janey_katies-sorrow-11

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KATIE'S SORROW by Janey                                <<< Part 10

PART 11

“Do you fancy a glass of wine?” asked James, getting up from the patio chair.
“Why not?” Katie grinned in reply. “I’ve had thousands of calories from that cake, the lasagne and the garlic bread so I guess a few more won’t hurt. I will have to do loads of exercise to make up for my indulgence.” She put ‘La Nausée’ by Jean-Paul Sartre down on her lap, and tapped James on his arse. “Did I ever tell you that you have a very fine backside Mr Bradfield?”
“I don’t recall Miss Barnes, but I thank you for the compliment,” he sniggered in return, bending over slightly to hug her around her shoulders. “I think that your arse is pretty hot too, and, your breasts aren’t bad either; or your nose; your smile; your eyes, in fact, all of you is pretty bloody fantastic.”
“If I wasn’t feeling so fat, full and lazy I might just have had to do something to you then,” she whimpered to him, moaning louder when his hands started to play with her breasts.
“Don’t let me stop you, and you’ve just been talking about needing to exercise. Perhaps I could even help you out a little bit,” he drawled, nibbling hard at her shoulder, leaving what he knew would turn into a tiny bruise and little indentations behind.
“In fact, I have a better idea,” she grinned broadly.
“Umm?”
“How about we take the wine upstairs? We can have a nice leisurely bath and then snuggle up together and maybe read or watch a dvd.”
“Actually I do quite like the sound of that, but I can’t guarantee that I will be able to behave myself.”
“Why don’t we worry about that if or when it happens?”
“Erm, I think it already has,” he sighed bashfully, moving slightly to the side of Katie and then placing her right hand over his crotch. “See what you’ve done to me?”
“Damn, I swear you get bigger everytime.”
James laughed madly, the scoped her up in his arms and proceeded to walk towards the house.

It was almost noon when James finally ventured downstairs. He smiled when he saw Katie spread out on the floor of the lounge, completely surrounded by newspapers.
“Hey there sleepy,” she chirped without moving her gaze from the paper that she was reading. “I thought you were going to stay in bed all day, and that would be such a waste of a beautiful Sunday, don’t you think?”
“Oh stop it!” James chided in a jokey response, standing against the doorjamb. “You were the one who got completely carried away with that film. I’m covered in bruises from all of the nudges that you kept giving me.”
“Want me to kiss you better?”
“Perhaps later if I get stiff.”
Katie said nothing but glanced over at James, smiled broadly, shook her head, rolled her eyes and then poked her tongue out at him.
“You need to get your mind out of the gutter, young lady!” James chuckled, coyly and then walked into the kitchen, deliberately shaking his backside as he did so.

They spent a quiet afternoon reading through all of the papers, with Katie popping in and out of the kitchen to prepare the roast for their tea. Though hardly exchanging a word, frequent smiles and winks were exchanged between the two of them; it was a measure of how comfortable and at ease they were with each other that they didn’t need to fill in long silences with mundane conversation.
Yet James was disconcerted. As the afternoon progressed he thought that Katie was growing more and more distant, and that her mind was on other things. Tomorrow they were to go to her solicitors to meet the barrister for the case and also they were seeing Marge, the rape counsellor, so it was understandable that it was going to affect her; his concern was that she wasn’t talking to him about it.

“Baby,” Katie cried from the kitchen. “Care to flash your carving skills for me?”
“Sure thing,” James answered, putting down the paper that he was reading, walking to the sink and washing his hands before sharpening the knife he would be using. “Looks and smells wonderful, but I have a complaint.”
“Oh?”
“There was mention in the dim and distant past of bread and butter pudding; I don’t see any.”
“It’s too hot and this meal is way too heavy for a pudding like that. Anyway, we still have that gateau to finish.” Though she tried to inject some humour, her voice was pretty flat and monotone.
“So what did you do with the other two sponges?” James was making light work of carving the lamb, which seemed to be cooked to perfection, not a hint of pink at all, but still nice and moist.
“I’ve wrapped them and put them in the freezer for another time. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind; why would I mind?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m just being silly, ignore me.” Katie finished putting the dishes with the vegetables, and the plate of Yorkshire puddings out on the table, and then picked up the plate with the freshly carved meat. “I guess tomorrow is beginning to pray on my mind.”
“That’s not surprising honey,” James said softly, washing his hands once more. “It’s going to be a big day and a long one. Do you want to go home after we’ve eaten and done the pots? Maybe it will help if we stay there tonight.”
“I need to go and collect a suit or something, and I need some more clothes for while we’re away. I can’t keep wearing the same things time and time again, you’ll get sick of the sight of them. Other than that, I’m fine. I want to stay here if that’s ok? This is going to be my home too soon, right?” Shyly she smiled at him, and brushed her thin fingers over the back of his knuckles, caressing him tenderly with her thumb. “It feels like home already, because you’re here with me.”
“No regrets?”
“Not a one.”
James sighed, held Katie’s hand and softly whispered; “I love you.”

