Let The Right One In

Chapter Eleven

Toby

I am worried, I must admit, but right now all of my family and friends are under one roof and I'll be damned if I'm going to let some weasel spoil this precious quality time. Sam is as always playing the role of hostess with the mostest. She has got enough food in the fridge to feed a third world country. Jackie and Clyde are out in the front by the sea admiring the view whilst taking a selfie. What do you know, true love really does exist, especially for those two. Hannah and Adam are playing a game of Jenga, "Toby, come and join us big fella," Adam calls over to me. I've got a big crate of beers in my hand ready to take downstairs to the cellar, "Sorry bud, give me five," I say as I make my way downstairs. "Hey Toby!" I turn to my right and it's Cali, Clyde and Jackie's daughter. She's like my third child, ever since she was born I have idolized her, she's grown up to be a very confident and vivacious young lady and I couldn't be more proud of her. "Hey Hollywood, how's it going pumpkin?" She giggles at her nickname, it was something I came up with years ago and it has always stuck. "Not bad, I'm completely jet lagged but I just wanted to say hi before I have a quick kip," she checks out her reflection in the mirror above the stairs and she looks beautiful, the spitting image of her mother, who looks exactly like the singer Selena. "I'll catch you later beautiful, you go and get some sleep," I say as she makes her way upstairs to her bedroom. I can see that Ruby and Charlie have only just arrived with Adrianna. Sam is privately giving them the update of what is going on with sex tape-gate. The whole situation is horrifying and downright embarrassing, but I know that we can trust our friends and they will give us the best advice on how to proceed on this. As I go down the first couple of steps that lead to the cellar I can hear Ella's nanny Sophie on the phone to someone having a heated conversation, she hears my footsteps and abruptly ends the call. "Everything ok?" I ask as she gets up abruptly from the box that she's been sitting on. "Yep, fine." She says as she brushes past me, goes up the steps and enters the kitchen. She is a strange one, Becky has mentioned it to me before on several occasions and Henry has as well. To be honest, all I care about is that she is looking after my granddaughter and Ella loves her so I will let her weird and abrupt behaviour slide because of that fact. After I've placed the crate downstairs, I go back up to the kitchen where Sam is standing alone by the fridge looking for something. I wrap both of my arms around her waist and kiss her softly on the neck, "late afternoon snack?" I ask her cheekily. That was the first line I ever said when we met that night by the vending machine. It was and continues to be one of the happiest moments of my life, I knew as soon as I saw her in her beautiful strapless green dress that this was the woman I was going to marry and make happy for the rest of her life. "Um, yeah I'm looking for a candy bar but I don't want to use my credit card again," she says as she turns her head to look into my eyes. "I fucking love you Mrs G," and I kiss her passionately on her soft full lips. "Get a fucking room you two! Haven't you learnt anything from these past few weeks?!" Says Hannah as she passes through the kitchen which leads onto the patio. "She's right you know, I don't want our girls to find out about this Toby. Please keep it strictly between the eight of us." Sam says as she pulls away from me. I really want to confide in them too, what if this arsehole tries to drag our daughters into this too? I'd rather they heard it from us than a complete stranger, I can see the fear in Sam's eyes and for now I have to agree with her, "I promise, only the OG crowd are involved in this. I can't imagine what the girls would do if they found out."

Sam

I've never been the best cook, but everything that I have prepared this afternoon has been devoured and strangled as if they were all stranded on a desert island and their lives depended on it. "So, Toby, why don't we tell a few stories?" Says Adam as he leans back in his chair. "What stories?" Toby asks whilst looking suspiciously at Adam, he's definitely got his talking head on this evening. "How we all met on that fateful night in July twenty something years ago. Look what we have created in these past couple of years, a TV series based on our lives, all these great kids, the vacations that we have all been on together and all the while we have managed to stay best friends through thick and thin," he raises his glass. He is as predicted paralytically drunk and he looks as though he has tears in his eyes. "Adam, don't get all soft on us. Wait for Liz and Henry's wedding day," I say as I raise my glass in unison with him. He gets up out of his chair and puts his arm around Charlie, who looks up at him as though he's got two heads. "If it wasn't for you, or actually if it wasn't for Grummett, I never would have met the love of my life Hannah. From the bottom of my heart mate, thank you for telling us to go and meet the girls on that day. You've made me the happiest man on earth Toby and for that I applaud you," he starts clapping as I look on in horror at Ruby and Hannah's reactions. "What the fuck are you talking about Adam?" Ruby asks whilst looking at Charlie, Toby and then back up at Adam. "Oh shit, I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to, it was bound to come out at some point," Adam replies sheepishly. "Adam, for fucks sake you're a fucking clown. Ladies, I can explain." Toby says as he gets up from his seat next to me as though he is making a very important speech. "You fucking arsehole, how could you do this to us?! So mine and Ruby's relationships were orchestrated by you?! Why?!" Hannah screams as she gets up from her seat as well. Jackie and Clyde are trying to look shocked as well, even though they've both known the truth for as nearly as long as I have. I'm looking around at all the shocked faces, Joshua, Becky and Lizzie look as though they want to make a swift exit and so do their partners Henry and Mason. I can't help but notice that the nanny Sophie has gone awol yet again. "Hannah, please don't be angry with me, if you look on the bright side if I hadn't of orchestrated it we wouldn't all be sat around this table would we?" He says trying to remain calm but I can see that he is shaking beyond belief, he's scared that he could lose all of these friendships that we both cherish so much. I need to step in here. "Ladies it was a long time ago and look at where we are now. You're all happy and in love and it's all thanks for Mr Cupid here," I nervously chuckle as I grab Toby's shoulders playfully, hoping that it will tone down the heavy conversation. "Wait a second, you knew?" Says Ruby as she glances over at me in disbelief, holy shit, she's never going to forgive me for this. "She only found out the other day, Ruby. Please don't blame her," Toby is trying to cover for me, I've known about this since we got engaged. "Nice one you fucking twat," says Charlie as he rocks back in his chair whilst running his hand through his thick black hair. "Has anyone else got any secrets or skeletons in the closet that they would like to share with the class tonight?" Says Hannah sarcastically as she takes a swig of her wine. No one says anything, you could hear a pin drop in the room. I feel ashamed that I have kept this secret for so long, I never agreed with Toby for doing it, but at the same time all of my best friends are so happy, how could a decision like Toby's be regretted now? "I have a few secrets that I would like to share," I hear a voice behind me and I turn to see Sophie standing beside me. Her long blonde hair has been pinned up on the top of her head, and she has this menacing look on her face, she could give Heath Ledgers Joker a run for his money. That's not the only thing that has horrified me, as I look down to see what she is holding in her hand I am terrified when I realise that she has a gun.