Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. >The Girl at the Bus Stop by alan14 Copyright(C) 2021 by alan14 Chapter 38 Lia polished off her coffee and slotted her mug into the dishwasher, -Katie says Poppy and Belle have changed their names, - she said as absently she closed the door with foot and set it going. -Yes, they both wanted a break from their pasts, and decided a new name would be a perfect new start. - -I -(TM)d like to change my name, to break from my past, but I have the same surname as Katie, and I -(TM)m worried she -(TM)ll be offended if I change it. - -Ahh yes, I can see how that would be awkward. Do you need to change your surname? You could just change your first name, would that be enough of a break? - -I guess, actually that would be fine, I can pick my two favourite names and keep my surname. - -Great, so our first job is to get a copy of your birth certificate, then we -(TM)ll file a deed poll, then we -(TM)ll get you a bank account, then we -(TM)ll go shopping. - -I get to choose the shops, remember. - -You choose the shops. - We ran for the station, Lia jumped the gate before I could stop her, only natural I guess, I -(TM)d sort her an Oyster card once we hit the shops later. It was quite a trek across the city to Haringey Registry Office in Wood Green, with a change at Earls Court to the Piccadilly Line. The train was fairly empty most of the way, and we had time to chat, Lia quizzed me about my life, family, what made me decide to take Poppy home. -Ahh, that -(TM)s something I -(TM)ve thought about a lot. Even slouched in the bus stop, wet, filthy and shivering, she had an aura. I -(TM)m actually struggling to understand why none of the dozens of other people who -(TM)d passed her by that afternoon hadn -(TM)t been captivated by it. -Anyway, regardless of aura, I couldn -(TM)t leave her there, so I took her home, I told myself I -(TM)d get her cleaned up, warm and dry then send her on her way. - -It didn -(TM)t work out that way though, did it. - -Not quite. - -At what point did you realise she was staying? - -Well, I suspected there was something very different about her when she stripped off in front of me before her shower, rather than stripping off in the bathroom. - -She was never shy in the squats either. - -I was still going to send her on her way though, after she -(TM)d eaten. Then she started talking about things we could do together, and I realised we were very much thinking along the same lines. - -Did you know how young she was when you started sleeping with her. - -Hand on heart I thought she was 17, actually she also thought she was 17. During our chat afterwards, and the next day as we were travelling to get her birth certificate, I started to think she was possibly 16. We were both surprised to find out she was only 15. - -I swear, I -(TM)m 18. Err, not that it matters, because I -(TM)m with Katie, and, err, it -(TM)s me that -(TM)s breaking the law, so I -(TM)ll be quiet. - -It -(TM)s OK Lia, in our house we do whatever pleases us, but also, we don -(TM)t do anything that upsets anyone else, so you can sleep with anyone you like, as long as the other person wants to sleep with you. And the same is true for me, so you and Katie want to be strictly gay, I will at no point attempt to instigate relations with either of you. - -That -(TM)s what they all said, that I was safe with you. - We rode in silence for a while, then Lia put her hand on my knee, I looked into her lovely eyes, -one day maybe, but not right now. I want to explore life with Katie for a while. - -And Katie wants to explore life with you. - -I -(TM)m glad about that, she intrigued me the moment she kissed me at the station. - -She -(TM)s quite an impulsive girl who seems to know exactly who and what she wants. It was Katie who approached Poppy on her first day in school. - -Well, Poppy is quite striking. - -That -(TM)s putting it mildly. - -It is, she looks stunning in her uniform. - -And Belle looked amazing too, didn -(TM)t she... - Lia nodded, -oh my, she -(TM)s adorable. You -(TM)re a lucky man Alex, she loves you so much. - -What do you think about Helen? - -She -(TM)s amazing, so easy to talk to, and so understanding. - -She -(TM)s been through a lot in her life, most of which I -(TM)m only just finding out about. - -How long have you been sleeping with her? - -Only since Poppy arrived, before that we were just regular siblings. - -Why did she have a room at your house? - -I was engaged to be married, my fianc(C)e Tammy and I planned on having a big family. I -(TM)d just sold a screenplay and had more money than I ever imagined, so I used it to buy the biggest house we could afford. Then, not long before the wedding my housekeeper found Tammy in bed with my best man... - -Oh fuck, that -(TM)s cold. What did you do? - -I kicked her out obviously, and Ellory, my former best friend. That was five years ago, and until Poppy moved in, I -(TM)d been alone. - -You -(TM)d not had a girlfriend in all that time? - -Not a single one. - -But you -(TM)re so hot, why the alone time? - -Because I lost all trust in women I guess, and my heart was broken more badly than I could possibly imagine. Poppy was fixing me while I was fixing her. - -So, why Helen -(TM)s room. - -Well, her relationship with Nita hasn -(TM)t been exactly smooth running, and for a while she spent more time at my house than hers. Poppy was very happy to inherit Helen -(TM)s wardrobe of designer clothes. - -I -(TM)m guessing they -(TM)re all Poppy -(TM)s size aren -(TM)t