James had gone to bed a little before midnight, leaving Katie alone working on her book. She had been insistent that she needed to be alone. After much persuading and cajoling, he had relented, only now he was staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep and it was nearly 3am. Deciding he was going to check on her, and make sure that she was doing ok, he threw back the sheet, and without stopping to cover himself up, walked down to the computer; she wasn’t there. He glanced around the room; she was nowhere to be seen. One by one he checked each of the rooms, ‘where the hell is she?’ he asked himself, panicking and running his hands through his hair and over his face in confusion.

Then from out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a brief flash of light coming from outside. Peering out of the patio doors, James could make out the very faint outline of someone sat in the garden, smoking. Ignoring the fact that he was naked, James opened the doors and made his way toward her.
“Since when have you smoked?” he enquired, sitting next to her and taking a cigarette out of the packet and lighting it.
“I just wondered what they tasted like,” Katie giggled nervously. “Plus they’re taking my mind off things.”
“So are they going to be telling me off for making you a smoker now huh?”
“You haven’t made me do anything,” she said nervously.
James watched her as she raised the cigarette to her mouth, her hand was shaking and she looked like death. The sparkle and life had left her, and she was fragile and vulnerable once more, just as she had been in the hospital and when she had first gone home. When he had opened the pack to get a cigarette out himself, he had noticed that less than half of them remained; he had only had one from the new pack before he went to bed, and the butts were littered about her feet.
“Your throat is going to be really sore.”
“I’ll worry about that later,” she answered. “You forgot your clothes.”
“I didn’t forget; I didn’t think I’d need to be coming outside.”
“Suits you.”
“You’re biased!”
“I know,” she winked as she threw the end of the cigarette onto the ground and stubbed it out. “Don’t worry, I’ll clean it in the morning.”
“Good! Otherwise you’ll have Mavis on your back, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of her.”

Katie got up and then sat down on James’ knee, kissing his neck sweetly, whilst she scraped her fingernails lightly over his chest and down to his abdomen with a very predatory gleam in her eyes. “Maybe I should join you; it’s still very hot and muggy isn’t it?”
“Join me what?” he asked with a bewildered expression which soon changed into a dirty smirk, when Katie pulled off her t-shirt and wrapped it around his neck. “Very nice. Shame the bra is in the way though.”
“That can be rectified,” she giggled, teasing him with her lips fleetingly touching his. “Shall I take it off, or will you?”
“Why don’t you do it for me?” Lasciviously his eyes roamed up and down her torso as she stood up and took a step back from him, and then unbearably slowly, put her hands behind her back and unclasped her bra. James gasped in delight as her naked chest was caught by the flickering of moon reflected from the water of the pond.   “Damn but you’re beautiful Katie.”

“Want to see some more?” Without waiting for a response, Katie slid down her shorts and briefs, and stepped out of them, did a quick twirl, and then straddled James’ legs, discarding his cigarette on the floor.
“Good job I’d nearly finished that.”
“Now what would you rather have James; a cigarette or me? And think carefully about your answer.”
Smiling suggestively James stroked her back warmly; “No competition gorgeous. None at all. Come on, let’s go to bed.”
“It’s too hot in bed. Why don’t we have some fun out here?” She nibbled at his neck, and ground her hips into his. “And don’t try telling me that you aren’t interested because it’s very obvious that you are.”
“I’m very interested,” he commented wryly, “however, I would also appreciate somewhere that’s conducive to having a good time, especially if we’re going to make love for the first time; I want to do it properly darling.”
“Umm, you old romantic you!”
“That would be me yeah, but don’t tell anyone.”
“What’s it worth?”
“Why don’t you come to bed with me and find out?”
“Sounds good,” she murmured into his mouth.

