Trying Not To Love You

Part Seventy Two

Chapter Seventy Two

                “So today is the day?” Martha was in the kitchen when her father and Sonny burst in laughing together.

They both looked up a little guiltily. She gave a smile to them then continued with cleaning up, this was hard for her, everyone moving on, everyone getting something new...except her. She hated how bitter that made her. But she had her ideas for the future, well she knew what she DIDN’T want to do that was for sure.

Sonny was watching her; she could feel his eyes on her. So she smiled, “what time are you taking over?”

                “Get the keys at ten. Doesn’t give us long to prepare to open...”

She nodded, “there are the regular staff though?”

Carl left to go sort out the horses, and it was then that Sonny turned to her, “you can always come and work with me. Not FOR me. Think about it? My home is your home, my business is yours, ok?”

Martha smiled as she gave him a hug, “can’t do that Carter, you know that. End of an era, hey?”

It was his turn to shake his head, “no, the beginning. You know I want to share this with you. Think about it?”

She sighed, “there are too many reasons why it is ALL wrong. Be good, yeah? Be careful, and make sure you eat well. You’ll still come for dinner sometimes?”

He wasn’t listening properly, he was still focused on her earlier words, “what reasons? We’re two adults; there are no reasons why we shouldn’t at least work together.”

                “Carter don’t do this. Why can’t you let things go?  It’s over; it was a long time ago. We both know that. As I said, be good.”

She almost ran from the kitchen leaving him scowling.

Sonny threw the few belongings he had into a box. Thirty years on the planet had he had managed to accumulate two bags of clothing and a box of books, a few CD’s and not much else. He was going to rattle around the three bedroom accommodation at the pub he now part owned. As he was emptying his toiletries from the bathroom, he felt a presence next to him, looking up he saw Lucy stood there.

For a woman approaching eighty she was both active and insightful, as he looked at her he recognised the expression on her face. She had something to say, an opinion.

He sighed, “hey.”

She smiled, “gonna miss you around the place.”

He sighed, “she who hated me on sight?” When she gave a shrug, he added, “funnily enough I’ll miss you too.”

She followed him into the bedroom he’d been using and sat on the bed as he checked the drawers in the large chest that dominated the room.

                “Even though I thought you were a chancer, you turned out to be the person who brought this family back together. I’ll always appreciate you for that.”

He turned to look at her, “don’t think Martha agrees.”

She nodded, “it’s tough for her, Carl isn’t doing right by her, but I think that’s good in a way. With all that happened, she’s put her father on a pedestal he doesn’t deserve.”

That peaked Sonny’s interest again, Lucy had repeatedly hinted that things weren’t as they seemed with Carl and the family, but never anymore than that. And he had to agree with her sentiment Martha sacrificed too much for everyone, but she’d given up the most for her father. Not that she knew quite how much. A silence prevailed, and he didn’t feel the need to fill it, but then Lucy finally spoke.