A Model Mother

Chapter 24 - Final Chapter

2nd June 2013

Dear Readers, this is the final chapter of A Model Mother: However, there is also a short epilogue in two parts, which I am publishing at the same time as this chapter.

I am dedicating this chapter to another of my favourite writers on Wattpad, Michael Whitehouse6. He writes horror and paranormal stories, my favourite genres after romance.  One of his stories, “Forgotten Valentine”  although a horror/paranormal story, has a romantic theme.

When Rose returned to the flat, Nathalie was still in bed, recovering after a very late night clubbing with her friends. Lloyd was in his highchair being fed lunch by Delma. He grinned and waved at Rose when she came in and she sat down in the chair next to him.

Delma looked at her friend with concern,

“You are as white as a sheet. Do you want me to make you something?”

Rose shook her head. “No, its ok, I’ve had too many coffees already and if I eat anything I think I’d choke.”

“It didn’t go well then?” Delma asked.

Rose thought. “It was all a bit surreal. Miles had to dash off soon after I saw the photographs.  Max has taken an overdose,” she explained quickly.

Delma was shocked. “Oh my God.  When?”

“This morning I think. The clinic contacted Francesca and Bill called Miles. He went to pick up Helen and then they are going straight to Oaklands. He wanted me to go with him and I sort of felt bad saying no, but I really don’t think it was appropriate for me to be there, for ….well, for all kinds of reasons really.”

Delma was desperate to ask Rose about the photographs. They had speculated about them for so long and now finally, they got to know what was in them and the reason for Mile’s desertion of Rose. But Rose was looking fragile and preoccupied and Delma wasn’t sure if it was fair to prod her.

However, she needn’t have worried, it seemed that it was the photographs that was preoccupying Rose the most.

“Well, I finally got to see the damn photographs and I’m afraid that whilst they’ve answered some of the questions I had, there are a whole load more still to be answered. “

Rose described what she had seen and explained about the ones of Max and the woman who had impersonated her. Delma was incredulous, and gasped when she heard about the photographs of Max making love to a Rose look alike.

“This just gets weirder and weirder. And you still can’t remember who the woman reminds you of?”

“Nope, but it will come back to me.”

Delma was thoughtful. “So, how do you feel now about Miles, has it changed anything?”

Rose sighed. “I still wish he had shown them to me as soon as he saw them. Even if he had continued to believe they were genuine, I could have been investigating who was in the photos and why they had been made. But I have to admit that they are very convincing – it is a detailed and well thought through scam. But…..” Rose choked a bit and Delma reached over and stroked her friend’s arm.

“The thing is,” Rose continued, “Max must have really hated me to do that and I can’t for the life of me work out why. Miles said he thinks that Max was and is so drugged up that he is seriously sick and beyond reason. And now if Max…… well, to be brutal about it  if Max dies, then we’ll never know why he did it.”

They were interrupted by Lloyd who had finished his dinner and clearly indicated he was ready to play. Delma wiped his face and hands and Rose lifted him up and holding his hands in hers encouraged him to walk into the living room. He was on the verge of being able to take his first steps unaided, her baby was growing up!