Текст книги "Frozen"

Автор книги: L.A. Casey

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

"What do you mean Darcy stole from you, and that Sean helped?" I rolled my eyes at Justin Hart, Darcy's older brother, even though he couldn't see me.

Justin was my brother's best friend, and pretty much my adoptive big brother. I liked to call him 'Wise One' because he was only seven years older than me and yet had the mind of a pensioner. I don't mean he was forgetful, I just mean he is a very smart man and knew stuff normal people in their thirties probably wouldn't.

"I mean exactly that, Justin. Yesterday while I was at home minding me own business your bastard of a brother came into me apartment with my bastard of a brother, and stole me Christmas present for Charli!"

Justin sighed into the speaker of his phone as he accepted what I said as truth. Hearing this sort of thing wasn't a far-fetched idea when Darcy and myself were involved. In fact, things like this happened so often they were probably tiresome for everyone else to hear.

Scratch that, I knew for a fact they were tiresome for everyone to hear.

The entire village was more than likely feed up with our feud.

"Is it possible that he is just messing with you? It is Darcy after all."

I scoffed. "No, we've been fighting over this present since yesterday-"

"What?" Justin cut me off. "Since yesterday? What do you mean?"

I groaned. "It's a long story."

Justin made his trademark God-save-me-from-Neala-and-Darcy sigh. "When you and Darcy are involved in something together it usually is. Come over to me house and tell me about it – I'm chilling with Dustin until his ma is home from work."

I had nowhere better to go so I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Okay, I'll be over in ten."

Justin only lived a few minutes down the road from my apartment complex in a small housing estate just outside the village. I visited often because I currently was out of work for the moment so it meant I had nothing else to do. I wasn't a dead beat, I had a job, a great job, at the Holiday Inn as a receptionist, but the hotel was currently under construction. A year and a half ago the owners decided to rip the old hotel down, and rebuild a brand new bigger hotel in its place. I'd get my old job back in the New Year once the hotel reopened on January 3rd, it's guaranteed, but until then I was seeking unemployment payment from welfare just to help me get by. It's shite money, but at least it was something.

I put on my coat, wellie boots, scarf, wooly hat, and gloves. It wasn't just the ice outside that I had to worry about anymore, since I got home from Smyths yesterday it had started to snow enough to stick to the ground and cause problems. There was already a few inches on the ground. It was unheard of weather for Dublin, it only snowed once every five or six years, but the pending winter snowfall was said to be our worst in history. I haven't paid much attention to the warnings though, half the time the weather channel got it wrong anyway so I never took was they said as fact.

I locked up my apartment then headed out of the complex and onto the street. It took a little longer than usual when walking to Justin's house. The snow was so thick that I had to watch my step because I wasn't sure if there was ice under the layers of snow. It was better to be safe than sorry.

By the time I arrived onto Fairview Road, where Justin and his family resided, it had begun to snow again and it did nothing for my heated temper, or my ice-cold limbs.

"You look frozen," Justin's laughing voice called out as I hiked my way up his drive way.

I grunted, "If I wasn't so stiff and cold, I'd stick me finger up at you."

Justin smirked as I neared him. "The death like glare you're currently giving me is a grand replacement."

I couldn't help it, I smiled or r at least I tried to – I was so damn numb I couldn't tell if my lips moved or not.

"You look like you're constipated," Justin mused as I stepped into his hallway.

I groaned as Justin closed his front door, and the heat of his house surrounded me.

"Me face is frozen, you dick!" I said through my chattering teeth.

Justin laughed as he ushered me into his living room where it was even warmer. I scurried over to the radiator under the living room window and pressed me arse and thighs against it. I sighed in delight and stayed put as the heat caused tingles to spread across my skin when I began to thaw out from the cold.

"You sound like you're in a porno."

I kept my eyes closed. "Only you would think that, pervert."

I heard a giggle.

"What's a porno?" a small voice asked.

I opened my eyes and widened them to the point of pain. Dustin, Justin's son, was leaning against the doorframe of the living room with his arms crossed over his chest and a quizzical look on his face.

Justin was looking at Dustin with worried eyes, and after a few moments of silence he said, "Never mind... don't repeat it to your mother though."

Dustin smirked. "Is it something bad?"

Uh-oh, the kid had a blackmail look about him.

Justin awkwardly scratched his neck. "No... Not necessarily. Look little man, just don't tell your ma I said that word, okay?"

