Emotional Rollercoaster

Stacey looked out of the hallway window – it was cold. Her parents’ home in the Blue Mountains was the perfect setting for Christmas in July, and when she saw snowflakes falling under the streetlight, she couldn’t have been happier - it was beautiful. The last six months had been the best six months of her life – things couldn’t have been more perfect.Lee went into the kitchen where Maree, Stacey’s mum, had made another jug of eggnog and insisted he had another one. She was right into this Christmas in July lark – as she was the eggnog, and Lee couldn’t help but smile as she poured herself what must have been at least her fourth. She was becoming noticeably tipsy – but in a particularly dignified manner.

John, Stacey’s father, meanwhile, was stuffing the turkey in preparation for tomorrow’s lunch. Cracking the odd joke as he did so, a glass of scotch on the bench beside him, and an eggnog. Lee liked these two.

Stacey’s parents really seemed to know how to enjoy themselves and were putting every effort into making Christmas in July a special occasion. And having never had a traditional family Christmas before, Lee was having a great time – roll on December, he thought, he could definitely handle a couple of these a year.

Maree motioned for Lee to follow her into the cosy little sitting room, which tonight was lit only by the open log fire that was burning in the grate, a couple of large pillar candles on the mantelpiece and a multitude of tiny white lights wrapped around the Christmas tree. And after putting her glass down on the coffee table, she turned to Lee, and he noticed traces of tears in her eyes as she took him by the hands.

‘I just want to let you know how much John and I appreciate the way you’ve taken care of Stacey since her marriage break up.’

There was pain in her eyes, which stirred emotions in Lee as he remembered the condition he’d found Stacey in after Martyn had beaten her to an inch of her life, causing her to miscarry what had turned out to have been their baby, and he forced a lump down in the back of his throat.

’If I lay eyes on that man ever again, it’ll be too soon,’ she told him, clearly full of resentment.

’Anyway,’ she said, dismissing him with a bat of her hand. ’Aside from that, John has a friend who does family law, and he’ll be handling the divorce. I’m sure Stacey would have already told you about that, but like us, he thinks that she should go for her rightful share of the house and everything, after what he put her through for so long, but she’s adamant she wants nothing. She still prefers to walk away with absolutely nothing. What are your thoughts on that?’

Lee sucked in his breath, feeling this was Stacey’s decision and Stacey’s decision alone. ‘The way I see it,’ he told her in all honesty, ‘is if that’s the way she wants it, then it’s her choice. I don’t think any of us could make her change her mind if that’s what she prefers to do. And with Martyn living close by, I don’t think she’d feel comfortable taking him to the cleaners. She’s just happy to be away from him, even though she left with nothing but what she could fit into her suitcase.’

Maree was nodding. ‘Yes, I get that, Lee, but legally she’s entitled to half of everything they owned together - and bloody well deserves it too. And although that house was an inheritance, her name’s on all the papers. It was left to them both, not just him.’

’Yes, Maree, I know. And don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see her take that bastard for everything he’s got, because she deserves it. But at the end of the day, it’s only money, and money doesn’t always guarantee happiness. What we have together is far greater - and that in itself will be eating away at him like you wouldn’t believe. And now he’s moved my son and ex in, we really have to tread carefully.’

Maree heaved a tired sigh as she nodded, ‘yes true; very, very true.’

She picked up her eggnog and took a large sip before placing it back down on the table.

How she despised Martyn; and they all knew that the relationship he’d formed with Lee’s ex was nothing but a sham. He had no genuine interest in her – she’d been nothing more than a convenient bit on the side while he’d kept Stacey neatly tucked up inside the house, and would have been more than happy to have kept it that way for as long as he could. It made her sick.

’That must have been one hell of a shock when you found out your ex and your son had moved in with him,’ she said, thinking of the delightful little boy she’d met for the first time that day, and who was now sleeping peacefully in Stacey’s old room. ‘You can’t be happy with that arrangement at all.’

Lee threw her a look. ‘No, I’m not,’ he told her darkly. ’But what’re you meant to do, eh? There’s no way Claire would listen to me just out of principle, and unfortunately, once she gets her mind set on something, that’s it, she won’t budge. She had her mind set on snaring Martyn the moment he walked into her office - married or not married. The flash rich guy with the big house and fancy car, and now she’s got exactly what she was after, she’ll be lapping it up. But, I bet you anything he won’t be feeling the same way as her, cos he’s only done it for one reason – to get at me an’ Stacey.’

