Ric opened the door and closed it quietly hoping to be able to escape to his room without seeing Cassie. "Ric," she said, she was sitting on the couch her wet hair hanging around her shoulders in her pink robe. "Cassie," he said awkwardly. "I'm sorry you found out about me and Maddy like this," he said seriously.
"How long has it been going on for Ric?" Cassie demanded.
"A month," Ric said heavily.
"A month?" Cassie asked incredulously.
"I'm sorry…it was wrong of me," Ric said.
"I can't believe this," she murmured her face flushing. "I bet you all had a little laugh about this," Cassie said her eyes welling with fresh tears.
"Of course we didn't!" Ric exclaimed. "Maddy is so sorry, we didn't mean for this to happen. We can't help how we feel Cass," he said heavily.
"Yeah…I suppose," she said softly. "I can't believe how blind I was," she said sighing.
"We're sorry," Ric said. 'I don't know what else to say," he said quietly.
"Alright," she said "I'm not going to lecture you, you've made your decision and I guess I have to live with it. I hope you're happy," she said with a cold note of finality as she walked into the kitchen. He sat on the couch his head in his hands but the thought of Matilda and the way they could be open with their relationship made him smile and feel giddy. He loved Matilda so much. Cassie was in the kitchen her back to him her body shaking with silent sobs. She began washing a few dishes that Sally had left on the sink. The knife trembled under her grip and almost unaware a thin stream of blood began running out of a clear deep cut across her palm. She watched the tendrils of blood curl into the water she watched feeling no pain…then she plunged her hand into the hot soapy water. Her screams rang through the house. Ric jumped up and rushed to her. "Cass?" he demanded. She pulled her hand out and clenched a dry tea-towel into the cut her eyes streaming with tears of pain. The cloth was stained red when she pulled it away. "What happened?" Ric asked carefully bandaging her palm with thick dressing. "I was holding the knife…the wrong way…I didn't notice when it was underwater," Cassie said lamely.
"Okay," Ric said. "Are you okay now?" he asked.
"Fine," she said curtly taking her hand away. At home Matilda was sitting in her new bedroom the one Tash and Robbie had vacated her eyes were on a photo of her and Ric hugging knee-deep in the swell she was looking straight at the camera her hair whipping back and she was laughing. Ric was looking into her eyes one hand on her hip bone joining his hands together. "Is it really going to be easy to be in public?" she thought to herself. She wondered what was happening with Ric and Cassie. She ran a thin gold necklace through her hands the necklace had a small heart on it and on the back was R.D + M.H. She kissed the cool gold and fastened it around her neck. Cassie sat rocking in her room trying to block out the tormented images and thoughts that were tumbling through her head. She heard Ric pick up the cordless phone and dial a number. Cassie picked up the cordless extension in her room and clicked to hear. She hoped Ric didn't notice. "Maddy? Honey I'm so glad to hear your voice," she heard Ric said.
"Ric! How's Cassie?" Matilda asked. Cassie clenched her fists.
"I'm not so sure…" Ric began filling Matilda in on the day's events.
"So you think she did it deliberately?" Maddy sucked in her breath.
"Honey…I don't know, all I know is that I love you," Ric said. How easy does he blow me off? Cassie thought her eyes shimmering with fresh tears of pain. She clicked the phone off before they could hear her sobs. She flung herself on the floor and curled up in the foetal position sobbing.
Hayley and Kim stood in the unit wearing identical grins of delight. "A house! A family!" Hayley enthused. "I have another question," Kim said.
"Shoot," Hayley said testing the mattress. "Hey! This is good!" she said bouncing a few times. "It should be, the ensemble cost me four grand," Kim said wryly.
"You've furnished it as well? This is amazing!" Hayley said.
"Your amazing…can I ask you a question?" Kim asked.
"Sure…sorry doll," Hayley grinned.
"Will you marry me?" Kim asked.
"Really?" Hayley asked floored.
"Really," Kim confirmed.
"Yes!" Hayley exclaimed as Kim slid a white-gold and diamond ring on her finger.
"It's official!" he said kissing her passionately.
"It sure is!" Hayley said wrapping her arms around his neck and sliding across him.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Kim fretted.
"I'm on top…it will be fine," Hayley assured him. Kim didn't need further encouraging. About ten minutes later Hayley rolled off Kim and they both lay there gasping. "That was terrific!" Kim said kissing her softly.
"I need a nap," Hayley joked sitting up and getting dressed.
"Nice way to christen the house," Kim teased.
"It sure was," Hayley agreed giggling.
They lay together talking quietly their hands entwined. Hayley admired the diamond and Kim played with the band of the ring. "Do you like it? If you don't we can get you a new one," Kim said. "It's perfect," Hayley said kissing him. They went through the house and Hayley exclaimed over the fully furnished idyllic unit much like the palace in the layout. "Classier than the palace!" she joked.
"Safer for a child…children than the palace," Kim agreed.
"We need two cribs! We only have one!" Hayley said.
"I'll buy another tomorrow," Kim said. "I can't wait to see you assemble another…I'm sure the first was pure luck!" he laughed.
Irene and Barry were sitting holding hands and watching a movie when the phone rang. "Hello?" Irene asked.
"Hi Irene, its Beth is Barry there please?" Beth asked.
"Sure," Irene said trying to keep the note of worry out of her voice.
"Honey? It's Beth," she said handing him the phone. "You can take it upstairs if you want," she said trying to be co-operative. He smiled at her. "You are amazing," he said. "But that's not necessary," he said. "Beth, hi," he said in a warm friendly voice.
"Shit? Really?" he asked. 'Irene I'm so sorry but there's a crisis at the school…vandals have smashed in the office and library," he said. "I have to go..."
"That's okay," Irene said.
