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EPISODE FOUR: Reverting to Type

CHAPTER ONE

Phyllis heard the crying as she came downstairs. A part of her wanted to ignore it and let the situation sort itself out. But she had a feeling she knew who the crying was and an equally strong feeling that no-one else was about: Justin tended to be at work at this time, Mads and Eduardo usually went out for breakfast, and Lexi was hardly at home at all. Which just left one candidate.

She cautiously made her way into the dining room. Char was sitting at the table and tried to wipe her eyes when Phyllis came in. "Hi, Mum, can I get you anything?"

Phyllis gestured for her to stay where she was. "You don't have to pretend with me, really."

"It's silly,"Char admitted. "I know Derek didn't really love me, or Aunt Rebecca. I know they did terrible things. But every time I think about them, I wish I'd had the chance to get to know them better. I guess having Thayer here is bringing a lot of things back."

Phyllis awkwardly moved over and gave Char a hug. "That family have a lot to answer for."

"Mads is all right,"Char argued.

Phyllis nodded. "Yes. I'll admit that. She's been a good friend to you. But the others, from Alex to Caroline to Thayer…none of them are worth anything."

Sutton was playing with baby Theresa on the rug. "I'll swear she knows me."

Emma came over from the flat's kitchen area. "She probably thinks you're me."

Sutton pouted. "It'll probably freak her out when she starts noticing the two of us together. Can you remember how Eddie reacted?"

"I swear he had nightmares about an army of mummys for weeks afterwards." Emma crouched down by her sister and daughter. "So…Thayer being back."

Sutton sighed. "You had to kill the mood, didn't you?"

"What do you think?"

"I think that I wish he'd never come near the place again." Sutton shot her sister a look. "You're not thinking of going to see him, are you?"

"No. What about you?"

"No. Dan has good reason to hate him. So does Ethan for that matter."

"True,"Emma admitted.

"But…I guess I don't wish him any harm. I just wish he'd go away."

Emma nodded slowly. "Somehow, I can't help wishing things would turn out all right for him."

Ethan and Dan were walking in town, down a bustling urban street. "You had any thought about a wedding date?"Ethan asked.

"We haven't settled on one yet,"Dan admitted. "It won't be too far in the future though. It's not like we've got any reason to wait around."

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, I guess you've been together long enough. And any thoughts on the…other situation?"

Dan shot him a look. "Is that what we're calling it?"

They were interrupted by a female voice. "Get away! Just get away!"

Dan and Ethan pushed their way through people to the source of the shouts. There was Thayer, reaching out to a woman who was shrinking away from him in fear. Dan recognised her as Nancy Rogers.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry,"Thayer was attempting.

"I don't want to hear it!"Nancy was shouting back at him. "Just stay away from me!"

Dan stepped between the two of them. "Walk away, Thayer."

"I just wanted to talk,"Thayer protested petulantly.

"Walk away, because if I need to tell you again, that will give me just the excuse I need to cuff you."

"Okay, okay, I'm going."

"Step out of line once and I'm there."

Dan waited until Thayer had done as he'd been told and walked away, then turned back to Nancy. Ethan was with her. "Why can't you lock him up?"she demanded.

"If I can,"Dan replied,"I will."

Thayer had headed into the nearest bar and was sat there drinking. He was surprised when a young woman around his age slid onto the stool next to him. "Thayer, right?"

"Yes,"he confirmed, guarded.

"I guess you didn't notice me in the background when you made your grand entrance. Lexi. I'm a friend of Emma and Sutton."

Immediately suspicious, Thayer made to get up.

"I'm not here to cause trouble,"Lexi told him. "I just want to talk."

Thayer looked at her suspiciously. "Why?"

"I hear a lot about you but I thought I'd find out what you're like for myself. Why'd you come back here? You must have known a lot of people wouldn't welcome you."

"Mum's idea. She felt coming back here and getting people to forgive me would help me move on."

"And how's that working for you?"

Thayer gave a slight smile. "Well…I might make one friend."