Author Notes: I was too scared to do my original ideal for this chapter,so this is re-written.
Steven knocked repeatedly on the Bradys household,in which Cheryl Brady,Seamus Brady and Nate Tenbury-Newent now live;however Cheryl is not coping with her friend Stephanie Dean who died of cancer. Her grandmother Florence Brady who sadly died from cancer also. Her best friend Lindsey Nolan murdered. Now her brother Brendan Brady murdered. All in the space of two years. Not to mention her university friend Annalise Appleton recently leaving. Not just people leaving;but people who she thought she knew had kept secrets from her for years. Brendan coming out as gay in the first place,Brendan sleeping with her childhood friend Eoghan Nolan. The worst possible thing she had to witness her brother doing was chopping up Mick Dexter's body. She felt physically sick that night,refused to speak to Brendan for a couple of weeks until she realized how much she still loves him and can forgive him;losing all those friends made her want to hold onto her close ones tighter. Her father,her boyfriend,her remaining friends. All was not all lost however she could still call Annalise so that was aright really. Though she did miss her helping her out with her coursework. She last rang Annalise,when Brendan died. of cause she was saying how sorry she was,the usual words of sympathy. Nate put his arms around her,which made Seamus uncomfortable in all honestly. He does not like Nate;but no man is ever good for his little girl. It was not Nate,it was his high standards.
"Who is it?" Seamus asked,as they kept getting terrible people to their door. People just coming to say how glad they are Brendan is dead. Nobody who they know however just teenagers mainly who read about the Kevin rape story in the newspaper.
"Its Ste" Steven breaths.
When Steven and Brendan were getting married,Brendan was on a rape trial. They got married very quickly,before the worst happened. He was going down,they both knew this. Kevin deserved an Oscar for his performance in court,the way he went into the detail of what apparently occurred The judges were truly on his side,all Brendan could say was I did not do it,not exactly a good defence.
Steven and Brendan were looked down upon,on his last days. Brendan was even banned from the pub,as Frankie Osborne and Jack Osborne believed Kevin Foster and Maxine Minniver. Maxine got a lot of people on their side,including Nancy Osborne,Sienna Blake,Ruby Button,Esther Bloom,Liberty Savage. Most of the village with the odd few like Steven Hay,Seamus Brady,Cheryl Brady,Nate Tenbury-Newent,Leanne Holiday and Tony Hutchinson believing Brendan Brady. Everyone else was on Kevin Fosters side.
Sometimes Brendan and Ste hardly seen each other,so when court arrived. They just kissed passionately not caring who was walking by. It was the only time they could spend more than thirty minutes together,before Brendan had to go and sort out some unwanted attention,he was out all night sometimes as people kept him from going home until he admitted he done it. He just admitted it to get away from them. When court was taken place,their hands collaborated. It did not go down well. When they once kissed while the court was actually taking place. Their disgusted faces told them everything. Brendan to them was trash. No other word would fit the description.
Jim McGuinn done his part,trying to defend Brendan's actions best he could however he was just a laughing-stock to the judges. The crime was serious,yet the judges behaved like school children when anyone from Brendan's side came to the stand. Seamus Brady even stormed out when he was doing his speech. The reason was a question they asked. Mr Brady,what do you think drives a man to do this? Seamus could not handle that,that was a question he been asking himself for years,and now he has to defend the man over an accusation that he plagued on Brendan for years. Well Seamus was giving out his speech,he just broke down. The case was not going down well,as he shouted and shouted at Kevin who was supposed to be the victim. Calling him every name under the sun. He even accused him of trying to attack Brendan. Kevin just being silent,as he took the abuse. The court would have kicked Seamus out but Seamus kicked himself out, no man would drag him out. No man would touch him like that,not again.
Seamus opened the door,he looked at Steven Hay,the man who loved his tortured son. He did not understand what Steven saw in Brendan,who could love someone like that?
"Steven" Seamus said simply,as he invited him in. Ste walked past him. The sight of the man sickened him.
Steven went into the kitchen,Cheryl looked over with Nate.
"Ste what are you doing?" Cheryl asked him,as he was looking in all the cupboards and drawers.
"I need bin bags" Steven replied,adding to their confusion.
"What for?" Cheryl asked,as he lifted the bin bags from the bottom drawers. Ripping one open before walking back to the living space.
"For his things" Ste said,before retreating quickly upstairs.
It took them around two minutes before they realized what he meant. Cheryl rushed up the stairs,followed by Seamus and Nate. He was here for one thing, Brendan's things. It felt like he did not care about Cheryl any more now her brother is dead,he seems to have no use for her. This was not the case however he is just depressed.
"Ste,what are you doing?" Cheryl asked,as she and the other men stood in the doorway. Nate felt like a spare part sometimes.
"Getting his things" Steven replied,chucking some aftershave he left over before he moved in. Brendan left some things in his previous room,he could not fit everything in his suitcase and could not be bothered to collect the rest.
"What about us Ste? You're not the only one grieving" Cheryl spoke,letting tears fall down her cheek. She felt Nate wipe them away with his thumb,she held onto his hand.
"Please Cheryl,let me take them" Steven replied,as he moved pass all three.
"Ste,give me back the bag and we can have a cup of tea" Cheryl replied nervously,putting her hand near the bag.
"No tea" Steven replied much to her frustration.
"Give me back the bag at least" Cheryl replied,keeping her anger in check. He was going through too much at the minute,shouting at him would not help the situation.
"No" he answered,as he held tighter on the dark coloured bin bag,his hands wrapped around the easily ripped material.
"Why don't you keep them for the night,then return them tomorrow?" Cheryl asked him like he was an child.
"Okay" Ste answered,he was not going to return them.
Ste walked down the stairs.
"I`m going to go now"
"Okay Ste,remember to bring them back tomorrow" Cheryl spoke,so gentle,opening up the door. Ste walked out,clutching onto the bag. He heard Cheryl lightly shut the door behind herself. He walked down the steps,his trainers lightly hit the concrete floor.
Everything seemed so calm, until he bumped into Mark Savage. He dropped the bag,something sharp ripped open parts of the bag.
"Oh mate, sorry" Mark said,as he knelt besides him. His hand goes to touch the wedding ring that fell of Stevens finger.
"Dont touch anything" Ste hissed at him,putting the ring back on.
"Sorry" Mark said,with a insensitive hint of sarcasm.
"Look,you ripped it now!" Steven snapped at him.
Mark stood up.
"Fine then,pick them up on your own,husband of a rapist" Mark cruelly said,before leaving.
Steven caught his own tears then,even when Brendan is deceased people still badmouth him,talk about things they don't know about. His eyes looked on at the ring which he refuses to take of,even when he is in bed. He is convinced somebody will swipe it,when Brendan was in his coffin. Ste asked for his wedding ring to stay on,the vicar agreed after thinking about it.