The argument was interrupted by a tall and handsome stranger who spoke with a New York accent.

“This must be Steph! I’ve heard so much about you!”

Flick introduced the man as her new husband, Theo Rammaloti-Jones.

“That’s right, you’re looking at the new Mrs Scully-Rammaloti-Jones!” declared Flick, shoving her ring in Steph’s face.
“Great. Where are mum and Shell?”
“Upstairs in the apartment,” said Flick, and she led Steph and Charlie through the bar and up the stairs, as Theo remained behind to open up for business.

“Steffy! Charlie!” screamed Lyn, as she saw her daughter and grandson walk into the room. “How are you both? You must be exhausted after that long flight! Come and sit down!”

Steph was delighted to see her mum, though she noticed that she seemed even more manic than usual. On the other side of the room, Michelle and Oscar were busy decorating a Christmas tree.

“I haven’t seen a real tree like that in years! Isn’t it beautiful?” said Lyn.
“You OK, mum?” asked a concerned Steph.
“Of course I am, Steffy! What could be wrong? It’s, like, Christmas and I’ve got my whole family around me. I just wish Jack and Nina could have been here, y'know...” As she finished the sentence, her voice started to break, and she quickly suggested that she go downstairs and get everyone a drink.

Once Lyn had gone, Steph walked over to the tree, where Charlie was now helping.

“Hey Shell,” said Steph, hugging her little sister. “Is mum alright? She seems a bit… weird.”
“She’s been like that since she arrived. She broke down in tears when she saw the lights in Macy’s windows. I reckon she’s just missing Valda. Or maybe she’s worried about dad arriving.”
“Yeah, maybe.”

Steph went downstairs to find Lyn, who was busy chatting to bartender Edwina Skylark.

“Like hi Steph, I’m Edwina. It’s like totally random of you to come all the way from like Australia!”

Steph ignored the inane idiot and helped Lyn upstairs with the drinks. They found that the tree was finished, and Michelle was playing hide and seek with Oscar and Charlie.

“She’s a good girl, isn’t she? Shell, I mean. Like, she’s had so much to cope with recently, with the miscarriage and the…”
“Wait, what, Michelle was pregnant?”
“Oh Steffy, I’m sorry, I thought she’d have told you. That’s why I came here. When she phoned me a few weeks ago, she was in such a mess and I had to come. And, y’know, I don’t know if it’s helped. She won’t talk to me.”
“Maybe she just needs space, mum. I’ll try talking to her when things are a bit quieter.”
“Oh would you, Steph? I hate the thought of her keeping it all bottled up. That’s what happened to me when Oscar… well, y’know. And I just…” Steph watched as her mum fought back the tears. “I’m fine, Steffy, really,” she said, flapping her hands around.

Just then, Flick emerged from her bedroom, dressed in a ball gown.

“Oh Flick, you look wonnnnderful. Doesn’t she look wonderful, Steph?” said Lyn, snapping out of her teary moment. “Yeah.” “Don’t go overboard with the enthusiasm, will you, Stephanie?” replied Flick, scowling at her big sister. “Theo’s taking me to a club opening. Don’t wait up for us.”

As Steph and Lyn watched Flick disappear down the stairs, neither of them noticed the look of disgust on Michelle’s face.

..

The next morning – Christmas Eve – and Steph awoke to find Lyn standing alone in the kitchen.

“Where is everyone?” she asked her mum, who was still wearing her leopard print dressing gown.
“Flick and Theo haven’t been back, I don’t think. Michelle’s taken the boys to the airport to meet Joe. His flight arrives at 11.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
“What? Oh, Steffy, it’s fine. I’ve seen him plenty of times since the divorce. It’s not a problem.”
“But you haven’t slept under the same roof in quite a while.”
“Steffy! It’s fine. Now I must go and put some clothes on.”

After grabbing a shower, Steph wandered downstairs to find Theo alone in the bar.

