I let go of Becki and step over to Scott and hug him too. “You can stay whenever you want, Scotty. You know that. Just treat her well, okay?”
Scott reaches over and pulls Becki’s chair closer to his so he can wrap his arms around her. “Always,” he whispers and kisses the top of her head.
The look of love and adoration on both their faces makes my heart swell for them. I really could not be any happier that they’ve finally seen sense.
Is that wedding bells I hear in the far off distance? Let’s hope so.
I finish my coffee and head back to my room to finish getting ready with a huge smile on my face. I really do hope it works out for them.
***
“Miss Merchant, do you think I could contact Mr Silver from CAS Technologies to ask for an interview for our assignment?” Leanne, one of my year ten students asks at the end of the lesson. It’s the last lesson of the day, and I’m looking forward to getting home for some peace and quiet.
“Sure, why not? He seemed quite keen to build links with the school anyway, so no harm in trying. Look up the company contact details, and you can draft a letter next lesson okay?”
“Thanks, miss. Have a good evening.” With a smile she picks up her bag and leaves the room. Going by the dreamy look in her eyes, I’m guessing it’s his looks rather than his business skills that has her wanting to contact him. If he agrees, though, I’m sure it will be a great opportunity for her to gather lots of information and resources for her assignment.
In the office, I grab the pile of marking and paperwork off my desk and stuff it in my bag, beyond ready to get home. As I’m locking the office door, the phone rings inside. I have to quickly open up again and rush across to answer it.
“St Marks High School, Amber Merchant speaking.” I answer, slightly breathless from the mad dash across the room.
“Hi sis. Long time, no see.” The sound of my older brother James’ voice on the other end of the line immediately puts me on high alert. James never phones for a polite chit chat or family catch up. His calls usually result in a drastic cut in my bank balance and the need for a blood pressure tablet prescription. I reach over and grab my seat to sit down, because I can guess where this is going.
“James. Why are you calling me a work?”
“Just checking up to see how my little sis is doing.”
“Why couldn’t you wait until this evening and call me at home or on my mobile.”
“I tried your mobile. You didn’t answer.”
“I was teaching, James. You know, working, earning a living? You should try it sometime.” I have very little patience with my brother and what I do have is fading fast.
“Don’t get fucking smart with me, Amber. I work.”
“When it suits you,” I say under my breath. “So why couldn’t you wait and call me this evening?” I say with all the bitterness I’m feeling toward this man that I have the misfortune of sharing DNA with.
“I didn’t want to risk that dick of a husband of yours answering.”
“You have got to be kidding me. James, David and I aren’t together any more. We’ve been separated since he called things off two weeks before the wedding. That was seven months ago, James. If you had been around, you would have known that.” It kind of hurts that he doesn’t even recall not attending a wedding.
“Yeah, well I obviously forgot … So are you still living in the same place?”
I can almost hear the cogs of his brain turning over. “No, I moved into my own place last week. Why?”
“What happened to the house? Did you sell it?” Bingo! Now we’re getting to the business end of the call.
“Yes.”
“And you’re buying your new place?”
“No. I can’t afford to buy on my own. I’m renting with Becki at the moment.”
“So … you must have a nice little sum left from the equity then?”
“No, James. I’m not lending you any money.” I sigh.
“Who the fuck said anything about needing money?”
“The only time you contact me is when you need money. The fact you wouldn’t call when you thought David would be around to tell you where to go says it all.”
James is quiet for a minute, and I begin to think he has hung up.
“James, are you still there?”
Resigned, James finally answers. “Ambs, I’m really in the shit. I’ve got nothing and I owe someone who wants his money back, like yesterday.”
“How much?”
“Five grand.” I suck in a deep breath, shocked at my brothers’ stupidity.
“James, I don’t have it. I haven’t had my share of the sale yet, and my savings were used to pay the deposit and moving costs for the flat.”
“Amber, you’re the only one that can help. I don’t know what they’ll do if they don’t get their money back.” And here he goes with his usual guilt trip, trying to manipulate me into giving in, like I have always done since I was little. Not this time though.
“James, I can’t magic cash out of thin air. I. Don’t. Have. It.” I spit out through gritted teeth.
“You are such a selfish bitch. If mum was here, she would help me out. What happened to helping out family?” Did he really just say that?
Beyond angry, I have to try really hard not to yell too loud because of where I am. “Excuse me? I’m the selfish one? Take a long hard look in the mirror, James. Oh, and don’t bother calling dad to bail you out, or me again unless it’s to apologise. Bye, James.” I slam the receiver down so hard I’m sure I’ve cracked it.
Slumping back in my seat, I take a few deep breaths trying to calm myself down. I hear a gentle tap on the door a few minutes later.
“Come in,” I call out, and Peter pokes his head around the door.
“Is everything okay, Amber? I thought I heard raised voices.”
“Yeah, sorry Pete. I was cursing myself for doing something silly. Everything’s okay now.” I smile up at him and hope he accepts my explanation. I don’t want to have to explain family politics to my boss.
“Okay, as long as you’re fine. Did you meet with Mr Silver about CAS?”
