It seemed apparent, that this plan had been underfoot for some weeks, with the renovations already planned and scheduled. The shed was to be turned into a flat, something Iris was financing, and something Toby was dead against.
"The problem isn't about whether or not I like them. I like a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I want to support them," Toby bit out.
Charlotte looked at him and she could see it then, the root of his concerns. Chad could not work, Jenna would soon be too pregnant to want to, not that she even had a job here anyway, so she would be looking for only temporary employment if she even did get out and look, which so far, she had not been showing signs of doing. Toby had always maintained he was happy to float Iris; they lived in her house rent free and she helped them enormously with childcare. At the moment, what Charlotte made at the gym she was largely putting back into it, paying off the investment of the refit. Which left Toby's income as the sole one. And while it was a good income, that was not the point. It was not his role to support her entire family, including all of its extended members. Yet, while acknowledging this, Charlotte was unsure about what a possible solution might be.
Iris rose to her feet. "I will support them. Chad gets a bit from his disability pension and Jenna should get a baby allowance-"
"Welfare?" Toby spat out, over riding Iris. He shook his head. "No. I'm not doing this."
"Doing what?" Iris demanded. "This is my house! I have final say over who lives-"
"We'll move out."
Charlotte gasped, turning to face Toby. "What?!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Iris berated, pointing at Toby with a shaking head and a very concerned expression upon her face.
Charlotte searched Toby's face, but he refused to meet her eyes for more than a moment and he was giving nothing away through his expression. As she stared at him, she waited for the panic to set in. How would she look after all of the children and still work without having her mother on hand? How would she manage the evenings without being able to come home to an already cooked meal? How would she juggle all of the laundry without her mother hanging out the loads she put on before she left for work?
She waited, and waited, for that panic to invade her so she could tell Toby to stop, they were not leaving, to not even think about it; but it never came. Something else was there in its place, forming and taking shape within, and she quickly recognised it as excitement. A place of their own again, but this time, a proper place, a house, just for them and their family, where the children did not have to share two rooms and she and Toby could do whatever they wanted whenever they felt like it with no explanations to anyone at all.
Turning from Toby to face her mother, she looked at her carefully before crossing the kitchen to put her arms around her, hugging her hard, all of the many things she had done for them to make their lives easier over the years converging into one grateful embrace. "It's the right time, Mum. Let Chad and Jenna live here in the house and we'll live in our own. It's their turn to have you help them. We love you so much, and we're so grateful for all that you've done for us, but it's the right time."
Releasing her stunned mother, Charlotte turned back to face Toby, an excited grin spreading over her face. He raised his eyebrow at her, a question, and she nodded. He nodded back and she could see the tension leave him, right before her eyes, as they decided on the spot that this was the next step in their future. It was the right time, and without even having previously thought about it or voicing it to each other, they both knew without a doubt that it was what they both wanted more than anything else.
They bought a spec home in the end, wanting something new but not willing to wait the time it would take for something to be built from scratch. Toby wanted a house that would require little maintenance, no stairs, a pool, and air-conditioning. He was sick to death of being hot all the time and the humidity tended to cause an increased friction between his leg and the prosthesis. At least at home now, he might be able to get some relief. The children were wildly excited, except for Danielle who was too young, but the others were more than making up for her. Bree and Ashley were going to have their own rooms, and they were both chomping at the bit to get into them.
"We have to buy so much stuff," Charlotte moaned, sitting in the middle of the empty family room on the bare tiles. "Not just furniture, but everything else too!"
Danielle was lying on a small quilt on the floor beside her, rolling from side to side, babbling around her fist. Charlotte looked at her with a smile, reaching out with a finger for Danielle to latch onto. Toby reached down to pick up Courtney, the strain of something so simple lessening more and more as the weeks passed by. He could even hold her now and bear weight on his prosthesis at the same time without causing too much stress on his own leg at the point where it all connected. He was yet to trial running, figuring that was something he should hold off on doing at present in case he caused himself any damage that needed recovery time. They were able to move into the house anytime from today, having effectively taken ownership just that morning. There was a lot that needed doing, so being laid up and unable to put his leg on just because he wanted to start running again did not seem like such a bright idea. He did miss going for a run though. It was a time when he could just blank his mind from everything for twenty minutes, just breathe and run, nothing more, nothing less, no one to answer to, no problems to fix.
"We can go shopping anytime. We actually should go today and order furniture. You were supposed to go earlier," he chastised lightly.
Charlotte shrugged. "I know. Alright, we should do that now." She got to her feet, stretching out the kinks from sitting cross legged on the floor. "We should drop the kids back at Mum's."
Toby shook his head. "We'll take them with us."
"That will be insane!" Charlotte protested.
"We need to look after them ourselves more. Besides, Ashley and Bree can pick out their beds. Even Courtney might like to have a say." He looked down at the little face resting against his shoulder. Giving her a bit of a jig, he said, "Hey, baby cakes, you want to pick out your own bed?" She looked up at him with a smile, nodding. "See," he pointed out to Charlotte. "They have to come."
