Prodigal Son (Jensen Family Series)

by Michelle Day

  “Take me there” She demanded.

  “It’s late Monica, I’ve had a six hour drive and I’m shattered, can we talk again tomorrow?”

  “No we can’t. I cannot believe that you would take him on a whim into the arms of that dreadful woman.”

  “For starters, it wasn’t a whim, he’s where he needs to be right now, you don’t know if she’s a dreadful woman or not, she obviously has some redeeming qualities or Paul wouldn’t still be with her and he certainly wouldn’t jeopardise his relationship with you over her, he thinks the world of you Monica but you are being too hard on him right now.” He held up a hand to stop her from speaking “He may be your son but at the moment, I know him better than you do, let him be. He said he’d call you and let you know he was safe so just leave it at that for now. I’m tired, I’m going to bed, and we can talk some more in the morning. You are more than welcome to stay if you want but if you decide to go, make sure the door is closed properly behind you.” He left her standing in the middle of the living room.

  Sweeping Carmen into his arms, Paul danced her around the kitchen much to the delight of Luke who began screaming and clapping in delight while Carmen laughed and allowed Paul to guide her. As Helen came into the room to find out what all the noise was about, Paul switched from Carmen to her, pulling her against him as they completed a circuit of the kitchen, making her aware of the hard muscles across his chest where her hand rested and she felt the first stirrings of desire. Dropping his hands from Helen’s miniscule waist, Paul scooped Luke into his arms whereon the little boy bounced up and down in his grip and squealed with delight at his spin around the kitchen. They were all laughing when Paul dropped into a chair, still holding Luke.

  “What was all that about?” Carmen stifled another laugh.

  “It was a good song,” he inclined his head towards the radio “I felt the need to dance.”

  “I’ll hand it to you Paul, you certainly liven the place up.” Helen added “Come on Luke.” She reached for her son “Is it still ok if I borrow your car?” she asked Carmen.

  “Yeah, sure.” Carmen confirmed, she was looking forward to having Paul all to herself for a couple of hours.

  “What are you up to?” Paul asked.

  “I’m taking Luke swimming.” Helen answered.

  “Can we come?” He asked, looking at Helen, he missed Carmen’s frown.

  “Er, if you really want to.” Helen hesitated.

  “You don’t have any trunks with you.” Carmen interjected.

  “That’s not a problem; I’ll buy some on the way there.” He stood up “Come on, I read in one of those baby books that swimming is good for pregnant ladies and I haven’t worked out since I got here, I could use the exercise.” He told her.

  Carmen scowled after him as he left them to retrieve his towel. “You could have put him off.” She snapped at Helen.

  “Why? He obviously wants to come and he’s right with what he said about swimming in pregnancy.”

  “I was hoping I could have a few hours alone with him.” Carmen hissed “You knew that.”

  “You’d better keep your pregnancy hormones in check when you are talking to me.” Helen replied, “From the sounds emanating from your bedroom, I’d say it’s time to give it a rest for a couple of hours.”

  Since Paul had had a few quite words with the local newshounds who insisted in staking out Helen’s house, they had been able to go about their business relatively unhindered and their arrival at the swimming pool went unnoticed.

  Paul was already in the pool by the time the ladies and Luke eased themselves into the shallow end. Swimming the length of the pool, he came to his feet by Helen’s side as Carmen busied herself with tying back her long hair. The water came to his knees, Helen, on her knees in the water, clutching her son, found her gaze on a level with his groin and quickly looked up to his face; her gaze couldn’t fail to notice the ripped abs and hard Pecs on his otherwise slim and superbly toned body.

  “Oh my god,” she thought as she gasped at the sight of him, he was the epitome of beautiful, his body could have been carved from marble, it was absolutely flawlessly perfect.

  “Are you ok?” He asked as he sunk to his knees, he had heard her gasp and he knew the reason for it, “Huh, not such a cold bitch after all.” He thought.

  “Water’s cold,” she covered her confusion.

