Christian
It's worse than what I thought? How the fuck could it get any worse than Archie cheating on Molly and having a baby with someone else? A thousand different thoughts and scenarios swarm through my head but still, I don't understand what's going on. I tried everything to get Tom to tell me but he told me that it wasn't his place to tell me and while I respect him for looking out for his best friend a part of me is still pissed at him for not telling me.
It took all the strength I had not to go after Molly but Tom insisted that she needed to be left alone and I have to respect that even if it's the last thing that I want to do. I keep checking my watch watching as time goes by painfully slow. She's only been gone forty-five minutes but Jesus it feels like it's been hours.
My mind keeps taking me back to when I came out of the barn and saw how upset she was. Her eyes full of tears, her body shaking with sadness and that rawness in her sobs that almost broke me. "She's ok." My head shoots up to find Tom right next to me. "Jesus, you frightened the shit out of me you dickhead!" Tom laughs at my growl while I try and calm my pounding heart. It takes just seconds for me to replay his words causing my heart to start pounding again but for a different reason this time.
"I just spoke to her, she's still at the lake but will be heading back here soon." I nod while looking over at the woods where she disappeared through the trees willing her to walk through at any second and put my mind at ease. I don't like her being out there on her own. The truth is I've never liked her out there on her own but I was too pissed at her to let it take enough effect. However, since she almost died there just yesterday I'm itching with worry and need her back here ASAP.
"Tom, what was in the envelope?" I try my luck one more time even if it's very unlikely he will tell me. He looks at me for a few seconds before shaking his head and looking down at the floor. He looks back up at me and I swear I see a torn look flash across his face. "I can't tell you, Chris, I just can't. I want to believe me I do but it's so big, so awful... and not my story to tell."
"This is me, Tom. you know I won't say a word." I swallow hard before my next words leave my mouth bracing myself for his reaction. "I'm worried about her, Tom. I care about her and seeing her hurt is killing me." I wait for him to start giving me shit but he doesn't instead, he gives me a smile slightly shocking me.
"I know you do, Chris, you have acted like a right tosser towards her and it's taken you long enough to get your head out of your ass but I do believe you." Huh, well that wasn't the response I was expecting of him. "I've been watching you with her since she first arrived here Chris but the hurt Amy has caused you and the distrust she's instilled in you has overridden any other feelings that you've had and made you act like a serious twatwaffle!"
Only Tom could pull a laugh out of me in this situation even if it is a small one. "Twatwaffle?" He smirks before nodding his head. "Yep. Twatwaffle. I heard Molly calling someone it one day and it's just stuck. Don't ask me what it means because I don't have a clue but I like how it sounds so I'm using it."
"I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not." Was that even an insult? "You should be!" This boy is fucking nuts but Jesus do I love him. "Chris, you are my brother, my big brother and I love you with everything I have. You are one of the most important people in my life but so is Molly and while I will always have both of your backs and protect you both with my life right now I have to protect Molly more. You are the only one that's been acting shitty since we got here and I won't have you keep doing it to her. I won't have her hurt anymore. I dont know how much she can take before she breaks." The last of his words are whispered but I hear them and they just make me even more angry.
Before I can say anymore a rustling noise from the trees bring our attention away from each other and onto Molly as she walks back through the trees and towards us. She looks sad and lost as she heads our way with that goddam envelope still crushed to her chest while her arms are wrapped around herself and all I want to do is run to her and wrap her up, keep her safe.
But instead, I find myself rotted to the spot watching her as she gets closer to us but doesn't once look my way. She stops in front of Ton and he wraps his arms around her. "How are you doing, baby girl?" She takes a step back from him while briefly looking my way before back at Tom. "He doesn't know anything." How does that boy always know what someone is going to ask before they have even opened their mouths? She nods her head offering him a gentle smile.
"Do you mind if I head off, I need some time to figure out what to do with all of this... I promise I'll call you later." Tom gives her another hug before nodding. "Of course sweetheart. Here take these." He hands her some keys that she puts in her pocket without question. "They are for Penny's house. No one is going to be there until around five or six. Why don't you head back there and take some time to yourself? I'll be back later and we can chat then if you'd like ok?"
I can see her wanting to argue it but I can also see the determined look in Tom's eyes and she must see it too as she just nods "Here." he digs in his pocket once more and pulls out another set of keys. Take the truck. I'll catch a lift back with one of the others." She gives him a smile and then a kiss on the cheek "Thank you, Tom." She whispers the word bye before she heads back towards the truck and it's clear to see that she's using everything she has to hold herself together.
Seeing her look so lost, so alone, it's heartbreaking. I never thought I could come to care for another woman, not in a romantic way anyway, not after the fuckery that was my marriage to Amy but this girl... fuck she has embedded herself under my skin without even realising it. Fuck I want her. I want all of her. I want to know everything about her and I want her to be my everything. Fuck I'm screwed! What the hell am I going to do?
I stand with Tom both of us watching Molly until she gets in the truck and disappears down the long driveway. "Will she be ok driving while that upset?" He gives me a nod before turning away from her retreating truck and heading towards the remains of our home. "That girl's driving is up there with the best. She'll be fine." I wish she wouldn't drive herself when she's so upset but there's nothing I can do, not yet anyway.
Callum and Jack along with my parents soon turn up and together we separate the house into sections and pair up to start making our way through all the rubble and ruins to try and finish anything that is salvageable and we want to keep. Dad had several tin containers brought on to the farm this morning so we can use them to store what is being kept in them until we need them again. The house was completely flattened so it's going to be a massive job but one that we want to do ourselves.
We spend over an hour cleaning away debris before we get started going through everything. This is going to be a long process of clearing out Debry and searching through everything but maybe it will be good for me. Hopefully, it can keep my mind distracted from everything going on with Katie and Molly and maybe it will help speed time up, the quicker today is over the quicker I get my little girl back.
We work on the house for around five hours with us just taking quick breaks here and there for a drink and of course, Ma made us stop to eat the sandwiches that she had packed before we came here. By the time five o'clock comes around, we are all in desperate need of food, showers and sleep. It's been a hard day both physically and emotionally and all I want to do right now is cuddle up on the couch with my kids and watch a film.
My dad soon calls out telling us to stop for the day and as much as the distraction has been good for me my body is screaming for a break. Dad locks up the containers while everyone starts heading for the trucks leaving me the last person to get out of the ruins. Just as I go to step out onto the grass something catches my sight.
I turn my head to see something sticking out from underneath a piece of wood. I step closer and recognize it as one of Molly's bags so I grab it to take to her, I don't think we've managed to salvage any of her stuff yet so hopefully this can help a little... maybe. As I step on to the grass I slip on a muddy patch ending up on my ass and sending Molly's bag flying through the air. "Shit!"
I quickly get up and run to grab it cursing when I realise that the zipper has broken and most of her stuff has fallen out. I make quick work of putting everything back when I get a strange feeling as I pick up a piece of paper that had fallen out. It looks like it's a letter but it feels crispy as if it's got wet and I know I shouldn't but I can't help myself as I open the letter and begin reading the neatly written words.