It had not even been a week since Rachel had told Sean she couldn't do it anymore and sped off in her blue Mazda, straight to friend and colleague, Janet Scott's house. Rachel couldn't fathom what had gone wrong or why, it didn't make sense in her own head and sounded even worse out loud as she had tried to explain to the mother and daughter sat opposite her at the kitchen table. She loved Sean; she just wasn't in love with him. Rachel was a free spirit, always had been, but a vulnerable one. So when Sean helped her through disaster after disaster, she couldn't help but feel safe, just not in love.
Rachel was beginning to feel a burden already so had offered to take on some chores. She'd given Taisie a lift home from school and had dinner prepared and on the table for when Janet got home. It wasn't much, but it was the thought that counted, and after a long day at work, a Shepherd's Pie was just what the doctor ordered.
"I didn't know you could cook!" Janet said, sounding more surprised than Rachel was hoping for.
"I'm not a complete imbecile you know! There is lots you don't know about me, Janet Scott"
Janet smiled, knowing the banter between the two friends was just banter and no matter what they said to each other, there wasn't anything that would destroy their friendship.
"So, are you going to go back to your place then, or what?" Dorothy asked with no tact, coming into the room and taking her place at the table.
"Mum!" Janet barked like she had been a naughty schoolgirl and embarrassed herself and her daughter.
"No its fine" Rachel reassured, whilst quickly trying to think of an answer. "I don't know, is the honest answer. If you want me to go then I completely understand, Janet"
"Of course I don't. You stay here as long as you need to" Janet said, as if it was already obvious. Dorothy shot a knowing look at Janet, but the detective ignored and continued to talk. "If you want to make yourself useful, Taisie needs a hand with some homework"
Rachel just smiled and nodded, knowing what she needed to do. She had always got on well with both Taisie and Elise. She was almost a role model to Taisie, so there were no objections from the girls about her staying.
The three women ate in silence from that moment on. Rachel knew she could stay, but she didn't feel overly comfortable with it. "I'll doing the washing up" Janet eventually spoke, breaking the awkward silence.
"You don't have to"
"No, its fine, I want to. Besides, you cooked the meal, it's the least I can do"
"Right, well, I'll go and give Taisie a hand with her homework then" Rachel said as she stood from the table and made for the kitchen door.
"Rach." Janet called, making the brunette turn back. "You're not a bad cook actually!" Rachel chuckled and continued to walk.
"I don't know what you see in her, married for 5 minutes...that poor chap" Dorothy began; Janet knew this was going to turn into a long lecture.
"Mum, she's my friend, she's having a hard time and she needs a shoulder to cry on" Janet tried to reason.
"Well I'd rather she went home. She's a bad influence on those two girls; drinking, smoking, no successful relationships, a murderer for a brother, an alcoholic mother..." Janet cut her down this time.
"That isn't her fault, you don't choose your family. I'm beginning to wonder why I ever asked you to move in"
"Oh that's right, choose her over me. She's a useless layabout who will screw up by the end of the week"
"Well at least she made the dinner" Janet shot back. "And she's helping with the girls. She offered to wash up as well, she is pulling her weight, and I haven't asked her to"
"You've got me for all that, you don't need her"
"You said I needed a wife mum..."