Chapter 13

When Freddie awoke the next morning he was greeted by a sobbing Lindsey sat on the stairs looking down at her phone, it broke him to see her in this way and it broke him even more knowing he was partly to blame. "What's happened" Freddie asked as he pulled her close and rocked her gently. "Joe's gone" she sobbed showing him a text message on her phone, Joe had told Lindsey that he was having an affair and he didn't love her any longer. Freddie didn't speak he just sat and held her for a few minuets hoping to calm her down, his attempts were a success when a few minuets later she appeared to have calmed down.

"I can't sit here all day" she said standing up and quickly wiping her eyes, Freddie looked at her with concern "You're not thinking of going into work Lindsey surely" he asked looking at her physical state. "I have to Freddie, Lives need saving and I need to earn a living" she left Freddie standing where he was; she retreated to her room to get herself ready for work. Lindsey left without speaking to anyone; it was down to Freddie to explain to the family that Joe had left them. "Mum there's something I need to tell you" Sandy looked up at him with puzzlement "Is something wrong" she asked as she and Freddie made their way to the sofas in the living room. "Joe left this morning" he announced gently.

"What do you mean he's left" Sandy looked up at Freddie clearly looking shocked and broken. "He's having an affair, he told Lindsey in a text that he was leaving her" he said hating himself in the process. "I don't believe this, my Joe wouldn't ever do that to her" she spat. Freddie deep down knew that Joe wouldn't have left Lindsey if it wasn't for the incident with Finn, he desperately wanted to tell his mum the truth but he knew if he did then he would be the one that would have to up it and leave. Betrayal was one of the worst things that he could have done and there was no way that he could undo it now it had been done.

Once Sandy had left for work and the house was empty Freddie sent Joe a message and quickly deleted the history just in case anyone was to creep on his phone, well Robbie. Around half an hour later his phone started to ring, he quickly slipped it out from his pocked and pressed the answer button:

Freddie: Hello

Joe: How is she?

Freddie: Not good she was absolutely distraught when she found the message

Joe: I can't believe this is happening

Freddie: Where are you?

Joe: I'm on the ferry to Dublin I've booked myself into a hotel until I can find somewhere to rent

Freddie: I'm so sorry that its lead to this, you know we all love you right?

Joe: I'm gunna miss you all like mad, look after her wont you and mum and the others.

Freddie: I promise, they'll never want for nothing. Take care Joe

Joe: Take care, bye mate

Freddie: Bye Joe..

And suddenly the line went dead and Freddie found himself wiping his eyes and deleting the call history and any other traces of talking to Joe, he took himself to the bathroom and had a long hot shower hoping to compose himself and keep strong for the rest of the family as they need him the most now and he was now the oldest male of the house the newly made father figure for the other Roscoe boys. Once out of the shower he put on some clean clothes and made his way to Price Slice to buy something to try and cheer Lindsey up a little.

He decided to buy her a box of Dairy Box and a bottle of her favourite champagne, he quickly popped home and checked the notice board for her shift hours she was due to finish at 8pm so he was going to make sure he met her outside of the staffroom at that hour so he could walk her home and give her a much needed surprise. Part of him wanted the hours to fly by but another part of him wanted them to go slowly because he was worried that he would crack under the pressure he was under, the actual self inflicted pressure he had brought on himself. Once half 7 arrived he decided he would set off to meet her, being early would be better than being late he said to himself.

"Hey Fred" Lindsey said as she met him in the corridor just outside the staffroom she looked relieved that someone had come and met her as she had visibly been crying again. Freddie handed her the chocolate and the bottle."You didn't have to do that but thank you" she said as she accepted the gifts, there was a gleam in her eye and a beautiful smile became plastered on her face. "I really did, you're being so strong lately so I thought I would reward that" he said with a smile. "I wouldn't be strong if I didn't have you Fred and you know that" she said as she began to walk. "You know you've always got me Lindsey, I'll never leave you" he walked on with her.

Once they both got home, Lindsey went for a shower and Freddie sat with his family for a while and watched TV, there was an awful silence in the air. Everyone seemed to be missing Joe, Robbie tried to hide the fact but he was unusually quiet, Jason had a sad look which hadn't washed off his face all day. Ziggy was out somewhere and Sandy was doing her best to carry on as normal. Looking at his family's current state he knew he had deep shoes to fill. Several hours later Lindsey joined Freddie in the living room, everyone else had gone up to bed and it was just the two of them left.

"Thanks for today Freddie" she said as she poured herself a glass of champagne, she offered Freddie a glass, he took her up on the offer. He hadn't intended to drink anything as it was her gift but he didn't want to say no. "No problem at all" he said with a warm smile on his face. They both spent the rest of the of the night drinking the contents of the bottle. Lindsey had fallen asleep on the sofa, Freddie didn't want to disturb her so he went upstairs and got her duvet, he then brought it down and covered her gently, kissing her head in the process.

He then went up to bed himself tossing and turning most of the night crippled in his thoughts. As the hours went on the more he regretted his choice of actions he desperately wanted someone or something to make everything okay, the worry of paying Finn off also loomed inside him. What did Finn mean when he said he would make Robbie wish he had never been born? That and many other questions sat in his brain on a constant cycle.