Dustin tilted his head to the side as he thought about it, and I smiled. He was the double of Justin with his blond hair and big eyes, but looked like his uncle when he was thinking.

I shook the unwelcomed pleasant thoughts about Darcy away, and focused on the cutie before me.

"What's in it for me?" Dustin asked his father.

I laughed. "He's your kid, there's no doubting that."

Justin grunted at me without looking away from his son. "I'll let you out of helping me wash the dishes for a whole week, how does that sound?"

Dustin considered it for a moment then suggested, "A week without washing the dishes and a week of last night snacks?"

Justin balked. "You're killing me kid, your ma will have me arse if she knows you've had sugary snacks past bedtime."

Dustin stood up straight, a sign to me that he wasn't about to back down.

"That's the deal, Da. Take it or leave it."

I covered my mouth with my hand so I wouldn't laugh.

The kid had Justin by the bollocks.

"Okay, fine, you little shite – but not a word to your ma about the snacks, dishes, or the not bad word I said, okay?"

Dustin grinned from ear to ear. "What word, Da?"

He turned and ran out of the room then.

"Hey, rude kid! Say hello to Neala!"

I heard Dustin's feet as he pattered up the stairs at lightening speed.

"Heya, Auntie Neala. Bye, Auntie Neala."

I laughed, "Hello and goodbye to you too, Dusty!"

I looked to Justin who was grumbling under his breath as he sat on the recliner chair facing me.

"You can't be mad, he isn't doing anything you weren't doing at his age."

Justin snorted. "You weren't alive when I was his age."

I rolled my eyes. "Give it a rest. You've got seven years on me, Wise One, not seventy."

Justin grinned then nodded his head at the living room doorway.

"Can you believe he is turning seven in July?"

I shook my head. "Nope, it's like yesterday he was born."

Justin smiled as he thought about that fond memory. "The kid is too smart for a six year old. I wasn't as advanced as him when I was his age, nor was I that much of a hustler."

I cackled, "He's picked up some new tricks, that's for sure."

Justin scoffed, "All at me own expense."

"Would you have him any other way?" I asked, smiling.

Justin looked at me and smiled. "No."

"That's what I thought," I snickered then said, "I still can't believe you wouldn't give on his name. Justin and Dustin is confusing to me sometimes."

"I wanted him called after me, but his ma wasn't having it so Dustin was a close second."

Justin smiled then stared at me until I squirmed.

"Stop staring at me, you're freaking me out."

Justin simply laughed at me.

I moved away from the radiator now that I had feeling back in most parts of my body. I took off my wellie boots and other winter layers, leaving them by the radiator to dry then I sat across from Justin and rubbed my arms with my hands.

"This winter is horrible."

Justin nodded his head in agreement. "It's going to get even worse, too."

God, I hoped not.

I leaned my head back against the chair. "Where's your baby mama?"

Justin pulled a face at me. "Sarah is working."

I snapped my fingers. "Right, you mentioned that on the phone. How's work going for her?"

Justin shrugged. "It's going as well as can be down the pub. She and Jess have pretty much the same shifts so they have a bit of craic together."

"Good, glad to hear it."

Justin grinned. "Spit it out."

I smiled knowingly, nothing got past Justin.

"Spit what out?"

"Why are you really here, kid? I know it's not to shoot the shit and rag on petty little things so say whatever it is about Darcy that you need to say," Justin said, a warm smile on his face.

Time to get down to business.

I trained my gaze on him. "I'm here to enlist you into me army."

"Steady on, Lara Croft," Justin laughed.

I hissed, "I'm serious. I need you on me side in order to win this war."

Justin dropped his smile, and stared at me in horror. "War? Army? Who the hell are you fighting, Neala?"

"Darcy and Sean," I spat out their names. "Apart, I can handle them but together they form one working brain and can anticipate me every move. I need help to defeat them. Your help."

Justin blinked. "I don't like the vibe off you right now, you sound, and look... murderous."

I evilly grinned. "I am, and your brother is one of two on me hit list."

Justin screeched, "Fucking hell, will you blink already? You're scaring me, Neala!"

I snorted and batted my eyelashes.

"Better?" I sarcastically asked.

"No," Justin huffed. "You looked like that chick out of-"

"I don't care who or what I look like, Justin," I cut him off. "I really need your help, your stupid little brother has crossed a line with me, and I intend to make the bastard pay."

Justin sat forward and scrubbed his face with both of his hands.

"Tell me," he sighed. "What exactly has Darcy done to upset you so much?"

