Chenford Story

41

Tim's POV

Ashley was nice. The date went well, like usual. We were officially 'dating now' so I guess I have a girlfriend.
A girlfriend who I don't really love, because she isn't Lucy.

But Lucy doesn't want to be with me anymore, she made that clear by setting me up with Ashley. But god all I could think about was kissing her, making sure she knew that I still loved her, that I would continue loving her until the end of time.

Walking back into the house I was greeted by Junipers incoherent babbling, each time she seemed to become more vocal I hoped that she would say something in the dictionary, each day I just waited. Not that it was anyone's fault, Juniper would say her first word when she was ready, maybe I just selfishly hoped it would be soon.

I couldn't help but think how quickly everything had happened. It seemed like only yesterday a newborn was placed on my doorstep, now she was almost an entire year old.

Lucy was on the sofa, just watching from a far, as I made it inside though, she went back into her room. She had been harbouring this secret for 16 years, now it was out in the open, of course that was going to be hard for anyone.

Lucy's POV

I grabbed my third book of the day from the bookshelf John had built for my room, I didn't even look at the title before taking it.
My room had become my safe space, the one place where outside things couldn't affect me. The one place where I could mostly be alone. Now Tim was back to be with Juniper, I could go back to my safe place.

It was better if Tim was with our daughter anyway, she was so fragile and still so innocent, I could so easily injure her. That was too much risk, I was a terrible mother.

Tim seemed lost in though as well, possibly about Ashely, she was nice, a good distraction for me to stop thinking about someone who clearly would only lead to heartbreak.
Trying to pretend to myself that my feelings were purely platonic was clearly not working. I needed Tim to be unavailable. I needed to make sure that everything we had was ended.
That didn't make it hurt any less though.

Deep down, more than anything else, I wanted Tim Bradford.
The one man that could simultaneously break me into a million pieces and put me back together.

"So..."
Tim spoke first, just as I was reaching the threshold of my bedroom door.
I turned my head but didn't say anything.
"Ashley and I are official now"
There didn't seem to be any rea emotion behind Tim's voice, like he was just making robotic movements, that wasn't to far off from when I was starting as his rookie.
The robotic, cruel Tim Bradford who over the corse of a few years, I had befriended, dated, broken up with and had a child with.
My life was an absolute fucking mess.

I didn't really know what I thought about the new relationship, sure I set them up, but not because I actually wanted Tim to date someone else. Because I didn't want to be tempted.
Now... I wouldn't be.
I hoped.

A month later

I heard Tim's phone ringing while I was lying on my bad, the place I had spent most of the last month. Juniper had once again grown and she was so close to a year old now, time had just flown by. Somehow Tim and Ashely were still together, I wasn't complaining, she was a nice person, but still it stung. Somewhere deep inside, I was badly regretting setting them up.
Tim picked up the phone and I listened in despite only being able to hear one side of the conversation.
"Tim Bradford"
"Lucy can you come here please"
I walked out into the living room, barely looking Tim in the eyes.

"Your parents have been arrested"
The silence must had told Tim everything he needed to know as he continued speaking.
"Charges of 'obstruction of justice', 'child endangerment', and some other things related to your case"
"Oh."
That one word was all that I could manage to let escape my lips. My parents were going to jail. Sure I had had barely any contact with them in the last 10+ years but still... My parents. They were going to jail.
The people who had hurt me so deeply were finally getting punished. The people who had given me life were going to prison because of me.
A million thoughts swirled around in my head. They were going to jail. Probably with sentences that would last until death.
They would never see the outside world again. Wow...
That was a lot.

Tim's POV

I could see that Lucy had conflicting emotions. Her entire life people had told her to prioritise family over everything, that family was everything.
Now her family was going to live in a cold concrete box.

Lucy's parents had done so many torturous things to their daughter, and yet she still feel down wanted to forgive them, because they were her parents.

"Luce?"
"Lucy please" it was a curt, shirt response.
"Lucy. I-i just need you to know that you don't have to forgive them if you don't want to"
Lucy nodded understandingly, though I mostly knew she would disregard my advice, that was the type of person she was, never following my orders. That might have been one of the thousands of reasons I had called in love with her.

And then my phone rang, Ashley's caller ID popped onto the screen. God, I couldn't be thinking that, I had a girlfriend now. A girlfriend who wasn't the woman I loved, a girlfriend who wasn't Lucy. A girlfriend who I really probably should break up with.