“Yeah dad, that would be nice,’’ I smile then look to Mason. “Wouldn’t it?’’
“Yeah,’’ Mason replies, but his voice doesn’t match the tight smile on his face, instead it’s dry and sarcastic. I shake my head, not wanting to get into it with him and look back over to my father. His face has slipped and he nods his head as if he can read Mason’s thoughts and is agreeing to them.
I’m not losing him again. Not a chance. I haven’t fully had a chance to explain everything to Mason, so when I do, I’m hoping he’ll understand and back off from my dad. I might be quick enough to forgive, but the way I see it I could hold a grudge and lose out on having a father for another nineteen years.
“Do you want to go to dinner in the week or something, when you don’t have to work?’’
“I’d love to,’’ he says sounding both pleased and excited. “I have Thursday off from noon onwards, so give me a call when you know when or where. Or I can arrange something and text you the details?’’
“No, that’s fine. I’ll arrange something then get back to you,’’ I smile, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. Before I could pull back his arms wrap around me. I’m taken off guard at first so it takes me a few minutes to hug him back, but when I do he tightens his hold on me, like he doesn’t want to let go. It feels like I’ve died and come back to life, and he’s afraid if he lets go I’ll disappear, the thought has me fighting back tears. “I know I’ll never deserve your forgiveness. I’ll never forgive myself, but thank you. Thank you for giving me the chance and letting me be in your life.’’
My eyes water and I hug my dad back tighter before pulling away. The second I leave his arms, Mason has his hands wrapped around my hips and is pulling me back into his warm embrace.
“See you Thursday,’’ my dad chokes out, before turning around and leaving.
I’m watching the kitchen door where he left and jump when my Nan runs in looking horrified.
“What on earth is going on?’’ I yelp.
“Are you in labour? Are you? Have you eaten? Did I see you eat anything?’’ she cackles, her giggle high pitched and wild.
“What are you going on about?’’ I ask at the same time Mason mutters, “Fuck me.’’
“Did that, and it got me pregnant,’’ I mutter dryly before turning back to my Nan. “Now what is going on Nan? You’re acting crazy… Okay crazier.’’
“I’m fine. I’m not crazy, but that Joan woman is. Do you see the way she keeps eyeing me? It’s making me nervous and jittery…oh, maybe that’s her plan. She wants to get me at my lowest, catch me off guard before she strikes,’’ she shouts out.
“Who’s striking who?’’ Max asks strutting in and taking a seat at the breakfast bar.
“He’s another too,’’ Nan whispers, her eyes narrowing on Max who just grunts before folding his arms on the breakfast bar and burying his head in them.
“Another what, Mary?’’ Mason asks amused.
“Another one that can’t stop staring at me and it’s going to blow my chances with Myles,’’ she says dead serious, which makes me choke on a laugh once again. Mason and Max both collapse into a fit of laughter, the noise gaining everyone’s attention from the front room and bringing them into the kitchen. Joan is the first one in, walking beside Mark. Myles and Charlie behind and a few other people, but I can’t see Harlow or Malik anywhere.
“Home,’’ Myles mouths and then winces when Nan walks over to him.
“How about that dance now?’’ she giggles, her hands slapping over her mouth which in turn, makes her giggle louder, Joan following in her own set of laughter.
“Something is seriously going on. Did someone drug them?’’ I ask out loud.
“Not unless they ate the brownies, then no,’’ Max mutters, clearly bored and disturbed by the whole ordeal.
“Brownies?’’ Mason growls and I put a calming hand on his arm. His breathing is shallow and I wonder what has him so worked up. “What. Did. You. Do?’’
“Me? Why do you always presume that it was me? I’m not the bad twin you know. Myles has his share of bad. Just last night he robbed the last snickers bar out of Maverick’s stash.’’
“You fucker, I knew it was you,’’ Maverick grunts at Myles from the kitchen doorway. “I’m off to work. Denny, it’s lovely to see you, but I’m off,’’ and he waves, disappearing out of sight before I get a chance to say goodbye.