I swallowed down my rage, and reminded myself Justin wasn't the person who I was angry with.

"He stole a doll from me."

Justin raised an eyebrow and muttered, "A doll?"

I nodded my head. "Long story short we both fought for the same doll in Smyths yesterday. He wanted it for Dustin, and I wanted it for Charli. I won it fair and square." He didn't need to know that was a lie. "But that wasn't enough for Darcy. He came into me home pretending that he wanted us to be friends, and when me back was turned he stole the doll right out from underneath me nose. Who does that? That is me niece's Christmas present and he just took it! I knew better than to believe him, but Sean vouched for him so I had no reason to doubt him, you know?"

I looked down to my fisted hands and willed them to stop shaking, but I couldn't make them stop. They weren't shaking from the cold anymore. I was so angry with Darcy, and hurt that he would do this to me. The hurt I felt disgusted me more than anything because I swore a long time ago that Darcy's actions wouldn't phase me, and yet here I was close to tears over the idiot.

My brother's role in Darcy's messed up game was upsetting, but I knew deep down Sean thought I enjoyed my tug of war games with Darcy, and to an extent I usually did. But not today.

Justin frowned as he looked at me. "I agree he shouldn't have robbed the doll from you, but I don't think he intended to upset you. In his mind he probably thinks you're cooking up a plan to get the doll back from him. This is what you and Darcy do, kid. You play off one another."

I grunted, "Not anymore, he crossed a line by coming to me house spewing lies about false relationship mending. I hate liars and he knows that."

Justin chewed on his lower lip. "I feel for you, kid, and I want to help you even the playing field out, but I can't step in on this one. Orders from the head office."

The head office?

No. Way.

I gasped. "Our mothers!"

I don't know why I was even surprised at the mention of our mothers being involved in this situation – those two knew everything. They had eyes and ears all over the bloody village.

Justin grinned at my outburst. "They never told me what was going on, but they warned me not to get involved because they don't want to encourage any drama between you both that will roll over to Sean and Jess's engagement party tomorrow night."

How did they even know what Darcy and I were up too?

Did someone in Smyths let on what happened to them?

"Those meddling cows! How come Darcy gets Sean's help and I have to go it alone?"

Justin winced and I guessed it was because of how unfair everyone was being to me.

"Maybe they know your cleverness and wit is worth ten of Sean and Darcy put together, and that you don't need the extra help to outsmart them both?"

I couldn't help but smile,

Justin was a smooth talker.

"You're such a lick arse." I chuckled.

Justin smiled. "I know what to say in certain situations, it's a nice trait to have."

I snorted. "Well, if you aren't going to help me bring down dumb and dumber then keep mum that I know Darcy has the doll, okay? I want him sweating with worry on when and how I'm going to strike back."

Justin winked. "You got it, and for whatever it's worth, kid, I'm rooting for you to come out on top on this one. Literally."

That sounded suggestively hinted at Darcy and myself, and I was about to call Justin on it just as a shout came from upstairs.

"Da, I'm starving!"

I rolled my eyes at Dustin's dramatics.

"What do you want to eat?" Justin shouted.

"Pizza!" Came Dustin’s quick response.

I snorted as Justin reached for his phone.

"Don't judge me. I don't like cooking."

I motioned with my hand over my mouth that my lips were sealed.

Justin smirked. "You staying for dinner?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure, plotting my plan of attack against your brother over pizza sounds perfect to me."

Justin shook his head as he pressed on the screen of his phone, and lifted it to his ear. "Poor little brother, he doesn't realise he opened the gates to Hell."

How do you ignore a person who bought you something nice?

Easily, you don’t look at them.

"Which one do you want to wear tonight at the party? The red one, or the blue one?" my mother questioned me as she held up two identical skin-tight dresses only in different colours. They were gifts from her since I didn't bother to go out and get anything new to wear for the party.

I already decided on wearing the blue one, but just to be a brat I yawned with boredom and looked anywhere but at her and the dresses, and it displeased my mother greatly.

"Can you at least pretend you're excited about going to Sean and Jessica's engagement party?" My mother frowned, and lowered the outfits to her side.

I raised my eyebrow. "I am excited... for Jess anyway, no comment on me feelings towards Sean right now... or you and the other meddling cow for that matter."

My mother huffed, "For goodness sakes, Neala. It's not a terrible thing we did. Marie and I just don't want you or Darcy to ruin the party with your arguing. We're your mothers, we known what you're both capable of."

