Chapter Seventy-Three

Some time have passed and Alicia was sitting on the small table at 'David's Shop'. Her sister Leyla behind the till. David was having a much needed nap upstairs, grateful that they were heping him. The sisters were talking about life in general really, Alicia saying how she can't travel back to Portugal for a while now.

"Right...So what you gonna do?" Leyla questioned her.

"Do you think Chas will give me my old job at the pub back?"

"Maybe, you should ask her"

"Justin rang me before, he says Jacob is buying stuff for Maya's grave. He's besides himself but I told him, it's not ideal but if it helps him to deal with it then to just leave it. Don't push it"

"He should be here with us, not with him. And he's buying stuff for her grave, did you say?"

She just nodded, making Leyla give a sigh however what could they do? They could hardly stop him doing that. Though at least he's at college now, he's studying at home. Will put his mind on something else for a short while.

"He will get there" Alicia tried to reassure Leyla; she hoped so at least.

"David's a wreck as well...Keeps talking about the baby, Henrietta went round the other day and gave him the baby scan"

"Oh, I'm sorry but why is she still coming round at all? I understand she has made some friends in the village but that doesn't mean she's got anything to do with us anymore"

"Eric asked her round cause she was the only one who knew anything about the baby"

Alicia just gave a small shrug, she supposed that was fair. Though still, she thought that they would have cut ties with them by now. The shop door opened a bit later as Amy wandered in with Kyle, wanting some milk and bread. She was also here to see how David was, he was a friend.

"Hello...Want some bread and milk, the supermarkets are half empty" Amy began. Picking up some milk and bread.

"So I heard, Alicia is stranded over here because of it"

"Oh gosh yes! How is David anyway? Eric won't really say much"

"Honestly, he's a mess...It's why I'm running the shop for him, we just got to hope he gets better soon. I can't look after the shop forever, I have a business of my own to run"

Amy just giving a small look of dismay.

...

"Georgina...Are you abroad?" Henrietta asked her sister.

She was currently making one of the worse phone calls of her life. How was she explain everything? Georgina didn't know her son was dead, nor did she believe a word anybody said against him. He was her 'simple-minded soft son' and that was all, she didn't know how bad he was.

"I'm in Scarborough actually, I managed to get back a couple of weeks ago. Why? What do you want? It must be important if you've rang me" Georgina stated.

"Can you come to Leeds?"

"Why?"

"I...I got something to tell you Georgina and I don't want to tell you over the phone"

"If this is about Maya then I know all about it, your sick little disease of a daughter is dead. She killed herself, didn't she? You know what I did when I found out? I had a little drink, celebrating how she's finally out of our lives"

Her rather cold-hearted response made Henrietta scoff in disbelief. How could she actually say that? Okay, Maya was sick but she was still her daughter. Her sister had to still bury her daughter and that's her response? Georgina hasn't changed at all, she still refused to be understanding to Henrietta.

"No, it's not about her...And I can't believe you knew and didn't even send me a card, I had to bury my daughter and you didn't even send me a card" Henrietta managed to reply, fighting back tears.

Yes, she was hurt; her sister was so heartless at times.

"She was a cradle-snatcher, Henrietta. Why would I send you a card? I thought you be pleased" Georgina insisted.

"Pleased? Oh Georgina, you are going to regret saying all this in a moment"

"What are you talking about?"

"You boasting about me losing my daughter-" Henrietta was cut off.

"I wasn't boasting! I was telling you the truth, she was an evil little bitch and you should be glad she's dead. I get she was your kid but she was pure scum, I'm sorry if it's hard for you to hear but it's true"

"Like your Ethan then"

"Don't bring my son into this! His reputation is ruined because of the lies she told all those years ago"

"He's why I rang you!"

"What? How is he?"

"He's dead" Henrietta finally told her.

She was willing to break it to her gently but after that small tirade, she just spat it out. Georgina was now screaming something inaudible down the phone. This is how Henrietta expected her to react like. Though she found it difficult to now care about her grief because of how she treated hers.

"Get me now! I will get you my address and you will pick me up!" Georgina demanded. Expecting her sister to help her despite what she just said.

"I haven't got a car"

"Then get somebody who has! I need to see my son now...Either that or you pay for my train ticket! I need to get to him!"

"Make your own way over here, Georgina"

"You selfish cow! You tell me that and now you expect me to make my way over? I need you, I'm your sister. How do I even know if you're telling me the truth...I need to get there now, help me!" Georgina wept.

She felt entitled to her help, the shoe didn't feel quite as good when it was on the other foot. Being aware of this, Georgina backed down but not because she felt guilt over what she just said but because she knew it was the only chance for her sister to help her now as she added in tears...

"I'm sorry for what I said but you always been better then me. Please help me get back there, I need to see my son"

"Get a cab and I will pay for it" Henrietta simply told her.

"Thank you! Oh my God, I knew it was bad when you rang me! I gotta get off the phone and ring for one while I still got my voice"

The phone went off after this.

...

Liam and Leanna were the next people she told. Both of them were sitting at the dining table, barely able to believe it. John had killed Ethan! The whole truth came out , it was because Ethan abused Maya when she was thirteen. It made sense now why Henrietta and John hated him. It also explained where Maya got it from however it didn't mean anything else, she was just as bad. Liam did offer to go round but Henrietta told him not to, her sister would be there soon.

"I'm so stupid...I should have known something was wrong, I'm so sorry Leanna. If he did anything to you, I never would have forgave myself" Liam spoke.

"But he didn't do anything to me so it doesn't matter" Leanna tried to assure her father.

Making him just give her a hug, everything finally clicked into place. The family feud was based on that disgusting secret, Alexander was Ethan and Maya's baby together. Hence why Henrietta covered it up. The fact that Maya spoke highly of him despite what he did to her just said it all really, she never knew why it was wrong; so why would she think badly of him? She had the same twisted outlook.

"To think Maya took you and me to that house...She just thirteen back then and she couldn't see a problem? Not even when she was with me" Liam lamented.

"You knew she's been abused"

"Not by him I didn't...Maya lied to me and said she understood it was wrong. And I believed her and the worse thing is, I believed him too. Oh Leanna, I'm so sorry for making you stay in that house"

"Dad, it's okay; you didn't know...And nothing happened, don't beat yourself up over something that never happened"

"I even brought Alex into that house, Maya brought Alex into that house. Not even motherhood could make her understand. Let's just hope they are both burning in Hell"

...

TBC