It's Just Us {Waterloo Road}

Twenty-Seven

Hannah woke to voices downstairs. She knew it was Max talking to someone. But she didn't know who. Sighing to herself, Hannah climbed out of bed and checked on Autumn.

Seeing that her daughter was fast asleep, she made her way downstairs. She could tell that the voice was Simon's. "Please. Don't say anything."

Hannah walked in. "Don't say anything about what?" She asked. She kissed Max and then turned to Simon. "Don't say anything about what?"

Simon sighed. "I'm just planning something for the wedding. I don't want Max to say anything about it," he lied.

Hannah turned to her fiancée. "Babe?"

"Don't worry darling. He's right. But I can sense that Autumn is awake so why don't you go and bring her down?"

***
Hannah knew Max was hiding something from her. But she couldn't decide what it was. She knew it involved Simon. Hannah sat on her bed with Autumn who was babbling to herself.

Max walked in and sighed. Hannah looked at him. "Simon gone?" She asked.

"Yeah. Is she okay?" Max asked as he picked up his daughter.

Hannah nodded and smiled. She knew there was something going on. But she didn't know what it was. She hated how Max was hiding something from her.

Autumn toddled around the bedroom. Max was sitting with Hannah on the bed. She looked at him. "You wouldn't hide anything from me would you? You're always honest with me aren't you?" She asked.

"No. Of course not."

Hannah nodded. "So what were you talking to Simon about? Don't tell me it was wedding stuff. Just please. Be honest with me."

***
Hannah couldn't believe Max was avoiding the question. She wanted to know what was going on. When she put Autumn down for a nap, she went to the kitchen where he was. "Are you seeing someone else?"

"What?"

Hannah shrugged. "Well I'm sorry. But you're acting suspicious and hiding stuff from me. If you're not seeing someone else, what is it?"

Max sighed. "I wish I could tell you. But I can't. I promise you that I'm not cheating on you. I couldn't. I'd miss your sex too much."

"Yeah. Okay."

***
Hannah went to meet with Aimee. Aimee smiled at her best friend. "Simon is being so loving and attentive. I love him."

"Wish I could say the same about Max. He's hiding something from me. I wanna know. But Simon was at ours earlier and they were both acting dodgy."

"He never told me he was at yours. He said he was sorting something out for the wedding," Aimee said as she tickled Autumn's chin.

Hannah knew in that moment Max or Simon were cheating. She sighed. "I'll sort this. I promise."

***
Hannah returned home without Autumn. Max frowned. "Where's Autumn?" He asked.

"She's staying with Aimee tonight. I want the truth. Now."

Max rolled his eyes. "Drop it. Nothing is going on."

Hannah scoffed. "Tell me the truth. Or I swear, I'm walking out. You're cheating on me. Aren't you?"

"No Hannah I'm not."

"Then what? You can trust me can't you? At least I thought you could."

Max sighed. "Fine. Simon cheated on Aimee. He's been begging me to not tell anyone."

Hannah was shocked. How did she keep this from her best friend?