Suburbia - Part IV - A Hidden Agenda

Hello and welcome to Part IV of Suburbia - A Hidden Agenda.

In the previous part Andrew didn't come home till late at night because he went out with Clara, Juliet and Alexis had a few words as Juliet tried to bond with the child. Juliet had a flashback of her life as an erotic dancer and decided to change her life.

Mark was already up and painting when Tom walked in the room, he looked up in startled surprise as the door opened and squeaked as if in protest like it knew that it's owner wanted to be left in peace. Tom was dressed only in his pyjama bottoms revealing his muscular torso. Mark saw the look on Tom's face and immediately knew that something was wrong, he looked back at his painting sorrowfully as he washed the paint off of his brush and put the cup of murky paint water down.

"What are you painting?" Tom still carried the same melancholy sound he had when he sang his new song, Mark wondered what could have happened for Tom to be acting in this strange manner. His eyes quickly shifted back at his painting which was barely started and he shook his head roughly as his blond curls fidgeted about his head.

"Oh, it's nothing. What's up? You don't sound right."

Mark watched Tom from where he stood as he made his way across the bedroom and sat down on the bed with such sadness that he couldn't help feeling a little sad too, as his mattress sunk underneath Tom's weight, which was mostly muscle.

Mark's hand moved towards his paintbrush again as Tom sat on the bed sighing heavily, Mark knew that Tom wanted to tell him what was wrong, but he also knew that he was too frightened to. 'It had better not be about girls' Mark grumbled to himself, Tom was person who always had the least trouble getting girls. A few moments later and Mark ripped his canvas from the easel and screwed it up into a little ball before throwing it into the recycling bin. The water turned a horrid murky, brown colour as he washed his paintbrush once more and put the cup of water to the side; before facing Tom with his hands on his hips.

"Right. Out with it. I'm already sick of your moping!" He joked, hoping to get a smile out of him, but there wasn't even a flicker.

Tom took a deep breath, he didn't look or sound anywhere near close to tears, but there was a certain distress there. He wiped a sweaty brow and looked at Mark.

"It's my father... he's dead." The distress had gone to be replaced by an indifference. Mark rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he raised his eyebrows in concern and his stomach plummeted. What was he supposed to say? He moved some bits and pieces from the bedside table and sat down, leaning back against the wall.

"Well... how do you feel? How... how did he die?" Tom scratched his stomach nervously.

"Cancer." He stated simply, Mark looked at him, he didn't appear to want to say anything else so Mark looked away and stared at the wall. "I didn't even know he was suffering from it... I disowned my family... I didn't pay attention to what happened to them after I left. If I had stayed... I could've done something." Mark could hear Tom's throat clogging, his breathing becoming more erratic, more abrupt. He dared not look, he could not bear to see Tom cry.

"Tom, there was nothing you could do... even if you had been with him, he still would have got the cancer and died, you can't blame yourself..." The words came pouring out of him but didn't even know where they were coming from, they just felt right. However, it seemed they were not the right words as Tom screwed his face up and got off the bed with a terrifying force and began to pace the room.

"I know I couldn't save him! But at least I would have been there! I could have... I would have..." His voice trailed off into nothingness.

"What would you have done, Tom?" Mark asked exasperatedly looking into his chocolate eyes.

"I would have made his final hours more peaceful... I would have let him know that I forgive him." Mark pulled Tom into a hug, quickly so that he could not be pushed away.

"He'll know." Mark said simply. "He's watching you, he knows... When did you find out?" he asked compassionately. Tom pulled away and headed to the bedroom door, not letting Mark see the tears on his face as he hurriedly wiped them away.

"Yesterday. My mother wants to get in touch with me again... it was where I got the inspiration for the song from - I can't believe how selfish I was!"

"You weren't being selfish, Tom. It was the only way you knew how to express your feelings." Tom could not hold it back any longer, the floodgates opened and he just let the hot, salty drops fall down his face. He tried to turn away by hunching his shoulders and curling up, but Mark wrapped a reassuring arm over his shoulders - Tom could not face this alone.

"Your mother. Do you want to see her?" Mark asked gently as he rested his forehead against the side of Tom's head in a comforting gesture, his hand squeezing the muscular shoulders as he tried to get his friend to talk to him. Tom breathed in deeply, catching quick short breaths as the tears continued to run down his face and his throat remained clogged.

