Public Property

by Mandy Baggot

  ‘I never stopped loving you, Freya.’

  ‘Don’t you understand how that sounds? Whatever we felt for each other back then was wrong and disgusting. I have memories in my head that keep replaying and I don’t ever want to see them again.’

  ‘We did nothing wrong, Freya. We didn’t know.’

  ‘That doesn’t make it alright. God, what sort of freak am I? My mother sleeps with my boyfriend and now I’ve slept with my half-brother. Anymore and they could probably dedicate a whole episode of Jerry Springer to me.’

  ‘So, where do we go from here?’

  ‘Where do we go from here? Well, I suggest you go that way and I’ll go in the opposite direction. You didn’t expect us to get together and all be one big happy family did you?’

  ‘I didn’t expect anything, but would that be such a bad thing?’

  ‘You’re serious, aren’t you? You think you and I and our father can put our differences aside and let bygones be bygones! Jonny, you’re completely insane. I can hardly bear to look at you.’

  ‘I never had any siblings growing up.’

  ‘Well, go back to Daddy. Ask him how many other prostitutes he slept with. There might be a whole new multi-cultural family waiting out there for you. We might even have to expand Friends Reunited to fit us all on there.’

  ‘Can you blame me for wanting to be part of your life? We’ve missed out on so much.’

  ‘Jonny, perhaps I’m not being plain enough. Stop sending me letters. Stop breaking into my house and ruining perfectly good photos of Nick and I. And stop with the floral tributes. I don’t want your money. I don’t want your help with the Every Day project and I don’t want to see you again. For all I care you can go ahead and build a giant Recuperation Inn on this very spot.’ She’d yelled so loud her throat hurt and tears were pricking her eyes.

  ‘I never meant to hurt you.’

  ‘Then you didn’t try very hard.’ She got into the car and slammed the door shut. Her fingers shook as she turned the key. She performed a u-turn, leaving Jonathan in her dust.

  She trembled as she drove, her emotions overloaded. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. All the good times she had with Jonathan, all the memories they’d shared together and the love they’d felt for each other had been destroyed. Recalling their time together would never be the same now their relationship had changed so drastically. All Freya felt now was hurt and disappointment of the severest kind. The foundations of her life had been built upon lies and deception and here she was, preparing for motherhood. She knew all the things she wanted to teach her child, things she had to learn for herself through trial and experience. But would she really be able to do it when so much of her world had been based on untruths?

  She needed to stop thinking about it so much. She needed to get absorbed in something else. She turned off the main road and headed for County Bridge.

  Twenty Nine

  At Whitewood House, Nicholas sat in the study trying to read through the same script. Ordinarily, he’d be reading outside but the weather had worsened. The sky was filled with grey clouds that threatened snow and there was a biting wind that chilled you to the bone. He took off his glasses and laid them on the desk, rubbing at his eyes. All he could hear was banging and drilling as the security team installed cameras and more equipment to secure the house. He wasn’t getting very far and the lines had to be learnt before his trip to Africa.

  There was a knock on the door.

  ‘Yeah, Roger, come in.’ He put the script to one side and swigging back the remains of his cup of tea.

  Roger entered.

  ‘Sorry to bother you. Sasha’s here.’

  ‘Hey, Sasha. Come on in,’ Nicholas invited as she stepped forward and Roger ducked back out. ‘Would you like a drink?’

  ‘Oh, well I don’t want to disturb you if you’re busy. I just thought while Freya is out, I’d drop some things round here to surprise her.’ She shook a pair of shopping bags at him.

  ‘I’m about done. I can’t seem to concentrate with all the noise going on. Would you like some tea?’

  ‘Well, maybe a quick one. I want to get back to the office before Freya does though. Don’t want her to think I’m slacking off.’ She checked her watch.

  ‘I’ll make it quick. Hey, Roger! You and the guys want tea?’ Nicholas called up the stairs.

  ‘No thanks, Nick. We’re all good up here.’

  ‘You make everyone tea?’ Sasha exclaimed.