’And I bet it won’t be long before he starts knocking her around too,’ said Maree with conviction, very much aware of Martyn’s track record now.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ said Lee grimly. ‘And you can guarantee if it hasn’t already started, then it won’t be long before it does, and the moment I see the slightest mark on either one of them, or hear of any kind of abuse going on, I’ll have Liam out of there in a shot, believe me.’

And she did believe him. And still to this day, she could not understand how her daughter had allowed herself to be subjected to that kind of treatment for so long. ‘So how is Liam getting along living there? Has he said anything to you at all?’

’He’s a kid, Maree. Right now it’s all new to him, and he’s in his element. He hasn’t stopped talking about the BIG house, his new BIG room. He loves the outdoor area, the attic to play in, and most of all he loves being that close to the beach.’

We’re going to get him even closer to the beach, thought Maree, knowing that what they were giving Stacey and Lee tomorrow for their Christmas in July gift was going to be a huge surprise. And, despite having had every intention of taking Lee aside tonight to run it by him in advance, to make sure he was happy about it, and didn’t think they were trying to meddle in their affairs in any way – that all they wanted for them was a good solid start together – felt it wasn’t necessary, due to the way he was speaking. Lee had his head screwed on and wanted nothing but the best for both Stacey and Liam, and now she couldn’t wait to see the surprise on his face tomorrow just as much as Stacey’s.

’So do you know if Martyn still has plans to re-open the house as a Guest House?’ she asked, his name leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

‘I’m not a hundred per cent sure,’ replied Lee with a shrug. ‘Claire did say something about doing some correspondence course in small hotel management or something.’ He then turned his nose up as he threw her a look. ‘But can you imagine it? It’ll be like Fawlty bloody Towers, only run by two lunatics instead of one!’

Liam stirred, and as he went to turn over, he heard something rustle at the end of the bed. He opened his eyes, blinking in the dark bedroom, the thick curtains up at the window blocking out any signs of morning, and it took him a couple of moments to remember where he was – in Stacey’s old bedroom at her mum and dads house.

Christmas in July, he then remembered! Immediately he sat up. And finding the switch on the bedside lamp saw to his delight a HUGE Christmas stocking lying there.

Excitedly he scuttled to the end of the bed and peered inside, and in his excitement, he snatched it up and ran out of the room in his little bare feet, and dashed down the hallway to the room where his dad and Stacey were sleeping.

’Daddy, daddy look!’ he said, rushing in, holding the stocking up with both hands.

It was almost the size of him.

He then scrambled onto the bed, putting a careless foot in Lee’s groin before elbowing him in the ear as he eagerly squeezed himself into the little space between his dad and Stacey.

’Ouch, watch it, you!’ frowned Lee, nudging him in the ribs as he rearranged his manhood.

Liam was totally oblivious as to what he had done and concentrated on opening the stocking.

‘You alright?’ asked Stacey, hiding her amusement behind her hand.

‘Thank Christ his feet aren’t any bigger!’ Lee muttered under his breath.

Stacey laughed as she pulled herself up into a sitting position, enjoying watching Liam’s excitement.

There were a couple of colouring books, some crayons, a puzzle book, four Kinda Surprises, a Walt Disney box set of DVD’s, five Superhero comics, a child’s digital camera, a remote control robot, and right at the bottom of the stocking he found a set of Matchbox vintage sports cars.

His eyes widened as he pulled out the box.

‘Wow!’ he said, glancing up at Lee.

Lee’s eyes widened too. It contained a 1967 Jaguar E-Type Convertible, a 1967 MGB Soft Top, a 1962 Aston Martin DB4, a 1961 Lotus Super Seven and a 1960 Jaguar XK 150.

‘Wow, right enough,’ said Lee, taking a closer look at them. ‘They would have cost a fortune - and being a collectors box set, will be worth a bit in the future, too. Jeeze,’ he then said, turning to Stacey. ‘I thought you said your parents only give small token gifts for Christmas in July?’

’They do, usually,’ she told him, ‘but they’ve never had a grandson before, have they?’

Lee raised his eyebrows and whistled, looking at all the thoughtful gifts Liam had scattered over the bed.

’That’s so generous considering they’ve only just met him. I don’t suppose you had a hand in any of this, did you?’ he then curiously asked, giving her the eyeball. After all, how else would they have known what he’d be interested in?

