Driftwood

[Ludub]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments! Really hope you like this chapter! x

WARNING; ADULT THEMES

 

Chapter 12

 

 

 

Matt walked along the beachfront dressed in his smart white shirt and black trousers and gave a tired little sigh as he contemplated the evening that lay ahead of him. The restaurant was fully booked tonight and Brody had warned him that they were expecting some very important customers. They’d taken a booking for twenty, and he’d made it clear that they needed all hands on deck, and for everyone to be on their best behaviour. He was counting on them. They couldn’t afford to make any mistakes tonight, or more specifically, they couldn’t afford for Matt to make any more mistakes. Tonight would be make or break for him as far as his job was concerned. That had been made pretty clear! These were big city types who were charging everything to their expense accounts so it looked to be a busy night with an opportunity to trade people up to the more expensive wines. There was a lot of money to be made and a reputation to be built with exactly the right type of customers. Brody had asked them all to come in half an hour early so that he could brief them properly and put together a ‘game plan’. He’d actually used those words, much to Matt’s amusement.

Matt stopped for a moment, resting his hands on the wooden railings, and stared out at the water. The sun was beginning to set. He wondered at the fact that it seemed so small and distant to him here. On the island, the sun had been this enormous orange-red orb, and at sunsets he and Roo had marvelled at the size of it, and bathed in a pink and amber light, watching it lazily touch down and disappear behind the line where the waters and the heavens met. It had seemed almost magical at times, and gazing at it night after night, in such still isolation, it hadn’t been difficult to understand why so many ancient civilisations had worshiped some form of sun god. When your very existence clung to the hope that the sun would show its face again tomorrow and take the chill from your bones, it certainly made sense to try to keep favour with a god so powerful and not displease him in any way. They’d watched that spectacle together, night after night, until the days had begun to run into each other and they’d stopped measuring their time there in weeks and days. Life had taken on a slow rambling rhythm and they’d lost all sense of how much time they’d been there. He glanced at the watch that he was now wearing on his wrist and shook his head at how much life had changed in only a few short months. That familiar feeling of home-sickness washed over him again and he stared back out to the horizon wondering what was left of their little ‘home’ now. He had another twenty minutes before Brody’s briefing. He was going to stand here, and breathe in the sea air, and enjoy the time that he had outdoors for as long as possible.

Suddenly he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. A gloom had fallen now, as the sun had disappeared over the horizon leaving only a distant orange glow, and the beach had been plunged into darkness, so it was very difficult for him to see. There was something on the beach though. As he squinted into the distance, he just about made out the outline of a person sitting huddled on the sand. They were dressed in light coloured clothing and clearly had blonde hair. Either that or they were wearing something white on their head. He decided to make his way along the beachfront and try to get a closer look. He had a bad feeling about this. Something was telling him that something was wrong…

“Typical!” he mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in a dismissive way when he got close enough to see who it was. “Maddy… Attention seeking Maddy!” he grumbled. He gave a sigh, bending down to take his shoes and socks off, and then rolled the legs of his trousers up in an attempt to keep them clean for work. Picking the shoes up in one hand, he made his way across the beach to where Maddy was sitting, and then sat down beside her without saying hello.

“Go away!” moaned Maddy, clutching a half empty bottle of vodka and squinting hard at him in a bleary-eyed and drunken way, “I just want to be left alone!”

He tilted his head at her in pity and gave a frustrated sigh. “Okay… c’mon on then, Maddy?” he said, reaching for the bottle, “What’s all this about?”

“Nooo!” she growled, wrestling the bottle away from him and hugging it close to her, “Tha’s mine! I bought it… and izzz… it’s mine! …You can’t have it!”

“Fair enough” he said, shrugging his shoulders at her in a vaguely amused sort of way. “But I’m not going anywhere till you tell me why you’re down here on the beach, skulling a full bottle of vodka, and…” He looked at her puffy tear-stained face and gave an exasperated little huff, “…and crying your eyes out.”

“I don’t want to talk to you” she said, burying her face in her arms, “It’s too embarrassing! You’re just gonna think I’m a total loser!”

He gave a surprised little laugh and shook his head at her. “It takes one to know one, I guess” he said, smiling a little sadly. “I mean… you said it…” he smirked, trying to look cold and distant, but unable to hide the hurt in his eyes, “I’m the one shacked up with some… some… What was it you called Roo? …Some ‘old wrinkly’?”

