Friends With Benefits

by Lisa Swift

  ‘Come on. That type of talk isn’t going to get our boy home, is it? Now, did you find any relevant case studies on these websites?’

  ‘There was one that wasn’t dissimilar to my situation. Hang on.’

  Lexie wiped her eyes and took out her phone, instantly feeling if not better, then at least like she was moving things forward. Everything seemed easier with Theo there. The sense of despair that had settled on her when Connor had walked out shrank ever so slightly.

  She pulled up a website and handed Theo the phone. ‘See, here’s a case where a man was denied access to his little stepdaughter by his ex-wife, even though he’d provided the majority of the childcare. In the end, a court granted him the same visitation rights as the girl’s biological father. Not custody, but I do think in my case they’d surely consider it, since I’ve raised him alone for so long. There’s something called a Child Arrangements Order that can grant custody to a stepparent. They’re rare but they do exist.’

  Theo skimmed the text. ‘This stepfather was only granted access after a lengthy legal battle, though. God knows what it cost him to fight it.’

  Lexie stuck out her chin. ‘I don’t care about that. I’ll sell the car, my half of the restaurant, release equity from my share of the house, get a loan – whatever it takes. I’ll bankrupt myself before I’ll let that bastard take my son.’

  ‘But it could take ages to get a court order, Lex – years, maybe.’

  ‘No. Con needs to come home.’ She pondered for a moment. ‘Surely we can make a strong case, can’t we? I mean, it’s not just about my relationship with him: his life’s here. His friends, his boyfriend, his school, his community. Not to mention that he wants to be here – it’s already causing him distress to be ripped from his home, and at fifteen he’s close enough to an adult that his views should be taken into account. Surely any judge will take my side like a shot.’

  ‘Hmm. You’d hope so, but… well, Daryl’s bound to hire a pretty hotshot solicitor.’

  ‘It can’t be hopeless. It can’t.’ She clutched at his arm. ‘I mean, for Christ’s sake, he’s my son, Theo! They can’t just take him away from me. Sod the law, I’m talking about fucking basic humanity here. It’s… monstrous.’

  ‘I know.’ Theo sat in silence a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. ‘Lex, what did Daryl actually say when he found out about us?’

  ‘Oh God, he was like a caveman. The words “my wife” featured frequently, as if you’d stolen a valuable bit of property from him rather than me actually having any sort of decision-making capability. He told me I was a fool to believe you cared about me, given your track record with women, and that obviously you were just using me to get him back for what happened with Bistrot Alexandre. Oh, and he said we were irresponsible sex maniacs setting a bad example to Connor and deliberately trying to turn him against his father.’ She sighed. ‘I guess he’ll use the sex thing in any legal case, make it sound like something really seedy. We’d have to come clean about our pre-commitment FWB arrangement. That won’t look good if Daryl decides to present me as some sort of nymphomaniac swinger intent on corrupting the morals of youth. And then there’s my age, the fact I’m only—’

  ‘Lexie. Shh.’ Theo silenced her with a kiss. ‘If you dwell on stuff like that, you’ll only work yourself up into a panic. Let’s keep practical, all right?’

  ‘Yes.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Yes. Thanks, Theo.’

  ‘So. Our goal is to get Connor home, as quickly as possible.’

  ‘Right.’

  ‘If we seek legal advice, we’ve got a strong case but it could take a long time to fight a custody battle, and potentially cost more than we can afford.’

  ‘We?’

  ‘Of course, we,’ he said, kissing her again. ‘Anything I’ve got, financial or otherwise, I’m ready to throw at this alongside you.’

  She summoned a weak smile. ‘Thanks, love. So what do you think our best course of action is?’

  He was silent for a moment.

  ‘Lex, before Daryl flew into a temper, were you still convinced he meant it when he said he wanted to make things up to Connor?’ he asked at last.

  ‘Well, yes.’

  ‘And now what do you think? Was it all a charade to win you back or what?’

