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Chapter 25: More Questions than Answers

Rachel smiled as she sensed Eddie approach her from behind. She was standing at the sink, attempting to focus her attention on washing up pots from their evening meal rather than how Philip must be feeling upstairs. She wasn't succeeding. Yet when Eddie wrapped his arms around her waist, Rachel allowed her body to relax into his embrace. Even if her mind wasn't.

He pressed a warm kiss to the side of her neck. Rachel closed her eyes, letting her head roll back on to his shoulder. Eddie's hands trailed the length of her arms, until he reached her own and placed down the bowl she was holding. Rachel knew what he was doing. Eddie wanted to look after her and he wanted to alleviate her worries.

So just like that she let him. And soon found that they were sat curled up together on the sofa. Rachel's mind may have still been distracted, but it was far easier to let her thoughts slip away with Eddie's soothing presence.

"Talk to me."

The three words were muttered by Eddie into the air. Those words held so much love and care, Rachel thought that her heart might explode. She had been toying with the idea of letting her thoughts spill out to Eddie anyway. This and Eddie's tone just reinforced her longing to do just that.

"Before I left home, in my late teens… my father...he used to hit me, quite regularly. He never laid a finger on Melissa though. She was fifteen. I remember this one time the police got involved. I'll never forget the way her and my mother sat there and denied it all, point blank. I didn't blame Melissa at the time, of course I didn't. She was only a young girl herself for goodness sake. But now… hearing everything that happened with Philip. Despite what I said to him Eddie… I… I can't help thinking that Philip's right. She was aware of what was going on, but chose not to say anything, or act on it. For her own good."

Eddie tightened his grip on Rachel slightly as soon as she began speaking. Just to show her that he was there, that he loved her. And that he would always be there to support her.

"It astounds me that you can go through all that and still be the woman you are today," Eddie said, planting a kiss atop of her head.

It hadn't been the initial response that Rachel was expecting. But she didn't realise until that moment that it was exactly what she needed to hear. Instinctively she huddled closer to Eddie, anticipating that he would have more to say.

"I hope that you aren't right, about Melissa. For the sake of Philip. But I can't help agreeing with you."

Rachel looked up at him now, "I just can't imagine what it would do to him Eddie. If that is the truth."

"It wouldn't be fair on the poor lad. But… he knows we are there for him. He knows that neither you nor I are going anywhere."

"I really appreciate that Eddie. You being there for Philip. And I know he does too."

"It doesn't just apply to him you know."

Rachel smiled at Eddie, knowing what he was meaning, "I can't thank you enough for everything. All your support."

"Rachel," Eddie too smiled, "you don't need to thank me. I just don't want you to feel like you have to be strong all the time. Especially not in front of me."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"I could ask you the same question. What I did to deserve you I'll never know."

….

Philip was very unsure about the whole situation. He was torn about what to do. Part of him wanted to approach Mollie at school the following day and tell her everything. Did she already know who he was? Who Rachel was?

He sighed, right now, Philip knew that approaching Mollie wasn't a possibility. This had to be kept between him, Rachel and Eddie otherwise it would get out of hand. The other thing bugging Philip was his inkling of who his mother's new man truly was. He was certain that the man in the photo was in fact Mollie's father. The man who used to hit him all those years ago.

Philip had to be sure though. It was just knowing how to be.

Maybe he could just phone Melissa. Realistically, it wasn't a very attractive idea. The last thing Philip wanted to do was exchange pleasantries with his mum. He knew she would act nice to him and just the thought of that sickened him. But this was for his own sanity. Not knowing for sure who this new man is was driving Philip insane. Or more so the fact that it could be the man who had caused him so much pain in the past.

Philip's phone was in his hands now. With one click, it could be ringing. A few more seconds after that, his mum could answer. Maybe he could stand listening to her voice for a few minutes if he was going to get to the truth. He had to find out the answers to all of the questions circulating in his brain.

"Philip!"