they... - -Yep, most of them are. - -But I -(TM)m three inches taller than both of them, and several cup sizes smaller... - -Yeah, nothing -(TM)s your size, sorry. - -I guess nothing -(TM)s Belle -(TM)s size either, although I really don -(TM)t think she -(TM)s into Ralph Lauren and Versace. - -There is that she -(TM)s more into Hello Kitty. - -Oh my god, she -(TM)s so cute. - -So, you didn -(TM)t tell me what name you -(TM)ve chosen. - -Oh yeah, you know two of the names, I -(TM)ll tell you the middle one when we get there. - We had to make an appointment to see the registrar, luckily, they had a slot in an hour, so we wandered over to a coffee shop. I remembered what Belle had said about Lia -(TM)s fondness for cakes and steered her towards the counter. Her mouth was watering as she looked at the variety of cakes on offer, eventually settling on a custard filled choux bun with coffee icing, then also settling on a millionaire -(TM)s shortbread. I ordered them and a couple of large Americanos. -I have such a sweet tooth, but we could never afford cakes. Belle would steal chocolate for me, but shoplifting cream cakes is awkward. - -I can imagine. So, you lived in the squat for a while, then where did you go after it was demolished? - -I spent some time in the tunnels with Belle and Flower, this is before they found the office she mentioned. I don -(TM)t deal well with claustrophobia, dark confined places are not good, so I had to leave them. -I found a few girls I knew who lived under a railway arch, it was an old workshop, there were benches and stuff, so we were fine there until there was a fire in one of the other units and the police made us all leave. I was a huge fire as well, lots of black smoke. We stayed to watch until the gas cylinders started blowing up, then we decided it was best if we left. -Two girls, Emily and Domino said they knew a group who stayed in Camden, there was a safe back alley where some guys watched out for us, and there was a hostel there that helped girls find jobs and homes, but it had a waiting list and only took from the local streets. That -(TM)s where I met Daisy, she was so lovely, I kind of had a crush on her. - -I saw Daisy, I don -(TM)t blame you, she -(TM)s very pretty. - I checked my watch, -ahh, we -(TM)d better get back or we -(TM)ll miss our appointment. - The registrar was a lot more serious than the guy who helped Poppy, and Lia needed to answer a lot of questions before he produced a replacement birth certificate. With that in hand we picked up the forms to file a deed poll to change her name legally. I watched as Lia carefully filled in her new name, Lia Esme Jackson. -Esme, that -(TM)s an interesting choice. - -It -(TM)s my mum -(TM)s name, - Lia replied quietly as she signed the form in her old and new names. The registrar countersigned as the witness before he made copies. The originals went in an envelope to be filed with the courts. I paid the fee and we left with the copies and her birth certificate. Our work in Wood Green completed, we jumped back onto the tube and headed for the shops. -Ok, where do you want to go shopping? - I asked as we got off the train at Oxford Circus. -Not here, - she replied, taking my hand as she dashed across the station to the Victoria Line. We changed at Stockwell and Lia led me off the train at Clapham Common. On the street she looked around to get her bearings, -ahh there it is, come on. - Lia took my hand again as she walked over the road and down to a Shelter charity shop, -this is where they sell all the good stuff, - she told me as she pushed the door open, -and all the money goes to help the homeless, so it -(TM)s win win. - Lia knew a couple of the staff and she spent the next hour picking through the racks, along with the bags in the back room that hadn -(TM)t been sorted yet. In the end she bought around a dozen sets of clothes and the bill was under £200, the dearest item being a Donna Karan blouse, and even that was under £20. I gave the shop £250 and we staggered out with two packed bags each. -Wow, that was fun, - Lia laughed as we headed back to the station, -I -(TM)m annoyed they didn -(TM)t have any shoes, that -(TM)s the worst thing about having big feet, I can never find any good second-hand shoes. - -That -(TM)s OK, I -(TM)ll get you new ones. - -No you won -(TM)t mister, we -(TM)re going to Bernardos, they -(TM)ll have some Doc Martens that fit me, and hopefully some boy -(TM)s Converse. Then we -(TM)re going to CEX to get a used laptop and phone, because there -(TM)s no way I -(TM)m letting you buy me new ones, it -(TM)s way too much money. - So, 90 minutes later Lia had three pairs of shoes, including a nearly new pair of red Converse, and I was about to pay for a 3-year-old MacBook and a two generations old iPhone, when my phone rang. -Hello, - I said as I tapped my PIN into the card machine. -Is this Mr Harrison, Belle -(TM)s father? - -Yes, that -(TM)s me, who -(TM)s this? - -My name is Ali Cartwright, I -(TM)m Emma McCarthy -(TM)s assistant. I -(TM)m afraid there -(TM)s been a bit of an incident with Belle and Miss McCarthy would like a word with her guardians. - -What kind of incident? Is Belle OK? - -Belle is fine, we just need to speak to you, can you come in please? - -I -(TM)m in the city at the moment, it will take me about 45 minutes to get there, is that OK? - -That will be fine. - I put my phone away, somewhat puzzled by the call, what could possibly have happened? -Is everything OK? - Lia asked as we dashed out of the shop, now laden with