The next day arrived and the start of Rhys’s sixteenth birthday was not going smoothly at Number Eight!

 

‘There you are son, that’s from your mother and me,’ Ray watched him open up a couple of CDs and a card with a cheque in it.

 

‘That’s great, thanks,’ Rhys did his best to be enthusiastic, but the atmosphere in the house was getting him down.

 

The night before, Kris had thrown Laura into the street, witnessed by Rhys and his mother. Needless to say, a massive row had erupted in the Lucas house that lasted for most of the evening. Now, they were trying to put it behind them for his special day. It wasn’t really working, he thought.

 

‘Laura, stop scowling and give your present to your brother,’ Val hissed. Laura threw a card and present onto the table and stormed off upstairs.

 

‘Laura!’

 

‘It’s OK, mum, leave it!’

 

Val put a hand on his shoulder.

 

‘I’m sorry, Rhys, your birthday wasn’t meant to start like this.’

 

He felt ashamed of his sister, yet at the same time wished his life was as exciting!

 

 

 

 

 

Richard woke up and smiled straight away. He watched Rachel lying there sleeping, looking so peaceful. It was the first time they’d woken up together in more than a month, and he felt more complete now. He’d been lost without her and now she was back.

 

She gradually opened her eyes.

 

‘Morning darling,’ he kissed her forehead, noticing that she pulled away slightly.

 

‘Morning, I’ll get us some breakfast,’ Rachel practically dived out of the bed. He realised it wasn’t going to be an easy reconciliation.

 

‘Everything OK, Rach?’

 

‘Yeah, it will be,’ she smiled back at him nervously.

 

 

***

 

 

Rhys walked to school, listening to one of the new CDs his parents had bought him, when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

 

‘Sorry,’ he saw Laura mouthing, until he switched the discman off.

 

‘Eh?’ He questioned, wanting to make her say it again.

 

‘I’m sorry bruv, I’ve ruined your day,’ she did look genuinely ashamed of herself.

 

‘Don’t flatter yourself, it’s not ruined at all, just wasn’t off to a brilliant start,’ he snapped, not wanting his sister to think that everything was about her as usual.

 

 

 

 

Well, I am sorry, and I’ll make it up to you.’

 

‘What are you going to do about Nathan?’

 

‘None of your business!’ Her anger just blurted out, but then she composed herself.

 

‘Sorry. I dunno, I haven’t heard from him yet. Your guess is as good as mine!’

 

‘Well, you deserve better than him,’ Rhys added.

 

Laura felt touched.

 

‘Thanks, Rhys.’

 

 

***

 

 

Back at their house, Ray and Val were deep in discussion, before Ray headed off to work.

 

‘I just….I feel disgusted with her, Ray,’ Val had been extremely upset by the events of the night before.

 

‘I know, love. I can’t say I’m best pleased myself! But she is eighteen now and needs to make her own mistakes. She’s a grown woman.’

 

‘Well, a grown woman in that she’s sleeping around! A kid in the way she’s handling situations!’

 

Ray tried to defend her again.

 

‘That’s a bit harsh. She’s not sleeping around at all, she obviously really cares about this Nathan bloke,’ Ray started to put his coat on.

 

 

 

‘Yes, but does he give a damn about her?! All very well saying she can sort out her own life, Ray, but that doesn’t always work. I thought you were sorting things out, but look what happened to you!’ She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. She could see that Ray was hurt.

 

‘OK, Val, I’ll see you tonight.’

 

‘I’m sorry, Ray, I shouldn’t ha-’ but the door was already closed and he’d gone.

 

 

***

 

 

At Number Six, an argument started the night before had been ignited again at breakfast time.

 

‘I want him out, Phil!’ Kris was livid that Nathan had dared stayed the night, now he was sat in the corner watching her outburst.

 

‘He’s my brother,’ Phil replied calmly.

 

‘And I’m meant to be one of your best friends! Apart from that, what about tenants’ rights? I can contact the landlord about this!’

 

Phil wasn’t sure how serious she was, but Nathan didn’t have permission to live there yet, so it was a dodgy situation.

 

‘Let’s not be hasty here, Kris, try and see it from my point of view. You and Nathan need to talk…’

 

Nathan smiled as Kris scowled at him.

 

‘Yes we do. Oh, I haven’t got time for this, I’m running late as it is! I’ll see you later,’

 

She seemed to soften before she left, but Phil was still very wary.

 

‘You need to sort it out with her, mate, or you may not have a roof over your head,’ Phil said to Nathan.

 

‘Do I look like I care,’ he replied cockily.

 

‘You soon will if you have to go back to mum’s!’

 

Nathan’s face fell.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Val met up with Josie for lunch at

Wyatt-Williams.

 

‘Sounds awful, Val, I’m glad I didn’t see it!’ Josie was horrified.

 

‘It was. Like a couple of fishwives brawling in the street!’ Val turned a couple of heads with this last phrase.

 

‘What does Ray think?’ Josie asked.

 

‘He’s not happy, but he tries to stick up for his little girl. I don’t think he wants to believe she’s capable of any wrong doing! It’s lucky he never found out about Rhys and Cathy MacDonald, that’s all I keep thinking.’

 

What with my Sam going out with Ros Robinson, and now this, we’re going to have to meet each other more often for advice!’ Josie replied.

 

 

***

 

 

Gary had just arrived home after Phil and Jo had picked him up from the hospital.

Jo was making him comfortable on the sofa, when there was a knock at the door.

 

‘You’ve got guests,’ Phil said, leading a middle-aged couple into the room.

 

‘Mum, dad?’

 

‘Hello Gary, how are you?’

© 2010 Danny Alborough / DJA Publications
All characters, names and situations are fictitious.
Any similarities to places or people, living or dead, are purely coincidental.