by Mandy Baggot
‘Get off me,’ Freya hissed and she took two steps backwards away from him.
‘Look Freya, I know you’re upset with me, but I’m here to make things right again. I thought if I took some proper time off work we could have some quality time together,’ Russell spoke.
‘For the third and final time - what are you doing here? Didn’t you get my message?’ Freya questioned, backing away even more.
‘Yes I got your message, but I know what you’re like when you’re angry. You need a bit of time and space to think about things. That’s why I left it a few days before I came over, so you could calm down. But I’m here now and I’m ready to talk things through if you are,’ Russell continued.
‘I said I never wanted to see you again. I needed no time to think about that statement and I haven’t changed my mind since,’ Freya told him.
‘Come on Freya, there isn’t anything that can’t be fixed if you want to mend it enough and I want to make things work between us. Look, I’m totally shattered and could really do with a drink. Come and have a drink with me. Hey Yiannis, good to see you. Do you think we could have a bottle of white wine?’ Russell called as Yiannis appeared from the kitchen.
‘I don’t want a drink, I’m working. Yiannis, stay where you are,’ Freya ordered.
‘Look I know I’ve been a complete idiot. I hold my hands up and admit that, but Freya we need to talk it through. Just give me a chance to explain,’ Russell begged.
‘I’ve got nothing to talk about with you,’ Freya replied.
‘We have a relationship to talk about,’ Russell responded.
‘No, we had a relationship, or so I thought. You blew that,’ Freya told him.
‘I admit, I’ve made mistakes, a lot of mistakes. But surely we can work through this, I mean we’ve been together a long time, it seems stupid to just throw that away,’ Russell continued.
Freya looked over at Nicholas’ table and could see he was looking over at what was going on between her and Russell.
‘As far as I’m concerned there’s nothing worth salvaging from the last eighteen months. And if I’m honest, I don’t even think you realise the reason I broke up with you,’ Freya told him.
‘Of course I know why you broke up with me. You found out about me and your mother,’ Russell said matter of factly.
In that split second, after he had said the words, Freya felt all her energy drain from her body. She could almost feel herself whitening. Her legs felt devoid of stability and her heart slowed to minimal output. She just stared at Russell unable to believe what he had just said.
‘You and my mother,’ Freya repeated, her voice shaking.
People were continuing their meals all around her, but to Freya the restaurant had fallen silent. Her head was filling with a hundred and one thoughts, like a huge balloon ready to burst.
‘I thought you knew, I thought you’d found out. When you didn’t turn up at the restaurant I presumed something must have happened and then you didn’t return my calls and…’ Russell stuttered, realising from the look on her face that Freya had no idea.
‘You and my mother,’ Freya spoke for the second time.
‘It was a stupid, stupid fling and when I met her I had absolutely no idea she was your mother. I mean how would I have known? You don’t have any family pictures around, you never even speak about your parents,’ Russell began to blab.
All Freya could feel, as Russell carried on talking, was fear deep in her gut, rising up through her body like it was going to engulf her. He knew. That was why he was here begging for forgiveness. He knew and he could see an opportunity about to slip away if he didn’t try and make amends. He didn’t love her, he hadn’t ever loved her and she would lay a bet that her mother had got bored with him approximately six weeks ago when he’d returned home with flowers and takeaway food and charmed her back into bed.
At that moment she hated Russell almost more than she had hated anyone before. He was still talking, on and on about how he had met her mother, how her mother had pursued him and how he hadn’t wanted to betray her. But it was all floating over Freya’s head. He was threatening her whole existence now, everything she had worked so hard for. She could feel herself losing control.
Before she could consider the implications, as the red mist descended, Freya pulled back her arm and punched Russell square on the jaw. He staggered backwards and fell into a table of four, scattering their drinks and meals and knocking over their bottle of wine. It smashed and broke, sending shards of glass flying across the floor.
Nicholas rose from his seat and hurriedly made his way across the restaurant towards Freya. Martha promptly left her chair and trotted after him.
