Richie pulled up in the drive noticing Jude’s rental car parked near the door. There were various pieces of luggage sitting on the ground, a good indication they were getting ready to leave. He wondered if Gena was still determined to go with them, either way he was glad the house was emptying out. Not that he didn’t like Jude, he was an okay guy…easy…laid back, and Michael was tops as far as he was concerned. He could be civil to Gena because she was Toni’s mother.

"Looks like we just made it back in time to say goodbye." He said

"Yeah…that’s Mum’s luggage…" Toni was getting out of the car and met Jude coming through the front door with more luggage. "

That’s Mum’s stuff…"

"It is indeed Toni…She hasn’t told you then?" said Jude setting down the bags.

"Told me what where is she Jude?"

"Upstairs…Toni" he called after her but Toni was already up the stairs, "this is not going to be pretty." Jude said to Richie who was helping him stow the bag in the trunk.

"No," he turned his lips up at the corners, "probably a good thing she’s going right away, what time is your flight?"

"It leaves at six so we’ve got about fifteen minutes before we need to leave."

Toni found her mother coming out of the bathroom, "so you’re leaving, not staying for Christmas like you’d planned, when were you going to tell me about this Mum, if we hadn’t come home just now you would have been gone when we got here."

"I’m sorry Toni, there just didn’t seem to be a right time, I didn’t want to say anything to you before the wedding…didn’t want to upset you dear…yes, I’m going back with Jude and Carol…I’m…going to file for a divorce Toni."

‘I don’t believe you how could you Mum…that was twenty five years ago. He’s been a good husband, a good provider and a good father, what happened doesn’t change who he is, who he has been to all of us." Toni felt her eyes beginning to sting…damn if she’d cry.

"That’s just it, it was a lie Toni…all the time he was supporting a child we knew nothing about I can’t just accept that and go on…I can’t… he understands…we talked last night."

"What will he do Mum? You’ve got your life filled with your golf, clubs and shit? What about him?"

"Watch your mouth Toni. He can do whatever he wants can’t he?" she made to brush by Toni and Toni caught her arm.

"You are so cold…when did you get this way…have you always been like this or is this the new YOU."

"You’re being deliberately hateful and I’m not going to listen to anymore of this," Gena pulled away and went down the stairs.

Toni slammed into her bedroom.

Richie took a beer out of the fridge and walked out onto the terrace where he found Michael working the Sunday crossword.

"Hey Michael…you okay?"

"Fine, Richie…I’m going to be just fine." Michael looked up and smiled.