would be leaving in the morning. If she had wanted him to stay she could have said so.

Tony went on with his tour seeing the West Coast, and then made his way back to Florida. Holly was waiting for him with the news that she was pregnant. They got married. Tony went to work for Holly's step-father in his construction company. They bought a little house. And six months later Tony Jr. was born and he was followed a year later by the twins Sheila and Annette.

Tony and Holly were happy with their lot. Tony progressed in his job. Holly got a part time job in real-estate. She had inherited her father's negotiation skills. And after a few years she was a partner in the business. As the years went by, Tony thought how lucky he was, he had a wonderful wife, three beautiful children and a lovely house. He had all but forgotten the night he had shared with his other Holly. But sometimes she would come to him in his dreams and he would wonder what might have been.

Then one day shortly before their tenth wedding anniversary Tony came home to find two extra cars in his drive. One was his father-in-law's. He went inside where he was met by his Holly's mother. She was crying and Tony could not understand what she was saying. Holly's stepfather took him into his den and told him. Holly had an inoperable brain tumour. She had known about it for sometime but had not told Tony as she wanted to spend what time she had left, being a mother and wife to her loving family, not a molly coddled invalid.

But her end was drawing near and the doctor had come to make arrangements for her to go into hospital. There was nothing he could do to keep her at home any more. Tony was devastated! How could he have not seen that Holly was ill. She had complained of a few headaches lately! Now he came to think of it, she had been taking more time off of work.

What kind of an excuse for a husband had he been. His father-in-law told him not to be silly. Holly did not want to be fussed over. She had wanted to enjoy her family while she could. His job now was to put on a brave face for Holly and help her go with dignity. Tony slowly went up the stairs to see the woman he loved.

Holly went into hospital the next day. Tony could only watch as his wife's condition deteriorated. He would sit with her every day whilst they waited for the inevitable to happen. One morning just before the end, Holly told him, after she was gone he had to find another wife. He told her that no woman could replace her. But she said that the children needed a mother, she had already told the children that she wanted Tony to find them a new mummy, and when he did they were to help Tony build a new family.

Holly died three days later. Tony's world collapsed around him, he started drinking and neglecting the children. In the end his in-laws had to get tough with him. They told him that if he didn't pull himself together they would go court and get custody of the children. He needed to be as brave as Holly had been!

Tony took their warning to heart, and thought maybe, if he went away for a while it might help. His father-in-law suggested that Tony borrow his Winnebago and take the children for a long holiday getaway from Florida for a while.

A week later they were on the road. They went up the East Coast and into Canada. Then right across Canada stopping off to visit some of Tony's old friends from England that had emigrated there. Down the West Coast to visit Hollywood. After nearly three months they started back across country towards home. Tony had got over that first heartbreaking pain of the loss of a loved one. But he knew life would never be the same again.

Whilst driving down the freeway a sign caught Tony's eye. "Huntly, Such A Nice Place To Visit." It brought memories back of the only other love in Tony's life, of one night of heaven so many years ago. Without a conscious thought he turned off of the freeway, Tony Jr. asked where he was going. Tony said that he had been here before and there was a great lake! Maybe they could do some fishing. Having turned off the freeway Tony struggled in his mind trying to remember which way he had travelled that night with Holly's car on tow. He knew in his heart he was not looking for the lake, but the house out on its own. Then to his dismay he found it. It had obviously been deserted for many years. He got out of the Winnebago telling the children to stay inside, he was just going to look for an old friend.

He looked into the long deserted house and in his minds eye saw Holly sitting with her children. He saw the candlelit dinner laid out on the table and saw the stairs leading up to the bedroom where they had spent that unforgettable night.

The children calling brought him back to reality and he got back into the Winnebago wondering what had become of Holly. As he pulled out of the track that led to Holly's old house, a pickup stopped to let him turn onto the road. Tony was aware of the driver taking an interest in them but after he was on the road he forgot the incident.

He drove on up to the lake. Things had changed somewhat. There was now a proper campground with several other mobile homes already there. Tony parked up and the children, like children always do, went off to find new friends. Tony started getting the Bar-B-Q out to cook dinner for the children, when he became aware of a police car pulling into the camping ground. It drove to where the children were playing and a Sheriff's deputy got out and spoke to all the children for a little while then he got back in his car and drove over to Tony. He said hello to Tony and explained that he came onto the camp every day to warn the children of the danger of wandering off into the woods. And he hoped Tony didn't mind that he hadn't spoken to him first. Tony said he was glad of the backup; they can't be warned enough.

As he was just about to get a coffee he offered the deputy a cup. He said thanks and got out of his car. They sat and talked for a while; the deputy was a good policeman because before Tony knew it, the deputy knew about his wife's death, their trip and even that Tony had visited Huntly before, although Tony made no mention of Holly.

The children returned looking for some food and Tony started cooking. The deputy got up to leave, and said "Look, there's a town picnic tomorrow, lots of fun and games for the kids. How about coming along as guest with me and the misses. I'm sure she would love to show off to her friends by having an English gentleman along! Tony wasn't too sure but the children had other ideas. So a date was made. The deputy said not to worry about food as his wife would take care of that and there wouldn't be room for the Winnebago so he would pick them up in his car at ten in the morning.

At ten sharp he arrived in the police car to collect them. As they neared the picnic site, the deputy put the siren on for a few seconds. Tony thought it a little odd but assumed he was just making an entrance. They drove right through the parking lot right up to a table near a large stage. When they got out the deputy introduced Tony to his wife. Tony's children teamed up with the deputy's children and disappeared into the crowd.

Tony was then introduced to what seemed to be a never ending line of people. He became a little uneasy, as he could swear that these people were purposely keeping his attention. When they talked to him he noticed that they always positioned themselves so that Tony would have his back to the picnic ground.

Then he heard someone talking on a P.A. system. Everyone went quiet and looked at the stage. A man who Tony assumed to be the mayor welcomed everyone to the picnic and started waffling on about the town's history. Tony lost the track of what he was saying because he had caught sight of Tony Jr. But he was dressed in completely different clothes to those he had been wearing when they arrived not ten minutes ago. Tony stared at his son, then realised that the mayor was still speaking.

The mayor was saying that "Jake had brought a special guest along, someone that most of the town knew about, and been waiting to meet for a long time. An English Knight In Shining Armour!" The mayor stopped speaking and looked over at Tony, who looked back at the Mayor for a moment before he realised that he was now the centre of attention for everyone there. As he turned to look at the crowd and the throng of people parted, at first he saw Tony Jr. but he was talking to the boy that Tony just had mistaken for him, and then he saw Holly standing behind them with tears rolling down her face. He became aware of Jake saying, "Don't just stand there, man! Go to her. She's been waiting a long time for you to come back! If you don't grab her quick there's plenty more in the queue" The two lovers ran to each other to the cheers of the crowd!

Epilogue

After Tony had left, Holly's life had taken a downward turn. Her husband kept on drinking and within three months had managed to overturn his tractor whilst he was drunk. He was severely injured and died a few days later. Holly was pregnant and she knew that she couldn't run the farm on her own, with three small children. So she sold the farm and moved into town. After she had her baby whom she named Tony after the man she believed to be his father, she got a job in the one café in town. After a couple of years when the old couple that owned the café retired, Holly used what money was left from the sale of the farm to buy the Café. She settled down to raise her children!