Meet Me Halfway

Chapter 41

The events of the prior night lead to many revelations and unexpected outcomes, but probably the most surprising result, was waking up from a blissful slumber, in none other than FP's bed.

Her heart jumped ever so slightly when she adjusted her eyes to find herself laying next to him, curled up into his side and resting her hand over his rising chest, both fully clothed thankfully, but in her defence, she was so exhausted last night, she barely remembers falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was finishing the last of the beer and giggling at some lame joke as they celebrated finally getting the trailer cleaned up.

She gently lifted her hand from his chest, careful not to wake him as she scooted herself off the mattress, but realising it was too late as she reached for her shoes on the floor and felt a tender hand touch her back, prompting her to turn around.

"Hey." FP groaned softly, slowly blinking his eyes and adjusting them with a smile as he quietly waited for her to respond.

"Hi. We must've fallen asleep." She politely explained, before checking her wrist watch and gasping at time.

"Shit! Charlie will be getting up soon!" She exclaimed before hurriedly collecting her things and pulling her shoes onto her feet, but FP was adamant to stop her

"Hey wait-" He called out, rising out of bed and following her to the bedroom door.

"We're meeting with the Father in like, 3 hours, I have to get ready and wash the smell of booze and dance sweat off my body." She reminded him impulsively before grabbing the handle.

"I know I just-" FP tenderly took hold of her arm and slowly turned her around, sensing she was on edge and under pressure, and knowing she was trying to avoid and drown out the belligerent romantic tension between them in that moment.

"What are you so afraid of Alice?" He softly asked in a low voice, staring down into her innocent glistening sapphire blue eyes, her previously taut facial muscles slowly relaxing into a soft welcoming expression as she processed his prompt.

He was right. She was afraid, afraid of getting hurt, afraid of taking a bold step towards what was unknown, she was afraid of finally letting her feelings out to FP and just getting her heart broken.

Just as she's about to speak, the sound of the trailer door opening and a calling out from Fiona and Forsythe Senior abruptly pulled the two out of their love and confused feeling filled gazed.

"Anybody home?! FP?!" Fiona yelled out waiting for a response.

Alice quickly exit the room, walking down the hall and coming face to face with the two parents.

"Alice?" Fiona spoke out upon noticing the young blonde with bed head.

She awkwardly grinned, putting on a faux smile as she stepped closer into the living room. "Morning Fiona, Forsythe."

"Did you- stay the night?" Fiona questioned with furrowed brows.

"Nothing happened, I swear." Alice sternly promised. "We just fell asleep after cleaning up." She faltered quietly before moving closer to the door, wanting desperately to escape the above awkward tension in the room.

"Sorry to, rush off but I've gotta get ready, and my Dad doesn't even know where I am so, I'll be on my way." She nervously explained once more, before quickly leaving the Jones trailer.

•••

"I already cleaned the coffee table." FP groaned as he wiped down the bookshelves, his Mother's nitpick cleaning beginning to get under his skin.

"I'm just going over it. I don't want Father Patrick thinking we don't take pride in our home."

They had arranged, along with Alice and her Dad to have Father Patrick, from Fiona's church, over to the trailer to discuss the plans for baby Charles to be blessed with family and loved ones present.

Now, the Smith's weren't necessarily religious, however, when Fiona had approached them with the idea of having Charles christened as it was important to her faith, they found it hard to decline, especially considering how thoughtful it was and how passionate Fiona was on the idea. She hadn't had FP christened as a baby and deeply regret it.

"It's so exciting you get to experience this, huh?" Fiona prompted happily as she continued to clean, salivating over the idea of Charles christening.

"Hmm" FP grunt nonchalantly.

"Not having you blessed is probably my biggest regret. I'm just glad you don't have to miss out on that with Charlie."

"Uh huh."

FP's distant and withdrawn behaviour struck a nerve within Fiona, a concerned and maternal nerve, as she could sense something deep was bothering him, something to do with possibly one of the women in his life, and her maternal instincts had never failed her before.

"So, Alice helped you clean up last night? I hope things didn't get too wild-"

A sigh of frustration left his mouth. "Nothing happened, Mom." He continued, implying clearly nothing intimate happened between he and Alice.

"I meant with the party." She corrected. "I was expecting to come back to the roof missing and a painted pig running through the bathroom. But even if something did happen, I wouldn't have a problem either."

"Mom, please-"

"Oh honey, it's obvious much more than cleaning happened last night. It's written all over your face."

Releasing a sharp frustration filled huffed from his lips, he halted his cleaning, calmly dropping the rag onto the coffee table before taking a seat down onto the couch, clenching his eyes shut in distress, exasperatedly running his hands through his hair.

"Honey?" Fiona worried, following after him and sitting down beside him, offering a comforting hand. "What is it?"

"Gladys and I broke up." He reluctantly announced. "For real this time. It's over."

"Oh, I see." Fiona stared blankly, not sure whether to express shock over her son's bombshell or relief over the fact that he was no longer holding onto a girl he clearly didn't love.
"I'm sorry honey."

"And no, it's not because of Alice. She slept with someone else-"

"Really?" Fiona sharply intervened, not completely buying her sons half truth. "That was the only reason? Because I seem to recall you sharing a secret kiss with another girl as well. You sure this break up wasn't the fault of you both?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying it takes two to tango, and I can read you like a book." Fiona noted boldly as she confidently raised her brows. "So, just tell me. Do you have feelings for Alice? Is that, one, of the reasons you and Gladys ended things?"

A settling and accepting look of sorrow dawned FP's features as his Fiona forced him to set the record straight, finally releasing the shallow breath he had been holding in all this time.

"What do I do Mom?" FP softly croaked out as he stared absentmindedly out in front of him.

Fiona could sympathise with the poor lovesick and confused boy. After the year he had gone through it was only natural he'd had all these messed up feelings and no efficient way of handling them.

"Sweetie-" She gently spoke, tenderly taking a hold of his hand and clasping it in her own. "Now, I can't tell you what to do next, but I can encourage you to do what's best, and what I will say it, if you want her honey, fight for her."