  They both moved into the kitchen and Sasha placed her bags on the breakfast bar.

  ‘Yeah, sure. Why do you sound surprised? You’ve been here before. We don’t have a team of butlers hiding in the closet, you know.’ He laughed.

  ‘I know. I just…I don’t know. I mean, you’re so famous and…’ Sasha began, blushing.

  ‘Don’t say that to Freya. She hates the word “famous”, only second to the word “celebrity”,’ Nicholas replied as he switched the kettle on.

  ‘She told me about the baby. Congratulations.’ She reached into one of the bags and pulled out a white all-in-one baby outfit.

  ‘Oh, she told you. Well, we’re just trying to keep it quiet right now. You know what the press is like. And it’s early days so we don’t want to tempt fate.’

  ‘Do you like the outfit? I got some in white and lemon.’ She rifled through the bags, pulling outfits out and holding them up.

  ‘Sasha, they’re great. You shouldn’t have.’

  ‘Well, I wanted to. What with everything that’s been happening to you two, I thought you both deserved a treat. It must be terrible having someone come into your house. And then for someone to send a wreath. Freya must be out of her mind with worry.’ She sat down on one of the stools.

  ‘Well, I can’t say it isn’t unsettling. But Freya’s coping really well. She’s made of strong stuff and we’re taking all the precautions we can. We’re having a new electric fence installed today and there’s two plain-clothes officers keeping an eye on the house.’

  ‘How awful. I mean Mayleaf’s such a lovely little town. You wouldn’t think this sort of thing would happen here.’

  ‘There are a lot of sick people out there. When you’re in the public eye it’s always a risk. I just never thought someone would do this to Freya.’ He poured the water into the teapot.

  ‘Why d’you think they’re targeting Freya?’

  ‘I have absolutely no idea. If I did I’d be helping the police catch whoever it is.’

  ‘Maybe whoever it is is jealous of her,’ Sasha suggested.

  ‘Jealous? What makes you say that?’

  ‘Well, who wouldn’t be jealous of a woman with everything? She has a successful business and a fabulous home. She’s admired by millions of people and she’s about to get married to a handsome, Hollywood actor who some people would kill to be with.’

  ‘Freya would probably say the successful business she built up through hard work. She’d say the fabulous home would be more fabulous if it didn’t have so many bolts and sensors on it. The admiration she hates and as for the actor. Well, he’s just an ordinary guy who moans when he doesn’t have a clean shirt to wear and snores at night when he’s had too much to drink.’ He laughed and passed Sasha a cup.

  She smiled and accepted it.

  ‘Freya has an idea who’s behind it.’

  ‘She does? Someone she knows?’

  ‘Someone she thought she knew, put it that way.’

  ‘How awful. Is it someone from Mayleaf?’

  ‘No, not from Mayleaf. God, the people in this town have been so supportive to us. Jolie from the store has been over here most days to see if we need anything. And Bruce from the Chinese has started sending over food parcels.’

  ‘It’s nice to have the community rallying around.’

  ‘Yes it is. It’s really important to me, especially now because I’m going to Africa in a few weeks time. I’d hate for Freya to be on her own. Mind you, considering wha
t’s been happening and with the baby on the way, I might not be able to leave her on her own.’

  ‘How are the wedding plans coming along? I suspect with all the disruption you haven’t been able to do much organisation.’

  ‘Well, it’s certainly been hectic. But who knows? We might manage it.’ He smiled.

  ‘Still planned for December twenty-second?’

  ‘At the moment.’

  ‘Good. I’ve ordered a little gift, you see.’

  ‘Oh, Sasha, you really shouldn’t have. And all these clothes are great. Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome. Well, I’d better go. I don’t want Freya to find me missing.’ She checked her watch.

  ‘But you haven’t finished your tea,’ Nicholas remarked, looking at her full cup.

  ‘No. Well, I don’t want Freya to miss me and I left the answer phone on. I’d really better get back.’ She stood up and headed towards the hall.

  ‘Well, thanks for coming by and thank you again for the baby clothes. It’s really generous of you and I’m sure Freya will appreciate it.’ He followed her down the hall and opened the front door.

