Part 6

"What?" Liz yelled to her son. "She's back?"

"Yeah, Mum. She is. Nick brought her back because he loves her. Do you know about a little something called love mum?" Alex yelled back in a sarcastic voice.

"Of course I do," she shot back as she rose an eyebrow. "Stop talking like that, Alex."

"Well then, give them some peace," Alex demanded he got up, signaling the end of the conversation.

"But I just want what's best for him!" Alex heard Liz mutter as he was on his way to the door.

"Tess is what's best for him, Mum," he called, "To him, she is wonderful. And that's what's important right now. That she means everything to him."

He turned back around and continued on to the door, slamming it hard behind him.

Liz was left standing alone in the sunny kitchen with her thoughts and fears. She was really anxious about Tess. It turned out that she and Nick were a stronger couple than she thought. Not only that, she was worried about what Tess would tell Nick about his mother.

"What if she tells Nick about what she heard?" she thought, "I have to do something! I must get rid of her immediately. I must send her away for good."

Instantly, she had an idea. She ran through the house and searched for a phone number. When she found it, she picked up the phone and dialed the number quickly as if from memory.

Her heart was beating as the phone rang. She hoped she was making the right choice. Her hand was clutched over her chest and she considered hanging the phone up but when the person on the other side answered, she sighed and gave in. It wasn't that terrible of an idea anyway.

o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"

Liz and Harry were sitting in the garden when they saw Alex and a muddy girl coming towards them.

"Mum, this is Tess" Alex said.

"Tess! You must be Claire's sister," Liz said to the girl.

"Yes I am. Hi," Tess smiled as she reached her dirty hand towards Liz's but a mortified Liz didn't response. Tess tried a different tactic. "I didn't know places like this was existed anymore. I feel like I should have used the servants entrance."

"I've been hearing a lot about you" Liz smiled, "But I was under the impression that you were only here for a short stay."

"It really depends on how long Claire and I can go without killing each other," Tess answered as she was smiling back. But she felt totally restless and uncomfortable with the strange lady.

"Yeah, I can imagine that would be hard," Liz answered sarcastically, but Tess apparently paid no attention.

"So where's this spa you've been telling me about, Alex?" Tess smiled again, ignoring Liz. It's not that she was ignoring her, she just didn't think that the comment deserved a reply.

"Right this way, lovely lady," Alex said as he led her inside.

A while later, Liz had found an old and absurd dress for Tess and she knocked the bathroom door.

"Just get a life already," Tess called from inside.

"The one I have suits me just fine, Tess" Liz answered, perplexed.

Tess opened the door and saw it wasn't Nick or Alex, instead she found a bewildered Liz.

"I'm so sorry," she said, apologizing profusely. "I thought you were one of the boys again!"

"Oh, well, I understand," Liz said, politely laughing. She smiled and held out the atrocious dress to Tess. "I brought you something clean to put on. You can keep it if you like it."

"Oh, thank you. That's very kind of you," Tess replied. She grabbed the dress and shut the door quickly in Liz's face wanting to spend as little time with her as possible, particularly when she was only half-dressed.

Liz went back to the lounge and found Alex carrying something outside.

"Mum, how about dinner in the garden?" Alex asked, "The weather is perfect.!"

"Umm, okay," Liz replied, "I'll just go put something on, darling."

The phone began to ring.

"Mum, could you please get that?" he asked, disappearing outside.

Liz walked towards the ringing phone and answered it just as she had ever since she and Harry had been married.

"Hello? Liz Ryan speaking," she trilled.

Tess was out of the bath. And after getting dressed she was walking around in the corridors. She stopped when she heard Liz's frightened voice.

"What do you want from me? Liz asked.

Tess listened to the silence. She took a step forward and shrugged her shoulders but was stopped when Liz began to talk.

"It was 32 years ago Ron! Don't you think I've paid enough?!" she whispered, her voice full of fear and disbelief. It was obvious that she didn't want anyone to hear her, but Tess was riveted to the spot. And besides, she didn't owe Liz anything. "No, I can't keep giving you money, Ron. I simply don't have enough. It's been 32 years, you must forget it now. POLICE? OH NO! Don't to the police, Ron, I'm begging. Please."

Tess listened to Liz as she pled for the mystery man not to go to the police. She heard a sharp sigh and then Liz continued softer.

"Okay, how much do you want?" she asked, giving in.

Tess was completely hooked into the conversation by now. 'I wonder what's going on,' she thought to herself.

"Okay," Liz said. "I will give the money. I said okay Ron. You can have the money. Just don't, don't go to the police. Please. I will call you when I'm ready, okay? Goodbye."

With that Liz hung up the phone and turned around to head into the kitchen. she froze when she saw Tess standing there looking at her questioningly.

"Oh. Umm, Te-Tess," she stammered as she put one hand on her chest. "That was just an umm, a friend of mine and Harry's," she said as way of explanation and ignoring the skeptical look on Tess's face.

"Oh, umm. I see. I was just looking for the garden," she said, covering up her disbelief. "This place is so big, I just keep getting lost."

"Oh," Liz laughed nervously as she pointed to a big door. "I understand. Right, this way."

"Thanks," Tess smiled and disappeared quickly.

o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"o"

"Hello?" Liz said into the phone as someone answered. "Can I speak to Ron Mitchell? Oh, Ron. Hi. This is Liz Ryan," Liz said, as she made sure there was no one around her to listen. "I need you to do something for me. What? Yes, again. How much? That's a little hefty. No, no. It's ok, Ron, I'll give anything you want. I thought maybe you could somehow let that little brake trick happen again. Do you understand? Good, Ron. I knew you'd understand. Now, let me give you the details..."