Chapter Twenty-One: One Last Disruption

Stephen waited near the factory. Waiting for an easy target or somebody he deemed gullible enough. He watched from near 'The Kabin' the comings and goings from inside the factory. Sarah and Michael walking out together was his cue to quickly go as he watched them go towards 'Roy's Rolls' for one last break before the final shift of the day. He quickly made his way over once they were gone, he looked directly in the window to see the factory being busy. The sounds of gossiping and giggling filled the factory as always. Sean's loud mouth was heard over the sewing machines. The man quietly opened the door and made his way to the side to avoid detection. He hid himself behind one of the many cardboard boxes and waited uncomfortably crouched down. He ached and ached as the final hour felt like hours. Sarah and Michael returned twenty minutes or so later, talking about the American investors. He overheard them announce the final hour. Stephen groaning to himself in his head as he thought the hour had already began. He ended up having to quietly adjust himself as he sat down to save his back. Hoping nobody would pop their head over. For the next hour, all he could hear was mindless chatter and the sounds of sewing machines. The sounds of the factory lot leaving made him breathe in further as everybody kept walking past, ready to go home. Sarah and Michael seemed to be taking a bit longer but that was expected. The twenty extra minutes dragged on and on...

"Right. Come on...I gotta make Harry his tea" Sarah spoke as she and Michael approached the exit.

"Yeah. I think we did good today...Like I said, we got this" Michael responded with a small smile.

"Totally"

The lights began to be switched off. As Michael and Sarah took one last sweep of the factory. Stephen crouching further down again behind the carboard boxes as he watched Sarah very close to his person. She turned the final switch off before leaving with Michael. The sound of the factory door being closed and locked made Stephen finally stand up. His back hurt a lot but it was worth it, he's here alone again. He didn't want Carla to have the final say, he wanted one final laugh at her expense before he went into management elsewhere. He began walking around the empty factory. He wandered towards the sewing machines, he began taking out the little needles and screws from the said machines and pocketing them. He wanted to do subtle yet major disruption for the factory's morning. He then went into the office and picked up a pair of scissors. Going deep down into the underpart where the fuse box was. He snipped every wire before pocketing the scissors. Making his way back up the stairs and trying to restrain himself from causing more damage that would bring huge attention. The last thing he did before departing outside a back window was shredding the few papers left lying around. He walked around the back and found himself back in the street. Hoping nobody would detect him as he began to walk towards the bus stop.

"Stephen!" Elaine called as she had information on his father's funeral and wanted answers on his sudden leaving and coming back.

"What?" Stephen asked back in annoyance as if he didn't just leave her again without a word.

"Oh nothing!"

"What are you in a mood with me for?"

"Because you just left without saying a word for days while you got your father's funeral coming up. For the record, it's in two days...Do you want me to come with you or not?"

"Sorry-"

"You're always sorry. So what's going on now? Did you just dump me behind my back again? Or are you expecting me to always be there like a mug?"

"Yeah...I'm sorry. I'm not interested" Stephen admitted to her.

Elaine thus nodded however she was secretly heartbroken again. She trusted him last time and now he's gone back on his word.

"So Gabrielle...What was that about? I don't understand your problems or when you're lying. You keep doing this...It's not fair" Elaine spoke shakily.

"I know. The truth is that I want my old life back but I will never get it back. I'm going to manage a shop and then retire"

"And you don't want to settle down with me?"

"I don't want to settle down with anybody anymore"

"Okay. Right...Well have a nice life, Stephen. It's going to be a very lonely one when your mum passes away" Elaine reminded him.

Walking away and leaving him with that firm reminder. She did feel a pang of guilt for suggesting that but it was true. Once Audrey goes, who will he have? His other family don't wish to talk to him. He has no wife, no children and a family who don't even really know him.

...

"That's not true, Stephen. You do have other people...Sarah won't stay mad forever" Audrey was trying to say hours later.

He told her what Elaine said and came to the conclusion she was right. It was sad when a man's only confidant is his mother. And worse still, he knew it was his own making. He had less and less to lose it seemed, the only thing he had was his work and that was a frightening concept. Men who have nothing to lose and everything to gain do rash things.

"She doesn't want to talk to me again...And I don't blame her" Stephen responded with a sigh.

"I've been thinking about you a lot, sweetheart. My house will be yours when I go...That's my final decision. You can do what you want with it afterwards but this house will be yours" Audrey told him.

"Which will leave me even more hated"

"I'm sorry but what else can I do?"

"Nothing, mom. I'm not your problem. I will get this manager job and just settle down. I'll just spend time with you" Stephen paused before concluding..."Or maybe not"

"No, Stephen. I wasn't looking at you like that for that reason. It's just...I don't want you to be miserable" Audrey spoke up quickly.

"Too late for that but like I said. It's not your problem...As for the house, don't give it up to me. I don't deserve it. Give it to Gail and her family can decide instead, I'm not willing to take it anyway"

"Her family is your family"

"Only by blood. Not by emotions...Listen, I'm going to pop out for a bit again. Go down to a pub or something"

"Stephen-"

"No, no. Don't worry...I'm not doing anything stupid" Stephen remarked.