She lifted her head and looked towards him with eyes wide with shock. “I didn’t mean it, Matt!” she said, wiping at her running nose with her sleeve and beginning to really sob, “I don’t even know why I said those things… I’m… I’m… sooo…. So sorry!”

He gave a little snort and shook his head at her in disapproval. “You’re just sorry you got caught” he said, shrugging and staring back out at the darkened water, “But… I guess… At least you were honest…”

“No, Matt!” she pleaded, putting her hand on his arm and looking at him with big tear-filled eyes, “I didn’t mean any of that! …I was just being… I was being…”

“A bitch?” he said, finishing her sentence for her as he glanced at her with a sarcastic little smile, “You and Evie”.

“I guess so” she said, forcing a sad little smile, “I’m really sorry, Matt… I love you and Roo… I don’t know why I said all those things!” She reached for his hand and placed hers on top of his. “Please don’t tell Roo what I said?!”

“You think I’d tell her?!” he said, looking at her in shock and disgust, “You think I’d repeat all that stuff to the woman I love?!” He pulled his hand away from her and gave an exasperated snort. “Roo doesn’t need to hear what you and your nasty little friend think of her… or of us… We’ve got enough to deal with.”

“Matt, I am really… I’m really sorry” she sobbed, wiping at her eyes in frustration, as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She opened the bottle, and started chugging the remains of the vodka back.

He snatched the bottle away from her before she could react and tipped the contents out on the sand before throwing it away. She glared at him before staring back out to sea with a scowl on her face.

He shook his head and gave her a look that said he was disappointed in her. “Is that what this little show is all about?” he asked, giving her a less than sympathetic look, “You think you can just say what you like about people… horrible things… and then what? Just turn on the water works and it’s all forgiven?!”

“No… I just…” she muttered, flushing red with shame, “I just… I’ve had a really bad day.”

“Oh right!” said Matt, laughing a little incredulously, “I should have realised… It’s always about you, isn’t it?!”

“Matt… Can you please just…” she pleaded, hugging her arms around her knees and hiding her face again, “Can you just leave me alone?!”

“C’mon then, Maddy?!” he said, giving an impatient little huff, as he glanced at his watch and realised that he was going to be late, “What’s happened? You might as well tell me… I’m not going anywhere until you do.”

She lifted her head again and her whole face crumpled as she began to sob loudly. “Dave dumped me!” she wailed, “He just called me up and… and he told me that he’s been sleeping with my flatmate… He’s been sleeping… with Carly… behind… behind my back!”

Matt’s expression softened a little when he realised what she was telling him. He could see how upset she was and began to feel a little bad for making such a big deal of things. Sometimes he forgot that other people had their troubles too. “Uhh…” he stammered, tentatively putting his arm around her shoulder, “I’m sorry, Maddy.”

“He’s been sleeping with her behind my back and… and the stupid little skank has got herself pregnant!” she sobbed, leaning in towards him and resting her head on his shoulder, “And now he’s not coming… He’s staying with her! They’re gonna be a family… Her and him!” She shook and trembled in his arms and tears streamed in rivulets down her face. “…I mean, he doesn’t even want kids! He’s always saying that! …He doesn’t like kids… That’s why… it was… why me and him were so good together… because… he knows…”

Matt looked at her with newfound sympathy and gave her shoulder a little squeeze in an attempt to be supportive. He had a horrible feeling that he knew what she was about to say. Josh had told him about some of the surgeries that Maddy had undergone as part of her cancer treatment, so the fact that her boyfriend’s mistress was pregnant was a particularly heavy blow. “I’m so sorry” he said quietly, giving her a little kiss on the top of the head. His heart went out to her in this moment.

“He knows…” she sobbed, shuddering a little, and barely able to get the words out between breaths, “He knows that I can’t! He knows I can’t have kids!”

They sat together on the beach, with Matt holding her as she cried, and she told him about her flatmate Carly who’d been one of her closest friends in London. In the course of one phone-call, she’d lost her best friend, as well as her partner of two years! She was absolutely devastated, and he couldn’t help feeling incredibly sorry for her.