  ‘I hope so.’ She smiled.

  ‘I’ll see you.’

  ‘Yes. See you soon.’ She smiled again and stepped out onto the deck.

  Thirty

  When Freya arrived back home there were a dozen photographers outside. As soon as she brought the car to a halt they began surrounding it. The remote sensor to open the gate failed to work, so Freya had no choice but to get out of the vehicle and press the intercom.

  ‘Freya, congratulations on your pregnancy. When’s the baby due?’ one of the reporters questioned.

  A flash from a camera went off in Freya’s face.

  ‘It could arrive at any minute if you don’t stop pushing me.’

  She hoped Nicholas was in. She was going to look seriously stupid if she had to climb the fence into her own house. And she would probably get fried if Roger had installed the electric barbed wire.

  ‘Hello.’ Nicholas’ voice came through the intercom.

  ‘Nick, it’s me. The bloody gate won’t open and I’m being mauled by reporters. What happened to them being all over George Clooney today? Can you let me in before I’m savaged?’

  ‘I think the security guys are updating the system. OK, you’re in.’

  The gate began to open and Freya hurried back to the car.

  ‘Will the news of your pregnancy alter your wedding plans?’ another reporter called as Freya got up into the SUV.

  ‘Aren’t you getting this? I don’t have anything to say to you guys. Are you new?’ Freya questioned, staring at one of the photographers.

  ‘Me?’ he inquired, lowering the camera briefly.

  ‘Yeah, you. I haven’t seen you before. And, by the way, you’re holding that camera all wrong.’

  With that comment made, Freya drove through the gate and up to the house.

  She hurried up the steps and up to the front door, her key ready for the lock. She stopped. She stared at the door and saw the lock was gone and in its place was a keypad. She let out a frustrated sigh and just stared at the buttons, not knowing what to do.

  Before she had a chance to take any further action Nicholas opened the door.

  ‘Nick, what the hell is going on? There’s a key pad where the lock used to be and the whole world knows I’m pregnant!’

  ‘What?!’

  ‘There are a dozen reporters, if not more, at the damn gate bombarding me with questions about the baby. I want to know how they know, because I’ve only told two people about this. One of them I trust implicitly and the other has her job to lose if I find out she’s blabbed,’ Freya blurted out as she moved past Nicholas into the house.

  He stepped out onto the porch and looked down the driveway at the journalists congregated outside. Seeing enough, he stepped back into the house and shut the front door.

  ‘What’s going on? Oh my God, someone’s erected a prison wall in the back of the garden.’

  Looking through the patio doors leading from the kitchen into the garden, she could see a large metal fence surrounding the entire boundary.

  ‘It isn’t as bad as it seems. You’ll get used to it. It’s for our protection. And our protection is the most important thing.’

  ‘I can’t live like this.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘I mean I really can’t live like this. We discussed it, when I moved here. We said we were going to have a normal life, doing normal things, just being normal and you promised. You promised no electric fences, no cameras, no motion sensors.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Well what the hell happened? Look at this place! You can’t move for security paraphernalia! I’m scared to breathe too heavy in case I set off an alarm and Willis hates it. Have you noticed he’s spending more and more time outdoors? In this weather! They’re expecting snow, you know!’

  ‘I know all this, Freya. D’you think I’m enjoying living under lock and key? But you heard what the police said. We have to take every precaution, we’d be stupid not to. And now it’s more important than ever. We have a baby to consider.’

  ‘Oh my God, that’s it! That is it! Enough! I’ve had enough!’ Freya yelled, waving her hands in the air.

  She turned on her heel, left the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

  ‘Freya, come back.’ He followed her.

  ‘No. This last week has been just about the worst time of my entire life. And here was I thinking nothing could possible top my prison stay or my life in the Lawson-Peck household,’ Freya spat as she marched up the stairs and into their bedroom.

  ‘It hasn’t been all bad. We’ve made plans for our wedding and we’ve found out we’re going to have a baby.’

