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The Chemistry In Darkness

Chapter Nineteen

Wednesday 20th November 2024

As Elly sat down at Chloe and Pierce's dining table for lunch with the couple, Aster walked over to her, with Elly pulling her daughter up to sit on her lap.

Chloe came to the table with their meals, smiling at the pair, "You gonna eat your meal sitting on your mum's lap, Aster?"

"She'll be fine here with me," Elly answered, "I'm used to eating around her being on my lap and helping her to eat her meal too."

"Adorable," Chloe grinned.

Why can't Chloe be thinking that about me?

Pierce sat down at the table opposite Elly and Aster as Chloe brought their meals over to them and placed them in front of the mum and daughter.

Aster looked at the plate of food that Chloe had served up for her mum, then looked up at her, "That's not enough food for you, Mum. That's more like a snack. You getting seconds and thirds, right?"

When Pierce stared at Elly strangely at Aster's comment, Elly giggled softly, "Oh…she's just being funny. This lunch is great," then when Pierce was distracted by helping Chloe sit at the table by pulling out her chair for her, Elly whispered in Aster's ear, "I need to eat like a regular human in front of people. I'll take you to the shops after our meal and I'll get something else there."

Aster nodded, "Okay, Mum."

As Elly begun helping Aster to eat her lunch, Pierce glanced at the pair once more, "Sorry again for spilling the Shaun tea yesterday…uh I assume you've now told…"

Really, Pierce, you apologize for spilling the Shaun tea then assume I told Aster! What if I hadn't?

"Yes, I spoke to Bea yesterday and she explained what had happened with Shaun. I sat Aster down last night and explained it to her. She knows her Dad survived the avalanche and that I had no idea about it 'til yesterday. We're not going to rush getting in contact with Shaun until we're ready. We need to settle back into life here first after so many years away. I'm not being selfish to Shaun by not letting him know we're alive immediately, we need time to put our lives back together here first. Any problems with the way I've decided to handle this?" Elly put to Pierce, wondering if she was being paranoid to think he didn't want her around.

"I think Shaun would want to know as soon as possible about Aster but that's just my opinion," Pierce told Elly.

"He will but Mum needs to look out for us first before contacting my Dad," Aster backed Elly up.

"So, where were you all these years, Elly?" Pierce wondered.

Seeing Elly trying to help Aster eat her lunch, Chloe began explaining the story to Pierce that Elly had recounted to her earlier. Elly whispered her "thanks" to Chloe, with Chloe smiling softly at the brunette.

Please, look at me forever like that, Chloe. Forever…you can't spend forever with Chloe…unless you make her like you and you would never ever do that to Chloe…ever.

Pierce glanced at Elly suspiciously as Chloe explained where Elly had been and why she hadn't returned to her family until this week. Elly saw the looks he was giving her, half-worried that he knew most of it was a lie, but she was hardly concerned that Pierce of all people would figure out the truth that she was a werewolf and had killed Finn.

"I'm not sure I quite understand why you stayed away with your daughter for nearly four years," Pierce remarked at the end of Chloe's explanation.

"I've made some mistakes in the last few years thinking my family could never forgive me for not letting them know I was alive and raising my daughter. I know what I did put them through hell. I'm here now to make up for all of it. I've got a lot of work to do with my family to get them to trust I'm not just gonna take off again. I'd appreciate it if Aster and I could be given support by our family and friends whilst we get used to our lives here," Elly replied with authority.

"You definitely have our support, Elly. We don't want you going anywhere," Chloe perked up.

I just got you back, Elly, I need you here with me…

Pierce looked annoyed that Chloe had spoken for him but he was hardly one to want to make a scene with his wife in front of her ex-girlfriend.

"So, what else have I missed these past few years I've been away from Erinsborough?" Elly shifted the conversation along.

"Not a whole lot," Pierce answered.

Elly lowered her eyes at the businessman, "Really? Cause not gonna lie I was a little surprised about Bea and Yashvi being engaged yet it-"

"Wait, Bea finally proposed? Yashvi said yes! How did we not hear about this? Bea's had that ring on her for the past six months. I kept telling her to ask Yashvi but she was so scared Yashvi isn't the marrying type," Chloe blurted out.

Elly smiled over at the blonde for her rambling, "I think the girls are waiting until the shock of me being back wears off before they announce their engagement to everyone. They had Dipi and Shane over to celebrate with them, Suze and Karl, so it's not like they aren't telling people. I'm sure by the weekend, they'll be ready to tell the world."

"We need to throw them an engagement party," Chloe enthused.

"We never had one of those," Pierce replied.

