Chapter Twenty: Outsted Out
Stephen did indeed get the long flight back to Manchester. He has been in and out of airports for the last week almost. He had fallen asleep on the flight back to Dublin from Québec besides a rather disgruntled businessman during this final one. Only waking up to tell the air hostess what of the two dinner options he wanted. Before falling back asleep with his face pressed against the shut window and his body slumped down. Though he had barely slept since he was kicked out before being begged to return. He half-expected it to be a trick but was too exhausted to care. Though Audrey did mean what she said about wanting to forget it as she was currently making his bed back up in the spare room. She was dusting in the spare room and walking around it. She walked across one particular bit of the wooden floor and felt it slightly move an inch. She paused but shook her head, she doesn't want to know and thus she walked straight out. She knew David and Gail would be angry at her for letting him back but she loved him. She didn't want to die not knowing where he was but she did have some conditions of her own for him. Which she wanted to tell him in person.
...
After over twenty-three hours on the road. Stephen could see the bright lights of Manchester as he sat on the train. Half-asleep as it pulled into Manchester train station. He went straight to the taxi rank when his feet touched the ground and told the taxi to go straight to 'Grasmere Drive'. He almost fell asleep again at the back of the cab as the time was hitting eight o clock at night. He gave the taximan the physical money he had on him and told him to keep the change. He thus dragged his suitcase off and pulled it up the drive. Knocking on his mother's door with all the strength one expects from a man who hasn't been in a bed for over seventy-five hours. Audrey opened it after watching him from the window for a short while, he staggered in. Dropping his suitcase from his hand with much fatigue, removing his shoes and jacket at the same time. He was ready to go straight to bed but he heard his mother...
"Are you forgetting something, Stephen?" Audrey asked while he was half-way up the stairs.
"Oh yes...Hi mom, I'm sorry for everything. Thanks for letting me stay again" Stephen responded wearily as he came back down, even giving his mother a kiss on the cheek for good measure.
"Thank you but I didn't mean that"
"What did you mean?"
"I can see you're exhausted so I'll make it quick. I got a few conditions that you have to abide by. No more lies, right? And no more dodgy business. No more business deals either"
"Okay"
"Okay? Just like that?"
"Just like that. I told ya...I'm exhausted from all that. I just want to go to sleep, okay?"
"Fine. Thank you again" Audrey responded with her arms crossed.
Watching as he went back up the stairs. She heard him removing his belt, trousers and shirt. Turning his light off and then getting into bed. She can't say she's surprised by this. He's been on the road for a while and in a way, she was glad. He got a small taste of what it's like to be run ragged. He's exhausted and she was glad to see it. Audrey however was still keeping one eye open and while he was away, she got a lock fitted onto her bedroom door. She thus went to the living room again to inform Gail about his return but she wasn't going to argue about it. Just tell her so she's not too shocked.
"Hi mam. How are you?" Gail asked her mother as she paused her television. David putting his arms up like a child as he declared he was watching that.
"I'm much better. Stephen's back again-"
"For crying out loud, mother. And you just let him come back?"
"I invited him back, Gail. Look, I don't want to fight about it. I invited him back because I was missing him. He's gone straight to bed-"
"Oh well at as long as he's alright. Who cares about the rest of us...This is getting beyond a joke now. He can't just keep coming back whenever he feels like it, you gave him thirty grand" Gail responded in outrage.
Audrey just tutting in response. She knew this is how she would react which is why she was getting it out the way early. David overheard in the background as he leaned on the couch armrest. Asking for him to be given the phone as he wanted to tell his gran something. Gail passed it over but very hesitantly...
"Okay listen gran. Gail isn't good at getting the point across...You choose him or us. It's that simple. You either care about his future more or ours. Because any man, regardless of who he is or if he gave it back. Is willing in the first place to take my children's things and money, He's worthless to me. You choose him or us" David began.
This ultimatum made Gail open her mouth. That is not what her point was going to be! And David knew that.
"Don't be stupid, David" Audrey responded as she now sat down on the chair with the house phone.
"I'm not being stupid, gran. Just being honest. Uncle Stephen is dead to me now, I'm blanking him in the street and everything. I sound like a broken record so I got to push it further. You choose to let him stay, you're not seeing me or my kids again. Gail can do what she wants but that's my choice" David replied without even so much of a jest.