  ‘I think…’ She paused. ‘I still believe his main intention in coming here was genuinely to fix his relationship with his son. Connor thought Daryl was just using him to get to me, but I’m certain it was the other way round: that he wanted to give our marriage another go so we could be a family, for Connor’s sake. That’s why he was so persistent in pressing for a reconciliation – for his son, not because he still has strong feelings for me.’

  ‘You really believe that?’

  ‘Yes. I know Daryl can be selfish, but this time… I was married to that man for years, Theo. I know him. There was something in his expression, when he talked about Connor and about Elise, that makes me think he really wanted to be a father again. Then he saw red and threw away all the progress he’d made by being a jealous, possessive wanker, as usual.’

  ‘Right.’ Theo passed back her phone. ‘In that case, I think the logical course of action is to try to reason with him. If underneath the anger he really does have his son’s interests at heart, then that’s our best bet for getting Connor home again.’

  ‘What, so you think I should skip the lawyer and try talking to him first?’

  ‘No. I think I should try talking to him.’

  She frowned. ‘You? But he hates you.’

  ‘Exactly. That’s what this is all about. He threw a paddy not because he found out you were seeing someone else: it’s because he found out you were seeing me. I’m the only one with any chance of making him bin the Othello act and see sense.’

  ‘I don’t know, Theo. If he thinks you’re rubbing your relationship with me in his face, it might just make things worse. I don’t want to jeopardise any legal case we go on to make.’

  ‘Trust me, it needs to be me. I’ve known Daryl Carson a long time and I really think I can get through to him on this.’ His gaze fell on the seaside photo, with the fold down the picture clearly showing where Connor had tried to remove his dad from the family group. ‘Anyway, who’s better placed to talk about fractured father–son relationships than I am?’

  ‘He won’t answer the phone to you.’

  ‘No, but he’ll answer the door. I’m going to sit outside that bloody flat of his until he opens up, and I’m not leaving until I’ve made him hear what I’ve got to say.’

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Theo took a deep breath before knocking on the door of the flat at the address Lexie had given him.

  He didn’t know how his former friend was going to react to him turning up out of the blue but he was guessing, not well. He’d told Lexie he felt he had the best chance of appealing to Daryl’s better nature, but first they had a lot to deal with – Theo’s still simmering anger about his old friend’s betrayal, for one thing, and of course the not insignificant fact that Daryl had recently discovered Theo was sleeping with his wife.

  Theo didn’t actually know what he was going to say to Daryl to get through to him; only that this was something he needed to do. Lexie and Connor needed him now like never before and letting them down simply wasn’t an option. He didn’t have any sort of neat little speech prepared, but he did have a lifetime’s supply of daddy angst and a couple of props. All he could do was pray that would be enough.

  Theo held his breath as the door opened.

  ‘Hello, can I – oh shit, it’s you.’

  Daryl made to slam the door but Theo jammed it with his palms, leaning his full weight against it.

  ‘Don’t,’ he said in a low voice. ‘I’m only here to talk, Daryl.’

  ‘Well he doesn’t want to talk to you, and I’m sure as hell not letting you anywhere near him, so you can just fuck off home again.’

  ‘I’m not here to talk to Connor, I’m here to talk to y
ou.’

  Daryl shook his head. ‘So she sent you, did she? Realised she couldn’t afford the sort of legal help she needs to fight this and sent you here to threaten me. Yeah, nice try, Theo. If you think I can be intimidated into giving up my son, you really don’t know me at all.’

  He gave the door another push, but Theo held it hard.

  ‘No one sent me and I’m not going to make any threats,’ he said. ‘I just want to have a conversation, one old friend to another.’

  Daryl snorted. ‘Friend, that’s a laugh. How long did you wait after the wedding until you jumped into bed with my wife? Was it going on while I was still in the house? No, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.’ He shook his head. ‘I should’ve known better than to trust you around any woman of mine. Just couldn’t help yourself, could you? Always thinking with your cock, just like when we were kids.’

  ‘Oh, you’re really going to try the injured friend routine, are you, after the way you screwed me over with the bistro?’

