Just Friends?

Chapter Forty-Four

"Beeeaaa," Elly drew out her sister's name awkwardly at the knowledge that Bea had overheard Shaun mention that he, Chloe and she were having a child together.

Bea stood there staring at her sister waiting for an answer.

Shaun cleared his throat and glanced at his brother, "Finn, maybe we should give the girl's a moment?"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Chloe told him, "Your part of this, Shaun, you're not going to run away and leave Elly and I to explain what you've done."

Elly took a deep breath, holding onto Chloe's hand tightly, "Bea…I can explain."

"Yeah, I'm waiting," Bea said folding her arms across her chest, "What the hell does Shaun have to do with this child?"

Elly glanced at Chloe, needing to see the support in her eyes and finding it immediately, allowing her to turn back to her little sister, "Are Susan and Karl at home?"

Bea nodded, "Yes."

"Why don't all of us head to their place and I'll explain everything?" Elly suggested and then off Bea's look, "I need to tell you, Susan and Karl about this…I don't think I can say the words twice…please Bea."

Bea relented, "Okay, we'll go to Susan and Karl's and you can explain what Shaun has to do with any of this."

Shaun awkwardly stood up and along with Finn began to lead Bea out of the bar, "We'll just give the girls a minute to pay for their meals and join us outside. Unless you wouldn't mind me sorting out the bill-"

"No!" both women disagreed immediately.

A few minutes later, Chloe placed her arm around Elly's waist as the couple left the bar, "Are you sure you're ready to tell your family?"

"I have to…I knew it was going to happen, I just wanted to wait until Mark knew we're raising the baby together," Elly admitted, before leaning over and pressing her lips to Chloe's cheek, "This was not the way I planned our date ending but as long as I have your arm wrapped around me, I feel like I can do anything in the world."

Chloe squeezed Elly tighter, enjoying the closeness despite knowing they were all going to be dropping a bombshell on Elly's family in a matter of moments, "You can do anything in the world, Elly."

Bea smiled quietly as the couple approached herself, Finn and Shaun outside before the five of them awkwardly walked to Ramsay Street in silence.

Fifteen minutes later, Elly and Chloe were seated on one of Susan and Karl's couches, Chloe's arm still wrapped around Elly's waist supportively. Susan, Karl and Bea were on the other couch. Finn and Shaun were quietly wandering about in the kitchen making tea for everyone.

"What do you have to tell us, Elly?" Bea demanded.

Elly pursed her lips, "I know this probably won't make much difference to you, Bea, but I really didn't want to lie to you about this. I was trying to protect my baby. Susan, Karl…this is what Chloe and I were about to tell you the other day we were here before…Shaun arrived."

Chloe pressed her lips to Elly's shoulder before smiling proudly at Elly to encourage her to tell her family the truth.

Elly smiled shyly at Chloe's actions, "Bea, the other day when I came over here to tell Karl and Susan that I'm dating Chloe…I also told them that Chloe and I will be raising the child as his or her parents…and that we needed advice on how to tell Mark that he wouldn't be raising this child with me. There are reasons why we've made the decision that we have but we still haven't had a chance to explain it to Mark yet…I was hoping to explain everything to you after Chloe and I had the conversation with Mark because you deserve to know what's been going on with me since I got married."

"Okay," Bea replied quietly waiting for Elly to tell her more.

Elly took a deep breath, "Mark's not the father of this child."

Bea, Susan and Karl all sat there in silent shock.

"I cheated on Mark again," Elly admitted, "I knew he had only taken me back because of the baby…I hadn't had the courage to tell Mark that the blood test I got at the hospital…I wasn't pregnant to him like I thought I was. It was a false positive due to some meds I had taken after the wedding. I was hoping to wait a couple weeks to see if our marriage would survive me not being pregnant before I told him. But one day when Mark and I were in a really bad place, he said some hurtful things…not that that's an excuse…it was also the day I saw Chloe at the pool party…and just seeing her there after I'd hurt her so badly…it sent me spinning into a drunken spiral. I had a one-night stand."

Karl lent back on the couch, trying to hide his disappointment but failing miserably. Susan shook her head at the thought that her niece could lie to them about something so important for so long.

Bea ran her hand through her hair, "Elly, what were you thinking? And what does any of this have to do with…oh my God!?"

Shaun walked over to the family, "Elly and I didn't know each other that night. I had no clue who she was, that she was married or the mess I was about to cause."

"You?" Susan looked up at Shaun and then back at Elly in shock, "Shaun is the father of this baby?"

Elly nodded, "Yes. I didn't mean for any of this to happen…and I didn't mean to lie to you all about it for this long. I was in complete denial that Shaun is the father of my child. I didn't want Mark to learn the truth let alone anyone else find out what I'd shamefully done to him. I was trying to find a way that Mark would still get what he wanted by been a father to this child. Chloe helped me to see how badly this lie was affecting us."