“Fuck you Max. You’re the one that set the bed sheets on fire when you tried to set your fart on fire, so don’t bring me into this,’’ Myles huffs before following Maverick out the door.
“Now you’re running all our guests away,’’ Mason growls, and I lean to the side a bit to see that he’s right. More guests are sneaking out of the front door, only leaving Charlie, Max, Mason, Nan, Joan, Mark and I in the house.
“I’m pretty sure it was Joan and Mary when they offered to show us men what a real strip tease was,’’ Max snaps rolling his eyes.
I glance at my Nan and gasp, then to Joan who doesn’t even look the slightest bit affronted. Instead, they’re both laughing their heads off, like Max just turned into Lee Evans and told them the
funniest joke on earth. I shake my head disappointed, then turn and give Max a glare. Now Mason brought it up, I know he did something to those brownies. If my projections are right, then he’s going to get some serious payback.
“What?’’ he yells holding his hands up, looking around the room for help, but not getting any.
“What did you do?’’ I grit out. “It better not be weed Max because my Nan has a heart defect. If it slows down to a certain rate she can go into shock, collapse and then die. Nothing will ever save her,’’ I cry out, full on lying to him. He needs to be taught a lesson. What if I was craving brownies and actually had one while I was pregnant? The idiot doesn’t think.
“Fuck!’’ he yells running over to my Nan. “Dance, we need to get your heart rate up,’’ he shouts grabbing her hands and treating her like a ragdoll, he gets her to dance by waving her arms everywhere.
I watch for a few minutes before bursting into laughter, especially when my Nan turns green and throws up all over Max’s nice white shirt. Well, now it’s stained yellow and an orangey colour, but let’s not get into it. I’m pretty sure there weren’t any carrots served in the food either, I think when I look at the sick dripping off his shirt. The smell itself has me wanting to hurl.
“Oh my God, she’s foaming from the mouth. Someone help…. help…. fucking hell, that stinks,’’ Max squeals before he starts gagging himself over the kitchen sink. He quickly rids his shirt and being the woman that I am, I can’t help but ogle his fine muscles. For a seventeen year old lad, he’s got the package, just a shame he doesn’t do it for me. He’s too fucking much. Too high maintenance and a complete womaniser, plus, he doesn’t make my skin tingle or my heart race when he enters a room like his brother does.
“I think I’m going to be sick,’’ Joan moans, and Mark takes her hand and starts walking her to the door. “I’ve got sick on me. It’s all over me Mark. Get it off! Get it off!’’
Her voice fades out and I turn to my Nan to make sure she’s okay and then over to Max who is grabbing a clean t-shirt of Mason’s off the ironing pile. I narrow my eyes at him, but he seems unaffected.
“You…,’’ I point to Max. “…can take my Nan back home. I can’t believe you would do something like this. What if I had eaten one of those and it harmed the baby?’’
“I told you not to touch them,’’ he snaps throwing his hands up.
“Listen mate, when you tell someone not to do something or they can’t have something, then they’re going to want it more. You’re fucking lucky I was craving onion and not brownies because I would have eaten them and that would have been on you,’’ I growl, before stomping off upstairs.
When I get to the top I stop, instead of turning right to mine and Mason’s room, I head left and make my way into the nursery, a huge smile
lighting up my face.
Chapter Twelve
By the end of the week, I was in a blissful, horny, frustrated state and tonight was the night Mason was taking me out on another date. We haven’t had a chance to do much besides stay at home with some kind of takeout and a movie because of my ever growing bump and bad case of heartburn. Never even realised such pain in my chest could exist. So Mason decided tonight, which is Friday, that we’ll go out for something to eat before coming back to watch a movie in bed.
Harlow’s due back from court any moment. We’ve planned to go into town and do some shopping as the last time we never managed to get farther than the cafe before we came back for the surprise baby shower/new home party.
After getting up late again this morning, I’m surprised I’m ready and dressed by the time the doorbell rings just gone twelve.
Harlow.