another bag. -I have no idea; we have to go see the girls -(TM) Headmistress ASAP. - We ran to Goodge St, the nearest underground station and hopped on the first train. Annoyingly we had to change twice to get to Wimbledon and arrived at the school somewhat dishevelled and out of breath almost an hour later. We dashed to the reception and were shown straight to the headmistress -(TM)s office. Poppy and Katie were seated outside the office either side of Belle. -What -(TM)s happened? - I asked. Belle -(TM)s eyes were ablaze, she was so angry she was shaking. -Exactly what I thought would happen, - Poppy replied as the Head -(TM)s door opened, so she couldn -(TM)t tell me any more. -I -(TM)ll stay here, - Lia said quietly, -I -(TM)ll try to calm her down. - I stepped into the office. -I -(TM)m so sorry I -(TM)ve had to drag you down here Mr Harrison, please, take a seat. - -Please, call me Alex, what -(TM)s happened? - -So, Alex, I -(TM)m afraid Belle has been in a fight, which really isn -(TM)t the best way for her to start her school career, - Emma replied. -She doesn -(TM)t look like she -(TM)s been in a fight. - -No, it was over very quickly. - -What happened? - I asked, suddenly realising what Poppy meant. -Well, it -(TM)s always difficult to get to the bottom of these matters, as friends will always back each other -(TM)s stories, but from what I can work out, Jade, the other girl, had been needling Belle all day, then as they left the school Jade was walking ahead of Belle and her sisters, she went to her boyfriend who was at the gate, then she decided her boyfriend was looking at Belle and ran up and slapped her. - -Poppy was worried about this, what happened next. - -Well, we have no cameras where it happened, but eyewitnesses describe a flurry of action that culminated with Jade lying unconscious and bleeding. - -Oh shit, - I gasped. -Exactly. - -So, what happens now, are you expelling her? - -Oh no, strictly speaking this is not Belle -(TM)s fault. She definitely overreacted, but I -(TM)m giving Belle the benefit of the doubt and assuming this is how she would have reacted on the streets, so I -(TM)m going to suspend her for tomorrow whilst we smooth everything over with Jade -(TM)s family and friends. - -Thank you, - I replied, sighing with relief, -I -(TM)ll try to rationalise what -(TM)s happened for you. On the streets Poppy always protected Belle, and when they became separated another girl looked out for Belle, she was always the baby of the squat, and she kind of resents that. She -(TM)s done some rough martial arts training and if I know her like I think I do, she saw this as an opportunity to show Poppy what she could do. - -That makes sense I suppose. - -And I also think this poor girl has been used to set an example to anyone else who wants to try it on with her. - -Indeed, that -(TM)s what I was thinking. Jade is a bully, so in a way Belle may have done everyone a favour by knocking her down a peg or two. So, shall we have a quick word with her together, I think she -(TM)s been stewing out there quite long enough. - I went to the door, -Belle sweetie, can you come in please... - -Am I in trouble? - -Not much, come on, let -(TM)s get this over with. - Belle had a firm grip on Lia -(TM)s hand, so she joined us in the office. -Err, sorry about this, - I apologised as they entered the office, -Belle seems to be firmly attached to her newest sister, Lia. - -Hello Lia, are you wanting to come to school? - Emma said with a smile as Lia and Belle sat in the visitors -(TM) chairs, I stood behind them, placing a hand on Belle -(TM)s shoulder. She looked up and smiled so sweetly I nearly cried. -Ahh, no, I -(TM)m 18. I -(TM)m going to be working for Belle and Poppy -(TM)s charity. - -Ahh, that -(TM)s wonderful, - Emma replied, -I -(TM)m so looking forward to working with the charity once you -(TM)re up and running. So, - she continued as she looked at Belle, -you -(TM)ve had an eventful first day... - -Are you kicking me out? - -Gosh no, I can -(TM)t do that, not on your first day, especially when it -(TM)s not your fault. That -(TM)s not to say you -(TM)re in the right, and I -(TM)m still going to have to punish you. What you did to poor Jade, whilst undoubtedly impressive and efficient, was hugely disproportionate. We really can -(TM)t be seen to tolerate this level of violence in school, so I -(TM)m going to suspend you for one day. - -Ahh shit, a suspension in my first week, this is going to look great on my record. - -And I might just give you a second day for bad language, - Emma replied with a smile. -Oh yes, sorry. I -(TM)m just a little emotional right now. - -With good reason, so, like I say, I -(TM)m suspending you for tomorrow, this will give us time to talk to Jade -(TM)s friends and enforce on them the knowledge that if they even think of retaliating, it will not end well for any of them. - -Have you any idea what kind of damage Poppy could do to them? - Belle asked. -I can imagine, which is why the pastoral team will be talking to all of them. While you are at home tomorrow, I want you to think very hard about why your actions were ill advised, and I want you to write a letter to Jade and her parents apologising for overreacting. I will send it with my letter explaining why they have no chance of bringing charges against you because we have many witnesses confirming your side of the story, that Jade was wholly at fault. - Belle stood and stepped up to Emma -(TM)s desk, she held her hand out to shake Emma -(TM)s, -I -(TM)m so