Karl glanced away from Elly, "You know I've been in Mark's shoes…Izzy tricked me into thinking I was going to be a father before Holly…I know what Mark has been through. Your family, Elly, but I can't help but feel a little bit ashamed of you for thinking you could trick Mark into raising this baby with you."

Chloe went to open her mouth to defend Elly but Elly stopped her, "Karl's right, Chlo. I did want to trick Mark into raising this baby with me…until you came back into my life and worked with me to break out of my denial that I could trick Mark into being a father to a child that isn't his. It was a shameful thing to do. Karl has every right to feel that way about me…my whole family have the right to feel that way."

"Are you going to tell Mark?" Bea asked with a hint of anger in her tone.

"Mark already knows he isn't the father of the baby," Chloe whispered.

Elly held Chloe's hand, "I told Mark the truth last week. I know that it was way overdue me telling him and that I did the worst thing in the world for making him believe he was going to be a father for five and a half months…I'm only just nearly at four and a half months now into my pregnancy."

"I don't understand, Mark hasn't lost the plot at you in anger and he hasn't kicked you out of his house, but he knows Shaun is the father of this baby?" Susan was confused.

"That's the reaction I anticipated…I spent more than four months terrified of how Mark was going to react to the news this baby isn't his…more than five months afraid my entire life would be over if he realized it turned out I wasn't pregnant to him like I thought I was. Chloe made me see that my entire life wouldn't be over, it's just shifted into what I really want my life to be," Elly explained, "But Mark he…he's so desperate to be a dad…he stunned Chloe and I when he told us that he'd decided that the three of us could still live together in his house because he's still going to raise this baby with me."

"Mark still wants to raise this baby with you?" Bea asked in surprise.

Chloe squeezed her hand against Elly's waist, "That's what Mark wants…but it's not what either of us wants…and it's not what is going to happen."

Karl nodded gently, "This is what you meant when you said you had 'reasons' why Mark won't be raising the baby with you, Elly, and that he hadn't done anything wrong…he's not the father and if you think it's in the best interests that he isn't the child's father…he doesn't really have a say."

Elly nodded back at her Uncle, "Chloe and I will be raising this baby together as a couple. We're going to be this child's parents. Chloe will be this child's mum alongside me. We want to get our own place and be a family. We just need to…break it to Mark that…all he'll ever be to this child is an Uncle…"

Bea glared up at Shaun, "And where do you fit in to all this? With the baby been raised by Elly and Chloe?"

Shaun placed his hands in his pockets, "That's what Elly, Chloe and I were discussing when you found us at the Waterhole. I came back to town because I couldn't just ignore the fact, I left a child behind. Elly didn't know I was coming back here."

Susan tilted her head to the side, "That explains why you two ran out of here when Shaun showed up. Elly, you looked like you were going to throw up the cookies I'd baked for you."

"I very nearly did. I was in shock to see Shaun back," Elly confessed.

"Wait, backup there," Bea threw her hands up, "Shaun, you knew you were this baby's father before you came back here?"

"Yes," Shaun admitted, "Elly told me she was pregnant to me over the Easter weekend before she went back in for Finn's trial when I found out she was pregnant and confronted her. But she wanted to raise the child with Mark so I left. I realize now I made a mistake doing that. So, when Finn told me Mark and Elly had ended their marriage, I came back to see how I could help with raising the baby. I didn't know Elly had a Chloe in her life."

"And now that you do know Elly has Chloe and they want to raise the baby as a couple?" Bea pushed for more information.

Shaun smiled graciously, "Chloe and Elly will be this child's parents. I won't be coming in between their plans to raise their child together. They are going to make amazing parents and their child is going to be incredibly lucky to have them. Elly and Chloe have agreed that I can still have a place in their child's life but I will be returning to live in Switzerland. He or she will know who I am and I will visit as often as I can. I'll be able to call every few days once their child is old enough to talk to me and I will provide child support. I'm comfortable for Elly and Chloe to make all decisions when raising their child but we've agreed that they can call me for my opinion should they feel the need to. I'll return for their child's birth but I won't be interrupting their moments together as a couple when Elly gives birth. I can wait to be told their child has been born in the waiting room like everyone else here. Elly has offered to send me a photo of the baby's next ultrasound that she'll be attending with Chloe."

"'Their child'?" Bea repeated.

"Yes, that's right, this child will be Elly and Chloe's. They will be the parents," Shaun reassured.

"Thank you," both Elly and Chloe whispered to Shaun.

Finn finally came over to everyone, handing out cups of tea.

Bea looked up at him realizing, "You've been very quiet about this. You're going to be an Uncle…biologically at any rate…but not with Chloe raising this baby with Elly."