"I don't know, Mark. I feel that I should, but would it be worth it? My sister won't forgive me as my mother seems to have done." In response, Mark shook his head dejectedly and inhaled deeply - he had no idea.

"I don't know your mother, Tom..." he began slowly "but if you want, I'll come with you... I don't want you to face this alone." They looked into each others eyes and Tom buried himself into Mark's shoulder as he continued to cry.

"No, Tom, I think Mark is right. it should just be you and him, that way your mother will be more comfortable.... I mean, it is the first time you will have seen each other in a while." Mark nodded, almost eagerly as Dana refused Tom's invitation to go and visit his mother. But even though Tom had invited her, he had done so absent-mindedly, he wasn't aware of half the stuff he was doing at the moment - he couldn't even remember getting dressed, 'perhaps Mark dressed me' he said to himself as his mind continued to wander. he was staring at the wall with a blank look on his face.

"Tom are you even sure whether you want me to come with you? I could just stay here, I don't think I would feel like I was supposed to be there anyway..." Tom snapped back into reality as he heard his friends word as if from extremely far away, the fog of uncertainty that clouded his judgement now cleared and her held up his hand to silence Mark.

"You are supposed to be there, Dad was my family too, and you are my friend who is aiding me through the grieving process."

Mark smiled gleefully as he made to stand up. Tom went back to staring at the wall, still strangely unsure, even with the clarity in his mind - something wasn't how it should be.

"Tom?" Mark's voice drifted in and the cloud of doubt filled his mind again and the rest of Mark's sentence floated away... should he be going to see his mother after all this time?

"Tom. If you don't get up now to leave for your mother's then I am going to get your mother round here!" Without waiting for Tom to register his voice this time, he wrapped his hand around Tom's wrist and hauled him out of his seat, onto his feet. Once again Tom's cloud floated away and he looked up into his friend's smiling face. His friend who would always be there for him, no matter what. His friend who was helping him to do the right thing. Tom grinned back, brushed some stray hairs from his black trousers and mimicked Mark's movements toward the front door with Dana wishing them 'good luck.'

"You didn't think you were going to visit your mother without me, did you Tom?" Clarissa giggled as she stepped out from the stairway. She had changed dramatically since last night, and not just in appearance, her hair was all straightened out and she had a dress on. But she had lost her edginess, she was calm and seemed to ooze with confidence as she continued to walk forwards.

"Er, sorry Clarissa, it was just going to be me and Tom. We figured it would be easier for his mother to handle..." Clarissa giggled again, she seemed completely out of character, before she adopted the motherly look she always had when she looked at Mark.

"I thought that I would be quite valuable to the cause, your mother would be more impressed, would she not, if you walked in with a girlfriend?" Tom was suddenly lost deep in thought and Mark caught the glazed look in his eyes.

"Actually, Clarissa, I think it would probably depress her more." Clarissa just gave Mark a sceptical look before appealing to Tom with her fluttering eyelashes.

When Tom continued to stare off into space, Clarissa turned away, a pout evident on her lips. Mark watched her, the confusion apparent through the horrified look in his eyes, did she suddenly have a thing for Tom?

"Actually, Mark, I think she's probably right. You can still come too, of course, but I think Clarissa pretending to be my girlfriend could really help my cause." Mark opened and closed his mouth, like a goldfish trapped in a glass bowl, speechless for a few moments as he stumbled over words for something to say. Clarissa twisted her body round slightly as she continued to pout at Mark; wanting his vote.

"But she's acting insane! Look at her! Clarissa what has gotten into you? How much blood did you lose yesterday?" Clarissa's brow furrowed as she strode forward and wrenched the door open, letting it bang on the wall behind it as an icy wind flew in.

"Well, I'm going, you coming boys?" Clarissa carried on and out of sight, Tom raised his eyebrows and followed with Mark grumbling behind him.

"I've been in touch with your brother, Lisa." Edith closed her eyes waiting for the explosion, but none came. "Lisa?"

