Thank you for the reviews.
Now... if you've been here a while, you know that I love to make you hate characters that you probably already hate even more. And I've tried to make Melissa as despicable as I can in this fic. Like she is fucking awful. That's the heads up I am going to give you for this chapter...
Chapter Four
Acting without very little thought.
That seemed to be the theme of Rachel's recent actions.
Because the moment that she pulled up outside of her sister's house, with her sister's car being on the drive, the thought and want to confront her sister had disappeared. Because if bringing up Philip's dad had almost caused an argument, with Rachel being the one that backed off because she didn't want an argument with her sister, then she knew that this would. There was no way that this wouldn't end in an argument and the only reason why Rachel got out of the car to have the argument was because of Eddie. Because she had a lot of respect (and love) for him and she didn't want Melissa to take him for a ride.
Although, Rachel was sure that she wouldn't be standing there if she didn't know that Eddie was out, with him mentioning about taking Alison and Michael out for dinner. Because he didn't think that Melissa would be home until later.
Which, now, seemed a little weird.
Had Eddie made an assumption or had Melissa told him that she wouldn't be home?
It was possibly mean of her but she knew that her guilt would stop if she caught her sister in the act. And she did hate that she had such a low opinion of Melissa but it wasn't like it wasn't something that Melissa hadn't done in the past.
But Melissa looked rather pristine when she answered the door, which only made Rachel feel more guilty.
"This could have waited until tomorrow," Melissa said as she walked away from the front door.
"Well, it couldn't for me." Rachel said as she followed her.
"It was a course, Rachel. It was fine. There were good parts, there were bad parts. There were parts that were really interesting and helpful. And there were parts that were so boring that I struggled to stay awake."
"I'm not here about the course, Melissa." Rachel said as they stopped in the kitchen.
"Then why are you here?"
"I want you to look me in the eye and tell me the truth."
"About what?" Melissa said as she turned to Rachel.
"Are you getting a divorce from Philip's dad?"
"For God's sake, Rachel, yes."
"Can I see the application?"
"Why?"
"Why not? You've made it. You've been separated long enough that you can use the five year separation excuse. Surely with everything being sorted regarding Philip, it is literally just the divorce."
"You make it sound so simple."
"It's a process, Melissa. It isn't meant to catch you out."
"Says the woman who has never been married, let alone gone through a divorce."
"So talk me through it then."
Rachel already knew that she had said too much even before Melissa started to glare at her. There had only been a handful of people that she hadn't instantly been able to read. And she was only so good at it because she had to read what mood her father was in from an early age in an attempt not to anger him. But it was over the last couple of years that Rachel had realised that Melissa had some of the same tells that their father had. Which now made her worry about how much Melissa was like their father. That whether he had taught Melissa everything that he knew when Rachel wasn't around to stop him
"Just spit it out, Rachel," Melissa said.
"I don't want you to mess Eddie around. Either you are serious about him or not."
"Of course, I am serious about him."
That hurt Rachel more than she would have liked to admit. "Then as long as you have made the application, everything will be fine. Won't it?"
Melissa blinked a couple of times before her face started to screw up in anger. "The little liar!"
"Sorry?"
"Philip. He did tell you more."
"Only just. Because he is scared about what will happen to you if you get caught."
"The only reason I will get caught is because he can't seem to keep his mouth shut."
Rachel could feel her jaw tense at the way that Melissa was talking. It started to sound like something their father would do. This was Melissa's mistake and Philip had every right to bring it up.
"You can't bury your head in the sand about this any longer, Melissa. I know a good lawyer. We can get this all sorted. Eddie doesn't have to know about… the first husband. But we will need time to get it all sorted. Just tell him about Philip's dad to get us the time."
"Oh, because you would love that, wouldn't you? My little saviour."
"Come on, Melissa. This is more than just a little white lie about not, technically, being single. That was bad enough. Fixable but still bad. Now… I don't even know what to think."
"Are you going to tell him?"
Rachel found herself standing up a little straighter. She didn't know why Melissa was asking the question but she knew that she had to try and play her sister's bluff. Maybe that was the way to get her sister to see some sort of sense.
"Not if I don't have to. But you have got to sort this." Rachel said.
"Yeah, I will," Melissa said in a blase tone.
"You don't sound like you will."
What Rachel didn't expect was for Melissa's whole demeanour to change. For the anger to disappear and a smirk to replace it. And Rachel was worried that she had shown why she was arguing with her sister.
"Look, I get it. You're jealous." Melissa said.
"Of what?" Rachel said, hoping that the shock would hide the hesitation.
"Of me. And the fact that three men have got down on one knee for me while you can't even keep a man longer than three months."
