Chapter One Hundred and Nine
"Yeah...No, I'm just having a quiet night tonight...Yeah, I will see you after Boxing Day, Noah" Leanna was saying on the phone on the stairs.
She was not at all enthusiastic about their relationship. Henrietta was currently setting up the buffet food in the other room (Liam would be back much later, he was working). So she could overhear some of their phone conversation. Didn't sound like they just got together, it sounded as if they have been going out for years, not days. Though she supposed they knew each other as friends before, it might be like that.
"You sure?" Noah was asking; he was also sitting on the stairs; the Dingle-Barton household was slightly more happier.
The children were running about and they were all waiting for a takeaway. Cain had ordered everyone an Indian. Sarah was quite pleased with that as she was laughing on the couch, having a good time with her grandfather. Her mother Debbie was texting her on 'WhatsApp' as well.
"Yeah I'm sure. It's just with the lockdown being dead strict and that. My dad is keeping tabs on me, isn't he? Not to mention that it's a bit further to get to you now, I do live in Leeds now" Leanna reminded him.
"Can we videochat then? I miss you already"
"Well not right now. Henrietta's got my dinner on"
"Well later then. After we had our tea" Noah suggested. He really did like her a lot, he was delighted about them being a couple.
"Yeah that sounds good. Later, see ya" Leanna spoke quickly; only time she perked up was when they said their goodbyes.
"Okay, see ya later" Noah relented with a sigh.
Leanna quickly putting the phone down. Before he even had the chance to change his mind about saying goodbye. She came back into the living room to look over the buffet, it did look very nice. Henrietta had managed to find one invite to come round, her old friend Mary (the woman who briefly helped John in court) was coming. She lived on her own and Henrietta felt rather sorry for her.
"You alright?" Henrietta asked the girl as she put down some sandwiches.
"Yeah great. I was just talking to Noah...He erm...He asked me out and I said yes" Leanna admitted, she had to tell somebody.
Henrietta seemed like a good person to tell. She was the only older woman who she spoke to now. No way was Leanna going to tell Gabby or any of her other friends about this right now, she felt awful about it all. It didn't make her feel good about herself to feel like this relationship was some sort of burden. It only just started after all, maybe it's just a rocky start she thought. That must be it.
"You don't sound happy about it" Henrietta replied as she turned back towards her.
"It's not that I'm not happy. I just feel like it's exhausting...He's a good friend and dating him is not like the worse thing ever. I wouldn't have said yes otherwise but I feel like he's not left me alone since yesterday" Leanna began to explain.
"Clingy already? That's not a great start"
"I feel bad though if I tell him to leave me alone for a bit. I just want some time alone to think about if I want this relationship. Are all blokes like this?" Leanna asked.
This question made Henrietta chuckle slightly. No, not all blokes are like this. Besides, lads have changed a bit since she was Leanna's age. Henrietta never even got the chance to met any boys in the 1990s when Maya was that age. This was her first time being asked about normal boy trouble in fact.
"I would hope not...Just don't lead him on, Leanna. Don't make him think it's something it's not" Henrietta suggested.
"I'm not a tease or anything"
"I never suggested you were. I'm just telling you to not make him think it's something it's not, alright?"
"Alright"
...
A few hours have passed and the small group of four were sat around the dinner table. Bernice, Diane, Rodney and Gabby. Laurel was a bit upset about Gabby not spending Christmas Eve with her, Arthur and Dotty but she knew she would be round in the morning. So it wasn't the end of the world. Bernice was in the middle of taking a group photograph to send to Dee Dee, sitting back down and showing it around. Gabby just giving a grin as she tucked into her nice little roast dinner. Rodney had brought round Gabby's presents already as the gift bag sat in the corner, she was nineteen tomorrow...
"I can't believe you are already past 18...I still remember you being born" Rodney spoke up with a smile.
"Don't remind me, granddad. I hate that I'm turning 19" Gabby insisted.
"19 is a great age...Enjoy it, Gabby. You will always be a little girl to me though...The little girl who use to make me and your granddad Sandy laugh. I'm very proud of you" Rodney replied, giving her hand a gentle tap.
The mention of her late grandfather Sandy made a tear fall down. Though she still smiled for it's been a while since anyone told her that. Bernice giving her daughter a small light nudge, making her give a small laugh.
"Thanks granddad" Gabby managed to speak out.
"It's alright princess" Rodney answered with a smile.
"Erm...Nicola and mum are your princesses. I'm the queen" Gabby joked.
