Thank for the reviews.
Another recurring theme is going to start here... I mean, I think you could all guess that this was going to be a thing... couldn't you?
So this was a thing that I came up with. Better than the episode though.
Series 4 Episode 2
If anything, Melissa was glad that their secret was out. Mainly because it meant that she didn't have to lie to Eddie. There was something about the way he was with her and she quite enjoyed the fact that he was close to her, talking to her as they waited for their drinks. Especially more so when she felt his hand on her lower back.
Fast mover.
He was the one to help her when she was struggling. Rachel could only go on about how she needed the adult education thing to work. She thought that her sister would be there for her. Especially when Rachel knew that she didn't really know what she was doing. She might be the new and improved Melissa but Rachel was still the same old Rachel. Or Amanda. Not that either of them liked to bring that up.
"So you are a white wine drinker while Rachel is a red?" Eddie said.
"We might be sisters but we definitely have different tastes."
"Really?"
"Yeah, like Rachel is devoted to her work. Me, on the other hand, I'm always looking for a little fun. I mean, it can't be all work and no play right?"
"I wouldn't be too hard on her at the moment."
"Eddie, you make it seem like we know two different people. Rachel is fine."
"I don't think I would be fine after almost dying in a fire."
"Rachel has always bounced back. It is what she does."
"Still. I… I probably should apologise to her in the morning. Went in a little hard when I found out that you were sisters."
"She'll get over it."
"Will she?"
"Yeah. How about we move on from Rachel and… I want to know a little more about you."
He turned to her a little more and suddenly his hand dropped from her back and he stood up a little straighter. Somehow, she already knew the name that was going to come off his lips. She hadn't missed it earlier. The way that he wanted her to come for the drink.
"Rachel?"
Melissa stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Of course, her sister would come along and ruin this for her. Like many other things in her life.
"Sorry. Eddie, you were right. Maybe… I should be showing the staff that everything is okay." She said as she joined them.
"Merlot?" He asked.
"Please."
Bloody typical. Melissa thought.
There was something oddly compelling about Melissa. Or maybe that was what Eddie was trying to tell himself as she was the sister standing next to him at the bar rather than Rachel. He still meant every word that he had said to Rachel but there was something about Melissa. Maybe because even if they were different, there was an odd sense of familiarity.
He was just fishing around for something to say. He only leant in because the bar was a little busier than he expected for a Monday and he wanted to be able to hear what she had to say without having to shout over all the noise. His hand only went to her back to bring her slightly more towards him. Just so that he could hear her.
"So you are a white wine drinker while Rachel is a red?" He finally said.
"We might be sisters but we definitely have different tastes."
"Really?"
"Yeah, like Rachel is devoted to her work. Me, on the other hand, I'm always looking for a little fun. I mean, it can't be all work and no play right?"
He could definitely tell that. It was why he knew better than to argue with Rachel when she said that she wasn't going to go out with them. There was no point arguing with her. He didn't want to confess his feelings for her again, only to be rejected again. He didn't think his heart could take it.
"I wouldn't be too hard on her at the moment."
"Eddie, you make it seem like we know two different people. Rachel is fine."
It was the one thing that he knew. Rachel was not fine. She had basically confirmed that with the 'I needed an ally' comment earlier. She had lost trust in everyone around her, including him. It was why he was angry at her. It wasn't really because Melissa was her sister. It was because she didn't see him as her ally. Especially when she didn't know how hard he had to work to keep her job.
"I don't think I would be fine after almost dying in a fire."
"Rachel has always bounced back. It is what she does."
"Still. I… I probably should apologise to her in the morning. Went in a little hard when I found out that you were sisters."
"She'll get over it."
"Will she?" He questioned, not really sure that she would.
"Yeah. How about we move on from Rachel and… I want to know a little more about you."
He turned to her a little more and suddenly his hand dropped from her back and he stood up a little straighter. He hadn't expected her to come. But there she was. Coming through the door of the pub where she had told him that there was no them. Rachel had come.
"Rachel?"
She only smiled as she made her way over to them. He could sense the change in Melissa but he didn't care. Rachel had come and that was enough to brighten his evening.
"Sorry. Eddie, you were right. Maybe… I should be showing the staff that everything is okay." She said as she joined them.
"Merlot?" He asked, knowing better at the moment to comment on the 'you were right' or the 'everything is okay' comment.
