Gillian Kearney Fan, thank you for your review. Even though Cal had guessed what was happening, it was important for him to hear it from Matilda.
Applealice10, I'm looking forward to Cal telling Matilda too, but we know what Cal's like when it comes to giving family members important information about their past! So it might take a little while, but she will find out. Thank you for your review.
X-Sammii-X, it might take Matilda a while to get over what's happened, but finally she's found someone who makes her feel safe. I love how Rita is so motherly towards patients and sometimes colleagues. She really needs to hurry up and have a baby! Thank you for your review.
Tato Potato, that's an interesting theory about Louis - you'll find out more about him in this chapter! I'm really pleased you like Dylan's relationship with Dylan. Matilda always brings out Cal's sense of responsibility, which is just as well considering the state of Ethan and Lily! Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, I don't really side with Iain either. He's correct that things can look worse written down and that bullies will always find a way, but it's still horrible. Cal makes a bit of a habit of hiding the truth from his relatives! At least he means well. Thank you for your review.
Liveyourdaydream, thank you for your review - it's great to have a new reader! It is difficult working with multiple plotlines and I have to have a list of where everyone is, but I enjoy writing it and it really is so lovely to know that you enjoy that aspect of it. I hope you'll keep reading!
Thank you to bibiwoodie for the follow and favourite.
Lily was startled. She knew Alicia was sorry for Ethan and wanted them to get back together, but it hadn't occurred to Lily that Alicia might actually be angry with her.
"You should have told me," said Alicia. She looked hurt now. "I'm your best friend."
Lily frowned: this made no sense at all. "I am telling you, Alicia."
"It's just… this changes everything," said Alicia. "I really thought it was just the letter. If you'd told me you were cheating on Ethan…"
"Cheating on Ethan?" echoed Lily. She knew her head wasn't right at the moment, but she was sure she hadn't cheated on Ethan.
Alicia looked confused. "That's what you mean, isn't it?"
"No!" said Lily. She closed her eyes for a moment. "I haven't been cheating on Ethan. I never would. I love Ethan."
Relief crossed Alicia's face, swiftly followed by confusion before returning to sadness. "But someone is cheating on their husband… is that what you're saying?"
Lily nodded sadly. "Yes. Robyn Chiltern. She was at the lake with Louis Fairhead."
Dylan knew she should really be telling Luke how incredible his brother was, but all she could think about was that Luke was hot; he was approximately 61 centimetres away from her; and the hospital-issue gowns were really on the skimpy side.
When she was working here, she'd definitely have to do something about the gowns, but considering she had no chance of getting through medical school in the next five minutes, it might be best if she stopped thinking about it. Otherwise, she might even start blushing and she definitely didn't want that. Of course, she could claim an acute case of idiopathic craniofacial erythema, but she wasn't completely sure Luke would know what that meant.
"Dylan," said Luke.
Oh great. Now her skin was tingling. Just because he'd moved slightly and might now be only 51 centimetres away. Dylan mentally rolled her eyes at herself. She'd always thought she was immune to this sort of thing.
"You are sure you're okay?" said Luke.
Dylan waited for a sarcastic response to come to her lips. It didn't. "Why do you think I might not be okay?" she said at last.
"Because most people wouldn't be," said Luke. He nodded towards his arm, which was still in a sling. "I wasn't okay when I was in hospital. If you really are okay, that's great. But if you're not okay, you don't have to be brave all the time."
Dylan felt unnerved. And excited. And, most dangerously of all, touched. "Well, it could be worse. It could be paralytic ileus."
"Is that when you're paralytic ally drunk and you end up being ill?" said Luke.
"No, it's what can happen if the surgeon accidentally touches the bowel during the operation," said Dylan. "It can cease to function entirely. No bowel movements and no flatulence."
"So, how are your bowel movements and flatulence?" said Luke.
Dylan laughed. "That's absolutely none of your business, of course, but both are fine, though I am taking a mild laxative to help in that regard." She smiled at his shocked face. "Luke, if you seriously thought I'd be too embarrassed to answer that question, you need to get to know me better."
Luke smiled. "I'd like that. To get to know you better. Perhaps not the bodily functions so much, but... yeah."
Dylan's mouth was dry. She tried to speak. For perhaps the first time in her life, she couldn't.
Luke nodded. "Dylan." His voice was soft. "Here's a question for you. What would you do if I kissed you?"
Dylan spoke with a calmness she definitely didn't feel. "Kiss you back, I would imagine."
Ethan could see Matilda was about as happy as he was. Her eyes were red and she was cuddling her little pink sheep, just as she'd done when she was a baby. Ethan had never understood why Cal had chosen to keep a toy that meant so much to his daughter.
"So… um… what's your sheep called?" asked Ethan, feeling as though he ought to say something to his niece… no, not his niece. She wasn't actually Cal's daughter and there was no real evidence to prove she was their Matilda.
"Taylor," said Matilda.