’Sort of,’ she said with a modest smile. ‘But I only told them the basics. They sorted it themselves from there.’

‘Well, they’ve done very well,’ he had to admit. ‘What have we got them, just that voucher for high tea at The Majestic?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s not enough with all this ...’

‘Yes, it is. They’ll love it. They love going out for lunch and stuff, and would never have thought of high tea. Plus, there’s nothing they really want or need, and probably won’t be giving us anything now they’ve got their adopted grandson!’ She then gave Liam a massive tickle in the ribs, which had him screaming with laughter, before she jumped out of bed and peered behind the curtains.

Her mouth dropped open in awe.

The world outside was covered in a thick blanket of snow, and what made it more beautiful was the fact that there wasn’t a footprint in it.

’Okay,’ she said, turning to the boys enthusiastically. ‘Who’s up for a snowball fight?’

Liam’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he slipped off the side of the bed and rushed to the window, having only seen snow on the television before. And standing on tippy-toes, managed to see out into the street and driveway.

His excitement was too much to contain.

’Me, me,’ he said, jumping up and down with an arm in the air.

He loved Stacey. She was so much fun.

Quietly they dressed and snuck out the side door so as not to wake Maree and John. But what they didn’t know, was that Maree and John were already up, had had their breakfast, and were now sitting in the little conservatory beside the sitting room with a cup of tea, having not wanted to wake them either.

Maree motioned to John as they passed the side window all rugged up, and having not been prepared for the huge dump of snow that had fallen overnight, ventured out into the garden wearing socks on their hands for gloves.

’God love ‘em’ said John, in a grandfatherly way.

Tears of happiness filled Maree’s eyes. ‘They make such a lovely little family, don’t they?’

In moments, it was on for young and old as the three of them waged war on one another, grabbing handfuls of snow and forming it into small firm balls before throwing it at each other. And after a good 15-minute battle, an alliance was made between Stacey and Liam to ambush Lee, and it was while Lee was preoccupied with stockpiling ammunition to bombard the enemy with, that Stacey suddenly threw herself at Lee’s legs, taking him totally by surprise as she took him down to the ground in an impressive rugby tackle, while Liam scooped up two big armfuls of snow before sitting on his dad’s chest and rubbing it into his face.

Stacey and Liam fell about laughing, high-fiving each other, while Lee played dead. And after a couple of moments, Liam, curious as to why his dad lay motionless in the snow, crept over to him and pulled open his eyelids, only to be scared to death when Lee suddenly sprang into action and grabbed him. And together, they rolled in the snow and didn’t stop until Maree popped her head out of a partially opened conservatory door and called, ’Who’s for hot chocolate before you turn completely blue?’

Immediately Liam’s eyes lit up, and he jumped up saying, ‘yes please,’ and turning eagerly to Stacey, asked with excited innocence, ‘are you going to have hot chocolate, too?’

This trip to the mountains had been one exciting event after another – and treats galore.

‘No, hot chocolate is only for special little boys,’ she said, bending down and giving him an extra wild tickle. ‘I think it’s time for something a little more exciting for me and dad,’ she said, glancing at Lee with a knowing look.

’Bubbles,’ was the word that she mouthed.

Lee raised his eyebrows and winked at her. ‘It’s gotta be 12 o’clock somewhere in the world,’ he replied, not sure who was enjoying this the most, himself or Liam.

‘I was wondering how long it’d be before she suggested that,’ remarked Maree to John, having read her lips.

John grinned, turning his eyes to the clock, thinking exactly the same way as Lee. ‘Well, it has to be mid-day somewhere in the world,’ he told her.

His daughter was a chip off the old block, and seemingly so was his son-in-law to be.

Stacey, Lee and Liam left their snowy shoes on the kitchen doorstep and changed before joining Maree and John in the conservatory, where four champagne flutes had been placed on the sideboard, and Liam’s hot chocolate was waiting for him on the little table beside John’s favourite chair, with a couple of marshmallows slowly melting in it.

Once they reappeared in fresh warm clothes, John began to ease the cork out of the Moet and Chandon.

Liam took the cup of hot chocolate in both hands and sat in the big chair usually kept for John. He felt so special being allowed to sit in it. The chair was big enough for a king, he thought.

Maree came through from the kitchen with her hands behind her back and a smug expression on her face, causing Stacey to cock her head questioningly.

