Deborah Findlay is probably one of Britain's greatest actresses. Having both Deborah and Nicola in the one show is a dream for me. They're both such fabulous women and I adore each of them, so I had to write something for them.
…
The Split
Mother Knows Best
…
Ruth Defoe sat in the busy restaurant with her eldest daughter Hannah Stern in one of the corner booths, out of the way from the public whilst her daughter cried on her shoulder.
"I just...thought..." Hannah could feel a new wave of tears threatening to fall in the corner of her eye. "I didn't think that it would turn out like this."
"Oh darling, I wish there was something I could say to you to help ease you pain but there isn't I'm afraid."
"I know, I'm a fool. A fool to think that Nathan would actually forgive me for Christie." She sniffed in to her tissue.
Ruth pulled back from her daughter, her finger going under her daughter's chin, forcing her to look at her.
"You are not the only one who messed up your marriage, remember Nathan cheated also, you were the bigger person and forgave him in time. I think perhaps if your feelings for Christie hadn't gone back years, things might have been different, Nathan possibly could have found a way to forgive you."
"I never should have told him mum, I never should have told him that I'd slept with Christie the night before our wedding, what the hell was I thinking."
"You wanted to be honest with him my darling, you were doing the right thing."
"Was I? Why doesn't it feel like it."
"Give him some time, perhaps in a few months you can both talk and try and find a way to repair you relationship, your marriage."
"What if her doesn't?"
"Then he's a fool."
"Would you have forgiven dad if he'd come back begging?"
"I'm not sure, it wasn't just one woman with your father, it was a string of them over the years, the man couldn't help himself. Perhaps I was at fault too, not being at home much, setting up the family firm, looking after you girls, but I refuse to apologise for making a future for my family."
"Maybe I should have been a home more?"
"Darling don't, don't start thinking like that. You were doing what needed to be done at the time and look at you now, you are one of the best lawyers in the country."
"After you of course." Hannah smiled.
"That's a given." Ruth smiled. "Why don't you go and freshen up, I'll order us some wine and then we can have dinner."
"Okay."
Hannah got up from the table, wiping her tear stained cheeks before making her way to the ladies bathroom.
…
Ruth ordered the most expensive bottle of Merlot, anything for her daughter. She thanked the waiter as he poured the wine in to the glasses before placing the bottle to the side. As Ruth watched him leave, she took a drink of her glass before looking over towards the bar to see the familiar face. Her smile faded as she got to her feet and made her way over to the bar, coming up beside the occupier of the bar stool.
"You should leave." She stated.
The man turned around in his seat to see Ruth staring him down with her famous death glare.
"The last time I checked Ruth, this was a public restaurant?"
"Hannah doesn't need to see you here, I think you've caused more than enough heartache already, wouldn't you say?"
Christie took a large gulp of his whiskey before looking up at the matriarch of the Defoe family.
"I'm not the only one who slept around Ruth, Hannah never said no, she was more than willing."
"I'm not saying Hannah's innocent in all of this."
"Aren't you?"
"I'm not blinded just because she's my daughter, she's as guilty as you, but she had far more to lose from this than you did, Nathan has left her for god sake."
"Not my problem."
"You really can be a bastard when you want to be Christie. You need to leave?"
"I've already told you I…"
"I don't mean the restaurant, I mean the firm. They'd suffer a great loss if Hannah left, you can be replaced?"
"Are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking. You can go anywhere you wish, I have connections and I'll give you a glowing reference. Hannah won't ask you but I am, please walk away."
Christie downed the remainder of his whiskey before getting to his feet, facing Ruth. He leaned in and kissed her cheek before turning and leaving, the door slamming behind him.
…
Ruth stared at the door for a few minutes before hearing Hannah's voice.
"Mum, you okay?"
Ruth took a breath before turning and walking back to their table, taking a seat beside Hannah.
"Mum?"
"I'm fine darling, I was just getting some change from the barman for later. How are you feeling now?"
"A little better, thanks for this lunch, I needed it."
"We should do it more often."
"Well I won't argue with…"
Hannah's mobile pinged, Ruth watching her closely as she picked up the mobile and reading the screen. Ruth took drank a big gulp of her wine as she watched her daughters features change.
"Everything al-right darling?"
"It's Christie?"
"Oh, apologising I hope?"
"He's leaving the firm."
"Is he, well that might be for the best."
"He says he's had a few offers and he's going to take one of them, he's managed to get a very good reference. He says he's sorry for everything that's happened and that he hopes things can be worked out with Nathan."
Ruth's breathing slowed as she watched her daughter reading out the message, before the tears began to fall again.
"Oh my darling."
Ruth moved closer, taking her daughter in her arms as she cried her heart out.
"It will all work out my darling, I promise you that, your mother will see to that…Sssh now my love, everything will be al-right, you'll see."
Hannah held on tightly to Ruth, never feeling as close to her mother as she did in that moment, the feeling of safety and love.
…
-Fin