by Nikki Ashton
“Oi,” Luke groaned looking from Skins to Neil. “I am fucking here you know.”
Neil rolled his eyes and wagged a finger at Luke. “Right, I expect to see you all at the record company at nine o’clock on Monday morning. That gives you another three days to get her out of your system. I don’t want to come down hard on you Luke, but if she was so fucking wonderful you wouldn’t have done it. Christ you’ve only been with her a few weeks, I don’t get what all the girly tears are about.”
“I’ve told you, I fucking didn’t,” Luke growled. “And you know nothing about my relationship with her, so keep your shitty little point of view to yourself, Neil.”
“Whatever Luke, but with your reputation and the photographic evidence, I don’t have an awful lot of sympathy for you.” Neil shook his head and turned to Skins. “Make sure he’s sober and showered, on Monday. I don’t want the execs worrying that they’ve invested money in a train wreck.”
“What about Jake and Tom?” Skins asked. “They’re back in L.A.”
“I called them last night, I’m sending the jet for them.” Neil walked towards the door.
“That’s our fucking plane,” Luke shouted. “You have no right sending it to L.A. without asking.”
“Too bad, Luke. I already did.” Neil turned back to face Luke and pointed a finger at him. “I’m back as your manager and if you want to be performing in arenas again, then let me do my job. I’ll see you both on Monday morning.” With that he was gone.
“Sometimes he’s a jumped up little pri…”
“Yeah I get it Luke, but he has a point,” Skins said not wanting to hear another Luke rant. “Now get upstairs and get showered, before Stacey throws you out with the cows.”
“You’re nothing but a bunch of bullies,” Luke muttered, snatching his iPad from Skins and disappearing upstairs.
Skins watched him warily, wondering whether Neil was right, maybe Luke was too unstable emotionally. But, one thing he did know Neil was right about, they wouldn’t survive as a band this time if Luke let them down again.
Chapter 28
In the last week of April, Betty celebrated her eighteenth birthday. Martha had offered to throw her a party, but a night out in Manchester with Noah and her friends was the preferred option. Before he and Martha had split up, Luke had organised a limo to take the birthday crowd to the city, and had paid for a suite of rooms, so when she opened the envelope, handed to her by Noah, Betty had gasped, and blushed profusely.
“I can’t take this,” she whispered to Noah, glancing warily at Martha who was reading her cards. “Mum, will throw a wobbly, it’s way too much, and they’re not even together anymore.”
Noah kissed her gently on the temple. “Uncle Luke thought that you’d say that, but he’s insisting. He says he won’t get his money back anyway.”
Betty sighed. “God, it’s so generous of him.”
“Who’s been generous?” Martha asked suddenly appearing at Betty’s side. “Let me see.” She held her hand out for the card.
Betty tentatively handed it over. “Luke,” she almost whispered.
“Oh.” Martha took the card and read Luke’s looping handwriting, explaining what he’d arranged.
“Uncle Luke won’t get his money back,” Noah explained before Martha had chance to tell Betty she couldn’t take it.
Martha felt tears well in her eyes. They’d talked a lot about celebrating her daughter’s birthday, and it hurt to think that Luke wasn’t going to be sharing this with her. “No, it’s fine,” she said shaking her head. “It’s a lovely thought. You’ll have a great time.”
Noah and Betty exchanged a wary glance, both of them realising that she was still hurting deeply.
“I feel bad now,” Betty whispered to Noah as Martha went to start Betty’s ‘birthday tea’.
“I know,” Noah said. “Let’s just hope they sort it out, because all said and done, they’re just meant to be together.”
A week later and Martha still hadn’t seen Luke, and while she was still tearful and desolate, she was also angry. As she cleaned his house, the anger built as she thought about all the lies that he’d told her, all the fake promises that he’d made, and the fact that he’d made her fall in love with him.
Luke had stayed away, at Skins’ farm to start off with and then down in London, which Martha was grateful for because she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to hold it together with him around. Lucia hadn’t been happy when Martha handed in her letter of notice and tried her hardest, on a daily basis, to persuade Martha to stay.