‘What are you up to?’ she asked. With a look like that, she had to be up to something.

’Since we’re opening the champagne, we may as well give you our present now,’ she said, unable to wait until after lunch to give it to them.

Stacey raised her eyebrows and glanced at Lee, wondering what it could be, to be smiling so smugly.

Maree waited until John had poured the champagne, and had handed them each a glass, when Lee interrupted the proceedings with something he wanted to say first, now that the Moet was open. And having already run it privately by John yesterday afternoon, he took the lead when John gave him the “go-ahead” nod, and he turned to Stacey, feeling slightly uncomfortable doing this in front of her parents.

’There’s something I want to ask you, which isn’t going to be too easy in front of an audience,’ he said, making light of it with a smile to die for, which always sent tingles through Stacey. He ran his fingers through his hair, not taking his eyes off hers, deciding to keep it short.

’Once your divorce is through, I want to marry you.’ The words all tumbled out at once, and not particularly in the order he’d planned, and quickly added. ‘I had a talk with your dad yesterday, and he gave me his permission to ask you. Will you marry me?’

Stacey’s mouth dropped open in shock, and tears immediately sprung to her eyes, having not expected this in a million years. ‘Oh my God!’ she said, clamping a hand over her mouth. Did she hear that right? Did he just ask her to marry him? Oh - my - God!

Lee then took a small black velvet box from his pocket, and he presented her with the most beautiful white gold heart-shaped diamond ring, and took her by the hand.

Stacey was speechless, and she glanced up at him, unable to contain the tears that now rolled down her cheeks. The ring was beautiful – and the fact that he’d chosen it for her without having even discussed it with her, made it even more special.

Maree was just as speechless, and wiping away tears of her own, wondered how and when John and Lee had managed to have that little chat yesterday? Conniving devils, she thought!

’Well?’ prompted John, urging his daughter on with a nudge. ‘Are you going to answer that question or just stand there gawping at him?’

Stacey was overwhelmed by the proposal, and suddenly threw her arms around Lee’s neck in a hug that looked like she’d never let go. ‘Oh yes,’ she said, unable to stem the new flow of tears. ‘Yes, yes, of course I’ll marry you.’

Maree and John looked truly delighted and chinked glasses as Lee slid the ring on Stacey’s finger – the perfect ring – the perfect fit. And Liam, who had been watching with wide eyes and mouth to match, suddenly jumped off his chair and threw his little arms around the couple in the biggest bear hug a five-year-old could manage.

‘Does this mean you’re going to be my mummy now, too?’ he asked, looking up at Stacey with innocent anticipation.

’Aww,’ said Stacey, crouching down in front of him and giving him a huge hug in return. She had to be really careful about how she answered this question, knowing that if she was just to say an outright yes, I’m going to be your mummy too, it would create World War Three at the other end. It would be claws at dawn. There was no way on God’s earth Claire would allow Liam to consider her, for a moment, anything near as special as that, and went on to gently say, so as not to dash any hopes or expectations that he already had. ‘No, not your mummy as such, sweetheart. You already have a mummy and don’t need another one. Once your dad and I get married, I’ll be what they call your step-mum.’

’Step-mum,’ he repeated, taking it in thoughtfully. It still contained the word mum, although he had no idea what the step part meant.

‘And you’ll be my step-son,’ she added. ‘It’s like being a second kind of mum; a mum away from home, so to speak – someone who looks after you when your real mum isn’t around.’

Liam’s eyes lit up. He liked that idea and turned to Lee all smiles as he crouched down beside him, putting an arm around his little shoulders. ‘Happy with that, mate?’ he asked.

Liam nodded brightly – and Maree couldn’t hold back any longer.

’Well, this couldn’t have come at a better time,’ said Maree, itching to hand over the envelopes. ‘We’re so very happy for you both. You two getting engaged today puts the icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned – especially with what we’re about to give you.’

Suddenly she produced the two envelopes she’d been holding behind her back, a pink one with Stacey’s name written on it and a blue one with Lee’s.

Liam watched on in awe, wondering what was happening now. He was going to have so much to tell his mum when he got home. It was all so very exciting.

’What’s this?’ asked Stacey, hoping her parents hadn’t gone and done something silly like spending a fortune on vouchers for them they’d struggle to use – they’d done it for her in the past.

’Open them,’ said Maree.

