Chapter 33
Later that morning, Stephanie and Tiegan were on the train heading to the city. Stephanie was going to visit her old foster parents, George and Mary McIntosh.
"Thanks for coming with me." Stephanie said.
"No worries." Tiegan said, smiling.
"I'm so nervous." Stephanie admitted.
"Why?"
"Because I haven't seen them in months." Stephanie replied.
"You'll be fine, sister from another mister." Tiegan said, reassuring her best friend.
"I hope so."
Stephanie held Tiegan's hand until they reached Central train station. When they got to the ticket barriers, the girls decided to take a bus to George and Mary's house.
"Where do they live?" Tiegan asked Stephanie.
"They live in Waterloo." Stephanie replied.
"Not that far." Tiegan said, smiling.
They soon saw the bus to Waterloo.
"It's about to leave." Stephanie said. "Quick!"
Tiegan and Stephanie managed to get on the bus just in time. Once they got off, Stephanie and Tiegan started walking to George and Mary's house.
"Were George and Mary good to you?" Tiegan asked.
"They were heaps good to me." Stephanie replied.
"That's good."
They arrived at George and Mary's house, which was an old terrace house with blue railings.
"I am so nervous."
Tiegan squeezed Stephanie's hand.
"You'll be fine." she told Stephanie.
Stephanie let out a huge sigh before knocking on the door.
Meanwhile, Irene was coming downstairs when she saw Chloe watching TV.
"Have you seen Selina, darl?" Irene asked.
"No." Chloe replied.
"I really need to talk to her." Irene said. "Jerome left this morning and I'm worried that Selina didn't cope."
"She could be over at Shannon's." Chloe suggested.
"I'll talk to her later." Irene said. "I have to go to the diner and do my shift."
"Bye." Chloe said.
However, Selina wasn't at Shannon's place. Instead, she was in Yabbie Creek Mall at the the tobacconist.
"Have you got any Longbeach original?" Selina asked the man at the register.
"I.D please."
Selina flashed the man her I.D.
"There you are." the man said, giving Selina the packet of smokes.
"How much?"
"That'll be $30."
Selina gave him the money before leaving the tobacconist. She then went outside and lit up a smoke.
Irene will kill me for this, but I don't care. Selina thought. I wish you didn't leave Summer Bay, Jerome.
Back in the city...
"It is so great to see you." Mary said to Stephanie as she hugged her former foster daughter.
"I've really missed you guys." Stephanie said.
"And who is this young lady that you've brought with you?" Mary asked, looking at Tiegan.
"This is Tiegan Brook."
"I'm her best friend." Tiegan told Mary.
"It's really good to meet you, Tiegan." Mary said. "Anyone that's a friend of Steph's is always welcome here."
"Where's George?" Stephanie asked.
"He went to the shops to get the milk." Mary replied. "Why don't you both make yourselves at home and watch TV, while I make lunch."
"Sounds good, Mary." Stephanie said.
Stephanie and Tiegan went in the living room and sat down on the couch as one of George and Mary's foster children watched TV.
"Steph!"
"Hey, Jordan."
Stephanie hugged Jordan. "Did you miss me?" she asked him.
"Of course I did." Jordan responded. "Are you coming back?"
"No, I'm just visiting."
"Oh." Jordan said, looking down.
"Cheer up, you."
"Well, I'm just glad you're visiting." Jordan said, before he smiled at Stephanie.
Stephanie and Tiegan looked at each other and smiled.
Meanwhile, Selina was still smoking outside the Yabbie Creek Mall when she saw Sonia Hammond and her friends approach the mall. Not wanting to confront Sonia, Selina managed to hide under the seats.
"That Shannon Reed is such a loser." Sonia told her friends.
"She's the biggest loser next to Sally Fletcher." Amy said, laughing.
"You don't say." Sonia said.
Selina waited until Sonia and her friends went inside the mall before she made her escape. Selina then waited at the bus stop before finishing off her cigarette.
"1:20." Selina said, checking her watch. "The bus doesn't come until 2 o'clock, so I can have another smoke."
Selina then lit up another cigarette while she waited for the bus to arrive.
Elsewhere in the city, Kerri and Jack were snuggling on the couch.
"I love you so much, Jack." Kerri told him.
"Love you too." Jack said before kissing her forehead.
"What should we do tonight?" Kerri asked.
"We could go clubbing again." Jack suggested.
"Sounds good." Kerri said.
Kerri and Jack then started kissing. They were interrupted by the front door knocking.
"Just ignore it." Kerri told him before they resumed kissing.
"I'm coming!" Nuala said as she walked out of the hallway.
Nuala opened the door to find Helen James standing there.
"Who are you?" Nuala asked her.
"I'm Helen James, a social worker from Family and Community Services." Helen replied. "Is Kerri Winslow here?"
"Kerri, visitor!"
Kerri walked over and saw Helen. She didn't look happy.
"What do you want?!" she asked angrily.
"Kerri, I'm just here to inform you that you'll be going to Tweed Heads first thing tomorrow morning." Helen told her. "You'll be living with a new foster family."
"You can't do that!" Kerri yelled.
"I'm afraid I had no other choice." Helen said. "Pippa was getting fed up with your rowdy behaviour, so she asked me to find another foster family for you."
"But Tweed Heads is like a nine hour drive!" Kerri protested.
"You can't break us up!" Jack told Helen.
"You are to return to Pippa's to collect the rest of your things, Kerri. You're coming too, Jack." Helen ordered.
"This is bullshit!" Kerri yelled.
"They won't break us up, Kerri." Jack said. "I promise."
Jack pulled Kerri into a hug.
Later that afternoon, Stephanie and Tiegan were on the train back to Summer Bay.
"I got some important news to tell you, Steph." Tiegan said.
"Spill the beans."
"Kerri's been sent to live with a foster family in Tweed Heads."
Stephanie couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm sorry, but Kerri had it coming."
"Too right." Tiegan said.
"By the way, thanks for coming with me." Stephanie said. "I wouldn't have visited George and Mary on my own."
"No worries, Steph." Tiegan responded. "That's what sisters from another misters are for."
"That's true."
Stephanie and Tiegan gave each other a high-five.
Meanwhile, Selina arrived home to find Irene in the kitchen.
"Where have you been, young lady?" Irene asked her.
"Out in Yabbie Creek." Selina replied.
"For six hours?!"
"Yeah, I'm sorry I took forever but I missed the 2 o'clock bus." Selina lied. "The next bus that came didn't come until 5."
"Love, I'm worried about you." Irene told her.
"I'm going to bed." a defiant Selina said.
"Selina..."
"I know what you're going to say, Irene." Selina told her. "And quite frankly, I don't ever want to hear about Jerome ever again."
Irene sighed as Selina walked into her bedroom and slammed the door.
NEXT TIME...
- Jack and Kerri are forced to say goodbye
- Selina continues her new smoking habit
- Donna Bishop returns to the Bay and strikes a friendship with Stephanie