Emotional Rollercoaster

Chapter 1 - New Beginnings

Stacey looked out of the hallway window – it was cold. Her parents' home in the Blue Mountains was the perfect setting for Christmas in July, and when she saw snowflakes falling under the streetlight, she couldn't have been happier - it was beautiful. The last six months had been the best six months of her life – things couldn't have been more perfect.

Lee went into the kitchen where Maree, Stacey's mum, had made another jug of eggnog and insisted he had another one. She was right into this Christmas in July lark – as she was the eggnog, and Lee couldn't help but smile as she poured herself what must have been at least her fourth. She was becoming noticeably tipsy – but in a particularly dignified manner.

John, Stacey's father, meanwhile, was stuffing the turkey in preparation for tomorrow's lunch. Cracking the odd joke as he did so, a glass of scotch on the bench beside him, and an eggnog. Lee liked these two.

Stacey's parents really seemed to know how to enjoy themselves and were putting every effort into making Christmas in July a special occasion. And having never had a traditional family Christmas before, Lee was having a great time – roll on December, he thought, he could definitely handle a couple of these a year.
Maree motioned for Lee to follow her into the cosy little sitting room, which tonight was lit only by the open log fire that was burning in the grate, a couple of large pillar candles on the mantelpiece and a multitude of tiny white lights wrapped around the Christmas tree. And after putting her glass down on the coffee table, she turned to Lee, and he noticed traces of tears in her eyes as she took him by the hands.
'I just want to let you know how much John and I appreciate the way you've taken care of Stacey since her marriage break up.'

There was pain in her eyes, which stirred emotions in Lee as he remembered the condition he'd found Stacey in after Martyn had beaten her to an inch of her life, causing her to miscarry what had turned out to have been their baby, and he forced a lump down in the back of his throat.

'If I lay eyes on that man ever again, it'll be too soon,' she told him, clearly full of resentment.

'Anyway,' she said, dismissing him with a bat of her hand. 'Aside from that, John has a friend who does family law, and he'll be handling the divorce. I'm sure Stacey would have already told you about that, but like us, he thinks that she should go for her rightful share of the house and everything, after what he put her through for so long, but she's adamant she wants nothing. She still prefers to walk away with absolutely nothing. What are your thoughts on that?'

Lee sucked in his breath, feeling this was Stacey's decision and Stacey's decision alone. 'The way I see it,' he told her in all honesty, 'is if that's the way she wants it, then it's her choice. I don't think any of us could make her change her mind if that's what she prefers to do. And with Martyn living close by, I don't think she'd feel comfortable taking him to the cleaners. She's just happy to be away from him, even though she left with nothing but what she could fit into her suitcase.'

Maree was nodding. 'Yes, I get that, Lee, but legally she's entitled to half of everything they owned together - and bloody well deserves it too. And although that house was an inheritance, her name's on all the papers. It was left to them both, not just him.'

'Yes, Maree, I know. And don't get me wrong, I'd love to see her take that bastard for everything he's got, because she deserves it. But at the end of the day, it's only money, and money doesn't always guarantee happiness. What we have together is far greater - and that in itself will be eating away at him like you wouldn't believe. And now he's moved my son and ex in, we really have to tread carefully.'
Maree heaved a tired sigh as she nodded, 'yes true; very, very true.'