Notes: I forgot to say last time, but during my hiatus-or whatever you want to call it- Fanfiction added Jacqui, Gilly and Rhys to the character list for me, yay. :D
Chapter Eleven
Jacqui stormed into the McQueen's house, banging the door closed as loud as she possibly could behind her, in all her anger.
"What d'ell's wrong wid you? Mercedes asked, with wide shocked eyes. Jacqui didn't often act like this; Mercy was usually the one doing that sort of thing.
"Bloody Gilleh causin' problems again, ent he. S'been dead just over a week and he's still-he's still just causin' trouble ent he," Jacqui replied; her words pouring out of her mouth quickly and frustratedly.
"Why, what's happened now, Jac?" Carmel asked, in a much more sympathetic tone than Mercedes, unsurprisingly. Jacqui sighed loudly whilst she flopped herself down on the sofa.
"Bloody Rhys moanin' 'bout not being able to go to 'is funeral, ent he," Jacqui exclaimed, angrily. "Wanna know what makes it worse eh? He's moanin' about it ta Cheryl. Cheryl! As if she ent caused enough trouble, er."
"Why can't he go?" Carmel asked, not really taking the rest of Jacqui's sentence in.
"I dunnah, Frankie won't let him or sumit. But that ent the point, right, is it Carm? He actually wants to go to a rapists funeral. Why? J-just why. Wh-why would he want to do that 'ey?"
"You can't stop him, Jacq. He probably just wanted to say goodbye. He did know him a long time, over 20 years is quite a long time," Carmel replied, wisely, as she sat down next to Jacqui and rested her hand on her sister's knee.
"Rhys ain't done nout wrong, sis. Why d'ya blame 'im all d'time?" Mercedes added, sharply. Jacqui sat quietly for a few minutes. She was thinking to herself, she hadn't been thinking straight at all. After managing to gather her thoughts and calm down, she sighed softly and bashed her hand against her head.
"God, ya lot are right ent ya," she breathed out, unwillingly. "Gonna go speak to 'im," she continued, dragging herself up off the sofa.
"Look, I had nothing to do with Frankie's plan, Rhys," Josh explained, truthfully, back at the flat. Frankie hadn't really spoken to him about it, so he'd been as shocked as Rhys and he definitely didn't agree with Frankie's decisions.
"It's fine, mate," Rhys exhaled, having calmed down a lot more; mainly thanks to Cheryl.
"If you want, I can try and talk her round, or-"
"Nah, Josh," Rhys interrupted. "She's probably right ent she. Chez and I are gonna do somethin' after. Just need ta sort things out with Jacqui now."
"Again?" Josh asked, emphasising the word. He couldn't keep up with Rhys and Jacqui's relationship. In fact, Rhys could barely keep up with it himself.
"Yes! She overheard me goin' on about Gilleh's funeral and freaked out, dint she," Rhys replied with a brief sigh. Just seconds after he'd stopped speaking the door knocked. As he was stood right by it, Josh quickly opened it and stared at the blonde girl who stood the other side of it, staring back at him.
"Oh heya, Josh, dint know you were still around, thought you moved to Spain like agessss ago," Theresa mumbled quickly, in her usual tone of voice, brushing her fringe out of her face and biting her lip. All she could really remember of Josh was when she was dating Ste and he was dating Amy, she didn't think he liked her very much.
"I did," he said, before turning to look at Rhys, giving him a weird look as if to say 'oh god, she's still crazy.' "I'll leave you guys to it," he continued, shortly before walking off out the door.
"Hi Rhys, is our Jacqui not around? Can't find her like anywhere," Theresa asked, having just come back from the SU bar and thought the flat was the best place to look first.
"Nah, thought she'd be at yours?" Rhys replied as he hand-gestured for Theresa to come in. She soon stumbled happily in, accidentally slamming the door behind her and jumping as it made a loud noise.
"Oh I haven't looked there yet. Just wanted to get her opinion on my new shoes. What d'you think, Rhys?" She asked, staring down at her feet and tilting them in different directions to get a good look at them.
"Ent really an expert on shoes, love. Ya want a brew while you're 'ere ay?" Rhys asked; bouncing over to the kitchen area of the flat.
"Uh, I'll just have an orange juice, please," Theresa replied politely as she sat herself down on the couch. "Are you and our Jacqui ok now?" She asked Rhys, tilting her head around to look into his direction whilst she spoke.
"Not realleh," Rhys said in an emotionless-sounding voice.
"Well what about the cops? Do they still think it was her? I can't believe Ethan, he's knows she'd never do something that silly, especially after Calvin and that."
"He just doin' 'is job, ent he, ey? They 'ave no evidence though, so they can't do nuffin, can they. Right though, you are. My Jacqeh wouldn't do sumit like that. Should've believed 'er from tha start, I should've," he replied with a loud sigh as he poured the drinks.
"Well you'll work things our with her though, I mean ya always do," Theresa said, with a reassuring smile as Rhys sat down next to her, placing the two cups on the table. "You know, I wish I had someone like you. I mean, it just never works out, does it? Will's all uni-obsessed lately and he hasn't got much time for me. Our Jacq's well lucky to have you, ya know." There was a couple of seconds silence before Rhys turned towards her and grinned.
"Ya think?" He asked, a little surprised by her words. She nodded as she pressed her lips together and smiled at him, shortly before beginning to sip her drink. "Cheers, T."
"What for? Dint really do nothing, did I?" Theresa replied; a confused look on her face. Rhys breathed out slowly and leaned forward a little.
"Everyone else is bringin' up all this crap from the past, ent they yeah, they don't realise that ah could've and 'ave changed. You're lookin' at me like, like in tha moment, gotta thank ya for that, ent I."
