Ruby collected her cases for the luggage carousel and walked outside to find a taxi. She took a deep breath and sighed. There was nothing like Australian air. She'd been all around the world with Green peace and it was so good to get home. The taxi driver left her at the bus station, grumbling when she made him carry her cases for her and she bought a ticket and boarded the bus heading for Summer Bay. She felt a shiver of excitement about going home for the first time in months and then did a quick calculation in her head, it wasn't months it was 1 year, four months and 12 days. She had left the day she and Xavier got their Decree Absolute through. The day of her divorce.
She groaned as thoughts of that day entered her head. She had gone to the Sands Hotel and got very drunk then she had stumbled home along the beach, cursing at the full moon. She imagined she had been raving like a lunatic but then she had discovered something worse and more hurtful than the Divorce papers. She shut her eyes, reaching into her bag for her Ipod. She clicked in the ear pieces and tried to distract herself from thinking about the past. She listened to song after song but it was no use.
She'd stumbled into their old house calling him, thinking that even then they would somehow talk and get past this. The house was a mess and she thought about who would do the washing up now she was gone. She walked down the hallway hearing the click of her shoes on the floor tiles. The bedroom door was open and he was in there. She pushed the door wide and saw him in bed.
Tears sprang into her eyes as she remembered. She'd looked on in shock as he sat up and revealed that he wasn't alone. Annie was in bed with him. She'd screamed at them, seeing only how hurt she was. Then walked out racing back to the beach and throwing up. She'd left Summer Bay the next day and now was her first time back.
Annie had tried to contact her but she refused to answer the phone, she deleted text messages and voicemail and finally returned letters unopened. She'd heard later that Annie and Xavier married. She's tried to tell herself that it didn't matter but she knew she was lying. Xavier was her soul mate and nothing anyone could do would change that. Part of her, admittedly a very small part of her hoped he was happy!
She pulled on a pair of large sunglasses to hide the fact that she was crying and listened to all the sad songs she could find on her Ipod so that she could get this out of her system by the time she arrived.
'Look Out Summer Bay here she comes.' She thought with a grin.
Nicole and Geoff walked outside and climbed into the car. He started the engine and slowly reversed out of the parking slot and turned around heading for the beach house. He could see that Nic was still worried about Ella.
"What did Irene have to say?" he asked eventually, unable to do so in the diner.
"Just that she wants us to not worry about her. " Nic told him.
"But you are going to aren't you?" Geoff asked with a quick grin.
"Of course. You are going to worry about Annie!" she replied back.
He chuckled.
"I suppose you are right." He said.
"I know that I have a mother but Ella came around and after she and Dad said they were getting married she asked me if I were ok with it. I know now that if I said anything she would have backed off and waited until I was fine with it." Nicole told him seriously.
"Hey, you never told me that." Geoff said.
"I was a little embarrassed. I mean I was like an adult and she really cared about my feelings. It made me feel like …" she broke off. "Like someone cared about me in a way my mother should have done." She looked over at his profile and noticed that his jaw was clenched.
"Hey! I'm ok Geoff. I found my Dad." She reached out and put her hand on his knee. "And Natalie isn't the best mother but she has tried." She told him.
They pulled up outside the beach house and climbed out of the car. He quickly walked round to where she was standing and then he took her in his arms.
"I love you Nic." He told her.
"Oh Geoff, I love you too." She told him her voice husky.
He kissed her deeply pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms tight round her.
"For what its worth Nic I think you are going to be a wonderful Mum to our children." He said seriously.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes before thumping him on his arm.
"Ow!" he muttered. "What was that for?"
She shook her hand out.
"Stop making me cry otherwise people will start to think I've gone soft!" she said crossly.
He laughed.
"Did you hurt your hand?" he asked.
"Yes, have you been working out again?" she asked.
"Only a little bit. Helps with the frustration!" he grinned at the slow blush that spread over her face.
"Well I think I can help with that!" she told him softly moving closer to him until she was pressing herself against his toned body.
"You mean you're going to come down to the Gym too?" he asked innocently.
"Geoffrey Campbell!" she muttered and turning quickly she marched into the beach house casually flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder with a dismissive hand as she did so.
"Hello!" Annie called to her.
"Hey Annie, It's a lovely day outside!" Nic greeted the girl. Had she not unpacked yet she was in that beige dress again! Nic thought.
Geoff picked up Nic's handbag from the car and followed her inside.
"Hi Annie!" he called to his sister, "I still can't get used to you being back." He told her with a grin. He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek
"Geoff!" Annie muttered wiping her cheek. "What was that for?"
"Well I'm happy and I've missed you." He told her with a grin.
He handed Nicole her handbag.
"We also want to ask some favours too!" Nicole said and poked Geoff in the ribs as if that would get him out of the silly mood he seemed to be in.