“James you seem more tense and nervous than me; what’s wrong?”
“The doctor did say to wait six weeks Katie; I’m worried I’ll hurt you,” he sighed, cupping her face in his large hands, searching her eyes that she was really sure about this.
“You won’t hurt me, James, and I know that I can say stop at any point and you will; because you love me.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“And I am.”
James captured her mouth with his and his tongue played sweet games with Katie’s, making them both moan. They caressed one another deliciously lightly, taking their time and savouring every moment, whimpering, as they became lost in their excitement.
Smiling, Katie nodded as she felt James’ erection against her, letting him know that she was ready.
“I love you Katie,” he moaned, stroking her face, and planting tiny kisses over her lips, and then gently and steadily, he slid into her, not once taking his eyes off her.
“Oh James, yes.”
Once completely inside, James kissed and caressed her, whispering how much he loved her, and how beautiful she was, but he remained still; not moving until she let him know she was ready to carry on.
“Please James,” Katie sighed, pulling him closer for a deep sensual kiss.
James began to move, not with heavy violent thrusts, but a gentle and intimate rocking almost. He was amazed at how powerful the emotions he was experiencing were; he’d never known anything like it. He marvelled in the look of wanton abandonment that Katie had, and when she smiled at him, he had to fight to stop his climax from coursing through his body.

It was the most wondrous and emotional experience of his life and he never wanted it to end, but he was aware that Katie was nearing her release.   They kissed and touched until Katie cried and raised her hips off the bed, James watching her in enthralled fascination. She then let out another moan and crashed back onto the bed, smiling and stroking James’ face. After a few more gentle thrusts, James own orgasm ripped through him, and Katie clutched him tightly to her.

When his breathing had steadied a little, he lay down beside her, and Katie snuggled onto his chest for a loving hug. “Are you alright, sweetheart?” he asked tilting her chin so he could see her better.
“Better than alright; thank you,” Katie smiled and winked at him. “How about giving me a wonderful cuddle as I fall asleep?”
“Sure thing sexy.”

Katie felt strange when she woke up; there was a noise that she thought she recognised, but no; it couldn’t be! It was the sound of someone gently weeping. She still had an arm draped over James, but it was now over his stomach, so she slowly moved it up to his chest. Then she knew it – James was crying.
“Baby,” she said, worried. “What’s wrong honey?”
“Nothing,” he sighed, smiling at her and sniffling at the same time. “It took me by surprise that’s all. I have never experienced anything as powerful as the way I feel when I’m with you. And I can’t even begin to describe how I felt making love with you. Katie, I feel speechless, and at the risk of sounding trite, also somewhat overwhelmed.”
Katie said nothing; she couldn’t as tears were forming in her own eyes now. She stroked his cheeks tenderly, kissed the tip of his nose briefly, and cuddled up to him once more.

When the alarm started singing they both moaned and turned to cuddle one another.
“Can’t believe it’s time already,” complained James. “I swear I’ve just got to sleep.”
“That would be because you have,” tittered Katie, nuzzling up to him. “We had a really late night.”
“Or very early morning,” quipped James.
“Exactly.”
“I want to stay here, cuddling up to you all bloody day, and sod the rest of the world!” he proclaimed, reasonably brightly.
“That would be the best thing, wouldn’t it?” said Katie, bestowing light kisses and flicks of her tongue over his chest and stomach.
“Well it isn’t going to happen for a good few days at least is it?”
“Nope. This trip to Germany isn’t going to give us much time together is it?”
“Perhaps not, but we’ll have more time together than if you stayed here,” James drawled as he grabbed hold of her bottom, and began swirling his fingertips over it.
“Umm, more time together just not much time alone.”

