Sue
A Spin-off from Love, Lust and Lies
My name is Sue, and the day I met Deborah Carnell was, without a doubt, the best day of my life. Before Deb, my life was…beige. I existed; I went through the motions, but I never truly lived. Growing up in an orphanage, you learn to be self-sufficient, not to expect too much, to keep your dreams in check. My mother, a woman I never knew, gave me up when I was born, and from then on, the orphanage was my home. Of course, I had friends and good people who understood the peculiar loneliness of not having a family. But it was a superficial connection, a shared experience more than a genuine bond.
Then Deb walked into my life, a whirlwind of vibrant energy, quirky humour, and unapologetic enthusiasm. I was working at the Royal Hotel. I had worked my way up from waiting tables to restaurant manager when I met her. Mr. Paker, the owner of the hotel, introduced us to Deb, who was taking on the role of hotel manager. She would be the boss of the whole hotel. I was a little nervous, as I wanted to make a good impression on my new boss. As it turned out, Deb was nice, friendly, and fair. But she was also firm. And we quickly became friends.
She took me to places I had only dreamed of – the theatre . In return, I took her to underground music venues pulsating with raw energy and quirky cafes overflowing with bohemian charm. Above all, she introduced me to people who were passionate, creative, and inspiring. My world expanded exponentially, filled with colours and sounds I never knew existed.
She became my family, the sister I never had. We shared secrets, dreams, and late-night pizzas. She celebrated my triumphs and supported me through my failures. She filled the void in my heart, the emptiness that had been there since the day I was born. I thrived under her light, blossoming into a person I never thought I could be.
And because of Deb, I met Tony.
Deb had met Danny. One evening, when we went to a rock club, Danny was the frontman for a rising rock band called Decade. They were raw, loud, and unapologetically themselves. Their music vibrated with a rebellious energy that resonated with audiences everywhere. Danny and Deb were instantly attracted to each other. It was a match made in heaven. Danny was as captivated by Deb as she was by him. He was kind, talented, and surprisingly grounded despite the chaotic world he lived in.
That’s how I met Tony, Decade’s drummer. He was quieter than Danny, more introspective, but with a wicked sense of humour that would catch you off guard.
We bonded over our shared introversion, our mutual bewilderment at the whirlwind that was Deb and Danny’s romance. Life was perfect. Deb and Danny were blissfully in love and were about to get married. The decade was marked by travel around the world, as their careers soared.
But then fate, that cruel trickster, dealt Deb and Danny a wicked hand. Deb was shattered; she didn’t know what to do. The light in her eyes dimmed, her laughter silenced and filled with despair.
I did everything we could to support her. It wasn’t easy, as she had run back to England, and I was still in the United States. Listening to her when she needed me, it was all mainly done over the phone. Our phone bills were pretty big, but the pain was too deep, the loss too profound. Danny was her soul mate; she would never get over him.
Finally, Deb came back to New York, but things had taken a turn for the worse where Danny was concerned. He had got married, Deb’s heart was broken again, but she admitted it was her fault for running away; then came Simon, the guitarist from Decade, Danny’s best buddy, the one who had started the whole chain of events.
Deb and I had bumped into Simon and Tony, and things were about to change again. We had been in the club, and I had been trying to get served at the bar where I spotted Simon and was desperately trying to get Debs’ attention, but it was too late. Debs had been seen by Simon, who nearly choked on the ice in his drink when he had spotted her. Deb was horrified because she thought she would bump into Danny.
As time went on, Tony and I started spending time together, grabbing coffee, going to movies, talking for hours about everything and nothing. He understood me in a way that no one else ever had. Tony was different from anyone I had ever met. He saw beneath the surface; beyond the carefully constructed walls I had built around myself. He encouraged me to embrace my vulnerabilities, to chase my dreams, to believe in myself. He made me feel seen, heard, and loved. He became my rock, my anchor, the calm in my often-stormy sea.
Tony and I got married. Deb was my maid of honour; her presence was filled with love and support. As I walked down the aisle, I saw her standing there. I knew she was thinking of Danny. Life is not always fair. It throws curveballs, deals devastating blows, and leaves us reeling in pain. But it also offers moments of profound joy, unbreakable bonds of friendship, and the enduring power of love.
Deb changed my life forever. She showed me what it means to live, to embrace the world with open arms, to cherish every moment. And even though fate dealt her a cruel hand, she taught me how to find the light in the darkness, how to keep going even when the road ahead seems impossible.
I will always be grateful for the day I met Deborah Carnell. She was my family, my friend, my inspiration. And even though she lost the love of her life, she showed me what it truly means to love, to lose, and to keep living. She was, and always will be, my hero. And if it weren’t for her and the journey, she led me on, I would not be the person I am today, married to Tony, with two beautiful children, living life to the best of my ability, and appreciating every moment.
Thank You for Reading
Deborah C Langley
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