‘You make me sick! You are disgusting! I don’t know how you had the nerve to come here!’ Freya spat as she shook with anger.
‘I think you’ve broken my tooth,’ Russell exclaimed as he got to his feet, holding his face.
‘You’re lucky that’s all I’ve broken!’ Freya screamed at the top of her voice.
‘Look, I came here to apologise. I came here to try and make things right between us,’ Russell told her.
‘Make things right between us?! After what you’ve just told me?! Are you out of your mind?!’ Freya continued to scream.
‘And what about all the stuff you haven’t told me?! Eighteen months together and you never told me who your parents were or even your real name!’ Russell yelled back at her.
‘Shut up! Just shut your mouth Russell or I swear to God I will shut it for you!’ Freya shouted, almost hysterical and unable to stop herself from reaching out and nudging Russell towards the exit.
‘Then I think we’d better talk don’t you?’ Russell suggested, standing his ground, unwilling to leave.
‘Get lost!’ Freya yelled and she pushed Russell hard in the chest. In an instant reaction Russell snapped and pushed Freya back. She lost her balance and fell against the wall, scraping her arm down a sharp corner of the brickwork. It stung and she sat on the floor, nursing it and trying to regain some composure.
‘Hey, what the Hell is going on?’ Nicholas questioned, grabbing hold of Russell by the arm.
‘Oh Freya, here he is, right on cue. The gallant knight in shining armour I’ve had to see in all the national papers holding hands with you, Mr Kaden,’ Russell mocked, shaking Nicholas’ arm off.
‘Nick, come back to the table,’ Martha ordered.
‘Freya, who is this? Is this your ex?’ Nicholas queried as he helped Freya to her feet.
‘Her ex? I’m an ex already am I Freya? It didn’t take long to wipe out a year and a half did it?’ Russell responded.
‘And how much of that year and a half have you spent screwing other people?’ Freya yelled.
‘I think you’d better leave,’ Nicholas ordered Russell.
‘I think you’d better keep out of stuff that doesn’t concern you,’ Russell retorted.
‘Nick, please come back to the table, this is not helping anyone,’ Martha spoke.
‘Russell, I think you should go. Now is not the time for talking,’ Yiannis told him as pleasantly as he could.
‘You heard the man,’ Nicholas said to Russell.
‘I’m not going anywhere until Freya agrees to talk with me,’ Russell stated, staring at Freya.
‘I have nothing to say to you,’ Freya responded through the tears that were beginning to prick her eyes.
‘Then you leave me with no choice but to tell everyone here everything I know,’ Russell said loudly, ensuring he received maximum attention.
No one was eating any more. Everyone was staring at the scene being played out before them.
At that moment Mrs Petroholis emerged from the kitchen wondering why none of her orders backing up in the kitchen were being served.
‘Yiannis, what is happening here?’ she enquired.
‘I’m sorry Mrs P; it’s my fault, I…’ Freya started, trying to conceal her bleeding arm and to stop it from dripping on the floor
.
‘Ah this is nice isn’t it? All these people running to stick up for you Freya. Have you lied to all of them too or was it just me you couldn’t trust?’ Russell asked her.
‘Russell, please. If I meant anything to you, please don’t do this,’ Freya begged him, tears in her eyes.
‘Right that’s it, I’ve had enough of this,’ Nicholas said, his patience snapping.
In one swift move he grabbed hold of Russell, pushing him out of the restaurant and onto the street. Freya, Martha and Yiannis hurried after him and all the customers turned towards the scene.
The paparazzi had regrouped outside the restaurant when Nicholas and his entourage had arrived for their meal and they were quick to get their cameras into action as the actor appeared in the doorway bundling someone out onto the road.
‘I think Freya has made it quite clear that she has nothing left to say to you,’ Nicholas spoke once he and Russell were outside.
‘I think it’s in Freya’s best interests to listen to what I have to say to her,’ Russell responded.
