Trying Not To Love You

Part Fifty One

Chapter Fifty One

"We're going to see Aunt Stephanie today," Martha told Ethan as they ate porridge together. Sonny had gone for an early morning run, largely because Ethan had found them in the early hours and settled himself in the double bed between them. Frustrated, he grumbled that pounding the roads might alleviate some of his unrequited sexual tension.

Martha wanted to speak to her father, sort out his issues once and for all, there was no way that she was going to let this continue, but unfortunately he'd gone out early, thwarting those plans. So she had to head back to London without settling that and hoping that they would settle down between the two men. Before that she was going to try and see if she could introduce Ethan to his grandfather, in the list of priorities that was top, not that he'd returned her call.

As they were about to leave, Sonny returned from his run, hot sweaty, but still delicious in her eyes, after a sticky kiss, she made him promise to keep his cool and not react to her father whilst she was gone.

"I won't start anything, I promise."

That made her laugh, "and if he starts something, take it on the chin, walk away. Prove you're not the volatile idiot they all think you are. I know you Carter, you're a good man." With that she gave him what amounted to a devastating kiss, then dashed off into the distance, leaving him to hold the fort. He was manning the restaurant for her that evening, and that was a priority.

Walking up the drive way to the imposing house, Martha couldn't help but feel anxious. For years she'd avoided the place in fear, now the threat was different, this was a home where the son had been murdered. How was Michael coping with it?

Derek opened the door before they'd reached the steps, "come in Martha, and bring young Ethan too."

They followed the man into the house, and into the library. Pausing at the doorway, Martha studied the room until she saw him sat in the corner.

"Michael? Are you ok?"

The older man looked up and sighed, "I went to the mortuary earlier. I had to see him..."

She moved across the room and placed a hand supportively on his shoulder, "I'm so sorry, about everything."

He turned to smile at her, "thank you. He wasn't an easy son to love, but he was all I had. The world seems empty without him."

She sighed, "I know what you mean, I thought things would be easy without him, but it feels awful."

He gave an understanding smile, "and this is..."

They both looked down at Ethan who was bordering on feeling bored.

"Michael this is Ethan, your grandson. Ethan this is..." She wanted Michael to decide what Ethan called him.

"Your Grandad. How are you?"

He made to crouch down to be level with the boy, but instead Ethan launched both arms around his thighs and hugged him tightly. "Pleased to meet you Grandad."

The smile on Michael's face was of genuine pleasure, and for Martha it was an emotional moment.

"Shall I show you around the house?"

When Ethan nodded enthusiastically, Martha smiled, lowering herself into a chair," you two go, I'll wait here."

"You sure?"

Michael looked so desperate, so grateful, that she was glad that she'd made the suggestion. Ethan was such a good child; as long as she told him it was ok he was happy to go off with people who were strange to him. At this moment in time she was never more glad of that, he was hopefully the tonic that Michael needed.