Running down the stairs as quickly as I can, I rush to the front door and open it up to see a sad looking Harlow.
“Hey, what’s up?’’
“What? Oh… um… these were at your door,’’ she says handing a bunch of lilies over to me.
“Must be off Mason for tonight,’’ I grin.
“Aren’t lilies meant for funerals?’’ she asks unsure.
Shit! “Yeah they are,’’ I say slowly, eyeing the bunch of flowers like they are poison. I find the card taped to the side and move in to the front room to put the flowers down. Opening the card, I’m drawing my eyebrows together.
What the hell!
“What’s wrong?’’ Harlow asks looking at me.
“It says ‘Now may you rest in peace.’ How creepy is that?’’ My hands are shaking and my mind is wondering what on earth Mason was thinking about writing that. “Let me just call Mason.’’
His phone rings three times before he answers.
“Awe, babe, are you missing my sweet ass already?’’
I grin into the phone, the lilies long forgotten and shake my head. “Yeah, because I didn’t see you four hours ago,’’ I laugh into the phone.
“Babe, I barely got a goodbye out of you when I left four hours ago,’’ he chuckles. “What’s up?’’
“Oh, yeah, why have you sent me creepy lilies?’’ I ask, hoping not to sound like an ungrateful brat.
“Well, I’d love to tell you babe, but it wasn’t me who sent them. Who delivered them? Maybe they can tell you who purchased them. If it’s Max or Myles playing fucking games with my head I’m gonna start punching them,’’ he growls and I giggle.
“Unless they wanted to scare one of us then I don’t think it’s them.’’
“What do you mean?’’
“The note says, ‘Now may you rest in peace.’’
“What the fuck,’’ he growls. “Do you know where they’re from? I’ll call up the company.’’
“Hold on,’’ I tell him, tucking the phone into my ear as I turn the card over. No name or company details are located on the card, so I check the flowers and see nothing there either. “Nah, nothing.’’
“Shit. Wonder why someone would send them,’’ he whispers aloud.
I open my mouth to talk, but then my eyes look over and meet Harlow’s sad ones and I know my friend really needs me right now.
“Mason, I’ve got to go, but I’ll call you later, okay?’’
“Sure thing, babe. Oh, and let me know if you need me to pick you up from town. I’ll be finishing just after three,’’ he tells me.
“Okay, see you after,’’ I tell him then end the call. I immediately approach Harlow, her head is down and her shoulders are slumped so I take a seat on the sofa next to her.
“You okay?’’ I ask her gently. “How did court go?’’
“The final hearing is two weeks from today. You should have seen him Denny. He looked right at me, his eyes burning with so much hatred towards me. It scared the shit out of me,’’ she whispers, her body shivering.
“He can’t hurt you,’’ I tell her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder.
“What if they don’t believe me? What if they set him free? He’s making up lies that sound so believable, even I’m questioning myself and I know what went down that day. I know he was going to rape me. How can they let him go free?’’ she cries, her tears falling heavily down her face. My hand reaches out to wipe them away, but she’s up on her feet, pacing in front of me like a mad woman. “I mean, what’s the first thing he’s going to do when he’s free? He’s going to come after me. What will it take for them to do something about him; does he have to actually rape me before he’s convicted? It’s like they’re saying because he never got to go through with it, it’s okay. It’s not okay. If they let him off, I’ll be walking around in my own personal nightmare Denny.’’
“Harlow, calm down,’’ I tell her, standing up.
“I can’t Denny. My chest feels so tight,’’ and to emphasize it, she’s grabbing at her chest, rubbing furiously. “I thought I was coping with everything, that I was moving on from what he did, but I’m not. I’m still stuck in that mouldy smelling bedroom, feeling the hard springs in my back and the petrified emotion consuming me. I can’t do this. I’m making it all worse,’’ she sobs out, her whole body shaking and her face pale.