He looked at his watch and realised that he was now ten minutes late for that pep talk of Brody’s. He really needed to get going! But how was he going to leave her like this?! “Uhh… Maddy” he said, gently starting to pull away from her, “Mads, I have to go to work or I’m gonna get the sack!”

“Please, don’t go!” she whined, reaching for his face and looking deep into his eyes.

“Uhhh… I have to… but maybe I can get someone…” he started to say but Maddy interrupted him.

“Please, Matt? I need you!” she pleaded. Suddenly, she launched herself at him and planted a kiss on his lips very forcefully. She’d thrown herself at him so violently that she’d nearly knocked him over flat.

“What are you doing?!” exclaimed Matt, pushing her away from him and staring at her in surprise and anger as he tried to sit up again, “What?! …What do you think you’re doing Maddy?!”

She covered her mouth in shock and flushed bright red. “I’m sorry, Matt!” she exclaimed, quickly getting to her feet, “I don’t know why I did that?!”

“I’m with Roo” he said, staring up at her wide-eyed with shock, “I love Roo!”

“I know” she said, staring at her feet in shame, “I know that! But I just thought…”

He got to his feet and backed away from her. “Why… why would you think?... I mean, I haven’t given you any sort of signals… I love Roo…”

“No… It’s not your fault” muttered Maddy, looking incredibly shamefaced, “I’m just… I’m just a mess.” She picked her bag up off the sand and turned to leave. “I’m just gonna go.” she sighed.

He watched as she wobbled off up the beach and turned to stare back out at the water. Things just seemed to be getting more and more complicated. Couldn’t he just go back to the island where things were quiet and simple?! What was he meant to do now?!

His phone began to ring and he pulled it out of his pocket with a heavy sigh. “Brody? Yeah… I know… I’m sorry… Something came up, I’ll be there in five!”

 

*****

 

Maddy wobbled along the beachfront in bare feet, having left her flip flops behind on the sand, and hugged her arms around herself in a protective sort of way. She’d never felt so alone in her life. She’d lost Dave, and she’d lost her life in London, and now she had nothing left. She didn’t have a job… and she’d made such a mess of things with Matt just now that she might not even have a place to live for much longer. And she definitely couldn’t go back to her parents again. That would be a fate worse than death! What was she going to do?! Tears were streaming down her face so fast that she could hardly see ahead of her so she just staggered her way towards one of the benches and sat down. How had everything gone so wrong?!

“Maddy?” said a kind and gentle voice, “Maddy, what’s wrong?” A figure dressed in a red checked shirt and blue jeans crouched down beside her and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look at him and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “Jett?” she said, continuing to sob as she looked at his kind brown eyes, “I’ve made such a mess of things… and I don’t know what to do!”

“Hey…” he said, sitting down on the bench beside her and cautiously putting his arm around her shoulder, “Hey… It’s gonna be okay…”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and let him comfort her. She wasn’t sure why he was being so kind to her but she needed someone to just hold her and tell her that things were going to be okay, even if she knew that they weren’t. “I’m such a loser” she muttered.

Jett gave a very surprised laugh and looked down at her tear-stained and snotty face. “You are not a loser!” he said, shaking his head at her. He couldn’t believe that Maddy Osbourne was currently cuddled in his arms and letting him hold her. She was one of the most beautiful women that he’d ever known, and the fourteen-year-old that he’d once been was currently punching the air, and doing cartwheels in excitement, at the thought of being this close to her. He’d always had a bit of a crush on her, for as long as he could remember…

“I got dumped today” she said, sniffling a little more quietly and staring out across the water in the distance. “My boyfriend got someone pregnant and he’s leaving me…” she said simply, thinking how saying it out loud made it seem more real, “And I’m all alone again… I have nothing!”

He looked down at her and put his hand gently under her chin to turn her face up towards him. “You’ll be okay” he said, giving her a sympathetic little head tilt, “You’re a strong person, Maddy! You’ll be okay without him… and you know what?! He didn’t deserve someone as beautiful and intelligent… and… and …as perfect as you.”

She looked up at him in surprise and began to smile a little. “That’s so nice” she said, wiping at her tears and blushing a little with embarrassment, “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Why wouldn’t I be nice to you, Maddy?” he asked, looking a little surprised, “You’re a good person… and you deserve a bit of kindness in your life, don’t you think?”