I nod. “I did, and what he’s proposing is work placement oriented, so I pointed him in Monique’s direction. She’s liaising with him over it.”
“Excellent! His company will provide a fantastic experience for some of our students. Have a good evening, Amber.”
“You too, Pete.”
Once he’s out of the room, I pick up my stuff again and make my way out to my car. I need to get home for a bubble bath and a glass of wine, or three.
***
Sitting out on my balcony watching the world go by, I try to put my brother and his problems out of my mind. I have enough of my own issues at the moment. I don’t need to get caught up in someone else’s, least of all his.
I frown when I reach down for my glass of wine and realise it’s empty. Did I really drink it all already? Standing up, I pad into the kitchen for a refill.
Opening the fridge door, I reach in for the wine bottle and hear a tapping noise. I shrug it off, thinking it’s probably the neighbours and pull out the bottle and begin to fill my glass.
I hear the noise again only a little louder. This time I recognise the sound… someone is knocking at the front door. Leaving the bottle on the counter, I go to investigate who’s there.
Heading through the hallway, I notice a silver gent’s ring sitting on the small table. The item momentarily distracts me, wondering whose it is. Scott or Craig must have left it when they were last here. I’m trying to recall having seen it on either of their hands as I reach to open the front door. When I look up to greet my caller I flinch in shock at who is standing there and try to quickly shut the door.
A foot quickly moves forward, stopping the door from shutting. “Amber, please. I just want to talk to you. I want to apologise.”
“I have nothing to say to you, David.” I say without emotion as I try shutting the door ag
ain, but he leaves his foot where it is. “Would you please move your foot and leave?”
David leans forward and pushes the door so it opens further. “Amber, I just want to talk. Please. Just give me a chance to say what I need to, and then I’ll leave you in peace. I promise.”
I look up into his brown eyes, searching for any malicious intent. When I only find sincerity and regret, I back down and open the door. “You have ten minutes.” I turn my back to him and walk into the living room and over to the balcony door.
“I wanted to come over and apologise, Ambs. What I said the other day, I was totally out of line.” I continue to stare out of the window and wait for him to continue. He can have his ten minutes and then he can get the hell out.
He continues, “When I came in and saw you in the arms of another guy so soon after leaving me, it was a shock. I didn’t know what I was saying. It just all came pouring out.”
I shoot around to face him and let out a humourless laugh. “After I left you? David, you left me the day you decided to stick your dick in someone else.”
He flinches at my words and looks toward the ground. “I’m so, so sorry, Ambs. I never meant for anything to happen.”
“Tell me something, David. Did you really ever intend on marrying me?”
His head snaps up to look at me. “Of course I did. I wouldn’t have asked you otherwise.”
“So why let me go through all that planning and spend all that money, only for you to then call it off at the eleventh hour?”
He doesn’t answer and keeps his eyes locked on the floor as my anger bubbles over. “I’ll tell you why. It’s because you’re a spineless arsehole. Rather than admit to how you were feeling and discussing things like a mature adult, you went for the easy out.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it like? Tell me, David. Try and help me understand, because at the moment, nothing you have said or done makes any sense.”
“I got scared, okay,” he blurts out. “I got scared of being stuck in a marriage, of being forever tied legally. I felt the ball and chain tightening and didn’t like it. My fears and insecurities began ruling my head. All I could see was you finding someone else and leaving me, and then having to go through the whole divorce thing.”
I stare at him, incredulous, blinking rapidly. Un-fucking-believable. Is he serious? “And to ease those fears, you decided you would screw me over and fuck someone else? How the fuck does that make any sense? How does any of it make sense?”
“Amber, stop swearing. That’s not you.”
“David, you gave up any right to tell me what to do seven months ago. And you didn’t answer my question. How was sleeping with someone else going to help the issue of us getting married?” My voice has gone up several octaves, and I’m breathing too heavy with my anger. If he doesn’t get out of here soon, I may end up with an assault charge.
“That was a drunken mistake, Amber. I was feeling pretty shitty about the whole wedding thing. The fear was kicking up a gear, and she was there letting me spill my guts and… well… one thing led to another…” He shrugs and can’t bring himself to look at me.
“So it was only the once?” Not that it matters. Once was one time too many.
David keeps his gaze downcast and shakes his head.
“How often, David? How long were you sleeping with her?”
He lets out a deep breath and drops down onto one of the dining chairs, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and placing his hands over his head. “Three months, on and off,” he finally says quietly.
I let out a strangled cry and stagger backward, hitting the balcony door. David immediately jumps to his feet and quickly makes his way over to me, grabbing my wrist. “Jesus, Ambs. Are you okay?”
I try yanking my arm free, but he tightens his grip. “Get your fucking hands off me!” I scream.
He ignores me and reaches forward to grab my other wrist. I struggle to pull myself free, but he has such a strong grip and doesn’t let go.
David has me restrained against the glass door with my hands pinned at my sides. “I never meant to hurt you, Ambs,” he says in a soft voice. “I just got scared and didn’t know what to say to you. You were so excited, so happy.”
