Swell (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Three (Part One)

"The water shines,
Sings to the sky,
The sea-spray,
It stings my eyes,
If I could stay..."

....

Gus' funeral was on Friday afternoon. Iain drove behind the Holmes car, a strange sight with Brett's wheelchair tied to the roof rack.
Adora couldn't stop clenching her teeth together as she watched Gus' parents and little sister over the coffin.
The ride home was silent and lonely. The Holmes were staying over the weekend so the GPS led them back to the Ocean Highway.
"Thanks for this." Adora muttered as they sat at the carpark of the Escape.
"Gus was my mate too." Iain answered quietly.
Adora just nodded. She couldn't find any words as visions of summers gone flashed through her head. Had it been a good idea to say yes to Will?
They still didn't have an idea of who the stalker was, except that they had been quiet for over a week.
Giving her a break for her exams, how considerate of them.
Gus had been murdered, like Liss, but had it been by the same person? No, that was so unlikely, it was a stupid thought.
They still didn't know if Liss had gone willingly, chances were that they never would know.
Water had washed away any clues or evidence on Gus and his car.
"Come on, let's go inside." Iain started to twist in the driver's side and Adora just nodded slowly.
Flowers sat on the table as they entered the kitchen and Adora swallowed a lump as she moved over to have a look at them.
"They arrived not long after you left." Anne smiled as she leaned over the boxed arrangement and pulled a small card out. She held it out towards Adora and Adora hesitantly took the small envelope.
Was it a card like the one she had received after Brett's attack?
She turned the small envelope around and opened it, pulling the card out carefully and feeling her chest tighten as she tried to place the scribbly writing.
All that mattered was that it wasn't the beautiful cursive on the other cards.

"To Adora,
We're sorry for your loss.
But we're here for you.
Will & Marti."

She read it out loud and felt her shoulders sag in relief.
"That's sweet." Anne took the card and a smell of the blue flowers.
"They're a sweet family." Adora muttered. "Will is joining us for the dance, did he tell you?" She looked over to her cousin and Iain shook his head.
"No, but I haven't seen him. Will he meet us at the gym or am I picking him up?"
"I don't know yet." Adora shrugged and looked to her mother. "I feel safe with him." She added as she saw the concerned expression on her mother's face.
"If anything else happens, I don't know if I'll let you even go to the dance." Anne said gently.
"Mum, please. Nothing has happened for a week, and the dance will be full of people, including Iain and Dodge."
Adora wasn't even sure why she wanted to go to the dance so badly.
Was it to be with Will through all the nightmarish events?
They had both lost their last partner, both Liss and Gus had been murdered.
"We'll see." Anne kissed Adora's forehead and left the kitchen.

