by Lea Davies
Scene Thirty-One - Reconciliation
She had packed her things from Matthew's house in anger but later realized that it was the sensible thing to do. It would serve two purposes. One, it would make it more convincing to Beth and Jack that she really had been away on holiday when she returned with it, and two, she could go home with Callie and avoid Matthew and Tori for a few days. She hated the latter but felt driven to make Jessica regret the day she first decided to make her life hell and knew that if she stayed with them, they would continue to try and talk her out of it. She would not allow that to happen.
Ruth swallowed nervously as she and Callie exited the lift situated directly opposite the doors leading to the “Emma” ward, where her mother had been taken to a side room after her miraculously short stay in the intensive care unit. As they entered the room, Beth turned and hugged her warmly before stepping aside for her to see her mother. All the events from the past year seemed to fall away as she watched her mother struggle to sit up on the bed. Her bandaged face was so swollen, she was almost unrecognizable. Beaten and exhausted, Lesley laid back down and held out her hand, hopefully for her daughter to take. She knew she didn't deserve it, so was surprised beyond belief when Ruth pushed her hand aside and gently hugged her.
Both women sobbed uncontrollably before Ruth spoke. “I desperately needed you, mum,” she sobbed, “but you weren't there for me.” Although it was difficult to talk, Lesley pushed through the pain in her mouth and gently stroked the back of her daughter's head. “I'm so, so sorry, baby,” she mumbled painfully, “please forgive me.” She paused to swallow the ever-present excess of saliva that she had had to deal with since the attack.
When Ruth pulled back, she could see that the pain that covered her mother’s face was not only from her injuries, but also from what she had just said to her. “If you give me a chance,” Lesley continued, “I promise to spend the rest of my life, making thing's right between us.” Again, she paused to swallow. “Tell me what you want me to do, darling, and I'll do it.” Ruth gently wiped the tears from her mother's face with her thumb. “Just be my mum.” She said. “I want us to have the relationship we used to have before dad left us.”
They were momentarily distracted as they heard Beth, Jack, and Callie discreetly leaving the room, and Lesley nodded at her sister in gratitude, thanking her for the privacy. Ruth wiped her eyes with the tissue Matthew had previously given her. “Just put all your energy into getting well,” she said, “and we'll see where the future takes us, OK?” Lesley smiled warmly. She couldn't believe that even after letting her daughter down with her disgusting behavior and even worse, the things she had said to her, Ruth was still willing to forgive and allow her back into her world.
Although she had almost lost her life in the attack, she felt that she had been truly blessed. “Beth and Jack have invited me to stay with them while I recover,” She mumbled. “But only if it's OK with you, darling, what do you think?” Ruth grinned excitedly from ear to ear. “Of course, it is.” She said. She picked up her mother’s heavily bandaged hand and held it softly in hers. “Who did this to you?” She asked, gesturing to the dressings covering her mother's many injuries. “They can't be allowed to get away with it, mum; you have to tell us who did these terrible things to you.” Lesley closed her eyes as she again tried to swallow away the pain of speaking,
“I've told the police that I don't know who it was,” she said. “because if I give them his name, he'll come back and finish the job.” She touched her face and winced as pain flooded her mouth, but she was determined not to allow it to get in the way of her reconciliation with her daughter. “And I can't take that risk,” she continued, “you don't mess with people like him, Ruth, and get away with it.” Lesley's eye's widened with fear as another possibly horrific outcome raced through her mind, and again, she failed miserably as she tried to sit up, this time, in panic. “He could even come after you.” She cried.
Ruth bit back a smile as she thought that she'd like to see him try, but the fact that her mother had said “he” was not lost on her. Knowing that Jessica wasn't responsible for her mother’s injuries did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm to make her pay for what she had done to her, and to Lizzie, but now she also had another target to aim for; Her mother’s attacker. “Tell me who it was then, mum,” she said, “I need to know.”
Happy and relieved that Ruth would even care, Lesley smiled through her pain and used the best authoritative tone she could muster with her speech restrictions. “There's no need for you to know, or for you to get involved in any of this young lady,” she said, again pausing to swallow. “That life is well and truly behind us now, so we're just going to walk away from it all and never look back.” She smiled. “Then, when I'm well enough to leave Beth and Jack’s, we'll get a place of our own and start a new life, in a new area, how does that sound?”
Ruth felt completely torn. After today's heartfelt reconciliation, she would have loved nothing more than to live happily with her mother, but doing that would have its own problems because she would have to hide what she had become. She also had Matthew to consider as well. Even though they had argued, she loved him so very much and still wanted to live with him, but this new situation with her mother was going to complicate things. She had a lot of thinking to do but decided to worry about that later. “Sounds great, mum.” She said.
The staff nurse came and stood in the doorway. “I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to kick you out now.” She said half-jokingly. “Visiting time ended hours ago.” Ruth kissed her mother and smiled happily at the nurse as she left.