Way to place the blame!

"Oh, thanks very much!" I snapped.

My mother groaned. "I don't mean it like that-"

"Then pray tell what did you mean it like?" I cut my mother off.

My mother shook her head as she gently laid both outfits over the back of my lounge chair. She folded her arms across her chest and stared me down like displeased mothers usually did when they were about to scold their children.

"Everyone knows what you and Darcy are like when you're caught up in a fight, you both don't care how it effects the people around you. Justin was told not to get involved because we didn't want the current dilemma to build up and explode tonight in front of the entire village."

I gasped. "We're two people, Ma, not bloody ticking time bombs!"

My mother rolled her eyes. "You're both the equivalent to chemical warfare during an argument, Neala."

Talk about dramatics!

"That's ridiculous."

"No," my mother calmly stated. "What's ridiculous is yours and Darcy's behaviour as of late."

I could feel my temperature rise.

"Darcy stole from me, and me so called fucking brother helped him. Why is everyone failing to see that they are in the wrong here?"

I hated that my eyes filled with water and so did my mother from the saddened look she gave me. I held up my hand and shook my head when she made a move to come over to comfort me.

"I'm fine, I just hate that everyone is siding with him."

My mother's frown deepened. "Honey, we aren't picking sides here. We just don't want what normally happens with you and Darcy to happen at the engagement party... Is that so horrible?"

I thought about it and decided that it wasn't horrible. I didn't want to ruin anybody's party, but I wasn't letting Darcy think for a moment that he had gotten away with what he had done. No way.

"No, it's not. You're right. I'll behave, I will just stay away from Darcy at the party so nothing will happen," I said and stood up from the couch.

I passed my mother and picked up the blue dress from the back of the lounge chair and smiled. "I like this one." I walked down to my bedroom to get ready for the party when my mother's words halted my steps.

"Just so you know, sweetheart, I'm always in your corner. Always."

I smiled as I entered my room, and closed the door behind me.

I would do as mine and Darcy's mother wished – I would stay away from Darcy and I wouldn't cause trouble with him. I smirked to myself then as an evil thought entered my mind.

I didn't need to be near him to mess with him.

I was suddenly excited about the engagement party tonight, very excited.

"Neala!"

I looked around for the source of the voice calling my name and when I found Jessica Waters, my soon-to-be sister-in-law walking toward me I smiled wide.

"Jess, hey, you look gorgeous!"

She has on a knee length whine coloured lace dress. It was stunning and her figure of never ending curves did wonders for her and the dress. She looked sexy as sin.

"Me? Look at you! God, I'd bloody kill for your legs!" she gushed as she crashed into me and hugged me tightly.

I laughed and hugged her tightly back and kissed her cheek for good measure.

I didn't do the friend thing very well. Darcy made sure to ruin that for me at a young age, but Jess was a friend of mine and even though I couldn't fully trust anyone enough in order to tell them my deepest and darkest secrets, I could trust her enough to lightly vent to.

"So, you and Darcy… What the hell happened? Sean told me he may not live long enough to see our wedding if you get your hands on him anytime soon."

It wasn't something to laugh about, especially because Jess looked genuinely concerned, but I couldn't help it. It was funny.

"I shouldn't be laughing because I'm seriously pissed off at both Darcy and Sean, but it's nothing that payback can't wait a few days for... for Sean anyway." I smirked.

Jess widened her eyes. "You plan on getting Darcy back for whatever he did... tonight?"

Shite.

She looked worried.

"Yes, but I promise it won't cause a scene or put a dent on your engagement party."

Jess waved me off. "I don't mean that. I mean Darcy got to you so much that you want to seek revenge right away, you usually wait until he isn't on Neala alert."

Neala alert was a two worded code Darcy made up when we were eight. He used it to let people know not to distract him because he was completely focused on his surroundings and on the look out for me. Neala alert usually happened to Darcy after he pulled a prank on me or if he just pissed me off.

I shrugged my shoulders. "He crossed a line this time."

Jess stared at me and waited for me to explain.

I sighed. "It may sound stupid, but he stole a doll from me that I bought for Charli for Christmas a few days ago at Smyths, and your soon-to-be husband helped him. I'm sort of mad about it."

Sort of… Okay, I was livid.

"This is all over a doll?" Jess asked and her tone now amused.

No.

I huffed. "It's not about the bloody doll. It's about the fact that he stole something from me that was mine, and I don't plan on letting him get away with it."

Jess frowned. "You seem… upset?"

