Isaac
Eloise: I miss you :-( I’m exhausted.
Isaac: I miss you too. Are you enjoying yourself?
Eloise: Yep, Jordan was nice enough to show me the fastest and safest route to work and back, which I start tomorrow by the way.
Isaac: I’m sending you a thousand canisters of mace.
Eloise: Don’t be daft. How was your day?
Isaac: Stressful. We’re running out of money… fast. I need a job… fast.
Eloise: Use my savings if you have to. We can replenish when you get a job.
Isaac: That’s not happening. I think I’m just going to have to swallow my pride and accept that offer your mum extended.
Eloise: It’s your choice; I just want you to be happy. Give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, you can go elsewhere. Something is bound to turn up eventually.
I know she’s right, but it still stinks of rotten eggs. The thought of working with that vile man makes me feel sick. He did stab me after all.
Fuck. How the hell am I going to get through this?
“Hey there, Stan?”
“What’s up, bud?” The man who fixed our plumbing responds, his voice gruff and heavily accented.
“Remember that job offer?”
“I’ll pick you up in the morning at six.” I can hear the smug smile in his voice and as much as I actually like him, because we share a mutual loathing of his dickhead brother, I don’t like his smug side. “Good for you?”
“Whatever time I’m meant to start.”
“Six.” He says and hangs up.
My ego just shrank to the size of a peanut and my pride just took a running dive off a fucking cliff.
It’s worth it. It’s for Elle; it’s for me and it’s for our house.
I chant this over and over again as I stare through the hole in the wall of the dining room.
This is what I chose. I knew it would be hard, but this is what I chose and I don’t regret it. I’ll never regret it.
Isaac: I start tomorrow.
Eloise: I love you. Good luck, baby. Call me when you can; I want to hear all about it.
Isaac: Am I still picking you up next week for my birthday?
Eloise: No, I told you already my mum is coming. She wants to see my apartment and the city so she’ll bring me back with her. Two birds, one stone.
Isaac: I should go. I have carpet to pull up and floors to sand.
Eloise: You’re following my plan. Tears in my eyes. Tears. In. My. Eyes.
Isaac: Until tomorrow. X
I tuck my phone into my pocket and do exactly as I said I was going to do. I rip up carpet, cutting it into large squares as I go for easy disposal, and then scrub the floors with a shit load of bleach and wood cleaner.
When my eyes and my nose start to burn, I shower and go to bed. I have a new job. I just hope I can do it.
Stan pats his rounded belly and belches loudly after scarfing down his lunch in seconds. “Look, I’m sorry we got you on the shit stuff today, but there ain’t much you can do. No offense.”
“None taken.” He’s not wrong. I’m a qualified teacher who can only just use a hammer and a drill when forced.
“We’ll get you trained up better in the week. Today was just a rush job and we couldn’t afford any botch ups. From tomorrow we’ll be working at the building on Trinity.”
I nod and move over to Stan’s work mates, Ryan and Lee. Both are actually nice guys, with families of their own and the will to work hard. They know their shit and instantly accepted me into their group without a second thought.
Ryan is tall, way too tall, at about five inches taller than me and I’m six foot two. He’s skinny too, stick skinny. When I look at him I think of a palm tree with two arms.
Lee, however, is the opposite; he’s a foot shorter than Ryan and is more rounded like Stan. It’s his bald head that really sets him apart. He has a tattoo on the back of his head of an eye with a purple iris. If I saw it on anyone else I’d think it looked tacky, but it seems to really suit him in a weird way.
It’s not until six that we finish and even though all I’ve done is help clean, fetch drinks and learn how to plaster, I’m exhausted. Unfortunately my day isn’t through, though, because according to Stan I have a ton of paperwork to sign and a work contract to read through.
Isaac: I’m calling you soon, Sweet. Still working.
Eloise: That’s okay, me too. I’m tagging shoes and counting stock. I don’t think the manager likes me but she’ll come around. My hair’s too pretty for me to be hated.
“Come on, let’s get this paperwork over with and I’ll drop you home.” Stan tells me and I climb into the van.
“I’m not totally hopeless then?”
“Nah, you are, but you’ll get better. We were all hopeless in the beginning. It’s not an easy job, but the days go by quick and if you lay off the burgers like I don’t, you’ll be ripped as fuck in a years’ time.”
“Thanks for the chance.”
