Thank you for the lovely comments on the last chapter, keep them coming :) x
Surprise After Surprise:
A glass of wine was all too tempting as Rachel pondered over the previous week's events. Long gone were the times when she would enjoy life at Waterloo Road - day in, day out. Max Tyler had most certainly put pay to that.
She was becoming more and more sure that he was pushing her out of being head teacher. Rachel just didn't know what to do about it. Because who was going to believe her over the man who almost certainly had the executive role created purely for himself?
With the prospect of it being Saturday lifting Rachel's spirits slightly, she grabbed the book she was currently reading and settled down with it. Only having a little hope that it would distract her mind.
Resisting the urge to groan was all she could do as the doorbell was heard. Company really wasn't what Rachel needed right now.
Especially not her sister's company. She was starting to wish she had ignored the knocking and doorbell.
The last time Rachel had been face to face with Melissa was that awful day last term. The day she had pushed Eddie and their relationship away. She didn't need reminding of that.
Not seeing the need for pleasantries, Rachel cut straight to the chase, "why are you here Melissa?"
Weirdly, as Melissa stood there, opening and closing her mouth whilst she decided what to say, Rachel looked down and noted the presence of two sleeping baby girls in their car seats.
These were Eddie's children. And with that, her heart lurched.
"I need you to help me, Rach."
As if this hadn't been too much to take in beforehand, she goes and calls her Rach, "help you?"
"Eddie he's gone and I. I can't cope on my own, two twins who are constantly crying and… and wanting attention. I need you to take one of them. I don't mind which just please, trust me on this."
Rachel's mind had begun to race after Melissa's first few words. Eddie he's gone. The worry she felt was insurmountable. And she jumped to the worst conclusion and wondered if he'd been unable to cope with twins. Too many reminders of Stephen.
"What do you mean, Eddie's gone?"
She should have really anticipated the scoff from her sister, "of course you'd focus on that part. You still love him, don't you?"
And Rachel knew that she did. But now wasn't the time to get into this with Melissa, "oh for goodness sake Melissa! Don't you think that there are… more important things to be considering here?"
She pursed her lips, obviously chewing on everything Rachel had just said, "look will you just take one of them?"
She couldn't resist tilting her head, narrowing her eyes and wondering how on earth Melissa was willing to simply admit defeat before she'd even started. It just seemed that - as normal - she was only thinking of herself and how she wouldn't cope.
Rachel closed her eyes, berating herself but knowing that she would help her sister no matter what. It wasn't just that this time though: these were Eddie's little girls too, giving Rachel even more motive to care for and protect them. Especially when she wanted to get to the bottom of what had happened with their dad. Maybe this was the best way.
"How long for?"
"I don't know, Rach, okay? Just… until Eddie gets back?"
Rachel had already started nodding before Melissa had finished speaking, "did… did he leave a note or anything? A text?"
She shook her head, fumbling around in her pockets, "yes, here. Take it. More use to you than me."
So she did, placing the paper in her own pocket and knowing she would have time to put the pieces of the puzzle together later.
With that Melissa passed one of the seats over, placing it on the floor in Rachel's hallway.
"You can have Natasha. I haven't… been breastfeeding. So that's not an issue."
"Have you got clothes for her? A moses basket?"
At that point Rachel was genuinely wondering if her sister would turn around and say no.
"Clearly," she muttered, "you know, I'm not entirely incompetent."
Rachel was glad that Melissa had turned on her heel at that point, taking the other baby with her. Just so that she wouldn't hear the 'debatable' that she whispered.
As Melissa was gathering Natasha's belongings out of her car, Rachel took the time to admire the girl. She was beautiful, and she had to swallow back the lump in her throat upon recognising the obvious similarities to Eddie.
Melissa clearing her throat was something unwelcome to bring Rachel out of her reverie.
"Moses basket. And everything else you'll need is in these two bags. Hats, gloves, you name it. Just… contact me if Eddie turns up will you? More likely that he goes running to you than me."
She physically bit her tongue to stop herself from saying something she'd regret, "of course."
And with that, Melissa was gone. No thanks, not even a goodbye. It was typical of her sister, Rachel should really have expected it. She had bigger things to ponder over however. The last thing she'd anticipated this weekend was having a month old baby in her care. She would have to get to grips with this, and fast.
Once she had managed to set up the moses basket, Rachel shifted Natasha from her current position to there - sure she'd read something once about not leaving babies asleep in car seats for too long.
Glad that she didn't stir too much, Rachel reverted her mind and attention back to Eddie, and allowed the worry to build up in her once more. This was even more apparent as she read the note he'd left: knowing that Eddie wouldn't have left his two daughters and Michael unless something significant was going on.
Rachel couldn't help but wince as she heard the letter box, hoping that the noise wouldn't wake Natasha up. Luckily, she remained sound asleep as Rachel rose, frowning upon seeing one of the multiple letters which lay on her floor.
Almost immediately her heartbeat began to quicken, noting that the scrawl written on the envelope was most certainly Eddie's.
With shaking hands, she bent down to pick it up, retreating back to the living room where she almost collapsed into the sofa.
It was amazing how Rachel's thoughts filled with the last day of term. One of the last times she'd seen Eddie's handwriting before now. That beautiful note he'd left her along with the watch: the promise of their holiday of a lifetime. Rachel had known at the time that it would've been that and a whole lot more.
Where would they have been now? Engaged? Officially living together?
She blinked back the tears as she aimed to focus on the here and now, trying to ignore the way her vision blurred as she started to read the letter - somewhat blinded by the what ifs and maybes.
Dear Rachel,
It feels like forever since we last saw each other. Even though it's only been a few months. That last day of term was one of the worst days of my life, and I know it will always be.
I want you to know that I miss you. Nothing is the same without you. Being deputy head at another school doesn't sit right with me because you aren't my boss. It feels odd going into work and not seeing your face.
I want you to know that what I said still stands. I love you, Rachel. And I think. Well, I know that I always will. But it's not just that. Because I need you to know that you're still my first priority, my first responsibility. And I know that if you ever called, I'd be right there.
So now I'm just hoping that you still feel the same way too.
Nothing has felt right in my life since you were no longer in it. But that feeling was only made worse when I found out that Melissa was having twins. They came early, Natasha and Isabelle. They are beautiful. But I couldn't cope with it. I know that you'll know why.
The fact is, I'm still not coping with it. And that is why I'm going away for a while. I wanted to tell you where, just in case you want to join me. I would love to see you, Rachel.
I'm staying at the Royal Oak B&B in The Lake District. Keswick. I know the slight distance is not exactly ideal. But it's a place where I can clear my head.
I completely understand if you can't be here, what with everything. And no doubt you are still doing an amazing job at Waterloo Road as headteacher. Just, please consider it.
All my love,
Eddie x