“I thought you were still out with Flick,” said Steph, as she approached him, sitting at the bar, nursing an orange juice.
“No, I’ve been here since 3am. Flick went home with some guy.”
“She what?”
“You might aswell know. I'm sick of all the secrets around here. She only married me so I could get my parents’ inheritance, which we used to renovate this place and make it a success.”
“But she’s cheating on you!”
“Nah, we don’t have that kind of relationship. We don’t even share a bed. But I can’t seem to find anyone I like as much as Flick. I even…” He trailed off, realising he’d said too much.
“You even what? Theo?”
“I even… slept with Michelle one night.”
“Oh God. I can’t believe any of this. And…” This time it was Steph’s turn to trail off, as she realised that there was a chance Theo hadn’t known about the baby.

Their conversation was interrupted by Michelle, Joe, Charlie and Oscar arriving back. Steph ran over and hugged her dad.

“And you must be the bloke Flick’s got herself hitched to,” he said, addressing Theo.
“Hi Mr Scully. Welcome to New York.”
“Yeah. Bit of a change from the farm, I can tell ya. So where’s my other girl?”
“She just had to go run a few errands, Mr Scully. She’ll be back shortly.”
“Great. And none of this Mr Scully stuff. Call me Joe.”

As everyone else was busy catching up, Theo managed to get a call in to Flick, telling her his cover story and asking her to come home as quickly as possible.

An hour later and Flick returned, looking like she’d spent the night in the gutter. She barely registered the presence of her dad, and announced that she was going to bed.

“I thought you said she was just out running errands. What the bloody hell’s goin’ on?” Joe shouted at his son-in-law.
“It’s fine, dad, just a few marital dramas. Nothing for us to be concerned with,” Steph quickly interjected, seeing that Theo was slightly scared.
“Really, Steph? Yeah, well, I’ve been there, mate. But if I hear you’ve harmed one hair on Flick’s head, you’ll be wishin’ you’d never married a Scully.”
“I understand, sir.”

Michelle had been watching the whole thing unfold from the other end of the bar, and Steph noticed the look on her face and walked over to her.

“Hey sis. Look, I’m just gonna come out and say it – I know about you and Theo. I know he was the father of your baby, and I know you miscarried.”
“Steph, I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Yeah, well, I think you need to talk about this, before this whole mess gets any worse.”

..

As Lyn came downstairs with Oscar, having finally plucked up the courage to face Joe, she saw Steph and Michelle walking out the door, then saw Joe sitting alone at the bar.

“Hey… hey Joe,” she managed to say as she walked over to join him.
“Lynnie! And how’s my Oscar? You’ve grown, haven’t you, son?”
But Oscar was more interested in playing with the sachets of sugar on the tables, forcing Lyn to make more small talk.
“So… good flight?”
“You know me, Lynnie, never was one for flying. Nearly backed out at the airport, but the thought of seeing my girls got me through.”
“Well, you’re here now… Oscar, put that down sweetheart… and, like, it’s nice for us all to be together.”
“Yeah. Look, Lynnie, I was gonna wait until everyone was together, but I think you ought to know. I’m getting remarried. Her name’s Carmen. We met at a sheep auction.”
“Remarried!” shrieked Lyn, altogether unconvincingly. “How wonderful,” she continued, leaning in to hug her ex-husband.
Lyn was saddened by another reminder of how alone she’d been, ever since her disastrous wedding to Paul, but listened as Joe told her all about his new wife-to-be.

Meanwhile, Steph and Michelle walked through Central Park.

“It was just one night, Steph. Theo had been working here since the bar opened, but he had no idea how I felt about him, he just kept looking at Flick all the time.
“I know how that feels.”
“Then he came up with the money idea and they managed to convince the lawyers that it was true love and they got the inheritance. But Flick doesn’t want him. She’s out every night with a different guy. Then one night we locked up the bar together and started chatting and, well… the next morning he said it was a mistake and we should just pretend it never happened. Then I found out about…”
Steph hugged her sister as she started to cry.
“I just wish I could be a kid again, y’know. Things were so much simpler with Connor.”
“Apart from the time you ran off together and planned to get married to avoid him being deported.”
Michelle smiled a little. “Yeah, apart from that.”

Later that evening, as the rest of the family gathered together upstairs to catch up and play a few games, Flick said that she was going down to help in the bar, though Michelle knew that they probably wouldn’t see her again until the next morning.