"You can't avoid Mum forever." Charlotte gave him a very pointed glance.
"I'm not avoiding her!" Toby protested. "I live with her. I eat at the same table as her."
Charlotte just rolled her eyes, gathering up Danielle and her quilt. "Ashley! Bree! Come on, Daddy wants to go shopping!" Turning back to Toby, she pointed at him. "I still need her to babysit these two every day, so make it right!"
"She's the one who isn't talking to me."
Iris had not yet come to see the new house. She had told Charlotte it was too far away - ten minutes by car - and that she was not especially interested in new homes. Old ones had more character. When Toby had tried to talk to her about the move, to explain once again why it would be good for everyone, she had thrown a mighty fit at him, accusing him of stealing her grandchildren from her and spoiling the family dynamics because he was too selfish to show a bit of charity towards his own flesh and blood. Toby had been far too weary of the whole episode to point out that all the members of this family who were his own flesh and blood were actually coming with him, and that he was almost entirely certain that staying all together under the one roof would have been a sure way of ruining the family dynamics. Instead of pointing these things out though, he merely told her to stop trying to manipulate everyone. Since then, she had been blatantly ignoring him.
He was good with that. Iris had a tendency towards dramatics that grated on him at the best of times.
"We could sleep here tonight if they deliver today," he suggested, only half joking.
Bree squealed with excitement, jumping up and down on the spot, clapping her hands. "Yes!"
Charlotte shook her head at him, heading out of the room wordlessly. Toby looked at Ashley and Bree with a wide grin. "What do you say kids, will we gang up on Mummy so we can all sleep here
tonight? I'll get McDonalds for tea," he bribed them openly. "With sundaes." The deal maker. "And cokes." Just in case they were unclear on the importance of this mission.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Toby was on court circuit in Mount Isa, which is how he found himself sitting in The Isa Hotel on a Tuesday evening, looking over the shoulder of Patrick - his dinner companion who was also the legal aide solicitor he was working with here in town, to a table on the far side of the room. Seated at that table was Royce, accompanied by a woman who looked as though she were a similar age to Charlotte, and two young boys, twins by the looks of it, around about Ashley's age if Toby was to hazard a guess. He stared at the table, as yet unseen by its occupants, well aware of how stunned he must look to Patrick right now, but seriously, he could hardly believe his eyes. In all of his imaginings, he had not factored in a new family. Another woman, most definitely, but a whole entire family? Fuck no.
Dragging his gaze away, he put down his fork and picked up his napkin, wiping his mouth before balling it up. "Can you excuse me for a minute? I just need to pop over and have a word to someone I know that I haven't seen for a long time."
"Sure, no worries." Patrick gave him a nod.
Toby rose to his feet and strode across the room, coming to stop at the table Royce was occupying. The woman noticed him first, looking up at him with a questioning smile. Toby took note of her, the short blond hair, her face devoid of the usual lines associated with age. He had been right, she was young. Royce looked up then, noticing her attention was elsewhere, and he paled, visibly, right before Toby. Within seconds he looked like death. Toby stared at him, taking in the way his face had aged since they had last seen each other. He looked so much older than the woman beside him; it was almost comical, to Toby anyway.
"It's been a long time, Royce." Toby kept his tone even, deliberately not thinking about Charlotte, about Iris, and about their pain. He needed to be careful here. For their sakes.
Royce nodded to him. "Toby. What brings you out this way?" His voice sounded rattled; he was clearly nervous if his shaking hands were anything to go by.
"Work." He smiled generously at the woman, less warmly at Royce. "I'm a Barrister. Just out here for a few days. Crime occurs everywhere," he added, glancing down at the woman's hand, taking note of the wedding band encircling her finger. Bastard. He really had not banked on ever being found. And to think, he had not been all that far from home in the end.
Royce looked away, realising no doubt the connection Toby had just made. The woman looked over at Royce, a small frown on her face, before glancing back up at Toby. She held out her hand to him. "I'm Melissa. How do you know Royce?" she asked pleasantly.
Toby took her hand in his, shaking it warmly. "Through a mutual acquaintance." He did not want to hurt this woman with the truth, nor these little boys. They were looking up at him with identical faces, both blond like their mother, with bright blue eyes. He smiled at them. Still, he could cut a little without exposing too much. "How old are you two? I have a son who's seven."
"We're six," one of them answered, the other nodding beside him as though verifying the stated age.
Royce cleared his throat. "You're married then?"
Toby looked back at him, knowing instinctively what Royce was really asking. "Not yet. Engaged. But my fiancée and I have four kids; we've kind of done things backwards. Not like you, I see." He nodded to Melissa with a knowing smile.
Royce blanched once again, clearly nearly shitting himself. "So, you ended up with that same girl you used to go around with, all those years ago?"