"Anything." Annie said quickly. She stood from the sofa and walked over to the table.
"Well Geoff here has to go out tonight. He says its for a meeting but I think he's just meeting up with Aden and going for a drink so he can get out of doing the invites with me." Nicole explained. "So anyway, will you help me?
"Of course I will." Annie replied quickly. "What was the other thing?"
"Well you might get offended but seriously" Nic paused. "I need help sorting through my wardrobe. I have a tonne of clothes that need a new home." She said with a quick grin.
Annie self-consciously put a hand down her dress.
"I mean that you don't have to take them all. But I have like stuff I've never even worn." She said to the girl.
"Actually Nic," Annie began. "I would like to help you. Its time." She said cryptically. She stood up and went upstairs to her room.
Geoff looked at Nic.
"Is that a good sign?" he asked.
Nicole shrugged.
"I think so. Now I need your list." She told him.
He picked it up form the side and walked over to her. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
"Thank you." He said softly.
She knew that he meant thank you for caring about my sister and blushed.
"She'll be my sister soon you know." Nic said.
She looked down at the list and saw one name on there that seemed to stand out to her.
"Do you really want to invite him?" she asked quickly.
"Darren Hughes?" Geoff asked. "Yeah sure. I know you didn't like him much Nic but he was a mate." Geoff confirmed.
Nic chewed on a fingernail and nodded slowly. She seem about to tell him something when they saw Annie walk down the stairs wearing a pair of black shorts and a cream blouse. She held the beige dress in her hand and walked into the kitchen. Picking up a pair of scissors she started cutting the dress up in bits until it could never be worn again. She looked up at Geoff and Nic and saw that they were not asking questions or being judgmental.
Nicole opened her arms after she'd finished and Annie walked into them and started to sob. Geoff walked over and embraced both girls.
"Its ok Annie. We're here. We won't let you be lonely again." Nicole said to her, tears falling from her own eyes. "We love you Annie." She told the other girl.
"Yes, Annie we love you so much." Geoff confirmed.
She looked up at both of them.
"I lost my baby." She said finally.
Nicole wiped tears form the other girl's cheeks.
"It's ok to grieve for that loss honey, but you have us to help you now." Nicole said. She didn't know where the words came from but she hoped that they were the right ones.
"I know. I'm sorry that I shut you out." She said, looking at Geoff as she spoke.
"Annie, I love you. You are my family and part of me. I'm sorry if you thought I would judge you or not be there for you. " Geoff said.
Nic could tell from his voice how emotional this was for him and felt her heart beat quicker as she thought she wanted to mend this so that these two were ok. She had never known such an overwhelming feeling of love before.
"No Geoff, I never thought that, I just cut myself off from everybody." Annie said.
"Hey, you're here now and you are with us." Nicole said. "We love you baby sister." She said and saw Annie give a small smile.
Geoff looked at his watch and kissed both of them.
"I'm sorry I have to go." He told them. "Are you going to be ok?" he said to Annie.
She nodded.
"Thank you Geoff. I am. I have my sister looking after me." Annie told him bravely.
He pressed a quick kiss to her head and another one to Nic before racing out of the house.
"Hey, if I'm your sister that means you get to be adopted by Ella." Nicole told her.
The other girl laughed.
"I think I already have been." Annie said quickly.
Nic smiled.
"Right then. Come one lets go to mine and get these invites done." She told her with a frown after looking at Geoff's list again.
"Is something wrong Nic." Annie asked her.
"No it's nothing. Just counting numbers!" she told her the half-truth. She took hold of Annie's hand and led her out of the house and over to her place.
They found Ella in the kitchen wearing a bathrobe and looking in the fridge.
"Hey." She called to the girls.
"Hello Step Mama!" Nic called.
"I'm trying to decide if I want something to eat." She told them.
She picked up a bottle of water and then went and sat at the table.
"But your Dad seems to have bought healthy stuff that needs cooking." She told them with a quirky grin.
"Where is he? I didn't think he would leave you alone." Nic wondered over to the fridge herself and pulled out a bottle of water. "What would you like Annie?" she asked the other girl.
"Do you think I could get a soda?" Annie said softly.
Nic handed over a can of cola and then reached for a glass passing that to the girl.
Annie sat down at the table.
"I sent him out while I had a nap. I think he is with Miles." Ella told them.
"I can cook something." Annie offered.
Ella smiled.
"Nonsense. I can cook some things. I just can't decide what I want."
"Ella, since when can you cook?" Nic asked. "Mike told me his first words were Egg fried rice!"
She turned to Annie.
"In case you don't know. Mike is my baby brother." She told the girl. "He is at boarding school during the week."
"He's staying there this weekend. I think he had a falling out with Ollie." Ella told her.
"Well how about something like Cheese on toast?" Nic asked. Naming the one thing she could cook. "Are you hungry Annie?" she asked her.
