Letting Go Of The Past, Holding On To The Future.

Part Eleven.

Apologies from the Wrong People

Rob smiled and kissed Karen on the lips, rob - still kissing Karen- moved over onto the couch. "Was that the doorbell Rob?" "I think so, did you invite anyone?" Karen shook her head "not that I can remember" Karen opened the door, "hello Karen" Karen's mouth dropped "MUM, what are you doing here!" Karen tried to shut the door, "I've come all the way from Ireland. The least you could do I'd invite me in, we've not seen each other in 15 years, and you left on bad feeling!" Karen hung her head. "I really don't need this now" she caught a glimpse of an engagement ring on Karen's finger, and her ever growing stomach. "Karen who is it love?" Karen breathed in a big sigh "Rob this is my mum, mum this is Rob...my fiancée"."Ava!" "Rob!" " Wait, how you to know each other do?" Karen sat down. Ava hugged Rob,"small world! Robs mum and dad are good friends of mine!"
Karen wasn't really entirely sure what to do or say but was secretly relieved it meant one less introduction and explanation
"So you approve?" Karen sneaked in."Of course I do, I have all the time in the world for rob and his family!" Karen and Rob both breathed a sigh of relief. Karen walked over and held robs hand, our baby's due in a month, mum can I speak to you in private for a moment in the kitchen?" They walked to the kitchen and rob sat on the couch. "Mum, I'd really like us to move on, and I'd love it if you were here when our baby is born?" "You have got to be joking Karen, I can't just forgive and forget"
"Well what exactly are you here for mum" Harry made his way downstairs
"You know why I left. I couldn't cope, I was young, there's not one day that goes by that I don't feel guilty about not seeing my dad!"
"Then why run away, why did you leave!"
"I was young! Oh, are you trying to say you've never made mistakes mother! Well you could have fooled me, you've made plenty!" Ava Slapped Karen. Rob jumped off the couch.
"Karen!" Rob ran in Harry followed, "rob what's going on?", "I'm not sure? Your Nan's here!", "what? But I've never met my Nan; she didn't want anything to do with mum". Rob's face stiffened and he headed to see Karen, "I'm so sorry Karen"
"GET OUT!" Karen screamed at her mum and Karen ran upstairs in tears. Rob opened the door and repeated what Karen said. "Get out
Ava."
"Rob don't chuck me out" , "look I don't know what's gone on between you two but I love her and it takes a lot for her to get upset" , "you have to get her to talk to me Rob" , "she's not a child! You need to leave Ava ...Now!" Rob headed upstairs to find Karen.
"I need to speak to her rob, please!" Rob carried on walking. "Karen sweetheart?" Karen was led on the bed breaking her heart. Rob sat next to her. "What's happened baby?"
"It's my entire fault Rob", "aye nothing is your fault" rob held her in his arms. "Just tell me what happened", Karen looked at him, she knew he's listen to her. "It was years ago before Harry was born back in Ireland, my dad... He ... He was dying. I couldn't cope it was too much I needed to get away and Charlie had been offered a job as a teacher over here so we left. My mum or my brother never forgave me for leaving, my sister was the only one I kept in contact with", "but Karen none of that was your fault, you were struggling", "Rob I was the one that could save him! I killed him", "Karen you didn't kill him", "I did...he needed a bone marrow transplant. I was the only match", "Karen it is your body, you did what you wanted to do. Your dad was ill, he died peacefully. Another operation may have been too much" Karen broke down in his arms once more. "Karen, it wasn't your fault. Even if you did, it might not of saved him" "no but at least I'd of got to say bye to him before he died." "You've been living with this for 15 years without telling anyone but Bex, Jess and Charlie?" "Jess and Bex don't know" Karen hung her head.
"Karen, it wasn't your fault. Even if you did, it might not of saved him" "no but at least I'd of got to say bye to him before he died." "You've been living with this for 15 years without telling anyone but Bex, Jess and Charlie?" "Jess and Bex don't know" Karen hung her head.
"I wanted to stay, say goodbye it was Charlie who said it would be a good idea to leave"
"Why did you not do what you wanted to do Karen?" "He told me he'd be alright they'd find a way to cure him"
"Oh Karen, everything that man's done to you"
"And yet he still finds ways to make everything worse, it's like he's not satisfied till he's hurting me anymore"
"Karen I won't let him hurt you anymore I won't let him hurt you or the kids"
"Let's go down aye?" He helped Karen off of the bed and down the stairs,"what's she still doing here!" "I told you to go Ava, just go." "NOT UNTIL I SPEAK TO MY DAUGHTER!" "Well you'll be waiting a long time because I'm not speaking to you! Now read my lips! GET OUT!" "Mum you're never going to get over the fact I left, I can't live with the guilt anymore. I was young couldn't cope and Charlie offered me a way out. I was naïve enough to take it"
"You were stupid, you didn't listen to me when I told you Charlie was trouble" "no. But I'm glad I came over with him; because I would have never met rob"
Karen looked over to rob"I just wish it was after dad died"
"You could have stayed!"
"Mum I loved Charlie, well I thought I did, I wasn't going to just leave him. We had jess and Bex I owed it to them for them to have their dad around"
"Do you not think your brother and sister wanted their dad around eh?"
"Mum just leaves. You will never even try to see it from my point of view. It's my body, I loved dad, he was my best friend but it scared me, the operation the pain"
"You know what, I will go. But don't ever expect to see me again"
Karen broke down in robs arms once again,"shhh, Karen. She's gone.
"Am I supposed to feel happy?"

