Chapter 45

Later that morning, Stephanie and Tiegan arrive back at Pippa's house to find Nicholle watching a re-run of Prime Travelcade.

"Look who's up." Tiegan remarked.

"Morning." Nicholle said.

"What time did you end up getting back here?" Stephanie asked.

"Around 3 this morning." Nicholle replied. "Why?"

"Tiegan and I heard you come in around that time." Stephanie told her.

"Oh okay."

"Where did you go?" Tiegan asked.

"I left the party not long after midnight and went into town to get some alcohol with Curtis and a few others. I didn't know 7-Eleven was open late in this area." Nicholle replied.

"The Yabbie Creek one is open 24 hours." Tiegan told her.

"So anyway," Nicholle continued. "Curtis and I then went to the beach and I gave him...a present."

"What kind of present?" Stephanie asked.

Nicholle didn't say anything. She just smirked.

"I think I know what she's talking about." Stephanie said to Tiegan.

"Me too." Tiegan said.

"You're not going to dob me in to Aunty Pippa, are you?" Nicholle asked them.

"No way!" Stephanie responded. "What stays between us, stays between us."

Nicholle let out a huge sigh of relief.

"I'm actually meeting up with Curtis later today." Nicholle said. "If Aunty Pippa asks, tell her I've gone to the beach."

"Okay." both Tiegan and Stephanie said.

Nicholle meets up with Curtis on the beach.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show up." she said to him.

"Sorry." Curtis said. "Alf wanted me to help with the housework."

"Who's that?" Nicholle asked.

"My foster dad." Curtis replied.

"So, where do you want to do it?" Nicholle asked him.

"There's a little isolated spot on the beach." Curtis told her. "I think no one will catch us there."

"Good idea." Nicholle said.

Curtis and Nicholle soon arrive at the isolated spot, which happens to be a small cave, and start kissing.

"You want me to give you another present?" Nicholle asked him, smirking.

Curtis groaned as he started to blush.

"S-sure." he told her.

Meanwhile, Sally was in the Bayside Diner when a familiar face walked in.

"Hi, Sally."

Sally turned around to see Kerri Winslow, much to her shock.

"Kerri?"

"None other."

Sally got up and gave Kerri a hug. "What brings you back to the Bay?"

"I heard that Jack's in hospital." Kerri told her. "I thought I'd come and give him a surprise visit."

"How are you settling in Tweed Heads?" Sally asked.

"It's alright, but I never thought I'd miss the city and this place so much." Kerri responded.

"What are your plans after you have the baby?"

"I've decided to go back to school and stick it out." Kerri replied. "When the baby is born, I'm taking three weeks off to raise the bundle of joy. But in truth, Sal, I don't want to raise Jack's baby on my own."

"When you go and see him at the hospital, you need to talk to him and let everything out." Sally told her.

"I plan on doing so, Sal." Kerri said.

Kerri arrives at Northern Districts Hospital and goes up to the front desk.

"Which room is Jack Wilson in?" Kerri asked the receptionist.

"He's in Bed 12." the receptionist replied.

Kerri arrived in Jack's room to find him sleeping. Pippa wasn't in the room. She had earlier told Kerri over the phone that she would let her and Jack have their privacy. Kerri went over to Jack and lightly kissed him on the forehead.

"Hi, Jack." she said in a soft voice.

Jack woke up and almost did a double take when he seen Kerri.

"Kerri?!"

Kerri smiled at him.

"Surprise." she said.

"I didn't expect to see you." Jack told her. In actuality, he was glad to see his girlfriend.

"Pippa told me that you were in the hospital and I decided to bring it upon myself to surprise you." Kerri said, still smiling.

"That's great." Jack said. "I've missed you so much."

Kerri's smile then turned into a scowl.

"What the hell possessed you to cut yourself?!" she snapped at him.

"Kerri, I can explain..." Jack started to say.

"Did you miss me that much that you started cutting?!" Kerri continued, interjecting Jack. "I mean, I appreciate it, but that was just going a little too far!"

"That's not why I did it!" Jack shouted at her. "Now shut up and let me explain, alright?"

Kerri stopped scowling and sat near Jack's bed.

"I'm listening, babe." she said.

"The day you moved to Tweed Heads, Pip and I had a massive argument over you. So, I left the house to get some fresh air. As I was sitting behind the Surf Club, I felt this damp cloth being pressed against my face. I'm not sure what it was, but it put me to sleep." Jack said.

"That would be chloroform." Kerri said. "Doctors used it to get their patients to go to sleep."

"Next thing I know, I'm tied up and being held hostage by this mad guy who used to be my Maths teacher."

"How did you escape?" Kerri asked.

"His ex-girlfriend rescued me. But Kerri, if he had kept me there for longer, he probably would've abused me or even killed me." Jack said, choking up.

Kerri held Jack's hand tight.

"If you must know, I'm not exactly enjoying Tweed Heads at the moment." Kerri admitted.

"The new foster family not good?" Jack asked her.

"It's not that." Kerri replied. "I just didn't think I would miss Summer Bay and even Sydney so much. But there is some good news."

"And what's that?"

"I've decided to stay at school and hope to get my HSC in two years time. I start at Tweed River High once school goes back for Term 2." Kerri responded.

"How are you going to juggle school and being a new mum?" Jack asked again.

"That brings me to what I wanted to tell you." Kerri said. "Jack, I can't raise this baby on my own. I love you so much, but I need you to raise our son or daughter."

Jack's eyes started to well up. Tears of happiness this time.

"I will always be there for our first born." Jack whispered. "I just wish there was a way that this can work."

"Come back to Tweed Heads with me." Kerri said.

"I'll talk to Pip about it first and see if I get the tick of approval." Jack told her.

Kerri and Jack then started to kiss.

"I love you, babe." Jack said, smiling.

"I love you more, Jack Wilson." Kerri said, smiling back.

NEXT TIME...
- Selina makes a new friend on the Gold Coast
- Tiegan and Stephanie are asked by Nicholle to cover for her again
- Jack announced that he wants to be closer to Kerri and decides to leave the Bay. How will Pippa react to the news?