The relief and the guilt was a weird mix anyway but they sat differently within Rachel, with the relief making her feel lighter while the guilt was still weighing her down. And she did attempt not to feel guilty. After what she had found out about Melissa, the kiss felt innocent in comparison. Just Rachel knew that if Melissa ever found out, her reaction to it would not be as calm as Rachel's.
"I'm not jealous of you, Melissa." Rachel said. "You just need to see that this is a bigger deal than you are making it. And the sooner you sort it out, the better."
"And I have said that I will."
"And you can't blame Philip for this. He is only looking out for you because he cares about you."
Melissa's smile didn't seem the right response to what Rachel had just said. It was probably more of a smirk than a smile. And Rachel didn't think that she would enjoy what was coming next.
"Strange though, isn't it?" Melissa said.
"What is?"
"Well, what have you said?"
"I… don't know."
"You must have said something. Philip has known for a while. More or less since you've been in our lives." Melissa paused as she cocked her head to the side. "So what have you said that has prompted him to tell you all this?"
"I haven't said anything, Melissa."
"You must have done."
"This is the first time you've been engaged since I've been back in your life. He obviously likes Eddie and doesn't want something to happen that will make you both lose him."
"No. You've said something." Melissa pointed a finger at Rachel. "You just don't like seeing me happy."
"Melissa."
"You always ruin everything."
"I don't."
"Oh, really? You can't go around calling me a criminal when you're the one that has been to prison."
"For something that wasn't technically illegal."
Melissa laughed. "I love when you pull that one out. Prostitution isn't technically illegal."
"It isn't. Bigamy is."
"You are still the one that got caught with your legs in the air. But you are ruining things. Just in a different way this time."
"I want you to be happy, Melissa."
"I was before tonight."
"I hated when Eddie found out. But it also felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. He won't be half as annoyed with you as he was with me."
"No, you are ruining things, Rachel," Melissa said as she walked closer to her. "You won't be happy until everyone is as miserable as you. You should have done us all a favour and died in that fire."
The air disappeared from Rachel's lungs. And she forced the tears to not fall down her face. She couldn't give Melissa the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Which was probably why Rachel turned away from her to walk out of the house without saying another word.
She knew that her father used to think that she was a waste of space. That she was bound to follow her mother into an early grave. And he had tried to do that at times. Beating her so hard that Rachel wondered if she would ever recover from her injuries. He would even wish that Rachel was dead instead of her mother.
But Melissa's words hit different.
It was like she had got the gun that killed Maxine and attempted to kill her with it as well. Maybe that would have been kinder. Or for her to grab a kitchen knife and stab her with it. Over and over again.
It would have been kinder than the words.
She didn't even realise that she had passed Eddie on the way to her car until he asked her what she was upset about the next morning. All she knew was that she had to get home as soon as she could. Although, she knew that she would have to spend some time in her car to get all the emotions out of her system before she saw Philip.
And then she knew that she would have to offer Philip a room in her house. Because both him and her weren't going to be Melissa's favourite people.
Even when they were married, Eddie never felt like his relationship was as good with Alison as it was now. Which felt awful to think. Especially as he had once thought that she would be the woman who he would spend the rest of his life with. It was just another reason to add to why they should have never crossed the line that they did. They should have always just been friends.
"Are you okay?" Alison asked.
"Yeah, yeah. Fine." Eddie said as he turned to her.
"It was all over the news. About that poor girl."
He nodded a couple of times. "It… hasn't been easy. She was quite a loud voice. Have they named her?"
Alison nodded. "Maxine Barlow, who went to Waterloo Road, was murdered by fellow student and boyfriend Earl Kelly."
Eddie was sure that he flinched with every word that she said.
"I assume you are trying to stay away from it all then." She continued.
"I've spent enough time over the last couple of days trying to scare reporters off. Rachel is going to make a statement to them all tomorrow, hoping that will help. Although that might only be up to when it goes to trial, if it goes to trial."
"Can it? Wasn't he arrested with the gun?"
Eddie shrugged. "I would hate to put Janeece through it all though. Poor girl. I just want to take it away from her. No one should see their best friend die like that. And Steph. I do think that Maxine was the daughter that she never had."
"Have you spoken to someone?"
"What do you mean? Why would I need to speak to someone?"
"You know. With… well…"
"Stephen?"
"Yes."
"Alison, if I am in a weird mood, it has nothing to do with Stephen. I can promise you that."
"How can you say his name so easily?"
"Because, at some point, you've got to accept it and move on. There is nothing that we could have done and can do to change what happened. Yeah, there are still days where I vividly remember what happened and how I found him. And it is horrible to think that way. But we can't change anything and nothing will bring him back."
"Exactly, you do have the worst memories from it."
"Alison, I'm not doing this with you again. I've already lost you once."
"Well, I am not accusing you this time."
"And I just don't want to argue with you. I feel like I am only losing friends at the moment, not gaining any."
