Chapter 26: Living a Lie

"Kiki!"

Kirsten choked on her coffee as she heard a high pitched squeal ring in her ears. Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other as their worst fears were confirmed when Julie came bounding into the kitchen.

"Julie, Cal, come on in," Sandy said sarcastically.

"Oh my gosh! Kiki, guess where I'm going!"

"Pluto?" Sandy said hopefully under his breath.

"Pardon?" Julie looked at him. Sandy looked up surprised that she had heard him.

"Don't know. I …I said don't know," Sandy said covering himself.

"Whatever." She turned back to Kirsten with a huge grin on her face. "Well?" Kirsten was about to reply when she was cut of by a huge squeal from Julie. "PARIS!" She produced a brochure and handed it to Kirsten, clapping her hands together with joy. "Can you believe it, Cal here is treating me to a whole week away in Paris! Who'd have known it?"

"I would never have guessed," Kirsten said sarcastically looking at her dad.

"Look at the pictures," Julie flicked the pages to show Kirsten. Caleb took out a mug and picked up the coffee pot.

"You using this?" he asked Sandy.

"Actually…"

"Good." Caleb poured it all into his mug.

"Go ahead," Sandy muttered.

"So when do you leave on this fantastic trip?" Sandy asked, over exaggerating.

"You only think it's fantastic because it means I'll be out of your hair for a week," Caleb said.

"It ceases to amaze me how this man can just read my mind!"

"Sandy," Kirsten warned.

"He's the one that said it!"

"So when is it you leave?" Kirsten asked before it went any further.

"In two weeks – 20th October."

"So soon?" Kirsten asked surprised.

"No better time like the present. Talking about the present we need to go and sort out our insurance." Caleb handed Sandy his half drunk mug of coffee. "Thanks Sandford."

"We'll have to go shopping for me sometime," Julie said to Kirsten.

"We will?"

"Of course! It is Paris. I need to fit in." She kissed Kirsten's cheek. "Bye. Sandy," she nodded in his direction.

"Julie."

"I'll see you later Kiks," Caleb said hugging Kirsten and kissing her cheek.

"Bye."

"Why is it that every time those two come to visit I am always left standing here as though 10 minutes of my life have just been snatched away from me."

"Don't be so dramatic Sandy. I think it's very romantic that my dad's taking her to Paris. How come you never do that?"

"I don't need to buy you things or fly across the world to show that I love you. I can do that right here," Sandy said kissing Kirsten.

"Hmmm, I suppose I could let you off, though I think you owe me at least a romantic dinner."

"I think I might just be able to manage that," he said kissing her again.

"I'm glad to hear it." She smiled as she leaned to him and kissed him again.

"Okay, bye."

Jimmy walked in as Marissa hung up the phone.

"Who was that?"

"Mom."

"What'd she want?"

"It seems that Caleb has surprised her with a trip to Paris for a week."

"Good luck to him," Jimmy said laughing.

"She gave me the dates and the number of her hotel. I don't even speak to her when we live in the same town. I don't know why she thinks I'm going to want to talk to her on the other side of the world."

"You know you should spend some time with her. She does love you."

"So I've been told."

"By who?"

"Ryan."

"Smart kid."

"Look if you want me out then just say it."

"What! I didn't mean that. It's just she's your mom, she should be a part of your life."

"My life is pretty good without her thanks," Marissa said going to her room. Jimmy sighed and rolled his eyes.

Marissa walked into her room and sat on her bed. She didn't know why she had just told her dad that her life was pretty good because she knew it was far from it. She looked over at her chest of drawers and frowned. She got up and opened the bottom drawer and took out a bottle of vodka from under her clothes. She sat back on her bed and looked at the bottle in her hands. She closed her eyes and unscrewed the blue lid. She lifted it too her mouth and gulped some down. She felt the burning sensation as the strong liquid made its way into her system. She didn't know why she drunk it anymore. It just seemed to be a ritual which allowed her to forget about everything.

"Hey Marissa, you want some toast," she heard her dad's voice call from the kitchen.

"Umm, yeah." She took another swig from the bottle before screwing the lid back on and burying it under her clothes. She stood up and straightened out her clothes. She decided that as long as no-one found out it would be fine. Though she knew deep down that she was kidding herself – sitting in her bedroom alone downing vodka was never going to be fine.

Jimmy set down a plate of toast on the table and sat down across from Marissa.

"So I've been looking for a job," Jimmy said as Marissa ate a bit of toast. "I haven't had any luck yet, but I don't want you to worry. I'll find something soon. We're going to be alright." Jimmy picked up a piece of toast and took a bite. "And you have to admit that I've gotten pretty good at making toast," he said as Marissa laughed at him.

"Oh," Marissa got up as the phone rang. "Hello? Yeah, I'll just get him. It's for you," she said holding the phone out to her dad.

"Thanks. Hello? Yeah this is he, who's speaking? Ross? Ross Hunter!" Marissa raised her eyebrows as he started to shout. "It must be what 15 years! No, that was my daughter Marissa. You must have met her when she was small. Yeah. So what have you been doing with your life? That sounds pretty good. Yeah. A reunion? Yeah, no that sounds great. It'll be amazing to see all the guys again. Wait a sec let me write this down," he disappeared into his room.

Marissa poured herself some orange juice when Jimmy walked back in.

"And old friend?" Marissa asked smiling.

"Yeah, I knew him from college. A group of old friends are having a gathering in New York."

"New York? Wow, that'll be cool."

