Bondi by request

Chapter 25

The next morning, Poppy opened her eyes, sore and swollen from the many hours of crying and tried to focus on the figure moving around her apartment.

"Your Dad's just gone to get breakfast" she heard Beth say softly as she came over and perched on the edge of the bed

Poppy nodded silently

"He stayed all night you know" Beth smiled "Even when you finally fell asleep he wouldn't leave you"

"Sorry" Poppy mumbled

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for sweetheart" Assured Beth "I'm actually pleased you let him look after you, obviously not pleased that he needed to but........"

Poppy managed a weak smile, sitting herself up, Beth moved to sit next to her and as she gently took hold of her hand, Poppy actually found it comforting and didn't pull away.

"Now obviously we don't need to talk about it" Beth started "But if you want to then you know both me and your Dad, we're here ok"

Poppy's eyes filled with tears again and before she knew it she was blurting out everything that had happened last night.

Beth listened, didn't interrupt and she waited until Poppy had finished before she spoke

"Well" she sighed "I kind of understand what he means but that doesn't mean he's right"

"I don't" Poppy sighed "I mean, did he suddenly just decide this? Or has he thought this for a while? Did he ever actually like me or was I just someone to pass the time with for a few weeks till someone better came along? Maybe someone better did come along"

"Don't torture yourself with questions like that" said Beth "I know I don't really know him but whenever I saw you together, I truly believed he was crazy about you"

Poppy sighed and wiped her eyes, managing another weak smile at Beth.

They heard a knock on the door and Beth got up to answer it. Half hoping it was Harrison, half hoping it wasn't, Poppy couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion again when she saw her Father walk inside followed by Natalie and Kate who immediately ran over to her bed and emptied out the contents of their backpack on it.

"We brought lots of choc choc for you Poppy" smiled Kate as she spread out several bars of chocolate across the bed for Poppy to see.

"Thanks" said Poppy "I'll share them with you though"

"Right girls" said Beth "How about we have breakfast and then we go and get ready for our day out"

"We ate our breakfast on the way home" giggled Natalie

"You greedy pigs" laughed Beth "Come on, let's go and get ready then"

They waved at Poppy as they left, leaving her alone with her Father

"Here" he smiled as he held out a coffee and a box with two huge croissants in it

"I'll come to the table" she said as she dragged herself out of bed

"Thanks Dad" she said quietly

"Whatever for" he smiled

"Beth said you stayed all night" She replied

"No matter how old you get, you'll always be my girl and I want to look after you" he smiled, taking a sip of his coffee

Poppy smiled and took a small bite of her croissant but it felt like lead in her stomach and she couldn't eat any more.