Melissa picked up almost instantly. Her pretence of a cheery tone of voice was predictable. Philip wasn't sure if it was for his benefit or for her own. It sounded busy in the background, and Philip found himself wondering if she was still in Paris.

"Hi erm. I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead! I've missed you Phil, do you know that?"

"It's the man, in the picture," Philip began, ignoring his mum's previous question. It was all an act. He just had to keep reminding himself that, "he's Mollie's dad isn't he?"

There was a silence, for a good thirty seconds or so. Philip was starting to wonder if she had simply put her mobile down. He hoped not. He doubted he would find the courage to ring her again if she had. Just as he was about to lose patience, Melissa's voice broke out once more.

"You're right Philip, it is. You… you remember her?"

"Yes. Only little bits."

"Why are you asking me about this now?"

"She's at school. At Waterloo Road."

"What? I told Julie not to do that…"

Philip's brow furrowed as he continued to listen to Melissa. She was just confusing him anymore. Although he guessed that her previous sentence was more talking to herself than him.

"Not to do what? And who the hell is Julie?"

"Mollie's adopted mum… look that doesn't matter," Melissa baffled as she caught herself. Philip guessed that she realised that she was about to give too much away.

"So it really is him then?"

Philip decided to go back to the subject of Mollie's dad. It was the main reason why he phoned Melissa. To find out if she really did know about the way he had abused her own son. Yet as the conversation went on, Philip found himself not daring to think of the truth. He didn't think that he could bear it.

"He's changed love. Honest, he has."

And there it was. The unspoken truth. Definitely not for the first time that day, Philip couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew what this meant. His suspicions were right. He knew the answer to what he had said to Rachel earlier. He just didn't want to believe it. Not yet.

"So you did know?"

"Know what?"

"That he used to hit me! What else?"

"Yes erm… but Philip I thought you knew that already?"

He couldn't stop the scoff that escaped his mouth. She really was something else.

"How could you do that to me? I was only a kid. I don't believe you."

"Look Philip I'm sorry! So sorry," Melissa sounded frantic now. Maybe she could sense his longing to end the phone call and never talk to her again.

"You've got to believe me though. When I say he's changed. He's a teacher now, well has just come out of a headteacher's role. In fact he's starting a new job in a few weeks, back in England. We are flying home tonight."

"Look mum will you just shut up for a second? I don't care. And I can't believe he's changed."

"When we get back, why don't you come and see for yourself. Or we will visit you."

"Are you delusional? Don't even think about coming back here. I don't want to see you. And you can't do that to Rachel."

Philip was trying his best to lower the volume of his voice. The last thing he wanted was either Rachel or Eddie walking in. But it proved difficult. His mum definitely knew all the right buttons to press.

"Of course you're thinking of her," Melissa scoffed.

"Yeah, I am. And why wouldn't I be? She's the one who has been looking after me while you're swanning about in Paris. So don't take this out on Rachel, this has got nothing to do with her."

Philip heard Melissa sigh. He was surprised that she didn't bite back. She often did when it came to his auntie Rachel. Philip just hoped that it was a sign that the message was getting through to her. Although that was wishful thinking. A silence soon fell, and it brought a realisation to Philip. This wasn't the only thing he had to ask her.

"What happened to Mollie mum? Why did you abandon her?"

"I don't want to talk about this Philip. Not now. I've got to go."

Just like that, the line went dead. He felt sick to think that the man who used to hit him was now a teacher. Maybe he had changed. But somehow, Philip didn't think so. As he flopped back against his pillow, Philip realised that he was left with far more questions than answers. Why was Mollie at Waterloo Road? Why did his mum get so defensive when he asked what happened to Mollie? Would his mum come back? What was this job that her new boyfriend had got? What did his mum mean when she said that she told Julie not to do that? What was Melissa planning to do next? Because Philip knew his mum all too well, and she most definitely had something in mind. Far too many questions, and far too little answers.