Ethan stared at her in disbelief. He didn't want to deal with this now. His wife had left him and he was probably going to lose his job if he didn't sort himself out soon, but Cal always had such a talent for getting into complete messes. "I assume that was Cal's idea?"
Matilda shrank away from him slightly. "No…"
"He didn't encourage you to choose that name?"
"No, I chose it," whispered Matilda. "Did I do something wrong? Should I change it?"
"Perhaps you should," said Ethan. He went into the kitchen, only to stop, concerned. "What's wrong, Cal?"
Cal sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Nothing. I'm chopping onions."
Ethan ignored the onions. "What do you think you were doing, letting Matilda call her toy after her mother?"
"It wasn't my idea!" said Cal. "She thought of it and I could hardly tell her why it was a bad idea, could I? She likes the name."
"You could have told her the girl who broke your heart was called Taylor," said Ethan.
"I had to think quickly!" said Cal. "Just leave it, Ethan. Tilly's having a horrible day. She told me what her parents have been doing to her and it's awful. Please could you go back and sit with her? I really don't think she should be on her own."
Max could sense the tension in the room.
He could see it too. Zoe and Ariana had been deep in conversation, but when he'd entered, they'd sat up straighter and looked at each other before slowly turning to Max.
"Hi, Zoe." He gave his wife a quick smile, then hugged his daughter. "How's it going, Ari?"
"Good, thanks," whispered Ariana. She looked frightened.
Max's eyes slid to Zoe. "What have you done?"
"Done?" said Zoe guiltily.
"Yeah, Zoe, what have you done?" said Max. "Because it's obviously upset our daughter."
Zoe shot to her feet. "Max, how dare you use our daughter to get at me?"
"I'm not using her!" said Max. "I'm just saying that whatever you've done, Ariana obviously isn't happy about it."
"Didn't it ever occur to you," said Zoe, her voice shaking, "that maybe you're the reason she's unhappy?"
"Me?" said Max. "What have I ever done except go out to work and provide for my family? Like I'm supposed to do?"
"Oh, and I suppose I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do?" said Zoe. "I should stay at home and cook and clean: is that what you're saying?"
"Well, someone's got to," said Max.
Zoe's fist clenched at her side. "No, Max. 'Someone' has not got to. We share this house; we share the responsibility for keeping it clean."
"But I'm working all day!" said Max. "You can't expect me to do all that and then come home and cook."
"Well, if you're not tough enough to handle it," said Zoe, "then I suppose I'll have to do it every day when I get home from work."
Max stared at her in disbelief. "Are you seriously telling me you applied for another job when our daughter needs you?"
Ariana spoke breathlessly. "I'm going to my room."
Zoe hesitated. "Okay, sweetheart. But don't worry. We're not arguing. We're just having a discussion."
"Oh, so that's all this is?" muttered Max. He touched Ariana's shoulder as she scurried out of the room. "It's okay, Ari. I'll sort this."
"You'll sort this?" said Zoe, once Ariana had closed the living room door behind her. "I don't know exactly what you think you're going to do, Max, but if it's anything to do with stopping me from working, then let me tell you-"
She stopped.
Max knew why she'd stopped because he'd heard it too.
The front door had just closed behind Ariana.
Dylan K couldn't quite believe what he was doing. There were certainly times when it was necessary for him to keep a close eye on patients, but this was not one of those times.
Yet here he was, watching Luke kissing Dylan.
He turned away, reminding himself that he had other patients to see to, and came face to face with Lofty.
"Dylan, what's up?"
"Luke and Dylan," whispered Dylan, pointing to the cubicle.
Lofty looked confused. "What about them?"
"They're… kissing," said Dylan awkwardly.
"So… you don't approve?" Lofty looked surprised. "I thought you liked Dylan."
"I do!" said Dylan in frustration. He dropped his voice to a whisper again. "But I'm worried. I think Luke already has a girlfriend."
Cal looked up impatiently as Ethan entered the kitchen. "I thought I told you to stay with Matilda."
"She's crying," said Ethan. "I think I might have-"
Cal almost pushed him aside in his anxiety to get to her. "Matilda, what's wrong, darling?" He hugged her tightly. "Did Ethan upset you?"
"No, I… I'm scared," sobbed Matilda. "I'm scared of what's going to happen to me."
"Nothing's going to happen to you," said Cal, stroking her hair.
Matilda sniffled. "But I'll have to talk to people, won't I? Like the police? I can't, Cal."
"It will be scary, but I know how brave you are," said Cal. "Ethan told me about when you got Ariana off the roof. We're both so proud of you. Ethan says you weren't shaking half as much as he was."
Ethan nodded and gave a small smile. "And you seemed so calm. I'm sure you weren't feeling calm because I certainly wasn't and I was doing my PIMP."
Matilda's eyes widened. "You were whatting your what?"
"It's an acronym," said Cal. "Positive Internal Mind Projection. It's how Ethan deals with his fear of heights. Don't worry, Tilly. Nibbles isn't a rent boy." He glanced at his brother. "But maybe some PIMP action wouldn't be a bad idea. For both of you."