Falling For Ryan: Part Two

by Tracy Lorraine

  “Come on, Molls, we’ve got a job to do. Stop trying to distract me with sex!” he says, standing me up.

  “Addict,” I quip back over my shoulder as I head towards my bag of goodies.

  It takes longer than I thought to carry out all our devilish plans on the boys’ bridal suite, so it’s just over an hour after we left the party that we sneak our way to the bar and join Emma for a few drinks. She takes one look at our mischievous faces and we’re forced to fill her in…

  We loaded their bed with condoms, sachets of lube, rose petals, and wedding confetti, before safety pinning the duvet to the sheet. We’ve put confetti in every pocket and pouch on their cases, and clothes for them to find later, as well as covering the floor, bed, and filling the basin and bath with rose petals. I’d pre-warned the hotel staff and given them a generous tip to cover the extra cleaning expense tomorrow when the boys head off for their honeymoon.

  We’re not downstairs long before Chris announces that the disco is starting and the buffet food will be available soon. Slowly, people start heading off for some food and to dance the night away, and before long I find myself at the buffet table.

  I’m surprised that I’m hungry after the three-course meal we had earlier, but I end up trying something off nearly every plate while chatting to different guests.

  Looking up, I see Ryan in deep conversation with a couple of Shane and Chris’ friends, so instead of interrupting them, I look around for Emma. I can’t help the wave of sadness that washes over me when I spot her sitting alone, staring at her hands in her lap. I immediately set off in her direction and pull her to the dance floor.

  “How are you doing, Em?” I ask while we move in time to the music.

  “Better. It’s getting easier to get through the day now, but some are harder than others. Especially stuff like this, when it was planned for her to be here with us. It just reminds me of what we’ve lost, you know?” she says glumly.

  “I know,” I reply, thinking about how both of them should have been stood beside me today, but Emma decided that, without Hannah, she would just rather hide in the crowd. “I wish you’d been up there with me earlier.”

  “I don’t want everyone looking at me and feeling sorry for me. Plus, can you imagine how I would have looked now in that dress?” She glances down at herself as she says this. Emma was always the curvier twin, but since Hannah’s death she’s put on a few more pounds with her comfort eating. She’s still as stunning as ever, but she’s never been able to see it.

  “Emma, you’re gorgeous, and don’t even try to convince me otherwise. I’ve seen guys checking you out today. You’re just too stuck in your own head to notice.”

  “Molly, I’ve managed twenty-five years without a man. I neither want nor need one in my life.”

  “I’m not saying you need one, Em, but I think one would do you a world of good. You know, help you release some tension,” I say, nudging her with my elbow.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ryan

  “Molly, it’s time to get up,” I say softly. I’ve been awake for half an hour. I’ve showered and dressed already, but as far as I’m aware, Molly hasn’t stirred at all with my movement. She was so exhausted last night that I ended up carrying her to bed. She insisted that she had to be last up, ensuring all the wedding guests were sorted for the night, but she could hardly keep her eyes open. I think the stress of the last two days has really taken its toll on her.

  I laugh when she groans at me and rolls over to the other side of the bed, pulling the covers over her head. I try to pull them back down but she holds them tightly. “Molly, it’s already half past eight, we told everyone we would meet them for breakfast for nine. And don’t forget, you’ve convinced me to spend all day with you, Christmas shopping, once we see Shane and Chris off.” This has a bigger effect; as soon as the words come out of my mouth, Molly is sat up in bed.

  Apparently, it was a tradition that Hannah and Molly had to start their Christmas shopping on the first of December and, seeing as that’s today, I begrudgingly agreed that this year I would be her shopping partner. My feelings are torn about it—on one hand, I’m excited about spending the day with her, but on the other I can remember how much stuff they used to come back with, so I know it’s going to be a full-on day of shopping.

  And I hate shopping.

  I give Molly a kiss on the forehead before she gets up and heads towards the bathroom. She stops just before she gets to the door and grabs the doorframe. “Are you okay, Molls?” I question. She’s looking a little fragile.