“You said when you got together that you could both handle you working here, if the relationship didn’t work,” Lucia protested, but not unkindly.
Martha ran a hand across her face. “I know Lucia, and I am so sorry, but I didn’t really expect it to end in this way. I just can’t be near Luke at the moment.”
Lucia sighed, defeated. “Okay, but if you change your mind then please tell me. I don’t want to lose you, Martha. I’ve come to look on you as a friend, not just our housekeeper.”
Martha sighed as the burden of guilt fell heavily within her chest. She didn’t want to leave Lucia in the lurch, but none of this was her fault; it was all down to Luke.
“I am sorry, Lucia.”
“I know dear, I could just…oh I don’t know, he’s too big to smack his legs. But, maybe I should have done that a little more when he was a child.” Lucia looked out through the window wistfully. “I always indulged him, always telling him how wonderful he was. Perhaps sometimes I should have told him when he was behaving like an idiot.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Mamma. You just loved us, the difference was Gabriella had a good head on her shoulders, I obviously have a rogue gene.”
Martha gasped not expecting to hear Luke’s voice. She turned around and drew in a breath. He looked dreadful, his eyes were dark and cold, surrounded by purple shadows, he was unshaven, and not just the usual sexy stubble but a full unkempt beard, and his hair was lank and dull.
“Luciano,” Lucia said moving towards her son with worry etched on her face. “You didn’t say that you were coming back today.” She glanced warily at Martha.
“Yeah well, it’s my home, I’m not keeping out of anybody’s way if I don’t want to.” Luke went over to Lucia and kissed her cheek. “Are you okay?”
Lucia nodded and gave him a small smile.
Martha froze, not knowing what to say or do. Luke’s comment was obviously a dig at her asking him to stay out of her way, but other than that he hadn’t even acknowledged her presence. She didn’t know whether to say something or just leave the room? All she knew was that this wasn’t the Luke that had begged her to believe him just two weeks ago. His shoulders were tense under his t-shirt, and his tone hard, even the way he’d kissed Lucia was quick and without emotion.
Even if he had been blind or deaf, Luke would have known Martha was there from the deep sensual perfume of hers, it was a mixture of vanilla, fruit and honey and constantly filled his senses – he just couldn’t bring himself to look at her, because if he did he would probably say something that he’d regret. He loved Martha, but was so angry with her because she didn’t believe him; because she’d given up on him straight away. He knew what the photographs looked like, and yes he was absolutely plastered, but he was sure that he hadn’t slept with Rachel. Broken images of that night came slowly back to him over the weeks since he’d been away, and in none of them were either he or Rachel naked. He had a vague recollection of her kissing him in the lift and again against the wall, but he hadn’t kissed her back, never mind had sex with her and Martha should have had more faith in him. So, the only way to get through the next two weeks was to harden his heart to her, and act like the prick that she thought he was, that everyone thought he was, because not one of the people he cared about believed him, no matter how much he protested.
“I’m going up for a shower.” Luke turned to Martha. “I’ll be down for dinner in half an hou
r and then I’m going out, so make sure my food is ready.” He then strode out of the room leaving a crackling, icy atmosphere behind him.
The next morning, Martha arrived at the house full of trepidation. After Luke had disappeared to his room the previous evening, she hadn’t seen him. Lucia had gone up to tell him that dinner was ready, but then shamefacedly had to come back down and tell Martha that Luke didn’t want anything. Martha was beyond angry, not just because he’d ordered his food to be ready, but the pure waste of the piece of steak that she’d grilled for him. But, he was a multi-millionaire, so why should she worry if he wasted his money.
With a sigh Martha collected the vacuum and started to haul it up the stairs.
“Morning Martha,” Lucia said as she came out of the study. “How are you today?” Her face was full of concern,
“I’m fine,” Martha replied a little wearily.
“Well you’ll be glad to know Luke already left, so you probably won’t see him today.”
