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Previewed this on twitter. In short, this becomes episode 10, just two episodes early...


Series 4 Episode 8

The words Rachel said to Melissa felt bitter in her mouth. This was just another wedge in their already fragile relationship. All Rachel had to do was get through the next few months and then she could move on and leave her sister to be happy with Eddie.

I think you three, you can be really happy together, can't you?

Someone was going to see through her lies eventually. Someone was going to notice that her smile wasn't as genuine as it was.

She just didn't expect that person to be Philip.

"Mum said that she has smoothed things over with you."

"Yeah, I just… I wished that she could have come to me with this."

Rachel had got to know her nephew rather well. Melissa did seem not to see him as the nervous boy that he was. He had definitely not inherited Melissa's natural confidence. More like Rachel in that respect.

There was something definitely still on his mind and she got the feeling that he wasn't going to tell her unless she asked. Like she would do.

"Philip? Is everything okay?"

"Mum keeps… She keeps saying that you are happy for her. Are you?"

"Philip."

"Just… it was a comment made the other day."

"What comment?"

"Someone was surprised that Eddie was marrying Mum, because they thought that he was crazy for you. Apparently, he tried to go back inside during the fire, to try and find you."

"Well, that is just Eddie."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are you happy for Mum and Eddie?"

"Philip… Yes, I am."

He rolled her eyes at her. "How you two are sisters I will never know?"

"What?"

"She… she keeps telling me that we can't tell Eddie because… it will ruin her life. Rach, she is… so selfish. You can't lie to me. Mum might be blind to it but I'm not."

"Philip, I don't need you getting involved."

"Do you love him?"

"Philip. Please."

"I'm glad I am more like you. I wouldn't want to be like Mum, a selfish bitch."

"Philip! You do not talk about your mother like that."

"It's true. She isn't just still married to my dad. She is also married to someone else as well."

"Phil… I'm sorry. What?"

There was a look on his face that he hadn't meant to say that but she could tell that he had visibly relaxed. It was something that she had noticed since Eddie and Melissa's engagement was announced. It had played on his mind that much.

"Rach, you can't say anything. I… I wasn't supposed to say anything and… after last time… she will hate me for saying it. Please, Rach."

"I'm guessing that this means she has no intentions of telling Eddie."

Philip shook his head. "She says that he won't stick around. Which is what Dad did when he found out."

"What am I going to do with my little sister?" Rachel whispered before she sighed.

"Rach…"

"Leave it with me, Philip. And I'll try and keep you out of the firing line."


Rachel felt like she was dragging Melissa towards Eddie's classroom. She hadn't said why but she could assume that Melissa thought it was about what they had spoken about that morning. She knew that Eddie wasn't teaching. She had memorised his timetable, mainly so she knew when she could go and watch him teaching.

"Just tell him, Melissa." She said as they entered the classroom.

"Tell me what?" Eddie said.

Rachel looked at her sister, realising her reluctance.

"Fine. Hope you weren't planning on getting married any time soon Eddie. Melissa is waiting for her divorce from Philip's dad."

Eddie let out a sigh of relief. "I thought that was going to be something worse than that."

Rachel shot a look at Melissa, telling her that it wasn't that difficult and that Eddie would understand.

"I mean, you've already applied for it. So it shouldn't take too long, should it?"

It was the way Melissa glared at her that proved that Philip was completely and utterly right. Rachel had no idea why Melissa was with Eddie or why she agreed to marry him. Not that she wanted to call her sister what her nephew called her but it was the only words that came to mind.

Selfish bitch.

"What is going on?" Eddie asked.

"Enjoying this are you?" Melissa said.

"Just proving that you could have told him and he would be okay with it. Rather than upsetting Philip. The poor boy looks like he is constantly on edge and then you berate him for telling me. Eddie's been married. Eddie is now divorced. If anything, he would understand."

"Oh yes. Poor Philip."

"I'll leave you two to chat, shall I?" Rachel said as she made her way to the door.

"You always have been a rubbish liar Rachel. How you ever kept up the perfect Rachel Mason persona for so long I will never know?" Melissa waited for her to turn to her before she continued. "Truth hurts doesn't it Mandy? You always get caught out in the end."

"This isn't about me."

"Don't think that I didn't miss Steph's comment. 'We all had bets on that it would be you and Eddie that got it together'. Nor did I miss her other comment of you not protesting too much. Still get jealous then do we? Because you have always been jealous of me."

Rachel could sense Eddie's eyes on her. If anything, she could sense that he was uncomfortable about the conversation that was unfolding.

"I think I'll leave you two to it." He said as he stood up.

"At least he can lie properly," Melissa said. "How many times has she told you that she was happy for us Eddie? Every time she has put on the Fenshaw smile? You forget I know that smile, Rach. Or would you like me to stop calling you Rach? Because that is his thing."

"Rachel?"

She moved more into the room as the bell sounded for the end of the day, keeping more of a distance between her and them. This was not how she expected the conversation to go.

"Fine. I might not have changed a lot since we were kids, but you aren't the 'new and improved' Melissa that you said you were at the beginning of term. Didn't take you long to fall back into your old ways?"

"Blame me."

"That is the problem, Melissa. I have never blamed you. Never once. I always blame myself."

"So you should."

Rachel shot a look at Eddie not to defend her. It wouldn't help with what Melissa was implying.

"How long?" Melissa said.

"Sorry?" Eddie said.

"Both of you. How long have you loved each other?"

Rachel knew that the glance between them wasn't going to help them at all. It would only fuel Melissa's own jealousy.

"He is the guy that I was telling you about," Rachel said.

"The one that asked you out on a date before the fire?"

She swallowed. "I saw it as a date."

"Eddie?"

"There was another reason as to why Rachel's past bothered me so much, other than the reputation of the school."

"Great! And when were you both going to tell me this?" Melissa looked between them. "Right you weren't. Was I just meant to wait until I found you two in bed together?"

"Melissa…" Rachel started.

"Because it isn't like you haven't done that before. Oh sorry. He forced you into our bed. Forgot that point."

"Forgot I can't have an adult conversation for you." She muttered.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Rachel wished that Eddie would stop looking over at her. It wasn't going to help either of them when Melissa finally kicked off about everything. She knew what her sister was going to say. And as much as Rachel wanted this not to be about her. It was going to be. Because she was going to ask Eddie to choose.

"Me or Rachel?" Melissa said.

Rachel's phone started to ring and as she saw Steph's name flash up, she couldn't help but think why she would be calling as she accepted the call and the blood must have run out of her face. Because both Eddie and Melissa were looking at her, worried.

"This can be finished later." Rachel said as she turned to them.

"Why?" Melissa said, the worry replaced with anger.

"Earl has just killed Maxine."

Eddie jumped straight to it, grabbing his coat and keys, telling them that he would drive them to Steph's. It was the version of Eddie she hadn't realised that she had missed and part of her hoped, that when they resumed this conversation, he would pick her.