She smiled at him and lifted her head off his shoulder to look at him properly. He had such beautiful big brown eyes and lovely white teeth, and he’d really become very good looking over the last few years. He was tall and tanned, and he had beautiful high cheekbones, and a smile that could melt any woman’s heart. As she squinted at him now, and tried to bring him into focus, she thought that he looked like a male model. How had she never noticed before?! She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

“Maddy!” he exclaimed, pushing her back from him and looking at her in concern. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss her. He really did! It was just that she was clearly very drunk and he didn’t want to feel that he’d taken advantage of her.

“You too?!” she exclaimed, staggering to her feet and glaring at him in an accusing way. “Why does no-one want me?!” She took a few faltering steps away from him before her stomach gave a terrible lurch and suddenly the pizza that she’d had for lunch made a very undignified reappearance. She dropped to her knees, and continued to retch violently, while Jett came over to her and held her hair back. He laughed a little to himself thinking what a weirdo he was. Even holding Maddy Osbourne’s hair back, while she vomited, felt like somewhat of a privilege. He really had it bad!

“I think we’d better get you home” said Jett, gently pulling her to her feet once she’d stopped, and putting his arm around her again to support her. They wobbled towards his car and he drove her home.

 

*****

 

“Again! Again!” roared Alfie, making a high pitched squealing noise and giggling madly while Matt swooped him across the living-room and made the sound of an airplane. Roo was upstairs getting dressed so he and Alf were on breakfast duty this morning. There’d been an awkward few moments when a rather sick looking Maddy had come downstairs for breakfast, but thankfully she’d had the good sense to leave them in peace, and she’d left a short while ago to go for a swim. He was going to have to track her down later so they could have a proper chat and clear the air. He really didn’t want Roo finding out about things and he didn’t want this kind of awkwardness in the house either.

“Neeeeeeee” he called out, as he held his son up horizontally in the air above his head and charged around the living-room, swooping him up and down as though he was flying. It was the same old game that they’d been playing since he was very small but now that he could talk he’d become a little more demanding. These sessions of airplane could go on for a very long time and leave Matt with aching arms and a very sore back.

“Where’s my grandson? Where’s Alfie?!” asked Alf, looking around the place at floor level and pretending that he couldn’t see where he’d gone. “All I can see is an airplane and it’s making an awful lot of noise!” he said, laughing a little and winking at Matt as he swooped Alfie past him. Things between him and Matt were still quite strained, but he'd been making a lot more effort to be civil towards him of late, and Alfie being around always made things a lot more friendly between them. When he was playing with Alfie, he was almost able to forget how much he disapproved of Matt as a 'son in law'. “I don’t know where Alfie’s gone!" he exclaimed, "This is terrible! What’s his mother going to say?!”

“Neeeee!” roared Matt, taking him for one more lap of the living-room before swooping him back towards Alf. He gave Alf a little nod and the older man stood up from his chair and approached them.

“What do we have here?!” he exclaimed, in mock surprise, as Matt held him out horizontally towards him. He squinted at Alfie and turned his head to one side as though he was studying him carefully. “Could it be?!” he asked, starting to tickle a giggling Alfie under the arms, “Maybe it’s not an airplane after all?!”

Alfie began to squeal and giggle again really loudly, and squirm in Matt’s arms, as Alf tickled him. “No… grampy!” he squealed excitedly.

“I don’t think airplanes gets the tickles?!” said Alf, lifting Alfie out of Matt’s arms and onto his hip. “What do you think, Daddy? I think maybe this isn’t an airplane at all…. I think maybe this is Alfie?”

“I don’t know Grampy” said Matt, looking Alfie up and down suspiciously and lifting his little arm up for inspection. “This looks like a wing to me!”

Alf carried him over to the couch and set him down on the seat cushions. He grinned up at them, familiar with this game, but excited at the addition of his Grampy Alf over the last few days. He and Daddy certainly seemed to be getting on a lot better. “I’m an aiwplane” he announced proudly, before throwing himself on his back and erupting into a fit of high pitched giggles.

“I’m not so sure about that” said Alf, shaking his head at him in mock disbelief and crossing his arms across his chest as he pretended to study him.