  “It is a little chilly.” He agreed then wrapped an arm around Carmen’s shoulders as she sank down beside him “If you two want to have a swim, I’ll take care of Luke.” He offered.

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She hesitated.

  “Come on Helen, God, it’s been years since we have done this. Luke will be perfectly safe with Paul.”

  Swimming breaststroke and chatting amiably, it took some time for either of them to notice that Paul and Luke were surrounded by women in the shallow end.

  “What the hell?” Carmen asked as she caught sight of Paul, broad grin and all, in the shallow end of the pool.

  “He’s an attractive boy,” Helen lengthened her reach to keep up with Carmen. “And he has a baby in his arms, it’s kind of an irresistible draw.”

  “He’s flirting.” Carmen answered.

  “From what I’ve seen so far, that’s just him, it doesn’t mean anything, please don’t make a scene.” She pleaded.

  “What a cute baby, is he yours?” A luscious brunette asked, pretending to get Luke’s attention while edging closer to Paul, her bouncing breasts, barely concealed by two tiny triangles of material definitely had his attention.

  “Er, no.” He smiled and looked into her eyes, thinking “Wow, she’s pretty.”

  “Oh, so are you just looking after him?” Another female voice from one of the seven women around him.

  “Yeah, his Mum’s having a swim and a few moments to herself.”

  The conversation continued, the girls getting bolder until he found he was completely surrounded by firm young flesh and smiling faces, his natural charisma took over and he had the girls giggling and blushing as he talked to them.

  “Paul?” Carmen’s voice at which he started guiltily “Excuse me!” She waded through the water and surrounding women to his side.

  He stood, handing Luke back to his mother who promptly left the pool. He placed his hand on her swollen abdomen and announced to the waiting females “This is my baby.” Before swiftly wrapping an arm around Carmen “And this is the love of my life.” He finished, his actions alone should have been enough to appease her.

  Carmen heard gasps of “Oh” and “Yuk, she’s so old.” And “What a waste of a decent piece of man, he’s a granny lover” as he guided her away.

  The ensuing argument lasted for hours when they got home making Paul for the first time, regret his decision to visit her. From whatever angle he found to apologise from, she found fault with. He was remarkably calm and accepted her rebuke until she started in on what a bad mother Monica was and then he lost his temper.

  From the living room, Helen was initially surprised at the low level of the argument, she could clearly hear Carmen but Paul’s replies were just low mumbles and she was glad that he seemed to be able to let her friend rant and not rise to the bait. Within moments of her thinking that she had underestimated Paul, his voice rose to a roar and she heard every single word as he barked at Carmen exactly what he thought of her and her opinion of his mother. She heard rapid footsteps on the stairs and the front door slammed then silence.

  “You handled that well.” Helen remarked as Carmen came into the room.

  “Shut up Helen.” Carmen snapped.

  “What did you say to make him lose his rag?”

  “I gave him a few home truths about his not so perfect mother.” She replied “He just can’t see that she’s still trying to smother him.” She explained.

  “I take it that is a sore point with him?”

  “It doesn’t matter what she does, what punishment she doles out to him, he takes it without question, it
makes me sick.”

  Paul walked to the nearest coffee shop, bought a drink and sat in a window seat, chain smoking and trying to cool his temper. He hated it when she took cheap shots at his mother; he couldn’t just let them go but was his own worst enemy. Carmen knew that it was the quickest way to wind him up and she used it to her full advantage, knowing that it was like lighting the fuse on a bomb. Thinking of Monica, he knew he really should phone her and let her know he was ok but the thought of having yet another argument with her so soon after the one with Carmen left a sour taste in his mouth and he decided to leave it for a few more days.

  He hadn’t realised how hungry he was until he stepped into the house, the smell of a roast dinner permeated the house and saliva rushed into his mouth and his stomach growled. He peeled off his coat and sweatshirt, the heat from the oven and the fact that he had paid the heating bill meant that the heating was on full pelt making the house tropically hot.

