Chapter Forty-Four

"I've changed my mind mum, I'm sorry...I'm not coming now" Jacob told Alicia. Changing his plan.

"Aww...Jakey, why not?" Alicia asked with disappointment.

She was really looking forward to seeing him again, it's been months. She was even warming to the idea of him bringing "Maria" but that wasn't going to happen, that was never going to happen.

"Maria has patched things up with her mum" Jacob insisted.

"Oh, well that doesn't mean you still can't come"

"Do you know David has a new baby?"

"Yeah I do, he told me it's some crazy ex-girlfriend's baby; Maya her name was I think. She's got mental problems, hasn't she?"

That's how David described her to those who didn't know. Until Erica was older enough to understand, he would just tell her that that her mother is mentally ill. Which in a way she was, she was very sick. He told Alicia that too, Maya was just mentally ill. She caused some damage to them and was arrested for 'assault'. Something about her being paranoid around his ex-girlfriends. That was the false story he has been telling her.

"Well I thought I would spent Christmas with it"

The way he simply described her as 'it' said a lot. Alicia caught onto it as she gave a slight scoff, did he really just call Erica 'it'? It was just the way he distanced himself from the reality of it.

"You shouldn't call her it" Alicia told him with a small sigh.

"Why not? It's not as if she's gonna know"

"It doesn't matter, Jacob. You don't call a baby 'it', I taught you basic manners when you were little. Where has this attitude come from?"

"I'm sorry, alright? I didn't think it was that bad a thing to say" Jacob answered, trying to save face.

Alicia was a bit concerned, all this talk of his older girlfriend and David's new baby, he didn't sound very happy. Though she supposed that was normal, not many people could put a postive light on that.

"Okay Jacob, it's okay" Alicia assured him.

"Well I'm gonna go then...I'm expecting a text from Maria soon"

"Okay then, bye" Alicia replied in a sad tone of voice.

...

Maya and Henrietta meanwhile were having a very quiet dinner together. The sound of the door unlocking barely changed that, they knew it only had to be one person. Maya's father John came in with a beer in his hand. Making both women roll their eyes at the same time, of cause he had a beer. He sat besides his daughter, taking some of her chips from her plate. She barely flinched, she was use to his bad habits. Besides, everything he did seemed like nothing in comparison these days. Henrietta was just happy he was here, being alone with Maya was not good for her. Her own daughter may as well be a stranger.

"Ettie...Princess...How are you?" John managed to ask in his slurring voice.

"On top of the world" Henrietta answered with strong sarcasm.

"Have you got any money?" Maya asked her father.

John was about to take his wallet out when Henrietta quickly spoke up again and told him..."Don't give her any money!"

Making him put his hands up in jest. Though it wasn't funny, Henrietta deemed the whole situation as ridiculous. She wondered if he would behave this way if they had a son and he did this. He treated Maya as if she was still his little girl, sticking up for her and trying to give her little bits of money as if she was a child that needed it. Well, Maya didn't need it. She needed to be treated the same way all people like her need to be treated, she needed to be monitored and given only the basics to live on.

"Thirty pounds...You expect me to seriously live on thirty pounds?" Maya then asked her mother.

"You have a roof over your head and my food, Maya. You don't need to pay any bills or tax anymore, thirty pounds is for you to buy clothes and hygiene products...You lost the moment to ask for treats when you did what you did" Henrietta told her firmly.

"I'm not asking for treats...I'm asking for a normal adult income"

"Well you're not a normal adult, are you?"

"Obviously! Do you think I'm happy with myself for what I have done? I hated what I did to Jacob"

"Really? And you expect me to believe a word you say"

"Believe what you want, mother. I don't care, do I? Not until a year and a bit anyway"

"Why? What's going on in a year and a bit?"

Though she didn't get a response as Maya put down her knife and fork. Leaving the table and retreating upstairs. Jacob would be eighteen, that's what she was referring to. Yes, she was willing to wait that long. Mainly because she knew David was right when he said no decent man would go near her again, she was being selfish and choosing to use poor Jacob for company. Her parents however were left slightly confused downstairs, they didn't know what that meant.

"What was that about?" John questioned his ex-wife.

"No idea and I don't think I wanna know, she has issues. She will say anything to try and get under my skin but I won't let her"

"Maybe if you let me ring the police on Ethan all those years ago. We wouldn't be in this mess"

"You know why I did that, John! It was because he said he would run away with her when she turned 16! So don't you dare blame her disgusting actions on me!"

"Okay, I'm sorry...I just want my daughter back, I miss her"

"I do too, John but we lost her a long time ago and we are never going to get her back. I'm just trying to stop her doing anymore damage. That's all I can do for her"

"Can I stay here tonight? Just on the couch there"

"Sure you can, just don't drink too much"

...

TBC