"That's because we got married like a month after getting engaged and didn't really have time," Chloe pointed out.

Rushing into marriage with a guy you barely know…how different would our lives have been if I'd have stopped you?

"Why don't I run the idea past them? Make sure they want an engagement party. For all I know, they may want to rush down the aisle…seeing as though I don't really know Bea and Yashvi as a couple and am still getting used to my little sister getting married," Elly offered.

"Perfect. When Bea and Yashvi say yes because I know they will, you and I should plan the engagement party for them," Chloe winked at Elly.

"You and I?" Elly repeated, trying not to get her hopes up.

"Yes, absolutely, we'll get together and we'll plan the entire party for them. With some help from lil Aster, of course. What do you say, Elly?" Chloe asked.

"I think Elly's got a lot she needs to catch up on and doesn't need to be involved in planning some lil party that you can manage all on your own, Chloe," Pierce piped up.

"Sounds perfect," Elly grinned, ignoring Pierce, "Why don't Aster and I come over this weekend and we'll start putting our ideas together?"

"Chloe and I are spending the weekend together. How about you come over one night this week and we'll discuss this over dinner? We'll make it an early dinner for Aster," Pierce offered.

"This weekend sounds great," Chloe agreed, ignoring Pierce's idea, "You can clear out for a few hours, let Elly, Aster and I have the house to ourselves so we can plan this event, Pierce? C'mon, you know Bea's my best friend and this will be a chance for Elly to start making it up to Bea for missing the last few years of her life where she could've seen Bea falling for Yashvi and how adorable a couple they were once they got together."

"I suppose there's some work I can do from home here on the weekend, you won't even notice me," Pierce offered.

"We're only talking like an hour or two, you can go for a run or go to the gym or something to leave us in peace," Chloe challenged.

Why do I get the sense that Chloe is literally having to ask Pierce permission to spend time with someone who isn't him…? I still don't understand why Chloe isn't close to her brothers anymore…

"Okay, fine, why don't you invite Bea and Yashvi over so the four of you plus Aster can plan the party together? Bea and Yashvi will want their input into the occasion," Pierce suggested.

"Oh, please, Bea and Yashvi will be fine with us planning a little engagement party. It's not like we're gonna be planning some secluded party on your island for us to spend the week at," Chloe rolled her eyes at her husband.

Ugh Pierce's island, I remember when Finn wanted to kill Bea and Chloe on the-I'm not supposed to know about the island because I can't have anyone knowing that I came home the day Finn disappeared…after you killed him…

Pierce shrugged, "Well, you don't know what-"

"Pierce has an island!" Elly reacted slowly yet loudly.

Chloe raised her eyebrow at Elly, "Ah…yes, you weren't around when…Pierce has an island. I only found out a few months after you went missing. We went out there for several days. Actually, that was a day or two after Finn went missing. Bea had a hell of a time dealing with that but it was really good we all got away. We haven't had too many chances to head back there. Lightning hit the island, half of it went up in flames…which it should be well and truly regrown by now. We should check on it in the next few weeks to make sure it's back to being habitable. Might actually be able to sell it if it is."

"You want to sell an island!?" Elly raised her own eyebrow back at Chloe.

"We can put it on the market…see if it attracts any buyers," Pierce decided, "We're kinda off topic, we'll look into the island over the next month or so…maybe leave it to the new year since there's no rush. But back to Bea and Yashvi's engagement party, I think they would want input into their celebration."

Elly shook her head at Piere, "Nah, Chloe and I will organize the whole thing along with Aster's input, of course. I'll ask Bea if she's happy for us to plan it."

"I reckon the only thing Bea will want to plan is the date to make sure Yashvi isn't working the night shift that day. The rest they will happily palm off to us," Chloe smiled.

"So, that's settled. You, me, Aster, engagement party planning this weekend. Sound fun, baby girl?" Elly enthused.

Aster grinned up at Elly then over at Chloe, happily seeing the way Chloe was looking at her mum, "Lots of fun."

"Yeah…fun," Pierce repeated their word slowly as he sat there staring between the two women and the smiles on their faces at one another, feeling uneasy about Elly's return to Chloe's life.

Pierce knew deep down Chloe had loved Elly fiercely and he'd always worried that she'd never felt as strongly about him despite choosing to marry him over pursuing a relationship with Elly. Now that Elly had returned after her absence, he was already starting to feel anxious of the pair spending time together and where that could lead but needed to stay positive that nothing in the world could lead Chloe from his arms…

Next time - Elly's big plans to organize an engagement party for Bea & Yashvi with Chloe hits a snag when the couple want their engagement party during the full moon cycle