The next day, after Charlie and Oscar had spent Christmas morning excitedly opening presents and Lyn had spent three hours slaving over a hot stove, the Scullys, along with Theo, who had been invited, and Edwina, who hadn’t, gathered in the bar for Christmas lunch. Just as they were all sitting down to eat, Flick staggered through the door.

“MERRY CHRIST!” she exclaimed.
“Excuse me?” said Steph, clearly unimpressed.
“HI PEOPLE” Flick continued. “I’ve been fun…having fun… you people are boring.”
“Shut up, Flick,” Michelle piped up.
“No you shut up little sister. You’re so… gah.”
“That’s enough, Flick. Go and sort yourself out,” said Joe, angrily.
“I’ll take Charlie and Oscar upstairs,” interrupted Lyn, “they don’t need this.” Lyn disappeared off, while the argument continued.
“Yeah, thanks Dad. Shut me away upstairs, you were always… embarrassed by me.”
“You’re embarrassing yourself, Felicity,” her father replied, with a sigh.
“I’m not the one whose marriage failed! I’ve made a success of my life!”
“Have you, Flick?” said Steph, knowingly. “Seems to me you’re just as screwed up as the rest of us.”
“No, I’m a success. My bar is a success.”
“But your marriage is a lie.”
Everyone was surprised to hear Theo pipe up, and it was a moment before they even registered what he’d said.
“What do you mean, a lie?” asked Joe, aggressively.
“We only married for money. Flick wanted the money to make her precious bar a success. It’s all she ever thinks about. She doesn’t give a damn about me or anyone else.”
“You’re hardly innocent in all of this. You got Michelle pregnant and…” Steph stopped, realising what she’d said.
“HE WHAT?? Shell?” shouted Flick, who’d almost been asleep on the bar.
“I wanted to tell you, Flick. But. There was never a good time, and you’re hardly even here these days. And anyway, I lost the baby.”
“I don’t believe I’m hearin’ this,” said Joe.
“You lost our baby?” said a stunned Theo.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do.”
“You little skank. Couldn’t you find your own man?” spat Flick at her younger sister.
“Oh you’re a fine one to talk,” said Steph, incredulously. “Remember Marc, or have you conveniently forgotten that little episode?”
“That was different. We were in love.”
“Oh you’re always in love, Flick. A guy just has to sneeze next to you and suddenly you love him.”
“STOP IT. STOP IT ALL OF YOU.” Nobody had noticed Lyn come back downstairs. She had a suitcase in one hand, and Oscar in the other. “We’re going home. I can’t cope with any of this. I’m sorry.”
Steph walked over to her mum. “No, I’m sorry. This was supposed to be a family Christmas. Wait there, I’ll get our stuff and we’ll come with you. I’m sure there can’t be the flights can’t be that busy on Christmas Day.”
“Well, that was, like, random,” said Edwina, breaking the awkward silence back at the table.

After fifteen minutes, Steph returned downstairs with her bags and immediately noticed a much calmer atmosphere.
“Where’s Flick?”
“She’s gone,” said Theo. “Told me and Michelle we’re welcome to the bar.”
“She’ll be back,” said Steph.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Meanwhile, Lyn said her goodbyes to Joe.
“It’s been nice to, y’know, catch up, Joe.”
“Yeah, look after yourself, Lynnie. And you take care of your mum,” he replied, kissing his son on the top of the head.
“Good luck in your new marriage, Joe.”
“You’d be welcome at the wedding if you wanted, Lynnie. Really. We’ll be havin’ a barn dance afterwards.”
“Thanks, Joe, but no.”

As they sat in the taxi on the way to the airport, Steph noticed her mum crying again.
“You OK?”
“I think so, Steffy. It’s just been a bit, y’know, crazy.”
“Yeah. I guess I thought all the dramas of the world were contained in Ramsay Street. But it looks like problems follow you wherever you go. You sure you’re going to be OK, mum?”
“I’ll be fine, Steffy. It’s not like I’m going to go crazy and start blackmailing Paul Robinson!” she said, an idea forming in her mind.

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