sorry that my over-reaction has caused you problems and I promise to try harder to control my temper. - Emma was taken aback by the sincerity of Belle -(TM)s apology, she stood and shook her hand warmly, -thank you Belle, I think you -(TM)ll fit in here very well. - I turned to open the door, Belle vaulted over the chair and ran to Poppy, who -(TM)d been standing nervously chewing her nails. -Err, I -(TM)ll get her mum and auntie to have a word with Belle about controlling her temper in future, - I told Emma as we left the room. -Thank you, she -(TM)s a wonderful girl, just maybe not as socialised as we -(TM)d hoped. - -If I know Poppy, she -(TM)ll be telling her off already. - Lia and Katie picked up a couple of bags and I collected the rest. Poppy took Belle by the hand, leading us from the office and out across the car park as she admonished her sister for fighting. -But what was I supposed to do? She slapped me! I couldn -(TM)t let that stand. - -I know, but you didn -(TM)t have to knock her out. You could have slapped her back and left it at that. - -Then we could have got into a proper fight, and I -(TM)d have ruined my uniform and shoes, then mum would kill me. - Poppy stopped and pulled Belle into a hug, -oh Belle, how are you so adorable? - -I -(TM)ve no idea. Anyway, who wants to help me write a letter apologising for nearly killing that cow. - -I -(TM)ll help you tomorrow, - Lia said, -after you -(TM)ve helped me set up my new laptop. - -Oh, I -(TM)m not sure I can do that, Katie set mine up for me. - -Well, we -(TM)ve got all day. - -Not all day, I was going to take you to my publisher today, Lia, so Esther could talk to you about running the charity, we -(TM)ll have to go tomorrow. - -Oh, can I come to? - Belle asked. -Ahh, I -(TM)m not sure you should be leaving the house if you -(TM)re suspended from school. - -Awww, pleeeeaaasssseee! - Belle whined. -Damn you and your puppy dog eyes, - I laughed, -anyway, the more pressing problem is how to tell Jenny that you -(TM)ve been suspended on your first day. - -Do we have to tell her? - Poppy asked. -Yes, we do, - I replied. -I guess we should really, - Katie added. The first job when we arrived home was for Poppy and Katie to return the items they -(TM)d borrowed on Saturday. While they were out Belle set to work cooking dinner, as Lia tried on her outfits in the kitchen. Not quite as free and easy as Poppy and Belle, Lia nipped into the utility room to change clothes, then Belle judged each outfit, giving scores from 0 to 10, nothing was judged below a 7. Lia kept the top scoring outfit to one side, a purple knitted Missoni top that was almost see-through, showing the purple bra she -(TM)d bought in the same Bernados shop where she -(TM)d bought her shoes, coupled with a pair of black jeans and a slightly scuffed pair of boy -(TM)s Doc Martens. -You look amazing, Katie will be very happy, - Belle told Lia as she put the rest of the clothes back into the bags. -Are you sure Belle? - -Positive, I -(TM)ve never been surer about anything. - -Thank you, - Lia sighed, -I had so much fun shopping, but then I was all of a tizz thinking Katie wouldn -(TM)t like any of the clothes I -(TM)d picked. - -It -(TM)s not the clothes silly, - Belle said as she dashed around the kitchen island to hug Lia, -Katie likes the girl in the clothes, and that -(TM)s all that matters. Anyway, you absolutely suit everything you -(TM)ve bought. And I love that you got them all from Shelter. I think we spent more than your whole shop on my army coat... - -I love that coat, I tried to find something similar. - -I know where we can get you a real army-surplus coat, we had to buy a replica for me because they didn -(TM)t have any real ones my size, but you -(TM)re so tall, they -(TM)re bound to have a real one to fit you. Oh, hang on a sec, don -(TM)t go anywhere... - Belle dashed out of the kitchen and upstairs. -Don -(TM)t worry, - I said wearily, -she -(TM)s always like this. - -I know, sometimes she -(TM)d exhaust us all just by watching her run around the squat. Her enthusiasm is infectious though, I love it. - Belle came running back into the kitchen still pulling her t-shirt over her head. -Look, I did manage to get this, it -(TM)s a proper US Army girl -(TM)s t-shirt, the ones they wear under their uniform, it says ARMY on it, but it -(TM)s dead faint because it -(TM)s been washed so much. I love it, it -(TM)s my favourite t-shirt, except for the Hello Kitty one. - -I love it, it -(TM)s so you Belle. - -I remember where I got this they had loads of big army jackets from all over, they had this Russian one that was lined with real sheepskin, with a real fur collar, I didn -(TM)t like the idea of that, but it would look good if they had something similar with fake-fur. - -We -(TM)ll have a look tomorrow, now, shall we get some food made? How can I help? - -You can help by staying well away from the cooking in that smart top. - -If I take it off, can I help you? - -You can stand next to me in just your bra any time you like, I -(TM)m sure Alex will promise not to look. - -I -(TM)ll go upstairs and do some paperwork, and while I -(TM)m upstairs you can be working out what to tell your mum. - The door opened as I was heading for the stairs, Poppy and Katie back from returning everything they -(TM)d borrowed. -Hey dad, where are you off to? - -Ahh, Lia -(TM)s helping Belle with the cooking, and she didn -(TM)t want to get her new top dirty, so she -(TM)s not wearing one, obviously. I thought I -(TM)d do some paperwork. - -And