  “Yeah, my stomach’s just feeling a little delicate.”

  “You’re probably just exhausted. Let’s get a fry-up in you, and you’ll be all set for my day of torture!” She smirks at me over her shoulder before she disappears into the bathroom.

  “Oh look, here they are!” Chris shouts above the other wedding guests already seated for breakfast. “So, I guess you two think you’re funny, don’t you? Do you have any idea how long it took us to unpin our bedding last night so we could actually get some sleep?” I chance a glance at Molly, who’s fighting really hard not to laugh.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, trying my best to make it sound innocent, but I know I’m failing.

  “Yeah, whatever, Evans. She—” he says, pointing at Molly, “—was the only one to have our room key yesterday. I knew I never should have trusted her!” His lips are starting to twitch into a smile as he finishes talking, which causes Molly’s laughter to erupt. It soon spreads around the guests, causing everyone else in the hotel restaurant to look our way.

  “I would say I’m sorry, but I’m really not,” Molly says as she walks over to both of them and gives them a hug and kiss on the cheek.

  “You just wait, Molls…we will get our revenge one day!”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that.” She takes one of the two empty seats next to the happy couple and gestures for me to join her.

  Everyone’s busy chatting away about the events of the day before, when Emma leans over towards Molly to speak to her. “Where have you been? I knocked on your room door before I came down, but you weren’t there.” Molly tenses. We both know most people have figured it out, but I think she’s more concerned about Emma making a scene.

  “I, uh, went to go wake Ryan up. You know what he’s like for turning his alarm off and going back to sleep.” Molly says unconvincingly.

  “Right, okay…” Emma’s just about to say something else when Chris distracts her with a question about her work.

  Just over an hour later, we’ve all checked out of our rooms and are saying our goodbyes to the happy couple, wishing them a fantastic honeymoon in the Maldives. As a surprise, Molly had arranged for a limousine to take them to the airport.

  “Oh my God! Molly, you’re the best!” Chris screeches as they sandwich her in a massive hug.

  “So, I’m forgiven?” she asks them both.

  “Damn right you’re forgiven.”

  Before long, we’ve said goodbye to everyone, and I have our luggage loaded into my Honda before heading to the city centre to hit the shops.

  “Please can we stop for coffee now?” I plead. We’ve been shopping for hours. I’m laden down with bags, my feet are aching, and I’m dying for a drink.

  “Let me just pick out all the girls’ favourite cosmetics and a perfume, then we can go to the coffee shop next door.”

  “Do you need me for that? I could go get the drinks and grab us a table while you sort all that out,” I beg.

  Molly shakes her head at me before agreeing. I make quick work of the escalator before heading in the coffee shop and ordering myself a large cup of caffeine to help me through the rest of this trip.

  I’m deep in thought about what I can get for Molly when she flops down on the chair in front of me with another two full bags of shopping. “You get everything?’

  “Yeah, but on the way out I saw this necklace that I think Liv would love. I wanted to run i
t by you though, so I thought I’d come get my drink before it got cold, then we can go back.”

  “I’m sure if you think she’ll love it, you’re probably right.”

  “It will be a present mostly from you though, Ry, so it’s important you have an input.”

  “Okay, we’ll go back. How much more have we got to do?” I ask, praying that we’re nearly there.

  “Um…I just want to go to the toy store to get something for Oscar, then I think that’s it for the day. I still need to go to the garden centre, but I’ll leave that for another day.” I try my best not to look relieved, but I don’t do a very good job because Molly chastises me for not making the most of something that only happens once a year. How could I have forgotten about her acting like a hyperactive Santa’s little helper every year?

  Before long, I’m on my feet again and following Molly back to the department store I thought I’d escaped from. I agree that Liv would love the necklace she saw—I mean, of course I was going to agree—Molly has great taste, and it’s jewellery. What’s not to like? Molly’s just paying when I wander over to the watch stands. I’m staring at the Tag Heuers when I feel her come up behind me. “Done?”