"He's my son-"
"Yeah, yeah. And Max and Lily are my kids. I try and protect their futures. So any man who tries to jeopardize that by messing up the will or taking their things, he's gone from my life"
"And what has that got to do with me?"
"Because you're protecting him. That's what it gotta do with you...So who do you choose? Me, Max and Lily or the lying snake Stephen?"
"I'm not throwing him out-"
"Alright. Stephen it is...Bye gran" David spoke before putting the phone down.
...
"David is going to ignore us on the street. He told me last night" Audrey explained that late morning.
Passing Stephen over a cup of tea on this late morning. He had a good sleep last night, slept like a log. This information just made him shrug he began to look at local manager jobs on his laptop. He still hadn't got a mobile but he would do that later today. He creased at the few options he had, one of them was the charity shop. That would be a downgrade for him. The other manager jobs were takeaways or small retail shops.
"Sorry mom. I'm sure he'll get over himself once he realizes what a hypocrite he's being. And I will give you back the money you lent me before I left. And don't panic, I'm not mad about it" Stephen responded gently, going back behind his old mask.
"Any luck with the manager jobs?"
"There's a couple I'm applying for. My resume will be leagues ahead of everybody else I reckon"
"Well don't stress it. A nice little manager job will do you a world of good. What made you decide this anyway?"
"I was talking to my old friend Carrie Meyers. She said she managed a shop before she retired. And she retired with a nice little fund so I'll thought I'll go in her direction" Stephen explained.
"I liked Carrie. She was nice"
"Yes. Look mom, I'll make things up to you. Now I know you're on my side again, everything is how it should be. You got so angry before I left and I totally understood it. I have done awful things but I'm not evil. I'm not him"
"I know you're not. Richard planned out everything, you didn't mean any of it. Did you?"
"No. And I told you years ago, didn't I? After that fire...That you're not going mad and that you should trust your own mind. I even suggested you tell Richard that you're changing your will. And it spooked him out enough for him to stop targeting you. Didn't it?"
"Yes. Oh Stephen, I'm glad we're back to this. I missed you" Audrey admitted.
As she went over to give him a hug. She really was burying her head in the sand for her own sanity. Deep down however, she knew there was nothing to excuse what he did to Teddy or Geoff. Maybe Malcolm and Leo were flukes but the other two, those were the ones she truly had to bury in her mind. She sat besides him with her hand in his as she looked at his options to distract herself from the so-called 'flukes'.
"I'm going to buy myself a cheap mobile and then export the money back to the your account. That sound okay?" Stephen asked his mother.
"Go buy yourself a decent phone and then export whatever's left"
"Sure. I'm dreading seeing Elaine again I have to admit. I know she got her money back but I told her a lot of things that aren't true"
"What's the deal there?"
"Nothing on my end but she won't leave me alone. I'm going to have to be a bit tough on her again. She's a bit too needy"
"Yeah well she thought you loved her. But you're right, you should drop her. You don't want a relationship right now. Do you?"
"Not really"
"Tell her that then. Start afresh truly"
...
Stephen had been putting his resume in a few shops after buying himself a mobile. He exported the money back to his mother and was walking through the precinct. He gave a sigh as he looked at the charity shop. He didn't want that manager job but just in case the others didn't come through. He pushed the door open, Evelyn Plummer behind the counter.
"Hello. You're back again...Poor Audrey" Evelyn began, the last part she muttered quietly to herself.
"I'm just here to put my resume in. Can you get the manager?"
"Oh...You're applying for the second manager position? That's a bit of a stepdown, isn't it? I thought this would be beneath you"
"Can you just do it?"
"Fine" Evelyn responded in exasperation as she retreated into the back.
Coming back out with the manager. Stephen spoke to her briefly before when he brought that secondhand suit. He passed over his written resume with his new contact number. She gave a smile to herself as she wasn't expecting somebody like him but he must be on hard times. Evelyn staring from behind the counter like a hawke.
"Well thank you. I'll get back in touch...Between me and you. Nobody is going to top your lovely CV" the manager told him with a small wink.
"No hurry. I'm sure you got lots to look through"
"None as thick as this though. I'll ring you later I think. Goodbye"
"Right. Thank you" Stephen replied with a false smile.