"Are you sure?" he pressed.
"Yes. I'll stop the movie. We'll finish to together tonight," Irene said.
"I love you," Barry said kissing her and putting on his sneakers and pulling on his jacket and heading for his car. Irene sat down the house was silent apart from the insolent ticking of the clock. She went to the kitchen and began slicing vegetables for a stir-fry. After she defrosted some chicken she shook her head grabbed her keys and drove to the school. She found the school deathly quiet. She looked inside she saw glass everywhere but no sign of Barry or Beth. She shook her head and sped around the corner when she saw them walking together into the school their steps quick and their expressions tense. "I made a mistake not trusting Barry," she thought to herself. She drove home.
Robbie and Tash spent the day shopping for furniture, curtains, kitchen appliances…Robbie was yawning by the time Tash picked out pale pink lace to make curtains for the kitchen. "We just have a few more stops," Tash promised.
"Tomorrow all the stuff arrives," Robbie groaned. "Assembling work…" he pretended to faint. "I can help," Tash smiled as she chose a 12 piece saucepan/ wok/ pan/ set and began lifting various glasses into the air inspecting the glass. She was pushing a trolley and she finally settled on tall glasses, eight plastic cups, a set of cocktail glasses, a set of wine glasses both red and white wine "hey Tash? When are we going to be sharing a bottle of red wine?" he asked. "When we have guests and when we enjoy a bottle together," Tash replied. She chose a set of champagne flutes. Robbie sighed as she debated between dinner sets. She eventually chose a blue and white pattern one. She got her silverware and by this time Robbie was crouched on the floor pretending to be asleep. She ignored him bumping him lightly with her trolley. She chose a 10 piece mug set and a few plastic bowls; she chose all the kitchen equipment under the sun from a juicer to vegetable peelers. Robbie got up when she approached him with the full trolley. "We can go and pay and get a coffee or something now," she said. He leaped to his feet.
They paid using Tash's savings card and headed for the food-hall with their loaded trolleys. "I want to go into Target, they are having a sale on cushions," Tash said.
"Tash!" he whined.
"You can just go and choose a barbecue if you want," Tash said.
"We'll do it together," Robbie nodded. Tash smiled, a jade-green miniskirt caught her eye and she looked at Robbie. "Cappuccino?" Robbie asked seeing she was tempted to go and try it on. He took the trolley and she went and tried it on. She bought it and a tight white string-up blouse. She grabbed her bag paid for it on her savings card and met Robbie who was drinking a Coke and eating a huge plate full of hot chips smothered in gravy. "I'm up for any shopping challenge!" he declared.
"Good, because I think we need to buy ottomans and a few lamps as well…and I want to get a white sheepskin rug for in front of the brick fireplace," Tash said. They had a brick fireplace put in a few days ago. Robbie saluted. They went into Target where Tash bought cushions for the red suede couch and armchairs they had bought that day. She found two matching ottomans and some lamps for the living room, one for the study and two for their bedroom. "I think we have everything," Tash said as she paid for the white sheepskin rug in a rug store. "Great! Let's go home," Robbie pleaded.
Jesse was marched into the court room his eyes on the ground as he was taken to the front pew and seated with his lawyer he turned and caught Martha's eye. She smiled and pursed her lips quickly in an imitation of a kiss. The court was about to begin when Alf walked in a little unsure of himself. He sat down next to Martha. Her eyes shone with relief. He squeezed her shoulder and looked forward. Jesse's heart swelled with hope. He knew he would be convicted but still it made all the difference to have Martha and Alf there. Especially Martha. The proceedings began. "Jesse McGregor has a prior conviction…" it began. Jesse steeled himself. "The defence has a new witness to call to the stand Martha Mackenzie to the stand," the court room buzzed with noise. Martha looked anxiously at her grandfather. She got up without protest and moved to the podium and took her place and sat down trying to breathe deeply. "You were involved in the car accident were you not?" Jesse's lawyer asked her smiling at her reassuringly. "Yes I was," Martha replied her voice loud and clear.
"What was your situation in hospital?" he asked.
"I was paralysed for a few days," Martha said.
"Have you forgiven Jesse?" he pressed.
"Yes. We're in a relationship actually," Martha said.
"So you think he's a good man…who made a fatal mistake?" he asked.
"I do," Martha replied. She looked for Jesse's warm affectionate smile and he offered one. She smiled softly. "I think he's a great guy and I don't think it's fair for him to suffer more…or myself I've suffered enough and I don't want to be apart from Jesse," she said passionately. "Thankyou Miss Mackenzie, you may be seated," he said. She got up and made her way back into the audience. A few hours later a verdict was passed (yes I know it's quick but I want to get to the good part) "we find Jesse McGregor NOT guilty of murder," the jury reported. Jesse cheered inwardly and Martha cheered out loud. "We do however find him guilty of unintentional manslaughter, driving while intoxicated," they presented their findings to the judge who nodded. "I sentence Jesse McGregor to six months imprisonment," the court room was in uproar. "SIX MONTHS! HE MURDERED CHLOE AND IT'S SIX MONTHS?" someone yelled and another yelled "GIVE MARTHA AND JESSE A CHANCE AT TOGETHERNESS…" the room was in chaos. Jesse was led away avoiding eye contact with Martha. "Can I see him?" she asked.
"Make it quick," the judge said smiling sympathetically at the girl. She scurried into the holding cell where Jesse looked at her with no expression in his eyes. "Martha, thank you for that speech. It helped me get this reduced sentence," he smiled a hard cruel smile. Realization dawned… "you only said all that stuff so I'd get up and make a plea…you…you…you tricked me!" she cried.
"Sorry," Jesse said shrugging. "It worked. I got mine," he smiled cruelly.