Martha gave Lucia a grateful smile and nodded. “Okay, thanks.”
“Oh, and Max and Eliza, a couple of Noah’s friends from home, stayed last night. As usual he forgot to tell me that they were coming, that boy is so forgetful.”
“Do they want breakfast making?” Martha asked.
Lucia shrugged. “They’re not even out of bed yet, so I think it’s best just to let them fend for themselves.”
“Do you want me to vacuum later then, if they’re still asleep?”
“Oh no dear,” Lucia laughed. “It’s about time they got up anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll get on then. I won’t be too long up here.”
As Martha wheeled the vacuum cleaner along the landing, she paused for a second outside the guest bathroom. From the noise that came from the other side of the door, it was blatantly obvious what was going on in there. A rush of colour flooded her cheeks as she moved on, but she couldn’t help but smile – oh to be young and in lust, without any cares.
Martha started by stripping the sheets from Lucia’s bed, and the whole time that she was in there she could hear everything that was going on. It was pretty loud considering they were guests in someone else’s house.
“Oh god, yes, yes, yes.” She heard a female voice cry.
Martha screwed up her face, she was all for having fun, and hadn’t exactly practiced silent sex with Luke, but there was a time and a place. Some people were so classy, and some were just downright skanks.
“You’re so good,” The voice cried again.
Martha rolled her eyes. “Christ,” she muttered. “Give it a rest love. We can all hear how bloody good he is.”
Shaking her head, Martha left Lucia’s room to get some clean bedding from the large Victorian linen cupboard at the top of the stairs. As she was walking back, the door of the bathroom opened. Martha stood back to let the happy couple out, her face pre-prepared with a demure, unassuming smile, but what she saw next made her heart stop.
“Luke,” she gasped.
Luke didn’t answer. He looked Martha up and down, zipped up his jeans and then disappeared in the direction of his own room. Martha couldn’t move, her legs had turned to lead and her stomach to water. As she tried to steady her breathing the door opened again, and a tall woman with the same hair colour as Martha, slipped out, gave a self-satisfied smile to Martha, and went down the stairs. Martha gasped, leaned back against the wall and tried to hold back the tears.
She was still standing there, clutching the clean sheets, when Lucia found her five minutes later.
“Oh you’re there,” Lucia said. “I didn’t realise but Noah and his friends have already gone out for the day, they’re not lazing in bed. Noah just called to tell me. So, they won’t be around for lunch but Victoria will be, is that okay?”
“Victoria?” Martha gulped.
“Yes she’s my financial advisor,” Lucia replied. “You might have seen her, she just came up to use the bathroom.”
Martha opened her mouth to say it would be fine, when Luke’s bedroom door creaked open. Luke walked out in different clothes and had obviously showered, as damp tendrils of hair stuck to his neck and forehead.
“Oh I thought you’d already gone out,” Lucia said glancing first at Luke and then Martha. “I’m getting everybody’s whereabouts wrong today.”
“I got back about half an hour ago. I came straight up here as you were talking to your Financial Advisor. I didn’t want to disturb you.” Luke looked at Martha with narrowed eyes.
“Right, well I’ll go and finish up with Victoria then. Are you coming Luke?” she asked as she gave a sad smile to Martha.
“Yes, Mamma. I know, how about I take you and Victoria to lunch?” he asked, looking at Martha as he did so.
“Oh okay, I’ll go and let her know,” Lucia replied disappearing down the stairs.
Luke started to follow Lucia, but as he got level with Martha, he stopped momentarily and winked.
“Best time I’ve had in ages,” he said with an icy tone. “Well back to it Martha, cleaning is what we pay you for.”
At that moment Martha made a decision. Luke had betrayed her, yet was treating her like a piece of dirt, as though it was her fault, as if what they’d had was nothing. Well if he was moving on then so would she, starting by leaving this house today and never coming back.
