Chapter Thirty-Three: Last-Ditch
Gabrielle found herself laid in Stephen's arms for a while after the fact. Holding onto one of his hands. She did still love him but he was surely going to get caught and she knew that. She was thinking about things as she laid there in silence, just caressing his hand. The fact is that she didn't think she could keep her business running and help him at the same time. She would probably have to choose as his name was now cancer to the business world. He couldn't crawl his way out of his mess now and that was the reality. Stephen could guess what she was thinking, she was thinking what a mess everything is.
"Does this mean the divorce is off?" Stephen asked in the darkness.
"Yes, Stephen. But" Gabrielle paused before turning to face him properly as she spoke with regret..."But this won't work, I have a business to run and you're bad news"
"I see. I get it...Business comes first, I come last. Nothing new there"
"Ditto. I wish I could help you but the police are onto you. It's too late I fear and I know that you know that already. Your mom will be heartbroken...I have been thinking about what's best. Maybe you should go now before the police find out more"
"I can't leave mom again. She's the only person in my corner"
"Bring her with you. She owes you big time...I'll book you a flight to Canada. Both of you and you go. Pretend it's a holiday and never ever come back. I can't go with you but I can help you get there"
"Mom's got family here"
"I understand that but she's spent more time with them than you. What's wrong with her spending the rest of her time with you?"
"As if she would want to do that"
"I'll ask her. Besides, if she hasn't dobbed you into the police by now. She won't ever, will she? We all make a quick getaway before the police trap you in a corner"
...
"We can't just sit here and leave mam with them. Gabrielle is obviously on Stephen's side. I know you spoke about sticking together and staying away from my brother but I can't bear this. Martin can come with me" Gail suggested to a rather reluctant David.
"Gran has made her bed. If she wants to be on his side, she's not on ours. She's not on our side" David insisted.
"David. It's Audrey we are talking about...We need to talk to her to put your mum's mind at ease. And I'm sorry but we aren't asking, we are telling you what we're doing" Martin piped up.
David just scoffed as he couldn't even nod. He was about to walk past and upstairs but Shona pointed out..."David. Your gran isn't going to turn her back on her own son, not ever. Believe me"
He turned back around to face his wife.
"I forgot. You're an expert, aren't you? Well guess what, Shona. I accepted your position a long time ago and the difference is you accept what Clayton is. You don't go moping around and making excuses for him" David answered firmly.
"I don't go making excuses for him, no. But you're wrong when you say I don't go moping around. Every birthday is a kick in the teeth...I think about him and I still love him. Audrey has just found out...She hasn't had time to process this. You're being unfair to her" Shona replied.
"Is that what you think?"
"Yeah"
"Get out then. I can't look at you right now, Shona. Anyone who defends her on this isn't going to be in my good books. Let me tell you that right now...Process things, sure. But anyone who thinks that's acceptable and by that, I mean Stephen-"
"I didn't say that-"
"No but you're making excuses for gran making excuses. He's a parasite and your son's the same-"
"Oh. Is that where you're going with this? You're kicking me out for daring to suggest that she needs a bit of time. A bit of understanding-"
"Yeah. Yeah I am! So go on...Get out before I really lose my temper because I will" David hissed, taking it out on the wrong person.
Shona just gave a scoff of her own before taking her jacket. Gail and Martin sitting there silently as they watched their daughter-in-law leave the house and walk down the cobbles. David glared at them before retreating upstairs, his head was all over the place right now. The house fell silence as Gail looked towards Martin, wondering how the Hell they could fix this. Nobody was going to fix this, the Platts have truly split and Shona made her see that Audrey was never going to stop. She couldn't stop loving her son even if she wanted to. Even if she accepts it, she will still defend him and they would have to live with that.
"He'll calm down...His head's all over the place" Martin insisted.
"He's not the only one"
...
Grasmere Drive was rather uneasy to say the least. Gabrielle had told Audrey of the plans. Audrey wasn't sure and it scared her a bit, she didn't want to leave the country at her age. But Gabrielle was laying it on thick, claiming she had to choose again and she would be estranged from Stephen forever if she chose to stay with Gail again. The police were going to pin something on him she claimed, Leo's death was now known to be foul play. He had to leave now or he would be put in prison forever and he couldn't cope. He would get spat out in there like a rag doll or worst, no; it couldn't happen.
"I told you she wouldn't want to do it and I don't expect her to. I'll go on my own" Stephen spoke up.
"No. Please don't...Why can't you wait it out here? You know he didn't do it, Gabrielle. You told me" Audrey shakily spoke up as she held onto herself and leaned against her sofa.
