Chapter Four

Les was eating his pie and chips outside the medical centre. Not prepared for this last-minute memorial service Leanne has decided to do. He kept looking towards his old house, thinking how Chesney banned him for a bit for knocking round. He also looked towards the old Duckworth house. Fiz has Cilla's number and she won't give it to him which was rather frustrating. He munched down the last of the chips, chucking them towards the bin but he didn't pick it up when it didn't land. He just stormed over towards number 9 and gave it a knock. Tyrone opened it and before he could say a word, Les walked straight in.

"Les! Do you mind?" Tyrone asked as he followed him as he entered the living-room.

Disturbing the Dobbs-Plummer dinner as he felt all eyes on him. Fiz scoffed with disbelief as she knew why he was here. Evelyn and Cassie looked confused to who this even was. Hope and Ruby just looked at each other with amused smiles as this looked like it was going to be fun.

"I told you before. You're not getting my mum's number...So can you leave? We are having dinner" Fiz spoke up before he could utter a word.

"Seems a bit late-"

"Les! Will you just...I'm sorry about this by the way. This is my mum's ex-husband. He's bitter but harmless" Fiz explained.

"So why won't you give it to me? You know I only want a word with her...I deserve answers, don't I?"

"You won't leave this alone, will ya? Look can you let me call her when I have time tomorrow-"

"No. Now...Try her now"

"Fine but she probably won't wanna talk to you. Girls, you can finish your dinner. We got some boring adult business to do. You can take a chocolate bar up" Fiz told them both.

Hope and Ruby thus gave a shrug before doing that. Grabbing two chocolate bars from the cupboard. Hope giving Les a glance before walking into the hallway and upstairs. Tyrone entered as he shut the door. The atmosphere suddenly turned very frosty as Fiz wasn't impressed at all.

"That was not cool! You could see we had kids there! And I meant what I said. Mum probably won't wanna talk to you. She's got weak bones, she can't argue with you like she use to. This isn't fair" Fiz insisted as she got up to confront him.

"Weak bones? More like a weak heart...I wanna talk to her and I'm not leaving until you try her number for me" Les declared as he sat on the couch.

This left the room speechless and Fiz gobsmacked. He really wasn't neither, he even put his dirty battered trainers on the coffee table. Evelyn was disturbed by the thought of the mess this is causing.

"Was this Cilla a real bitch then?" Cassie asked Les as she broke the silence.

"Mum! Don't encourage him" Tyrone interjected in outrage.

"Mum? I thought your mum was Jackie. Another woman who wronged me by the way. She was well-"

"Dead! She's well dead. It's a long story and I don't wanna tell you it. Look, Les. I don't appreciate this. You're being really disrespectful...Which is exactly how I remember you but still. It's not on" Tyrone hissed as he pointed at him.

"That's a real shame is that. Cilla wronged me you see, that's why I'm here. I'm not here to cause upset. I just want a word because that woman messed me around and I wanna see if she's up for a chat. I have missed her in all you know" Les spoke a bit more calmer.

"Aww...Give him your mum's number, Fiz. He's well reasonable" Cassie said.

"Fine! Let me ring her now...I'm sure she's going to be so happy" Fiz answered with sarcasm. She could see she was losing.

Les watched as she picked up her phone and clicked ring. Silence followed as Fiz clicked phone. They waited and waited for Cilla to pick up, the phone rang out and rang out. Then...

"Alright, Fiz. What do you want?" Cilla asked from her flat in Wolverhampton.

"I'm fine, yeah. It's just somebody has came round and won't leave unless we phone you. Les is back and he's being a prat as always. So can you talk to him please?"

"Are you joking? Put him on then"

Fiz gave Les the phone and he grabbed it quickly. Ready to finally talk to the woman he blamed for wrecking his life.

"That's right, Cilla. I'm back. And you know what? Chesney didn't hate me or at least not back then. I was left with nothing thanks to that divorce...How dare you do that to me? After I adopted Chesney and you lied about having terminal cancer, you know how sick that was?"

"Wow. You really hold a grudge...Bit sad really, I got over you years ago"

"Yeah I bet you did. You heartless cow-"

"Oh no. That's a real shame that you think that...I can get you done nowadays for that. Now please leave the house. You're annoying the Hell out of Fiz, I can tell. You can write down my number and call me in your own time. Just don't bother my daughter, alright?"