"I don't know love, no because it's your mom but yes because she wasn't understanding"
"I just want to be alone","Karen I'm here" Rob attempted to hold her "please Rob""Karen I don't want to leave you on your own" Karen was getting angry she didn't need Rob molley colling her right now!
"Rob I really don't need all this right now", "need what Karen, I'm on your side" , "don't start bringing sides into this Rob", "what have I done Karen" the bedroom door slammed and Rob huffed walking down the stairs into harry, "what's up with mum?" , "no idea and unless you want your head bitten off I'd leave her" , rob went to cool off and Harry headed upstairs despite Rob's words. He knocked on the door lightly. "Rob I don't need this", "mum" Harry's quiet voice broke through and Karen sat up, "harry?" She wiped her eyes and looked at her son. "Are you okay?","I'm fine, I just need to calm down", "yeah Rob isn't in the best of moods", "that's my fault" ,"what's going on mum" harry sat next to his mum on her bed. "Your Nan dropped by", "I thought she was in Ireland?", "Oh she was but she's here still not sure why she came, we don't get on and we never will". "Why's that mum?", "Harry ... Before you were born when your granddad was dyeing I left him, I could have helped him by having an operation but I chose not to. Your Nan doesn't forgive me", "but it's not your fault. She might be angry but that was over 15 years ago" , "why can't your Nan be as understanding as you aye", Harry gave his mum a hug, she missed those days when he was younger where he would bounce into her arms, so this moment meant a lot. There was another knock at the door "is it safe to come in?" Rob smiled softly; Karen smiled back "I'm sorry".
"Its alright, I'm sorry too. I should have just left you to cool down when you asked, hey, it's been a stressful day!" "Too right, why don't we go to the cinema tonight they have pizza for dinner? What do you's think? We've not been out in a while!"
"Yeah that sounds good mum", Harry was looking forward to spending quality bonding time with his mum and rob he missed that with his dad. Rob has been more of a dad to Harry than Charlie was. Harry really liked spending time with Rob. "That's settled then! What should we go see? You wanted to go see warhorse didn't you rob?"
"Yeah I did but I mean I'm not sure it's Harry's kind of thing", "What! I don't want to see that", "its fine we'll see something else" rob insisted, "no we'll see warhorse I owe it to you Rob after everything today", Harry stropped but he did understand.
"Go get your coat on harry, good lad" "we'll wait for you on the front". "You okay now Karen?" "Yeah, I'll be fine. After all I have you," she kissed him, to say thank you. "Not again" harry said cheekily. "Oi you, get in the car" Karen smiled.
Harry loved it; just going out together it made him happy. He was even happier to just see his mum happy, she hadn't been this chilled in a long time and that was all down to Rob. The baby really was going to make them. Though Harry was beginning to sense a few nerves between them but it was natural, Harry was going to try and help out as much as he could there were limits such as he wasn't going to change a nappy but he'd babysit ... Every now and then. Of course he wasn't going to give up all his time, after all it wasn't his baby, but it was going to be his step-sister. Deep down though, he wasn't going to think of her as a step sister, just a sister and rob, a dad.