“Family now, pal, family look out for family.” He puts the van in gear and pulls out. “No matter how fucked up you joined, you’re joined and that’s that. No point dwelling on it.”
“I appreciate that.” I still don’t want to be a part of Eloise’s dad’s family, but I guess I don’t have a choice.
“It’s cool. Want to grab a drink after this paperwork is done?”
Do I? “I’ll pass for tonight. Not used to that much labour in one day.”
He laughs loud, but nods his understanding. “That part doesn’t get easier.”
Eloise
“Hey.” I smile, rolling onto my back after answering the phone.
“You sound tired.”
“I am.” I yawn to prove it. “I’m never too tired for you, though.”
“I wish I could say the same. I swear I can’t keep my eyes open.” Isaac also yawns to prove that fact. “Are you bonding well with your new roommate?”
“He’s nice.” I daren’t say more because I’m worried Isaac will get paranoid.
“Nice?”
“Can we not talk about him? I’d rather talk about you.”
He lets out a breath and I hear him shuffle as he moves about in our bed, a bed I wish I was lying in with him right now. “Work was good. Your uncle is actually an okay guy.”
“Told you so.” This brings me relief.
“It was exhausting and I’m hopeless with a hammer, pipes, paint and plaster.”
“You made the drinks then?”
“Badly.”
I snort and try to stifle my laughter in the blanket. I fail.
“Stop poking fun; I’m too grumpy to enjoy it.” He sounds more amused than grumpy. “At least I have a job; speaking of which, the wage is decent.”
“Not as good as your teaching career, I bet.”
“Definitely not, but there are more hours and longer days with less holidays so it balances out. At least if I do a good job the mortgage won’t suffer.”
I feel a pang of guilt. If it weren’t for me he’d still be in that job, with more holidays and better pay. “I love you and I love that you loved me enough to give that up, but I also hate that you had to.”
“You’re worth it.” We both fall silent for a moment. “I should go. Have a good day tomorrow.”
“You too.”
We hang up and no doubt crash at the same time.
Chapter Four
Eloise
“Party tonight at a friend’s house. You fancy it?” Jordan asks as we eat our breakfast on the couch.
I shake my head. “My mum is taking me home for the weekend. It’s Isaac’s birthday on Sunday.”
He winces. “You going to make it back in time for classes on Monday?”
“Yep, I’ll be back Sunday night. Hopefully with a car.”
“You drive?”
I nod. “I took lessons the second I turned seventeen. Passed my test first time too.”
“Show off.” He finishes his bowl and takes
mine, dumping them in the sink. “So you’re cool with me having company over, should I feel so inclined to company?”
His cheeky, pleading smile makes me laugh. “It’s your apartment too. I won’t be here anyway.”
“Thanks. I still figured it’s better to ask. She’ll stay out of your room anyway, whoever she is.”
“Such a romantic.”
He pads towards his room, stretching and yawning as he goes. “I try.”
Checking the time, I quickly race into my room and rummage through my closet before finally finding something half decent to throw on. I have clothes at home so I’m not worried about having things to wear there. I am worried, however, about the laundry I haven’t had time to do all week that needs doing or I’m going to have nothing left for when classes start on Monday.
I bag up a few bits, enough to get me through Monday and Tuesday at least, before heading back into the room and waiting for my mum. I hope she finds her way okay; she’s useless with a satnav, even though it actually says the directions out loud.
Eloise: Mum should be here soon. I’ll be home tonight at the latest.
Isaac: I’m at work until… fuck knows what time. Have a good day. I’ll see you later. P.S. We finally started working on the Trinity road building today. Your dad isn’t here.
Eloise: This doesn’t surprise me. He usually only ever turns up to supervise on occasion, not including the planning. It’s my uncle that handles the actual work.
Isaac: I’ll be fine anyway though I am suspicious of why he gave me this job.
Eloise: Like I said, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. :-)
Isaac: Yeah... I kind of like it though. I’m learning a lot of things that I can use on the house and the guys are actually fun to talk to.
Eloise: This makes me happy! :-D I love you! I have to go, Mum is here. See you tonight. Xxx
Isaac: You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to it.
Eloise: Me too xx Mum says hi!
I tuck my phone away and wrap my arms around my mum again. It’s so weird her being here and me not living at home. Every time she has come to my house back home I just can’t wrap my head around it.
I can’t say I don’t love it, though. To be out from under my father’s thumb is a huge relief.