  “Hey,” he spoke quietly on entering the kitchen, both women and the boy were seated at the table, food in front of them.

  “You decided to come back then?” Carmen stated the obvious.

  “Yeah”, he hovered in the doorway, uncertain.

  Helen got out of her chair “Sit down Paul; I kept your dinner warm.”

  He slid into the seat next to Luke’s highchair, the youngster holding out a gravy covered hand towards him, opening it to reveal a smashed roast potato before smushing the same hand against his open mouth making Paul chuckle at the child’s obvious enjoyment.

  “If Luke is anything to go by, it looks tasty.” He watched as the child started in on a carrot, thanking Helen as she put the plate in front of him.

  “Aren’t you going to apologise?” Carmen asked.

  “It doesn’t seem to make the slightest bit of difference if I do, you still niggle at it.” He told her. “This is fantastic.” He addressed Helen.

  “You are unbelievable.” Carmen hissed.

  “I think we owe each other an apology. I shouldn’t have shouted at you or flirted with those girls and you have to stop taking pot shots at my Mum.”

  “That seems reasonable.” Helen commented, “you need to meet each other half way.”

  “I don’t see why I should make allowances for your Mother.” Carmen persisted.

  “Give it a rest Carmen” Paul sighed “We were both wrong, I’m more than willing to accept responsibility for my part in it, can we just put this behind us and start again?”

  “I suppose.” She conceded.

  With the meal finished and Luke eventually cleaned up from being gravy coloured, Paul offered to tackle the washing up. Talking to both the ladies over his shoulder as he supported Luke on the chair in front of the sink while the youngster proceeded to soak both of them in his attempts to help.

  “I’ll start painting the upstairs windows if it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” He said, he took the small side plate from Luke.

  “That’ll be great. I really do appreciate all your hard work.” Helen replied.

  “It’s ok, I enjoy doing it and you have to admit, the house is warmer with the fresh putty in the panes and the double glazing” he answered, then “Shit.” As the plate slipped from his hand and smashed on the floor “Sorry Helen.”

  “It’s fine.” Helen jumped to her feet and grabbed the dustpan and brush “Just keep Luke up on the chair.”

  “For God’s sake Paul, cant you be more careful and watch what you are doing?” Carmen barked at him.

  “I didn’t do on purpose.” He protested.

  “We’re on a budget you know, one that doesn’t cover the cost of replacing dishes.” She snapped.

  “I broke one plate.”

  “Leave him alone Carmen, he didn’t actually throw the bloody thing on the floor, it was an accident.” Helen tipped the shards into the bin “Don’t worry about it Paul.”

  “You are such an inconsiderate piece of shit.” She seethed “You shouldn’t stick up for him.” She told Helen.

  “Wind your neck in.” Helen spat “It’s no big deal and you are making mountains out of molehills.”

  Carmen stormed from the room, slamming the door, leaving a stunned silence behind her.

  “I have no idea what just happened.” Paul broke the silence.

  “You have to understand, she’s overly emotional and hormonal at the moment, she doesn’t mean half of what she says, just try and tread carefully with her.”

  “I don’t know who she is anymore, she’s a totally different person to the one I fell in love with.”

  “Huh. Just you wait until she’s had the baby.”

  “Sounds ominous.” He looked at her.

  “You’ll see.” She smiled “Come on, let’s get this finished then you can go and make yet another apology for something you didn’t do.”

  Although the following day was crisp, there was a weak winter sun which brightened the day and allowed Paul to make a start on painting the outside window frames. Standing at the top of the ladder, he shivered as he painted but his concentration soon consumed him enough to let him forget about the cold. Carmen bought tea and sandwiches out to him at regular intervals, although neither of them had apologised, they had made up but things between then were still a little awkward.

  The house was situated on a busy through road and Paul took no notice of the constant traffic noise of car horns, slamming doors, squeaking brakes, loud stereos and air brakes and so he was taken completely unaware when a familiar voice called his name making the cold fingers of dread wrap around his gut. He looked down from his lofty position to see his mother and Uncle looking up at him expectantly.

