Page 45 of Chase

“You two look better than this lot,” Martha says to Rhys and I.

“Yeah, we didn’t try to drink an entire bottle of tequila or try all fifteen of the cocktails Arden organised.” I laugh taking my seat beside Yasmin.

“There were only five. We needed to try them all at least twice though. Arden put in the effort for us. We needed to return it,” Yasmin says with a mouthful of food.

“OMG Martha, this muffin is amazing,” she tells Martha.

“Told you,” Ally responds. Martha puts a cup of coffee in front of Rhys and I and then loads our plates up as well.

“Ralph told me that it was a good night. No trouble, except that little hussy of yours Rhys,” Martha tells us taking a seat and joining us.

The thing about Martha is she just fits with us. She just turned fifty but has worked for Arden’s dad for over twenty years. She raised Arden and Julia when their parents were MIA.

She’ll always make us soup when we are sick, and she is constantly complaining that we never spend enough time here anymore.

She has already told us she is going to miss us next year but has promised to come and visit regularly to fill the freezer with our favourite foods.

“Don’t remind me,” Rhys groans into his coffee. “Don’t let her in today please. Tell her we aren’t here. She won’t show up at Chase’s,” he begs.

“No problem sweets,” Martha responds. “What’s the plan for today kids?”

“Movies and sleep,” Arden mumbles.

“Alright, I’ll bring snacks up later. Julia messaged this morning. Ralph is going to go and pick her and Millie up soon. They want to go swimming. I’ll make sure they keep it down.”

“Thanks Martha.” Arden and Yasmin respond at the same time.

We spend the afternoon in the theatre room watching movies while Arden and the girls nap on and off. By five p.m. they’re starting to act more like themselves. Millie and Julia stopped in earlier, laughed at us and walked back out.

Yasmin’s phone starts to ring on the couch. I nudge her gently, waking her up again.

“Pretty girl your phone’s ringing.”

She turns it over and groans. “Argh, it’s dad. I better take this.” She walks out of the room while answering her phone, moving out of earshot.

Ten minutes later she comes back in. Her hands are shaking and her eyes are wild.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to go home. Dad wants to talk. He has no right to start acting like a parent now.” She’s fuming.

“Okay, I’ll take you home. Arden can I borrow your car?”

He lifts his head slightly before dramatically falling back onto his pillow. “Yeah you know where the keys are.”

“Do you mind if Millie stays here for a while longer? I don’t want her to be home for this. I’ll come and get her later?”

“It’s fine. Just text. Ralph will take her home when you are ready.”

“Thanks Arden.” Yasmin and I head to the car.

She’s quiet the entire trip home. I pull into my driveway instead of hers. I don’t want to piss her dad off further.

“Do you want me to come with you?” I ask.

“No, I need to do this on my own.”

I pull her into a hug and kiss her forehead. “You know where I am if you need me. Let me know how it goes.”

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