Chapter Twenty-Nine: Platt Reinforcements
Audrey rang for the ambulance as soon as she got to the phone. The rest was a bit of a blur for her. Stephen was rushed to hospital and his stomach was pumped, he survived the attempted overdose. The elderly woman was fast asleep on the chair by his bed with an empty cup of coffee by the time he opened his eyes again. He could tell he was in a hospital room, he had a feeding tube in his arm which was most uncomfortable and his stomach was obviously pumped. He knew his so-called finally plan didn't work. His movement woke up Audrey as she could see he was awake and was trying to remove the tube...
"I'm sorry...I know this isn't what you wanted, Stephen" Audrey paused before giving his hand a slap as if to tell him to stop..."Just listen to me and stop messing about"
As if he was a child, Stephen stopped fiddling with the tube in exasperation. He tried to speak but found nothing was coming out but wheezes. Which just exasperated him even more until he gave up struggling altogether. Audrey watched him sink back into his pillow as he rested his arms back down. Waiting for her tell him what's going on exactly. The truth was that she didn't know what to tell him, she rang for an ambulance in panic because there was no way she was going to just let him die in her house, he was her son.
"Don't be angry with me. I didn't know how long to wait until I called...I was scared. You scared me" Audrey explained weakly.
Though she could see he wasn't impressed and no doubt would come out with bile if he could talk. A doctor walked in not long after hearing movement, wanting to explain his condition to him. Audrey leaned back on her chair as he explained about how his stomach was pumped and he won't be able to talk properly for a few days due to it. How the feeing tube in his arm would last a couple days as well but not to worry, he will make a full seemed to do nothing as he just looked on with that cold stare.
"It was an accident. He only just got back from his city break and he must have taken too many due to fatigue" Audrey spoke up to try and limit the damage caused.
She knew that would be the next thing on the doctor's mind. He seemed to accept her answer. Well the hospital would have to as Stephen couldn't currenly explain it himself. Audrey gave the doctor a nervous smile as he left the room again, going to collect something else. Stephen just turned back away from her, partly due to the after effects and partly down to not wanting to have any interaction. Audrey never felt more like a stranger to her own son before.
...
The news of this had spread and this seemed to be the final straw. David and Sarah both began making phone calls for help. It had turned into a family crisis, just everything lately. Audrey changing her will, Sarah's miscarriage and Stephen's overdose, it seemed too much to deal with. Naturally, the first of the two Platts to arrive was the one who lived in London. After a train ride and a few last-minute arrangements, a young woman arrived by cab to Coronation Street. Being dropped off at the flat of Adam and Sarah. She paid by card with a smile before dragging her suitcase onto the cobbles. The hot weather on her skin as she approached the flat, pressing the buzzer. Sarah was expecting her as she put on her shoes and went downstairs to greet her in person with Harry holding onto her hand.
"Bethany" Sarah called with a single tear falling down as she opened the flat door and gave her a hug.
"Oh mum. You should have rang sooner...Granddad is on his way by the way. David rang him. We all got this, okay?" Bethany assured her.
Giving her younger brother a hug next. Following them both upstairs with her suitcase and entering the now 'Adamless' flat. She heard about that too and how it ended.
"Mum isn't going to like us calling Martin over but it's getting too much. We all need each other. The family has broken down, gran won't even talk to me. David won't talk to her. Nick has been the go-in-between for the last three or four weeks now. She's giving everything to uncle Stephen" Sarah began to explain, giving Harry his Ipad to distract him as he went into his own bedroom.
"Okay. But this isn't about the will, is it?"
