Page 33 of Connie
No one says anything, Fred just pushes his breakfast to the side and leaves the room.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Fin asks me looking worried. “I haven’t seen him as good as he was last night and just then for ages. It’s not easy, Con, plus you’re going to have a newborn to look after.”
“I’m not expecting it to be easy, Fin. But it’s the right thing to do. Allow him to be in his own home for as long as possible. Plus we’ll get a regular carer in when we feel it’s necessary like we talked about last night. Everything will be okay, I promise.” I smile at him to try to reassure him that I really believe it, because I do. If we are together then I have no doubt that everything will be fine.
Once we’ve finished breakfast and made sure Fred is okay for a few hours we head over to my parents house. Thankfully they are still both in.
Mum is in the kitchen and the look on her face is priceless when we walk in hand in hand.
“Oh, wow. Have you two sorted everything out?” she has a huge smile on her face as she says it. She never told me but I know she's always been rooting for us.
“Is Dad about, we need to talk to you both.”
“I’ll go get him.”
Well, Mum cried while Dad just looked mortified as Fin explained about his Dad’s dementia and everything he’s been dealing with.
When he’s finished talking Mum gets up and gives him a huge hug, although I’m not sure if it’s for her’s or Fin’s benefit.
“I feel like I’ve failed your mother letting this happen,” she mutters on a shaky breath. My mum and May were best friends for years, I can imagine she really feels like she’s let May down.
“Don’t be silly. We both hid it from everyone, you had no way of knowing.”
“FUCK,” my dad shouts before storming out of the kitchen and then the house.
“Shit, I should go and talk to him,” Fin says as he begins to get up.
“No, leave him for a bit to calm down. He’s just upset like I am that we missed this and haven’t helped. Whatever you need Fin, we’ll be there. Please just ask.”
“Well there is something, we need to ask Dad really but seeing as he’s disappeared.”
“Go on,” my mum prompts.
“Well I’m going to move in with Fin, but the house, it’s a little…uh…”
“It’s a shithole,” he helpfully chips in.
“I was looking for a nicer word but yeah that just about sums it up. We’re gonna speak to Ruben too of course but I was hoping there could be a little time freed up somewhere with the men to help us get it sorted. It won’t take too much.”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem. I’ll do anything I can too, cleaning, painting, cooking that sort of thing.”
“Thank you, so much,” Fin says so sincerely that it brings a tear to my eye. I knew my family wouldn’t let him down.
I’d text Emma to say we were coming and that we would bring dinner for the four of us. Once we know they’ll both be back from work we head over feeling a little apprehensive as to how this is going to play out. Emma will obviously be fine, she’ll be happy for us and do anything she can I’m sure of it. It’s Ruben I’m worried about. What if he decides he can’t accept us together? I’m not really sure why he wouldn’t, I know he’s always hated the idea of his friends making a play for me but this is way more than just a quick shag now so I’m hopeful he’ll be able to see past it.
It’s awkward, like seriously awkward. The last two times Fin and Ruben breathed the same air Ruben was beating the shit out if Fin and then Fin was running away from me at the hospital. To say things are tense between them would be an understatement.
“Here’s dinner. Could you keep it warm, Ruben and I need to talk first,” Fin says once we’ve been welcomed in. Emma locks eyes with me and a concerned look passes between us.
“Behave,” she warns, “I don’t want any more blood in my house please.”
“I can’t promise anything,” Ruben practically growls as he stares at Fin.
Oh here we fucking go!
We both watch as they leave the kitchen and then the house with beers in their hands. I panic until I see them both take seats at the table outside.
“Well this could be interesting,” Emma says as she gets me a drink.
