Chapter Ten: Beth
"Hey sleepy head" Rebecca gently shook Beth.
"Mmmm"
"Babe you gotta get up your mums on the phone. I think it might have something to do with Abel" Beth snapped to her senses and sat bolt upright.
"Shit" she grabbed the phone from Rebecca's hand. "Hello?"
"Bethany its your mother"
"Hi mum" she said nervously. Rebecca sat perched on the edge of the coffee table watching.
"I was wondering if you could come to lunch with me this afternoon"
"What? Why?"
"Because you're my daughter Bethany and I haven't seen you since that awful scene at the church" Beth let out a silent sigh of relief and slumped back into the coach.
"Sure mum what time?"
"What no excuses or sarcastic comment"
"No" she said running her hand through her hair.
"Right. Well I'll come pick you up at 12.30 if that's agreeable?"
"Fine. See you then" she ended the call and threw the phone down.
"Not about Abel?"
"I don't think so. At least it didn't sound it. I'm having lunch with her"
"I'd say good but lunch with your mother is anything but"
"Why'd you think it was about Abel?" Beth asked suspiciously.
"He um… well he kinda said something this morning before he left"
"Oh god what?"
"That if you weren't gunna get help he was"
"What?"
"Then he hot footed it out of here"
"What time was that?"
"About seven I think. He said he'd give you a call" Beth looked at the clock on the side, 8.30 flashed up. She grabbed the phone again and dialed, it went straight to his answering machine. She hung up and let out a frustrated grunt.
"Who could he have a chance to tell since seven?"
"Beth… would it be such a bad thing if he did tell someone?"
"Yes it would. I'm dealing with it"
"Its been a year Babe and your still waking up screaming. If your parents knew maybe they could help"
"They wouldn't help. They'd think I was crazy and insist I move back home"
"They do anyway"
"I just can't Becks" she said starting to get worked up.
"Ok ok, don't freak out. I'm sure he hasn't told no one"
"God I hope so"
It was an hour later when her mobile phone started to buzz. She dove across the bed to grab it. She had just gotten out the shower and was still rapped in a big fluffy towel. "Hello?" She breathed praying it was Abel.
"Hey Beth, its Tara"
"Oh hey"
"Is it ok if I come over for a chat?" Beth was hit with the fear that she knew something about her and Abel. Not that anything had really happened apart from the kiss.
"Um sure" she felt her chest tighten.
"Ok I won't be long I'm just down the road"
"Ok see you soon" She hung up and ran out to the living room. "Taras coming over" she said to the confused looking Rebecca.
"Oh. Do you think Abel talked to her?" she asked as she put down the magazine she was reading and sat forward.
"I didn't even think of that. shit shit shit"
"Ok don't freak out, do not freak out. It might be nothing, you guys are close"
"I haven't really spoken to her since me and Tommy broke up. Oh god"
"Look, go get dressed and calm the fuck down ok" Rebecca said soothingly.
"Right" She spun around and headed back to her room. She hurriedly got dressed, at one point she put her head through the arm hole of her t-shirt. When she reappeared she looked disheveled and scared. Her hair still dripping wet clung to the side of her face.
"You calmed down?" Rebecca asked already knowing the answer.
"Nope"
"Ok you know what, why don't you bake?"
"Now?"
"Sure it calms you down. And I'm kinda hungry"
"Ok, sure, baking, right"
She had just finished mixing ingredients for carrot cake when the doorbell went.
"I'll get it" Rebecca offered. She opened the door and asked Tara to come inside. "I'll leave you two to it" she said before grabbing the magazine she had been reading and heading to her room.
"Hey Tara"
"Hey darling" They hugged awkwardly and took seats at either end of the dining table.
"So…" Beth said uncomfortably.
"Heres the thing Abel came to see me this morning about a 'friend'" Beth thought her heart had stopped " and about the trouble she was having sleeping"
"Ok"
"I suggested that she go to the psychiatrist at St. Thomas"
"I'm not crazy" Beth blurted immediately regretting it.
"I thought it was you. Beth why didn't you come to me?" Beth just shrugged "Just because you and Tommy are over doesn't mean I don't care about you. You know that right?" She shrugged again. "Look I've booked you an appointment at one with the psychiatrist at St. Thomas. No preconceptions, just go in and talk to her about anything you want"
"I don't need a shrink"
"Look just go and talk to her, that's all I'm asking. Put mine and Abel's mind at rest" Tara said pleadingly. Beth had been a part of Tara's life since she was a child at school with Tommy, it broke her heart to think Beth was hurting.
"Ok"
"Okay?"
"Yeah I'll go" Beth loved her mum but had to admit she had always felt more of an acceptance from Tara. When she thought she was in trouble Tara was the person she wanted to go to. For Tara to ask her to do something was a big deal and Beth felt like she had no choice.
"You promise me?"
"Yeah I promise"