I discovered the Harper and Nicole storyline a few weeks ago. Perhaps it didn't get off to a great start but it's gone down rapidly ever since. I think the writers have forgotten that in order to have a love triangle you need three people not just two... and a third silent in the background. Reading the spoilers I think it will all come to a head in a the next few weeks and to get the frustration off my chest I wrote this... 'Scenes I'd like to see' - Harper standing up for herself and Vinnie getting called on his awful behaviour.

...

It was morning in Ferndale. Nicole put a cuppa down in front of Harper as she emerged from the bedroom to sit at the breakfast table. Harper was never much of a morning person… not until she'd had her first cup of coffee.

"I was thinking." said Harper, after taking her first long slow sip of coffee. "As the boys are out tonight, maybe we could have a girl's night in… Watch a movie? I'll cook."

Nicole looked up from buttering her toast.

"That could be fun." she said.

"You don't have any plans?" Harper asked.

"No."

"Good." said Harper, her smile suddenly beaming like a million watts. "So you'll come home right after work?"

Nicole pulled an apologetic grin.

"I promised Vinnie I'd pick Michael up from school. But I could come home right after that."

"Promise?" Harper asked, her smile dropping slightly at the mention of Vinnie's name.

Nicole smiled back and took Harper by the hand… she was well aware her renewed friendship with Vinnie was causing tension between them but she didn't want to let it show.

"I promise." she said.

…

Ula was coming home just as Nicole was getting up to leave.

"Oh, come on stay." begged Vinnie. "Now Michael's in bed we can have a drink. You're already late. It's not like you can get in any more trouble with Harper."

"No I really have to go." said Nicole, pulling on her coat and grabbing her bag from the chair.

"Good night." she called as she stepped out into the darkening evening.

Ula closed the door behind her and starred at Vinnie.

"What was that?" asked Ula, glaring at her cousin.

"What?" asked Vinnie, leaning back on the couch.

"That, just now with Nicole? I thought you were friends."

"We are." said Vinnie. "I was being friendly."

"You were flirting." replied Ula.

Vinnie gave her a boyish pout.

"Maybe you're right." he said. "I can't help it I still love her."

"But she's with Harper now."

"So." said Vinnie.

Ula looked at her cousin in astonishment.

"So you shouldn't be flirting!"

"Hey!" exclaimed Vinnie, holding his arms wide, not liking the accusation in Ula's tone. "I thought you were on my side!"

"I was until I worked it out." Ula said, taking a seat on the couch opposite her cousin.

"Worked what out?" he asked, his tone now less defensive now that he could see the seriousness in his cousin's expression.

"When you came round here drunk because Nicole had stood you up…" began Ula.

"That was ages ago." dismissed Vinnie.

"… Were she and Harper together then?" Ula asked, finishing her question despite the interruption.

"Maybe." said Vinnie.

"So you asked Nicole out on a date even though you knew she was seeing someone else?"

"It wasn't serious." said Vinnie, "It was just a fling! But knowing that Nicole was ready to break her wedding vows…"

"Yeah, for Harper!" retorted Ula. She shook her head. "All this time I've been feeling sorry for you because Nicole messed you around but you've been messing her around right from the start."

"It wasn't like that."

"Then what was it like?"

"I love her and I want to be with her!" said Vinnie.

"But she loves Harper."

"She says that but it won't last."

"God, who are you!" exclaimed Ula. "I thought you were her friend!"

"I am."

"Then what are you doing? Nicole likes everyone to think she's cool and together but we both know when it comes to relationships she's mess. Come on, you've got to have your heart broken quite severely to think that marriage to yourself is the only relationship option you have left. That the only person you can trust to make you happy is yourself. That is a pretty lonely place to be."

"I guess." said Vinnie.

"So when she did find someone she trusted enough to break those vows for. Someone to risk her heart with… That was a huge step for her." Ula reached across and poked Vinnie on the arm. "So you as her friend, rather than be happy and supportive, you took it as signal to make a move of your own."

"It wasn't like that!" protested Vinnie.

"Really?" Ula asked.

"But I was right. She told me she loved me. She kissed me. She said she wanted us to be together!" Vinnie protested, not wanting to be proven wrong.

"Then she changed her mind and went back to Harper" said Ula. "And when was this? When did she tell you she loved you?"

"The day Harper was moving in."

"The same day?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't find the timing a little odd? Just as she was settling down with Harper she decided to turn to you."

Vinnie sat back.

"What are you saying… Nicole was using me?"

"I'm saying that when it comes to commitment, Nicole has some trust issues. You're supposed to be her best friend, you are telling me you didn't know this."

Vinnie sighed.

"I know this."