"Yeah it'll be great. You can stay with your mom for the week, spend some time with her," Jimmy ignored Marissa's groans. "I better go and look for cheap flights on the web."

"When is it?" Jimmy looked at the piece of paper in his hands.

"Umm, 20th October." Marissa frowned. "What's wrong?"

"That date rings a bell. It doesn't matter."

"Right," Jimmy went to his room for the laptop." Marissa stood racking her brains. It suddenly came to her. She picked up a piece of paper from the worktop and looked at it. 20th – 27th October had been scrolled on it from when her mom had phoned her. She went in to her dad's room.

"That's the same time that mom's going to Paris."

"What?"

"Mom's away then," Marissa repeated.

"Oh well I better not go then. I can't leave you on your own."

"No go," Marissa noticed the disappointment in his voice. "I'll stay with Summer or the Cohen's."

"No it's fine. I'll stay."

"Dad, listen to me. You are going to New York whether you like it or not. I'll be fine."

"I'll go and talk to Sandy and Kirsten first."

"Well I'm going round to see Ryan. Come with me and talk to them."

"Oh hey Jimmy, Marissa. I didn't know we were expecting you."

"Yeah sorry to just drop in like this I just wanted to talk to you and Sandy."

"Sure, come on in," Kirsten said.

"Thanks," Marissa ran out to the pool house to find Ryan.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I was just wanting a favour."

"You want something to drink?"

"Oh no thanks I'm fine."

"What do you need?"

"I got a phone call from an old college friend this morning. He's holding a reunion in New York on the 20th October for a few days which is when…"

"Julie and my dad are away."

"Yeah and I was wondering if…."

"Marissa could stay with us."

"It's fine if she can't. I can just miss the reunion…"

"Hey, hey. Don't give it another thought. We'd be more than happy to have her."

"Really?"

"She's a pleasure to have around. It'll be nice to have another female in the house," Kirsten said smiling.

"Thank you so much. I feel kind of weird leaving her though."

"Jimmy, she's not a little kid anymore and I'll be watching over her. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Ryan?" Marissa glanced around the pool house, when Ryan appeared from the bathroom in his trousers and no top.

"Hey," he said a smile forming on his face. He ran over to her, giving her a kiss. "Sorry I haven't quite finished getting dressed yet."

"Trust me, I don't mind," Marissa said resting her hands on his bare chest. She leaned towards him and they started to kiss passionately.

"I should really get dressed," he said between kisses.

"Or I could get undressed," Marissa mumbled as she kissed him.

"Now that I definitely wouldn't mind."

"Mmmm, wait," Marissa pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

"I just think we should save this for October 20th."

"What's happening on October 20th?" he asked confused.

"I'll probably be staying with you."

"Really?" Ryan asked sounding very pleased.

"My mom's going to Paris and my dad's having some reunion thing in New York so he's asking Sandy and Kirsten if I can stay here for the week."

"A whole week. We'll have to think of things to do."

"Well I know one thing that we can do." Ryan smiled and reached to wrap his arms around her waist, when she stepped back.

"But like I said that can wait for the 20th of October," she smiled as Ryan groaned. "It just means that it'll be even better when it comes. Come on get dressed. We should go see what Sandy and Kirsten have said."

"Hey guys," Kirsten smiled as Ryan and Marissa strolled in holding hands.

"Marissa, Kirsten and Sandy are very kindly letting you stay for the week."

"Oh, Thanks," Marissa walked over to Kirsten and hugged her.

"No problem. We're happy to have you."

"Come on Ryan let's go and find Seth," Marissa grabbed Ryan's hand and dragged him up the stairs.

"So how's the job search coming on?"

"Pretty much not coming on."

"You know I could talk to my dad about getting you a job at the Newport Group."

"Thanks, but I would really rather not work with your father."

"Jimmy you can't pick and choose. You can't go on without a job forever."

"Trust me I know. I want more than anything to get a job, to make Marissa proud of me."

"Have you talked about it to her?"

"She knows I'm looking for a job but she doesn't know about the problems I'm having. I don't want to worry her, not with everything else that's going on."

"There's something you should know."

"What's wrong?"

"Sandy got a call from Inspector Trueman. He went to see him and I'm afraid it's not good news. They haven't been able to find anything on Marissa's case."

"So you mean they're giving up?" Jimmy asked getting angry.

"I'm sorry Jimmy, but they've done everything they can." Kirsten looked at Jimmy, worried as he clenched his jaw and his fists.

"I can't believe these jerks are getting away with ruining her life."

"What did you just say?"

Jimmy and Kirsten turned around shocked to see Marissa walking towards them, with Ryan and Seth just behind her.

"I'm so sorry kiddo," Jimmy said standing up.

"I don't understand," Marissa said, tears forming in her eyes. "They're just getting away with it?"

"The police don't have anything to go on."

A tear rolled down Marissa's cheek. One thing that was keeping her almost sane was the fact that they were going to get caught. It was always when not if, but now it was never.

"What if they come back?"

"They're not going to come back."

"You don't know that," Marissa said as another tear rolled down her cheek. She suddenly frowned. "You weren't going to tell me were you?"

"Of course I was sometime. I just didn't want to upset you."

"Well congratulations, you've done really well," she said sarcastically, as more tears fell from her eyes. Jimmy walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He expected her to fight him off, but she gave up burying her head in him as her tears soaked through his top. "I just thought it would all be over soon," Marissa sobbed clinging on to her dad.

"Don't worry kiddo. You're safe," Jimmy said quietly, gently rubbing her back. "Nothing's going to happen to you."………..

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