Chapter Seventeen

Tia resisted the urge to slide the Harley at high speed into the service station workshop. Instead, she drew up next to the bowsers and killed the engine. She needed petrol, but that wasn't why she was here.

She removed the cap from her petrol tank and started the pump. She looked over towards the workshop. No sign of Ed. Was he that much of a coward that he was frightened to face her? Tia's temper, which had been rising steadily since leaving the pub last night, rose a fraction more.

Her tank was almost full when Ed finally appeared. She snapped the pump off and slapped the lid back on her tank. Ed was standing by the workshop door, almost as if he knew what was coming.

‘Ed.' Tia marched over and stood in front of him. ‘We need to talk. About my mother.' Tia was tiny compared to Ed. She barely reached his shoulder, but at that moment, her anger made her feel tall enough to tackle anyone.

‘Then I guess we'd better go inside,' Ed said slowly. ‘Trish is due back this morning.'

Tia opened her mouth to protest, and then thought better of it. She didn't want everyone – least of all her mother – to know she'd come to talk to Ed.

She followed him inside. Ed propped himself against the counter.

‘Okay. Let me have it.'

‘What the hell do you think you are doing, kissing my mother?'

Whatever response Tia expected, it wasn't the slow smile that lit Ed's face. ‘She told you?'

‘Of course she did. Mothers and daughters talk, you know.'

‘What did she say?'

‘She said …' Tia caught herself. This wasn't going the way she'd planned. Ed looked … well … he looked different. This wasn't the taciturn, almost rude man she'd met when she first came to the Creek. This Ed seemed years younger. He looked … nice. And he seemed happy. Something was going on.

Tia shook her head, struggling to regain her focus. ‘It doesn't matter what she and I talked about. It's none of your business. I just want to know what the hell you think you are doing, carrying on with my mother.'

‘That's not really your business either, is it?' he said gently.

‘Yes, it is.'

Ed leaned back against the counter and didn't say a word.

Tia let out a frustrated sigh. ‘All right. I'm sorry, Ed. I know I shouldn't have come barging in here like this. But my mother is vulnerable right now. She's had a tough life. We are only just finding our way as a family again. I don't want her to get hurt.'

‘Neither do I.'

‘I guess you don't. But Ed … your wife is just across the road. Staying in the same pub as my mother. That's not good. And it's especially not good for my mother.'

‘I honestly did not know Steph was going to come back. I never asked her too.'

‘That's not good enough.' Tia took a deep breath. ‘You know, my father ran off when she was pregnant. He never married her. She tried to make a good home for me. Even tried to find a father figure for me. Sure, she made some bad choices, but sometimes she didn't even have a choice. I was the one thing she loved. And then I ran away.'

She had to stop. She dashed her hand across her eyes to brush away the tears that were forming. This was not how this was supposed to go.

‘We've found each other now, thanks to Max. She's going to see me and Max get married. She is the happiest she's been in years. You are part of that, Ed. She likes you. But you're married. What on earth were you thinking leading her on like that?'

‘I was thinking that she was beautiful. And that I felt good around her. I wanted to make her smile. And I was thinking that I would never see my wife again. I was going to be divorced. I've even got the papers.' Ed waved his hand in the direction of his desk. ‘I never for one moment thought Steph would show up.'

‘Well, she did.'

Ed hadn't moved all through her tirade. Now he did. He walked over to the desk and picked up a large brown envelope and stared at it.

‘Are those your divorce papers?' Tia asked.

‘Yep.'

‘Then either do something with them, or tear them up and leave my mother alone.'

‘It's not as simple as that.' Ed dropped the envelope back on his desk.

Tia almost stamped her foot. ‘Yes, it is. It is exactly that simple. And I'll tell you something else that's really easy to understand. I like you, Ed. I think you and my mum would make a great couple. But, if you hurt her, I'm likely to do something that will force Max to arrest me, not marry me.'

She turned and stormed out of the workshop.

Ed stood listening to the sound of the Harley heading back the way it had come. Tia was right. He was being a coward letting things drift like this. He looked down at the envelope lying on top of a pile of other letters that he had not yet bothered to read. It was sealed and stamped ready to go. He picked it up and stared at it for a very long time.

Tia was right. He had a choice. He could stay true to his vows and the woman who had not remained faithful to him. Or he could end his marriage with nothing more than a faint hope of a future with a woman he barely knew, but would never forget.