"And you undermining her relationship with Harper every chance you got; her friend who she trusts and loves; you can't blame her for getting so confused."

"So you're saying it was my fault?" said Vinnie with a snort.

"I'm saying that you are being so selfish. If Nicole loves Harper you should just suck it up and let her be happy!"

"And if she doesn't love Harper?" Vinnie asked.

"I don't know." said Ula. "But after the way you've treated her… You don't deserve her, not one bit."

…

Late that night Nicole turned the key quietly in the lock and pushed open the front door in trepidation. She didn't know what happened… She dropped Michael off but Vinnie had got out these board games and Michael had begged to play just one game of Snakes and Ladders. One game became five games and then Vinnie ordered pizza and Nicole had no idea where the time had gone.

When she stepped into the flat her guilt increased ten-fold. The table was set for a romantic dinner for two; there was wine and candles and roses, and Harper, looking stunning in a low cut dress, was fast asleep on the couch.

…

Nicole knelt beside Harper as she lay sound asleep on the couch cushions; she looked so peaceful. Nicole reached out and pulled a strand of hair from Harper's cheek, wondering how to wake her… and even if she should.

Harper groaned at the contact, she was starting to stir.

"Hey beautiful." said Nicole, stroking Harper's cheek. "I'm so sorry I had no idea you had this planned."

Harper sighed, opened her eyes and then quickly pulled away from Nicole's touch; sitting up and looking around to get her bearings.

"What time is it?"

"It's late." said Nicole, sitting back on her heels. "I'm so sorry."

"Where were you?" Harper asked, but she didn't wait for the answer. "Let me guess, Vinnie's?"

Nicole reached out to take Harper's hand.

"I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

Harper pulled away again. This time getting up and walking away from the couch; walking away from Nicole.

"Have you eaten?" Harper asked pulling a falsely bright smile and putting the dining table between then; she was not quite meeting Nicole's worried gaze.

"Vinnie got a pizza." said Nicole, getting up to follow Harper. "But if you've cooked something special I'll make room."

"Why bother." Harper said with a deep sad sigh.

"I'm sorry." begged Nicole, "If I'd have known…"

"…You'll have thought to call to let me know you'd be late." finished Harper, anger creeping into her voice. "You promised me you'd be here."

"I'm s…"

"No!" Harper interrupted. "Please just stop… stop saying sorry!"

"I'm…" began Nicole but then she couldn't think of anything she could say accept sorry.

She turned back to the table.

"Have you eaten?" Nicole asked.

"Funnily I'm not all that hungry." said Harper. "I'm going to bed."

"Harper, please!" begged Nicole stepping after her, trying to take her hand again and apologise once more.

Harper sadly shook off her advances.

"If you want to do something for me, you can clear up the anniversary dinner. I'm not sure I'll want to look at it come morning."

"Anniversary?" asked Nicole confused.

"Four months." said Harper flatly, "But we've broken up and made up so many times it probably doesn't count."

"Harper… I'm sorry…" gasped Nicole, horrified at quite how much she had missed.

"Don't say it!" snapped Harper. "Don't say it because you don't mean it!"

"I do. I didn't know you had this planned."

"No! You didn't care! There's a difference."

"Harper, I love you!" exclaimed Nicole, hating to see Harper so angry.

"And I love you or why else would I put up with this." replied Harper bitterly heading back towards the bedroom. "I'm going to bed before I say something I regret."

"Please don't be mad?" Nicole begged, getting upset that Harper wouldn't let her apologise. "I'm sorry I lost track of time. Is it Vinnie? There is nothing going on between me and Vinnie. I love you. You don't have to be jealous."

Harper spun round and starred at Nicole.

"God!" she exclaimed, "Are you really that clueless. There is always something going on between you and Vinnie. Right from the beginning it's always been about you, me and Vinnie. I thought now he was out of the flat… but no. I see even less of you now than I did before. I want a relationship with you Nicole… just you!"

"But that's what we've got."

"No." said Harper. "No it's not! You've got a relationship with Vinnie; I'm just person who shares your bed!"

"That's not… I don't…"

Nicole didn't know how to respond. She knew that she was neglecting Harper for Vinnie's sake. But he was her best friend and Harper had said she understood that.

"Why are being like this?" she asked eventually. "Why now?"

"Because I changed my whole life to be with you! What have you changed to be with me? Not a thing."

"I gave up my wedding vows for you." replied Nicole.

"And how long did that last?" said Harper. "Just another broken promise."

"Harper I don't know what you want me to say. I'm sorry. Please don't be like this!"

"And I'm sorry too. I'm sorry and I love you but I can't spend the rest of my life being your second choice. You need to decide what you want from me. We can't go on like this… we just can't."

…