Though Audrey thought it was too late for that. He was on a downward spiral and it wasn't getting any better. She watched him take his jacket and leave the house again.

...

The following morning saw the factory in disarray as he planned. The factory lot finding the machines broken and the fuse box cut. Carla couldn't believe this was happening! The factory lot were on their hands and knees looking for any missing pieces from the machines but nothing, they were just gone. They had orders for 'Nippersnappers' coming through, this was the last thing they needed. How were they going to replace a dozen or so sewing machines in so short a time?

"It's gone...They are all gone. The stupid stopcocks and even the screws. I swear down...They are just gone, Carla. Not even a hint" Beth spoke up after ten minutes of pointless searching on the floor.

"Who was in here last night, last?" Carla asked.

"Me and Michael but they weren't anything missing then. I swear down, I turned the lights off when we left" Sarah explained with disbelief.

"The back window is open though...Somebody left a window open" Kirk announced as he walked back into the main area of the factory.

"Oh great...And I wonder what little snake would bother sliding in through a back window? I'm checking the CCTV...Sally, ring our handy man and explain the fuse box is busted. Everybody else, try and find any spares" Carla instructed and thus everyone got onto it.

Sarah looked at Michael nervously and knew what Carla was suggesting. Would her uncle really bother being this petty? He knows she relies on this business but he was willing to jeopardize everything just to get back at Carla. She noticed the other factory lot staring, they too suspected he was behind this foul play. If it was an actual robbery. The place would be a lot more messy and a lot of things would have been taken.

"She's checking the CCTV...Maybe it was too dark for her to see anybody anyway" Michael quietly told Sarah.

"She's right though. Nobody else would do this...Stephen knows what to take to make those sewing machines stop working" Sarah spoke with a sigh.

"Has he always been like this?"

"No. In Milan, he was on top of eveything. Me and Bethany only had to ask and he would get us whatever we wanted. Maybe he was just good at putting on a front...I just feel bad for gran"

"Yeah. Well, looks like we're screwed either way. We are already on borrowed time, aren't we? I can't afford to lose this job so I'm begging...I got Glory to think about. And I haven't got a rich lawyer husband like you do"

"No, just a rich sister lawyer"

"Alright but Dee Dee isn't going to be much help. Too personal...Look, let's just hope that the CCTV is too dark" Michael quietly repeated.

The two of them thus had a nervous wait. As Carla looked through last night's CCTV footage. It was dark but not dark enough as she could still tell who it was by what he was wearing and his overall look. She called Sarah over from the office ten or so minutes later. She grabbed onto Michael for support as he followed behind her towards the office, the factory lot gossiping away.

"Have a look, Sarah. Not like I expected anything else but look" Carla instructed as she got her over.

Sarah looking over at Carla's shoulder at the unmistakable footage of her uncle prowling through the factory. Him taking out the sewing machines pieces made Carla pause the footage as she picked up her mobile phone. Ready to dial 999 for tresspass and criminal damage.

"Please, Carla. This is really going to upset my gran" Sarah dared to remark.

"Yeah well he shouldn't have done this, should he? I'm sorry Sarah but I gave him enough chances and enough time. I was willing to let everything go but no, he decides to come in and ruin my factory's morning and lose me money in the progress. This is beyond a joke" Carla spoke up firmly.

"Is there any way I can change your mind?"

"No. Not really...Unless you can fix a dozen broken sewing machines and my fuse box in under half an hour out of your own pocket. There's nothing you can do to stop me ringing the police on him"

"He's made his point. He won't be coming back" Sarah tried to say.

"Too right he won't" Carla said before dialling 999.

Sarah watching as she rang the police and there was nothing she could do.

...

"I didn't ring them! I didn't!" Audrey shouted as the police began knocking at 'Grasmere Drive'.

Stephen didn't think about Carla and the factory. His mind raced to them finding Leo, Teddy or Geoff. He went outside into the backgarden, placing himself in the shed much to his mother's disbelief. Audrey having to go to the door herself as she opened it.

"We're looking for a Mr Stephen Reid...Is he in?" one of the officers asked.

"W-why? What are you looking for him for?" Audrey asked with very shaky hands indeed.

"There's been a break-in at the local factory. We think your son has something to do with it. You are Mrs Audrey Roberts I take it?"

"Well...Y-Yes. My son wouldn't break into a factory, he's a law-abiding citizen" Audrey insisted however she felt daft for saying it out loud.

"Can we look inside for him?"

"He's not here. He's gone out"

"We heard you shouting before you came to the door, Mrs Roberts. So we really suggest you stop lying for your son. And tell us where he is in the house"

"He's...He's in the shed" Audrey admitted with a sigh.

The policemen nodded and she invited them in. Leading them towards the backgarden. Stephen could hear them and knew the jig was up as he barged out of the shed. He tried to make a run for it but the officers caught him before he even got inside the house. They told him he was under arrest and when he heard it was about the factory break-in, he calmed down suddenly. Audrey giving him a look as he suddenly stopped struggling.

"Sorry...I overacted" Stephen told them which just made them even more confused as they got him into the back of the car.

"Call me at the station if there's any news" Audrey managed to say to him just before the door was closed.

...

TBC