Bound For The Dark Side, Chapter Two (standard:drama, 1949 words) [2/3] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: May 02 2005	Views/Reads: 2992/2078	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
second instalment of my completed drama about a woman with a dual personality and double life

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

ascending the stairs. 

Barbara found her mother rearranging some bed sheets in the master
bedroom, though something told her the action was simply for show. Her 
impression was endorsed by the fact that Dianne Blandford appeared not 
to heed her daughter's arrival, when she must have been aware of her 
presence. 

'Mother, won't you come downstairs and join the others - please -'
Barbara moved nearer taking the older woman's hand, 'this is quite a 
happy occasion for me.' 

'Don't you think I know that love -' Dianne returned the pressure on her
daughter's strong young hand; the same height, practically at five foot 
six, but without the figure, seemingly having lost weight of late - 
something Barbara attributed directly to her father's interference. 
Long estranged from mother, he had become a thorn in her side. 

Today especially, she thought her mother looked tired. Try to cheer her
up, she told herself - 'Please mum, just for a minute -' 

'Alright -' their eyes met and Barbara withdrew her hand, mother had
something to say, she'd long gotten used to that look. 

'What is it?' 

'I think you know - Mark - is it serious?' 

Barbara drew breath and frowned. 'I think there's a time and place -' 

'Exactly dear, a time and a place,' Dianne's features took on a more
severe guise, 'don't think you can't be seen, we'll have words on that 
score later.' 

Barbara sighed, 'Mother we're living in the seventies, times change -' 

'Not in this house and grounds they don't, remember that!' 

The young woman turned away in irritation, her mother's voice had risen;
once a rarity, nowadays developing a commonplace tendency. 

'There's something else,' Dianne scooped up a sheet she'd let drop to
the floor in her displeasure. 

'What?' Barbara faced her heatedly. 

'Your father called today, he wants a reconciliation.' 

So that was it; that was why mother looked so down. 

' What/' she frowned, 'you mean father actually asked you -' 

' No silly, he wants common ground between the pair of you again, says
he regrets going off the way he did.' 

'Oh he does, does he -' the words were almost spat out as her daughter
became all at once more fiery. Dianne  took a step back as the dark 
eyes flashed. Her daughter seemed to have developed a wildcat streak 
since Martin had left, 'Well it's a bit late for that now, isn't it?' 
Barbara added with equal vehemence, after what he's done to you - us?' 
Her voice quietened, her eyes narrowed, 'I'll never associate with him 
again and you can tell him that the next time he comes crawling back 
with his tail between his legs - tell him mother or I will.' She turned 
away then added as an afterthought, 'What's the matter, the tarty bitch 
thrown him out?' 

' Barbara, really !' * Downstairs and thirty minutes later Barbara was
still seething, and her change in mood was easily noticeable to the 
revellers. The lovely face seemed as unaffected as ever, but her dark 
eyes had a venom about them when she was upset and such was the 
forcefulness they emitted that even the sturdiest male would feel 
apprehensive in her presence. 

'Won't you tell me what's bothering you ?' Mark asked coyly as he drew
her away towards a corner, 'You've been daggers ever since you came 
downstairs - won't your mother join us ?' 

'Oh it's not that,' her stance softened a little, 'and yes she will
shortly, at least for a few minutes -' she watched as Mark lit another 
cigarette, nervily it seemed. 'Oh look I'd rather not elaborate, but 
it's wrong of me to take it out on you.' She embraced him fondly, not 
concerned about impressions, 'You know what they used to call you in 
college - the girls I mean?' 

'I wouldn't have a clue,' he drew on his cigarette and raising his head,
exhaled, 'though I doubt that it was Robert Redford.' 

She laughed, her first display of good humour for some time, 'something
similar actually, try Paul Newman. 

'Really? His faint, fair brows raised in surprise as he returned a
smile, ‘know what they used to call you ?' 

Her face soured, though he hadn't detected it, she knew what they called
her and it wasn't strictly limited to the boys either - 

'Go on -' 

'Dark Angel -' 

‘That's a surprise,' she muttered under her breath, doing her best to
seem amused. The name had come to stick, and she knew how she'd 
originally acquired it - courtesy of backbiting by a garrulous 
ex-boyfriend who'd described her as beautiful but volatile, strangely 
vindictive and potentially explosive. 

'You don't seem surprised,' Mark drew on his cigarette. 

'I had an idea it was something like that - come on let's join the
others - but first –‘ impulsively she grabbed hold of him and he 
fervently returned her embrace before they both became aware that the 
volume of the stereo had dropped, in fact silence had descended. 

Turning to face the guests in surprise they were confronted by the stony
countenance of Dianne Blandford, 'I've told you my dear, not in this 
house, 'I simply won't have it,' Dianne was struggling to maintain 
composure and was visibly shaking, 'by your open defiance you're making 
an exhibition -' 

'Mother please,' Barbara said quietly, though the vehemence was building
within, 'this is my evening -our evening, let's have it out later if 
need be.' 

The older woman hitched at the full length polka dot she had put on and
contracted her eyes, glaring at Mark who held her gaze defiantly. She 
seemed on the edge of an outburst which could have sealed the fate of 
the evening, but summoning all her self control, 'Very well, I'll speak 
to you both later.' 

Dianne Blandford stalked away and as she did so it was fortunate she
didn't glance back, for her daughter's eyes had developed a fury that 
was unsurpassed in Tyler's recollection. He held his breath before 
guiding her outside, into the grounds, now in twilight and illuminated 
by soft garden lights. 

'Dark Angel - I can see why Babs, I thought you were going to tear the
place apart -' 

'Don't ever call me that again -' 

She was glaring at him in the same threatening manner and he shifted
uneasily. 

'Okay, okay,' he placed his hands on her shoulders, 'now cool it, I
don't know what's bugging you but there's more to this than meets the 
eye. Do what your mother wants, acquiesce with her - we'll work 
something out.' 

'Right.' Barbara breathed deeply, placing her hands on the brickwork
enclosing the terrace and slowly the thunderous look left her eyes. 

'I've been a real pain haven't I?' She glanced back at him with a faint
smile, 'I love my mother, I love this house, all this -' she extended 
her arm towards the floodlit grounds, 'but I have to get away from here 
- we have to, if we're to stay together - if we don't we'll face 
insurmountable problems -' 

He placed his arm around her wide shoulders, 'Look we've both obtained
professional qualifications - promising jobs to go to, so perhaps now 
is the time to take a chance, rent a flat and in time if it all works 
out buy a place -' he looked at her, his alert blue eyes scanning her 
face, 'you know you smoulder sometimes like a volcano about to erupt, 
it's enough to scare the hell out of anyone, but I'll chance that. We 
won't have a lot of money at first, that's obvious, but it'll come if 
we work at it, I'm prepared to risk it, are you - what do you say?' 

'Yes.' 

'Well that's positive,' he took her hand and lead her inside. 


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