Chapter 101 - Snakes
Martin then unlocked his study door before going inside and locking it again. He took off his jacket, hanging it up and then he sat at his office desk. He felt unworthy of Kathleen's love, he stared at her picture on his desk. He picked up the picture and ran his thumb over the glass.
He was seeking her forgiveness and he wanted to tell her so much about how he was feeling as well as the regret he felt. When he was young he had been too busy building his career to give them everything and now he realised that although he had built a solid foundation it meant nothing.
What was meaningful was the time and affection he had to share, not his career, not his business and not the money he had to offer. He and Kathleen had led simple lives before his company had taken off and now that simple life was what he craved most. He put down her picture and picked up a bottle of Bushmills whiskey and drank straight from the bottle.
Martin then sat at his desk and drank the night away until he fell asleep. This had been his routine now since April had left the house. Her leaving the house was the catalyst for everything.
Martin who had slept on his office chair woke up with a start, he almost fell out of his chair. He had heard a dramatic scream and as he glanced around at his study and started to wake properly his memories of the evening before came to mind. He laughed and stood from his desk, he checked the time, he would have usually been at work even though it was a Sunday at this time so he knew that Rachel wouldn't know that he was still at home.
Martin walked out of his study and locked the door behind him, he could hear Rachel throwing a tantrum in her room. She was shouting at someone and throwing things around the room. He smiled and walked into his own bedroom to get ready for the day. He never locked his bedroom door, he had nothing in here that felt precious to him, since Kathleen had passed away it was just a cold and lonely space.
Once he had washed up and dressed for the day ahead he walked out of his bedroom. He heard Rachel from the stairs, Rachel was still in the middle of her tantrum only now she had taken her anger downstairs.
Martin was now completely convinced that the men that he had come across outside of the art gallery last night were sent by Rachel. He didn't know what she was intending to do but he was sure that her intentions were not pure. Lucy had used April's paintings to further her studies and now he wondered if Kathleen's paintings were now a target.
He laughed as he walked down the stairs, he had nothing to fear Dean had his wife and his daughter protected. It was his job now to deal with Rachel and Lucy.
Martin came across Lucy seated in the living room drinking a coffee as her mother continued to shout at someone on the phone. He stopped to hear the conversation.
Tom, who had been avoiding the wrath of Rachel, noticed Martin coming down the stairs and waited for the show to start. He was glad Martin was now awake to Rachel and Lucy's behaviour.
"Where are they?... What do you mean they are gone?... Where can they go? They are grown, men… Well I want my money back, I did not pay for a job and it has not been completed." She screamed at her phone.
Rachel picked up a nearby crystal figurine and smashed it against the wall to get out her aggression, "I will not pay you, you can't make me. I will only pay you once you have finished the task I asked you to complete." After her tirade on the phone, she finally glanced at her daughter.
Lucy hadn't noticed Martin approach them in the living room until near the end of her mother's conversation but as she saw him she put down her coffee cup and called out to her mum and signalled for her to stop talking.
"What? What is it? Mother is busy, remember the plan." Rachel said then looked at her daughter's concerned face as she motioned to the left of her. Rachel glanced to the side and hung up her phone immediately.
Rachel then fixed her fitted pants suit and hair as she smiled at her husband. She wondered how much he had heard, she approached him and reached out for his arm but he continued towards the kitchen not even acknowledging her. she huffed, "Good morning, did you sleep well?"
Martin sat at the kitchen table and Tom approached to hand him his breakfast, Matin nodded, "Morning Tom, thank you. Sit and eat with me."
Tom was taken aback and he nodded, he returned to the kitchen for his own breakfast that he had been keeping warm.
Rachel came to the table and folded her arms, "What do you mean by this?"
"What is this?" Martin asked as he poured himself and Tom a cup of coffee.
Rachel glanced back and saw Tom approach the table with his plate, so she lowered her voice to speak, "Tom can't sit at our dinner table."
Martin laughed, "So you know how to lower your voice. I thought you only knew how to scream and shout." Martin then motioned to Tom, "Come sit."
Rachel stood with her mouth open, how much had Martin heard? Did he suspect anything? She felt she had to tread lightly, "Just for today then and don't get used to it." She addressed Tom.
Martin chuckled, "I think I will decide who I invite to my dinner table and who I eat with. Also, why don't you go clean up all the mess you have made. Do you think it is acceptable for you to be destroying my home?"
Rachel was lost for words but her anger bubbled up to the surface, she clenched her fists as she felt the frustration and replied through gritted teeth, "Of course Martin, I will go do that now." She walked away contemplating the series of events that happened this morning, what had changed?
Tom smiled and ate his breakfast seated just across from Martin, he thought that this new version of Martin would soon get rid of the two snakes that had infiltrated this once happy home.
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