Chapter 54
Chris
The smell of coffee fills my nostrils, waking me gently from my sleep. I open my eyes to find a mug waving under my nose, and look up to see Ryan O’Connor’s heart-wrenching smile. I think this is the best wake-up call I’ve ever had.
“Good morning,” he says, pushing the cup towards my face. “Coffee?”
I lift myself up and lean my back against the pillows.
“You do know how to make a woman happy.”
He laughs, showing off a row of perfectly pearly white teeth.
I take the mug from him and take a few sips.
“What time is it?”
“Half past nine.”
“Oh God,” I say, jumping up, almost throwing coffee all over myself. “Evan has school…”
“All good. I took care of it.”
I look at him, confused.
“I made him breakfast, took him to school and gave him some money for lunch.”
“You?”
He shrugs.
Okay. I didn’t want to have this conversation first thing in the morning, without any caffeine in my system, but I need to set something straight. Right now.
“Look, I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I just don’t think it’s…right.”
“What am I trying to do?”
“I don’t know, to redeem yourself, make up for everything…”
“No, Christine. I’m not trying to make up for anything. I’m trying to start something.”
“Something…?”
“I don’t know what to call it. I don’t really want to give it a name yet.”
“Maybe you should, though.”
“Can’t you just accept it for what it is?”
“Not unless I know what I’m signing up to.”
“You’re a difficult woman, Christine Morgan.”
“You’re not exactly a walk in the park yourself.”
“I imagine you’re right.”
“I’m always right.”
“Let’s not get carried away, now.”
I smile, taking another sip of my coffee.
“Come on, get up and come downstairs. They’re waiting for us.”
“Who?”
“My family. They’re all in your living room.”
I almost spit my mouthful of coffee into his face.
“Get used to it. The O’Connors never give in.”
When I get downstairs, I find that my living room has been literally taken over by O’Connors.
Mrs O’Connor is sitting on my sofa, bent over the coffee table.
She has her glasses on, and is surrounded by documents and pieces of paper – I have no idea where she’s found them.
Mr O’Connor and Nick are deep in conversation in the doorway.
Riley is chatting to Ryan, sitting on my armchair with him perched on the arm.
The smell of coffee still wafts around the room, mixed with something else that instantly makes my stomach growl.
“Good morning, dear,” Mrs O’Connor is the first to notice me. She gets up and comes over to me, taking me affectionately into her arms. “I’m so happy to see you’re okay.”
“Th-thank you,” I babble, confused.
“I hope we’re not intruding.”
“What are you doing?”
“We’re looking through the insurance documents, doing some research. We’ll find a solution,” Nick says, determinedly. “Evan gave us a pile of papers to look through – I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to go rummaging through your stuff, but we have to act pretty fast.”
Mrs O’Connor takes my hand and sits me down on the sofa. “There are some muffins and an apple pie in the kitchen – or we can get you something else, if you fancy?”
“A muffin would be perfect.”
“I’ll go and get one for you.”
As she heads into the kitchen, Ryan comes and sits down next to me.
“Are you angry?” he asks, worried.
“I don’t know – should I be?” I look at him.
“I didn’t want them all to just turn up here like this, but Nick told them all everything. You have no idea what he’s like, he can’t keep a fucking thing to…”
“Hey! I can hear you, you know!” Nick interjects, pretending to be pissed off.
“Mum made a few calls then decided to come here to see what she could do.”
“Your insurance only covers you for theft and fire damage, dear, but the rest…” Mrs O’Connor comes back into the room.
I chew my lip, nervously.
I already knew that. I was the one who signed that damn insurance form, cutting back the café’s budget so that I could start to save up for Evan to go to university.
“You can get back the money for everything that was stolen, and hopefully that won’t take too long…”
“I’m screwed, right?”
Mrs O’Connor smiles kindly at me.
“There’s always a way. And we’ll help you find it.”
“W-we?” I ask, panicking now.
Ryan squeezes my hand, then turns to me and flashes me one of his dazzling smiles.
“All of us.”
That afternoon, we go to pick up Evan from school, and then we head over to the café. Ryan parks on the street outside and we get out of the car, walking to the entrance. I look through the glass to see my colleagues, working away to clear away the worst of the wreckage.
I go in, confused, and Vic comes straight over to me, throwing her arms around my neck.
“Oh my God Chris. I am so sorry, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t just walked off like that, if I hadn’t left you alone…”
I pull away from her.
“You know it wasn’t your fault.”
“I shouldn’t have said those things. I’m such a bad friend.”
“And I shouldn’t have hurt you like that. I’m sorry.”
“You were right, though – I’m exactly like you said, and I honestly have no idea how you put up with me.”
I smile at her. “We put up with each other – that’s the secret to our friendship.”
“We’re here to give you a hand. Ryan called us.”
“R-Ryan?”
“Don’t let this one get away, honey,” she whispers to me, before getting back to work.
I walk slowly around the café, trying to take in just how much damage was done, as Ryan, Nick and Evan are in the back, working out whether anything can still be used.
It’s a strange situation. I’m not used to all these people helping me, involving themselves in my life just to give me a hand.
I can’t be annoyed, can’t tell them all to mind their own business.
It’s terrifyingly reassuring, having someone who wants to help you, who stands by you when you’re too tired and run-down to stand on your own two feet.
I don’t know the O’Connors all that well – to be honest, I don’t really know much at all about Ryan – but it’s easy to see that they’re wonderful people, united and ready to help anyone who needs it.
And, this time, I wouldn’t know what to do on my own.
I run this place – at least, I try my best – but I’ve always been rubbish with paperwork. And now I’m paying the price for it.
When I can’t take it anymore, we all head home. Ryan drops Nick off at his apartment, then we all go back to mine.
I get out of the car and open the front door, Evan shooting past me inside.
“I’ll grab some leftovers from the fridge and eat them in my room. I have homework due tomorrow.”
I let myself fall onto the sofa, exhausted, as I hear Ryan shuffling about in the kitchen.
“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten out of a Tupperware, but after eating straight out of a casserole dish, I think I want to give it a go.”
He sits down next to me on the sofa, passing me a plastic container of leftovers, two forks resting on top.
“How do you feel?” he asks gingerly.
“Tired. Shocked.”
“My mum says that there’s something that can be done, we just have to wait a few weeks. Luckily, she found a clause in the insurance form about acts of vandalism. You know, the small print that no one ever notices – nothing gets past her. You’ll be able to get back almost everything.”
“Your mother is terrifying.”
“Sometimes. Don’t be fooled by her sweetness – she can be a real badass when she wants to be.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just tell me you’re not angry?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because I dragged my whole family into this, but you have no idea what they’re like. They get involved in everything… They’re obsessive, controlling and… exhausting. Honestly.”
“I could get used to it,” I say uncertainly.
Ryan smiles at me. “Trust me, you’ll never get used to them. I’m twenty-eight, and I’m still not used to them.”
“Twenty-eight, eh? You’re still a little boy, O’Connor,” I tease – but he doesn’t seem amused.
“Do you really think so?”
“What?”
“That I’m a little boy.”
I stroke his cheek reassuringly. “No, Ryan. You’re so much more than that.”
He takes a deep breath and looks me straight in the eyes.
“I know that I’m a few years younger than you, and that you’re a strong, amazing woman, and…
I still don’t know how to stand on my own two feet, and I’m ashamed of that, believe me.
But I’m trying to become a man, Christine: a man who works hard to protect the people he cares about.
A man who knows how to take care of women. Of his woman.”