"Spose. Our 'Chaela said she thought you were well pervy back in the day. Auntie Myra too. They love ya now though."
"Don't blame 'em. Things are different now though, ent they. Just need ta get though this…some 'ow." Rhys smiled at her before turning to face straight ahead of himself. Theresa's words were making him feel a little more determine but he needed Jacqui to put in the effort too.
"Never really had chance to say this before, but I kinda still feel the need to thank ya for being alright with the whole Calvin thing, ya know. Oh and sorry me mum nearly shot ya," Theresa thanked him, opening her mouth half way and biting her teeth together, scrunching her nose up at the end of her sentence.
"You're me cousin-in-law, or sis-in-law, god, ya family's as messed up as mine. Point is though right, ya family, so ya know," Rhys replied. Once he'd found out about Calvin he was initially shocked and luckily drunk, but all he could really do after that was help. He'd probably have been a little hypocritical if he'd judged too harshly and he knew someone like Theresa was hardly dangerous, despite being a McQueen. The door opened suddenly again and Suzanne walked in with a few price slice bags in her hands. She smiled at Theresa whilst she walked over to the kitchen area.
"Oh hi Theresa, didn't expect to see you here, you ok?" She asked, whilst she placed the bags on the side.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Gonna head off now anyway, if ya see our Jacq, can ya tell her I was looking for her?" Theresa slurred as she jumped up and stumbled to the door.
"Will do. Thanks again, yeah, love," Rhys mumbled back to her as he watched her walk down the steps and leave the building.
"Jacq….Jacq! I've been looking for ya like everywhere," Theresa called after her half-sister as she tried to catch up with her along the outside of Cinergy.
"What you want now, T?" Jacqui moaned, continuing to walk. "I wanted your opinion on my new shoes. Do you think they're too slutty"
"How can shoes be slutteh, luv? I'm sure they're fine."
"There was something else too…Will youu stop walkin'. Gonna break my ankle tryin'a catch up with you, I am," Theresa continued, after a loud sigh, forcing Jacqui to stop. She crossed her arms and stared at Theresa, sighing herself.
"Go on then, be quick though won't ya, got places to be, me."
"I really think you should give Rhys another chance," Theresa blurted out, after another quick bite of her lip.
"Already 'ad all this from the others, don't need it from you too, sweet'eart."
"But he's dead lovely and you two are like made for each other. I'd give anything to have someone half as nice as him, I would. He loves you well loads." There was a few seconds silence before Jacqui replied.
"I know, I know. I'm on me way over t'his now, aren't I."
"Could've told me that before I started saying all that stuff. Hurry up and get over there then," Theresa pushed her, with a grin.
"Kinda wanted t'see wha' ya 'ad to say 'bout him, dint I ay. I'll see ya later," Jacqui said with a cheeky smile shortly before she walked off. She quickly got her phone out and sent Rhys a text.'Where are ya, need'ta chat. J,' whilst she walked into the direction of the flat, presuming he'd be there. She kept her phone placed tightly in the palm of her hand so she'd be able to see his reply quick.
"At home," was all he sent back, but at least it was something.
He opened the door steadily, staring at her with no expression on his face. He didn't like how she'd reacted before, it wasn't fair. But saying that, he did want to work things out, especially after what Theresa had said to him.
"Theresa's looking for you," he said blankly as she stood facing him in the doorway of the flat.
"Yea, I urm saw her on me way over, din' I." Jacqui stared at him, waiting for him to say something, but no more words came out of his mouth. "Rhys…I've come t'apologise, love." Rhys sighed in response and dragged Jacqui to the top of the stairs and sat her down with him so that they could talk alone without Suzanne interfering. "Look, Rhys, I'm sorry, yeah? I know you 'n' Gilleh were dead close, I really do. It's just, what he did-" Jacqui began, a little hesitantly, stopping herself before she said anymore on that subject. "Out of line that Frankie is."
"I can't keep up, Jacq. From now on I need ya to be straight with me yeah? I know I've said this before, but this time we have to be. This is our last chance to work this out. We deal with this together."
"What 'bout the funeral, love?"
"Cheryl and I are gonna say goodbye to 'im separately, it'll be better that way," Rhys replied, with a faint smile.
"Well d'ya want me to be der too?"
"No Jacq! I've gotta do this without you there, alright? I'd be too scared I'd say something that'd-that's upset ya, or sumit." Jacqui curved her lips upwards briefly and put her hand on Rhys' knee; rubbing it softly. "Cmon, let's go for a walk, she said, with a smile still on her face as she got up and dragged Rhys up too.
"Funny one your T is. Wanted to know what ah thought about 'er shoes. What did she expect me to say, ay?" Rhys laughed as he and Jacqui walked down the street; their arms linked together.
"Never fails t'surprise me, that one." Just as Jacqui had reached the end of her sentence, someone began to approach them. She stopped a few metres away from them and just stared into their direction. She looked as if she was shaking a little, but she wasn't close enough to tell. "Can we help ya love?" Jacqui shouted over to her.
"Oi, you're that girl who was starin' at me in the pub before aren't ya?" Rhys asked her, talking a couple of steps in her direction. Jacqui grabbed his arm.
"Why was she starin' at ya?" She growled at him, not noticing the women beginning to wander away from them.
"Well I dunno, do I. Presumed she was just some girl I'd pulled or sumit."
"Urrr, excuse me?" Jacqui snapped; only half seriously, widening her eyes.
"I meant like years ago or sumit. Got about a bit dint I."
"I recognise 'er though, I just can't-." Jacqui went silent all of a sudden as she stared into the direction she'd seen the women disappear off into. "Bloodeh 'ell," she breathed out, rolling her hand over her mouth in surprise. "I think I know who she might be, Rhys."