"No. it's not alright...Do you not feel bad at all?"

"For you? Never. I only feel bad for Chesney having you pestering him again, he never really liked you. You were just the best out of a bad bunch. Out of a good bunch, you'll be the worst"

"That isn't true. This is what you did last time...Chesney and me had a real father-son bond. You destroyed it"

"No, Les. You destroyed it...I didn't force you to never return, did I? I was in Las Vegas for months. And when I did come back, I thought I'd take some of your money because why should you have gotten it? Yana and me had a smashing holiday with it by the way. Small price to pay for your little fling"

"You lied about having cancer"

"Old news, Les. Just like you...But you have reminded me actually about somebody else. I was coming back for a bit anyway, Ronnie's out of prison. Isn't that great? So I'm going to come down, go on the town with him and with Yana. Rub your nose in it and convince Chesney to disown you for good. That sound good?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah seriously. So thanks for this trip down memory lane...Go back to your weird daughters, okay? And leave mine alone"

Les just looked in disbelief as the phone went dead. He passed the phone back to Fiz and took his leave without so much of a thank you. Fiz wondered what her mum said to make him so angry.

...

The following day went as normal as it's been lately. Leanne was out doing her promotions, Nick was at work and Sam was at school by the time Toyah drove back. This time however, she had Janice with her. Toyah thankfully already had a key for the flat so they didn't need to hope Les was able to answer as she let herself in. Les got up from the couch as he was ready to fight but he sighed a breath of relief when he saw who it was. He went over and gave Toyah a hug as he was happy to see the only one of his children who was still somewhat stable and happy to see him. Janice giving him an awkward smile. They hated the reason they were here but they had to tell him before the funeral.

"Do you want a drink or something?" Les asked them as he led them back towards the couch.

"Yeah go on then" Janice responded . She gently shoved Toyah towards the couch, ready for the final plaster to be ripped off.

They watched as he got out two glasses and held them under the tap. Toyah's eyes widened as he passed over the tap water. That's not what they had in mind when they said a drink but it was whatever as they forced themselves to drink it before preparing to tell him everything. Meanwhile, Leanne was out doing her promotions. It was a productive day in her eyes. She seemed on a high but that changed when she returned home to find Les, Janice and Toyah together. He's been told and after a few tears and explaining, things seemed calm.

"Hi Leanne...How are you doing?" Janice asked her from the couch.

"Well I was a lot better until I saw you two in my flat" Leanne replied bluntly, showing no sign of understanding.

Les put his hand out as if he wanted her to join them but she didn't. Leanne just went straight to her room. They heard a bang as if she kicked something in frustration, Toyah shook her head as she couldn't believe that her mere presence was enough for her to be so irate. It was as if she did something awful and Toyah doesn't think she has as she excused herself. Wanting a go at talking to her sister as she warned her she was coming in as they needed to talk.

"I got nothing to say to you. I just want you to go...You're a millstone around my neck, Toyah. Sucking out everything good in my life" Leanne insisted as she seemed intent on isolating herself from her sister.

"I only came back to to explain to dad what had happened. You and Rowan forced me into that as the police came round to mum's. We're arranging Rose's funeral together like a family. She's going to be buried next to nan and granddad-"

"Oh right. I take it that Janice is totally on your side and against me"

"No actually. She wants everybody to get along, you're the one who wants there to be a war"

"No. That's not fair...You started this the minute you tried to destroy my life. Rowan is helping me. But you and Janice have always been like this, always belittling me. Me and dad always got the short straw. Now you got my dad's sympathy and time. Well I won't have it, the universe brought him to me"

"Are you hearing yourself? You sound so pathetic...The universe brought him to you? Life doesn't work like that"

"Just get out of my sight and take Janice with you. I'm going to have to deal with dad now because you would have made him upset"

Toyah was about to reply until the parents in question came into the room. Leanne was silent suddenly. Janice wanted to know what the Hell had happened here to cause this rift and what this institute was all about. Though she gathered Leanne might not want to talk to her like she talks to Les.

"Leanne. It's been ages since we last saw one another...Why are you ignoring me?" Janice asked as she began easy.