"I knew you would." A deep sigh, "I just don't understand why... he left us, it's not as if we have anything to be sorry for. I supported him - I took his place in father's heart and business so that he would not have to give up his dream! I rescued him - and he just... he left." An arm snaked its way around Lisa's shoulders and she swooned in its comfort as she turned her head to look up at Ruben and grinned as their eyes locked; gold against chocolate.

"Lisa you need to understand. We as a family didn't support his dream, you were the only one who understood his desire for music, I still don't think I approve of it... but that's not the point; we are going to welcome him home." There was a finality in her tone which told Lisa that there was no point in arguing further.

"Well as long as it's the first and last time I ever see him again." She muttered under her breath so only Ruben could hear her.

Some quiet giggles were heard from the floor as Hannah played about on her little blanket and Samuel toddled into view a wooden beater in between his newly forming teeth. His dark hair fell in front of his eyes as he fell onto his bottom, Hannah looked up from her blanket and watched him curiously as if she were waiting for something. Samuel just sat there staring oddly and blinking a few times before suddenly bursting into tears. Lisa chuckled at her son's unfortunate accident and pushed herself off of the couch before going to pick him up - as soon as he saw his mother's face he stopped crying and crawled towards Hannah who had gone back to playing in her own imaginary world.

"Right, I'll go make us some coffee." Edith stated as she, too, stood up. "Bring the children into the kitchen, we don't want to leave them unsupervised do we?" She smiled inwardly while looking at her grandchildren fondly.

Lisa rolled her eyes at Ruben as her mother walked out of the room and into the kitchen - the sound of chinking mugs, drawers opening and the clattering of spoons could be heard as Edith bustled about the kitchen getting the coffee's ready. Ruben rested a reassuring hand on Lisa's shoulder; squeezing it gently.

"Don't worry about it, Lisa. Your mother is in a difficult place right now... besides, I only think it right that Tom should be invited; he is your father's son after all..." Lisa sighed in frustration and defeat.

"We are all in a difficult place, Ruben." Lisa roughly picked Hannah up from the floor and headed toward the kitchen, but Hannah wasn't leaving without her favourite toy. Lisa looked back at the small teddy lying on the blanket. As Lisa stooped to pick it up and give it to Hannah, Ruben picked up Samuel and walked into the kitchen. Lisa followed closely behind.

As the three adults sipped on their piping hot coffee's Samuel and Hannah sat in their highchairs; Hannah playing with her small teddy while Samuel watched her enviously - he hadn't got a toy. He began to try and snatch it off of her, but she just stuck her tongue out at him and held it out of his reach.

Lisa giggled, as she always did, at her children's antics. She sipped her coffee as her mother and Ruben were talking - she wasn't listening to them; her thoughts were far away with her brother. With Tom.

"So Ruben, should I be expecting any more grandchildren?" Ruben glanced at Lisa quickly as a grin slowly made its way onto his face.

"Funny you should say that, Edith. Lisa is pregnant again as we speak." Edith clapped her hands together in glee.

"That is wonderful! Lisa, aren't you pleased?" Lisa's eyelids fluttered as she quickly awoke from her thoughts, her eyes slowly focusing on her mother's gleeful face.

"Of course I am pleased! I just..." The doorbell rang, echoing around the kitchen and exciting Samuel in his highchair. Edith put her coffee on the table before getting out of her chair to answer the door.

Tom stood outside in the cold; the winter was fast approaching, bringing with it a chilly wind that threatened to bite every bit of bare skin that it had the fortune to meet. The trees and bushes in his mother's elaborate front garden rustled as the wind whistled through the leaves and branches. He tapped his feet on the ground and slapped his thighs in musical rhythm as he stood nervously; waiting for somebody to come and answer the door.

He looked behind him - there was Mark and Clarissa; his friends who had offered to come on this visit and provide some moral support and of whom Clarissa was acting extremely stangely and rather on edge herself. He cleared his throat and his mind filled with that blinding fog. What was he doing? Was this a bad idea? The fog cleared once again as he caught sight of Mark shaking his head. He hadn't just read his mind... had he?

He looked back to the house and there was his mother - her jaw hanging open in shock; why was she so shocked? She had invited him here. Edith's jaw slowly closed, but she didn't move - she was frozen to the spot. Her face slowly crumpled and the tears began to roll down her cheeks, but she still didn't move.