"It doesn't matter what I think. The police think he's done it and he will get sent to prison. He will either go with or without you...I will pay for first-class tickets and everything. You just need to get on the plane with him and leave...Unless you would rather let him go again"
"He knows I never wanted to do that"
"Then you know what you got to do. You can see Gail and your grandkids for one last time. There's no reason you can't do that...You just couldn't tell them that you're leaving"
"What would I have to do?"
"Just pack light. I'd send money over to Canada and you can live in a house somewhere. I'll buy it and send money over to keep you both in basic comfort but that's all I can do without causing suspicion"
"You understand I'm quite old. That's the only reason I'm worried...What will happen when I'm gone?" Audrey asked with general concern with a small tear rolling down.
That's what this was about for her and what it has been from the start. What will happen to Stephen exactly when she goes? He won't have anybody, he will be on the run and he can't return home. Gabrielle looked at him and could see he was torn up inside. He hated doing this to his mother, she was the one person he didn't want to hurt or cause distress to.
"He's got me. I'm not saying I want to be with him right now but he's got me to talk to for as long as I'm around. He's still important to me" Gabrielle assured her as she tried to ease her worries.
"When would we leave?"
"Well that's just it. It would have to be within the next couple of days, I've been looking all day. You got a hotel to stay at when you get to Canada and a house after that once the reply comes back"
"She doesn't have to do this" Stephen spoke while looking down at his hands. He felt as awful as he looked.
"No I do. I won't let you go again" Audrey responded quickly.
Gabrielle just nodded and thus the race to go was on. Audrey knew she would never come back if she did this. She had a choice to either never Stephen again or never see Gail and the grandchildren again. It was impossible but she knew they would have each other while he would have nobody. She was scared but a part of her always felt guilty and that was overcoming her.
...
"I can't deal with him right now. I'm trying to stay strong for Lily but David is being totally unreasonable. He crossed a line today that we promised we wouldn't cross. He brought up Clayton today...All I said" Shona paused as she wiped away more tears as she spoke to Sarah and Bethany..."All I said was that Audrey needs time to process it because it's her son. He called him a parasite and I know he's got every right to hate him but how he could say that to me out loud?"
"He called Clayton a parasite?" Sarah asked as she passed over a tissue.
"He called both of them parasites. And apparently me and Audrey are now both evil incarnate for even thinking about and loving our own sons. I know it's not the same thing at all but I never badmouthed him when Max got in trouble. Even if it turned out Max supported everything Griff did, I wouldn't have judged David for loving his son. But I dare think about Clayton and I'm suddenly just as bad"
"David never got over Richard. Or Callum...He hates people like them, he's taking it out on you. If it wasn't you, it would have been somebody else. Don't take it to heart, Shona. I know it's hard not to but David self-destructs when he can't cope with something. He knew saying that would get a reaction"
"I know, Sarah. I know my own husband...I'm not here for a lecture on him. This is just stupid. Why are we all ripping each other apart over something Stephen is doing? I know he's your uncle but I hate him for putting us all in this position. You know he'll be over at Audrey's and laying it on thick. Anything to make her feel like she's to blame" Shona correctly guessed.
Sarah knew that Shona knew how this played out. The guilt-ridden always push the blame on somebody else to make themselves sleep a little bit at night. Bethany was very silent. She saw her uncle so angry that day but yet it still didn't feel like they were talking about the great-uncle Stephen she spent days with in Milan when she was a child.
"They haven't found him guilty yet" Bethany nervously spoke out.
"I know. I know...But we all know he is" Sarah spoke with great sadness.
"Why are the police taking so long? They know Leo was killed and they aren't even pulling him into the station for fingerprints? What are they waiting for?" Shona began to question.
...
Martin and Gail got a taxi over there. As they knocked and knocked, Gabrielle was the one who answered the door. Martin gave her a look as he could see she was still fine and dandy. He never really got on well with her either, thought she was snobby and a bit too sarcastic for his liking. Gail gently pushed past her sister-in-law and entered the living room to find her mother and brother sitting like nothing changed. She ignored her brother as she bent down to give her mother a hug, she must have held on for a good ten seconds. She didn't dare look at Stephen but she could tell he was looking at her.
"Are you okay, mam? I feel like it's been ages since we last spoke and for what? It's stupid. We haven't done anything to one another" Gail began as she sat on the opposite side with her hand on her mother's arm.
"I'm fine, Gail. And I know you're all upset about the will-"
"No Audrey. This is way past that and I think you know that...What has he said to ya? Has he threatened you?" Martin started asking as he stood in the middle of the room.