And in the end, the choice was as easy as it was clear.

He tucked the envelope under his arm and walked across the road in the direction of the post office.

As he approached, a car pulled up in front of the pub and two people got out.

‘It's good to be home,' Trish said. ‘Why, hello, Ed. How have things been while we were away? We had a lovely holiday but it's good to be home. Nothing is as good as home is it? Our bags are in the back of the car, Ed. If you could help with those we would be very grateful.' Trish set off up the stairs and into the pub.

Ed helped Syd with the bags. It was easier than arguing.

Trish was in the bar, talking to Jack.

‘Our holiday was wonderful,' Trish exclaimed. ‘We should have done that years ago. I feel like a whole new woman. Now, Jack, how have things been here at home? Did the school building get sorted out? I would have stayed to help, but I figured the town could manage without me just this once. And how about our guests? I assume Tia's mother is still with us, but what about that Mrs Wills,' Trish continued. ‘When she booked she didn't say how long she'd be here.'

Jack threw a quick glance at Ed. ‘She is still here.'

Ed frowned. Mrs Wills? Who were they talking about? There were only two people staying at the pub. Helen and Steph.

‘Who is Mrs Wills?' he asked the room in general.

‘I am.'

Steph walked through the doorway.

‘How can you be Mrs Wills? You are still married to me.'

Beside him, Ed heard Trish's sharp intake of breath as she recognised Stephanie.

‘It's a long story,' Steph said softly. ‘And one I'm not proud of.'

‘After all these years, I think it's time I heard the truth.'

Ed glanced around the bar. This wasn't something to be done in front of an audience. He walked through to the lounge, knowing that Steph would follow. He didn't sit down. He tossed the envelope onto a table in the far corner of the lounge and waited for Steph to begin.

‘When I left … with Andrew … well, it didn't last. Then I travelled about a bit. There were others. Then I met Ian Wills. He was different to the rest. He loved me. He really did. He wanted to marry me. So I said yes.'

‘But you were already married.'

‘I lied. It seems I'm good at lying.'

Ed wasn't going to disagree. He looked down at her hands, clenched on the table. He saw the mark where she had taken off her rings. He had thought that mark was left by the rings he gave her. But that was not the case.

‘We'd been together for such a long time. We were happy too. Then he died. In his will, he left everything to me. But his kids never liked me. They are going to contest the will.'

Ed felt as if the blinds had suddenly been lifted from his eyes. Now he understood. ‘You left because they were going to find out you had lied.'

Steph shook her head. She looked tearfully up at him. ‘No! Ed. I came back because I wanted to see you again. Because I've never forgotten you. I wanted to be a family again. With Scott.'

Steph was looking at him with pleading eyes. Even with tears on her face she was still a beautiful woman. Still the girl he had fallen for so many years ago.

A lifetime ago.

‘No, Steph. Just stop. You're lying again. You've always lied.' He picked up the envelope. ‘I just came over to tell you that I am going ahead with the divorce. I'm posting these papers today. I guess you'll need to get involved now that you've shown up. But please don't try to fight it. Just go, Steph. Do whatever you want. But I'm done.'

He turned to go but Steph grabbed his arm.

‘What about Scott? What are you going to tell him?'

‘I hope you and Scott will stay in touch. But that's between the two of you. You could try telling him the truth, because if he asks, I won't lie to him. I lied to him once before to protect you. It almost cost me my son and I won't do it again.'

Steph let her hand fall. She looked forsaken, and Ed felt a touch of sympathy for her. But sympathy is not love.

‘Goodbye, Steph. Whatever you do, I wish you well.'

Ed turned and walked out through the back door of the pub. His heart felt wonderfully light as he crossed the road and walked through the small town square towards the post office. It was shut now, but that didn't matter. He lifted the envelope and without the slightest hesitation slid it through the letter box slot.

As he turned away, he saw a figure emerge from the police station next door. He waited for Max to join him.

‘Posting a letter?' Max raised a questioning eyebrow.

‘Sending off my divorce papers.'

Max nodded in an approving fashion.

‘I am going to see Helen now. There's so much I need to tell her. To explain. And maybe tomorrow she and I can make a new start.'

‘Ah. Tomorrow. There's something you should know about tomorrow.' Max smiled and dropped an arm around Ed's shoulders. ‘In fact, there's a favour I want to ask you. It comes with an invitation.'