Tom looked back again at his friends faces; it was obvious that they had no idea what to do. "Some help." He said to himself sarcastically as he stepped forward and reached for the door handle. Edith suddenly jumped forward and slid the door open, she grabbed hold of Tom's shoulders holding him at arms length as she looked him up and down; pulling him in from the cold. The tears had stained her face with red and the wrinkles in her face became more defined.

The warmth that Tom felt when his mother pulled him close exceeded any other warmth that he had ever felt. His face flushed a deep crimson as he fought to hold back his tears.

"I'm so glad that you've come home... my baby." Tears dripped onto Tom's shirt and he could feel the wetness seeping through onto his skin, but he didn't care; as his mother whispered those in his ear he was on top of the world. It wasn't so long ago now that he wasn't welcome in the family. He was so different then. But now, as he rested his chin on his mother's shoulder, he felt like he was welcome. Like he belonged.

George Davis of the Davis and Davis Law firm sat on his expensively upholstered couch and looked up into his wife, Edith's, face. His right leg crossed over his left, he took a deep breath and held it in as if trying to think of something to say - He rarely called a family meeting, so when he did he never knew how to start.

"I think it is time that Tom started working at the Law firm so that he has the knowledge expected when he takes over management." He placed his hand on his right shin still looking at his wife, who stopped fiddling with the strap on her sandal and looked at him uneasily with an eyebrow slightly raised. George could read that face; but he was sick of waiting. His son was going to take over the company, he had no choice; there was no-one else.

Edith opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again; not wanting to say anything that could anger her husband. She scratched the back of her neck and adjusted her position on the couch.

"George, don't you think that Tom hasn't paid too much attention to how the business is doing? He has never really shown any interest in it, are you sure that it is wise to force this on him... I mean, he might sink the company." Edith knew this was highly unlikely, and she did want Tom to take over the business, but she knew that he didn't want to. She knew that he had other dreams that he wanted to pursue.

"I think that it is high time we raised a slipper to his behind!" George growled. "I am sick of this namby pamby music stuff! He is learning how the business works and that is final! Lisa, go get your brother down here." Edith closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. Lisa didn't move.

"But he doesn't want to George."

"He will take over the company and I won't hear another word against it! LISA, Go and get Tom."

Lisa smiled sweetly, the smile she always used when she tried to persuade her father to get her something. Her dark hair glistened in the sunlight as it fell messily over her shoulders in two rushed braids.

"Father, we all know that all Tom cares about is his music..." The muffled sound of pounding beats could be heard through the ceiling. "Can I just please take his place in the business, you know I can do it father; I have always wanted to." The sun had disappeared behind a dark cloud now and Lisa's hair was no longer glistening. She looked into her father's stern eyes and her 'daddy's' smile faltered.

George continued to look sternly into his daughter's face; he knew she had tried her hardest to get into the law firm, he knew how desperate she was to be a part of it. But he couldn't let her do it. It was Tom's job.

"Lisa, I'm sorry. You know I can't let you do it." Lisa's face fell, and even though the sun had come back from behind the cloud, her hair failed to glisten. "The firm is no place for a woman. It is Tom who must be the manager." Lisa rolled her eyes but said nothing; her father was too stubborn and would always remain adamant that he was right. "I'm sorry Lisa."

"No you're not!" Lisa would never usually have said anything like this to her father, but it frustrated her; she knew that she had skills which would benefit the firm and her father wasn't even giving her a chance.

"Excuse me?" His voice was rough and angry.

"You know that I will be better than Tom! This is sex discrimination!" George rose out of his chair, his head seemed to touch the ceiling.

"I will not hear this sort of thing from my own daughter! I choose not to employ you because I am protecting you!" Lisa's arms flew into the air - it was like she had no control anymore.

"From what? What are you protecting me from?"

"Go and get your brother Lisa. I am not having this discussion!" George walked away from her and slumped onto the couch his forehead resting in the palm of his right hand.