“We could just not turn up,” James simpered. “By the time Martin realises and castigates us, it will be too late.”
“James!”
“You know I don’t mean it, even if I am thinking of it.”
“We’ll have a couple of days when we get back, then it’s ‘The Girls Night Out’!”
“Oh don’t!” he grimaced, rolling her over. “I dread to think of what you girls will get up to.”
Katie laughed uproariously: “I’m sure we’ll be very restrained; especially after what happened last time, Rhian won’t dare risk upsetting Sean.”
“I’ll let you into a secret,” James whispered. “The only papers that those pictures appeared in were the ones that you girls got! They were mocked up by a journalist friend of Sean’s.”
“No! That is wicked.”
“I know! He happened to stumble across you girls just as you were about to enter the club, so he used his press pass, took some photo’s and called Sean to let him know what you were doing. Needless to say Seanus thought it would be great fun to tease you all.”
“And you’ve known this all the time?”
“Erm… yes,” James uttered hesitantly.
“In that case Mr Bradfield, I will have to devise a suitable punishment for you.”
“You could tie me to the bed and kiss me till I beg you to stop.”
“That would never happen because you would like it too much.”
“And?”
“Well it wouldn’t be a punishment would it?”
“I see your point,” James conceded. “Suitable punishment for my misdemeanours? Umm, let me think.”
“How about, I don’t move in with you?”
“NO!” James cried, capturing Katie’s mouth, quite forcefully. “That would be wicked.”
“I couldn’t do it to you, don’t worry,” said Katie. “It would kill me not being with you.”
“It would me. You’re a part of me, like it or not.”
“James?”
“Yes honey.”
“Stop talking, and kiss me.”
“You only had to ask.”

“James, Katie!” Shouted Martin. “I thought I was going to be late.”
“Erm so did we,” laughed James nervously.
“Traffic is horrendous isn’t it?”
James glanced at Don their driver and winked, hoping he would keep the secret: “Yeah, I guess so.”
The truth was that Katie and James were a little late because they had a bath rather than a shower, and they had got up late anyway.
Katie looked smart but not strict in a dark blue suit, with ¾ length jacket, over a plain purple blouse, the skirt just an inch or so below her knees, with low heels and a handbag to match. She wore a cat broach that they had stopped to buy on the way there; James had seen it one day on his way home and thought that Katie may like it.
James was also wearing dark blue: a beautifully cut Italian suit that flattered him in all of the right places, but minus a tie; he hated ties.
“So?” chirped Katie, doing her best to sound upbeat. “Shall we go in?”
“Yeah, come on,” chipped in Martin as he started leading the way into the opulent offices. “The sooner we start and all that.”

Mr Sanderson, Katie’s solicitor, and Michael Clarke, her barrister, ran through things painfully slowly. Mr Clarke pretended to cross-examine both Martin and Katie, to show them how they could be tied into knots even when they were sure of what occurred.
“Forget the fact that he is defending himself,” Mr Clarke urged. “At the end of the day he is out to discredit you, and he doesn’t care how he does that. In some ways the fact that he isn’t legally trained may help him; it depends on the judge. I can’t make promises.”
“Great,” complained Katie with James holding her hands firmly.
“The other thing is, he may try and drag up your sexual history; in fact if I were him I would advise it.” Mr Clarke studied her expression of disgust. “However, you have only had four sexual partners and none of them have reported any deviant behaviour.”
“Five,” Katie answered firmly. “You haven’t included James.”
“I was lead to believe that you and Mr Bradfield did not have a physical relationship.”
“We didn’t, but we do.”
“May I ask since when?”
“Last night.”
“Look is this really necessary?” pleaded James. “It’s well known that we’re a couple: isn’t that enough?”
“For him, when his livelihood is based on it? Not at all Mr Bradfield.”
“In that case you may as well know that when we get back from Germany, Katie will be putting her home up for sale, and moving in with me.”
“Can I recommend that you don’t?”
Martin and Katie both thought that James was going to hit the barrister but somehow he managed to refrain and contented himself with swearing and cursing under his breath.

