Why do weekends fly by so fast, Rachel thought as she was getting out the car, pretty sure she she was still feeling the effects from Saturday night with Kim. She grabbed two painkillers from her handbag and reached for the bottle of water that was standing in the cup holder between the passenger and drivers seat, hopefully the headache passes before the chaos starts.

Walking into the antechamber she was greeted by Kim, who also looked how Rachel felt.

"Morning Kim" she said, unlocking the door to her office, hanging up her coat and bag. Kim followed her in

"Morning, do you feel as bad as me then?"

She turned on her heel to face her "throbbing headache! How much did we drink?!"

Kim laughed "well I brought two bottles of wine, but we finished your bottle first and god knows after that. I haven't had a two day hangover in years, I feel like a teenager again only I don't look like one"

They burst out laughing and then Kim' face dropped as she remembered what she wanted to speak to Rachel about

"Kim, everything ok? You're not going to be sick are you cause if you are the toilets are that way, not on my carpet!" She said pointing in the direction of the door

"No, I'm fine. I have a confession"

Rachel eyebrows raised and gave a puzzled, worried look "what have you done?"

"Ok first, take into account how drunk we were and the fact we can't remember much from that night, so don't go mad.."

"Kiimmmmm" Rachel said sternly

Kim held one hand up and with the other she got her phone from her back pocket and turned it to show Rachel "we kinda went ahead with that online dating"

"KIM! I specifically said no. And what do you mean 'we' I would never agree to this"

"I know you said no and I respected that, and because we can't remember anything I don't know whose choice it was to create this. But hey" holding up her index finger for Rachel to be quiet and wait till she found what she was looking for

"You've been matched with some incredibly handsome men!" Turning to show her, her favourite match!

Rachel quickly glanced "delete the profile, app whatever you want to call it, now! I'm not interested" although she thought they were very attractive and some of them are probably lovely if she gave them the chance to get to know them and her, but she hadn't time for that and her heart was still annoyingly for Eddie, as much as she didn't want it. Maybe this is what Rachel needs to get over him, a distraction but a dating site wasn't the option for her.

"Noted, deleting it as we speak"

"Thanks for being honest with me though Kim, I really appreciate it"

"No worries. I didn't even know till it started pinging this morning"

They laughed

"Have you heard from Phillip?"

"Nope, not a peep. I'm hoping he's coming to school today, so I can see how he is. If you see him Kim, send him my way will you"

"Course" clicking her fingers "right, that's the morning bell, I better get to it! See you later"

"Thanks Kim, see you later!" Already staring at the mountain of paperwork she had to get through by lunch

Staring at the clock it was already 12:45, Rachel stomach was rumbling and she was yawning from reading and signing paperwork all morning, there was only so many times she could sign her signature until the handwriting started to look unreadable as well. She decided to take herself for a walk through the corridors and down to the canteen to grab a bite to eat. Walking past the entrance doors, a familiar face came running in

"Rachel"

"Phillip" glancing at her watch "where have you been?"

"Really sorry, I will fill you in with everything I promise. Can we speak in your office though?"

I guess lunch will have to wait she thought, always putting others first "yea, come on"

"Bridget, if we have any calls, I'm busy. I don't want to be interrupted unless it is absolutely necessary, ok?"

"Yes Miss Mason, of course"

"Thank you" opening her door and ushering Phillip inside first "right sit there, do you want a drink?"

"Just a water please, Rach" pouring him a water, she passed it to him and took the seat beside her nephew

"Everything ok Phil, why were you late this morning?"

"Rach, I can't do it anymore! Why does my mum destroy everything, any happiness she destroys it. She's selfish, such a bitch!"

"Hey Phil come on, don't speak about your mum like that" although she did agree but she couldn't say that to Phil about his mother

"I can speak about her how I like, she's useless. You're just too nice to agree even though I know you're thinking the same"

Rachel could only tilt her head and smile in agreement, she knew what her sister was like and really felt for her nephew. Poor lad.

"The baby isn't Eddie' Rach"

Rachel eyes widened and jaw dropped, she wanted to ask more questions but couldn't, nothing was coming out

"That's why she weighed a good weight and why she was "early" she wasn't early, she was on time. Mum lied about everything, just to steal Eddie from you."

The tears fell from Rachel face

"Like I said, she likes to destroy people's happiness. That's why I've been there all week, as much as I didn't want to. Eddie practically walked away at the hospital, he queried the midwife about "his" daughter being a healthy weight but 3 months early, which to then he got told she was full term, she wasn't early at all. Obviously then, the lights came on inside Eddie' brain and he clicked on and he confronted mum. She tried to lie, but it didn't work - all the answers came out and Eddie walked away.."

Rachel held up her hand to stop Phillip from talking some more and then placed her hand on his arm

"Hang on Phil, so what you're trying to tell me is, on the last day of term when your mum made a dramatic entrance and shocked us all with her baby bump, saying it was Eddie's, isn't actually Eddie's, And she lied this whole time?"

Phil just nodded, not wanting to say anything else just yet as he knew his aunt needed a moment to wrap her head around it all.

Rachel held her hands up to her mouth, gob smacked "oh my god, I can't actually believe this! Why would she do this? To me? To Eddie? Poor Eddie!"

"Like I told you Rach, she wanted Eddie to herself, ruining any chance of happiness you got."

"She won"

"No she hasn't won, she's lost everything. The truth always comes out, thought she would of learnt that after the whole bigamy situation. She's lost Eddie, me"

Rachel looked at Phil with sympathy.

"Rach, don't give me that look. I don't need her, you've been more a mother to me than she has."

"And what about Eddie, where is he?"

"Haven't seen him since he walked out of the hospital. That's why I stayed with mum for the week, just to make sure Lettie was ok.."

"Lettie?"

Phil smiled "yeah mum decided on Lettie Grace Ryan. Little innocent angel she is, once mum was settled and I knew Lettie would be ok, I left and came here"

"And will she, be ok? Lettie I mean"

"Yeah, mum literally gives all her attention to her, doesn't care about anyone else. She's not even phased about Eddie anymore."

Rachel stood up and made herself a glass of water, all of a sudden this feeling of dehydration hit her, her mouth was dry and the headache she had this morning was back. Whether it was due to the hangover or all this information Phillip just dropped on her.

"You ok Rach?"

"Mmhmm" she moved to her desk and placed her index and middle finger on either side of her temple and started massaging "just got a headache coming on, that's all"

"Sorry Rach"

She looked up at him "why you apologising for?"

"Just bringing all this drama into your life, you don't need it"

"Don't be daft, I'm glad you told me. It means I can understand what's going on with you as well and as I've told you before, I'm here for you - you can come to me about anything, anything you feel comfortable about telling me anyway" she smiled

"Thanks Rach, that means a lot. I'm gonna head back to class now, if that's ok?"

"Yes go, you don't have to ask me. We can speak more tonight if you want. I'm not staying late tonight, So I can give you a lift"

"Cool, see you then"

Rachel slumped back in her chair and the tears streamed down her face. Everything she could of had with Eddie and her sister ruined, for what? A lie! She could kill her, the little liar. She glanced over to where she was keeping the letter Eddie wrote, locked away safely, she got up and walked over, unlocked the drawer and pulled out Eddie' letter. She made herself a coffee and sat back behind her desk, taking a sip of coffee and then opened the envelope and pulled the letter out and started to read

To my dearest sweetheart Rachel..