Be The One . Be Unapologetic E-Book

Sally Edwards

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

This is a short story I have tried to write at least five times previously over the years, but always gave up after a couple of chapters. After suffering a serious illness and recovering, I’ve found strength I didn’t know I had, it was strength Ineeded to complete this, finally. It is primarily about how attitudes towards domestic violence have changed but haven’t changed enough to make a difference to a lot of women who are still suffering at the hands of their abusers. This story shows, Sandra the main character, rise above her past abuse to empower and give confidence to other women. It shows how sometimes history does repeat itself, but doesn’t mean it has keep perpetuating itself. It’s finding the courage to break the cycle. The message I hope this story delivers, is, to always betotally unapologetic of who you are, walk with your head held high and be the very best version of yourself

Leseprobe

Sally Edwards

Be The One . Be Unapologetic

I dedicate this book to anyone who has suffered at the hands of someone who was meant to love them. Who has had to make excuses for cuts and bruises or suffered emotional torture.I encourage you all to be brave, step out of the shadows, find out what real happiness is. Become the best version of yourself You can do it BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Chapter One

Chapter One

There she was sitting in her office, Sandra Gordon entrepreneur and inspirational speaker, looking out at her beautiful garden where her two nephews were laughing and playing in the treehouse.

As she sat there, she started to think how it wasn't that long ago she was only dreaming of this life, "But look at me now, look how far I've come" she whispered to herself.

Although this was achieved because I wanted to help and with the power of positive thinking and bloody mindedness, I got there, she thought to herself. Her life had done a complete 360° turn in just three short years, how amazing.

How did this happen she thought, but she knew the answer ...?

"Hard work and self-belief" she said out loud and then quickly wrote it down in a notebook, just then a smiling face came through the door way, "you alrit love? I heard you say sommat as I were passing “

This broad Yorkshire accent belonged to the lovely Trish, "I'm fine my lovely just talking to myself as I do" Sandra replied smiling.

Trish knew Sandra so well she smiled "do you fancy a cuppa I’m putting kettle on " with that she left Sandra with her thoughts.

As she sat in her comfy Chesterfield chair, she reminisced about her past and how it had moulded her ready for her future.

Sandra Jane Gordon, born on the 18th of April 1962, she was the first born to Maureen Eastfield who was a typist in the typing pool at the local shoe factory. They lived in a small close-knit community a quaint little village, where everyone knew their neighbours, but they were less than a 30-minute bus ride from the nearest city centre in the East of England.

Maureen Eastfield was a model daughter, helped her mother around the house, always picking up after her very annoying younger brother, she went to work every day, always punctual and everything was always as it should be.

Maureen was the apple of her fathers’ eye, who had very high hopes for her. But there was just the one thing she had that her parents didn't really like, her best friend Beryl, she came from 'that' family, you know everyone has got one of those families in the neighbourhood.

She was a little wild, she was always late for work, but she got away with it because she was a little cheeky and very flirty but in a funny way.

She was always going into town to go dancing and coming home all hours, the short of it was she was living her best life.

Maureen and Beryl used to chat for hours about their future, Beryl insisted she was going to meet a movie star or a singer in a famous group and marry them! Maureen on the other hand told of the travels she was going to have and all the experiences that were waiting for her. These conversations would last for hours and always ended up with raucous laughter.

This particular morning Maureen awoke to the sound of her parents singing happy birthday to her, 'what!" Oh gosh it's my birthday Sandra had completely forgotten, but it wasn't any old birthday it was her 18th birthday. That night her mum and dad had arranged to take her to the local pub, where friends and family could celebrate with her, but she also asked that she be excused halfway through the evening, as she wanted to go out with Beryl into town, for the first time, to go dancing!

After a bit of a lecture about expected behaviour whilst in town, from her mum, she was given permission to go.

After spending a few hours at the pub with family and friends, and blowing out candles, the giggling pair jumped onto the bus to go town. 

Maureen was giddy with excitement, her first ever dance. Beryl chatted excitedly about all the 'do’s and don’ts of what to do when you're inside of the dance, all about the boys and what response you should give them according to what they ask. Maureen sat there taking it all in a little apprehensive but still very excited.

The bus stopped, Beryl looked at Maureen “we are here, are you ready?”

The queue was already huge, so they joined at the end.

You could almost taste the excitement.

Maureen stood there, a little nervous, worrying about what she looked like, if she had worn the wrong thing.

She was in a pretty baby blue dress in a typical 1950s design, fitted with shoulder straps, a full skirt, a petticoat to puffing out the skirt a little and a cardigan around her shoulders to match.

Whereas Beryl had on the tightest pencil skirt, a tight white fitted blouse, a white belt and pointed kitten heel shoes.

