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I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to write over the past few days, so updates might not be daily from now on.
Chapter 19: Foundations
From the heaviness felt in her eyes as she opened them, and the way Eddie seemed to remain in a deep sleep beside her, Rachel just knew her phone was ringing at an ungodly hour. For a Saturday, anyway.
It was only as she began to speak that Eddie started to stir, rubbing his eyes whilst quirking an eyebrow in her direction.
Having gathered it herself, Rachel mouthed a clear 'it's Philip,' to receive a nod of the head in understanding from Eddie.
"She spends half the time getting drunk. And when that's not happening she's… hungover," her nephew ended up saying.
It was obvious from the incredulous expression plastered across Eddie's features, that he could in fact hear the entirety of what Philip was saying.
Inwardly cursing Melissa and her somewhat selfish ways, Rachel found herself searching for something, anything, to put right this predicament for Philip.
"Melissa," she found herself muttering furiously, an agreeing scoff received as a reply from the other end, "don't tell me she's drinking now?"
"Nope," unseen to Rachel, Philip poked his head around the living room door, noticing his zonked out mum - bottle of vodka slipping out of her grip as she snored consistently, "hungover. Haven't worked out which is worse yet."
"Look, Philip. How about you and I go for a coffee today? Hopefully take your mind off things a little."
Rachel wasn't aware as Philip smiled, warmth settling within him at just how much support his aunt had given him recently. Oh how he wished his own mother sang from the same hymn sheet.
"Yeah. Give me a couple of hours. I'll be erm… nipping out for some milk and bread. Mum's orders."
Rolling her eyes at her sister's capabilities, Rachel spoke a reply before sighing heavily as she ended the call, turning to be met with a look of concern from Eddie.
She almost collapsed into his arms, Eddie wrapping his own tightly around Rachel's body as he pressed a well needed kiss to her temple.
"How can she put her own son through that, Eddie?"
Eddie's mind raced, already knowing he would never find an answer to that particular question. To him, Melissa's entire spectrum of behaviour was absurd.
"I don't know, Rach. The poor lad."
Rachel didn't have the heart to reply, couldn't find it in herself to do anything other than pretend everything was fine and dandy as she buried her face into Eddie's chest.
….
Two hours later found Rachel in the company of Philip, chosen coffee in hand as she tried so very hard to decipher how the boy was currently feeling. It was almost an impossible task, the tapping of Philip's fingers on the table and his somewhat blank facial expression doing nothing to reveal his state of mind.
"Mum's got a date. For the… for the court case. 27th of September."
Rachel gulped down the hot liquid in her mouth, taken aback by Philip's sudden choice of words.
"Right. And has she, you know, discussed that with you, or?"
Rachel held her breath until Philip shook his head solemnly, mind reverting back to the hungover state his mother was in at home. Certainly in no frame of mind to discuss the possibility of her going to prison.
"Like I said, she's erm… too busy, drowning her sorrows."
It seemed to be all at once that Rachel found herself able to read Philip. Where would his mum's potential imprisonment leave him? How would Melissa scrape herself back from this brink? Only a few of the questions bombarding Philip's mind, she gathered.
"Where does… where does that leave me?"
The confirmation rang in Rachel's ears as she turned that exact question on herself.
"Philip, whatever happens with your mother, I'll be here for you. Whether that's a place to stay or… or moral support. Everything's going to be alright, hm?"
Philip was thoroughly disarrayed, frankly unable to comprehend why his aunt was going to such lengths for him and his mother, after everything Melissa had put her through.
"Why?" He'd blurted the query out before he could halt his thoughts, immediately regretting it as a relatively hurt expression flashed across Rachel's features.
It had brought her up short, "I know I've known you less than a week Philip, but I… you're my nephew at the end of the day. Family."
He ran a hand across his eyebrow, wondering the best way to word his true meaning, "it's not just me really. I mean, mum. After everything… you're here to help her with money or… whatever."
Realisation dawned, Rachel's heartbeat quickened as she realised what Philip's musings must mean, "you… you know? About the fire?"
He didn't know what else to do with himself other than nod, "the blackmail. All of it. She could've stopped that fire. She's been such a… such a bitch to you."
"Oh, Philip. Don't talk like that about your mum."
"It's true though. And that just proves it, you there defending her, even after all this. Mum doesn't deserve you."
Rachel's mind trailed back to those exact words spoken by Eddie several days previous. His presence, his calming touch and everything that went with that; the memories all giving her the strength to fight back the tears and face this head on.
"Maybe not," Rachel spoke in a hushed whisper, a heavy guilt settling in her stomach upon doing so, "but, you know, that doesn't mean I'm about to stop. Melissa's family, just like you are. No matter what she's done."
Philip seemed to accept this, cogs turning in his brain as he focussed attention on his coffee rather than Rachel's caring gaze. That particular demeanour was something he wasn't used to.
"Were you and mum close? As kids."