‘Nick, please, just leave him,’ Freya pleaded, taking hold of Nicholas’ arm.
‘You do not have to speak to his guy if you don’t want to. I won’t have him threatening you,’ Nicholas spoke, looking to Freya.
‘Tell him Freya or I will,’ Russell warned her.
‘Freya, just say the word and I will get rid of him,’ Nicholas said, still looking at her.
‘Either you agree to meet with me and talk or we get this all out in the open, right here, right now, in the middle of the high street, in front of your new boyfriend and all these journalists. Five seconds. Five, four…’ Russell spoke, beginning a countdown.
‘Alright! Alright! I will meet with you. Just please go now. I don’t want the Petroholis’ to suffer. Please Russell,’ Freya begged, crying hard as she was almost overcome by panic.
‘Oh Freya, I don’t think I’ve seen you look so out of control,’ Russell said, watching as Freya whimpered and clutched at her bleeding arm.
‘Listen, you’ve got what you came for, now just leave,’ Nicholas ordered him.
‘Gladly. By the way, I’m staying at the Dolmas Apartments, room three. Just give me a call when you’re ready to talk,’ Russell told Freya.
Freya managed a nod and watched as a smirk crossed Russell’s face. Then, satisfied with the night’s conclusion, he turned to make his way back up the main street towards the town square.
Freya looked at Nicholas almost apologetically, not knowing for the moment what to do or say.
‘Are you OK? Let me see your arm,’ Nicholas ordered, taking Freya’s arm and looking at the wound through the rip in her shirt.
‘I think we should return to the restaurant and try to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible,’ Martha decided.
‘Just shut up Martha. That doesn’t look nice. I think the only place we’re going to is the hospital. Get Mikey on the phone and get the car here,’ Nicholas ordered.
‘It’s fine, a small dressing and it’ll be OK,’ Freya insisted, not wanting to make a fuss.
‘You’re going to the hospital, no questions,’ Nicholas stated firmly.
Twenty
Just under two hours later Freya and Nicholas were in a cubicle in Corfu Town’s hospital. The doctor had assessed Freya’s arm and had decided that it did require a couple of stitches. They were now waiting for the nurse to come to suture it.
Freya was sat on the edge of the bed, holding on to a dressing she was pressing over the wound.
‘You OK?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘I’m tired. But I’m sure feeling drained of energy is natural when your dirty laundry’s been washed in public,’ Freya answered.
‘So what’s the deal with you two?’ Nicholas asked her, running his hands through his hair.
‘What d’you mean?’ Freya replied.
‘Well is it really over between you? Or are fights like tonight normal practice and it’s all going to be forgotten tomorrow?’ Nicholas queried.
‘Is it really over?! He’s slept with my mother for God’s sake! Of course it’s over,’ Freya told him.
‘He did what?!’ Nicholas exclaimed in horror.
‘Look, it’s really over between me and Russell. But given tonight’s performance, I would understand if you want to retract the intention of another date with me,’ Freya spoke, swallowing a lump of regret that had formed in her throat.
Nicholas sighed and sat down in the chair next to the bed.
‘I’m sorry you got involved. I had no idea he was going to turn up,’ Freya spoke sincerely.
‘It’s OK,’ Nicholas insisted.
‘But you’re having second thoughts about me. It’s alright, I completely understand,’ Freya said with a nod.
‘I’m not having second thoughts. If you tell me it’s over then I believe you,’ Nicholas responded, looking up at her.
‘What he wants to talk to me about - it isn’t like you think,’ Freya spoke, her voice faltering slightly.
‘Listen, we all have a past and I don’t want you to feel that you have to tell me anything you’re uncomfortable with right now. If there are things you need to sort out with Russell then that’s fine, but I won’t have him threatening you like tonight. Unless you tell me it’s none of my business and then I’ll butt out completely,’ Nicholas told her seriously.