Upstairs Tom was laying on his bed, listening to his own recorded music play back from the CD player. His room provided a balance; a calming sensation like Yin and Yang with the opposites black and white. Clothes littered the floor at the foot of his bed, he didn't clean; the mess provided him with artistic inspiration. He lay back on his pillow staring at the ceiling which almost scraped his head as he quickly sat up and scribbled a bunch of music notes into his scrapbook. Tom always did this. He would lie on his bed, letting the music come to him; he never had to chase it. The music would flow from his ears to his fingertips as he itched to try them out; but he couldn't break the cycle. If he did, the inspiration would be lost and the song he had spent so hard from would leave him never to be found again. At times when this happened Tom always told himself: "If I can't keep hold of a song then it's a song not worth keeping hold of." It was the same with girls. And he was exactly right.

The ceiling stretched out like a blank page in front of him ready to be filled with music, that was when Tom realised; he needed a new page, he needed to start again. He had to start out on his own. He glanced down at the floor as the door was pushed open, Lisa strode in furiously, her face screwed up tightly into a scowl. She began to speak, but Tom could not hear her over his pounding music, he turned it off with a flick of the remote and listened to her as she began to shout up at him.

"Father wants you downstairs." She turned to leave the room but Tom jumped down the ladder quickly, stopping her in her tracks.

"What for this time? Is it about the firm? he knows I have no interest in it." Lisa's scowl became more prominant and Tom could see she wanted to throw a few things about the room.

Lisa's scowl faded quickly to replaced by something else... her eyebrows were raised and her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Why can't he just understand..." Her voice caught in her throat as it became clogged by her emotions. "neither us want the life that he has picked out for us! I want to be a part of this company; I don't want to be the little rich girl who gets whatever she wants without having to do anything. Tom, please, just tell him all you want is your music. Leave him with no alternative but me." Lisa bit her bottom lip, but it made no difference the tears continued to build up until they began to fall from her eyes in pearl shaped drops, smattering the floor with their salty wetness.

Tom leaned in close and rested his hand upon her shoulder as if to reassure her. He grinned and the flow of tears stopped, Lisa wiped her face dry with her sleeve.

"You know what you have to do Tom. The rest of our lives are going to depend on what you say to him." Tom nodded and smiled, he squeezed her shoulder tightly and his palms got sweaty; he was nervous. For the first time in his life he was actually nervous. "I know that we have never really been close Tom, we each have our own group of friends, but I do love you." Tom loosened his grip on her shoulder.

"I know Lisa. And I know what I have to do... but you might not see me around here for a while." Her smile faltered.

"What? What do you mean?" His grin broadened and he headed out into the hallway to go down the stairs.

"You'll see."

Tom strode into the warm, bold reds of the living room and right up to his dad. Ignorance and defiance were in his mind and they were also showing on his face. His father looked up at him uncrossing his legs as he did so.

"So Tom, are you ready to start working at the firm?" George didn't know why he had asked; he could tell that Tom had not come down the stairs to agree with him. He was surprised, however unpleasantly, by Tom pointing his finger at him.

"No, father, I am not working at the firm. You know about my passion for my music, and you know that I want to pursue it as a career. I'm good at music; I understand it. Law just isn't for me. I'm telling you now, as your son, to stop pushing me into this job because you are pushing me further and further away. But Lisa wants to take over the firm, why not let her do it?"

George rose slowly and purposefully out of his seat, his face screwed up in anger, his hands balled into fists. Tom's eyes flashed; he was ready for a fight. Hadn't Lisa told him to do whatever it takes? George's head no longer almost touched the ceiling; he was even angrier this time, but Tom was not afraid.

"Tom, you know why I will not allow Lisa control of the company." George sounded calm, but Tom could tell that he was fighting the urge to scream and shout; he could see it in his face.

"I do? I wasn't aware of this! Why don't you indulge us all father? Why can't Lisa take over?" Tom raised his eyebrows and placed both hands on his hips.

"It's the name Tom! When she gets married, the name of the company will have to change." Tom could feel Lisa stand up angrily; ready to storm from the room, but Tom spoke once more.

"That's it?" Tom's face screwed up, now he was angry. "Father don't be ridiculous! You had your chance to tell me the reason; but you had to tell me that lie? I know why." Tom let out a laugh surprising every family member in the room who were watching the spectacle worriedly. "You don't have a reason apart from you don't want me to pursue my music career! Lisa is far more qualified than I. And she is having the job, I won't take it." The only light in the room came from a candle on a table at the far wall, night had fallen and darkness surrounded Tom and George.

