Brick by Brick

Part Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

No sooner was she back and Sammy's life was thrown up in the air. Clifford without question had stepped up to the mark. He obviously didn't want to waste any time in getting things moving, and within a couple of days, the cottage had been surveyed, and the lawyers were deep in discussion. Buying a home should take at least six weeks, but as it was only a little more than six weeks to Christmas her father-in-law was pulling out all the stops to get her in to the home by mid December.

After yet another phone call from Christopher Parker, Clifford's lawyer, Sammy slumped into her seat and sighed. Fortunately Eleanor was asleep, and it meant she could relax a bit.

The door opened as she was ending the call and she glanced up to see Monica disrobing in the hallway. As she hung up the phone she smiled at her mother, "good day?"

She responded with a grunt then disappeared into her bedroom.

Groaning Sammy rued the sudden change in her mother, they'd had an almost seamless relationship for the last few months, but it seemed that the angry and irritable version of Monica was back. Moving to the kitchen she started on some dinner and was there when her mother reappeared. "You ok?"

It was the second effort to make contact with her mother, though she'd been frosty since she'd got back from London.

"Fine. You're not doing me dinner are you? I'm going out?"

Before she had to chance to answer Monica had once again retreated to the sanctity of her bedroom. She had started on a curry that would easily feed four, so as her mother was out, she called Corinne, she never turned down a free meal...and a gossip, she had a lot to catch up on.

Three hours later they both sat stuffed on the sofa watching Pretty Woman, a classic to quote Corinne and digesting all that had happened to Sammy in the last few weeks.

"It's amazing though, that you've got a place here...I mean I know you loved it in London...but I can't tell you how chuffed I am that you're back home."

Sammy nodded, "I honestly thought that I'd lose all links to Marcus though, I was scared."

"Yet you've got his Mini-Me sleeping in there, it'll be impossible to ever forget him."

She was right, Eleanor had the same joie de vivre as her father, and that meant he would always live on in her.

"I just wish that Monica wasn't being so moody, I mean we were getting on in the first time ever."

Corinne nodded, "maybe she doesn't want you to go?"

Sammy couldn't believe that, "she reminds me daily that staying here is temporary, that's not right. She must be dating an unsavoury, someone I won't approve of..."

Silently she met Corinne's eyes, "you thinking drugs?"

Sammy shrugged, "I hope not, she hasn't been down that road for years. I thought that was a long, long way away...I hoped."

Corinne's hand wrapped around hers, squeezing her fingers, "I'm sure it's nothing. Speak to her; don't let this spoil your good news. Now tell me about Joel, how was he?"

Sammy hated that she felt a blush rise up her neck in the direction of her cheeks, what about him? They'd shared some happy times, some difficulties, but also some special moments. And she wasn't ready to share that with Corinne, she didn't know why.

Giving an even grin she offered, "he's been a great help in all this. Made me see sense...I owe him a lot."

Corinne grinned back, and Sammy wasn't overly happy with her insinuations.