It was a Thursday afternoon, Audrey's wedding had ended in shambles and all the staff where sat round a table. Christine was sat chatting away when a familiar hand touched her shoulder. "Mich.." she turned around.. the hand wasn't micheals. "Oh George" said Christine with a half hearted smile.
"Thought you'd be a bit more exited to see me than that" said George
"Sorry. I am, oh come here you" she said wrapping her arms around him "you didn't say you where coming"
"Thought I'd suprise you" said George Christine just smirked back "and over the phone, you really sounded like you needed an old friend right now" nodded geogre
"Oh it's nothing" nodded Christine brushing him off "it'll sort itself out eventually" said Christine attempting to reassure herself
"You going to tell me what's going on then?" Said George "because you only phone for help if you really need it. Even I know that"
"I just needed an ear to talk to that night honestly" she whispered
"Christine. It's me. Don't lie"
"I can't tell you. Not here. There's too many ears about"
"Well let's go sit in my car then, then you can tell me exactly what's going on" said George "and I'm not leaving until you tell me" Christine didn't say anything she just nodded as she followed George to his car and sat in the passenger seat. She didn't say a word.
"What's going on ey?, usually you'd be biting my ear off as soon as I get here?, are you okay?, Connor? That man of yours?"
"Connors due in court next week..." she sighed
"Court? For what"
"He's being faced with arsonist charges.. he started a fire last month, he didn't mean too, it was a genuine accident, he was in a food tech club, and he accidentally set fire to the cook book, but the whole thing went blow, don't ask me how, I've got no idea, but before you know it half the blocks on fire, and there's someone with serious injuries, and due to his previous charges, they recon he did it on purpose, but he genuinely didn't George I'm telling you I know my son George" she was on verge of tears "Connor nearly died too George. Everyone likes to forget that detail"
"Oh Christine" said George "well surely there's cctv? eye witnesses?"
"There was... but Connor made a bloody false confession, he didn't mean too, they twisted his words"
"What do they recon? Will happen in court?"
"He'll get a fine for definite..."
"Right, but no custodial sentence? He's still a boy so?"
"There's a chance he'll get a minimum suspended sentence, it's all a bit confusing, but he's 18 now George, they'll prosecute him more harshly than they did when he was a boy. He's not even bloody guilty George"
"Well surley that'll all get found out in court" said George "all you can do is pray okay? Don't beat yourself up about it, it's not your fault, and it's not his either"
"I know that" she sighed "hes taking it like a champ, he's calm as ote now, he recons it'll all come out he's not guilty too, but I've seen how that law system works it's fucked up as ote, they'll prosecute if they want too"
"Isn't your fella? Headteacher? Surley he can drop charges"
"He's facing some charges of his own recently" she mumbled
"What do you mean?"
"He's on a two week custodial sentence for assisted suicide" she sniffled "he's probably going to loose his job when he gets our, and as soon as he does that, he'll drop me like a stone I already know it"
"You don't know that"
"Oh I do" she nodded "trust me I know"
"When does he get out?"
"Thursday" she mumbled "he's just as much if not more of a wreck than I was..."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's turned to the booze" she mumbled "and he's an agressive drunk at that. It's horrible. I hate it. But I can't leave him in the state he's in, and the temptation. Oh the temptation, waking up and seeing a bottle of vodka sat on the kitchen side that I just want to didn't straight up. It's not been great. Non of this is fun"
"Well I'm proud of you for not drinking" nodded George "I know how tough that is for you"
"I've got to do it for Connor. End off"
"Could I stay? Just for a while like?, just until I find my own place"
"What about princess?"
"Well can't a man have a secret" he mumbled "she's gone backs to China, said the highlands were too cold for her"
"Right." Nodded Christine
"So this fella of yours?.."
"I'm hoping the two weeks inside might sober him up a bit but I'm not banking on" she hesitated
"You're hiding something"
"I'm not. Well not really"
"What's bought his drinking habits on?"
"I thought it was his dad but I actually don't know George"
"Well well find out in a few days ey?"
"I suppose" she mumbled
