‹ Prequel: Lots of Love, Mike
Faithfully Yours
Falling Apart
The house was empty so Ryan decided that there would be no better time than this to go and find the letters that his mum used to write to Mike. He was sure he’d find out more about his father, may be he could even get to write to him, call him up or even meet up with him one day.
Yeah, he was ready for this.
**
Stella tried calling Tre but she couldn’t get an answer from him. He’d left early again that morning and she hadn’t got a chance to speak to him. She decided she’d write to Adrienne and once the letter had been sent then she would explain things to Tre and get his opinion. She’d hardly slept all night for thinking about Adrienne and her being so far away from Billie and thinking about getting rid of their baby. How could she? Why couldn’t she have just approached her about this sooner, may be she could have helped her through it.
Stella was doing the grocery shopping but Jessica was playing up at the same time. She didn’t have a clue what to cook for dinner so she’d been trying to get hold of Tre to see what he wanted. Where the fuck was he? Stella thought.
“Give me that,” Stella snapped at Jessica who was holding a glass bottle that she'd taken from the shelf.
Jessica started crying, she wasn’t used to her mother snapping at her like that. People in the store started to turn and look at the stressed mother and her pretty young daughter.
“Oh come here Jessica, you know you mustn’t touch things,” she said picking Jessica up and holding her close her daughters tears falling onto her shoulder.
Stella felt hot and bothered; she grabbed her basket of food and went to the checkout to pay, she couldn’t wait to get home.
**
“Hey Ryan,” said Stella as she finished putting things away in the kitchen cupboards. “Did you finish your homework?”
“Yeah,” said Ryan. He was standing outside the kitchen door looking in at his mother, he didn’t want to talk to her really, not after what he’d just read in her letters. He remembered reading some before, a few years ago but that was before he had seen that letter, the letter about them. Together. His Mum and Mike, he couldn’t believe it. How could she? He was like an uncle to him and his mother had been with him.
“I’ve bought you some of that chocolate milkshake you like,” she said. “Want some?”
“Nah,” said Ryan. “I’m going to go round to Joey’s, we’re going to kick a ball about in his garden. He said to take my swim stuff,” said Ryan indicating his rolled up towel.
“OK. I shall do dinner for about six OK?”
But Ryan had gone before answering. What the fuck was wrong with everyone just lately?
After feeding Jessica she became restless and tired so Stella put her down for a nap and she decided that this would be a good opportunity to write a note to Adrienne. She just hoped she’d get it in time.
Dear Adrienne
I’m sorry that you felt you had to go away to your parents, you know I wish you’d have told me your situation before you’d gone, may be talking to someone would have helped.
I have to say this because its what I feel, I think you’re wrong that Billie wouldn’t want his baby, of course he would Adrienne, you’re not thinking straight, you’re worried and anxious. Billie has a lot on his mind about trying to get a new album together but he still loves you very much, that’s obvious.
Please come home and talk to him about it, call me up and talk to me. I tried calling you but I just get voicemail and I didn’t want to leave a message.
I’ve been thinking about you all the time
Lots of Love Always
Stella xxx
She quickly put it into an envelope, stuck on a stamp and shoved it in her bag. When Jessica wakes I shall walk with her to the mail box she thought cheerily.
**
The house was empty when Tre got back. He’d been down at the bay in a bar and had to get a taxi home he’d had too much to drink. His mind had been working overtime but he’d come to a decision that there was no way that Stella would be cheating on him. No way. She loved him like he loved her. He was being stupid and paranoid and would have to get over it. So she’d been with Mike once, so what? She loved him now and they were together, a family.
On the kitchen table he noticed Stella’s writing pad with a pen lying next to it. She’d been writing to someone? Who?
He could just about make out the last few words indented into the paper. He held them up so that he could see them properly.
I’ve been thinking about you all the time.
Lots of Love Always
Stella x
The bitch, thought Tre. The fucking bitch.
Yeah, he was ready for this.
**
Stella tried calling Tre but she couldn’t get an answer from him. He’d left early again that morning and she hadn’t got a chance to speak to him. She decided she’d write to Adrienne and once the letter had been sent then she would explain things to Tre and get his opinion. She’d hardly slept all night for thinking about Adrienne and her being so far away from Billie and thinking about getting rid of their baby. How could she? Why couldn’t she have just approached her about this sooner, may be she could have helped her through it.
Stella was doing the grocery shopping but Jessica was playing up at the same time. She didn’t have a clue what to cook for dinner so she’d been trying to get hold of Tre to see what he wanted. Where the fuck was he? Stella thought.
“Give me that,” Stella snapped at Jessica who was holding a glass bottle that she'd taken from the shelf.
Jessica started crying, she wasn’t used to her mother snapping at her like that. People in the store started to turn and look at the stressed mother and her pretty young daughter.
“Oh come here Jessica, you know you mustn’t touch things,” she said picking Jessica up and holding her close her daughters tears falling onto her shoulder.
Stella felt hot and bothered; she grabbed her basket of food and went to the checkout to pay, she couldn’t wait to get home.
**
“Hey Ryan,” said Stella as she finished putting things away in the kitchen cupboards. “Did you finish your homework?”
“Yeah,” said Ryan. He was standing outside the kitchen door looking in at his mother, he didn’t want to talk to her really, not after what he’d just read in her letters. He remembered reading some before, a few years ago but that was before he had seen that letter, the letter about them. Together. His Mum and Mike, he couldn’t believe it. How could she? He was like an uncle to him and his mother had been with him.
“I’ve bought you some of that chocolate milkshake you like,” she said. “Want some?”
“Nah,” said Ryan. “I’m going to go round to Joey’s, we’re going to kick a ball about in his garden. He said to take my swim stuff,” said Ryan indicating his rolled up towel.
“OK. I shall do dinner for about six OK?”
But Ryan had gone before answering. What the fuck was wrong with everyone just lately?
After feeding Jessica she became restless and tired so Stella put her down for a nap and she decided that this would be a good opportunity to write a note to Adrienne. She just hoped she’d get it in time.
Dear Adrienne
I’m sorry that you felt you had to go away to your parents, you know I wish you’d have told me your situation before you’d gone, may be talking to someone would have helped.
I have to say this because its what I feel, I think you’re wrong that Billie wouldn’t want his baby, of course he would Adrienne, you’re not thinking straight, you’re worried and anxious. Billie has a lot on his mind about trying to get a new album together but he still loves you very much, that’s obvious.
Please come home and talk to him about it, call me up and talk to me. I tried calling you but I just get voicemail and I didn’t want to leave a message.
I’ve been thinking about you all the time
Lots of Love Always
Stella xxx
She quickly put it into an envelope, stuck on a stamp and shoved it in her bag. When Jessica wakes I shall walk with her to the mail box she thought cheerily.
**
The house was empty when Tre got back. He’d been down at the bay in a bar and had to get a taxi home he’d had too much to drink. His mind had been working overtime but he’d come to a decision that there was no way that Stella would be cheating on him. No way. She loved him like he loved her. He was being stupid and paranoid and would have to get over it. So she’d been with Mike once, so what? She loved him now and they were together, a family.
On the kitchen table he noticed Stella’s writing pad with a pen lying next to it. She’d been writing to someone? Who?
He could just about make out the last few words indented into the paper. He held them up so that he could see them properly.
I’ve been thinking about you all the time.
Lots of Love Always
Stella x
The bitch, thought Tre. The fucking bitch.