I continue trying to wriggle and tug free of his hold, but he keeps his grip firm and takes a step closer so his body is completely overpowering mine. “I still love you, Ambs,” he whispers against my ear. “I never stopped. She meant nothing to me. Nothing.” He starts to graze his lips down my neck and across my jaw. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I’m trembling all over. I can’t escape him and I don’t know how I can get him to stop.
“David, please. Get. Off. Me.” I shriek in his ear and try to break free of his hold.
“That guy you were with, do you love him?” David continues kissing his way around my face and neck and slowly starts heading lower to the exposed skin of my clavicle. When I don’t answer him, his grip tightens further, and I wince in pain. “Answer me, damn it. Do you love him?” he growls.
“David, please stop. You’re hurting me.”
“Do. You. Love. Him? Simple fucking question, Amber.” Gone is the whispering voice of seduction, replaced by the cruel snarl of the devil.
“Yes. No. I’m not sure. I don’t really know him,” I sob, tears now filling my eyes and running freely down my cheeks. “Please, David. Let me go.”
He suddenly moves so that he has both my wrists locked in one of his and pinned above my head. His knees are pressing into mine so I can’t move them, and his other hand is fumbling to undo the buttons of my blouse. I continue wriggling, desperately trying to free myself, but it’s no use. His strong, muscular frame has me immobilised. “David, no… Please, don’t do this,” I whimper.
“Shh, Ambs, it’s okay, sweetheart.” When he has the final button undone, he moves his hand to my bra and abruptly yanks the cups down, exposing my breasts to him. “So fucking beautiful, always so beautiful,” he murmurs as he begins to fondle and lick a trail across each breast. With each strong squeeze, I wince from the pain of it. Clamping my eyes closed, I pray I can get him to stop.
When he pulls back slightly and looks up at me, his eyes are dark and dangerous, and I then know he has no intentions of stopping. “I still love you, Ambs. You’re mine, not that prick’s. Do you understand? You will always be mine.” He bends down and lifts me off my feet. I take the opportunity to kick and punch him, but he has me held tight as he marches across the living room. I’m shouting at him to stop, begging him to let me go, but he continues to ignore me and drops me onto the sofa.
I try and scramble away, but he grabs me and flings me back down. He grips my wrists in a strong hold again, locking them down above my head, and quickly moves his free hand to the waistband of my trousers, fumbling with the button there. I’m sobbing uncontrollably, petrified and pleading with him to stop, but he won’t.
With the button undone, David eases the zip down and begins to pull my trousers down over my hips. I’m wriggling and crying, screaming for him to stop, and praying that he gets off me. My breathing has become so laboured that I fear I may pass out from lack of oxygen. Blood is pounding through my ears, and all I can hear are my own harsh breaths and sobs and David’s deep groans of appreciation.
Suddenly, he’s no longer on me and a cold chill washes over my bared skin. I’m shaking with fear, my eyes firmly shut, terrified of opening them and seeing that look on his face again.
Shouting.
Banging.
Crashing.
“Amber, look at me. Oh God, look at me. What did he do to you?” I’m being gently shaken, and comforting arms wrap around me. Taking a deep shuddering breath, I inhale the familiar sweet scent of my best friend.
Becki’s here.
Becki’s home.
Thank God.
As I let Becki hug me, I hear more shouting and quickly open my eyes. Over Becki’s shoulder, I see Scott has David pinned against the ha
ll wall, standing nose to nose with him, his fist balled and ready to strike. I can’t hear what Scott is saying to him from where I’m sitting, but I see when the realisation of what he’s done hits David as his head falls forward and his shoulders slump.
Becki pulls back slightly and looks at me. “Should we call the police?” I shake my head.
“I just want him out of here, Bec. Please, please just get him out of here,” I beg.
Scott must have heard and growls something to David before dragging him by his shirt collar towards the door. Just before they’re out of sight, David plants his feet to stop and turns his head to look back at me. “Amber, I’m so sorry. Please, babe. I didn’t mean to. I love you. I want you back. I need you. Please,” he pleads as Scott grabs him again and shoves him toward the door.
More shouting ensues, and I hear what sounds like Scott warning David to stay away or he’ll make sure he stays away permanently. I’ve never heard such hatred in Scott’s tone before, and it both frightens and astonishes me.
When the door slams shut, I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding and burst into tears. Becki grabs me again and rocks me back and forth, whispering into my hair and rubbing my back with comforting strokes.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to call the police?” she whispers again. I shake my head.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I shake my head again.
“Amber, you should really call the police,” Scott says gently from the doorway. “He assaulted you. God knows what he would have done if we’d not come in when we did.” The mere thought sends shudders coursing through my body.
“I… I just want to forget about it, guys.” I plead, “Please, I just want to forget it.” Sighing, I try to lean back, but Becki holds me close.
“Um, Scott babe, could you grab Amber’s robe from her room please?” When I hear his footsteps leave the room, I peer up at Becki with a confused look. She simply glances down toward my exposed flesh and back up to my face with tears of sadness and regret in her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here, Ambs,” she whispers as tears begin trickling down her cheeks.
“Here.” Scott hands the robe to Becki, and she helps me pull it on and ties the belt, covering me up. “Can I get you anything, Ambs?”
Silver Lining Page 14