Dinner that night seemed quieter as the newcomers, Eddie, Kieran, Bellamy, and Mark were on a business trip and Vengo and Audrey were eating in their rooms.

However, this was the first time Fanny had returned to the table even though she felt anything but moody in the presence of anyone.


And on top of that, Kaylin somehow managed to take the exact seat across from her, giving her a clear picture of the woman who appeared to be Michel's old bedmate.

"Nice to have you back, Shortfoot." Andy smiled at her, who was lucky to be sitting right next to her, loading her plate with potatoes, steak, and salad.

In response to the gesture, she couldn't help but notice that Carlos seemed to be grinning at her as well.


"Yes, man. It's time for you to come back and eat with us. Next time we can introduce you to new people."

"Newbie?" She wondered.


"Yes, we've got four new members from the old Davies family," Kaylin explained to her, though Fanny tried not to acknowledge Kaylin as she averted her gaze while Kaylin spoke, looking at Andy instead.

"So I heard Farrah was coming?" Fanny changed the subject, hoping to show Kaylin that she wouldn't respect what Kaylin had to say with an answer.

Andy lights up. "Yeah, this will be an intimate meeting to find out any details about the wedding. We decided not to have the engagement party."

Michel is sitting across the street and at the head of the table, clearing his throat as he reaches for his glass of wine. "You can if you want to, Andy. You know this."

Andy nodded. "Yes, but Audrey wouldn't be able to plan in her condition and if we let anyone else plan for that, she wouldn't be a good fit. So we're waiting for that. until everything settles down here and the baby is born. Then we'll set a date."

Fanny smiled at him. "I'm really happy for you, Andy." She patted his arm.

Although everyone knew how innocent the gesture was, Michel was once again annoyed by how close the two were.

While he quietly cut his steak, seething in his jealousy, Carlos decided to exclaim.

"Wait a minute. So Shortleg knows about you and Farrah?" He asked openly, looking at Andy but gesturing to Fanny.

Giggling, Kaylin joined in. "Carlos, you're the only one who doesn't know. Charles and Michel know and even everyone in the pub is talking about it."

"Ok, we weren't very clear, guys." Andy tries to reason while everyone erupts into a full discussion.

Despite herself, Fanny saw her smile slightly.

Because even though she blamed this place for the bad things that happened in her life - she really missed this.

---

"It's not funny, Andy," Fanny argued.

However, Andy doubled down when he slapped his knee, laughing as he recalled the memory of the previous day.

"Oh, that's right... I mean if looks could kill a man... Kaylin would be under six feet right now. Short Leg. Didn't expect you to have it."

The two had returned to their usual positions by the pond, sitting on a bench there while each holding a can of coke.

"I know it's stupid... It's not that I don't know about Michel's past but I don't need a daily reminder, you know."

Andy put his can in the space between him and her and reached into his pocket for a cigarette.

"It's not like you need to be mad at him now."

"What do you mean?"

Andy lit a cigarette and took a long drag, eyeing a few ducks swimming in the pond.

"Uh, how long are you going to keep punishing him, Shortfoot? I can see you guys talking and obviously you're in the same room now but you're completely ignoring him."

Frowning deeply, Fanny placed the can beside him and buried her hands in her coat pocket.

"It wasn't just a passing mood, Andy. My father was killed. I was... still I can't talk about it and now Rosabella has been dragged into this. Do you think I'll be able to forgive him? He did this."

Andy was silent for a moment, just quietly smoking a cigarette as he thought about her words.

He doesn't want to tell her straight up how wrong she is, because he knows what she's been through.

However, he also knows that he is obligated to tell her the honest truth.

"You know, I understand what you're trying to say. We are responsible for our actions. We should follow common sense, don't hurt each other. But if you really think about it, How much say do we really have about what happens to us?"

Fanny turned her head to Andy and waited for him to continue.

"I mean look. Michel wasn't demanding exactly this life. His father raised him like this and when he was shot, it wasn't that he chose you to take care of him. Carlos had to do it to his desperation. So do you, Shortfoot. You hate us, but you can't help but feel something for him. And look what happened while he was trying to do the right thing. He was trying to let you go, so you wouldn't get hurt. And for what? Leaving you here to end up." He let out an exasperated sigh before finishing his cigarette and tossing it down, smashing it with his foot.

"We try and try to make the right decision but who can assure us that it will be a good decision? We may have the best intentions, but it can all go awry in a split second."

Fanny's lower lip wobbled as her eyes began to fill with tears, staring blankly ahead at the waterscape to hold her together.

"I'm not telling you to forgive him like now. Obviously, you should take your time. But I'm just saying it can't stay like this forever, Shortleg. You're just torturing both of you, myself and him. Do you love him?"

Unable to resist it anymore, a single sob escaped her as Andy immediately responded by wrapping a brotherly arm around her to comfort her.

"It'll be fine, Short Leg."