  “Yes, you planning on buying yourself a present?”

  “No, just dreaming. I always told myself that when I got my first teaching job I’d save up and buy myself a Tag, but life has a way of always making sure I have no spare money.” I shrug before taking the new bag from Molly and heading to the exit, towards what I hope will be the last shop.

  After two laps of the toy store with Molly to-and-froing about what to get Oscar, I eventually convince her that you can never go wrong with Lego. We’re heading towards the till when Molly suddenly stops. “What is it?” I ask as she reaches up to touch a teddy bear on the shelf in front of her.

  “Oh, nothing,” she says, walking off again. “I just had a bear like that when I was a kid. It was my favourite.”

  “What happened to it?”

  She looks down at the ground before answering so quietly I really have to concentrate to hear her. “I got upset one day because I wanted to stay in to work on a school art project. I was about seven, I think, but Mum and Dad had friends coming over for dinner and wanted me out of the house. I ran to my room in tears and was cuddling my bear when they came in behind me and told me I was too old to be cuddling a stupid toy. My dad tried to take it away from me and, when he pulled, he ripped half of his head off.

  “A few weeks later, I came home from school to find the builders and interior designer in our house again. My room had had a makeover and all my things were gone. I’d left that teddy bear sat on my bed before I went to school that morning, like I usually did.”

  By the time Molly has finished telling me this, she’s physically shaking. How could parents do that to their child? I drop the bags to the floor before taking a step towards her and wrap my arms around her.

  We’re cuddled up on the sofa, watching a nature programme, when I think of something. I untangle myself from Molly before telling her I’ll be back in a few minutes. I go into the biggest of the spare bedrooms to find the last box that needs unpacking. I shoved it at the back of the wardrobe, out of the way, when the furniture was delivered. I find what I want on the top and grab it before heading back down to Molly.

  “What are you hiding?” Molly asks as soon as she sees I have something behind my back. I walk over and sit next to her, before revealing what I went to get.

  “This is Bruce,” I say, sitting the tatty-looking bear on her lap. “My grandad gave him to me when he came to the hospital just after I was born. He’s been everywhere with me. I mean everywhere: every holiday, scout camp, sleepover at a friend’s, uni, here. I don’t care how much of a pussy it makes me sound, this bear was my best friend as a kid. All my fondest memories have him in it.” Molly’s lips curl up in a smile as she sits and stares at the bear in her hands. “Now, I expect you to always come to me if you need comforting, but if, for whatever reason, I’m not here when you need it, I’ll let you share him,” I say with a wink.

  It breaks my heart, watching her hug him to her chest. I used to have nightmares as a kid about losing him. I can’t imagine how it felt, knowing her parents had thrown her bear away.

  She launches herself onto my lap and we hold each other for the longest time with Bruce squashed between us.

  Molly eventually falls asleep in my arms and I carry her to bed for the second night on the trot. She needs to relax; she’s clearly doing too much.

  Luckily, I wasn’t covering a lesson during my free period this afternoon, because I planned to sneak off into town so I could get Molly’s Christmas presents. I’d put a lot of thought into it over the last few days, and I’m pretty pleased with what I’ve come up with. It’s the first time ever that I’ve bought anyone’s Christmas presents more than a week in advance. I’m feeling very organised, especially as Molly has everyone else sorted. All that’s left to do is decorate the house. I promised Molly that we could do it this Saturday to get her into the swing of it before we go to the Morrisons’ for their annual family decoration event on Sunday.

  I’ve just finished wrapping them all up and am hiding them under my bed when the doorbell rings. Making sure the bags can’t be seen, I jog down to the front door. When I open it, I’m looking at a man and a woman who must be a similar ages to Susan and Pete, but I have no idea who they are. They both stand there, staring. I don’t recognise him, but the longer I look at her, I can see something familiar, and then it hits me. They’re Molly’s parents.