Finn looked over at Elly, "I've known for a while now, Bea. It wasn't my place to say anything. Elly needed to come to terms with it in her own time," and then off Bea's look of shock, "Elly didn't tell me, I figured it out on my own. Elly was been blackmailed with her real ultrasound that she couldn't show Mark because then he'd know the baby wasn't his. Shaun was cagey when I mentioned Elly and the baby got attacked at the school…I saw that Shaun was trying to call Elly…I figured it out. I think the only thing I didn't figure out was that Elly and Chloe are a couple…until I saw them earlier at the Waterhole looking…well exactly as they are now."

Elly looked up at Finn, "I guess we assumed Bea might have let that one slip after she found us together in the hospital the other week."

Finn smiled at Bea, "No, she managed to keep that one to herself. I get it…I probably wouldn't have messaged Shaun to convince him to come back had I known…but it sounds like everything has worked itself out and this child will be very loved with the pair of you."

Elly sighed, but felt reassured when she felt Chloe kiss her shoulder gently, and turned to her family, "There's something else I need to tell the three of you…I betrayed all three of you in trying to keep my secrets from Mark. Finn's living here with you because…Shaun agreed that he would leave town and let me raise the child with Mark…if I changed my statement at the trial and convinced you to take Finn in to live here."

"Elly!" Bea screeched in shock.

Karl shook his head in disgust.

"Elly, explain yourself!" Susan shouted.

"I'm sorry," Elly whispered, "I didn't mean to drag you into this. I was out of control back then. I was desperate for Mark not to find out how far along I was in my pregnancy and I was in denial still thinking that I could save my marriage to him by getting him to raise this baby with me."

"It's my fault," Shaun stepped forward, "I saw a way to keep my brother out of jail and I took advantage of the state Elly was in at the time. I knew she wasn't thinking clearly and was desperate to keep Mark. I traded this baby for Finn's freedom…to be honest, Chloe and Elly shouldn't let me have any kind of relationship with their child after I did that…but I'm grateful they haven't let my error in judgment that I should've put the baby ahead of my brother in the way of me having a chance to get to know their child."

Bea shook her head at her sister, "I can't believe you would do all this."

Elly nodded, glancing away from Bea, "I'm ashamed of myself, Bea."

"I'm not," Chloe whispered, squeezing Elly gently, before speaking up to the entire room, "Elly's not the only person in this room to ever make mistakes. So, have all of you. The cheating and the lying were bad but nothing else Elly did was a mistake. We wouldn't have this child in our lives by the end of the year if it wasn't for what happened. I've made plenty of mistakes in my life so far and I'll probably continue to make them. I would love to tell you all that I'm going to be the perfect partner to Elly and the best mum on the planet to our child but that's not realistic. I'm gonna stuff things up at times but I already know I'm going to have Elly's forgiveness because of how much we love each other. You guys need to forgive Elly for her mistakes. She needs you."

Bea, Susan and Karl all looked at one another, before Susan finally spoke up for all of them, "Well said. We forgive you, Elly, and you have all our support."

Elly smiled shyly at her family, grateful for them, but mostly for Chloe. Elly lent over and pressed her lips to Chloe's cheek, before whispering in her ear, "I love you so much. As long as you are loyal to me and our child, you never have to worry that any mistakes you do make will not earn my forgiveness."

"I always will be," Chloe whispered back to Elly.

Karl glanced at the pair, "When do you plan on telling Mark you and Chloe will be finding your own place and raising the child together?"

Elly lent her head against Chloe's, "Tomorrow night. We wanted to wait for us to sign the annulment papers which we did this afternoon."

"Is there anything stopping you from telling Mark tonight?" Karl asked politely, "It just seems this is something Mark should know as soon as possible."

Elly stared at Chloe for a moment, before conceding, "Karl's right…we should go over to Mark's now and tell him."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked.

"No, but we need to do this…I've strung Mark along for months now…he deserves the truth and we can't keep dragging this out," Elly answered.

Elly then turned to her family, "I'll crash at Chloe's tonight…but I might need a place to stay for a while until Chloe and I have found our own place…I don't think Aaron is going to be very happy to have me stay with Chloe once he learns this baby isn't Mark's and that I'm going to take away Mark's chance of been a father."

Susan nodded, "You can stay here as long as you like and Chloe is welcome over whenever she wants until the pair of you sort out a place of your own."

"Thank you," Elly told her Aunt, before turning to Chloe, "You ready for this?"

Chloe shrugged, "No but yes."

Elly reluctantly disentangled herself from Chloe, standing up and taking Chloe's hand to help her up, "Me too but if we want to be mum's, our child needs us to do this."

"Okay, lead the way," Chloe agreed as the pair left the Kennedy's house, smiling back at Elly's family for their support.

Please Mark…do not have a panic attack over this…please just understand I am not trying to hurt you by taking this child away from you, Chloe thought.

Please Mark…please understand that we are making the right decision for our child and this is what Chloe and I both want for our future together, Elly thought.