Scene Thirty-Two - Dilemma
Ruth sat in the stairwell of the hospital before going down to meet Callie at the car. She needed time on her own to think. The original plan was for her to live with the Jensen's, but that was before she met Matthew and discovered that her life was about to be cut short. After she had decided to become a vampire, she and Callie had concocted a story that they hoped would enable her to continue to live with Beth and Jack as planned.
Her aunt and uncle would be told that a friend of Callie's had offered her a job as a bar attendant in a nightclub that would pay better money than the one she already had lined up at the USPB, so she would need to sleep all day and work all night. Then, after a while, Ruth would tell them that she would be moving in with her boyfriend, Matthew. It would have been a great way of getting around a massive hurdle, but now her mother had thrown her hat into the ring too, and she didn't know how to get around it all. She wanted to make it so that everyone was happy and no one's feelings were hurt but knew that she was going to feel guilty whatever she decided to do.
Maybe, she could stick with the plan of having the imaginary job and stay with her family until her mother had healed and then introduce Matthew into the fold and tell them of her plans to move in with him. That way, she would also get to live with her mother for a while as well. The icing on the cake would be if Beth, Jack, and Callie, invited her mother to remain living with them, and for Beth and her mother to rebuild their close relationship and become as close as they had been when they were younger. Although she felt stressed, a smile slowly spread across her face as she realized that it all might just work out.
Scene Thirty-Three - Regret
Callie nodded enthusiastically in agreement as Ruth told her of how she could solve the problem of her new living arrangements and said that she would actively encourage her mother to ask Lesley to live with them for a longer period of time. Maybe even permanently. Callie indicated as the car pulled out into the steady stream of nighttime traffic, and changed the subject.
“I have to say,” she said, “I can't believe you let her off that easily, Ruth, you really surprised me.” Ruth smiled at her cousin, “I surprised myself,” she said, “but she looked so vulnerable in that hospital bed with all those terrible injuries. You won't believe this Cal, but Matt told me that when I died, I cried for her. After everything she did, she was still the one I cried for. Ca
n you believe that?” Callie nodded, “Well, it just goes to show how strong the bond is between a mother and her child, doesn't it.”
She paused as she brought the car to a halt at a set of traffic lights and turned to face her cousin. “Do you honestly believe she'll change Ruth?” She asked. “I mean, it’s not only her injuries she has to recover from is it, it’s also her alcoholism. Will she have to go into rehab?” “I don’t know,” Ruth answered, shaking her head, “all I can say, is that she was different today. She was my mum again.” she added with a warm smile, “I don’t know about rehab, maybe the hospital can wean her off the alcohol, and we can keep a close eye on her when she gets home,” she smiled mischievously, “but failing that, I could ask Matt if he could use his influence to help her.”
Bright green light shone through the windscreen, and Callie resumed the journey home. “Did you notice any change when you saw her earlier?” Ruth asked. “Yeah, definitely,” she replied, “she and my mum have been bonding all afternoon, reminiscing about their childhood with Nan and Grandad. I must admit,” she said, “she was just like the old Lesley. It was really nice, and I enjoyed her company.”
Ruth felt more content than she had in a long time, and her anger diminished significantly. Her heart melted when she thought of Matthew, and although she was still very upset about the things he had said to her earlier, she felt a desperate need to see him and turned to Callie as they neared the turn-off for Matthew's house on Sedan street. “Change of plan, Cal,” she said, “I need to see Matt and apologize about losing my temper with him earlier.”
Knowing that Callie would worry and may even try to talk her out of it, she felt it would be unwise to tell her cousin of Matthew's warning that she would be destroyed if she were caught taking revenge on Jessica. Instead, she told her that he was angry that she had been less than discreet when she spoke to Lizzie about being stronger and more able to handle herself, which wasn’t really a Lie.
Callie did as she asked and indicated for the turn-off. “You should still stay at mine tonight, though,” Callie said, “don't forget, as far as mum and dad are concerned, you live with us now.” “Yeah, I know,” she sighed, “and I will, but first I have to explain to Matt about why it would be best if I go back and live with you for a while.
She had wanted to be away from Matt and Tori for a few days, but as it turns out, that was how it would have to be anyway if she were to keep up the façade that everything was normal to her family. She felt terrible about the way she left his house after her heated discussion with Tori, but even though they’re suspicions about her plans for revenge were right, she was sick and tired of how they continued to lecture her about not taking things too far with Jessica, and nothing would ever change that; still, butterflies flew persistently around her stomach as Callie pulled the car onto Matthew’s driveway, and she looked sideways at her cousin. “Wish me luck.” She said.
Scene Thirty-Four - Apology
Matthew watched tensely from behind the bedroom curtain as Ruth and Callie exited the car and walked towards the house. He heard muffled voices as Tori opened the front door and let them in. Relief flooded through his body as he crept out of the room where he had parented Ruth, and watched unseen from the upstairs hallway as they hugged each other affectionately. He smiled warmly as he listened to Ruth's heartfelt apology to his sister.
