TIFFANY'S POV:
I made my way downstairs with my breakfast tray a little while later, having showered and got myself dressed, seeing Mum sat in the kitchen…
"You okay?" I asked, placing my hand on her shoulder as I set the tray down on the worktop
"Scared," she admitted "I should be used to it by now though, shouldn't I?"
I smiled at her weakly… "Nobody ever gets used to something like this. C'mon, let's get you sorted, shall we?"
"I can get myself dressed, Tiff." she informed me
"I know you can." I replied "But didn't you say last night you wanted your hair washing?"
"And I can do that myself too." she admitted "I'm not an invalid. Not yet anyway…"
"Okay, I'm sorry." I sighed, turning away from her, moving to place my crockery in the sink
"No, I'm sorry." she informed me, placing her hands on my shoulders "Forgive me?"
"Nothing to forgive," I replied "go on, go and get ready. Justin and I are both ready to go…"
"He's not coming with us!" she proclaimed
"Mum, can you not please?" I inquired
"He's not coming with us." she informed me "Not a chance. I don't want him there."
"What about me? What if I want him there?" I questioned "What if I need him there?"
"He's not coming. End of." she replied as she made her way out of the room
JUSTIN'S POV:
I walked into the kitchen a few minutes after Tiffany had made her way downstairs, seeing her sat at the breakfast bar, her head in her hands…
"Tiff?" I questioned worriedly
"I'm fine, I'm fine." she assured me, quickly lifting her head, wiping at her eyes
"No you're not," I replied "what's happened?"
"It's nothing, honestly." she informed me "I'm gonna get these few bits washed up before we go."
"Tiff, talk to me." I begged, moving across the kitchen to her as she moved to the sink, taking a hold of her arms as I stood behind her, stopping her from turning on the tap "What's wrong?"
She turned to me and pursed her lips together nervously… "Mum doesn't want you at the hospital…"
"Okay. That's her choice." I replied
"And I get that, I do," she informed me "but what about what I need? I need you there."
I smiled at her sympathetically and stepped into her personal space, resisting the urge to smile as I heard her intake of breath… "I'll be here, waiting for you when you get home."
"But what about when I'm sat in the waiting room, waiting for her?" she questioned
"You can always come away and call me." I informed her "We can talk for however long her treatment's going to be if that helps. Whatever you need, I'm here."
TIFFANY'S POV:
"Whatever you need, I'm here."
I exhaled a breath and stepped forward, wrapping my arms around Justin's waist, resting my head on his chest, his arms wrapping around me tightly…
"Tiffany, I'm ready." Mum's voice informed me from the hallway
"Coming." I replied, pulling away from Justin
"Hey," he whispered, taking a hold of my wrist as I moved away from him "I meant what I said. Whatever you need, I'm here."
"I know," I informed him "thank you."
Smiling at me warmly, I made my way out of the kitchen and into the hallway, pulling my coat onto my body, following Mum out of the door…
JUSTIN'S POV:
"What're you making?" Floyd questioned as he walked into the kitchen
"Sausage sandwich, do you want one?" I asked
"You better have bought that lot with your own money," he informed me "Mum will freak if you've used our stuff!"
"I've been to the supermarket," I replied "and have bought stuff for dinner too."
"Why are you trying to suck up to us?" he inquired "Is it so we'll forget what you did? Tiffany might be able to do that but me and Mum can't."
"I'm just trying to support Tiffany in any way I can." I informed him "You might not believe that but it's the truth. Do you want a sausage sandwich or not?"
"No thanks. I'm going for a run." he admitted, making his way out of the kitchen, the front door slamming shut behind him a couple of minutes later
TIFFANY'S POV:
I glanced at the clock on the wall of the waiting room and sighed heavily. Mum had been in treatment for an hour as it was her first session, but her radiographer had informed us that each session would vary as the course of the treatment went on. Picking my handbag up from where it sat between my feet, I pulled my phone out and made my way out of the waiting room, dialling Justin's number as I went…
"Hey," he greeted me as he picked up "sorry I took so long to answer, I was washing up."
