Page 117 of Toy Boy

I smile back. I want her to know I’m here for her, even though we barely even knew each other before. “You drink that and then you should really try and get some rest. You look exhausted.”

“I have to make calls. Let people know…”

“I’ll do that. I’ll do all of that, you just need to get some sleep.”

“Are you sure?” she asks, her face a mask of relief.

“I’m sure.”

She looks down into her glass of brandy. “I’ll take this upstairs. I’ll sleep in the spare room tonight.” She gets up, and starts making her way towards the door. “You’ll stay, won’t you? You won’t leave me alone? I don’t want to be alone.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

She smiles that weak smile again. “There’re blankets and a pillow in the cupboard in the hall. And the couch is really comfortable, I promise.”

I’m sure it is, but I don’t think I’m going to be getting much sleep tonight. “I’ll be fine. You just concentrate on yourself, I’ll take care of things down here.”

She nods, turns around, and I hear her slowly climb the stairs. I really hope she manages to get some sleep, lying awake and dwelling on things won’t help her, in the long run.

Downing my brandy, I sigh and pull out my phone, scrolling down until I find Tim’s number. It’s time to start telling Beachcastle Bay the news. Scott Warren is dead. And I still can’t believe it…

22

Megan

Scott’s funeral was hard, for so many people. Including me. I’d loved him once, I can’t deny that, he saved my life. I just wish I could’ve saved his, but I’m not sure he knew how to survive as the man he became. What happened with Xander’s mum, that changed him. And I don’t think he knew how to be the new man he most definitely was. I believe that he’d changed. But I’m not sure he could deal with that. And I don’t think he liked being alone, maybe that’s why he claimed he wanted me back, because he needed someone. I don’t think that someone was necessarily me, he was just looking for something comforting and familiar because change scared him. In the end.

“If one more person says, “lovely service” to me one more time I will fucking flip!” Tania sighs as we walk towards the line of cars that are waiting to take us from the cemetery to The Swan for Scott’s wake. Something I’m not really in the mood for, but I have to show my face.

“Itwasa lovely service, though.”

She throws me a look. “Don’tyoustart. You’ve been the only thing keeping me sane these past couple of weeks.”

Tania and I did this together. We organised Scott’s funeral, because somebody had to. Scott didn’t have much in the way of family. Both his parents have passed, he was an only child, and he never spoke of having any aunts, uncles or cousins. His family was here, in Beachcastle Bay. And as a result of us joining forces to lay Scott Warren to rest, Tania and I have grown closer in a very short space of time, and now she feels like another sister to me, the one who doesn’t nag incessantly, I still have Laney for that. But I really like Tania. She’s strong, forthright, and what you see is absolutely what you get.

I look at Tania, and I smile as I take her hand and squeeze it gently. “Yeah. I kind of feel the same way.”

“A friendship borne out of tragedy, huh?”

I look at her again, and this time the corner of her mouth turns up slightly in a hint of a smirk.

“You could say that,” I laugh, letting go of her hand as I open the car door. “Come on. Let’s go get this wake over with.”

“You’re not keen on this bit either, then?”

“No.” I slide onto the back seat next to her. “And I’m not going to say,“but it’s what Scott would’ve wanted”, because I don’t think it is, what he would’ve wanted. He hated parties.”

“Yeah. He did, didn’t he? Miserable sod!”

We look at each other again, and we both laugh. It’s odd that the two of us have these shared memories of Scott, especially as Tania was one of those women he cheated on me with, but at least it gives us something in common. Although, we’re fast realising that we have far more in common than just Scott Warren, I’m not sure our friendship would last if he were the only thing that connected us.

“We’ll get through this afternoon together, okay?” I smile and give her hand another squeeze.

“Seriously, Megan. Thank you. For everything.”

“Just being a friend, Tania.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes it’s nice to know you actually have one of those. A friend.”

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