Thank you for the reviews.
Honestly, the little recurring themes are just something that I usually write once and like so much that they do become a recurring theme. As for the names... that was a little shoutout to WR, WM/IaWW, TIDU and Push My Luck... And Isaac was almost named Oscar. That is why that is there as well.
Now, this is the penultimate one of theses. I know...
Previewed this one on Twitter because I get impatient when I think I have had a good idea. In all honesty, if you want to see what I am working on at the moment, Twitter is the best place to find all that stuff out. Because I have no self-control whatsoever. Although I don't think anyone is complaining when I give sneak peeks.
Series 5 Episode 11
"Kim, it was so close."
Kim knew that Rachel very rarely let her emotions play out but she could see the way that her friend was not okay and she knew that today had shaken her in more than one way. The fire must have been playing on her mind and Kim honestly didn't know how to help her. Great head of Pastoral Care she was if she couldn't think how she could help her friend that was obviously struggling with what had happened.
"Actually, do you mind if you give me…"
"No, go," Kim said, interrupting her.
"Is that alright?"
"Go, go."
Rachel would need time to herself. Kim hoped that word might have got to Philip. He was someone who knew her a little better. Maybe he could give her a little bit more comfort. Plus, she was sure that he would be worried sick.
"Just… Just give her a minute." She said to Chris before she heard the door to the office close.
It was only a few moments later that Philip ran up the stairs and into the antechamber. The worry was clear on his face.
"Is she okay?" He asked.
"No. I really don't think she is. I don't think she should be alone tonight Philip."
"I'll go home with her. Make sure she at least eats something."
"Or… I know you know her well. But we both know there is someone who knows her a lot better than us. Philip, you are only 17. You shouldn't have to deal with the emotional problems of your auntie."
"Do you really think we should involve him? Only… Mum would kill him. She had already told him a number of times that she will never let him see Charlie again if he doesn't stop telling him about Rachel. Although, I do the same."
"I think, at the very least, she might benefit from seeing a friendly face. That isn't mine or yours. Someone who could only imagine what she was thinking as she was running away from the caravan."
"I'll give him a call."
"Sorry, who are you on about?" Chris said.
Kim looked to Philip before turning back to Chris.
"Eddie Lawson."
Rachel tried to breathe through it, to stop her emotions taking over, but soon enough her body started to shake as the sobs came. She promised herself that she wouldn't put her life at risk anymore. Not when he wasn't there to save her. She placed her hand over her mouth to try and stop them from sounding out.
Her eyes closed as she tried to stop the tears. She was meant to be strong. She was meant to be able to lead the school.
And she had almost got herself killed. At least this time it was for a student.
Her hand dropped away from her mouth and rested on her chest, right above where her scar was. Even though it had happened a couple of years ago, it proved that she hadn't healed properly. The mental scars from the fire were still prominent and she knew that it would take her a while to build herself back up again. Another hit to her mental health.
She heard the door open and close and she thought that it was Chris and Kim, probably one of them going to give her a lecture on how she shouldn't have done what she did. Instead, she opened her eyes to see Eddie standing in the middle of the room, a worried look on his face but his eyes showed understanding. She placed her coat on the sofa and stood up, glad that he hadn't said anything just yet. He held out his arms and she found herself walking into them. She grabbed the back of his coat tightly as he wrapped his arms around her. The sobs came again but she knew that she could let herself feel completely and utterly vulnerable in front of him. Even if they hadn't seen each other for months.
"Philip called." He said.
"Did he?"
"Said him and Kim thought you could do with seeing a friendly face."
"Did they?"
"Someone who knew you best."
"Really?"
"Kim thinks that you shouldn't be on your own tonight."
"Probably not."
"Then I will stay with you. And Philip, if he wants to."
"I can't…"
"You can. I am fairly certain she will be okay for one night without us. I'm in the dog house anyway."
"Why am I actually not surprised?"
"She keeps catching me talking to Charlie about you. She hasn't caught Philip yet."
"Why would you do that?"
"Why not? Should Charlie miss out on his auntie, who just happens to be the most remarkable woman I know, because of our stupidity?"
She didn't get the chance to answer that question when there was a knock on the door before it opened. Rachel turned her head to see Chris and Kim there, with a bottle of wine in Chris' hand. She could tell that Chris wasn't happy, whether that was because of the day's events or just because Eddie was there after what happened between them at the end of last term.
"Right. No matter what you say, you need a drink. Red wine is required." He said as he walked over to the sofa.
"I think she needs something a little stronger than that. Is there no whiskey?" Eddie said as he let her go.
"First thing Max got rid of in my office." Rachel said as she found herself sitting back down.
She wondered whether Eddie was going to follow her but he remained standing, obviously giving her a better chance to glance over at him. She thought he was going to ask who Max was but she knew that he knew it was a question for another time.
"And you also need a lecture about how important you are to this school." Chris continued.
"I don't think now is the time," Eddie said. "Plus, you must have worked out by now that she likes to get herself into trouble."
"She should never have taken that risk."
Rachel watched as Kim and Eddie shared a look and she noticed Kim tapping Chris' arm. They both knew this was a conversation for another time. She picked up one of the glasses of wine and looked into it.
"How did he get in here?" She said.
"Rachel… you know how it works. You are just going to ask yourself the same questions you did after the gun." Eddie said.
She glanced up at him and knew that he was right. It didn't stop her from asking the question to herself but she knew that it was going to happen, whether it happened that day or another day.
"As of next week, we've got to focus our efforts." She started.
"Oh come on Rachel," Chris said.
"Let her finish," Eddie said.
"Why?"
"Because she needs to get it out of her system. When I get her home, all I want to do is focus on her. Not the school."
"Maybe he is right Eddie." Rachel said.
