Free Bridge of Hope by Lisa J. Hobman Page A

arms around my shoulders. I glanced over at Alice, who was frowning now. Ha! Not liking the taste of your own medicine, eh? She turned around and stuck her tongue down the guy’s throat and I just about hit the fucking roof.
    Without thinking, I shoved the brunette aside, lunged forward, and punched the bastard in the face; knocked him out cold. After that I stormed out of the place. I’d had enough. I just couldn’t figure her out. I thought we meant something.
    I heard footsteps behind me and someone grabbed my arm. I swung around and was met with an angry stare. “What the fuck was that in there, Greg?” she shouted in my face.
    “I could ask you the same fucking question! What were you doing?” I shouted back, raising my hands in exasperation.
    “I wanted you to watch, Greg. I wanted you to see that other men find me attractive. You’re so fucking into your music that you ignore me! Well, you won’t do that again, will you?” A manic grin appeared on her face. What the hell was wrong with her?
    “I don’t want to watch you with another fucking man. What kind of sick pervert do you think I am, eh?”
    Her laughter was filled with derision. “Oh, come on, Greg. Don’t be such a prude.”
    “What man would want to see that? You’re my girlfriend, Al, not his.”
    At that her eyes widened. And then out of nowhere she drew her hand back and punched me. A right hook to my left cheek. I staggered backwards, holding my face.
    She lurched toward me angrily. “You don’t own me, Greg. I’m not an object. I’m a person. Don’t ever act like I belong to you again. If I want to dance with another man, I’ll do it.”
    I stood there open mouthed as she rubbed her hand and began to cry. For some unknown reason I felt sorry for her. She was insecure even though I’d never given her reason to be.
    I pulled her into my arms and held her tight. “Hey, come on. What’s all this about, Al? Eh?”
    She sobbed into my chest and clung to my shirt. “I wanted your attention. That’s all. You’ve been spending so much time playing with the guys that I felt neglected. I wanted to teach you a lesson.”
    My face crumpled in confusion and I pulled away to gaze into her bloodshot eyes. “Alice, you’ve been at every jam session with me when I’ve been playing. I haven’t been ignoring you at all.”
    “But… I want you to myself sometimes.” She hiccupped.
    I stroked her hair back from her face and kissed her. My cheek was throbbing and I was a little freaked out by what had just happened, but I put it down to the drink.
    Sadly it wasn’t the only time she struck me in anger. But for some reason unbeknownst to me, I put up with her temper. I think I kidded myself that I loved her. The next big blow, however, wasn’t a physical one.
    We’d been together two years…
    June 1995
    There was a knock on the door to my room and I threw down my pen. I’d been trying to compose a song for the band I was setting up with my best mate, Connell, but my head was filled with cotton wool thanks to a serious lack of sleep. I wasn’t expecting anyone and almost decided to ignore the intrusion. But the person knocked again, softly this time, and I went and answered it.
    Alice stood in the doorway, her eyes were red rimmed and she twisted a tissue in her hands. I inhaled sharply. “Hey, what’s wrong, babe?”
    “Oh, Greg, I’m so sorry.” She flung her arms around my neck and sobbed into my T-shirt. I lifted her from the ground and walked into my small room. Placing her on the bed, I sat beside her, moving my notes out of the way.
    I tilted her chin up so that her eyes met mine. “Please tell me what’s wrong, Alice. You’re worrying me.”
    “I’m sorry… I’m sorry.” Her slurred words were interspersed with body-shaking sobs. Dread filled me. She’d had an affair. I was sure of it. After the way things had gone with us recently, I was beginning to think we weren’t meant to be.
    I took a deep breath, trying to