Tabitha went over to re-join her date after her brief encounter with Shane and Alice. She couldnt help but smile as she walked, the smile quickly fading as she saw the expression on her dates face. Well, date was an over statement, she had known this woman for a few hours and knew only that her name was Lex. She cringed, wondering just how long she had been talking with Shane and Alice. Deciding, from the look that greeted her that it was definitely too late to be wondering this now. Tabitha smiled warmly at Lex, hoping her notable winning smile would in fact win her this looming confrontation. Despite her best attempts Lex did not greet her warmly, so she handed her a beer, counting on her second ploy of simple bribery.

I dont know why you agreed coming out with me if you would rather be talking to those two. Lex seethed, looking coldly at Tabitha, but still accepting the drink.

Tabitha didnt like this woman, she had known this the moment she met her. If it hadnt been for her impending feeling of loneliness and wanting to get out of the house she wouldnt have even bothered.

Sorry, I just got talking to them, didnt mean to take so long Lex.

Lex laughed bitterly before pushing the bottle of beer to her lips, looking anywhere but at Tabitha.

Yeah what ever, I called my mate to bide the time, so shes gonna meet me in a bit.

Well that made things easier for Tabitha; she was never good at making excuses to leave awkward situations.

Ok, Ill be off then. She said,a bit too cheerily grabbing her bag.

Wait, I couldnt help but notice you were talking to Shane. A word of advice, shell shag you and leave you.

Tabitha stopped and continued to pick up her bag slowly, she hadnt wanted to hear something like that. Although something inside her told her it was coming, she preferred denial at least until proven otherwise.

You know Shane?

Lex laughed again, still avoiding eye contact but displaying her dislike for the subject of Shane clearly by her body language.

I know her as a ***** buddy but nothing else, I doubt there is anything else to her to be honest. She said, her bitterness being replaced by hurt.

Tabitha nodded to herself, she could understand how Shane would get people into bed easily with those smoldering brown eyes, yet she doubted that was all there was to her. At least she hoped there was more, or was that what every girl that meets Shane thinks. Tabitha had to bring herself out of her thoughts abruptly, there was a point where it was perceived as rude to stand and think too much.

Im sorry to hear that Lex, but I’ve literally only just met her so Ill find out for myself what shes like.

Lex put down her front and met Tabithas eyes honestly for the first time that evening.

Im only saying watch out Tabs, you seem like a genuine person which is rare these days. This is a big city and people are not always what they seem, theyll do anything to get what they want, no matter whose feeling stand in their way.

Lexs words rang true to Tabithas ears, she knew better than most people about being deceived by the ones who always manage to get the closest. She thanked Lex for the night out and her truthful advice, her earlier judgments a distant memory now.

As she made her way out of the club she couldnt help but look over to the bar to where Shane and Alice were sitting. They seemed deep in conversation but as she looked over Shanes eyes lifted and caught hers directly, as if she knew Tabitha had been standing there. She still couldnt get over the intensity which burned within those eyes. Surely eyes like that could not belong to someone shallow or deceptive, or was that just Tabithas wishful thinking? Once again she had to shake herself out of her own thoughts and quickly exit the club before anyone noticed her standing there like a crazy person. Which was a pretty accurate description, she thought to herself, getting outside and smiling at her own self confirmed insanity.

It was still warm outside even though it mustve been getting on to about midnight, Tabitha still couldnt get over the temperature difference compared to England. If she was home leaving the house at five in the afternoon without a jacket on would have pretty much guaranteed hypothermia.

Deciding to take advantage of this pollution induced state of warmth, Tabitha began to walk home. She only lived about ten minutes away but rarely liked walking anywhere in this city for fear of being mugged or worse. But that was purely down to the fact that her younger brother, William had been bombarding her with scare stories ever since they had moved.

She currently lived with Will in a recently purchased studio apartment that was brought solely off the royalties from her films. He was three years younger than Tabitha, now at the tender age of twenty one and trying desperately to find a place for himself in the world. However, Tabitha was currently corrupting him in the eyes of their parents by kidnapping him and bringing him to a country full of lies and deceit. This, from the mouths of two people who have lived in the country side their whole lives, lying about their happiness, drinking and throwing dinner parties to ignore their impending realization that there is so much more to life than the one which they so readily immersed themselves in thirty, long years ago.

Tabitha stopped dead in her tracks and looked around at her surroundings, she had been so immersed in thoughts that she had walked right past her front door. Slightly embarrassed but finding it drunkenly amusing she turned round and retraced her steps. She signed happily; it was times like these, when her legs really didnt want to go any further than necessary that she thanked the lord for getting the apartment on the ground floor.
Inside the lights were off and she tip toed around the moving in mess, which would in time progress to just a mess. The apartment was open plan apart from the two bedrooms and two bathrooms, which Tabitha preferred as she could keep her eye on everything and everyone in her home.

As she dropped her bag and keys on the kitchen counter she walked into her writing den which she had created in the corner. It basically consisted of a lot of bean bags, cushions, pictures, posters and a lap top but she thought it was perfect to hide away in for hours on end when her fingers felt like they had taken E and therefore could not detach from the key board. She clicked on her lap top then shimmied out to find Will. He was splayed out on the sofa by the huge floor to ceiling window which was the main focal point for the room. Even though Will had tried to match it in size with the biggest TV he could find, Tabitha however did not want to watch his constant infatuation with all and every sport on any TV, let alone the one which could entertain London. So they had come to a compromise, flat screen but at a size which was normal and surround sound only when watching films. Yeah, Tabitha knew her brother was totally taking the piss and spending all her money but she felt like she owed him something for everything she had put the family through.

She bent down next to his sleeping figure; he was dribbling on the sofa cushion. Tabitha smiled and made a mental note to wash that in the morning. She found a blanket from, admittedly off the floor, made sure it was clean and wrapped it around her brother. Being careful not to wake him. She removed the baby monitor which was clasped tightly in his right hand and went into her bedroom. Bathed softly in light was a pine crib, lavished in simple pink bows and lace. Tabithas heart warmed at the sight and she felt her chest swelling as she neared to look into the crib, preparing herself to see the most beautiful thing in the world. Laid on her back, with her small arms flung over her head and legs spread out, completely relaxed and deep in sleep was her six month year old daughter, Ella.