Stacey and Lee took their respective envelopes casting each other a glance as they did so, feeling the moment they took them, something solid inside. And taking the lead from Stacey, Lee began to open his envelope, keeping an eye on Stacey’s as she opened hers, then simultaneously they pulled out a key each.

Stacey frowned, looking from Lee to her mum and then her dad.

‘Does that look familiar?’ asked John with a grin playing on his lips.

It did, but Stacey wasn’t sure what it meant and glanced back to her mum, who was now beaming at the pair of them.

‘Is this the key to my old unit?’ she asked.

Maree nodded, her smile unable to widen any further.

‘Oh my God,’ she breathed, turning and looking at Lee, who appeared particularly guarded and unsure.

’They’re keys to my old unit - my old unit on Beach Street.’

’It’s yours,’ was all John said, as he went to give his daughter a huge hug. ‘We were a bit concerned that you might think we were being a bit pushy by giving it to you both. But we could see that you’re both more than committed in your relationship and just wanted to give you a good start, and you can’t get a better start than owning your own home.’

Both Stacey and Lee were astounded, and Lee, having never had anything given to him in his life before, was uncertain how to take it. ‘I thought you sold that unit?’ was all he could say. ‘I saw it go up for sale after Stacey left Coogee over five years ago.’

’It didn’t sell,’ explained Maree. ‘The bottom dropped out of the market, and we couldn’t get what we were asking for, so we kept it and rented it out. When all that happened to Stacey with Martyn and you two got together, we decided to give the tenants notice so you’d have a place of your own – with a special little room for a special little boy,’ she said, tickling Liam under the chin. ’And, only a stone’s throw away from the beach with nice sea views,’ she added, watching Liam’s face growing more excited by the second.

’We’ve spent the last three months doing it up for you. We can’t wait for you to see it.’

’Jesus,’ said Lee, sucking in a huge breath in disbelief, and not wanting to appear ungrateful, took Maree in his arms, unable to thank her enough, before doing the same with John, wondering if he should, in fact, be gracefully declining it, but knew that would not only be rude since they’d obviously made this decision together, but it would also be pretty stupid.

’This is so unexpected,’ gushed Stacey. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

’Thank you is enough, darling,’ said John, practically. ‘You’d have inherited it anyway – eventually,’ he added with a laugh, raising his glass to them both.

They all drank to good health, happy futures and a Merry Clayton’s Christmas.

Claire was in for a double dose of jealousy once she found out about the engagement – let alone with what they’d been given on top of it.

From the moment Lee had dropped Liam home, he hadn’t stopped talking about the fantastic time he’d had in the Blue Mountains. And however his enthusiasm and excitement irked her, Claire still could not stop herself from repeatedly asking more and more questions to which the excited answers infuriated her further.

Martyn watched on darkly. How he’d love to slap some sense into the kid. His father was nothing but a calculating manipulator who was quite obviously showering him with everything he possibly could to score points - and his mother, an over doting pain in the neck when she went on in this manner.

’Quit asking him so many freaking questions,’ he snapped, Liam’s incessant waffle bugging him to distraction. ‘Just ask him where all these precious presents are.’ If he’d been given so many brilliant presents, where the hell were they?

‘Daddy wants to keep them at his place until we move into our new home,’ he explained with childlike innocence.

Claire did a double-take and stared at him all of a sudden. ‘New home? What new home? He hasn’t said anything to me about a new home – is he moving?’

’Nanna Ree and Poppa John gave daddy and Stacey keys to a new home as their Christmas in July present – right over-looking the sea,’ he added, remembering exactly what Maree had told him, ‘and just a stone’s throw from the beach.’

His smile couldn’t have been bigger or brighter at the prospect of a brand new home, even closer to the beach than they already were. And Claire’s mouth formed a hard, bitter line as she grabbed him by the arm.

’Whoever those people are, they are not your Nanna and Poppa,’ she told him harshly to get it across to him loud and clear. ‘They’re nothing to you whatsoever, absolutely nothing. They’re nobodies!’

Nobodies? Liam looked shocked and was pretty quick to defend them since they’d been so very kind to him and such good fun. ‘They’re Stacey’s parents. They’re really nice and gave me hot chocolate with marshmallows in it, and let me sit in Poppa John’s special chair. Stacey is going to become my step-mum when she and daddy get married. He gave her the nicest heart-shaped diamond ring, and she loved it that much she cried. John and Maree were so happy that they …’

’Married?’ Claire was astounded and instantly swung round for Martyn’s reaction.