"Not really. It's part of it...It just proves how big the rift has gotten. David had gone spare because he was talking about how much work he's put into gran's salon in the last two decades. Now it's going to Stephen and he won't care about David's hard work. He will sell it to the highest bidder...Our businesses, everything this family worked hard for. It will all go up in a puff of a smoke"
"Why is uncle Stephen doing this? There's no way gran would have done this even a year ago"
"A lot has changed, Bethany. I don't even know Stephen any more, he's turned into a different person. He shoved me when I confronted him about his debts and it felt so off. He recently hit Elaine...his ex-girlfriend; which only confirms it-"
"What? He never hit anybody before, let alone women. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. He just scared me and he still scares me. I'm scared for gran honestly, I think he's made her do this will. She was so happy to share it out between us before and now suddenly, she's giving everything to Stephen. Now we heard he had an overdose and it's all too much" Sarah spoke up with tears coming down.
"Oh mum. I know your emotions are all over the place right now...I know you lost a baby"
Sarah's tears turned to sobs. She felt her daughter give her another hug as she cried into her arms.
...
"Oh wonderful. Well thank you very much, David. Martin coming will be a great help" Gail spoke with disbelief on hearing this news.
David had rang Martin and he was on a plane currently. He will likely make it to the home by the following morning. The first sign of being asked for help and he was straight back, wanting to feel useful. Gail knew for a fact that he would be gloating, he's been wanting to see her brother's downfall for decades.
"Dad wants to help and I need his help. Dealing with all the craziness, he's on his way back right now as we speak. I can't wait personally, we need him back before we get plunged into another canal"
"Don't even joke about it!"
"Well okay. But Leo's dead and Stephen, the main suspect; tried to top himself. What else are we expected to think?"
"So you think he's done it? They haven't even found Teddy yet, he's the main suspect right now as you well know"
"True. Have they tried looking for Teddy under construction? That seems to be a popular place"
"Stop it. Your gran is in it bits and she says she knows Stephen didn't do anything. And you know how good she is at spotting these type of people" Gail insisted however a part of her was starting to wonder.
The scary thing was that her brother killing Leo sounded plausible. Teddy was the missing link and they needed to find him. Nobody thought he was dead and once that was discovered, that would confirm Stephen's guilt. Teddy being missing was the only thing keeping him from total exposure. His own family had doubts and the jig was almost up. Audrey being the only person in his corner, trying to salvage what little soul he had left.
"Bethany's at Sarah's by the way. She just texted so we nearly got all the lot together. Honestly mum, without joking; I'm gutted. I don't think Stephen killed Leo on purpose but an accident gone wrong? Sounds about right and I take no enjoyment in this" David spoke with tact, aware that this was his mother's brother he was talking about.
"An accident gone wrong...That sound any better to you?"
"Well yeah. The truth will come out and be prepared for the stares again, the local rag will love this. I just wonder what went wrong, when did Stephen become bankrupt?"
"I honestly don't know. Since we are all ringing up people, I think my old sister-in-law might be another piece in the puzzle"
"Good idea. Ring Gabrielle and get her over in all"
"Okay. I'll do it" Gail agreed with a sigh as she got out her mobile.
Ringing for yet another reinforcement. The Platts would all be together again, Nick and Leanne would be coming over as well once Martin and Gabrielle had flew over and got settled. Max came downstairs to see what was going on now as he sat besides David.
"Granddad's coming. Maybe Gabrielle too if Gail can convince her...Don't tell Lily though about the overdose or Leo." David began quietly.
"I won't tell her anything"
"Cheers. Bethany's back in all but she's with Sarah at the moment"
"Oh sweet...Well not sweet. But it be nice to see everybody again, how are we are going to get over this though if you won't even speak to gran?"
"I will talk to her in my own sweet time. Stephen's banned from the house still though. Even more so now, he's lost the plot"
"Do you really think he had something to do with that Leo guy's death?"
"Honestly, Max. Yeah...I'm not" David paused as he could see his mother still talking to Gabrielle on the phone before adding..."I'm not saying he did it on purpose but I could see him having an accident. He's been on edge for months, am I the only one who noticed?"
"No you're not but it was just became of money, right?"
"I hope so"
...