"Oh really?" George had raised an eyebrow and tried to make himself look taller by straightening his back and puffing out his chest.

"Yes, really, father. I am leaving." Lisa and Edith gasped in the background and George's power seemed to deflate like a balloon. "I am going to stay with Mark, and nothing you do or say is going to stop me. Like I said; you have pushed me too far and I am not going to put up with it." And with that Tom stormed from the house into the darkness.

The next morning Tom entered the Roolsten family home - he had gone home the previous night and packed some clothes before leaving early in the morning to enter the house as the family finished breakfast. As soon as he arrived Mark pulled him into a hug congratulating him on standing up to his father at last. Tom had phoned him the previous filling him in on all of the juicy details and informing him that he was going to be moving in.

"Hello Tom." A warm and smiling face in the shape of Mark's mother entered the hallway as the two pulled away from each other. "You are welcome to stay as long as you want, as long as your parents know that you are here." Tom grinned from ear to ear; Mark's mother, Tina was more of a mother to him than his own.

"Yes, Mrs. Roolsten, they know I am here. I made sure that they were aware of my whereabouts." Mark grinned as they shared the private joke before hauling Tom's things up the stairs.

When Tom dumped his bags on the floor he looked around the room; it was rather messy with balls of screwed up paper lying around the room in random corners of rich blue carpet. Mark hurriedly ran over to the canvas and ripped whatever he was working on off and screwed it up into a ball before throwing it into a corner. Tom gave him a questionable look.

"It wasn't finished, didn't want you to see it." Mark explained, he seemed quite breathless. "besides it was a bit rubbish." He laughed the awkwardness off and scratched the back of his neck. "Well that's your bed there." He said pointing to the bed nearest the door. "It's a bit awful but, you know, I wasn't really expecting you... besides I can't afford to get you a decent bed. Do you want me to leave you to get unpacked?" Tom shook his head.

"Only if you want to." He replied, Mark was acting rather oddly. What had come over him?

Tom was quickly ushered into the kitchen; Clarissa and Mark were left unattended in the lounge and were chatting idly about the curtain patterns ans the impact they had on the entire room. Tom could not believe his eyes as he met his nephew and niece for the first time; that was one thing he had definitely not expected as well as his siter keeping a husband in tow. Ruben put his mug down on the table leaving a faint coffee ring and stood up politely ready to meet his brother-in-law, but Lisa folded her arms and pursed her lips; clearly not impressed with her brother's surprise arrival. Edith's tears had subsided now and she was smiling - a new grandchild and her son back all in one day, could things get any better?

The house was filled with incessant chatter and noise as the reuinted family shared stories of recent events; but always being careful to avoid the subjects of George Davis, Cancer and the day Tom walked out. The mugs had been washed and put back in the crockery cupoboard by a still grim-faced Lisa who was not joining in with the celebrations.

"So Tom, aren't you going to introduce us to your friends? This of course is Mark?" Edith eyed Mark with a sour expression on her face; she clearly hadn't forgiven him for taking her son away. Mark nodded his head, but Edith wasn't paying attention to him anymore; she only had eyes for Clarissa. "And who is this gorgeous young lady?" A redness built up in Clarissa's cheeks as she blushed a bright crimson before gigglong slightly - a nervous giggle.

"Mother, this is my girlfriend, Clarissa." The look on his mother's face as he told her this would stay in his memories forever; it was the epitome of happiness.

"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

'No point in answering' Tom told himself, he knew she wouldn't be listening to a single word he said. As soon as this thought ended his mother began to bombard Clarissa with questions such as:

"Do you like my new curtains? Goodness you are a delightfully pretty sight! You make sure you take good care of my boy." and questions regarding anything at all. Tom caught sight of Mark sitting on the couch just watching Clarissa squirm as she tried to answer questions, and fighting back the laughter that just needed to find an escape.

A hand made its way around Tom's wrist and gripped quickly and tightly, pulling him back into the kitchen where Samuel and Hannah were now sat on the floor, playing. He looked up and came face to face with LIsa's flaring nostrils, her eyes like slits, leering at him.