"I am," I said.

"No." Jess shook her head. "I mean you seem upset, like really upset, not just annoyed."

I shrugged my shoulders. "He went too far this time, he tried to trick me into thinking he wanted to be me friend again."

Jess blinked her big blue eyes. "I'm sorry, babe."

I didn't want to lose my cool and dwell on my silly feelings so I forced a smile and waved the conversation off.

"It's nothing a bit of payback won't fix."

Jess grinned. "You're hard-core, babe."

"In all aspects of me life," I teased.

Jess laughed and pulled me into another hug. When we separated Darcy's mother, Marie, was in front of us with a very large camera in her hands pointed directly at us.

"Smile, lovelies." She beamed.

Jess and I straightened up and put an arm around one another's waist and smiled wide into the camera lens. The flash that went off was bright and spotted my vision for a few moments. When my eyes refocused I instantly narrowed them when I saw him.

"You," I growled.

Darcy was standing behind his mother as he knowingly grinned at me. The pussy, he was actually using his mother, the women who carried him for nine months and birthed him, as a human shield. He was a bloody wimp!

"You both promised you wouldn't start any fights tonight," Marie said as she turned to her side and looked back and forth between Darcy and myself.

I continued to glare at Darcy as I said, "I know, and I'm not going to start anything."

Darcy winked at me and said, "Me either."

I clasped my hands together to try and kill the slap-Darcy-itch that gathered on both of my palms.

"Is it too much to ask for a picture? The last one we have of you both together is from when you're both kids."

Lie.

"We're in tons of pictures-"

"They are family pictures," Marie cut me off. "Not any of just the two of you both in a picture on your own... not smiling anyway."

I swallowed down the rejection I planned when I saw Marie's face, she looked so hopeful that I couldn't say no to her even though I really wanted to. She was like a mother to me and I hated seeing her upset.

"Okay, fine."

Marie's gasped and quickly grabbed a reluctant Darcy's arm and all but threw him at me.

"Arm over her shoulder, Darcy, and arm around his waist, Neala. Somebody get Clare, she needs to witness this, it might never happen again!"

I rolled my eyes.

We weren't a bloody comet that only passed by the Earth once in a millennium.

I wanted to get the picture done, but Marie wouldn't move until Clare, my meddling mother, was next to her.

"Why do you want me Ma?" I asked as I sharply put my arm around Darcy's waist and left it hover there, making sure to barely touch him.

I refused to look at Darcy as the side of his body moulded against mine. This was horrible and he would no doubt make me break my promise to our mother's if I looked at him so I kept my gaze on Marie's bright one.

"Because we haven't seen this type of picture in nearly a decade!" Marie stated making Jess, who came up beside her, laugh.

"You both look great together," Jess commented just as my mother appeared.

My flesh and blood aka my cow of a mother squealed, "Oh, don't they just."

To which I growled, "Don't."

Jess smirked, my mother ignored me, and Marie pretended the camera suddenly wasn't working just so Darcy and I would be stood next to one another for longer. She thought she was being clever, but she was just being obvious. Well, to me she was anyway.

"Come on, Ma, you turned it off. So just turn the fecking thing back on," Darcy suddenly grunted.

I mentally snorted.

Okay, so he knew what she was up to as well.

"Don't rush me, I birthed you so I can unbirth you just as quick!" Marie snapped at Darcy making Jess laugh.

I glared at Jess who only continued to beam in our direction. It was honestly starting to freak me out so I switched my gaze to my mother, but when I saw water pool in her eyes I quickly made Marie my focus point.

Bloody women.

"Okay, both of you smile," Marie said in a cheerful voice then huffed, "and don't force it, Neala!"

I rolled my eyes but did as asked and smiled wide – and because Darcy didn't get told off I imagined he did the same. I flinched a little after the flash of the camera went off, but I quickly snapped out of it.

"Oh, my goodness!" Marie beamed. "It's beautiful. I'm framing this!"

"Me too!" my mother gushed.

"Oh, my God," I grumbled as I quickly dropped my arm away from Darcy and took a step too the left.

The freedom was short lived because my mother shot forward and pushed me back against Darcy, which surprised me and caused me to stumble. I was even more surprised when large hands gripped onto my waist and kept me upright and on my feet.

"Careful," Darcy muttered, but didn't look at me as he pulled away from me once again.

I brushed myself off with my hands and mumbled, "Thanks."

I blinked when I realised those were the nicest thing Darcy and I have willingly said to one another in years.