“I think there’s only one way to find out” said Matt, nodding at Alfie with a big silly smile on his face. “I think we’re just gonna have to tickle him…” He leant down and started to tickle him on his belly, and Alfie wriggled about the couch laughing loudly in that infectious kind of way. “I don’t think airplanes giggle?” said Matt, laughing along with him, “I don’t think airplanes get the tickles?!” He turned to look up at Alf who was enjoying the whole joke as much as him and Alfie. “I think you might be right, Grampy… I think this might be Alfie after all.”

He leaned down and lifted Alfie’s little T-shirt up. “I don’t think airplanes can have raspberries blown on their bellies” he said, smiling from ear to ear, “Do you, Grampy?”

“No, you’d be right there” agreed Alf in a gruff voice, but laughing as he watched Alfie squeal the house down, and giggle like crazy. Matt made a loud raspberry noise against his belly and Alf couldn’t help but laugh. That giggle of Alfie’s was hard to beat.

“Again! Again!” Alfie insisted, while Matt repeatedly blew on his belly, “Again!”

“Y’know? I don’t think this is an airplane at all!” laughed Matt, looking up at Alf with a silly smile on his face.

“I am an aiwplane!” announced Alfie, suddenly scrambling off the couch and running around with his little arms held out, “I’m an aiwplane!”

“Well, there’s one more thing we can try” said Alf, giving Matt a little smile as he turned to go and open the freezer. He took out a miniature strawberry Cornetto and held it up for Alfie to see. The sight of it stopped him in his tracks and he started to walk towards his grandfather with big hopeful eyes. He watched hungrily as Alf unwrapped it and stood there waiting patiently. “Now, I know airplanes don’t eat ice cream” teased Alf, crouching down to Alfie’s level and holding it out to him, “But little boys do… So which is it, are you an airplane or a boy?”

Alfie snatched the ice cream from Alf and began to lick at it immediately. He looked up at the smiling faces of his father and grandfather, grinning mischievously with ice cream smeared all around his mouth, and said, “I’m… a peng-in!”

“Happy Feet” said Matt, rolling his eyes at Alf, “We were watching it yesterday…”

“Uh… Why is my son eating ice cream for breakfast?!” laughed Roo, as she walked back into the living-room and was met with the sight of Alfie covered in ice cream.

“Oh come on, it won’t do him any harm!” said Alf, sitting back down in his chair and pouring himself a cup of coffee, “You new parents all need to lighten up!”

“I don’t remember you giving me ice cream for breakfast when I was little!” scolded Roo, picking Alfie up and carrying him over to the sink to wash his face and hands, “I seem to remember being made to eat a lot of porridge!”

“Yeah well, that’s why kids have grandparents!” he laughed, giving her a little smirk, “I remember you coming home from your grandparents high on sugar and bouncing off the walls… I’m just paying it forward.” He lifted his cup and took a sip before continuing. “You’ll be able to do that too when Alfie has kids of his own….”

Roo turned and looked at him for a moment and the smile faded from her lips. “Yeah” she said, sounding a little unsure, “I guess so.”

As soon as he’d said it he realised his mistake and he wanted badly to be able to take it back. She just looked so sad. They both knew that she’d be a very aged grandparent by the time Alfie had any kids of his own.

“Knock knock!” came a voice from outside the front door, accompanied by a rat-a-tat of someone knocking on the doorframe. “I come in peace!” called Oscar, as he pulled the screen-door open and tentatively stepped inside. Callie followed closely behind him carrying a large cake box.

“Oscar?!” exclaimed Roo, setting Alfie back down onto the floor. She dried her hands quickly on a tea towel and made her way towards him.

“Don’t hurt us!” he cried, holding his hands up in front of him as though he needed protection, but grinning from ear to ear, “We come in peace!”

“Very funny” said Roo, biting her bottom lip in an embarrassed sort of way. She couldn’t help feeling relieved that he was making light of the whole thing though. “How are you?!” she asked, blushing a little red as she looked at him. His bruises had long since disappeared.

“I’m fine, Roo” he said, shrugging and laughing a little, “Seriously, don’t worry about it!”

“Hey guys” said Matt, giving them an uneasy little smile, “I thought you two were heading back to the city today?”

“We are” said Oscar, nodding at him and giving him a look of sympathy and concern, “I just… we just… wanted to check on you both and see that you’re okay…” He looked at Roo and gave her a gentle little smile. “I wanted to see you before we go back… Just wanted to make sure you’re okay too.”