The flowers had been Marti's idea, but Will had written on the card. He'd wanted to write more, but he decided a text would be better.
Exams were over and there was a heavy feeling of relief in the Taylor household.
Marti had reacted with excitement when Will told her he was taking Adora to the dance, she had decided that they would have to have photos at Captain's Cove before they went to the school gym.
She was already looking for the camera and tripod.
Will was trying to figure out if he had something to wear to the dance that wasn't what he'd worn to Liss' funeral. It didn't seem right to wear the same outfit.
He knocked on Tom's door and waited for a few moments before Tom opened the door and smiled.
"What's up?" Tom let him into his bedroom and Will frowned at it's emptiness.
"Is Debbie still not talking to you?" He asked his twin.
Tom flushed slightly. "I think we're close to the end of the tension, whether we'll still be together of not I don't know."
"Sorry." Will grimaced and sat on Tom's desk chair. "I need a favour, I spoke to Adora and we're going to the dance together, but all I really have is what I wore to Liss' funeral, or casual stuff."
"You want me to dress you for the dance? That's a bit cute, brother." Tom smiled teasingly.
"You're wardrobe has a lot more shirts and pants that are suitable compared to mine." Will pointed out.
"Done, Marti told me she's wearing blue, let's see if we can match you two!"
As if she heard her name, Marti stuck her head in the room. "Are we having brotherly time or can I join?" She asked.
"Will's just asked me to dress him for the dance." Tom opened his wardrobe.
"Oh! Yes! Perfect! Let's do it!" Marti entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Blue navy blue, it will look amazing with Adora's dress. Are you going to shave Will?"
Will raised his eyebrows as his siblings started to pull hangers out of Tom's wardrobe. He tried to figure out if he regretted asking for wardrobe help, though he was sure he could trust his siblings.
There had never been any jealousy between them despite all the times there could have been.
Marti had encouraged the relationship between Will and Liss, Tom had offered help for Will's first date with Adora, those times both could have gone badly, but hadn't.
They were a close family, and Will couldn't imagine being an only child as he looked at the first pair of dark blue slacks Tom held up.
"These would suit that jacket you wore to our 18th, and just a nice white shirt under it." Tom smiled and offered the pants over.
"I don't know if I'll shave." Will rubbed the short growth that had returned since Liss funeral.
It was hard to believe that was a week and a half ago.
Exams were already over and now they were getting ready to celebrate.
He didn't know what they would do for the next week, it surely didn't take that long to prepare for a dance.
"I'll ask Adora if she likes the stubble or the smoothness." Marti winked as she ran her fingers through his hair. "This definitely needs a trim. Not too much though."
"I ask for outfit help and get full body opinions?" Will asked with a laugh.
"Oh, no, don't get started on full body. If you did more than just track you'd have rippling muscles like mine." Tom flexed his bicep jokingly and Marti snorted.
"Yea, rippling... Right." She teased. "Can we have a movie night tonight guys?"
"Um, sure, why not?" Will shrugged.
"With popcorn and chips and chocolate. Oh my gosh!" Marti stood and clapped her hands excitedly. "Celebrating that its all over."
Celebrating felt strange that night as the three siblings shared bowls of popcorn and chips in front of the TV in the lounge.
A cake left over from the day's bakery was cut up on the coffee table and blankets covered their legs.
It was good to put some bonding between them after Tom being accused of Brett's attacked, and after Liss' murder.
Will felt safe and he started to feel a relaxed wave washing over him as Marti sat between he and Tom, curled up and leaning her head on his shoulder.
The third person used to be Liss in this situation, before Liss it had been Tom or one of Will's friends.
There was a comforting warmth in the room despite the black rain falling outside.
For the first time in weeks Will fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit his pillow.

Marti stood outside Will's door and let her hand fall from the handle. She could still hear Tom up in his bedroom and she closed the few steps to his door and knocked gently.
"Hey Tom, can we talk?" She stuck her head in through the crack in the door as Tom pulled his shirt off.
"Yea, whats up?" Tom sat on his bed and pulled the covers over his legs, patting the spot beside him for her.
Marti moved into the position and stared at the wall between Will and Tom's room. "I'm a bit scared." She whispered.
"Why?" Tom frowned and leaned back to look at her.
"I mean... Any guy that has been around Adora has been hurt, or killed. What if Will gets hurt?"
"Iain and Dodge are glued to her, it's doubtful anything will happen." Tom tried to sound reassuring, but she could hear the doubt creeping in.
"Gus was murdered when he was alone." Marti leaned into Tom and let go of a deep breath. "Do you think he's going to be safe?"
Tom remained silent for a while. Marti knew he was thinking, she snuggled closer into him and closed her eyes.
"I don't know what I'd do if something happened." She broke the silence and felt Tom let out a long breath.
"I don't either, I promise nothing will happen to Will for being with Adora. Are you scared for yourself too?" Tom wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Marti shook her head.
"No. We're not romantically inclined, I feel safe because I'm not about to go and kiss Adora." Marti felt empty as she said the words. "Tom, can I sleep in here with you tonight?" She asked, looking up at him with a pinched face.
He frowned down at her with worry and nodded his head. "Yea, no problems."
"Thank you." She slid down under his blankets and held onto his extra pillow.