"Very domesticated," I chuckled "if you could vacuum and dust while you're at it, that'd be great."
"Not a chance," he replied "how's it going?"
"Okay I think." I admitted "How are things there? Has Floyd surfaced yet?"
"Yeah, he's gone for a run." he informed me "We had a bit of a set to…"
"Don't say that!" I begged
"He just asked me why I was doing all of this, asking me why I was sucking up…" he admitted
"And what did you say?" I inquired
"That I was supporting you in any way I could, which is the truth." he replied
JUSTIN'S POV:
Allie and Tiffany returned to the house an hour later. Making my way into the hallway from the living room, I saw Tiffany struggling to hold Allie up…
"Here, let me…" I proclaimed as I moved across the hallway
"Don't!" Allie replied "I'm fine."
"Mum, Justin's trying to help." Tiffany informed her
"I don't need help." she admitted "Especially from him."
TIFFANY'S POV:
I smiled apologetically at Justin as I escorted Mum into the living room and settled her. Shutting the door to behind me as I walked out of the room, I saw the front door was on the latch. Moving over to it, I saw Justin was stood against the outside wall, his eyes shut…
"I'm sorry…" I admitted
"You don't need to apologise. I shouldn't be trying to butt in." he informed me
"Mum had no right to speak to you the way she did." I sighed
"She had every right, Tiff." he admitted "After everything I did."
"That was years ago, Justin," I replied "you'd think being ill would make her see that…"
"She's allowed to be angry, seeing as though I've just turned up with her daughter out of the blue which isn't what she expected." he informed me "I think I'm gonna book into a B&B."
"For one night? Justin, we go home tomorrow, what's the point?" I questioned
"It'd make things easier for everyone." he replied "So I'm gonna pack my bag and head into town. I'll call you when I'm settled."
"I don't want you to go…" I admitted
"This isn't about you, Tiff. It's about your Mum and what's best for her." he informed me "I don't want to stress her out unnecessarily, so it's best I go, even it only is for a night."
JUSTIN'S POV:
Tiffany and I made our way back into the house and I headed upstairs to pack my bag, making my way back downstairs to her, seeing her sat on the stairs…
"I'm done," I informed her "I'll see you tomorrow at the station, okay?"
She nodded her head as she moved to her feet. Moving to the front door, I went to open it when Tiffany's hand moved to my wrist and turned me to face her and her lips pressed against mine…
"What was that?" I asked as she pulled away from me
"A thank you," she informed me "I'll see you tomorrow."
Pressing my lips against her forehead, I turned and opened the door, shutting it behind me…
TIFFANY'S POV:
"Justin's gone, you'll be happy to know." I informed Mum as I walked into the living room a little while later
"Gone, gone where?" she questioned
"To a B&B for tonight," I replied "and then we're heading back to London tomorrow afternoon."
"Do you have to go?" she asked
I nodded my head… "My work's there."
"Can you not ring them and explain the situation?" she inquired "I'm sure they'd understand…"
"They know." I informed her "And allow me time off whenever I need it. But I have to get back. I have a presentation at the beginning of the week that I can't miss."
"Okay," she sighed "fine. What's for dinner?"
"Justin text me saying he'd been shopping when we were at the hospital, so it's chicken and rice," I replied "something light…"
"Will you say thank you for me?" she asked
"What?" I questioned
"Say thank you to him for me, for organising dinner." she informed me "If he wants to join us, he's welcome."
"You've changed your tune?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at her
"He's bought the food. It's not fair if he doesn't eat it." she replied "I'm going to go and get in the bath, I'll see you soon."
"I'll bring you a cup of tea up." I informed her "And Mum, thank you…"
She turned and smiled at me warmly, turning back and making her way out of the room…
Allie's first radiotherapy session is done, and Justin's gone to a B&B just for one night – do you think Allie has an ulterior motive by inviting him to dinner?