Aubrey Daniels owns the newest business in Charming. Candy Roses is a small boutique bakery that just opened and has residents like Gemma Teller-Morrow singing the owner's praises. When Gemma talks Aubrey into having a booth at Taste Of Charming, A...
When Rey entered the kitchen, Gemma was just setting their plates on the table next to steaming cups of coffee. Rey sat down and picked up her coffee, inhaling the steam and sighing in contentment before taking a sip. Gemma grinned and pointed at her plate.
"Eat up while it's hot. I hope the shower cleared your head some because you and I need to have a chat."
Rey sighed and nodded as she chewed a bite of bacon. "Yeah, I'm about as alert as I'm going to get."
Gemma nodded. "So tell me what Fiona said to you yesterday." Rey's head shot up as she stared at Gemma in surprise, making the older woman smirk. "I've already been to the hospital. I was going to drag you out of that room for a couple of hours, but imagine my surprise when you weren't there. Then, when Chibs told me that Fiona showed up yesterday, it started falling into place. I know she said something to you."
Rey shrugged as she looked back down at her plate, suddenly finding the scrambled eggs interesting. "Filip asked me to give them some time alone to talk, so I did. She followed me out into the hall and told me that she would never divorce him and that she was staying the night and I didn't need to come back until today."
Gemma shook her head. "That bitch." She looked at Rey for a moment before she continued. "Look, darlin, Fiona isn't interested in Chibs anymore. She's been with Jimmy O for too long. She just doesn't want him to be happy with someone else, that's all. You're a threat to her."
Rey looked at her. "She called me the reason for the divorce papers."
Gemma nodded. "You are. Chibs has never mentioned getting a divorce until he met you. You're it for him, sweetheart. Listen, I can't guarantee that you'll ever be able to marry him, but you're his old lady. She may have his name, and be stubborn enough to hold onto it, but you have his heart. She lost that a long time ago." She pointed a finger at Rey. "Now you just have to decide if being his old lady is enough. I know you have a problem with being with him because he's married, but baby, you're going to have to let that go if you truly want him. You may never get more."
Rey leaned on her elbows on the table, shaking her head. "I think I've known that for a while now. I just... you don't know anything about me before I got here. My husband died of cancer two years ago. After he died, I was going through the papers in his office and found that he literally had another life. He had another wife and two kids that I knew nothing about."
Gemma reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry."
Rey shook her head and gave Gemma a sad smile. "That wasn't the kicker though. I was the second wife. He married me while he was married to her and I never knew anything about her and she never knew about me. Until the funeral." She chuckled bitterly. "That was a fun time, let me tell you." She shrugged. "Anyway, that whole experience left me a little bitter about being the other woman, so you can understand my reluctance to go down that road again."
Gemma nodded. "Yeah, I do, but Rey, Chibs isn't your late husband. He's filed for divorce, she just refuses to grant it to him. He loves you, baby, and only you." She stood up and pointed at Rey. "Now hurry up with your food so you can get back to the hospital and see Chibs. He's about to lose his mind worrying about you."
Two hours later, Rey was walking down the hall to Filip's room when she saw Tara coming toward her. She raised a hand in greeting as the two women stopped beside each other.
"Hey, how are you?"
Tara grinned and nodded. "I'm good. Great actually, now that you're here. I'm afraid Chibs is going off the rails worrying about where you are. I would appreciate it if you didn't run away again while he's still here. He's making the lives of the nurses a living hell."
Rey winced at that. "Yeah, sorry about that, but... " She motioned down the hall. "I'll go see if I can get him to calm down a little."
Tara chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, you do that. I'll see you later, ok? I think he'll be released tomorrow."
Rey nodded and they parted ways. As she opened the door to his room, she could hear him yelling at someone. As she opened the door, she saw that it was actually two someones: Tig and Happy. "How bloody hard can it be to get her here? Jaysus, you two can't do anything!"
She cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the three men in the room as she closed the door. "I can hear you all the way down the hall, Filip."
Tig and Happy both wore identical looks of relief as Filip smiled at her like she was the sunshine. "Leannan, where ye been?"
She shrugged. "At home. I needed to think about some things."
Happy nodded. "I tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen." He looked at Tig and pointed at the door. "Let's go."
Tig nodded and they said goodbye, leaving Filip and Rey alone. She heard him sigh. "What did she say to ye yesterday?"
Rey shook her head, giving him a small smile. "That's not for you to worry about."
Filip shook his head. "Aye, but it is if it makes ye leave me, darlin."
Rey scoffed as she took a step closer to the bed. "You give her way too much power, Filip. I'll admit, she gave me pause, but I have it straight in my head now."
Filip tilted his head and gave her a small smile. "Do ye now?"
Rey grinned and nodded as she sat on the side of the bed. "I do. I'm your old lady, and as soon as you're well enough, I'm going to show you."