“Thanks” said Matt, feeling a little embarrassed, “We’re doing okay… You didn’t need to come.” He hadn’t meant it to sound as hostile as it had ended up coming out. “I mean… You don’t have to worry about us…” he added, blushing a little red.

“I really am sorry, Oscar” said Roo, fidgeting in front of him and looking really unsure of where to put her arms. “I’m so embarrassed about everything… and I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

“It’s okay” Oscar assured her, shrugging his shoulders at her again and giving a nervous little laugh, “I know you didn’t mean to…” He gave a sarcastic little smirk and added, “You should think about taking up boxing or something though! You’re pretty good with your fists!”

She stared at the floor and flushed a brighter shade of red. “I really am sorry” she said again, shaking her head at herself, “I don’t know where any of that came from.”

“Hey” he said, taking on a mischievous sort of look, “Don’t beat yourself up about it…” There was an audible groan from Callie who was standing behind him and he turned to look at her. “What?! That was funny!”

She rolled her eyes at him and smiled across at Roo and Matt. “You were pretty funny, Roo” she said, nodding at Roo but doing her best to stifle her laughter, “I mean… I know it wasn’t funny for you… or for Oscar at the time… but…” She looked around at the others, and the serious looks on all of their faces just made her want to laugh even more. “…But… as a bystander… I mean… You were like Bruce Lee!”

They all looked at her in stunned silence for a moment.

“What?!” she said, looking at Oscar and smiling broadly, “She was!” She started miming Jiu Jistsu moves and making the high pitched squealy noises that Bruce Lee made in his movies, “It was so cool!” she said, even doing a dramatic high kick for effect. “You were so fast! You were like… wapow!”

Matt was the first to start laughing but they all soon followed. Oscar looked at Callie and shook his head at her in wonder. She always seemed to have a way of making people laugh, even in the most tense of situations, and it was something that he loved about her. She could be so delightfully weird. They couldn’t help but laugh. Something about the way that she was dressed today, in her lacy vintage frock and childish ankle socks and shoes, made the fact that she was doing Bruce Lee moves seem incredibly funny.

“Is that cake?” asked Alf, eyeing the box in Callie’s hands with a welcoming smile.

Callie returned his smile and nodded. “They’re from Leah… a selection from the diner!”

“That was kind of her” said Alf, with an even broader smile, “I think we can manage a few cups of tea for people who come bearing cake, can’t we Roo? Don’t just leave them standing by the door!”

“Sorry, come… come in” stammered Roo, motioning for them to come and sit down on the couch.

“I’ll make the tea” said Matt, turning and heading into the kitchen to put the kettle on. He began pulling out cups and teaspoons and set them all on a tray. He was glad to have the distraction.

Oscar took the opportunity to follow him out to the kitchen. He turned and leaned against the kitchen counter and watched as everyone else went and sat down together in the living-room. He’d wanted to have a quiet chat with Matt and this seemed like the only chance he might get. “So, um…” he started, glancing at Matt out of the side of his eye, “Um…I was a bit worried about you the other night… I went after you but I didn’t know where you’d gone… Josh and I were both worried.”

“I’m fine” said Matt, staring into the sink and avoiding eye contact, “I didn’t mean to freak you guys out.”

“I’m not looking for an apology” said Oscar, giving him a sympathetic little head tilt, “I just… I wanted you to know… I’m here if you ever need to talk… Just a phone-call away…”

“Thanks” mumbled Matt, feeling decidedly uncomfortable with where this conversation was headed, “I appreciate that.”

“It’s just… I recognise a panic attack when I see one…” he said quietly, watching with a smile as Callie played with Alfie down on her stomach in the middle of the floor. “I had enough of them myself” he said, remembering that crushing feeling in the middle of his chest and the feeling that you were suffocating. He knew how scary it was.

Matt turned to look at him properly again for the first time and gave a little shrug. “I don’t know how to stop them.” he said, looking ashamed of himself, “They just seem to come out of nowhere and… I don’t know why they keep happening.”

“I know” said Oscar, nodding at him slowly. “I think you need to talk to someone” he said, giving Matt a little pat on the shoulder, “About what happened to you out there… Maybe one of us if that’s easier …or maybe… maybe a professional? …It helped me.”