  “Can I help you?” I ask politely, although from what I know about these two, I want to be anything but polite.

  “We need to see Molly,” her mum snaps.

  I try to keep my anger in check before replying. “She’s on her way home from work. She should only be about ten minutes, if you’d like to come in for a drink.” I’m slightly hesitant to invite them in, but I’m not sure what else to do.

  Molly’s mum peers past my shoulder to look into the house. I have no idea what she sees, but she quickly turns her nose up. “No. Just give her this, will you?” she says, shoving an envelope towards me. She lets her eyes run up and down my body one last time before turning around and tottering back to the car. “Come on, dear,” she shouts over her shoulder to her husband. He gives me what I think is an apologetic look before doing what he’s told.

  Molly

  “Hey, I’m home,” I sing as I enter the living room. But one look at Ryan and my good mood instantly disappears. “What’s wrong?”

  “Um…I think you should come and sit down, Molls.” His words have my heart beginning to race, but I do as he says.

  “What is it?” I whisper, because I don’t think I really want to know what has caused him to look so concerned.

  “I…um…you…” he stutters.

  “Come on, spit it out.” The more he’s putting this off, the more I’m starting to panic. “Oh my God, is everyone okay? The Morrisons? My brothers?” I ask quickly.

  “No, no, everyone’s fine. It’s nothing like that.” He lets out a big breath before turning to look at me, grabbing both of my hands in his. “About fifteen minutes ago, the doorbell rang…”

  “Right?”

  “It was your parents, Molly.”

  His words cause my breath to catch. “My parents?” He just nods his head in response. “Well, I’m guessing they didn’t actually want to see me, because they’d still be here. What did they want?”

  “Well, your mum asked to see you, but she refused to wait and shoved this at me,” he says, handing over a blank white envelope.

  “Wow, look at that…they haven’t even bothered writing my name on it,” I say, laughing, but in reality, all I want to do is burst into tears at their constant rejection. You’d think I’d be over it by now. “Right, let’s do this,” I say, ripping the envelope open and pulling out the contents.

  Molly,

  We’ve sold the house and are movi
ng to Spain. Christopher has retired, so the business now belongs to Steven and Daniel. Find a cheque enclosed as your inheritance. It goes without saying that you will no longer receive Christmas or birthday money from us.

  Our best wishes for your future.

  We both sit, staring at the paper for a full five minutes, stunned into silence. Eventually, Ryan moves, breaking me from my zombie-like state. I watch in slow motion as he leans forward, picks up the envelope from my lap, and pulls out another, much smaller piece of paper. I hear him suck in a breath when he turns it around and looks at it. “Shit,” he breathes.

  Looking over, my blood boils when I see the figure on the cheque. “Are they fucking joking?” I shout. “This has to be a fucking joke. They tell me they’re leaving the country with a fucking note, and they don’t even bother to tell me where in Spain they’re moving to? But it’s all okay, because they’ve left me with half a million pounds so they can’t feel fucking guilty. If they actually cared, they w-wouldn’t d-do this.” My rant eventually subsides as my sobs take over. It’s not sad tears; it’s pure anger. Ryan pulls me onto his lap and rubs my back, the whole time whispering softly in my ear that he loves me.

  A thought hits me, and I jump off Ryan and head towards my bag. “What are you doing?”

  I ignore his question and continue putting my phone to my ear. “Voicemail, what a fucking surprise,” I mutter to myself. I fume as I listen to Steven’s message. When I eventually hear the beep, my anger’s got the better of me. “What the actual fuck is going on?” I shout into the phone. “You’d better ring me as soon as you get this to explain yourself.”

  When I put my phone down, I realise Ryan has gone. “Fucking brilliant,” I mutter, pacing up and down the living room, trying to get myself together. How is this actually happening? Surely, I’m dreaming? I pinch myself, but it only proves to me that, yes, this is real life. I continue pacing, completely lost in my own thoughts, until I hit something hard in front of me. I raise my head to see Ryan looking down at me with sympathetic eyes.