Tori had told him of their heated discussion earlier that evening, and he worried that Ruth would actually go through with her threat to kill Jessica. He knew the council would hold him responsible for her actions, but he wasn't worried about his own safety or that of his position in the council, and would most certainly not obey any orders to kill her. Not even if it came from Isabella herself. In fact, he knew that he would protect her with every fiber of his being.
Suddenly aware of his presence, Ruth stood by his side in the blink of an eye. She tenderly took his face in her hands and looked lovingly into his eyes. “I'm an idiot,” she said, “do with me what you will.” She wiggled her eyebrows and glanced sideways at the bedroom door, and he found himself smiling. “There's no time for that now,” he said, “it's only a few hours till sunrise, and we need to talk.” She nodded. “I know,” she said, “and that's why I'm here.”
She took his hand and led him into the lounge, then she and Callie told Matt and Tori of how she should remain living at her aunt's house for the time being. The twins thought it made sense, but it was obvious that Matthew was terribly disappointed. “OK,” He said, “but before you go,” he looked briefly at his sister, silently asking for her support. “I know you don't want to hear this, and I don't want to keep harping on about it, but no funny business with Jessica without running it by us first, OK?” he said firmly. Ruth felt terrible about lying to him, but she wasn't prepared to wait. Not even for him. Something inside was driving her on, and she couldn’t let it go. “I'll try.” She joked. Matthew shook his head playfully. “That's not funny, Ruth,” he laughed.
Scene Thirty-Five - Embarrassed
The early years of his youth had seen Joe Bartlett as a street thug, but as he grew into manhood, he had morphed into a tough “businessman” as villains were referred to these days. He and his five younger brothers ran southeast London with an iron fist, but he was generally known to be a decent man, and people respected him.
His daughter, on the other hand, was a liability and an embarrassment. It had been years since he had seen who he remembered fondly as “Lovely Lizzie,” his old dinner lady and rescuer from the dreaded brussels sprouts torture at school. But when she had come to his home earlier that morning, although he was pleased to see her, his heart sank because he guessed why she was there, and it made him very angry.
He was too ashamed to tell Lizzie that his daughter had asked him to make her sorry for interfering when she had been fighting with another girl, so he listened patiently as she told him about everything that had brought her there. From the fight outside the shop to the threat that Jessica had made when Lizzie had intervened, and about her threatening gesture from the crowd after the shop had been destroyed. He knew that his daughter was easily capable of doing such an act and believed her without question.
He sighed deeply in resignation as he leaned forward and held Lizzie's hand, and her lip trembled at his show of affection. “I am so, so sorry, Liz,” he said, “I'll take care of it. Look for a new place, and we'll get to work in setting you up in business again. Don't worry; I'll pay for everything. You just get what you need, no matter what it costs, and send me the bill, OK?”
Her shoulders slumped at the thought of all the hard work she would have to endure if she took him up on his kind offer. “Thank you, Joe,” she said, “but I just don't think I've got the energy for it anymore.” She smiled sadly. “I am getting on a bit, you know. Besides, the insurance money should take care of it.” He winked. “You will always be young and beautiful to me.” He said. She blushed at the compliment but got straight back to business.
"Seriously, Joe,” she sighed, “I’m sorry to have to say this, but you need to reign her in; she's vicious.” If anyone else had spoken to him about his daughter in that way, he would have reacted badly, but he nodded in agreement. “I know,” he said, “You're not the only person she's mistreated recently. I've heard there's a particularly nasty feud she’s had going with a girl who went to the same school as her.”
Lizzie was one of only a handful of people that Joe could drop his guard with, and he felt comfortable speaking openly. “I don't know where we went wrong with her, Liz; she hasn't grown up having to scrap for anything as we did. She's always had the best of everything, clothes, money; you name it.”
He pursed his lips. “Her mother and I separated when she was small, and because of the dangers attached to my lifestyle, we decided that it would be safer for her to live with her mother, Danielle. I naively thought it was the right thing to do at the time, but I should have known better.” He said. Her mother is a nasty piece of work herself, so I shou
ldn't be surprised that Jessica's grown up to be a spoiled brat who thinks that she can go around abusing people and get away with it just because I'm her father. I must admit that I'm at a loss as to what to do with her Lizzie. If you came and told me that someone else had done this to you, they would be dealt with swiftly, and severely, but she's my daughter and as much of a brat as she is, I love her, and I will protect her.”
Lizzie didn't envy his dilemma. “The girl I stopped her from beating up outside my bakery, is the same one she has the feud with at school you just mentioned.” She said. “But I promise you, Joe; this “feud” is only a one-way thing. The girl, Ruth, assures me that she has never done anything to earn your daughter’s hatred, and I believe her.”
Hearing this made things a little clearer as to why Jessica flipped her lid, but it didn't warrant the extent of what she had done to Lizzie. Not a lot shocked Joe Bartlett, but this did.
Scene Thirty-six - Anger
Jessica paced angrily across the deep shag pile carpet covering the floor of the bedroom she used when at her father's house, and swiped her hand across a small bedside table, scattering its contents everywhere. Unconcerned about the price tag, she stood and watched as the expensive designer perfume poured from the shattered bottle that had smashed when it hit the wall.