“Maybe” said Matt, nodding to himself. He already knew that Oscar and Josh were right. He did need to speak to someone but it just seemed like a really big step that he wasn’t quite ready to make yet. Admitting how much of a mess he was just seemed like he was admitting failure. He didn’t want people to know how much he was struggling to cope. Surely he could deal with this on his own?

Matt turned back to the kettle that had just boiled and filled the largest teapot that they had. He began to rummage in the cupboard for the large plate that they usually put the cakes on, and got some side plates out at well, before turning to look at Oscar again. He stepped in close beside him, leaning his back against the kitchen counter too, and said in as quiet a voice as he could manage, “I um… I need you to do me a favour…”

Oscar furrowed his brow at him and glanced over at the others by the couch. Something about Matt’s whispered tone told him that Roo wasn’t to hear what he had to say. “Okay?” he whispered back.

“I need you to go find Maddy and see if she’s okay” he said, giving Oscar a very worried look. “I think she could really use a shoulder to cry on right now… and it really can’t be me.”

 

*****

 

A young man stepped out of his car outside the diner. He had dark brown hair cut in a short style that looked effortlessly tidy and smart, and a tailored and very expensive looking white shirt and pale pink tie. His suit jacket was hanging up in the back of the car for fear of getting creased while he drove. He took off his Armani sunglasses and began to look around him, tugging at the sleeves of his shirt and adjusting his designer cufflinks in a nervous sort of way. He turned full circle with his hands on his hips, taking in his surroundings, and breathing in his first big breath of salty sea air. He’d missed this! He turned and looked up at the diner, gazing at the place that he’d once known so well, and wondered at how small it looked. Somehow, everything about this seaside town seemed to have shrunk. Was this really the place that he’d spent the first twenty odd years of his life?! Was this really his hometown?! Was he really back here or was this just a dream? He’d stopped the car for a moment at the ‘Welcome to Summer Bay’ signpost just outside the town and sat there for a moment to steady his nerves. Coming back here hadn’t been an easy decision. He hadn’t been back for nearly ten years! When he’d gone, he’d left behind such painful and traumatic memories, that he’d begun to think that he might never be able to come back. For a long time, the thought of coming back here, and having to face a world and a life without her, had been too difficult. He’d had to move on. He’d had to reinvent himself and forge a new existence. He’d more or less cut all ties, moving on and building a life without the people that he’d known and cared about. He’d only kept in contact with a select few and even then the contact had been sporadic and fairly half-hearted. He’d sent the occasional Christmas card when he’d remembered to, and an occasional letter, but he certainly hadn’t been the most faithful of pen pals.  He smiled as he looked up at the front of the diner, thinking with fondness of the people that he’d worked with there. He wanted to go straight in there now and sit down for a chat. He wanted to give Irene a hug. He wanted to have a good old gossip with Colleen, and maybe even Leah. He could just see the look on Colleen’s face now when he told her that he was an Associate with a big city law firm, and that the brand new Mercedes sitting in the car park was his. He wanted to see her reaction. He knew that she’d start fawning all over him in the way that she always did with people in positions of authority. Part of him couldn’t wait! The old busy body wouldn’t know where to put herself! He wanted to do it so badly, but something was holding him back. He wasn’t sure what it was. There was a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, like something gnawing at him, and making him feel a little bit sick. Surely it wasn’t about her? Not after all this time? He’d come to terms with things gradually and what had been a constant ache that he’d carried with him in his chest, like someone gripping his heart in their hand, had faded over the years into something much more quiet and distant. Now he could even allow himself to think of the happy times. He could think of her beautiful smile, and the mischievous look in her eyes, and not want to cry. It amazed him sometimes, to find himself remembering some stupid little joke that she’d made, or something silly that they’d done together, and realise that he was smiling. Time was a great healer in the end, he supposed, although he knew that this particular wound would never completely close. He still hadn’t fully moved on. He was nearly thirty-two years old and he was still single. With a little sigh, he put his sunglasses back on, and climbed back in the car. He’d be back. Right now though, he needed to get to the caravan park and see if he could knock some sense into this daughter of Alf Stewart. He really hoped that he could, because his whole case depended on it!

