After about a week, Kirsty was struggling to settle into Kane's residence.  Most days he went to work, leaving Kirsty home alone.  Since she didn't know anyone in Yabbie Creek, no visitors came and certainly no 'friends' from Summer Bay.  Although Max had called her on her mobile once, it wasn't quite the same.  Being alone, sitting in front of daytime TV and wallowing in self-pity was the itinerary for most days.  Kirsty had been expanding widthways, and was growing increasingly spotty and greasy, not to mention sick most mornings.  She'd begun to hate certain foods, such as corn flakes and crackers, yet suddenly wanted to eat custard.  She'd rummaged through Kane's cupboards for custard powder yet found none.  She had had visions of asking the neighbours, and predicted that they would give her strange looks and shut the door on her.  The implication of not having a key meant she couldn't leave.  Her last resort was leaving a message on Kane's mobile, and hoping that he received it and carried out his orders.  Custard would soothe her; the creamy yellow could melt away all the pain and her problems, the sweet taste refreshing her. 

***

While Kirsty was craving custard, the rest of her family were anticipating Christmas without her.  They'd always been together for Christmas.  Deep down, they all wanted her with them, although they didn't show it.  Rhys again had to try to forget about his daughter, his pregnant daughter alone with the rapist.  He'd driven to drink, and with the arrival of his old flame, Angie, things were getting more complicated.  Shelley was in a daze most days, and Max in utter bewilderment at why his family hated Kane with a passion.

"So why do you hate the guy Kirsty's shacked up with then?" he asked.

"Can we please not talk about this now!" shouted Shelley, seeing Dani's uncomfortable expression. 

"Just tell me, it can't be that bad.  Did he break a glass or something?"

"No!" exclaimed Dani.  She didn't want to say it.  She'd said it enough times.  "He hurt me.  Badly."

"Did you end up in a fight?"

Dani took a deep breath.  "I don't like him because he raped me, and if Kirsty was a decent sister she wouldn't like him too.  I'd prefer if you stopped asking me questions."

Max was silent.  He couldn't believe Kane would do that, and that Kirsty would still like him.  He knew Kirsty was a good judge of character, surely there had to be something no one else was seeing?  Kane had seemed nice.  Max decided not to voice his opinions, but went up to his room to absorb what he had just heard.  Dani took a deep breath as Max left the room.  She couldn't work; her thoughts were full of Kirsty now.  The sister who'd betrayed her, who could actually let Kane near her enough to get her pregnant, yet this was different.  Kirsty wanted it.  Dani had the decision taken from her.  Why her?  Why couldn't she have had the choice?  The thoughts of a miniature Kane filled Dani with dread.  Although she loved babies, she wasn't sure if she could love this one, it could look exactly like him.  She knew that she couldn't be selfish anymore; there were too many people involved.  She'd have to get over it sometime.   

***

The day passed slowly.  Kirsty had fallen asleep waiting for Kane but woke up with a start, hearing his key turn in the lock.  She ran as fast as she could in her bloated state, seeing an open armed Kane.  With no shopping bags.

"Didn't you get my message?"

"Don't I even get a hello?"

"Did you get it?"

"No, my phone ran out of battery.  Was it important?"

"Of course it was important!" raged Kirsty.  "I asked you to get some custard powder."

"And that's important?!" laughed Kane.

"Yes it is, because it's your baby that's making me want it.  It's your baby that's making me spotty and greasy and fat and undesirable."

"But…"

"Shut up!  It's me that's stuck in this dump, with this baby inside me while you sit around lifting stuff at work, then you expect me to cook you dinner."

"I'm not…"

"SHUT UP!  All I wanted was some custard, but you couldn't even give me that could you?  I'm tired and emotional and fat and you're just NORMAL!"

"Listen, I realise your emotional and I appreciate what you are going through, but I'm being affected as well.  I have to work so we can afford to give the baby everything it needs, plus you're not undesirable.  If we'd just get a chance to talk instead of you attacking me, then perhaps we wouldn't feel so bad."

Kirsty took a deep breath.  All the hormones were going to her head; an argument like this was totally out of character to her.  "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to feeling this way all the time."

"It'll get better.  I'll go and get some custard now if you'd like."

"That'll be fine Kane, " said Kirsty.  "That'll be fine."