miss the chance to see Lia -(TM)s boobs, they -(TM)re great, - Poppy cried. -Yeah, but she -(TM)s not quite as open as you Poppy. I -(TM)ll go and sort some paperwork, give me a shout when dinner -(TM)s ready. - -OK, I understand. When you get to see them though, they -(TM)re amazing, her nipples are so pink... - Katie gave her sister a playful slap on the arm, -that -(TM)s my girlfriend you -(TM)re talking about. - Poppy stopped in her tracks, -yes, she is, and I apologise. I shouldn -(TM)t be encouraging people to look at her boobs. - Katie turned to me, -she -(TM)s right though, they -(TM)re amazing, between the perkiness of Belle -(TM)s and the fullness of Poppy -(TM)s. You -(TM)ll not be disappointed. - -All the same, I -(TM)ll wait until I -(TM)m invited. Now, I -(TM)m going to my office, when your mum comes in don -(TM)t tell her anything, send her upstairs. - -Will do, are you going to tell her? - Poppy asked. -I think it -(TM)s best, don -(TM)t you? - -Yeah, Belle will probably make it worse. - I spent the next hour answering emails, more fan requests asking for updates, a couple of questions from Lois about my now-no-longer-final draft. An email arrived from Jeremy as I was about to shut the computer down, it made me sit up and concentrate, he -(TM)d attached a link to a video in a private dropbox folder. The first few moments were a blur of action as the person holding the camera ran through a building, the camera looked this way and that as people ripped equipment off desks and shelves. The video cut to a large room, it was painted red and black with bondage furniture across the floor and on the walls. This must be the room Poppy and Helen described. A man was locked to a sturdy wooden chair with hefty looking manacles, he was in a bad way. -Yes, that -(TM)s all of it... - the man cried, spitting blood with each word. -What about any videos people downloaded? - -We didn -(TM)t sell videos, just access to stream... - -But people could download if they knew how I guess. - -Well, yeah, but I -(TM)ve no way to know who. - -I want your client list. - -It -(TM)s on that laptop... - -Got it boss, - someone shouted. -What -(TM)s the password? - -It -(TM)s the postcode of the building. - -Ok, I -(TM)m in. - The camera panned to the pile of computer equipment in the middle of the floor, there was a wet thud and scream off camera. -All her videos are on the computers in this pile, - a voice said as someone poured a liquid over everything, a lit match was thrown and the pile burst into flames, the camera stayed on the fire until it became too hot, then everyone backed away. I rewound the video to just before the fire, careful to make sure I was past the scream, then I called for Poppy. -What -(TM)s up dad? - she shouted from the bottom of the stairs. -Can you come up to my office please, on your own. - -Remember how we spoke about those videos the other day? - I asked as she sat in my chair. Poppy recoiled slightly at the thought, -yessss, - she answered warily. -Hit the spacebar, - I told her. -All her videos are on the computers in this pile, - I heard again. Poppy watched as the computer hardware burst into flames, then she rewound the video to watch it again. -Don -(TM)t go back too far! - Too late, she caught the end of the conversation with the man in the chair. -That -(TM)s the guy! - she cried as she heard the noise as his life was ended painfully. -Good, - she said coldly as she watched the fire once more, then played the whole clip a few times before she sat back and turned to me. -I don -(TM)t recognise the voices. - -The video came from one of Jeremy -(TM)s accounts. - -Well, duhh! Obviously, it -(TM)s his people, but I don -(TM)t recognise them, he has so many guys working for him now. I get a bit worried he -(TM)ll go too far one day. - -How so? - -Well, you know, kill someone too publicly. Obviously, this fire is going to be on the news, when they investigate it -(TM)s not going to look at all like an accident, so questions will be asked. Once the police find out who owned the building, they won -(TM)t look too hard I suppose. One day though, they will look properly, and I worry he -(TM)ll get caught. - -I -(TM)m afraid that -(TM)s not something we have any control over. - -I know, that -(TM)s what -(TM)s so frustrating, he -(TM)s gone to the ends of the earth to help me, but I can -(TM)t help him. There -(TM)s no doubt that scumbag deserved to die, but what he just did, it -(TM)s too extreme. - We heard the front door and Poppy jumped up, -I -(TM)ll go intercept mum and send her up here, show her the video, all of it, while I help with dinner. - She stopped at the top of the stairs, -thanks dad. - -What for? - I asked, puzzled. She just waved her arms about, -all this, everything, you saved our lives, we can never repay you for this. - -Your smile is payment enough. - Poppy blessed me with her smile then dashed down the stairs to catch Jenny before she reached the kitchen. A moment later Jenny appeared at the office door, -I wanted to see Belle about her first day, but Poppy said you needed to speak to me urgently. - -Ahh yes, it -(TM)s about Belle -(TM)s first day. - Jenny sighed and sat down heavily on the second chair, -what happened? - -She got in a fight, and she -(TM)s been suspended. - -Already, that -(TM)s quick work, it was a couple of weeks before I got suspended. - I raised an eyebrow, -what did you do? - -Ahh, I was stupid and got caught smoking, all girls try it, and I was the one that got caught. The disappointed look on my