  ‘I’ve been sent a “bitch” letter and a wreath. We’ve had to open an account at the glaziers and the security firm. Our driver has been assaulted. We’ve been beating off dead crows on an almost daily basis. And, if that wasn’t enough, I’ve just found out my ex-fiancé is actually my half-brother! Tell me those aren’t good, strong, valid reasons to be pissed off?!’ She tugged her suitcase off the top of the wardrobe.

  ‘Of course they are. And I can’t say I’m too thrilled about any of it either but…what are you doing with that suitcase?’

  ‘What does it look like I’m doing? I’m packing.’ She put the case down on the bed and opened it up. Then she pulled open a drawer and chucked in some tops.

  ‘Oh no. No, you’re not running away.’

  ‘I need to get out of this completely crazy messed up life I have right now. I need to be somewhere else.’ She opened another drawer and pulled out some trousers.

  ‘You can’t just leave. We’ve made plans and…’ Nicholas started.

  ‘I don’t care. I can’t stay here, Nick. It’s making me ill. I can’t look at another reporter. I don’t want to see my face and news about our baby on the front of another magazine and I don’t want to wait and see what my warped admirer has in store for me next.’

  ‘Freya, this is stupid. Where are you going to go?’

  ‘Where I always go.’ She slammed the case shut and let out a sigh.

  ‘Corfu.’

  ‘Right on the money.’ She picked the case off the bed.

  ‘Fine. Well, give me two minutes. I’ll pack some things and come with you,’ Nicholas said. He went to the wardrobe and took down another suitcase.

  ‘You want to come with me?’

  ‘Well, you can’t think I’m going to sit in this secure compound on my own.’ He smiled at her.

  ‘Fine. But you’d better hurry up because I want to be gone before the reporters out front start guessing the baby’s weight already.’

  ‘Understood. Packing only the essentials. Passport and underwear.’

  ‘You’ve not run away before. Underwear is never an essential. Don’t pack anything you wouldn’t be able to sell, eat or turn into a lifejacket.’ She walked towards the bedroom door. />
  ‘Fine. Hey! We’ll need someone to feed Willis while we’re gone.’

  ‘I’ll go and ask Jolie right now. Anything you want from the store while I’m there?’

  ‘Something I can turn into a lifejacket?’

  ‘Stop this! I’m the funny one. You’re the straight guy,’ Freya called back.

  Thirty One

  With the paparazzi unable to enter the Town Circle, Freya could walk around Mayleaf without fear of being followed and photographed. Despite the freezing conditions it was still a picture-perfect place. The trees were bare, there was frost on the branches and everyone she passed was bundled up in hats and gloves. She loved the town. It made her feel warm inside just walking the streets. It felt like home. She only hoped the security they were living under wouldn’t last forever.

  Sam and Jolie’s store was quiet when Freya entered. That gave her unrivalled access to what she called “travelling food”. It wasn’t unusual for Freya to pack few clothes when escaping at the spur of the moment. But she rarely left without a family-sized bag of crisps and a huge chocolate bar.

  ‘Look after Willis? I’d be delighted. Oh, I wouldn’t have to set any difficult alarms or anything would I? I mean…’ Jolie began.

  ‘To be honest, Jolie, right now I couldn’t care less if the place burnt down.’ She picked up half a dozen chocolate bars from the counter.

  ‘Oh no, you don’t mean that do you? You love that house.’

  ‘I did love it. When it didn’t resemble Fort Knox.’

  ‘Things no better? Haven’t the police found who’s responsible yet?’ Jolie inquired.

  ‘No, but then I’m sure they have far more important things to do, don’t you?’

  ‘So, how long are you going to be away for?’

  ‘I don’t know yet. A week? Maybe two? Don’t worry, Willis has stacks of food. And if he does go through it all, just get whatever he needs and charge it to our tab.’

  ‘No problem. And don’t you worry about anything. You both deserve a break. Make sure you enjoy it. By the way, have I heard right? Are you two hearing the patter of tiny feet?’ Jolie asked, a broad smile on her face.