The mention of her childhood hit Rachel like a truck, a painful reminder of just how very little she divulged into that aspect of her life.
"We've never been joint at the hip, or anything like that," Rachel managed to seep out through her constricted throat, words feeling like lead on the tip of her tongue, "generally, we're polar opposites. Your mum she… never really knew what went on at home, not really."
Philip felt his brow furrow, not recalling one moment of his mum mentioning struggles relating to her childhood. Which related perfectly to Rachel's allusion that she was blind to it, he supposed.
"In what way? What went on?"
Rachel dragged her eyes down to the table, feeling entirely reluctant to reverse the action, "let's just say my father and I… didn't have the best relationship. Certainly not after mum died."
"What and… him and my mum did?"
She made a face, "I suppose it was better than mine. There was the odd occasion where… they would row and things would take a turn for the worst. But in the end, Melissa would always be his little girl."
Philip felt suddenly intrusive, the pained expression on his aunt's face causing him to berate himself for bringing the topic up in the first place.
"Rachel, I shouldn't have asked. Sorry."
Rachel found herself smiling, mind drifting away from the topic of conversation to just how considerate her nephew had turned out to be.
"You really… don't need to apologise Philip."
"Okay. Well erm… did you and mum just drift apart then?"
"I would say that's the perfect way of putting it. My past… didn't help. Your mother reacted terribly to it, that's the reason we haven't spoken for the past fifteen years or so."
"I got that, yeah. Another example of her being a…" he caught himself with a half hearted glare from Rachel, smiling before he continued, "terrible person."
"Just think. Maybe I would have been a part of your life before now."
"Yeah and having a family member around who actually cares would have been great. I only blame my mum for that."
"Oh, Philip. Your mum cares about you, I'm sure she loves you very much."
He couldn't help the scoff which tumbled from his mouth, "I doubt it."
"Come on," Rachel muttered as she drank the remnants from her cup, "how about I drive you home? See how Melissa is doing, if she's recovered from last night's binge."
"Oh. The joys," Philip spoke with sarcasm as he stood, thanking the waiter.
….
Eddie's grin spread from ear to ear as he watched Michael run around their garden, chasing after him every so often. As he sat, his mind drifted off to Rachel and how, without her, he wouldn't have this wonderful relationship with his son. Thoughts of her inevitably spiked off to one's of Philip and his current quandary. He couldn't help but wonder how their time together had gone.
He automatically stood up as he heard footsteps trailing through the kitchen, knowing it would be the woman at the centre of his thoughts.
Eddie prepared to greet her with open arms, yet Michael beat him to it, discarding his current activity as he sprinted towards Rachel, giggling as she picked him up to spin him around.
Eddie couldn't exactly complain, he thought. The woman he loved had built up a magnificent relationship with his son, Michael absolutely adored her, and Eddie knew that feeling was reciprocated. He couldn't help the way he thought about what a wonderful mother Rachel would make.
"Rachel!" Michael ended up shouting with delight.
"Hello Michael," Rachel beamed as she crouched down to his level, "have you had a nice day?"
The boy nodded triumphantly, "daddy chased me around the garden."
Rachel's eyes trailed over to Eddie automatically, her features dancing with amusement, "oh I bet he loved that."
It was then he stepped out of his trance, making a move towards the two people he adored most, placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder as she stood.
With Michael happily wandering off in search of his football, Eddie drew Rachel closer on instinct, not missing the undertones of worry in her features, even as happiness at seeing Michael was etched into her expression.
"How's Philip?"
Rachel's heart leapt at Eddie's genuine concern, removing her eyes from Michael as she turned to him, "struggling I think. I mean, it's no wonder when Melissa appears to be drunk half the time, and hungover the rest."
"He can always come and live with us."
Rachel chewed on her lip, waves of contentment and pure love crashing over her at the actions of the man beside her, "it's something I've considered. Something else for Melissa to hold against me. She'll be saying I stole her son, turned him against her."
"Rach, she's done that herself."
Eddie watched as Rachel nodded in agreement, glad that on the surface, she appeared to not blame herself for the mother and son growing apart.
"And the next worry."
Eddie couldn't help but smile at Rachel's light hearted tone, "what's that?"
"Steph's first day as head of extended services on Monday."
"It'll be alright. We've got guidance in place for her, remember? And we weren't exactly spoilt for choice."
Rachel raised her eyebrows, "you can say that again. Ryan Heldon definitely didn't live up to expectation," she chuckled, even as a shiver passed through her at the thought of Stuart Hordley.
"Chase meee!" Michael squealed as he ran up to them, cutting off any train of thought that either adult had built up.
"Oh, I think it's Rachel's turn to do that, don't you?"
She swatted Eddie across the arm playfully, grinning as Michael tugged on her trousers.
"I'll get you back for that, Lawson."
Rachel didn't mind one bit, she wouldn't change Eddie or Michael for the world.