dad -(TM)s face was far worse than the telling off from the headmaster. Anyway, what did Belle do? - -Well, thankfully she wasn -(TM)t smoking or vaping, just a good, old-fashioned fight after school. - I outlined the meeting with the headmistress, Belle -(TM)s sincere apology, and Poppy telling her off as we walked home. -Do I need to punish her? - Jenny asked. -I don -(TM)t think so, what can we do? We can -(TM)t give her extra chores, she does most of them already, we can -(TM)t ground her because they stay in the house doing their homework anyway. - -I guess, and like you said, she really wasn -(TM)t to blame, I -(TM)d have probably done the same when I was her age. So, she -(TM)s got a day off with you, what are you going to do? Are you going to help her with her letter? - -Lia -(TM)s already offered. We -(TM)re going to see Esther at the office tomorrow, she -(TM)s offered to help Lia with the charity organisation. Obviously, Belle has decided she -(TM)s coming along. If she gets her letter handwritten tonight or tomorrow morning, I -(TM)ll show her how to format a formal letter, and how to type it up in the office whilst Lia is in with Esther. - -Poppy said you had something else to show me. - -Ahh yes, watch this. - I hit the spacebar and the video started from the beginning, Jenny watched it in silence from start to finish, then she watched it twice more before speaking. -This is the room Poppy and Helen spoke about? - -Yes, and Poppy identified the man as the person who abused her in the room. - -Stop it playing, I need to make a call. - She pulled out her police phone and dialled, -hi, DC Wilde, I -(TM)ve just been talking to one of my informants and they said they -(TM)d seen a fire earlier on Farringdon Road, said it looked bad... - She listened for a while. -Mmm, yes, ok, I -(TM)ll let them know when they -(TM)re back from the pub, thanks Nick. - She turned back to the computer and played the video through once more, taking in every detail. -The whole block is ablaze; four crews are fighting it from the road. Only one part of the building was reported to be in use, the rest was derelict. The local police are putting it down to arson, apparently there -(TM)s a couple of developers wanting to demolish the whole block and put a new office building there. - -Poppy -(TM)s worried Jeremy -(TM)s gone too far this time; she thinks it -(TM)s too public. - -He might be OK if the developers face the blame, I -(TM)m sure his guys will have been careful, I saw a lot of gloved hands. Do we know any of them? - -Poppy didn -(TM)t recognise any voices, and the only face we see is the guy in the chair. - -Fair enough, so that -(TM)s all of Poppy -(TM)s videos gone, and I -(TM)m guessing any footage of Helen gone as well. - -She never mentioned film, but I imagine there -(TM)d be a few cameras around capturing everything that went on in that room. - -Why don -(TM)t you give her a call while I change out of my work clothes, then I -(TM)ll check on Belle. I shall express concern about her behaviour whilst passing no judgement, yes, I think that -(TM)s how I -(TM)ll handle it. - -She -(TM)ll give you the eyes, and you -(TM)ll crumble. Only Poppy is immune to the eyes. - -Oh god, I -(TM)ll be strong, I -(TM)ll be strong, - she laughed before giving me a kiss as she left the room. Jenny turned back to face me at the doorway, -We -(TM)re so lucky though, I see the trauma every day of dysfunctional families, and we have none of that here, all three, no, all four of them now, they -(TM)re so lovely. They just get on with each other so well. -Just listen ... do you hear anything? - -No, nothing. - -Exactly, no fighting, no arguing... - And with that Jenny walked down to the bedroom and I phoned Helen. -Hey Alex, how did Belle -(TM)s first day go? - -She got herself suspended for fighting. - -Oh shit, really? What happened? - I gave her a brief outline of the afternoon -(TM)s action. -So everyone from the head down sees this as Jade -(TM)s fault, so why suspend Belle? - -I -(TM)m guessing it -(TM)s to keep her out of the way while they deal with Jade -(TM)s friends. - -Ahh yes, I missed that angle, fair enough. How -(TM)s Jade? - -She was taken to hospital, she was awake when they put her in the ambulance, the school will update me in the morning. - -That -(TM)s a relief. - -Anyway, this isn -(TM)t the main reason I called. - -Oh, did you just want a chat? - -I always want a chat, but this is a bit more serious. - -OK, I -(TM)m in serious mode now. - -The red and black room. - -Ahh, OK, what about it? - -It -(TM)s not there anymore. - -Are you sure? - -I -(TM)ve just watched a video, Poppy has confirmed it -(TM)s the place she was in and the man who abused her in the room is no longer around. - -The videos? - -Also gone. - -Can I see the video? - -You -(TM)ll have to come here, it -(TM)s in a password protected folder, and it -(TM)s going to disappear shortly. - -Nita -(TM)s working tonight, I -(TM)ll come round in a bit, maybe have a word with Belle. - -We -(TM)re playing it that Belle isn -(TM)t to blame, although she did overreact. - -That -(TM)s exactly what I -(TM)m going to say, I -(TM)ll see if she has any temper issues. - -I don -(TM)t think so, I think she wanted to show Poppy that she -(TM)s not as defenceless as Poppy thinks. - -Ahh yes, of course that -(TM)s what happened, why didn -(TM)t I think of that. In that case I don -(TM)t need to speak to her at all. - -Sometimes you think so hard you miss the obvious sis, that -(TM)s not a criticism by the way, the