Making them all laugh slightly. Rodney giving a click of his tongue in response, taking a bite from one of the potatoes. The mood was very sweet and despite it being a small number, it cheered them all up. It was nice to have family time, they haven't had enough of it these last two years.
"When things get back to normal, we will have to have a nice holiday. Just somewhere nice in this country" Bernice insisted.
"You be too busy next year for holidays, Bernice. Alex will be settling in, won't he?" Diane reminded her.
"Never too busy for holidays. Besides, we don't have to take him...I mean, just me and Gabby. Obviously Liam can come if he wants too"
"Sorry, what?"
"What?"
"You can't just leave him, Bernice. Just because he doesn't fit into your idea of fun. Step-children never should be treated as burdens. Ever...If Jack ever discovered me treating his children like that, he would have kicked me to the curb and rightfully so" Diane told her firmly.
She didn't think Bernice was taking this seriously. The way she spoke about that little boy was concerning actually. Liam has a little boy who needed attention the same way Gabby and Leanna do, even more so because of his age and disability. Bernice will learn that very quickly the moment he moves in.
"Well Jack's kids were never any bother" Bernice spoke up; making her mother laugh out loud.
"Robert, Andy and Victoria were never any bother? Are you joking me, Bernice?" Diane asked with disbelief.
"I mean...Their mother Sarah wasn't some pervert, was she?"
"No she wasn't. We have been through this, Bernice...Are you going to bring up Maya every time you talk about the boy? Because you may as well not bother with Liam if you are, you either suck it up or leave" Diane argued.
This brought the mood down a bit. Gabby and Rodney were caught in the middle but Diane had a point, they knew she did. Bernice wasn't dealing with the new circumstances well, she either didn't mention him or when she did, she would go back to Maya being the boy's mother. No one could move on with that point of view.
"Yeah, gran's right...You got to accept it" Gabby nervously spoke up.
"I have accepted it!" Bernice snapped; sighing after she did so.
"It doesn't have to mean anything, princess. Victoria's little boy Harry comes from a bad place as we all know. It's not the same thing but this Alex comes from a bad place too and that doesn't mean you have to make it a massive problem" Rodney chipped in, trying to calm down the situation.
"It's easy for all you to say that, you have not been in my shoes. Look, it's for me and Liam to talk about and I will deal with it however I see fit" Bernice replied to them all.
...
The small Christmas Eve buffet was underway. The only person Henrietta managed to coax round was her friend Mary (the old lady who was John's legal representative in court). She was invited in as she came into the living room to find Leanna and Liam. Liam getting up to greet her. Leanna meanwhile looked as bored as sin. She just gave her a forced small smile as the old woman placed her bag down. Mary lived alone and despite him not being overly pleased, Liam let Henrietta invite her round. He just told them to say she's in the 'bubble' if anyone asked.
"What a lovely buffet...I haven't even put up a tree this year, just got myself tinsel to put on my mirror" Mary spoke up as she walked over towards the table.
"Oh I see...Well if it wasn't for these two, I wouldn't have bothered" Henrietta replied.
Liam sitting back down besides Leanna by this point. So this is fun he thought as he crossed his arms. Mary was just putting quite a lot on her plate, she's clearly saved herself for this. As she sat on the dining room chair and got stuck in rather quickly. Getting more energy now she's eaten.
"You know I did rather good getting your John 25 years" Mary insisted.
"Really?"
"Yes. Did you not think so?"
"Not really...You didn't even speak but I knew what your track record was going in. So I'm not going to have a go at you"
"So you're saying you paid me out of pity?"
"Lack of money on John's behalf...Pity on mine. You're all John could afford" Henrietta answered.
Making the woman just tut. Well, that's lovely she thought. Mary knew herself though that she wasn't the best. The only cases she ever succeeded in were small domestic ones between spouses.
"Oh well...I did my best. He's got 25 years and that may get reduced if he behaves himself" Mary spoke up before quietly asking..."Who's the handsome young fella over there?"
"My old son-in-law" Henrietta answered quietly back.
"Why is he living here?"
"He's got nowhere at the moment-"
Though this chat was cut short as Liam declared..."You know I can hear you both from over here...You're only sitting meters away"
This made Mary give a small chortle as she looked over at him. As she shouted over..."Stop earwigging then!"
"It's hardly earwigging when I don't have to try to listen" Liam replied with a smile.
The old woman just giving another tut. Leanna meanwhile quickly excused herself from this 'lame buffet'. She would rather listen to Noah drain on then this and that was saying something right now.
...
TBC