  “Crap, shit, fuck, bollocks.” Paul murmured to himself during his decent “Hello Mum” he said, not quite meeting her gaze as his feet hit terra firma.

  “It’s nice to see you are alive and well.”

  Annoyed with himself for being a coward and not phoning her and irked by her tone, Paul opened his mouth before engaging his brain “I’m hardly likely to be anything else am I?” he snapped, then stepped back, his hand covering the cheek that received her slap.

  “Do not take that attitude with me young man,” she hissed “What the hell were you thinking running off in the middle of the night?”

  “I was thinking that home was the last place I wanted to be.” He replied, his arms folding defensively across his chest,

  “All you’ve done by running away is provoke the press and further inflame your fathers’ temper. I was in the process of reasoning with him on your behalf and was winning the battle when you upped and left, now he’s baying for blood, I don’t know if I will be able to restrain him when I get you home.”

  “Oh, like you’ve done a stellar job of keeping him off me so far,” he flung his arms wide in frustration, raking his fingers through his hair and pacing. “And what makes you think I’m going home?” He turned towards her again, his brows drawn together in a frown.

  Helen looked up from the game she was playing with her son when she heard raised voices outside to see Paul pacing and snarling at a dark haired woman who appeared to be holding her own against him and a tall, equally dark haired man who stood quietly on the sidelines.

  “Who’s Paul talking to?” she called to Carmen.

  Walking from the kitchen and through the living room to stand by the window, Carmen watched the exchange between Paul and his mother, knowing she couldn’t be seen thanks to the heavy net curtains.

  “That’s Paul’s Mum.” She stated.

  “Is that his Dad?” Helen asked, standing beside her.

  “No, I don’t know who that is.” Both women flinched when Monica lashed out at Paul and were equally astounded when Paul rounded on her and continued his diatribe. “She’ll make him go home.” She finished.

  “You don’t know that, perhaps you should go out there and intervene.”

  Paul caught sight of Carmen as she stepped out of the house and frowned at her, shaking his head, willing her with a look to go
back into the house. Carmen held his gaze steadily as she walked towards him and slipped her arm through his, together they faced Monica.

  “Good morning Mrs Jensen” she greeted the older woman.

  “What reason do you have for keeping my son here?” Monica attacked.

  “I’m not keeping him here, he can leave any time he pleases and he seems quite content to stay.” Her tone had become sharper and she felt Paul tense beside her.

  “Mum, I’ll come home when I’m ready.” He interjected.

  “You will come home today, it isn’t open for discussion.” Monica glared at her son before turning back to Carmen “You and I need to talk, you are after all, carrying my Grandchild and there are arrangements that need to be made both financial and visitation.”

  “Very well, would you care to come in?” Carmen stepped aside and gestured to the house.

  “No, we can go somewhere neutral.” Monica refused.

  “Alright, when would suit you?”

  “Now would suit me, I have no intention of leaving here without my son. Paul, Miss Scott and I will return shortly, you stay here with John.”

  “But....” Paul started.

  “It’s ok” Carmen turned to him “We knew this day would come, I’ll see you later.”

  Standing beside his Uncle, Paul watched as his Mother and lover drove away in Monica’s car “That is such a bad idea” he murmured.

  “Yep, I agree but you know what your Mum is like when she gets the bit between her teeth, it’s best just to let her get on with it.”

  “Hmm. You’d better come inside.” He preceded John into the house and offered him something hot to drink, meeting Helen as they reached the kitchen “Helen, this is my Uncle John, John, this is Carmen’s friend Helen.”

  “Nice to meet you.” John held out his hand, a warm smile lightening his grave expression

  Helen looked into the honey brown eyes boring into hers, set in a ruggedly handsome face surrounded by neatly cut, naturally waving hair and realised that genetically, it was impossible for Paul not to have inherited some of his Uncles looks through his mother and his lips were almost a perfect copy of the older man’s.’”