girls love you, they really appreciate all the help you -(TM)ve given them. - -I know what you mean, I -(TM)ve always had a problem with overthinking, anyway, I -(TM)ll be round in about an hour, let you all have your dinner in peace for once. - I cut the call just as Poppy yelled up the stairs that dinner was ready, so I shut down my computer and wandered downstairs. Jenny and the girls were already in the dining room, Belle was serving lasagne whilst Lia was handing round a basket of garlic bread. -This smells delicious, - I said as I took the seat between Jenny and Poppy. Belle took my plate and filled it with lovely layered pasta and beef, -I hope it -(TM)s OK, I -(TM)ve never made it before, the sauce was hard to make, but I think it -(TM)s all worked. - As I was the last to be served, we all tucked in, -mmm, it -(TM)s brilliant Belle, - was the refrain from the whole table. -Really, it -(TM)s OK? - she asked. -It -(TM)s more than OK, - Poppy told her, -It -(TM)s great. - -Yeah, it -(TM)s really good, - Jenny added, -the sauce is tasty and not even slightly lumpy. I -(TM)ve never managed to make a decent bechamel sauce. - -Thanks, - Belle beamed, -I wasn -(TM)t sure I was in the mood for cooking, but we needed to eat so I just got stuck in. It was quite therapeutic, really calming me down as I worked. Oh, Lia made the garlic bread, so she deserves some thanks. - Lia blushed as we all complimented her, -Katie helped, I had no clue what to do. All the cooking I did at home was shoving ready meals in the microwave. - -The garlic bread is wonderful, - Belle told her, -cooked just right, thank you for helping, and thank you for parading around the kitchen in your underwear, it cheered me up immensely. - Lia looked across the table at me, -and thank you Alex for being a perfect gentleman. - -Why, what did he do, - Jenny asked her. -He left the kitchen before I took my new top off so I wouldn -(TM)t splash it when we were cooking. - -I tried to drag him back to the kitchen, - Poppy added, -but he refused. I think dad has a lot of respect for Lia. - -That sounds like I don -(TM)t respect you three, - I replied. -Sorry, that -(TM)s not how I meant it to sound, it -(TM)s just you -(TM)ve never shied away from looking at us when we -(TM)re nude, not that it bothers me in the slightest. - -Nor me, - Belle chipped in, -I like being naked. - -When I saw you all naked first you kind of ambushed me, - I started, trying to defend my honour. -Because we wanted you to see our bodies, - Poppy replied, -and if we didn -(TM)t do it that way, you -(TM)d have left the room just like you did before. Lia though, isn -(TM)t ready for that, she might never be ready... - -And now we know you -(TM)re still the perfect gentleman, - Belle added, -not that we ever doubted it. And you can still see my boobies any time. I -(TM)ll show you now if you like. - I put my hand out to stop her as she started to lift her t-shirt, -it -(TM)s OK Belle, - I laughed, -not at the dinner table. - Jenny tapped my shoulder, I turned to face her, and she kissed me, full on the lips, -every day you give me a reason to love you more, thank you, - she whispered as we parted. After dinner Lia helped me clear the table as the girls dashed up to their study to do their homework. -I meant that sincerely before, - Lia said as she rinsed the plates before I stacked them in the dishwasher, -thank you for being a gentleman. I -(TM)ve had a great day, the best day I can remember. It was a lot of fun shopping, we had some drama at school I know, but even that was amazing to witness. It was fascinating to see how close the girls are, looking at them on the sofa, Katie and Poppy so close, protecting and soothing their sister. - -They -(TM)re a tight unit, definitely, - I replied as I heard the door opening, -ahh that -(TM)s Helen, I need to show her something upstairs, are you ok finishing up here? - -I am, thanks. I -(TM)ll go and help Belle with her letter once I -(TM)m done here. - -Thanks Lia. I love how quickly you -(TM)ve settled in. Jenny was just saying before how amazing it is that you all get on so well. - -It -(TM)s because we all have something in common, our past lives all hold some horror, all different, but it -(TM)s part of who we are. Poppy and her sisters have been helping each other heal and grow, and now they -(TM)re going to help me while I help them. - -That -(TM)s just reminded me, - I said as Helen joined us, she put her arm around Lia and hugged her as I continued, -they -(TM)re not sure what you want to be? - -In what way? - -Well, in relation to the others, Belle -(TM)s not sure if you want to be their sister, or just Katie -(TM)s girlfriend. It -(TM)s not massively important in the grand scheme of things I suppose. - -But they want to know where they stand, I get that totally, - Lia replied, -I think I -(TM)m primarily Katie -(TM)s girlfriend, but I -(TM)m happy to be Belle and Poppy -(TM)s sister, after all, who wouldn -(TM)t want them to be their sisters? - -Inside Belle is still very insecure I think, - Helen told Lia in confidence, -she just wants to know where she stands. - -Well, I think I -(TM)ll go and help her with her letter and make sure she knows she is definitely my sister. I only spent a couple of months with her on the streets, in that time I grew to love her dearly, I missed her smiles and enthusiasm so much when I had to leave them because I couldn -(TM)t stay in the underground any longer. - -She -(TM)ll appreciate that, - Helen said as we left Lia to finish stacking