"Yes, a little bit. I …" she began and then looked up in shock. "I actually haven't eaten today." She said. "And now I'm starving." She confessed and laughed as the mention of food made her stomach rumble.
"Maybe I'll call Dad?" Nic said quickly.
"I'm still in shock that your Dad not only has a daughter that can't cook but married me knowing the only thing I can make involves a microwave!" Ella grinned.
"Funny that's what I keep wondering myself!" he said from behind them.
"Will you stop doing that!" Ella exclaimed.
He walked over to her and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Hey! Where's mine Daddy?" Nic asked cheekily. Roman grinned and went and kissed Nic on the cheek too.
"We've decided to adopt Annie too." Nic and Ella said at the same time.
"Snap!" said Nic with a grin.
Roman grinned and bent and kissed Annie on her cheek as well despite her blushing.
"Now then what were you going to ring me for?" he asked
"We need food and well, the stuff you buy needs cooking." Ella grinned.
He raised his eyebrow at her and she smiled and gave him a quick nod.
"So what do you want?" he asked folding his arms across his chest.
Ella looked at him quickly then blushed and looked down.
"Nic?" Roman asked smirking,
"I don't know. Pasta?" she asked looking at Annie who nodded.
"Fine. Why don't you go and sit in the other room while I cook your dinner." He grinned.
The girls left and Ella stood up slowly.
"Are you really ok?" he asked softly.
"I think so. I am hungry which is a good thing. Normally only thinking about food is enough to set me off." she told him.
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick hug.
"I love you." She told him pressing a quick kiss on his lips.
He smiled.
"That's only because I can cook."
"Well there is that too!" she told him with a wicked smile on her face.
"Please!" he groaned theatrically, "Not in front of the children!"
She laughed up at him and he was surprised that he had missed her laughing the past few days.
"You don't mind do you?" she asked indicating the adoption of Annie.
"Of course I don't love, but I do draw the line at kissing Geoff on the cheek before any of you suggest it!" he told her.
She giggled at him and he found himself looking down at her with a smug smile on his face.
"What is that look for?" she asked.
"Because somehow I convinced you to marry me." He said.
"That's only because you can …" she paused. "Cook" she finished and heard him laugh.
She moved reluctantly out of his arms and into the living room to see what the girls were up to. After a few minutes she walked over to the cabinet and reached for her camera off the top shelf.
"Hey, do you mind?" she asked them.
Annie looked up and grimaced.
"El" Nic protested, half-heartedly.
"Tough!" she told them and snapped a quick half a dozen shots.
"My evil stepmother is a photographer." Nic explained to Annie and stuck her tongue out at Ella! Ella smirked and pressed the button quickly. She moved over to Nic and showed her the back of the camera.
"Oh god you need to delete that one!" Nic cried.
Ella grinned and leaned over to show Annie.
Annie laughed and pushed at Nic.
"You stuck your tongue out when she had a camera you should expect the consequences!" Annie told her matter of factly.
Nic glared at her before laughing. She didn't notice Ella move back over the other side of the room and start taking pictures again,
Nic pushed at Annie who turned and picked up a cushion and hit at Nic with it before glaring at Ella with crossed eyes.
Nic responded by tickling Annie making her giggle.
Ella laughed and took shot after shot.
She stood and wobbled a bit, pausing before walking into the kitchen. Roman saw her clutch the doorframe.
She pointed to her water bottle and he handed it to her, watching as she drank. She caught hold of his hand and looked at him.
"I'm ok." She whispered.
"Hey, I didn't ask." He grinned. "You were way too close to sharp objects" he grinned.
She smiled.
"Can you fetch my laptop down for me in a bit please?" she asked him.
He nodded.
"Thank you." He said softly, meaning thank you for asking and letting me look after you.
She smiled again. She mouthed 'I love you' and turned slowly walking back into the living room and sank down on the sofa.
Nic looked over at her and tried to smile but she felt a worried frown on her face. She watched as Ella tucked her legs up on the sofa and she went and pulled the throw out and placed that over her.
"Are you ok Step-Mama?" Nic asked.
Ella caught her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Thank you daughter I am fine." She told her.
They looked at each other for a long moment, knowing neither of them was fooled.
Annie came over and sat on the table.
"Are you pregnant?" she asked.
Ella reached out her other hand and watched as Annie took hold of it. She gave the girls' hand a quick squeeze.
"Yes I am." She told her softly.
Annie reacted visibly for a flash of a second then reached out and took Ella in her arms. Ella grinned at Nic over Annie's head.
"I think this one is going to be ok." She said to Nic, talking about Annie.
Annie looked up at them.
"Yes I am." she said confidently.
"Well let's not smoother Ella we need to get invites done!" Nic bossed and pulled Annie back to the other sofa.