The anger slammed into him and he knew he needed to leave the building at once. The gall, the absolute fucking gall. He wanted to scream at Royce, take him by the throat and shake him. Instead, he just nodded, smiling once more. "Yes, Charlotte. I'm surprised you remembered her. I hadn't thought she made all that much of an impression on you. Listen, I've got to get back to my companion, we've got a lot of work to do." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, grabbing out one of his contact cards to pass to Royce. "Give me a call? I'd love to catch up for a drink, for old times' sake." He turned his gaze to Melissa. "I wouldn't want to bore you with our old stories. Lovely to meet you. And you, boys. Royce," he said, backing away from the table. Royce nodded to him, the card held loosely within his fingers. Toby turned, walking away without a backward glance.
Royce called him the next day, asking if he was available to meet up for a drink at some stage. He said he had the day off work so he could fit in with whatever time suited Toby.
"I'm not meeting with you in a public place," Toby stated. "I'm staying at the Red Earth Hotel. You can come up to my room at five thirty. I'll let them know at reception to send you up." He ended the call then, not giving Royce any room to negotiate on their meeting.
Toby would be a liar if he said he was not nervous. Not with the idea of meeting Royce and having it out with him. No, it was from the knowledge he now had, and the further knowledge he may be about to gain. He would need to weigh it all up, and decide what, if anything, he was going to tell Charlotte and Iris. Royce knocked on his door at five thirty three, punctual to a fault. Toby let him in without a word, gesturing for him to take a seat in one of the two small armchairs in the room. They sat side by side, the chairs angled slightly to face each other, neither of them saying anything. Toby waited him out, not interested in the slightest about making this easier on him.
"Are you going to tell Iris?" Royce eventually asked.
"I'm not sure yet what I'm going to tell anyone," Toby replied. "But, you're married to both of them? Am I correct?"
A pause. "Yes."
"How'd you manage that?"
Another pause. Then, "I have two legal names."
"You know what, I'm going to treat you like any other criminal I deal with. I ask a question, you answer. Just like this. I don't want any emotional shit, just the facts at this point. Okay?" Toby looked at Royce evenly, waiting on his response. He did not intend to explore the whole bigamy issue any further today. He seriously did not want to know. The less of that, the better. But there were other things he did want to know. He wanted to be able to make sense within his own mind of the situation before heading home to Charlotte and Iris.
"Why did you leave?"
"I needed to get away."
"Answer the question, Royce. People take a holiday when they need to get away. Why did you leave without a trace and never contact your wife and daughter again?" Toby waited while Royce stared down at the carpet.
"It's complicated."
"Try me. I've probably heard worse."
Royce took a deep breath, then let it out in a noisy exhale while rubbing his hands over his face. "Iris is a very hard person to live with. I'd had enough. Once I made the decision to go, a clean break seemed like the best idea."
"And Charlotte?"
"She had you."
Toby stared at him, his anger peaking once more. Yet some of this was directed at himself, because he had failed Charlotte at a time when she had no longer had her father to lean on. And Royce, in turn, had failed him, by not being there for him to lean on when he did not know his arse from his elbow while navigating his way around his relationship with Charlotte in the early years of them living together.
"Well, guess what? I wasn't enough. She wanted you. She still does." Toby shook his head then, not wanting to get into the whole topic of Charlotte and her feelings of grief and disappointment, with Royce right now. "Anyway, back to the questions. It's been established that you're a selfish son of a bitch, no point dwelling on that. You came straight out here?"
"Yes. I got a job in the mine. Lived alone for a few years. Then I met Melissa and we got married-"
"Yeah, I saw the happy family postcard last night," Toby interrupted. He got up and walked across to the window, standing before it, the sight of the mine stack right in view. He could not get over how the mine existed right in the middle of the town, dead centre, right there,
to be seen from all viewpoints. Glaring and in your face; a bit like this situation he was finding himself in with Royce right now.
"What are you limping for?" Royce asked from behind him.
"I have only one leg," Toby threw out, over his shoulder.
"What do you mean?"
Turning, he lifted the leg of his pants, showing part of his prosthetic limb. "I had a car accident. They cut it off below the knee. I limp at the end of each day because it fucking hurts."
Leaning back against the window sill, he stared at Royce, thinking on what to do here. There were so many factors to consider. Would knowing where he was and what he was doing out here really change things for Iris and Charlotte in a positive way? Toby highly doubted it. And then, there was the issue of him being married to both Iris and Melissa. He could go to jail. It was unlikely Iris would just let that go. And she shouldn't necessarily have to. It was a shitty thing for Royce to have done. Bold in a way that Toby could never have foreseen.
"How is Charlotte?" Royce ventured.
"I'm asking the questions, not you."
"You two have four kids?" Royce persisted.
"You don't get to ask about my family. Don't push me, or I'll call the police. Your comfortable little life out here all hinges now on my cooperation. Do not piss me off."
Selling the Drama Page 30