‘No, I want it to be your business. Well, you know, I - I don’t want to lose the start of something - with you,’ Freya told him.
‘Good, because what I’d really like to do is spend some time with you. Time where we can get to know each other without anything else getting in the way, like my fame and your ex and the past. I’m only interested in the present and the future - the here and the now. I’d like us to just try and be two ordinary people for the next couple of weeks and see where we go from there,’ Nicholas told her.
Freya reached for his hand with her good arm and softly brushed his fingers with hers.
‘I would really like that too,’ she admitted.
Nicholas looked at her and Freya could sense the tension in the moment. She reached up and touched his cheek with her hand, drawing his face towards hers. Nicholas leaned forward in the chair and then hurriedly retreated as the door of the room was flung open and a nurse carrying a suture kit came in.
‘This would never happen in the movies,’ Freya remarked with a smile.
‘You’re kidding me. It happens in at least five of my movies,’ Nicholas replied.
‘And in what scene do you usually get to kiss the girl?’ Freya wanted to know.
‘Rarely before the end,’ he answered.
‘I am not waiting that long,’ Freya told him.
Just under an hour later they were back in the car beginning the return journey to Kassiopi.
‘So does this qualify as our second date?’ Freya asked.
‘Yes, but I have to say it’s probably the lousiest second date I’ve been on. You get injured, I eject someone from a restaurant and we spend three hours driving to and from the hospital,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘It’s romantic in a strange way. A bit like something that would happen in an episode of Moonlighting,’ Freya told him.
‘Jeez Freya, you and Bruce have some long term thing going on. I think I feel more threatened by him than I do by Russell,’ Nicholas remarked.
‘Well isn’t it better that you know about Bruce and I now, rather than finding out later?’ Freya replied.
‘He’s actually a really nice guy,’ Nicholas told her.
‘So you do know him! Oh my God Nick, you really are famous!’ Freya announced.
‘But not that famous - I don’t have his number in my cell phone,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘True, I forgot about that - and you really don’t have to feel threatened by Russell – oww,’ Freya yelped as the car hit a bump in the road.
‘You OK?’ Nicholas asked, steadying her.
‘Yeah, stupid, bloody Russell. I
managed to get to thirty and not have any stitches at all and now, a few days in, I have three of them. You had any before?’ Freya enquired.
‘Any what?’
‘Stitches. You look like someone who probably fell out of a few trees when he was growing up,’ Freya spoke.
‘I’ve had a few,’ Nicholas answered.
‘Ooo where? Do you have any good scars? I bet you have some great scars,’ Freya spoke.
‘Not really, sorry to disappoint,’ Nicholas replied.
‘Well maybe you could show them to me sometime,’ Freya suggested.
‘Maybe,’ he agreed with a smile.
The car pulled up outside the Calypso Apartments.
‘Well, it’s been an interesting evening,’ Freya remarked with half a smile.
‘You could say that. I’m beginning to think that every second with you is destined for drama,’ Nicholas responded.
‘I’m sorry,’ Freya answered, dropping her head.
‘I was just kidding. It’s OK, I told you, starting now, we’ll forget all about everything else and just have some time getting to know each other,’ Nicholas spoke. He took some of her hair that had fallen out of the bulldog clip, into his fingers and gently tucked it behind her ear.
Freya felt herself shiver at his touch.
‘Listen, are you going to be OK here on your own?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘Yes, I’ll be fine,’ Freya insisted.
‘I don’t want to rush things you know and spoil it,’ Nicholas stated seriously.
‘You mean you don’t want to come up to my room and make out in synch with the couple in the room above,’ Freya translated.
‘Well, it would be kind of like being at an orgy,’ Nicholas agreed.
‘And you would know? I knew those Hollywood parties were wild,’ Freya replied.
‘You’d better believe it,’ Nicholas said with a grin.
‘So are we still going out tomorrow? Freya asked him.
‘I hope so. Are you telling me you haven’t organised things yet?’ Nicholas asked her.