He felt himself being goggled at as he left the shop. His smile faded when he began walking away. He really hoped he would get a call from somebody else, the nice retail shop in town would be a much better position but he can't be choosy right now. He has to get money coming through now. He walked towards the street as he fancied himself a pint. He briefly saw Sarah coming out the factory but she ignored him. It seems that David wasn't the only person wanting to blank him however it did hurt Sarah a lot more to do so.
"Sarah. Don't do what David is doing. You know you're better than him" Stephen spoke to her as she walked past silently.
She briefly considered stopping to reply but no. He hurt the family a lot, he took back gifts he gave them. The way he spoke to them all like they were dirt on his shoe before he left. Now he thinks he's got a nerve to try and get back into their good books like nothing happened. Sarah couldn't get over that one day either, she just couldn't. She hadn't saw anger like that since Callum Logan and to protect her mental health, she had to ignore him. Besides Adam was baying for his blood and would love another pop.
...
"You're like a Jack in a box. Keep popping in and out lately, don't you?" Jenny asked rhetorically.
"I know but I'm stopping now. I applied for a few manager jobs so wish me luck...And wish me even more luck that it isn't Gregory Pope" Stephen replied as he held onto his whisky.
"Don't be a snob"
"You won't be saying that when I come in smelling like mush"
Jenny giggled in response as she gave a shrug. She couldn't deny the smell of a charity shop isn't appealing for her pub. He smiled back but that was soon erased as the pub door swung open. Carla looked right at him as she came in with Peter, she hated him. She was so happy when she learned he was gone but like a cockroach, he had remained. Peter giving him a glare of his own as the couple tried to ignore him as they ordered a few soft drinks from Jenny. The man watched the couple sit on one of the smugs. He took his own drink up as he purposefully walked closer to them, wanting to get under Carla's skin a little bit. The woman who started his major downfall as far as he was concerned. He stood just besides the snug with the whisky in his hand...
"This is a lovely bit of whisky, Peter. Do you want a bit?" Stephen asked, knowing the man's problem with alcohol.
"We want nothing from you" Carla hissed as she knew exactly what he was doing.
"You sure? Not even a tiny bit of alcohol?"
"You think you're funny? Because you're not. You're just some sad sore loser who still lives with his mom. And is hated by the rest of his family. So enjoy your cheap whisky and flirting with a woman who isn't remotely interested"
"Well it's hard to be hated by a family who isn't alive" Stephen spoke back quietly.
Peter got up as he squared up to him slightly. Carla gently holding onto his arm she told him Stephen isn't worth it. Though the man was fuming as Stephen seemed to think it was funny to torment his wife. It's funny how her mental health suddenly improved once he left the factory.
"One more word and you're over that bar" Peter hissed quietly.
"As opposed to under it?"
This made Peter finally push him back. Though once again, Stephen didn't fight back as he tried to make himself look like the injured party. Jenny telling them both to knock it off now. Stephen just straightening himself out as he looked back towards Peter who remained standing.
"He's a piece of work, Jenny. He just made a jibe at Johnny being dead...He just said to Carla about it being hard to be hated by a family who isn't alive" Peter spoke up much to his disbelief.
"I did no such thing. You're hearing what you want to hear" Stephen insisted.
"Did he really say that?" Jenny asked in hurt confusion.
"He did say it, Jenny. That's why Peter shoved him...So please, don't even humour him. He's hated by his family for a reason" Carla chimed in.
"I didn't make a jibe about Johnny. She was goading me about my family and I took a jibe at hers without really thinking" Stephen spoke back.
Though Jenny could see Carla and Peter weren't wrong. He did make that comment and he was trying to provoke them. So he picked the worst thing he could think of to mock.
"Just get out. You make jibes at her family...You make jibes at mine too. So put your glass down and get out" Jenny snarled at him.
"Jenny-"
"I said out! You have ruined my life since that stupid mistake of a kiss!" Jenny finally shouted.
Stephen briefly looked towards Carla and Peter. Both of them looking back with emotionless expressions now. He knew he couldn't go any further as he still had to remain a good relationship with his mother. So he put the glass down and made a small sorry but it was past that now. He thus walked out the pub in a huff and cursed himself under his breath.
...
TBC