Trying Not to Love You - Part Forty Seven

Chapter Forty Seven

They couldn’t all fit in the car to go home, and it was a real problem. Martha wouldn’t let Sonny go back to the farm without her there; she needed to control her father and didn’t trust the two to control their tempers. She wasn’t looking to pack up everything and move lock, stock and barrel back to the farm for lots of reasons, none was as prevalent as Stephanie who was devastated. After the school run, they’d both returned to her home and stood in the lounge with Stephanie. She was hurt, angry and very defensive. Immediately Sonny realised he was only adding to the drama, so he left the two women alone. And after an hour of hurled accusations, painful home truths and sadness, they both held each other tightly. There was no way that they could both win, and the five year debt that being away from her father had created. There was no way she could keep Ethan away from him now, that meant that Stephanie was devastated, and after all she’d done for Martha, guilt weight heavily on her again.

So the compromise was to take a few days back home. She’d explained to his teachers that Ethan would be away for a little while, but to Steph she promised a return, soon.

So with a large bag packed, all three made the journey north by train. Ethan was ecstatic at the thought of being back on the farm; both the freedom and the man he realised doted on him were equal selling points.

The farm was quiet, and so they entered the kitchen and Martha started making some food. She’d have to go and see Scott’s father, though she wasn’t in a rush for that. Instead she distracted herself with mundane things.

                “I wondered if you’d ever come back.”

Her father’s voice drew her from her thoughts and she turned around to see him at the backdoor.

                “I’m not that childish.”

He shrugged, “you did it before, after the last time you humiliated me in front of a pub full of my friends.”

Her eyes widened, “you’d really use that against me? All that happened...I didn’t humiliate you either time. I love Sonny, why can’t you understand that?”

Her father shook his head, “I can’t, I won’t.”

Sighing she wiped her hands on a cloth and turned towards him, “you have to get used to it Dad, I don’t want to be forced away again, I want to spend time with you, make up for all that’s been lost.”

When he merely shrugged she took a deep breath, this was neither the time nor the place, “did you see the news?”

                “See the news?” He rolled his eyes, “I had the police here last night.”

That caused Martha to lift her head in shock, “here? Why?”

He gave an ironic laugh, “we’ve put in a complaint about him vandalising the farm...and then there’s your ‘boyfriend’ the jailbird.”

Martha squared up to her father angrily, “so says my father the jailbird!”

                “I’m not a mindless hooligan,” he snapped.

Seeing red she retorted equally aggressively, “and neither is he. What has gotten into you? No one has ever held your one indiscretion against you, yet you are willing to suddenly judge Sonny on his? Is that what we’re saying? I had you as many things Dad, but never a hypocrite.”

A flash of anger glinted at his eyes, but the words of his retort were frozen on his lips as a voice called across the kitchen, “Granddad!”

Her father turned and caught Ethan as he ran across the kitchen from the utility room, Mickey the growing puppy on his heels, giving him a big hug he buried his head into the boy’s hair, then turned to look at the man who’d followed him into the kitchen awkwardly.

                “I get that you hate me Carl, just wish you hadn’t sucked me into this family first.” He turned to Martha, “I’m going to have to move out darling, I can’t stay here with this going on, I’ve had a life time of people not wanting me in their homes, I’m not having it as an adult.”

Martha shook her head, and nodded at Ethan, “this is neither the time nor the place, and I’m not talking about it now. We’ll talk later, all of us, like adults.” Sonny gave a nod of agreement, which made her smile, but her father was scowling. “Dad, DON’T do this, there’s been too much heartache in this family. We’ll talk later.” She turned to her son who looked a little bewildered, “so do you want sausages for dinner?”

He nodded, “that’s my favourite!” As he rubbed his belly enthusiastically, she glared at the two men over his head and warned them strongly before turning back to dinner.

Lucy arrived by the time dinner was served and lightened the atmosphere considerably. Martha could tell by her darting eyes that she knew things were afoot, but she wasn’t about to mention it in front of Ethan, and she could only smile gratefully at her aunt.

                “You going to help me put the chickens to bed?” It was Carl who broke the silence between the four adults as he looked at Ethan. As could be easily predicted, Ethan who loved all things farm, jumped to his feet nodding in agreement.

When they left the room Lucy turned to Martha, “so what’s going on?”

Sonny left the room and Martha groaned, “those two are at loggerheads, my father is throwing down ultimatums, and shouting his mouth of about Sonny. And rightly he’s got his back up and is threatening to walk out. Lucy, why the hell can’t things be simple?”

Lucy walked over and gave her a hug, “I wondered how you’d feel over...you know...him.”

                “Gutted, elated, guilty...sad” she sighed, “I just don’t need the added hassle, you know. I’ve got too much to think about.”

                “Bloody men and their egos, hey? Why don’t you come to the pub with me tonight? Leave the men to their own devices. Your father will love to have time with Ethan.”

Martha looked undecided, the thought of confrontation between the two men was a painful thought, she deserved a break, a breather away from them, didn’t she?

Lucy chuckled, “they aren’t going to kill each other, Sonny has too much respect for your Dad, and he’s just a wimp. Let’s go, there’s no dancing tonight, we can go to the Oak, a couple of drinks, you can tell me all about your new plans are now that things have changed. I’m hoping that this means we’re going to see more of you?”

An hour later they were sat in the corner of the bar together, a drink each in front of them, and virtually every eye of every patron trained on them.

                “It’ll be tomorrow’s history Martha, I promise.” Lucy patted her hand conspiratorially.

Martha sighed, “I dated the guy and he died, so why does that make me centre of attention, it was FIVE years ago.”