"I wouldn't do that" Stephen uttered.
"I wasn't asking you! Well, Audrey. You can tell us unless you're too scared to speak in front of him. The family is falling apart over what he's done and that isn't right...He never should have came back" Martin continued.
"You're the one who shouldn't have came back. You're making things worst" Gabrielle spoke up from the doorway.
"Oh you can shut up as well. Just let Audrey speak"
"Okay, Martin. I will speak...I'm perfectly alright, thank you. I'm with my son and my daughter-in-law in my own home. You don't come in here making accusations about things you don't understand" Audrey spoke up at last as she looked back up.
The man in question just shook his head. He didn't believe her and quite frankly, Gail didn't either. She looked worn-out and it was down to stress, not age. Audrey just held onto her son's hand as if to prove the point. She was on his side and that was all they needed to know. Gail nodding to herself as she hated doing this but she was finally doing what David has suggested and tried to himself many times recently. She thought this was the only solution left.
"Mam. It's me or him...You can't have both anymore" Gail declared.
"He's your brother"
"No. No he's not...He's just somebody you gave up. I'm no longer calling him my brother. He may as well be a stranger, I never knew him at all. Did I?"
"Well that's it then. You just go...Perhaps since I did give him up, I have to spend time with him. You had me a lot longer than he ever will. So let's make this simple and just not talk" Audrey responded while looking back down.
"He's in his sixties...And if he had any respect for you. He would give himself up and let you have closure" Gail argued back.
"Well he won't because he's selfish. He's not even got anything to say because he knows we are right" Martin chimed in.
Stephen was still quiet as they fought over him. He was in a state of disarray in his mind as everything has been destroyed. Gabrielle's offer was nice but he didn't want to do it to her. Take her away from everything and everybody she knows because of something he's done. He's made his mind up on that but he didn't quite realize how determined Audrey was to do it for him.
"Oh shut up Martin. Go and find another teenager to mess up" Gabrielle spoke up with a scoff.
"Wow...Just wow. You wanna cut deep tonight, don't you? Well how about this for cutting deep. Your husband will take you down with him when the police catch up because they will. And I will sit in the dock and enjoy it" Martin insisted.
"Well that's why she's back. Doesn't want any loose ends" Gail correctly guessed.
"She's got a name. In fact, we both have. And we can reply to your mad ramblings...I'm happy to support Stephen. You don't even know what's coming" Gabrielle said with a slight smile.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Gail questioned.
"None of your business. You will just have to dwell on it"
Martin pulled a slight face as he didn't take it seriously. Gail did though and she wondered what plan she's cooked up. Gail looked towards her brother finally and could see he was nervous. He didn't dare spill the beans, mainly because he wasn't even sure if he wanted to do the plan. Stephen just remained sitting by his mother in silence. Noticing Martin's glare...
"It won't work. Whatever you got planned...Nothing ever works for you. Failed business, failed relationships and failed life" Martin hissed at him.
"I know what I have done, Martin. And you know what...I got nothing to lose as you so kindly pointed out. So what's to stop me from taking everything your precious kids and grandkids have. I'm the one who's getting everything in the will. How does that make you feel?" Stephen finally snapped.
"Good luck spending it in jail!"
"I'll find a way. Don't you worry about that"
"I'm not worried in the slightest. If you want to blow it all in the prison canteen, you can do that. Knock yourself out"
"How about you shut your mouth?"
"Sweetheart, please. Don't give him what he wants" Audrey nervously piped up as she gently grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Why are you defending him, Audrey? You heard what he said...He doesn't care about Sarah or David. He only cares about himself" Martin spoke to her.
"Stop goading him. It's not fair" Audrey quickly replied.
"But it's so easy nowadays, Audrey. So easy...He's rather pathetic these days, isn't he?" Martin asked.
Which is when he finally felt a punch. He fell backwards and hit his head on the wall before falling to the floor, he remained there for a few seconds. A few gasps and shouts of "No!" was heard from the women. Stephen was quickly pulled back by Gabrielle. Martin being helped up by a slightly shaken Gail, maybe he did push it too far. It was stupid of him to do so and he knew it as the reality set in, he kept feeling the back of his head.
"You pushed me to that!" Stephen snapped.
"Yeah alright. Sorry" Martin responded as he finally came to understand his temper and how serious it was when you messed with it.
He briefly walked past Stephen and went out the door. Gail having to follow him outside. Stephen sat back down again by a stunned Audrey, she knew by his confessions that he could get angry but to see it in person was something else. He kept saying..."Sorry" before giving her a small hug. She held onto him and her mind was made up to go.
...
TBC