"I'm not ignoring you. It's her I'm ignoring" Leanne hissed while pointing at Toyah.

"Why?"

"Because she's trying to ruin my life and my relationships, that's why. I take it she told you about Rose. Well guess what, she's not the only one to lose a child. And she should try and remember that while she bulldozes though my life and my choices"

"Yeah because this Rowan is trying to take all your money for some crackpot ideas-"

"You see! This is is exactly why I don't wanna talk to her, that's a pack of lies! She's lying and she's using her dead baby as an excuse to attack me" Leanne snarled which made Toyah storm out with tears falling down her face.

Les followed her out to comfort her which left a very angry Janice with Leanne. That's exactly what Toyah has been telling her about. She's brainwashed by Rowan and is trying to hurt her in the process whenever she tries to warn her. Leanne just gave her a confused look like she didn't know what she did.

"Listen here, lady. I don't care what you think...I don't care if you think you're going on a spaceship or whatever he's told ya. I don't know, Leanne. Depends what kind of cult this is. But what I do care about is you reducing my daughter to tears every single time she tries to question you on this"

"No. She doesn't just question me. She belittles me, she makes out I'm in the wrong and she's trying to cause problems. I've been going through it, Simon even left because she and Nick convinced him that he should go. I was lucky I got back to say goodbye"

"Oh right? So Toyah made Simon go, did she? Toyah made you give Rowan hundreds of pounds, did she? Did she turn you into a bitch as well? She's caused everything wrong in your life, hasn't she?"

"Maybe. Or maybe it was you...Her negativity and bad energy comes from you. The mother"

"Oh? So now I caused every problem in your life?"

"Yeah! My mum wanted to see me and she should have done. Me, dad and mum would have been the perfect family. But you dragged us all down...Nan always said you were a boring nag"

"Oh I'm sorry, Leanne. I'm sorry for coming into your life. I didn't realize what an awful time I gave you. Well you know what...I wish I had left you and your dad struggling if this is the thanks I get"

"I wish you had in all"

"So tell me then, Leanne. What's so great about Rowan? What does he give you that you couldn't get from Nick?"

"Our relationship is different. It has nothing to do with sex or anything seedy that you're suggesting. He gives me a purpose and a sense that I can love myself. That I can have time for myself because a better me is better for everybody. That's what this positive thinking is all about. You have to cut out all the negativity first...That includes you and Toyah"

"Well there's one problem with that logic, Leanne"

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"You're the negativity"

This resulted in Leanne slapping her across the face. Though both women seemed surprised this happened as Leanne stepped back. Putting her hand over her mouth but she just felt so angry. Les came back into the room on hearing this...

"I'm going, Les. She's well lost her mind...You can sort her out. I'm not going to let Toyah remain here to be verbally abused by her. I don't even know who she is anymore" Janice spoke to him as she walked past.

Telling Toyah they can go back to her flat and they can tell Les when the funeral is. Toyah agreed as both of them made their way out the flat. Leaving Les and Leanne alone together.

"Don't let them back into the house, dad. Ever...You see the bad impact they have on me. I need to speak to Rowan-"

"Leanne. Speak to me...Leanne" Les pleaded as he followed her to the living room.

"No! I need to speak to Rowan"

"Speak to me! Leanne please. You don't have to talk to anybody else but me" Les further pleaded as he followed her outside the flat.

Toyah and Janice watching from the car, they hadn't had chance to drive off yet. He looked upset as she kept insisting she was talking to Rowan. Her mind was focused on one thing only. He grabbed onto her arm near Billy and Paul's flat which was still in vision for Toyah and Janice. Both of them tempted to get out of the car again but any attempts would be fruitless from them.

"I don't wanna speak to you. You don't know how to do uploads or anything I need, okay!" Leanne shouted back.

This argument made Billy and Summer open the window from their flat. As they looked down on this with concern.

"What are you talking about? You don't need anything but your dad and your boyfriend. I can get Nick if you don't want to talk to me-"

"Let me go! Otherwise I can't trust you either!"

This made Les reluctantly ungrip her as he watched her storm away. She picked up her phone, already wanting to talk to Rowan. He didn't want to lose her trust the way Toyah and Janice has. He got tears in his eyes as he wiped them away, feeling useless. He heard the car door slam as his daughter and ex-wife approached. Toyah giving him a hug as she knew exactly how that felt.