“Hey,’’ I snap loudly, gaining her attention long enough to grab at her shoulders and give her a wake up shake. “You can do this. You are doing it. He hasn’t got the power to take that away from you Harlow. You’re strong, you’re beautiful, you’re independent and you’ve overcome so much worse babe. Don’t let him win. Don’t let him have the pleasure of knowing he’s gotten to you, that you’re scared. Because I know you are.
“When I woke up on the ground that night, the first thing I remembered was you, and the fear I felt just before he knocked me out. I had been so scared for you, for everything he’d already put you through and what you had already gone through. But I swear to you Harlow…if anyone can get through this, it’s you.’’
“I can’t Denny. I just can’t. His face today,’’ she shivers. “It held so much promise of retribution. I just wanted to run out of that courtroom. The way his lawyers ripped into me, talking about a sordid relationship that we never had. I felt dirty, ashamed, and it’s why I needed to have a hot shower before I came over. He makes me feel like that each night in my nightmares,’’ she sobs, and I grab her shoulders and pull her in for a tight hug. Tears fill my own eyes at the sound of her own desperate silent pleas for the pain to stop.
“Have you spoken to Malik about any of this?’’
“No and you can’t tell him what I told you. I don’t want him to think that I’m weak. I’m just so fucking scared,’’ she tells me, and then pulls away, her bottom lip trembling.
“You need to talk to him before all this consumes you, Hun. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. You shouldn’t be dealing with it at all. You’re strong Harlow, remember that. Don’t cling to the anger; focus on your future happiness, because that’s all you’ll get. Davis is the only one going to hell.’’
“Grhh, I’m being so silly,’’ she tells me, stepping away to wipe her tears and rubbing at the smudged mascara under her eyes.
“No you’re not, you’re being human.’’
“I’m just scared,’’ she whispers.
“You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t,’’ I remind her.
“Urgh, look at me. I look a mess and we need to go if we want to get you an outfit.’’
“We can stay here if you prefer. I’ve got loads of clothes, so we can stay in and watch a movie instead,’’ I smile, hoping she confides in Malik later on.
“No. No. It’s fine. I’ll just go sort myself out then we’ll go.’’
“Are you sure because I honestly do not mind,’’ I tell her, truly not wanting her to do something she’s not up for.
“Honestly, it might do me some good to get out and take my mind off of things.’’
“Alright, you go and sort yourself out and I’ll go put those,
’’ pointing to the flowers.
“In the bin?’’ Harlow laughs, and it’s nice seeing her laugh after all that.
“Yeah, the bin,’’ I laugh bumping my hips with hers.
Walking into the kitchen, I wait until I hear the bathroom door upstairs close before grabbing my phone and texting Malik.
Me: She isn’t taking the court case as well as we thought. D x
Malik: I’m coming over
Fuck! He can’t come over. She’ll know then that I just tattled on her, even if this is for her own good. She needs help, but she also needs to know she’s strong enough on her own.
Me: No!!!
Me: We’re going on a girl’s day, don’t ruin it. D x
Malik: I’m not going to sit at fucking home while she’s suffering Den. She needs me.
Me: No, what she needs is a distraction. She needs her mind taken off what she went through and going to town will help with that. I didn’t text you to go all caveman, I texted you to tell you that when she’s back to be gentle with her. Get her to open up. Don’t be an ass. Dx
Malik: Nice to have you back Denny.
I grin at the text like a damn fool. It does feel good to be back. I’m actually starting to feel like myself again, and not this self-conscious, insecure, shell of a woman I’ve become. I’m back to my old, outgoing, bossy self. Okay… nearly. I’ve still got a way to go before I’ll ever feel normal again, but for the first time in a long time, I feel like it could happen.
“Who’s got you smiling?’’ Harlow asks making me jump.
“Bossy,’’ I blurt out, before laughing. “Nothing, let’s go shopping, and if you’re a good girl I might buy you a cupcake,’’ I wink and head out.
Walking down Main Street the weather begins to feel chilly. With the end of August approaching I’m not surprised the weather is cooling down. Sun and heat never last in England. But this year, I’m kind of thankful. I was starting to think I’d need to walk around in a bikini.
Mason Page 15