Chapter 37

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Shannon looked across the breakfast table at Joe, leaving the bowl of cereal in front of her untouched. She rarely ate breakfast but when Joe had presented her with it she hadn't objected, she was in no mood to listen to another lecture about looking after herself properly.

'So what's the plan of action for today?' she asked as she stirred her spoon around the bowl as if she was about to eat.

Joe looked up rubbing his eyes. 'I'm going to get my stuff from the house while Kat's at work and then I'll talk to her tonight.' He sighed deeply. 'I've cleared my diary at work, it's probably best my path doesn't cross with Adam's anytime soon.'

Shannon nodded feeling hurt on his behalf. She hadn't expected his parents to react well to the news that he was splitting up with Katherine but Adam had gone positively nuclear. 'I guess a leopard doesn't change his spots,' she murmured.

Joe shook his head. 'No, he's predictable, I'll give him that. I thought mom might have understood though, she always had reservations about me marrying Kat.'

Shannon looked down at her cereal, which was becoming less appetising by the minute as the milk soaked into it. 'But you didn't tell her the whole story? I mean anything about me?'

'No, I told you that last night. The way Adam was kicking off full disclosure would have only inflamed the situation.'

Shannon nodded, the knot of anxiety in her stomach growing. It was ridiculous that she was more worried about Joe's parent's reaction than she was about Katherine's.

'I think you've gone about this backside first Joey,' she said pushing the cereal away before she heaved. 'You should have told Katherine first.'

Joe shrugged. 'Hindsight's twenty-twenty. I thought I could go back home for a few days and sort things out. How stupid of me to think Adam would put a roof over my head.'

Shannon frowned chewing her bottom lip. 'I still think you should have told Katherine last night and then packed a bag. I can't help thinking you haven't quite made your mind up.'

A look of irritation flashed across his face. 'I have, but it's not that easy Shannon.'

'You mean Katherine won't make it easy for you, so you're trying to sort everything else out first.' 

Joe looked away and she knew she'd hit a nerve. Of course, he hadn't wanted to finish with Katherine until he had somewhere else to live and she kind of understood that. She remembered the dying days of her relationship with Mark, knowing it was over but still living under the same roof, it had been self-inflicted torture. Joe, however, had been living like that for weeks now.

'So what are your plans for today?' she asked letting him off the hook. 'You can stay here for a few days but that's all.' No way was she going to allow him to move in with her by stealth.

'I'll find a hotel, honestly, it's fine. I didn't come here expecting you to put me up but I didn't want to go back to Katherine's late last night.'

It struck her as a little odd that he talked about his home with Katherine as if it was her place only. Maybe it was a sign that he'd already moved on?

'A hotel's going to get expensive though,' she said trying not to feel guilty for not offering to put him up.

'It's only short term, I'll find somewhere to rent.' He smiled at her reassuringly. 'I've just got to move some money around first.'

She raised her eyebrows and he let out a sigh.

'I didn't tell you everything that happened last night. With my parents.'

'Right,' she said drawing out the word.

'Adam went ballistic about all the deposits him and mom have lost.' His voice turned sarcastic. 'They insisted on paying for most of the wedding cos god forbid we didn't have the best of everything. But there are always strings attached with them, I should have known. Adam expects a return on his investment.'

Shannon's eyebrows knotted together. 'I'm not sure I'm following.'

Joe grimaced. 'I've got to pay them back the money they've lost. Or pay mom back cos I doubt Adam fronted the money anyway, he was always making lame jokes about how the bride's family were supposed to pay for the wedding.'

Shannon's eyes widened, that seemed wrong on so many levels. Joe was probably lucky his dad didn't want his first born child as compensation!  'Can you pay them back?' she asked as she mulled over Adam's reasoning. 

Joe nodded. 'It's already done. I had a savings account to pay for the other wedding expenses, like Kat's dress and stuff. I transferred all the money in it to mom, I think it more than covers what she's lost but if it doesn't I'm sure Adam will have payroll dock my wages for the rest.' 

He smiled as if he found his dad's antics amusing but Shannon wasn't taken in. Adam was a bully and Joe was his favourite whipping boy.

'Are you sure you can afford a hotel now you've given your mom this money?' she asked tentatively.

'Yeah, it's fine. I've got long-term savings account with some money in it, I just need to give the bank seven days notice to take it out.'

'Oh, well if you need to stay here for seven days-'

'No, I can put it on a card if I have to. My account isn't completely depleted but...'

'But what?'

'I paid the remainder of the rent when I gave notice to the landlord,' he said and she wondered why he sounded so sheepish. 'Come next month it'll be okay again.'

Shannon swallowed down the guilt that was bubbling up inside her as she thought about how Katherine's life was about to be turned upside down. 'Do you think Katherine will stay in the house?'

Joe shrugged his shoulders. 'I doubt it but the rent's paid until the lease is up so that's one less thing to worry about.' He paused for a moment thinking. 'I guess she could move a friend in with her if she really wanted to stay, it's up to her.'

Shannon felt the tension in her ease a little as she allowed herself to believe that Joe was finally going to finish with Katherine. 'You were busy yesterday,' she said reaching out to ruffle his hair because she knew it annoyed him.

Joe caught her hand, holding onto it for a moment. 'I'm trying to sort out as much as I can before I speak to Kat but there's bound to be some sort of complication.'

Shannon stood up, scraping her uneaten cereal into the bin. 'Well, the sooner you speak to her the sooner you'll know,' she said trying to keep her voice light. 'Don't put it off any longer.'

~~~

Shannon looked nervously at Joe as he parked up outside the house he shared with Katherine. 'Are you sure she's not going to be here?'

'She's at work till five or six,' he said unclipping his seat belt. 'Why don't you come in with me?'

'I'll wait here,' she said glancing at the house for any sign of the curtains twitching.

'Aren't you curious to see inside?'

She shook her head. 'No, that's pretty much the last thing I want to do.' She eyed him suspiciously. 'Joey, I hope you don't think I'm going to slot into Katherine's place in your life. If you're deluding yourself that I'm going to move in here with you...'

He grabbed her hand. 'Of course, I'm not, it was a stupid suggestion. I've given notice to terminate the lease, I don't even like the place.'

She looked at him, scrutinising his face for any signs of insincerity. 'I want to take this slowly, whatever this is.'

'Me too, that's one of the reasons I didn't say anything to my mom. We won't tell anyone.'

She nodded but she felt slightly perturbed. Maybe he wanted to keep his options open after all?  'This means you'll have to date me,' she said regretting the flirty tone her voice took.

He grinned at her. 'So long as you remember the three date rule.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Hurry up and get your stuff so we can go for lunch. I've gotta be at work this afternoon.'

'Okay.' Joe leaned over to kiss her but she could barely respond, she felt distinctly uncomfortable being on Katherine's territory.

'Be quick,' she said lightly pushing him back.

'I'm only getting a few clothes, my laptop and charger.' He opened the car door. 'Stop worrying.'

'I don't see why you can't get your stuff after you talk to Katherine,' she grumbled.

'Cos she's gonna make it difficult if our past conversations are anything to go by.' He gave her a half smile. 'Trust me, on this.'

She nodded and he got out of the car, leaving his keys in the ignition. She sat back unstrapping her seat belt and trying to get more comfortable. She took her phone out and began to browse through her apps to pass the time. She was so engrossed in the latest 'showmances' that were clogging up her newsfeed on Facebook that she barely heard the sound of a car slowly pulling up behind her. She glanced in the interior mirror and her stomach somersaulted as the driver came into view. Katherine. She slid down in her seat, her eyes closed, as she prayed Katherine wouldn't spot her.

~~~

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