the dishwasher. Jenny was in the office finishing off some paperwork, -hey Helen, I didn -(TM)t hear you come in. - -I just arrived, had a quick chat with Lia in the kitchen. I -(TM)ve just come round to watch the video, to make sure it is the place I was thinking about. When I -(TM)m done here, I -(TM)ll go check on Belle before I leave. - -No need to dash off, I -(TM)m going to watch some TV once I -(TM)ve finished filling out these reports, we could share a bottle of wine while we watch some Netflix. - -I -(TM)d like that, thanks. What about you Alex, do you want to Netflix and chill? - -I -(TM)d love to, but I -(TM)ve got to do some work on book, Lois has sent me a load of edits. - -Ahh well, it -(TM)ll just be us girls, we can watch something that -(TM)ll make us cry. - I logged into my email and opened the dropbox link, -oh wow, it expires in 20 minutes, - I said, -I thought we had longer than that. - Helen slid into my seat and hit the play button. She watched it carefully then replayed it twice more before she paused it at the point where we first see the man in the chair. -It -(TM)s definitely the same place, - she said quietly, -I remember that chair very well, those metal restraints were awful, you can -(TM)t see them here, but there -(TM)s also some for your ankles, they -(TM)re supposed to be felt-lined so they don -(TM)t hurt, but they -(TM)re not. - I could tell Helen was getting distressed from the memories, I rubbed her back lightly as I reached across to shut the video down. She gently pushed my hand away from the mouse. -It -(TM)s ok, I need to remember this, I -(TM)ve got to place it all in context. - She moved the video forwards frame by frame for a moment then stopped it, pointing at the screen, -see that? It -(TM)s the fleur-de-lis I mentioned, Poppy remembered seeing it. - She rolled the video forwards until we saw the pile of computer equipment, -I honestly don -(TM)t know if my time there was recorded, you -(TM)re probably right though, they most likely recorded everything that went on in that room. In fact, I bet I -(TM)m lucky because I used a completely made up name when I booked my session, if I used my real name or my modelling name I imagine I -(TM)d have heard off them with a hefty blackmail demand. -Hopefully if there were videos, they -(TM)re in that pile and we -(TM)ll never know one way or the other. I can live with that. - Helen shut the video down and stood, she started to cry as she hugged me, I saw Jenny leave the room to give her some privacy. We hugged for a long time, Helen -(TM)s tears running down my back as she held me tightly, -I did so much bad shit Alex, and I never told you about any of it. If I was fine with what I was doing, why didn -(TM)t I tell you at the time. Oh god Alex, how can you even stand to be in the room with me? - -Because I love you Helen, you -(TM)re a wonderful, clever, strong woman. We all do shit we -(TM)re not proud of every now and again, the trick is to learn from our mistakes and don -(TM)t do them again. You told us that, when Poppy was struggling the other week. - -I did, and I wish I lived by my own platitudes. I was a terrible person for the longest time Alex, I really was. Oh fuck I took so many drugs when I was doing hardcore, I had to, I -(TM)d never have the guts to do some of that shit without them, and then I took more to forget what I -(TM)d just done. -I have no fucking idea what -(TM)s out there Alex, none at all. The stuff in that box, that -(TM)s what I found in shops around Soho, there -(TM)s bound to be so much more out there. What if it comes out? I -(TM)ll be ruined, and so will you and Nita. - -When did you stop doing hardcore? - -Before I met Nita, so it -(TM)ll be 7 years at least. - -And how much of your porn have you found or seen online? - -Just the stuff in the box, I -(TM)ve seen nothing online. - -Are you more or less famous now than you were then? - -Oh gosh, I -(TM)m almost unknown now. - -So, the time to leak your sex-tapes is long gone, don -(TM)t you think? - -It probably is, - Helen replied as she pulled away from me a little, she caught sight of her reflection in a mirror, -oh shit, just look at me, everything has run. - -You -(TM)re still gorgeous Helen. - -Stop it Alex, you don -(TM)t need to lie to make me feel better, you already did that by holding me just then. Are you sure you need to work now? It would be nice to have a cuddle while we watch a film. - -I guess my edits can wait. - -Amazing. I -(TM)ll have a word with Belle then we can watch something funny and romantic. - -Err, maybe you should wash your face first. - Helen looked in the mirror again, -nah, fuck it, they can see me like this, nobody has to be strong all the time. - I shut my computer down and followed Helen down to the girl -(TM)s study. -Hey Belle, - she said as she stepped into the study. -Hey Helen, - Belle cried, -oh, are you OK? - -Yes, I -(TM)m fine now, just had a bit of a cry. - Poppy spun her chair around and rolled over to give Helen a hug, -we -(TM)ve still got all the makeup you left. - -Thanks Poppy, I -(TM)ll wash this all off in a minute. I wanted to see how Belle -(TM)s day went. - -Ahh, have you not heard? - Belle asked. -No, I -(TM)ve been too busy crying about shit from the past, - Helen lied. -Err, well, I might have got myself suspended for fighting. - -Oh wow, that -(TM)s quick work! - Helen cried as she knelt by Belle -(TM)s chair, -tell me everything. - I left them to it and joined Jenny downstairs to update her on what just happened with Helen.