"It's okay, dad. You tried your best" Toyah assured him while keeping a tigh grip.

...

"It seems that Janice and Toyah have been giving your family negative energy for a long time. Perhaps your father has sucked up too much of it as well, that can happen sadly" Rowan gently told Leanne in his smarmy voice.

She was sat at one of the hubs of the institute. Telling Rowan every little detail as she's been told to do for the last couple of weeks. Leanne has been crying to him again and he was using her vulnerability against her without her even knowing. He was already trying to think of financial contributions she could give them while they faked giving something useful in return.

"No. My dad was always the positive one when I was growing up. He would give me freedom while Janice gave me all the rules. Even today, he let me go to you. Janice was telling me I was the negativity. You see the problem?"

"I do but I also see the solution. Cut Janice and Toyah out of your life for good and you will no longer be forced to endure their rules and their negativity. You feel awful for slapping Janice because you're a good person. Though you need to take this and store it away up there"

"I know. I think once it's just me, Nick, Sam and my dad. Everything will feel much better and lighter"

"Is Nick supporting you?"

"I think he's beginning to. He spoke to Oliver with me the other day in the memorial garden. So did my dad. It was so lovely. I just need to cut out Janice and Toyah for good like you said"

"Well I can send you another course later. This one will be about how to cut negative energy out while keeping at peace with oneself. Good people struggle to cut out the bad because we have this false notion that they will change. Negativity never changes" Rowan insisted with his sly smile.

He knew exactly what he was doing by saying this. Leanne agreed and the so-called session was thought to have gone well. Rowan drove her back home and he got out with her. They were talking for a few more minutes so they didn't realize that they gave Les time to get downstairs. He's been waiting for her return for hours you see as he was deeply concerned. The outside flat door opened and Rowan looked slightly startled for the first time.

"Oh hi dad...Rowan gave me a lift back" Leanne spoke gently as she semi-introduced them to each other.

"I can see that. You feeling better?" Les asked while giving Rowan a side-eye look of pure contempt.

"Yes. I did my upload now so I feel better" Leanne answered.

Les smiled as he pretended to be happy about this. Rowan began making his move as he promised Leanne he would speak to her soon. Les told Leanne to go on up as he wanted to head to the pub. She was in her own world again as she was thinking about that course she was getting tonight. So she just nodded and said...

"Alright, dad"

She thus returned to the flat. Rowan was about to shut his car door but Les leaned in. Which made Rowan back up again as he let his steering wheel go. He was expecting that as he looked up at Les with a smile.

"Mr Battersby. It's so nice meeting you...Leanne was telling me all about you. All good surprisingly"

"Of course it's all good. I'm her dad"

"Precisley. Well I'm going to now and send her that course I promised"

"What are you getting out of this? Why are you harassing my family? Toyah's my daughter as well in case you didn't know" Les reminded him as he was trying to make him nervous but Rowan seemed unaffected.

Rowan leaned back again as he could see where this was leading. He's seen this before of course. Nobody likes it when their family come to him because they know he will isolate them and bleed them dry before they even realize what's he done. Les was one of hundreds he's come across in his time at the cult. His eyes were dead and Les could see that as he knew his method of intimidation wasn't going to work on this kind of person. In fact, Rowan seemed thrilled by it.

"I'm not doing anything Leanne doesn't want" Rowan responded as he kept this false air of politeness up.

"How much to leave her alone?"

"Nothing. She's giving me all the money and time I need"

"How about if I knock seven bells out of you? Will you leave her alone then?"

This made Rowan get out his car to Les' surprise. He put his arms out as if he was ready for the fight.

"Mr Battersby, if you give me even one punch. Leanne will have to cut you out too. We don't believe in violence you see...We're a peaceful group" Rowan spoke calmly with his smile never leaving his face.

"What will make you leave her alone?"

"Nothing. Only she can leave us...It's her choice, Mr Battersby" Rowan responded with a small wink.

Les watched him step back with a grin on his face. Almost as if he was begging for that one punch. Though he wasn't getting it, not tonight. Les watched as he got back into his car and slowly drove away. This left him feeling even more hopeless than before he spoke to him.

...

TBC