"Okay then, other than Maxine, what is bothering you then?"
Eddie sighed, knowing at some point he would have to tell someone and Alison wasn't a bad third party to tell. "This has got to stay between you and me."
"Do you want me to pinky promise that I won't tell anyone then?" Alison said, holding up her little finger to Eddie.
"How old are you?"
"Michael has just learnt about it. He now says it when he is about to tell me something that he knows I am going to be angry about and makes me promise not to be angry."
"Clever lad," Eddie said with a wide smile breaking out in his face.
"So?"
He raised his right hand and curled his little finger around Alison's, with it actually making Eddie feel more up for telling her. Even if it was a rather childish promise to keep a secret.
"As I've said, Maxine lived with Steph, one of the teachers. Apparently, there is a history to it, but I haven't found it out yet." He said. "Rachel was called to the scene to take Steph away. She just left without telling us where she had gone. She then came to ours and… the more I think about it… the more I believe that she didn't come to ours because of Melissa. I believe she did because she knew I would be there."
"Is it any wonder? From what you've told me, they don't seem like sisters, do they?"
He shook his head. "I don't really understand their relationship. Best way I could describe it is as strained. Not like you and your sister."
"And you are a good shoulder to cry on."
"I tried to comfort her the best that I could. Then she kept talking about mistakes. Her ever-growing list of mistakes. I didn't really understand it and then she said something about a mistake involving me." He sighed. "She kissed me, Alison. And not like… I can't get it out of my head. Because it felt so right at the time and now it just feels… she's pulling away from me. It was subtle before. Now it is more noticeable. I'm going to lose her. And I wish I knew how to keep a hold of her."
"Well, I can tell you the one thing you shouldn't have done."
"I know. I know. Don't you think I know how much of an idiot I have been?"
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I don't think that there is really much I can do. Rachel won't be honest with me and I'm unsure whether I want her to be now. It's just too messy. I've made my bed."
The look on Alison's face made Eddie think that she wanted to argue it more. That she wanted to give her opinion on the matter. Eddie didn't want it. Mainly because he knew that there was some conflict between Alison and Melissa. Something that there hadn't been between Alison and Rachel. Maybe either of them had said something that the other one didn't like out of Eddie's earshot. If anything, there was no real need for Alison to get on with whoever he dated next. Just as long as things could stay amiable for Michael, he didn't care.
Hence why he left when he did, having already put Michael to bed with Alison, and leaving her to her evening.
His thoughts were racing all the way back home. He really couldn't see a way out. Instead, he had given Rachel a way out. He wished that she could just be honest with him. That she would tell him why she had lost all confidence in him. He had thought it was due to what happened on the day of the fire. That she had finally realised that it was all his fault. It was the thing that was holding him back from seeing her until he had to. It was why he did everything to secure her job because it wasn't her fault that her secret was revealed. It was his.
He didn't even notice the second car on the drive. He didn't notice that anything was amiss until Rachel stormed out of the house as he reached out for the door. And he called after her when he registered how upset she looked, unable to stop or catch her before she reached her car, slamming the door shut with such force that Eddie could only watch her drive away.
Rachel's car was her pride and joy. He could distinctly remember the day that he parked a little too close to her and she made him move so that he didn't scratch her car. And her telling him not to slam the door when she had given him a lift to the pub once.
Maybe it was just because it was a Mazda rather than a TT. He could see the point of keeping the TT as clean as anyone could do. Maybe the Mazda just felt like a downgrade. He certainly would have seen it that way.
But his brow creased and he knew that he had to find some answers to why Rachel would be so upset, leading him to step into the house.
And he couldn't stop himself from standing in the hallway for a couple of moments, replaying the memory of the kiss in his head.
It did feel right.
It was only after adding Melissa to the equation that he started feeling the guilt.
And, for some reason, he was feeling more guilty now about proposing to Melissa than the kiss he shared with Rachel.
Eddie shook his head, knowing that he couldn't do anything until he had sorted himself out. Which felt like it could be just as easy as getting Rachel to open up to him again.
"Hi." He said as he stepped into the kitchen, wondering if he could read Melissa as well as he could read Rachel once upon a time.
"Hey, did you have a good night?" Melissa said, sounding rather cheerful to Eddie.
"Yeah. Yeah. What was all that about?"
"What was what about?"
"Rachel." He said, pointing towards the front door. "She looked rather upset."
Melissa scoffed. "It's nothing, Eddie. She wanted my opinion on something. She obviously just didn't like the answer I gave her."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. It could just be Rachel being Rachel. You know that she asks things and then makes her own mind up. Give it a couple of days and you will find out that she just… wound herself up about nothing."
Eddie wished that he could believe her.
There was just this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that things were only going to get worse, not better. And he didn't know what to do with that feeling.
I'll see you Friday for more of this...
