Emotional Rollercoaster

Chapter 9 - Revelations

When Claire awoke the following morning, it was to the sound of heavy rain. She snuggled further under the covers before realising it was, in fact, morning. It was so dark still.
Martyn pulled the covers back and snatched up his discarded undies, sweatshirt and tracky bottoms and put them on, followed by his socks which he found at the end of the bed, while Claire flipped the covers back over herself to keep warm.
'It's freezing,' she said.
'That's because you were smoking-hot last night,' said Martyn, glancing at her over his shoulder with a grin.
Claire giggled as she snuggled further under the covers, 'that was a great night,' she said, wondering how they had gotten away with such a heavy-duty session while Liam slept in the room next door. 'I'm surprised we didn't wake Liam up.'
Martyn raised his eyebrows, 'it would have been a brutal first lesson in sex if he'd have busted us, that's for sure.'
'Could have scarred him for life walking into some of those positions!' she laughed.
Martyn leaned over, planting a kiss on the side of Claire's head. 'You're amazing, you know that? You never cease to amaze me. You've really impressed me over the last couple of weeks, what with your new look and positive attitude. You've done heaps around here, including supervising the tradies doing the en-suites, ordering new dining room furniture, let alone getting started on unfamiliar ground with the website. Then you impressed me, even more, yesterday when you defended yourself and got me to realise that you hadn't blabbed to that tart next door, that it was her who was trying to stick an oar in for some bizarre reason. The old feisty Claire returned, the Claire that got my attention from day one at the office. I was so proud of how you stood up for yourself and didn't let her get away with all that shit.' He smiled at her in a way that he had never smiled at her before. There was tenderness in his eyes, and she thought, wow!

'Cup of tea?' he then asked as he got up, rubbing his unshaven chin and adjusting his private parts as he headed for the bedroom door.
'Yes, please.'
Claire lay under the covers with a smile, thinking, wow, again. If something good came out of something bad, then she had Roxy to thank. Her bitchiness had backfired, and to hear Martyn say what he'd just said couldn't have made her feel happier. He hadn't been this attentive towards her since those first raunchy weeks that they'd met. All that had happened with Lee and Stacey had cast a dark, dark cloud over their relationship, and she had known she'd have to work hard to keep Martyn interested, that he had only invited her and Liam to move in had been to avenge Lee and Stacey. What a turn of events, and it was all now thanks to Roxy.

Not only was her relationship with Martyn on track again, but it was also firing! She'd found an ally in Stacey, which only a day ago would have been unthinkable, and she also had Tyler on side, which was a bonus. Sucked in Roxy was all she could think. She could go to hell.
It was now 9 am. With Liam at school and Martyn at work, Claire thought about Stacey, and it was while she was thinking of her she heard an incoming text message.

Stacey: How did things turn out with you and Martyn yesterday?

Claire felt a flurry of excitement as she read it. Who would have believed she'd ever get a text message from Stacey asking how things were.

Claire: Can I call you?

But before she received a reply, her phone began to ring – it was Stacey.

'Hi,' she said, somewhat nervously.

'Hi, how did you get on yesterday. We've been thinking about you?'

Oh my God, she thought, feeling overwhelmed by her concern – their concern even, after all, she had said, we.

'You wouldn't believe what ended up happening,' she told her almost in a rush to get it out. 'Martyn was fine when I got back, thankfully. He had calmed down and was willing to listen to my side of the story, and I got him to understand that it had been her who had wanted to know everything that had gone on between us, once she'd found out that you'd been married to Martyn, and that we'd ended up with each other's ex's, that I hadn't just blabbed because I'd been on a downer and wanted her sympathy, and that she'd blatantly lied about the whole conversation. I can't believe how caring and supportive he became once he realised the truth.'