‘Right, that’s enough!’ he now yelled, his fiery Italian temper getting the better of him. He’d had it up to his eyeballs with the kid babbling on about the lovely house, lovely garden, lovely people; the gifts, treats, fun, laughter, snowball fight – and now this? ‘If you had such a bloody great time with them, then go and live with them!’

’Martyn!’ shouted Claire, not liking him speaking to Liam like that, but it only caused him to turn on her with a stern pointed finger.

’And you; quit asking so many damn questions. You’re not happy unless you know the ins and outs of a ducks arsehole, and I’m sick of it. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in those two or what they’re doing, so quit asking so many effing questions about them. ‘Married,’ he then muttered under his breath. ‘They can’t get fucking married. The bitch is still married to me.’

Claire shot him a look. ‘Please don’t use that kind of language, or talk to me like that, in front of him.’

’Fucking shut it,’ he suddenly erupted, making them both jump. ‘I’ve had it up to fucking here,’ he said, bashing himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand, ’and I am not going to sit here and listen to any more of this ... shit!’ He got up out of his chair, glaring at the pair of them as he headed for the whisky bottle.

Great, thought Claire glaring back at him, another evening stuffed. All he was going to do now was sit and drink himself into oblivion and freeze her out. God, how good was he at freezing her out?

She then suggested that Liam took himself upstairs for an early night since he’d had such a big weekend and had to be up early for school in the morning – but it was only half-past five, he was used to staying up until at least seven on a Sunday evening, and wasn’t in the least bit tired.

‘Can I sit up in your bed and watch TV in your room for a while?’ he then asked, keeping his voice down so Martyn couldn’t hear him.

Claire nodded. At least he’d be out of the way doing that.

All Martyn was likely to do now was plant himself in front of the television and drink himself stupid. And if his previous form was anything to go by, then he’d end up crashing out there too. But if that was what he wanted to do, then so be it. He was best left well alone when he was in this kind of mood, so after helping Liam into his nightclothes, she tucked him into their bed and left him to quietly watch the television while she took herself out into the courtyard with the biggest glass of Bacardi and Coke, where she could think and sulk alone.

Claire didn’t believe for a minute Martyn wasn’t interested in Stacey and Lee. Inwardly he was just as obsessed with them as she was – although neither one of them was willing to admit it, and she knew anger and resentment was eating away at him.

She drew in a deep breath.

Martyn hadn’t been the easiest person to live with, what with his volatile temper and mood swings, but she had learnt to bite her tongue and keep her mouth shut purely to keep the peace.

She loved living in the big old heritage house, and having lived the life of luxury now for the best part of six months, had no intention of going back to being a struggling single mother again. This relationship had got to work; this relationship was going to work. Right now, she wanted for nothing and fully intended to keep it that way – at whatever cost. Defiantly she knocked back her drink before going back into the kitchen for another one.

Stacey was curled up on the sofa beside Lee, watching the Sunday night movie, when the phone began to ring. Neither of them bothered to move. If it wasn’t a charity looking for donations, it would be an irritating survey – no one rang on the landline anymore.

‘Shame we couldn’t get into the unit this afternoon,’ said Stacey, once the advert break came on. ‘I’m dying to see what they’ve done to it.’

‘Me too,’ said Lee, stroking her shiny black hair and moving her fringe away from her face. ‘But there’s no point trying to get in there while the painter’s still doing the finishing touches. At least we can go in the morning. It’ll be all done by then. Are you taking a sicky tomorrow?’

’Yes, I’ll have to if I want the day off,’ she replied. ‘It’s a bit too early to start asking for time off.’

Stacey, unlike Lee, who owned his own cab and could work whatever hours he wanted to, couldn’t. She had just gone back to window dressing and had secured a job as part of the “Display Team” at the big department store, Samuel H Sears on Elizabeth Street in the city, and knew it wouldn’t look too good wanting time off so soon.

’Good, then we should go to the estate agent first thing in the morning and give them notice on this place, then go to the unit, and all going well, maybe we can move in on the weekend. What do you think?’

Stacey shivered, it was all so sudden, but there was no point in staying where they were any longer than they had to when they had a place of their own to move into.

’Definitely,’ she said, raising her hand to look at her engagement ring again. She’d been unable to stop looking at it all day.