Lucy smiled, “I think part of it is you and Sonny on the weekend. People knew there was no love lost between him and Scott, to these meatheads that makes him a suspect, and you’re part of that.”

                “And he’s a jailbird, to quote my father.”

Smiling again, Lucy reached for her glass of sherry and took a sip, “maybe we all need to take a leaf out of Sonny’s book. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks, the only reason he’ll move out of our house is to make things easy on you. He’d battle it our otherwise, but he’s willing to sacrifice things, for you. He’s a good man.”

Martha stared at her for a moment, “you’ve changed your ideas of him, you suddenly see what I see?”

Lucy nodded, “I was too busy chastising your father to really see what he was, what he is. I can’t believe I was so negative, because if ever there was someone who loved people mixing things up it’s me. Look around,” she gestured to the bar, “James hates him because every woman in this room wants him, and there’s an element of jealousy over you, that boy would love to take you out, and instead you’re dating the enemy.” That made Martha laugh, Lucy continued, “then over there,” she indicated the door, “those girls there make doe-eyes at Sonny, I’ve seen it. He’s probably slept with most of them, but they’d all take him back in a blink of an eye, and that pisses off those...” ‘Those’ were a gang of guys, most of whom she recognised who were glancing at the girls longingly. “We won’t mention a couple of the husbands in here, Sonny knows I don’t approve of him dallying with some of the married ladies...but anyway, that man has upset every apple cart, and I love it. He’s breathing life into everything he touches. And why not?”

Martha laughed, “no wonder Dad doesn’t want me near him, if that’s what he sees.”

Lucy sighed, “he’s vibrant, he’s full of life, he’s not known love, belonging, family, and yet he’s dropped straight into it with us, protecting us all so intently, so passionately. He’s trying his best to fit into something he doesn’t know. And he’s offering to step away from it all. For you. The way he looks at you...” Lucy placed a hand on her chest, choked with emotion, “he’d walk on hot coals for you. He’s a good man who needs a break.”

Martha smiled, “so you’re saying I should tell him to stay? Tell him that he can’t leave.”

                “I think that’s your call. Like I say, you have to decide what you want.”

Sonny had gone out as soon as Martha left, if he stayed he was likely to argue with Carl, and that wouldn’t help anyone, he had enough on his plate without ostracizing himself from the family and Martha even further. Instead he went for a run, a long hard sprint through dark fields and along dark roads, the undulated landscape mimicking his confusion inside. Hating that he was reduced to being the outsider again so quickly. When it came to loyalty, families closed ranks on him, hadn’t a dozen failed foster homes taught him that? That he never really belonged anywhere.

It was cold and the roads were empty, he stopped several times to catch his breath, the cold wind stealing the air from his lungs, more than his lack of fitness. He circled the outskirts of the town, then turned back towards the farm, halfway there; he took a left and headed back out of town again.

The Oldbury property. A huge imposing building that looked deserted. Why was he there? He wasn’t about to get involved in this, he was distant enough; as long as he kept that distance physically he’d be ok. After all the police had been looking for him, according to Carl. Gripper would be desperate to implicate him; hopefully the fact that Sonny himself was a main witness against him would devalue anything the idiot had to say.

He’d primed Johnny, though who knew when he’d be home, but if any of Oldbury’s cronies mentioned his friend, they’d already discussed what to say, and the deal was that Johnny and introduced the now dead man to the potential easy target, but was cut out by him at the last moment. Abandoned by Oldbury, he bumped into Sonny and was happy to slate the man who’d double crossed him and they’d spent the night drinking. Watertight? Wasn’t it?

Sat on the hill above the house, he watched lights turn on and off as the inhabitants moved through the rooms. Sonny sighed; it was here that he’d been found by Carl almost a year ago, intent on seeking revenge on Scott Oldbury. He was about to jump him as he left the house, teach him that no one setup Sonny Carter, but Carl, bizarrely walking the dogs, something he had never seen him do since, had found him, talked him down. Saved him. Now he realised why Carl was there. It had been Martha’s birthday, the daughter he missed every day, so Carl had found himself in exactly the same position as Sonny, preying on the same man. He and Carl were so similar; he’d be less surprised if he had been his father. Instead...he shook his head clearing the fog, he didn’t need to get distracted, it would only get him in trouble.

He still had no idea why that man had been involved in setting him up, getting him inside, but after the antics pulled by Marcus, he was becoming more suspicious. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he big man could have been playing them all. He’d potentially created a suspect for Oldbury’s shooting in Sonny, and there was no denying that he had the potential to be dragged back into the underworld by all he’d witnessed. How he managed the next few days really shaped his future.

Standing from the log, ignoring the cold that permeated his joggers into his tired thighs, he jogged down the hill on to the Oldbury estate. As he made for the front door, it opened and an emotionally ravaged Gripper burst out of the door.

                “YOU!” He snarled as he spotted Sonny in front of him. “This is all YOU!”

Sonny was about to speak when Gripper swung a fist in his direction, aiming for his head, he ducked, and it didn’t connect, and whilst he had the perfect opportunity to pulverise the exposed man, he’d have no pleasure in hurting a man who was grieving.

                “It’s nothing to do with me Gripper, so let it go.”

Again the man came at him, fist raised, grief fuelling his anger. Sonny groaned, he should never have come.

                “Ian stop it!”

Sonny glanced to his right in shock, not at finding out that Gripper’s real name was Ian, but that he had the first glimpse at the man stood in the doorway glaring at them. Michael Oldbury...his father.

Froze rigid, not expecting the reaction he was having, he was oblivious to Gripper rising again. And his fist connected with the side of his jaw and Sonny saw black.