Chapter 29
When Martha explained to Lucia why she wouldn’t be seeing out the rest of her notice, she hadn’t meant to tell her what her son had done, but Lucia wouldn’t take no for an answer. In desperation Martha spilled the beans on Luke’s bathroom sex. Lucia’s face shadowed with pity and shame but she had nothing to say. She could only apologise for her son and wish Martha well, begging her not to become a stranger.
The two weeks following her leaving the Mahoneys’ employment, were difficult for Martha. Not only did she not have a job, except for some agency hours filling in at a school canteen and a local hotel, but she’d lost Luke and Lucia. She obviously still saw Noah, almost every night for his and Betty’s allowed two hours, but he rarely mentioned Luke, just sending love from his Nonna.
One thing that had happened was that she’d agreed to a date with Pete, the Postman. It had all been Valerie’s fault, keeping her talking in the shop when Pete arrived with the post. He’d smiled warmly at Martha and said good morning – that was enough for Valerie, she went for the throat.
“Oh Martha, meet Pete our new postman. He’s just got divorced haven’t you Pete?”
Pete blushed and smiled weakly. “Erm yeah.”
“Well Martha has just had to change her relationship status on Facebook as well.”
Pete and Martha both stared at Valerie in amazement.
“How do you know about Facebook?” Martha asked. “And for your information, I’m not even on it.”
“Aren’t you, oh I do Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, oh what else, oh yes I was on Sagazone, but it was just a bunch of bloody old fogies on that one.”
“Oh, okay.” Martha replied not sure what else to say.
“Well…you’re both young, free and sexually frustrated, so how about a date?” Valerie asked grinning at them both.
“Valerie, please do you have to?” Martha groaned.
“Yeah come on Valerie, that’s a little personal.” Pete shook his head. “I’m sorry about this Martha, but she’s tried to fix me up every day for the last two weeks.”
“Honestly, don’t worry about it. I’m used to her.”
“Stop bleating on you two, and just arrange a date. I think you’d be great together,” Valerie said giving them both a gentle shove towards each other. “He’s no Luke Mahoney, admittedly, but he’s still pretty tasty.”
Martha dropped her face into her hands and shaking her head groaned some more.
Valerie hadn’t given up and almost half an hour later, Martha and Pete had agreed to go on a date to the local pub.
As Martha waited nervously for Pete to pick her up, she wondered for th
e millionth time that day why on earth she’d agreed to it. Valerie was right, he was pretty tasty. He was tall, like Luke, olive skinned like Luke, dark haired like Luke, the problem was he wasn’t Luke. Any other time in history or space, he may well have made her stomach flip and her pulse race, but no matter how hard Martha tried she just couldn’t muster up any sexual yearnings for Postman Pete. Maybe, after tonight though, she would feel differently.
Suddenly a knock on the door sent Martha into orbit. Shit, he was here. Ernie ran around Martha’s legs in circles barking and yapping, excited at the prospect of a visitor.
“Right, Ernie,” Martha said looking down at the exuberant Jack Russell. “Here goes nothing.”
When she opened the front door, Martha was pleasantly surprised at the sight of Pete in his civvies. He looked very, very sexy in jeans that fitted him perfectly and a pale blue t-shirt that brought out the blueness of his eyes. She’d never noticed them before, and she wondered why, as blue eyes and dark hair was fairly unusual. They were the colour of a clear ocean, bright against the whites of his eyes. His smile was wide and showed straight, white teeth.
“Hello,” Martha stammered, feeling not a swarm but at least a couple of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
“Hi,” Pete replied. “You look lovely.”
Martha blew out a quick breath, thankful that she’d made an effort with her outfit, hair and makeup. She hadn’t been going to, she was going to wear her old jeans and a t-shirt, but had decided in the end on tight, black ankle grazer trousers and a cream off the shoulder, top.
“Thank you,” she replied stepping out and pulling the door closed behind her. “So do you.”
“Thanks. We going straight away then?” Pete smiled as he nodded at the now closed front door.
“Sorry,” Martha gasped. “I never thought, do you want a drink first?”
Pete laughed softly. “No, it’s fine. Is the pub okay, or would you prefer to go into Rickeby?”