  ‘Yeah, and you had to have your revenge, didn’t you? Regardless of who might get hurt in the process. I knew you were a selfish, feckless womaniser, Theo, but I never believed you were fucking petty enough to target Lexie. I thought you had more respect for her than that.’

  ‘It wasn’t revenge, Daryl. I love her. More than you ever did.’

  Daryl laughed. ‘Yeah, till the next one comes along. You’ve never been in love in your life.’

  ‘You don’t know a thing about what I feel for Lexie so you can just—’ Theo stopped himself and took a measured breath. ‘Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to fight. Just let me in and we’ll have a civilised conversation like the two grown men we are, eh?’

  ‘Not a chance.’ Daryl finally managed to give the door a powerful enough shove to break Theo’s hold and slammed it shut.

  ‘Daryl!’ Theo called through it.

  There was silence, but Theo knew Daryl was still there, hovering, waiting to see if he’d leave. He’d been prepared for this. He crouched down and slid something under the door.

  Everything was quiet, then the door opened a crack.

  ‘What’s this then?’ Daryl muttered.

  ‘It’s a photo. You remember that weekend we hired a caravan up in Morecambe, the four of us? You managed to maintain your record of holiday misadventures by getting bitten on the arse by a donkey while this picture was being taken.’

  ‘Why’s it been folded like that? There’s a big crease between me and Lexie.’

  ‘Connor made it,’ Theo said. ‘He had it in a frame in his room, only you were folded out of the picture. Out of the family.’

  Daryl scowled. ‘Because you and Lexie have been poisoning him against me.’

  ‘No, Daryl. Hard as this might be for you to believe, as angry as I’ve been with you for the last eighteen months, I’ve never said a word against you in Connor’s hearing. Nor has Lexie. The fold you’re looking at entirely represents Connor’s own feelings based on your treatment of him.’

  Daryl was silent, frowning down at the photo, but he didn’t try to close the door again. Theo followed up on his advantage.

  ‘You know who Connor was talking to on the phone before your Monty Python breakthrough last night?’ he asked.

  ‘You?’

  ‘Yes, me. I was the one who convinced him he ought to hear what you had to say. I told him he’d regret it one day if he didn’t at least give you a chance to make things up to him.’

  ‘Why the hell would you do that?’

  Theo gave a little half-smile. ‘Do you know what the last thing I ever said to my dad was, Daryl?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘“Fuck you.” Those were pretty much the last words I ever spoke to him, and he wasn’t even alive to hear them. Standing at his graveside, this total stranger who’d created me and broken my mum, and all I had left for him was a curse.’ He looked into Daryl’s eyes. ‘Do you want that to be Connor?’

  ‘No,’ Daryl whispered, still staring at the photo. ‘I just… want to do what’s best for him.’

  ‘And so do I. So does Lexie. When we let our emotions about each perceived wrong we’ve done one another control us, it’s Connor who gets hurt. If you’ve really got his welfare at heart and you’re not just trying to score some petty points against me and Lexie, then we ought to be able to discuss this like civilised human beings. Let me in, eh?’

  ‘Yes. I suppose… all right, you can come in for a minute.’ Cautiously, Daryl held open the door. ‘This doesn’t mean he’s going back with you.’

  ‘Never mind that. Let’s just talk a few things out, shall we?’

  Theo followed Daryl to a small open-plan living room and kitchen, still bare and full of cardboard boxes.

  ‘Not much room, is there?’ he observed.

  ‘Well it was supposed to be a bachelor pad. I hadn’t expected Connor to be coming to live with me.’ Daryl gestured to a box and Theo sat down on it. ‘Anyway, it’s only for the time being. Now I’ve got Connor I’ll start looking for somewhere a bit bigger, closer to his school. I don’t want to interrupt his education this close to his exams.’

  Theo bit his tongue for the moment. It wasn’t the time yet to talk about bringing Connor home. They had things to discuss first.

  ‘Look, shall we get our issues out of the way before we start talking about Connor?’ he said. ‘I think we need to if we’re going to dial down the tension.’

  ‘You slept with my wife,’ Daryl muttered.