[Red Ranger 1]

Oh dear, Maddy was more than a bit of a mess.I'm glad Matt handled it well and had some sympathy for her, even after she decided to be inappropriate again.Her not being able to have children is an interesting touch.Good that things seem to be settling down for the family, and I'm assuming Matt did okay at the function which is good news.And as for that ending...I'm assuming that that's the lawyer that Matt and Roo were in touch with but it also sounds like it's someone we know.For some reason my brain is saying

Aden...

[Ludub]

Thanks Red!  Glad you enjoyed it!

Haha, yeah, I probably should have cleared up how the function went in this chapter, but may have gotten a little distracted by all the other stuff. There will be a bit more about that in the next one though. 

You'll also find out if you're right about the lawyer...

 

[KittCatt]

Great chapter!

First of all, i loved the normal family scene with Roo, Matt, Alf and Alfie  Alf really is a great Granddad to Alfie, giving him ice cream and everything  And the addition of Oscar and Callie was great. Glad Oscar had a quick chat to Matt about his panic attack and showed his support and understanding.

Maddy often succeeds at making things worse for herself doesn't she? I wonder whats going to happen now that her life in England has changed so much. Glad Matt was trying to be a good friend after she revealed her heartbreak. And i liked the addition of Jett  

That ending was mysterious! Looking forward to seeing the new lawyer  

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Oh dear! Can't believe Maddy made things worse for herself.

Liked the chat Oscar had with Matt and showed his support/understanding

Wondering who is it at the end of this chapter...

Update soon please xx

[Guest]

Great chapter 

Can't believe Maddy made things worse for herself.

Wondering who is at the end of the chapter 

Update again soon

 

[Ludub]

10 hours ago, KittCatt said:

Maddy often succeeds at making things worse for herself doesn't she? I wonder whats going to happen now that her life in England has changed so much. Glad Matt was trying to be a good friend after she revealed her heartbreak. And i liked the addition of Jett  

 

9 hours ago, ~JarlieFanEver~ said:

Oh dear! Can't believe Maddy made things worse for herself.

Liked the chat Oscar had with Matt and showed his support/understanding

 

7 hours ago, Kristen said:

Can't believe Maddy made things worse for herself

 

11 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

Maddy was more than a bit of a mess.I'm glad Matt handled it well and had some sympathy for her, even after she decided to be inappropriate again.Her not being able to have children is an interesting touch

Thanks everyone! I was a little worried that I'd been overly cruel to Maddy in this chapter but I think her response to the breakup is quite in character. She does have a habit of digging herself a deeper hole given half the chance. The pity party, and throwing herself at Matt, and Jett seemed fairly in character too. I do feel quite sorry for her though, it was a lot to deal with in one day, and she hasn't exactly had a charmed life. Matt was in a difficult position here too because he's obviously quite hurt by the things she's said but also wants to be a good friend to her. In the end, they have a lot of history together, and he wasn't the one that broke things off, so it would be hard for him not to have some feelings for her. Even if they're just platonic now.

10 hours ago, KittCatt said:

i loved the normal family scene with Roo, Matt, Alf and Alfie  Alf really is a great Granddad to Alfie, giving him ice cream and everything 

Glad you liked this. Thought it'd be nice to see Alf having fun with his grandson. He's always been good with children. He is making a real effort now to be civil as far as Matt is concerned, but things are never plainsailing so there could be trouble ahead. 

10 hours ago, KittCatt said:

That ending was mysterious! Looking forward to seeing the new lawyer  

All will be revealed 

Thanks again to everyone for reading and taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.

[hward]

Super chapter.  Typical Maddy reaction there, lol

Really curious about who the lawyer is - very mysterious ending there.

[Ludub]

3 minutes ago, hward said:

Super chapter.  Typical Maddy reaction there, lol

Really curious about who the lawyer is - very mysterious ending there.

Thanks hward!  so glad you're enjoying it! Poor Maddy is having a hard time of it, isn't she?! Lol! Thought I'd keep you all guessing for at least a couple of chapters but you'll find who the lawyer is now in the next one  Might be a few days before I have time to write it though. It's sort of roughly written in my head. I just need to find the time to get it down on paper... Well, laptop screen (does anyone write on paper anymore?). Thanks again for the feedback x

[Red Ranger 1]

3 hours ago, Ludub said:

Well, laptop screen (does anyone write on paper anymore?).

My outlines are written on paper.Gotta use all those notebooks for something.