As expected, a cab pulled up outside of the Platt household the following morning. Martin stepped out with his suitcase onto the cobbles he once called home. He was slightly jetlag from the long flight from New Zealand. His wife and children think he's mad but Robyn (his wife of many years now) knew from day one that he has a whole other family. If they need him this badly, he must go. The cab pulled away, he briefly looked across the street. Wondering what mess he walked into. He knocked on the door and heard the noises inside on this weekend morning. David answered the door with a cup of tea in his hand.
"Come in, dad. Gail's got a face on her like always but come in" David began in his usual fashion.
"I'm exhausted. I might have a nap soon"
"Oh yeah. I expected that...You been on the move for a whole day almost. Which means you obviously understand how serious I was. You must agree with me"
"Yes. My heart went a bit actually. I feel like history is repeating itself, Robyn thinks it's a bit mad but she doesn't know my old brother-in-law. I warned Gail years ago that he was no good. Ever since that cafe business-" Martin felt himself being interrupted by Gail (who finally felt the need to speak)...
"Told you, David. He's been waiting for years to say 'I told you so' about my brother. Didn't stop him from enjoying free trips to Canada though and being happy for us to do so" Gail piped up as she stood up with her arms crossed.
"Yes but didn't you ever notice how little we saw of Stephen during those holidays? He graced up with his company for the first day and the last day. I could stomach him for that short a time. He's been trouble for a long time, now he's changed the will I heard. He forced Audrey to change the will-"
"We don't know that"
"Yeah we do! I explained all to dad and he agrees with me from what's he heard. Me and him know what we are talking about. Stephen's recently had an overdose and poor gran is by his bedside" David further explained to Martin.
"That's not normal. That's sad...He's lost the plot. Granted, I only heard what the kids have said but it all adds up. You know it, Gail" Martin responded while looking at his ex-wife.
"So what are you two suggesting?" Gail asked with disbelief; still in denial slightly.
"We are suggesting that Stephen came back for gran's money. Killed Leo by accident, panicked and forced gran to change the will by guilt or whatever. She's charmed by him no matter what so who knows but that's the most obvious conclusion" David insisted (and he was half-right).
"Well look at you two. Sherlock and Watson...Do you think this is funny? Do you two think it's a joke?" Gail questioned in a louder and more serious tone.
"Oh yeah. I travelled twenty-three hours because I found it funny! I came back because I'm scared for you all and I had a lot of time to think. I'm scared for Audrey and for you. That brother of yours has taken away my son's business, the one he worked so hard for. Not to mention how he's taken our Sarah for a ride with false promises. Now he's scared or manipulated Audrey into giving him everything in the will. So no, Gail. I don't find this funny at all!" Martin snapped.
The room fell silent for a few moments as Gail sat back down. Her son and ex-husband's suggestion seemed to fit sadly. They didn't know the whole truth but they came up with a rough idea and it almost fitted.
"So what are we meant to do? Drag him from mam's house and force her to change the will? You seem to have worked out everything else, so what's going to happen now?" Gail questioned with her voice raised again.
"Well we need to talk to Audrey first. I'll speak to Stephen as well and take one for the team but he's not getting away with this. He's not going to make my kids and grandkids suffer. Because they will, if this happens and when Audrey passes. I know it's awful to say but it has to be said. Whenever Audrey passes in the long future, Stephen will sell everything and David will have no job. Yeah, he could get another one but that means low wages and having to sell this house" Martin reminded her.
"Exactly. That's my whole point...Gran can do whatever she wants with 'Grasmere Drive' and her own money. But the salon and barbers. That's a family business, not a Stephen business" David chimed in.
"Okay. You're right...I'm sure Stephen will be reasonable enough, right? Mam will understand once we explain" Gail assumed.
She didn't know the half of it. Nobody seemed to understand that the gate was firmly closed. Audrey wasn't going to change her will again and risk making Stephen make another awful decision. She knows it will make her very unpopular but it's the only thing she could think to do to keep the rest of her family safe when she's gone. Stephen's made it pretty clear that he doesn't care about them.
...
TBC