Blackmail

Carl had managed to get rid of Riyle after two hours of moaning about Jason and the fact he'd nearly avoided the wedding, when Mercedes appeared at their door.

"Give me strength. What are you doing here? Please tell me it is just to check on wedding preparations."

If she wasn't nervous before she arrived his tone did nothing to ease the situation.

"I need to speak to Riyle."

"He isn't here."

"I've got tell him Carl. I can't marry him with this hanging over my head. I've not slept, I can't eat, all this stress can't be good for the baby."

"Our baby."

"Don't."

"It's you who wants to tell him."

"If I don't someone will."

"Like who? Seth has kept quiet so far and he's the only one who knows about the affair, no one knows about the baby."

"I get this strange feeling that Mitzeee does and possibly Warren too."

"You're being paranoid. It's like you said you haven't slept."

"Yeah well what about Seth?"

"Let me handle him. You go home and try and get some sleep. It's your big day tomorrow."

"I need to speak with Riyle."

"And like I said, he isn't here. So go home get some sleep and see how you feel tomorrow."

"Feel about what?"

Neither of them had seen Jason on the back stairs.

"She's got a few last minuet jitters. Convinced the flowers are not going to arrive on time, that sort of thing."

Carl covered quickly.

"Everything will be fine. The flowers are here already. Mum's spent all day fussing over them."

"See. I told you everything was taken care of."

"The one thing I am not sure of though-"

"What's that?"

Mercedes questioned anxiously.

"I'm not sure how Riyle will react to you sleeping with my dad. Merce's jaw literally hit the floor and Carl for the first time in his life was speechless. But I guess I could always give him a call for you."

"Don't even think about it."

Carl threatened him.

"Or I could just tell mum. Maybe she'd know what to do."

"Jason-"

"Don't bother Mercedes this is nothing to do with you it is about me. Okay, so you'll tell your mum, what if I don't get you the blockers?"

"Something like that. I'm not the only one who knows though; someone else has been keeping Seth quiet he wouldn't just do it for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on dad, he hates your guts."

"He has a point Carl."

Mercedes interjected.

"So who else knows?"

"At a guess? Mitzeee."

"I told you she did. She was really off with me earlier today."

"She was angry with me, because I told her she was not invited to the wedding."

"Yeah well she sweet talked mum earlier so you should probably be careful."

"But none of that matters if you go upstairs and open your mouth."

"I won't. But you know my conditions."

"I am not getting you those blockers."

"Fine. Mum!"

"Carl stop him."

"He won't do it. Just think how much you will hurt your mother and Riyle who has just spent the best part of two hours fighting your corner."

"Riyle would be better off knowing the truth. How can you watch him get married knowing his fiancé is carrying your baby?"

"You are not having those pills."

"Fine. It's your funeral. Mum! I need to tell you something."

He shouted the last part, so that his mum who was sat watching Coronation Street heard him from the landing.

"Just a minuet hun. It's nearly the break."

"Last chance dad."

"Carl, please."

"Fine. Here. He handed Jason his credit card. You can order them over the internet. Here's the website."

"I thought you'd see sense. Go back home Mercy, dad's right you need to get some sleep."

"Jason! What did you want hun?"

"Nothing mum. Dad's sorted it." 'Knowledge really is power.'

He walked back upstairs, a smile on his face.