Straight away Beryl started getting attention from all the boys in the queue, she shrugged it off, she wasn't interested in boys, she was looking for just ‘real men’, as she put it.

Coincidently a group of four ‘real’ men walked past the girls.

They were exquisitely dressed, tailored coats, Italian suits, crisp white shirts, fancy ties and shiny winkle picker shoes.

Everyone stopped and stared at them, except Beryl and Maureen, they were too busy giggling at some of the attention Beryl was getting.

They finally got into the dance, paid their money and entered the beautiful dancehall, where people were already on the dancefloor under the stunning glitter ball that hung above the ballroom.

The music was loud, so people’s voices were raised so they could hear each other.

It was already getting hot, they decided to get a drink. The only drink they could have was a cream soda or a Coca-Cola as the legal age for alcohol back then was 21 still.

So, there she was, finally, at a real-life dance she was drinking her cream soda, tapping her foot in time to the music, taking in all the atmosphere. 'Can't get better than this' she thought.

Beryl was chatting away to her but she couldn't really hear that well, so she just kept nodding and smiling.

The next thing they knew there was two men standing right in front of them. They were two of the Italian suited men that passed them in the queue that they hadn't even noticed.

The one in front of Beryl, looked up and down and said,"I like a woman with style” and winked at Beryl, who laughed a little, they soon got into a conversation about fashion and about her style icons.

The man in front of Maureen just took her hand, "I saw you tapping your foot and just love a woman who can feel the music", and with that he whisked her onto the dancefloor.

As they danced to the music, they were in perfect sync with each other, it was as if they danced together all their lives. Maureen's head was in a spin, this was like a dream.

The saying "he whisked me off my feet” couldn't have been a truer saying at that exact time.

Then came a slower song, Maureen turned as if to walk off the dancefloor, but he held her hand and spun her back towards him and they continued to dance.

She found out his name was Ed, one of the four men that had walked past them, and they were all brothers. The slow dance was the perfect time to chat.

Then he asked what she did for a job and where about she lived, just the normal questions.

Maureen then asked him questions, she found out that the brothers were raised by the single mother, the father had run off years ago, they lived on "the wrong side of town".

His job, well Maureen wasn't just sure what he did, as he kept dodging the subject, but she could tell it obviously paid well by the clothes that he was wearing.

After the dance had finished, he kissed her on the cheek, Maureen blushed, it was her first kiss from a man. Ed loved that she blushed, held her hand and guided her back towards Beryl. They had been dancing most of the night.

When Maureen looked, she realised Beryl was in the middle of an extremely passionate kissing moment, she blushed again.

Ed could see Maureen was embarrassed so he coughed loudly so Beryl and Roger would stop kissing

“It’s time we left Beryl " Maureen said frowning at her. Beryl looked displeased but agreed as they would miss the last bus if they didn't leave.

Ed and his brother Roger walk the girls to the bus stop.

As they waited Roger and Beryl resumed kissing , Maureen didn't know where to look, she felt incredibly awkward so she stepped just outside of the bus shelter which exposed her to the chilly wind, that made her shiver, with that Ed placed his coat around her shoulders, as he did so he kissed her forehead, they huddled together to keep warm and as they did say she felt strangely safe.

The bus arrived, Maureen went to hand his coat back, he refused "give it back to me when I see you next Saturday ".

She smiled and agreed to return his coat the next week.

On the way back home, the pair didn't stop talking and giggling, both decided they had met "real men”. They made plans for the following Saturday.

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The next morning Maureen came downstairs for breakfast and instantly her mum and dad wanted to know where the coat had come from and who it belonged to, she explained.

Mum took her to one side and asked if anything "had gone on". Maureen reassured her absolutely nothing inappropriate as happened and that she was still "a good girl".

All day every day she thought about Ed, whether he was thinking about her? If he had told anyone about her?She also kept wondering what he did for a job, as he still hadn’t told her.

The weekend couldn't come soon enough, her and Beryl discussed what outfits they were going to wear and what shoes, you know normal girly stuff.

Saturday arrived, she was beyond excited, she had worked overtime every night so she could buy her new outfit for her big night out.

Later, all dressed up ready to go, Beryl called round and off they went.

They jumped on the bus and chatted incessantly all the way to town.

As they got there, Ed was waiting at the dance entrance, Maureen’s heart missed a beat when she saw him, but she played it cool as per Beryl’s instructions.

He looked so good, so smart and all the ladies were looking at him.

As they approached, he spoke to the man the door and then walk towards the girls. He grasped Maureen’s hand and kissed her cheek, he said hello to Beryl and took them straight into the dance without queueing!