Wow.

My mother's giggle got my attention.

"Sorry, baby, but I want pictures with the both of you... with Sean."

I glared at my mother. "You're pushing it."

She just smiled at me like she had no clue what I was talking about, but of course she did because she knew everything. The cow knew Darcy and Sean were on my hit list and she wanted me in close proximity with both of them? She really was testing a girl's restraint.

"Sean!" my mother shouted.

I don't know how he heard her over the punters in the pub, but Sean popped up behind Jess and rubbed his neck as he said, "Yeah, Ma?"

My mother snapped her fingers at him. "Picture time with Neala and Darcy, now."

Sean hesitated when our eyes locked.

He swallowed, and shook his head. The worry on his face made me happy.

He was scared, and he should be.

"Sean, don't make me ask again. Get in the picture with Neala and Darcy."

Sean visibly paled as he stepped around a laughing Jess and walked in our direction.

"Please don't hit me," Sean muttered as he came up against my left side.

I gritted my teeth. "No promises."

My mother was exasperated as she gave the lads orders on where to put their hands on my body. They were both told to place their hands on my back, and lean into me because I was considerably shorter than both of them. I blew out a breath when their hands pressed against me and we were told to smile.

"Stunning!" Marie gushed.

I could feel the lads start to pull away when Justin's voice suddenly sounded in my ear.

"Don't forget me."

Our mother's squealed with delight.

Justin placed his hands on Sean and Darcy's shoulders and rested his chin on my head.

"Smile!" Marie shouted proudly.

We did as ordered and when the last flash went off I couldn't help but groan.

"Was that the last one?"

I felt a hand nudge my back. "Don't complain about getting in pictures with family, kid," Justin said.

I grunted but kept my mouth shut.

"No, it's not the last one. Now one with you all and Jess since she is joining the family. Where is Sarah? I want a group photo of all of you together"

I growled at my mother while Jess pranced over to Sean's side. My mother shouted Sarah’s name and like Sean, she appeared out of nowhere and stood behind me with Justin.

"Okay, big smiles everyone. This is one for me wall." My mother smiled.

I couldn't help but smile at my mother's excitement.

Her "Wall" was the wall along her hallway in her house. She had a pretty big house, the hallway was very long and pictures covered the entire wall. It looked beautiful, but only the nearest and dearest pictures went up onto the wall – and if you were in one that made the cut, you were practically being honoured by my mother... and Marie, because behind every decision my mother made was Marie, and vice versa.

After the final flash from the camera I stepped away from dumb and dumber and surged towards my mother. "Where is me da?" I asked.

My mother waved her hand towards the back of the pub where the plasma screens were. "Back there – he's watching some football documentary, I don't know."

Without a word to anyone I took off in search of my father because he had something I needed, something I asked him to bring. Something that would partially get Darcy back for what he has done to me over the past few days, and also something that would lead to me getting the doll back.

I found my father right where my mother said he would be, watching a football documentary with his friends while drinking – it was a pub we were in after all.

I moved over to my father and leaned down. "Did you bring it?" I asked.

Darcy's father, Mark, smiled and shook his head as my father discreetly reached into his shirt pocket and took out a strip of tablets.

"No more than two, you will cripple the lad otherwise," my father said without looking away from the plasma screen.

I smiled, he was all for me getting revenge on Darcy, but he didn't want Darcy severely hurt. My father loved Darcy, he thought of him as a son, but I was his baby girl so when I rang him in tears – fakes ones, by the way – and explained how Darcy and Sean had robbed me of Charli's Christmas present – his precious grand daughter – he was furious and more than ready to help me get revenge, and also get the doll back. He came up with a deadly idea to seek revenge, and even though it was old school, it was still gold. It wouldn't harm Darcy, only his pride, and it would help me get the doll back. All I had to do was execute my plan perfectly.

Mark laughed out loud which got my attention. "Feck him. He deserves whatever's coming to him after the stunt he pulled. I'm with you on this one, Neala."

I high fived Mark, lovingly patted my father on the back then turned and went searching for Darcy so I could put the laxative tablets to work. Yep, I was armed with laxatives. My plan was to give Darcy the shits for two reasons.

One, he deserves crippling stomach pain and ring burn for stealing the doll from me. Two, it will guarantee he has to head home to use his – ahem – facilities because I had Bob, the pub owner, mark the bathrooms as out of order until Darcy left. It was easy, I just had to pay him twenty Euros.