If you have not read Chapters 1 & 2, perhaps you should. As a reminder to those who have, the story so far – Georgina rebelled against her bullying husband Wayne and he left the flat after their fight. He went to Georgina’s sister Harriet, with whom he had been having an affair that Georgina had never even suspected. Georgina packed her possessions and left her old life behind. Her subsequent celebration of freedom led to group sex with three men who mistook her for a prostitute – and paid her for their pleasure. She ran from the scene horrified by what she had done and what they had thought of her.
CHAPTER THREE Sexual confusion and murder
Georgina's flight ended in a park. It was late afternoon. She sat on a bench and tried to calm herself. She watched others walk or sit, singles and couples, old and young. Normal people with normal lives. She felt different from them. Lost. They knew who they were. She didn't even know why she did what she did.
Gradually she relaxed. She blocked the thoughts of what she had done with thoughts of what she should do. She was still firm in her resolve that she would never go back to Wayne. There was no life for her there. And she wished to become alive again. Her own person. Not the half person she had been as Wayne's wife. Not the person she had been for the afternoon either, not a whore, her own person, whatever that was. She needed help. She needed someone to talk to who would care enough to give her support.
There was only one person to turn to. Harriet had always been strong. Always been her own person. That was the next step as surely now as it had been when she left the flat intent on finding a real life.
She walked slowly to Harriet's house, watching other people moving past her. They all seemed to be traveling in the secure knowledge of where they were going. She wanted that same security.
Harriet was at home, Georgina could see her sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea. She tapped on the glass of the back door, opened it and stepped in.
Harriet sat where she was, her face registering no surprise and no concern. She looked as though she was waiting for her.
"So what's going on?" she asked. "Why is your luggage in my hall?"
"I've left Wayne," Georgina said. "I put the bags there this morning." It seemed like an incredibly long time ago.
"According to him, he left you. He came round. He's looking for you. Where have you been? And why are you dressed like a tart?" Her tone was flat with disinterest and disdain.
Georgina looked at her sharply. "I dress the way I want. I've been out. I'm an adult."
"Then try behaving like one. What happened, PMT take over? Wayne said you went mad and started throwing things just because he was home half an hour late."
"What?"
"He said he had to leave the flat to give you time to calm down."
"I did throw things - well, a cup of tea. And I did go mad. Then I went sane. I've left him, for good."
"Don't be stupid, Georgina, you've had a row, you've made a fool of yourself, now it's time to go back and sort it out. You can't end a marriage just because your husband's half an hour late home." The flatness of tone was changing. Harriet now sounded irritated.
"I've left him because I don't like him hitting me."
"Hitting you? If I was Wayne I'd smash you into a pulp. Look at the way you dress. You always were stupid but do you really believe men like their wives to look like tramps? He told me what happened. He said you hit him."
"I did," Georgina answered.
"Then what the hell do you expect? You always were a spoilt, bad tempered brat. He's quite calm about it. Though I don't know why. He wants you back. He's worried about you, and very upset that you left. He should be back at the flat by now. You can use the phone. Tell him you've come to your senses."
"I have come to my senses. And I'm not going back to him."
"Oh? So what are you going to do then? Because you're not staying here. You have a flat of your own and you have a marriage to sort out. So get your bags and go home."
"I'm not going back." Georgina was almost in tears.
"Three years of marriage. Not quite till death do us part. He was the only decent bloke who ever showed any interest in daddy's little princess. He's got a good job, a nice flat, gives you everything you want. And what do you do? Give up work, waste money, keep the place like a pigsty and dress like a slut. You're a waste of space with the morals of a tom cat."
"He made me stop working." Georgina was shaken by Harriet's indictment.
"And for that you want to leave him? You're a selfish little cow. Now take your stuff and get back to him before he changes his mind."
The logic was too annoying. Damned if you did and damned if you didn't. Harriet had always been the same, always judgmental, always knowing best.
"I've left him. I'm not going back!" Georgina was shouting now. "I should have known you'd take Wayne's side. He's a bastard and I'm not going back to him. Not ever."
"Well I'm not going to be a part of breaking up your marriage. It's time for you to grow up, little sister. Get a hold of yourself. You can't run to Daddy this time. Daddy's little princess has to sort out her own life now."
The venom in the tone shocked Georgina almost as much as the casual reference to the death of their father.
"Harriet!"
"Harriet!" Harriet mimicked. "Stop being such a soft selfish bitch. Grow up and fuck off home to your husband. You aren't staying here. Got it?"
"I got it," Georgina said. "I have grown up. And I'm not going back to my bastard husband. And if you don't want to help me, then fuck you! Since you like Wayne so much you can have him with my blessing. It's time you got another man in your life you sanctimonious bitch."
She was surprised when the flat of Harriet's hand struck her cheek.
"Don't speak to me like that you pathetic little slut or I'll give you a slapping that will make you realise how gentle Wayne is. Take your fucking belongings and fuck off out of the house. And don't come back till you can behave yourself."
Georgina took her bags. Anger carried her and the bags out of the house and down the street.
Then she realised she had nowhere to go.
Wayne arrived half an hour after Georgina left. He found Harriet in a strange mood.
"Still looking for your little wife then? She's been here. Why didn't you sort it out this morning?"
"She'd already left the flat when I got back. I knew she'd come here. Where did she go?"
He sounded as though he cared and that irritated Harriet. She shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't really care either. I chucked her out and told her to go home. She said she isn't going back to you though."
"Where will she go then?" Wayne sounded genuinely worried.
"I don't know. I don't think she knows either. She'll go back to you in the end. She hasn't any gumption and she's got nowhere else to go. Maybe a night on the streets will do her good. Has she any money?"
"I don't think so, maybe a few quid, but that's all, unless she took the cheque book and went to the bank."
"Good. Then don't worry about it. A night walking the streets carrying her luggage will do her good." She laughed. "She was dressed for it.”
"Maybe I could find her." Wayne half turned towards the door.
"Don't bother looking." Harriet said. She smiled at him. "Let her sweat for a while. Or better still, let her shiver. She deserves it. She was nasty and upset me. She upset you too. I think we should make each other feel better."