"What did you come here for? Why now? Clarissa isn't your girlfriend is she? You just wanted to find a way into mother's good books. Why did you not come to my wedding? I did send you an invite... You didn't reply." Tom stared at his sister; the sun illuminated the dark blue kitchen, reflecting from the small beads of tears that now glistened on the tips of Lisa's eyelashes. She blinked them away furiously, her eyebrows furrowed and her voice harsh and raspy as her breathing became erratic due to the intensity of her emotions. "Well?"

"Lisa, you know the answer to all of those questions." Tom stated simply, he grinned at her as she continued to glare at him furiously; she could feel her blood pulsing around her body at break-neck speed, her face flushing in anger, her fists clenching causing her nails to dig in and pierce the top layer of flesh, and her vein throbbing in her temple.

"Father." Tom waited for a reaction, and seeing that he wasn't going to get one he turned, ruffled Samuel's hair and left the kitchen to rescue Clarissa from his mother.

Edith and Clarissa were now sat on the couch completely engrossed in conversation, though Tom could tell that Clarissa was suffering under pressure. Mark was chatting with Ruben in the far corner of the room, about what though, Tom couldn't even hazard a guess. He had no idea what a huge, burly man could possibly have in common with Mark... not that it really mattered.

"I love your dress honey, do you think they do it in my size?" Edith laughed out loud, Clarissa smiled but squirmed uneasily in her seat.

"Mother, that's enough of the interrogations. Let Clarissa breathe and come and give your favourite son a hug." Edith obliged and hugged her son while Clarissa mouthed a silent 'thankyou' before heading into the kitchen.

Lisa turned around and smiled sweetly as she heard Clarissa enter the kitchen, the sound of her shoes echoing off of the blue walls as they clattered along the brown tiles.

"You're not my brother's girlfriend are you?" Clarissa could see the smile on Lisa's face, but she could feel the sharp, coldness of her words. Clarissa shook her head in reply.

"It was the only way they would let me come..." A curious look now. Clarissa watched Samuel and Hannah quite comfortable on the tiled floor.

"And why was it so important that you did come?" Clarissa leaned in close.

"Who deals with the law around here?" Lisa's teeth sparkles as they glinted in the sunlight.

"I do. Would you like to step into my office?" Lisa cupped her hands to her mouth. "RUBEN. COME AND WATCH THE KIDS, I HAVE SOME BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO." Ruben entered the kitchen as Clarissa followed Lisa into her office.

The office was plain and dark; industrial is probably the easiest way to describe it; the paper was piled neatly, the drapes hung tidily on the rail, the pens were all lined up neatly - not even one out of place.

"So for what do you require my services, Miss..." Clarissa inhaled deeply, clearly worried about giving her last name to a stranger, especially in these circumstances, but so be it.

"Walters. Clarissa Walters." Lisa was already scribbling things down. Incredibly neatly and industrial-like. "I received an e-mail last night. An e-mail from someone I knew to have died just a few nights ago; she was murdered actually..." Lisa cleared her throat importantly.

"And what did this e-mail say?" Clarissa shuffled about with her dress for a few moments.

"Hold on a second, I have a copy of it with me." She continued to ruffle about her dress eventually pulling a folded up piece of paper from her bra and handing it over.

"No pockets." She giggled.

Lisa's eyes eagerly rolled over the words on the page, her brain already working out the problem and the solution simultaneously as her brain ticked like clockwork. She kept glancing up into Clarissa's worried face as she pondered the girls' situation - what had happened to make her panic like this?

"Well, thankyou for the interesting read Clarissa." Lisa was smirking now and Clarissa felt somewhat bewildered. "But I am afraid I cannot help you..." Clarissa's face fell and Lisa pulled an expression of great revelation. "Unless... you tell me everything you know about Tom and what he has been up to lately to make him want to return home." Clarissa suddenly felt at ease and she, too, smirked.

"He's you brother, don't you think you should get the information from him yourself? And I hope you realise that you aren't my last reasort - I can always ask your husband for hid er, help..." Clarissa's lip curled satisfactorily. "I thought so. So what do you say Lisa?"

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.

Any theories yet people?

What did you think?

Thanks again for reading and come back for Part V.