“I know that it’s unfair that this one person can have so much control over you, but the fact is, he does. So, share your homes, and as far as I am concerned, you have not been able to cement your relationship by sleeping together. That will only change if he states you as a witness in the court papers before we go to trial. That just means we reconsider.”
“Which will make things worse for Katie right? I mean if we don’t declare it, then he pushes and so we do, he can ask, very legitimately why we tried to deny it.”
“Miss Barnes has been undergoing rape counselling, and I also understand that you have both consulted Mr Derren Brown, that is so yes?”
“Yes!” spat James, glaring at Martin.
“That is all we need. It shows that Katie hasn’t leapt straight into your bed, rather the contrary; she has wanted to show you how she loves you and has sought help with doing that.”
“That’s the truth,” replied James softly.
“I know James,” smiled Mr Clarke. “My point is, that he is going to use every dirty trick in the book to try and undermine the pair of you. We have to be ready for that in such a way that we do not appear alarmed, ok?”
“We are still hoping,” interjected Mr Sanderson, Katie’s brief, “That the DNA and forensic evidence will make him back off. My fear is that he wants to put you through the mill, Katie, before he does that.”
“Can’t we make him stop this if the evidence proves he did it?” Queried Katie with tears in her eyes.
“No, because he will argue that it was consensual; that’s where you come in Martin,” came the explanation. “He’s going to say that Katie and you concocted this story because you were having a fling, or, that Katie shouted rape because she was embarrassed about being found by her boss in a compromising position.”
“If that was the way it had happened, then yes, she would have been mortified!” argued Martin. “The thing is, that Katie will never ever make love in a place that is not private.”
“But a cubicle, poolside at your home… could that not be construed as ‘inviting’ or making love in a possible public area?” deliberately stated Mr Clarke.
“But she wouldn’t!” Screamed James.
“James, I’m on both yours and Katie’s side here ok? But he is going to chip his way in, however long it takes. Remember that he is facing upto 10 years for rape here; he’ll do whatever it takes, my job is to prepare you for that.”
“Let’s take a break now, ok” suggested Katie’s solicitor, Mr Sanderson. “We’ll reconvene in 30 minutes.”

“I’m going to fucking deck him, I swear,” said James, angrily.
“You do that now and what will happen when we go to court?” Katie asked as he hugged her tightly to him and kissed her warmly. “I know that you’re worried James, but this is what that bastard is going to do. He wants to goad us into a response that will make him seem like the victim, and if you shout at him; you may do that.”
“I can’t let him talk to you like that.”
“You have to; Mr Clarke is actually holding back you know. Please James,” she almost begged. “You are going to have to take a step outside of yourself and pretend that it’s a movie or something.”
“Only this is happening to the woman that I love! I can’t stand you being hurt.”
“We know that, but please James, listen to what they all have to say,” suggested Martin as the three of them stood outside, smoking cigarettes. Martin had been shocked when Katie accepted the cigarette that James had offered her, but James had seen Martin’s reaction, stared at him and shook his head, letting Martin know that now was not the time to start berating her.
“Please honey, I really need you to keep it together for me right now.”
“I will,” he moaned. “I promise Katie, I’ll bite my tongue if I need to, but that doesn’t stop me hurting, and here is the place to let them know isn’t it? They can see how much I love you.”
“James,” interjected Martin, “that’s evident anyway.”

For the rest of the morning Katie was put through the horrors of questioning and cross-examination as was Martin; both of them visibly shaken despite knowing it was a run through and not for real. James squirmed and grimaced like hell as he watched, impotent that he could do nothing.
“I can’t believe that that bastard will be allowed so much leeway,” James complained. “Surely it isn’t right?”
“As we said earlier, this is just a small amount of what you can expect; it will get worse, but,” said Mr Sanderson with lots of enthusiasm and a very jaunty spirit, “we have truth on our side; he doesn’t! So remember when you start to feel annoyed and your temper is brewing: that is all he has against you; and he has that because you’re passionate about one another, that will be HIS downfall.”
“We need to remember what Derren said to us, James; remember the coping mechanisms and strategies that we’ve been told about. Now that we have more idea of what will be asked of us, I’m sure he can help us even more.”

“Well,” said Martin when they left the solicitors office. “I’ve got a couple of hours to kill before I have to be at the airport. What about you? How long till your appointment?”
“About an hour and a half,” said Katie, inhaling on the cigarette that James had just lit for her. “Shall we get something to eat?”
“I wish you wouldn’t smoke Katie,” Martin sighed heavily, unable to disguise his displeasure. “You don’t want to get addicted to them.”
“Look, I appreciate the concern, really I do,” she mumbled in response. “But today’s shitty enough without a lecture, so why don’t we go and get something to eat and have a nice friendly chat and a laugh and a joke?”
James hugged her to him and stole a brief kiss; “that’s the best idea you’ve had in the last hour or so!”
“Cheeky!”
“That’s why you love me!” James picked her up and spun her around, as they kissed passionately.
“Great!” Martin sighed sarcastically, “ I get to play gooseberry – again!”
James and Katie laughed and poked their tongues out at Martin, at they set off walking to a nearby bistro for lunch, and he couldn’t stop himself from laughing with them; they were so obviously in love and it made him feel warm and happy for them.

Part 12 >>>

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