Page 13 of I've Found Her

“Excuse me ladies, Excuse me?” says a gentleman who is making his way through the restaurant.

“I think he’s talking to us Bella?” Chloe enquires.

“I’m ever so sorry ladies, there’s has been a terrible mistake on our behalf,” he says as he glares at the hostess. “Please except my apologies and there is a table on the terrace ready for you. If you would like to follow me.” He motions for us to follow him.

The gentleman is wearing a very smart suit and a badge which said Restaurant Manager. I look at Chloe and then to the hostess and they both looked as surprised as me.

“You heard the man- after you Bella,” says Chloe as she ushers me to follow. We walk out on to the terrace. The view is spectacular looking over the Thames. The manager shows us to our table which must easily be the best view in the restaurant. There must be some mistake as he must think we are someone else. I open my mouth to explain the mistake when he addresses me directly.

“Miss White, I am terribly sorry about the confusion, please accept a bottle of champagne on the house.” A waiter then rushes around him and sets it on the table in an ice bucket.

“Thank you that’s very kind,” says Chloe with a big smile on her face. I’m stunned into silence and I’m not really sure what’s going on. The waiter opens the champagne and pours us both a glass. They both then leave us with a menu. We look at each other and let out an excited giggle.

“I don’t understand Chloe, I thought there had been some mistake. I thought that he’d given us someone’s table thinking we were someone else but he addressed me as Miss White. Did you hear him?”

Chloe rolls her eyes at me, “Yep! I understand perfectly. It’s that sex god of yours. He did this. Definitely.” We both let out another laugh.

“Cheers!” and take a big sip of our champagne.

We enjoy the most beautiful looking food I have ever seen. The presentation and taste were incredible. Most of it looked so pretty I almost couldn’t eat it. The view, the service, everything was just as I thought it would be and more. I’m so happy right now.being here with Chloe, I have never felt so relaxed and content. We talk nonstop through our meal but then Chloe drops a bombshell.

“Bella, we really need to talk about John,” she says.

His name makes my stomach knot and I fill with anxiety. A feeling I have suffered with every day for years. But then I realise that I haven’t felt like this since I arrived in London- well hardly.

“He’s completely lost the plot. Your house is a mess- it’s never going to sell in the state that it’s in. John keeps disappearing for days, weeks even. He’s been fired from his job. His parents keep mithering me asking me if I know where he is and asking me to get in contact with you. I really didn’t want to burden you with this Bella. But I don’t know what else to do. I love how happy you are here and it’s such a long time since I have seen you this relaxed. You’re back to just being you, the Bella we all know and love. Moving here was the best thing you have ever done. I miss you like crazy, but I would much rather you be here. Plus, I may be persuaded to move here too. It’s actually not bad this city life! Have you spoken to John since you moved?”

I’m shocked to hear about John. I still do care about him and for him to be fired from his job is just not like John at all. He loved his work, he always worked hard, he took it very seriously. And the house, he was always a perfectionist. I’m surprised he’s let it get to a state where Chloe would call it a mess.

“He messaged me a few times when I first moved here. He demanded I came home and when I said I wasn’t going to, he sent me some nasty messages so I blocked him. I’ll ring the estate agent tomorrow and see what’s going on.”

“You should have told me about the messages Bella. You know I’m always here for you. God, I wish I had got you away from him sooner. That night when he locked you in the bathroom all night and made you sleep on the floor. I should have packed your things then and not let you go back. I knew then he wasn’t right in the head!” Chloe says with a sigh.

A sudden flashback of that evening comes over me. I had gone out with the girls into town. I had bought a dress a few days before, which I had felt really lovely in. I had been shopping with my mum and she had kindly treated me to it. It was black, fitted, just above the knee, with little cap shoulders and a sweetheart neckline. I felt confident and sexy in it and my mum approved so it wasn’t too much.

John didn’t like it though. He said I looked like a slut and insisted I didn’t wear it. I didn’t have time to buy anything else and I really didn’t want to wear an old outfit. As John was still at work when I had left to go out, I wore the dress. Two hours into the night John turned up at the bar we were in and dragged me home. I told the girls it was fine and that I had a headache anyway but Chloe knew this wasn’t true.

When we got home, he ripped the dress from my body. He then threw me into the bathroom where I had hit my head on the sink and passed out. I’d woken later that night freezing and was lying on the bathroom floor in pitch black darkness. He had locked me in. I fumbled around and found a couple of towels and I curled up on the floor. I had just sobbed all night unable to sleep.

In the morning, John apologised profoundly and I being me had accepted and continued on. Chloe thought this was the first time anything like this had happened. It was definitely the worst up to that point but it definitely wasn’t the first. She also didn’t know about the dress being ripped from me or the fact I had hit my head and been lying unconscious for God knows how long.

“It’s not your fault,” I tell her, “I always played everything down when it came to John- you weren’t to know. I’ll find out what’s going on tomorrow, Chloe. Can we just forget about him for tonight and enjoy our time together? You’re going home in the morning. It’s gone too fast and I’ve loved having you here.”

“Me too, I’ll be back soon, I’ve got unfinished business with that Josh guy anyway.” Chloe shrugs and gives me a wink. I ask for the bill and explain to Chloe it’s my treat. She protests at first until I promise she can get the next one.

“Ladies, how did you enjoy your meal this evening?” The manager who seated us has returned.

“It was all perfect thank you.” I say immediately.

“I’m extremely pleased to hear that, and please except my apologies again for our little mix up. Mr. King has already settled your bill ladies and the champagne was on the house. Please stay as long as you like and enjoy the rest of your evening.” I look at Chloe who has the biggest smile on her face.

“I told you Bella. He’s a keeper. Now come on, let’s go and get me even more drunk!”

We walk out of the restaurant and George is there waiting for us. I know Damien means well but it’s all starting to feel a bit too much. Chloe looks so excited; therefore, I smile and climb in after her. George drops us off at a bar near the hotel. It’s Sunday night and it’s really busy- well every night is busy in London. We manage to find a couple of seats at the bar. I order us some cocktails and Chloe brings me up to speed on all the girls’ gossip back home.

But I just can’t relax. I have this weird anxious feeling that I just can’t shake. Maybe it’s because of the conversation we had earlier about John. Every so often I get a feeling I’m being watched. I turn to where I feel like the gaze is coming from but I don’t see anyone. Well I see lots of people as it’s extremely busy but no one that looks familiar or that seems to be looking back at me.

“I’m just nipping to the loo Bella, you stay here and watch our seats then you can go,” Chloe says.

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