‘You like it?’ he asked, smiling down at her.

‘I love it,’ she replied, pulling him down for a kiss when once again the phone began to ring, and this time after the message played and the beep sounded, ‘if you’re there, Lee - pick up.’

It was Claire.

Stacey and Lee immediately narrowed their eyes at each other and said nothing. They were used to her rude interruptions, and as Stacey reluctantly extracted herself from Lee, he just as reluctantly dragged himself up off the sofa to the phone where he took the cordless handset and went back to the sofa and sat down propping his head on his hand with an elbow on his knee.

’Yup?’ was all he said.

’How come you’re not replying to my texts?’ she asked, sounding particularly confrontational.

’My phone’s off,’ he told her, concealing an irritable sigh as he lifted it from the coffee table in front of him. He switched it on to see what messages she’d sent this time.

’What’s the point in having a mobile phone if it’s always switched off?’ she asked, antagonistically. ‘I need to be able to contact you, Lee. What if there’s an emergency, I mean, what if something happens to Liam and your phone’s off?’

’Then you do exactly what you did just now,’ he told her, side glancing at Stacey and rolling his eyes to the ceiling, ’you ring the landline; and my phone isn’t always off, it’s off now because we’re trying to watch a film.’

’Ooh, we’re trying to watch a film are we?’ she sneered, hating the fact it was always the royal we now, and never just I.

Lee could have quite easily hung up on her there and then after that childish little remark, and having now read the ridiculous messages she’d sent, knew these texts were nothing more than her being her usual nosy self. He could just see Liam hitting her with an overly excited account of their weekend in the mountains, and knew, given what had eventuated, it would be killing her not to know the finer details. Neither message was in the slightest bit Liam related – leading him now to ask just one question in light of her blatant rudeness.

’Have you been drinking?’

Claire scowled. First at the receiver in her hand, before turning a pair of bitter eyes on the back of Martyn’s head, cursing him inside for just sitting there, staring at the television screen, happily continuing to ignore her as he swilled back the whisky. She was unaware of the fact that he was listening very carefully to her conversation, waiting – just waiting for her to start interrogating Lee over what Liam had begun telling them. And refusing to have Lee know there was disharmony in the camp, she lied and went on to say, ‘yes, we’ve been sitting out in the courtyard having a few drinks, as it goes. It’s been lovely. I love living here. It’s so beautiful, and it made me think about what Liam told us – you’re moving?’

Lee cast Stacey a withering look as he mouthed the words, ‘the unit,’ when Claire suddenly erupted.

‘So, when were you going to tell me, eh?’ She demanded, sounding really put out. ‘I mean, don’t you think that’s something I should know about - you moving? I mean, when are you moving, and more importantly, where are you moving to? I hope it’s not up the bloody mountains.’

She knew she was being dramatic as Liam had already told them it was close to the beach, but she wasn’t in the mood now for being rational.

’As if,’ said Lee, unable to suppress the heavy sigh that went with it. ‘How can I tell you something I don’t even know myself,’ he then added, unwilling to tell her anything at this moment in time. ‘We only found out yesterday, and no, it’s not up the mountains. Give it a rest, for Christ’s sake. It’s local.’

’So where is it then?’ she persisted in knowing, before rudely adding, ‘her parents must be pretty well loaded to be able to buy houses in the Eastern Suburbs and give them away just like that. You’ve not been together for five minutes - and speaking of which, I hear you got engaged too.’ She couldn’t hide her bitterness if her life depended on it. ‘Bit premature since she’s not even divorced yet, don’t you think?’

Martyn suddenly slammed his glass down on the side table and jumped up, face like thunder. ‘When do you give in, eh?’ he bellowed. ‘When do you fucking give in?’

Claire swung around, shocked – she had no idea he had been listening.

Even though Claire put a hand over the mouthpiece, Lee could still hear Martyn bellowing at the other end.

’Put the phone down,’ he now told her, pointing a finger of warning at her. But Claire stood her ground, putting the receiver behind her back.

’Shhh,’ she told him defiantly, ‘I’m only asking …’

’PUT THAT FUCKING PHONE DOWN - NOW!’ he raged.

Lee heard what sounded like a scuffle before the phone line went dead and turned an eye on Stacey, who was watching his grim expression closely.

‘That didn’t sound good,’ he told her, having heard Martyn’s barrage of verbal abuse first hand. ‘That didn’t sound good at all.’