"Please."
He turned back to the bar to order the drink. He bit his lip to try and stop himself from smiling. He just couldn't be an idiot this time.
Rachel sat in her car for a couple of minutes, wondering whether this was a good idea or not. She knew why she didn't want to go for a drink but she also knew the reason she was outside. She hadn't missed her sisters 'thanks' as she left. Or the smile Melissa gave Eddie when he said that she deserved a drink. It was those two reasons, alone, as to why she was outside the pub, trying to find the strength to go in.
Her hand pulled on the handle as she found herself stepping out of her car and walking to the pub. She headed straight in, knowing that if she looked through the window to make sure that they were still there, she would never go in. She just had to bite the bullet and face Eddie. Especially after what happened last week. Maybe this time, she would be more accepting of what he was offering her.
Her heart skipped a beat as she had literally only just walked through the door when she heard him calling her name.
"Rachel?"
She smiled at Eddie before she made her way over to where he was with Melissa. For her, it looked a little cosy but she had to admit, it was busy for a Monday.
"Sorry. Eddie, you were right. Maybe… I should be showing the staff that everything is okay." She said as she joined them.
"Merlot?"
"Please." She said, glad that he didn't say anything about him being right or that everything is okay.
Rachel was glad that she could read Melissa right. It seemed like her sister was, once again, not glad that she was there. The new and improved Melissa was already slipping away. Because it would just be the old Melissa to instantly try and get with someone on her first day. And it would just be typical that all her energies would go on Eddie. A man that Rachel knew she loved, just was scared to take that step with.
She smiled at Eddie as he handed over her drink.
"Philip's a lovely lad," Eddie said as he leant against the bar, turned more to Rachel now than Melissa.
"Yeah, he is. Just a shame that Bolton and Paul did what they did." Rachel said.
"I think the threat of not being able to join the boxing club will have helped."
"Hope so. I mean, I thought we had got them out of that."
"Can we stop talking shop?" Melissa said.
Rachel glanced over at Eddie.
"Philip is great. Glad he is my nephew."
"Yeah, and when are you going to get a move on? I want a little niece or nephew as well. I mean, I would definitely be fun Auntie Melissa."
"As opposed to?"
"Worried Auntie Rachel." Melissa turned to Eddie. "You must notice how much she worries."
"A natural worrier. It is why she keeps me around. She does all the worrying, I tell her that everything will be okay." Eddie said.
"Now what is happening with this guy you told me about at Christmas?"
Rachel sighed. "Look, I've only just gone back to work. A relationship is the last thing I am thinking about at the moment."
"Yeah, but do you still like him and everything? I had never heard you talk about something like you did about this person."
Rachel knew that Melissa was blind to things that surrounded her. The fact that she was asking about Eddie, in front of him, when she had told him last week that there was nothing between them.
"Melissa… the last thing I need now is you matchmaking. But… yes, sort of. I'm… muddling through a few things at the moment. Although I don't think he is overly impressed with me at the moment."
"I think you should go for it, Rachel. I mean… I would after everything you've been through. Excuse me." She said as she pointed towards the toilet.
There was a weird silence that fell between her and Eddie. She thought about breaking it but she didn't know how to break it.
"You… could have told me that last week." He said.
"Eddie."
"Rachel, I'm not like her. I understand that you have been through a lot and… I understand now. How you were and everything. Last week was a hard day and it wasn't made any easier by me getting drunk and being an idiot."
"I am muddling through." She paused. "And I'm sorry for earlier. I do know that you are here for me. Sometimes I don't know why I lean on her the way that I do. Maybe it just takes me a while to work out what is in front of me."
"We will take things slow. Build you back up again and then see where it all goes. Rachel, I told you, after you lied to me about ringing the council, anything we do, we do together. That still stands, even more so now. I just wish you said something."
"I was making out that everything was okay. I almost had a panic attack in the foyer that morning. I'm… not used to not being in control."
"I can tell. Just… let me in Rach. You did it before and I know I messed up but, I will try and do a better job of it this time."
Now she knew why she fell in love with Eddie. Now she knew why she did let him in. Now she knew why she went along with his plan to get rid of Stuart. Now she knew the reason why she wanted to come back. It was all Eddie. He was the only ally she would ever need or want. It was just too bad that she was only realising that after Melissa's reappearance permanently in her life.