  ‘And you lost me my business. That makes us even, don’t you think?’

  Daryl scowled. ‘So it was revenge.’

  ‘It was no such thing. You really think I’d use Lexie as a pawn like that?’

  ‘Well, what then?’

  ‘It wasn’t going on when you were still living together, I promise you. I’m not a complete bastard,’ Theo said. ‘We’ve only been together four months.’ He decided now wasn’t the time to start a discussion with his girlfriend’s husband about whether their arrangement prior to three weeks ago constituted being ‘together’ or not.

  Daryl flinched. ‘I’m not sure I want to hear this.’

  ‘You don’t still have feelings for her, do you?’ Theo asked in a gentler voice.

  ‘Perhaps. At least, I thought we had a shot at making it work. The reasons our marriage crumbled, Elise and how I was then… maybe I’m not fully healed yet, but I’m at least aware of the mistakes I made before. I thought we could try to be a family again – a happy one this time.’ He glared at Theo. ‘I didn’t realise you’d already swooped in to take my place.’

  ‘We keep talking about places like there’s only one to spare, but there can be room for both of us. There’s no reason Connor can’t have a bond with you and with me. Lexie’s right, we’re not bloody gorillas.’

  ‘How did you two end up together then?’

  ‘Well it wasn’t planned,’ Theo admitted. ‘I’d never really thought about Lex in that way – at least, not since that night we both met her. Then Connor was going through a tough patch. He needed us both to support him through it, emotions started to creep in, and… well, long story short, we fell for each other.’

  ‘This tough patch of Connor’s: it was to do with that boyfriend of his, right?’

  ‘The relationship with Oli’s very recent. At the time he was just trying to get his head around this new thing he’d discovered about himself.’

  Daryl shook his head. ‘I should’ve been told about that.’

  ‘No, Daryl, you shouldn’t. Connor’s not a little kid, he’s a young adult. It’s not a case of being told things about him, it’s a case of having mature conversations with him until he feels like he wants to confide in you.’ Theo shrugged. ‘Perhaps he felt you wouldn’t take it well. Not every parent does.’

  ‘I didn’t take it very well,’ Daryl said, rubbing his ear. ‘I’m not a bigot – I hope I’m not – but it was… a surprise. When I thought about all the problems it could cause f
or him when he’s older, the prejudice he might experience, whether he’d still have kids of his own… well, I ought to have dealt with it better.’

  ‘It’s not something he’s chosen, Daryl, it’s something he is. You get that, don’t you?’

  He sighed. ‘I don’t know. If he’d told me he was gay I could get my head around that, but the bisexuality thing… I’ve not had much cause to think about it before. Perhaps I’m not as progressive as I ought to be, but it really was Connor I was thinking of.’ He fell silent. ‘You know, I really thought this therapy programme was changing me as a person. Helping me find the way back to the man I was before I lost Elise. But when Connor told me about you and Lexie, I just lost control. The anger was still there, waiting to be triggered, and I let it take over me entirely. I think… I’ve still got a long way to go.’ He looked at the photo he was holding, staring at the crease that separated him from the rest of the family. ‘Connor told me that once he turns eighteen, he’ll never speak to me again.’

  ‘It doesn’t have to be that way,’ Theo said quietly. ‘If we work together, the three of us, we can make things right.’

  Daryl was silent, gazing at the photo. Feeling he was nearly at his goal, Theo took Connor’s old storybook from the satchel he was carrying.

  ‘Remember this?’ he said, showing it to Daryl.

  He smiled slightly. ‘I remember. Lexie gave it to him, not long after we met. There was a cat called Tim or Tom or something that he was always chattering to me about.’

  ‘He took to her right away, didn’t he?’

  ‘I suppose that was only natural, when he missed his mum. Lex was warm and kind, and he needed love so badly. God knows I was no bloody use to him.’

  Theo opened the book at the title page and passed it to Daryl so he could see Connor’s scribbled drawing.

  ‘Lexie,’ Daryl murmured. ‘Connor drew this?’