"No, get it out of your system."
She sighed and she could tell that Chris didn't really know what to make of Eddie. The problem was she knew how right Eddie was. She did have to get it out of her system and she didn't think that Eddie would want to hear her plans for a school that he didn't even work at anymore.
"We've got to put our pupils' emotional health right at the top of the agenda. Yeah? And Kim, it might be worth looking into something for both Bianka and Micheal. They have just seen their father blow himself up."
Kim nodded. "And maybe for you as well."
Her eyes glanced at Eddie before she turned back to her friend. "Yeah, maybe."
She allowed herself to smile slightly as she watched Chris looking between the three of them. It wasn't completely fair on him. Although, she didn't think that she would let him in quite like she had let Eddie and Kim in.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"It was just so close. If… if the lighter had lit on the first go…"
"A bit close to home," Eddie said.
"It would just have been someone else I would have failed."
Someone was bound to say something but Eddie's phone rang and by the look on his face, it was only one person.
"Answer it." She said. "You know that she will only keep calling you."
He sighed before he did as he was told.
"Melissa."
Rachel knew that it was going to be the end of their small reunion. If anything, it had calmed her down and she was willing to accept any help that Kim was going to throw her way. Mainly because he was willing her to take it.
"Look, either I can come round and help you or you want me to have nothing to do with Charlie. Can you just make your mind up? Because last night made it sound like I was barred." He paused. "What if I have something more important to do tonight?" He glanced over to her. "Not that you particularly care but your sister almost died today. That is why Philip has gone round hers and that is why I am currently standing in her office." He huffed. "Melissa. You've had us for the last six or so months. She has had no one. At the very least this is going to be one night. You be like that." He hung up and turned to her. "Apparently Philip is at your's, cooking dinner."
"He is too good to me."
"He is your nephew. You deserve one family member to look after you."
"You go and be with Charlie."
"No. I've riled Melissa up now. She might actually sort out her priorities after tonight. Or I'll never see Charlie again."
"I don't want that for you."
"I know. But you know what she is like."
"Exactly. She might not be there tomorrow. I…"
"I know. But what did I say to you? On the last day of the school year?" He said as he walked over to her.
"I was your first responsibility." She said as she looked up at him.
"That still stands. Even now. Come on, let's get you home."
She almost didn't take his hands. She knew she would have to thank Kim in the morning for the fact that she did the one thing that she couldn't do. Kim had brought Eddie Lawson back into her life but Rachel knew that letting him go this time would be harder than the second time around.
"I was just going to come and find you," Kim said as Rachel closed the door of the pastoral care office behind her.
"I thought it would be better to do it here."
"You don't have to be in today Rachel. Not if you don't feel up for it."
"I'm only on emergency only. Obviously on the orders of a certain someone." Rachel found herself smiling. "Kim, thank you for that yesterday. Philip told me it was your idea."
"I could tell that you were drowning… I just didn't know what to do. I knew that Eddie would. Plus Philip is only a kid still. He didn't need to be dealing with you in that state by himself."
"How was Chris about it all?"
"He thought Eddie was into magic or something. He couldn't believe it when you said maybe to getting some help."
"I was drowning. Philip is going to stay with me for the reason of the week. Luckily his cooking isn't too bad."
"I don't think I would say no to a personal chef."
Rachel sighed into one of the sofas and Kim joined her. She knew that she could talk to Kim about what she wanted to talk about.
"We did a lot of talking last night. Mainly him showing me videos of Charlie. It… it makes me want to meet him. My new nephew. Just… last night… it was nice. It was nice to have the house noisy again. It was nice to have Eddie there."
"Can't you make it work?"
"Melissa. She is the only reason why it wouldn't work. Eddie would love to make it work. It was just… hard to let him go this morning."
"What if you spoke to Melissa?"
"I am the last person she would want to speak to."
"I wouldn't be so certain about that."
It felt like as Melissa burst into the room that she realised where she was. Rachel was certain that she was looking at her sister in disbelief as she stood up. She really didn't expect to see her.
"Well, that is one way to get me back into your life. Almost dying again." Melissa paused and her features softened. "You must have been terrified."
"I was."
Melissa placed the car seat on the floor before she walked over to Rachel. It was weird. Rachel wanted to hug her but their relationship wasn't what it was. Maybe she knew why she did rely on Melissa. Because, at the very least, Melissa was always going to be her little sister.
"I know I haven't been the best sister in the world but… what Eddie said last night and this morning to me made some sense. And I've been thinking about how one of the last things you said to me was 'I think you'll all going to be fine'. That isn't how I want to leave things with you. And maybe… Eddie is right. Maybe Charlie does deserve to know about you. I mean… you have always been the better sister. You have always looked out for me. Just… don't tell Eddie that I said that."
"I won't. I know how he can be when he is told that he is right."
"Can we talk? Sort something between us?"
"Shall we go to my office?"
Melissa nodded at her. "Plus, I think it is time Charlie met his Auntie Rachel after hearing so much about her. Honestly, the boys can not shut up about you. And then they wonder why I get jealous." She laughed. "I am serious Rachel. Let's sort this."
Rachel turned to Kim briefly before looking back at her sister.
"Come on. Let me take Charlie. I am sure you've had enough of carrying him about. Time I started doing some of my auntie duties."
"Good. Another pair of hands then because when he wants to scream the place down, he really goes for it."
"I'll speak to you later Kim." Rachel said before she left the room.
"You go and sort that out. Might come in later for a cuddle."
She smiled at her friend before falling in step with her sister, holding tightly onto the handle of the car seat as they made their way to her office. She didn't expect it to be an easy conversation but it made what her and Eddie had talked about the night before felt like a possibility. Time would only tell.
