Chapter 6: About To Scream Stop

‘They’re behind a desk, just inside the entrance door.’ Christopher told him. ‘There’s usually a security man watching them, but he’s also watching the people coming in and out so he’s not studying them all of the time.’

‘Does he know you?’ Lewis asked. ‘Yes, we’ve chatted a few times as I’ve passed with a trolley to load shelves.’ ‘Ok, I want you to chat to him tomorrow and ask if CCTV camera always work, or do they ever go faulty.’

‘Text me and let me know his answer.’ They finished their coffees and had a stand-up hug and a kiss. ‘Thank you so much,’ Christopher said, ‘I feel so happy knowing there’s an end in sight.’ Lewis showed him out and went home.

SUNDAY

Quarter to eleven on Sunday morning found Lewis letting himself into the shop. He prepared two coffee cups ready and boiled the kettle. Just as it started to boil, he heard a knock on the shop door.

Letting Janet in he shook her hand, then closed and locked the door. He pointed out his key still in the lock and explained why it was there.

They went through to the back room and Lewis made them a coffee. ‘When someone comes to see me,’ he explained to a very worried looking Janet, ‘It’s usually harder to get them relaxed enough to tell me what the problem is, than it is to come up with a solution.’

‘However, in your case I already know what happened to you and the culprit has been dealt with. But that is only half the problem. Rape is a terrible thing which usually leaves a number of aftereffect’s that can last a lifetime.’

‘Those aftereffects can be nightmares, a fear of close contact with anyone, a fear of close contact with men and a fear of sex. As a result, the victim has no desire, in fact is frightened of building up any close relationship in future.’

‘So, through no fault of their own, they can end up having a very lonely life and missing out on the joys of a loving husband, a home and children. That is not going to happen to you.’

‘It’s not?’ Janet asked giving her first smile, ‘How do you know?’ ‘Because human beings aren’t meant to be alone,’ Lewis told her. ‘We have a built in need to love and be loved, to have someone to share our lives with. You have that need the same as anyone else.’

‘Once we have got rid of the aftereffects of what happened to you, you will feel able to fulfil that need. Probably even easier than you might have found it before.’ As Janet looked puzzled, Lewis said, ‘Bear with me for a while, I’ll explain everything as we go along.’

‘There are several things we have to do. I have to get to know all about you, the person, and your life previously. I have to get you feeling so relaxed and at ease with me that you can tell me things you’ve never ever told anyone before. That includes everything that happened to you at the Town Hall, as well as what you know or don’t know about sex.’

As she blushed, Lewis said, ‘You have already told me that you have never made love. That is something totally different to someone forcing sex on you, which is what the mayor did. Once you know what to do and how to do it, you will find that it will give you a lot more confidence around men.’

They had finished their coffees so Lewis told her that if she felt able to stay, she should go over to the settee, take her shoes off and lie down. She seemed to settle down happily enough, so Lewis went over and smiled down at her.

‘Are you ok if I sit on the edge here?’ he asked pointing. ‘Yes, of course.’ she said smiling back at him. Once he was seated, he said, ‘You have suffered terribly at the hands of a man. You are now lying here in a room alone with a man you have only really met once. How do you feel?’

‘I was terrified before I came,’ she said, ‘Coming here only just won over the nightmares. The thought of talking to anyone, let alone a man, and a very young one at that about what had happened to me is still something I don’t think I can do.’

‘But what I’m not feeling is the one thing I felt certain would be overwhelming, that is fear.’ ‘That’s excellent,’ Lewis told her, ‘Can you tell me why you think that is so?’

‘I don’t really know,’ Janet said evidently thinking hard about it. ‘I suppose,’ she said, ‘When we first met in Mays office you came over as someone who was considerate and would never hurt anyone. Then because May obviously thought you were wonderful probably helped too. And of course, when you made the mayor resign, I knew you could do things that seemed to be impossible.’

‘Thank you for that,’ Lewis told her. ‘Do you have men working near or with you at work?’ ‘Yes, there are three in our department.’ she told him. ‘Have you noticed yourself having any problem being with them.’ Lewis asked.

‘No none,’ she said. ‘Actually, now you mention it, I remember I bumped into one of them at the photo copier yesterday and thought nothing of it.’ ‘Have they all worked there for a while?’ Lewis asked. ‘They’ve all been there longer than I have.’ Janet told him.

‘Think of the one you like the most,’ Lewis told her, ‘And imagine it’s Christmas.’ As she looked at him puzzled, he smiled and said, ‘You are standing under the mistletoe without realising it. He comes up, puts his arms around you and kisses you. How would you react?

‘I’d have a fit and scream, I think,’ she said. ‘Although if he had done it last year, I would have loved it.’ ‘Well at least it’s good that working in the same office isn’t creating any problems.’ Lewis told her.

‘Now, before we start, tell me how you would feel sitting up and giving me a hug.’ She looked at him as if she was uncertain, then gave him a lovely smile. I don’t know she said, I’d be frightened and yet part of me thinks it would be nice.’

‘It would help us progress a lot if you could,’ Lewis said. ‘Here’s what I suggest, but you don’t have to try it. I’ll hold my arms out like this,’ he demonstrated. ‘I promise I won’t move them unless you tell me to. You sit up and if you can, give me a hug for as long or as short as you want and lie down again. But if you feel enough at ease, put your head on my shoulder as you do it.’

‘If you do the latter one, and still feel at ease like that, stay there and say ‘Hug.’ If you do, I’ll put my arms around you too. But I’ll only hug very gently and if I feel you making the slightest attempt to move away, I’ll throw them open again immediately.’

‘Will you give it a try?’ Janet was feeling a mixture of fear, nerves and excitement rolled into one. It took her a few seconds to decide then she said quietly, ‘Yes.’

Lewis opened his arms and told her, ‘Go ahead in your own time. Give up anytime you want to.’ She lay there looking up at him with his arms wide open. Her heart was going like the clappers. She tried to imagine what it would feel like and couldn’t. But she felt sure it would be nice.

Lewis had closed his eyes to see if it would help. Seeing him close them and just sit there she knew he would wait patiently until she either sat up or said stop. It was the lack of any pressure, except from herself, that made her move.

She sat upright so she was only inches away but not touching. She froze for a moment, then gingerly put her hands each side of Lewis’s chest. He didn’t move so, she moved up closer so that her front was against his chest, sliding her arms around him slowly as she did.

As her breasts pressed against his chest, it felt so lovely that without thinking she rested her head on his shoulder. Such a feeling of contentment flowed through her at that moment, she called out ‘Hug.’

Realising what she had done she froze. She felt Lewis’s arms moving but very slowly. She was wanting to cry ‘Stop’ yet at the same time wanting to feel his arms around her.

As they rested ever so gently around her shoulders, she waited in terror for them to clamp tight around her. But that feeling never came. Lewis’s arms were round her and felt lovely, but his grip was so gentle she felt she could easily pull away if she wanted to.