“You look good,” she comments and gives the apartment a quick once over. “This place is nice too.”
Having already told her about Jordan, she isn’t surprised to see him when he exits his room in his gym kit with a bag on his shoulder. They shake hands before he leaves and her wide eyes come to me.
“Don’t.” I warn, making sure she doesn’t utter a single word about the way he looks. “Isaac is already having a mini meltdown about it.”
“No kidding. Not that he has anything to worry about. You’re the luckiest female alive.” She wags her eyebrows, still smiling. “Having all of these beautiful men around you.”
“I’m telling Dad.”
“You’d have to be talking to him to be able to tell him anything.” She flops onto the couch and spreads out. “Oh Lord this is comfortable. I think I might invest in one of these.”
Blink. “You just got a new couch, didn’t you?”
“Yes but this is divine.”
I watch her roll around like a dog rubbing her scent on something and decide it’s best to leave her to it. My mum is so weird. I’m so glad I don’t get that from her.
There’s a bag on the counter that she brought in with her. I open it and pull out the new towels.
“Oh my God, they’re so fluffy!” I exclaim, rubbing my face against them.
The door opens. “Forgot my…” Jordan looks at me rubbing my face on my new towels and looks at my mum, rubbing her body on his couch. “Bus pass…”
He backs into his room, his amused eyes still on the both of us.
I drop the towels and force my mum to sit up. She seems to think it’s funny. I do not. I am mortified.
“Is it safe?” Jordan jokes as he exits his room, smiling wide. “It’s safe.”
“Where did you get this couch?” My mum rubs the fabric with her hands.
“Don’t tell her; she doesn’t need one.”
Jordan snorts and moves towards the door. “Have fun, Ladies.”
“You are so embarrassing.” I hiss after he’s gone for hopefully the final time.
“Yeah, like you can talk.” She giggles like a teenager. “You get it from me.”
Shaking my head, I fold the towels and place them in the bathroom closet. “Thank you for the towels. I needed them in my life.”
“I took some for Isaac too; I swear whenever that man sees me he stares at me like I’m about to bite him or something.”
I choke on a laugh. “He’s scared of the situation; what do you expect?”
We decide to head out for something to eat. Even though I just ate I know Mum probably skipped breakfast to get here on time.
“I get that, but I can’t really say anything anymore. It’s too late. Besides, I was young once and I remember having a huge crush on my maths teacher.” Her eyes mist over as she sighs dreamily. “If he’d have offered me… well… I don’t think I would have turned him down.”
“We haven’t really talked that much about everything.” I tuck my hair behind my ears as we exit my building and step out onto the warm street. “I feel bad for lying to you.”
“Yes, well if I’d known you were sneaking out to bonk your teacher I think our contraception conversation would have gone a little differently.” She shoots me a pointed look and even though my mum is pretty cool, that look always scares me. “You said it wasn’t serious and even though it was, I’m glad you’re still getting on with your life the way you planned.”
My teeth sink into my lip as I ponder what to say next.
Luckily she speaks up before I have the chance. “What’s done is done. There’s no going back. You’re a married woman now, which means your decision is final and I’ll have to accept that or risk my only child pulling away from me.”
“I won’t pull away from you.”
“Good. Just no grandchildren in the near future. I love babies, as you very well know, but I really, really, can’t handle you going through all of this just to throw your life away. A baby will ruin this. You know that, right?”
“Mum…” I sigh, spinning so I can walk backwards in front of her. “Drop the baby talk. I have the coil, remember? You took me to get it.”
“I know, but still, be vigilant. Keep an eye on your periods and don’t do it during ovulation times. Then it’ll be one hundred percent preventable.”
It’s like I never took sex education in school. Sigh. “Okay. Now, shall we take you to eat or not?”
“Recommend a place.”
I point to the café across the road, which seems to be extremely busy at present. “That’s the only place I’ve been and their coffee is terrible.”
“Well let’s find a new place within walking distance.” Her giddiness is contagious. I do love my mummy.
Isaac
Stan has me fitting a set of doors with a guy called Tony, a guy I could actually get along with. I have no idea what I’m doing, but fortunately Tony does and by the time we have one door up, I know how to do it myself.
“Heads up,” Tony whispers, nodding to the entrance.
I look and wince when I see Elle’s dad walking towards Stan, who is measuring something on a long table in the corner of the entrance hall.
I hate him. The way he walks is how I’d imagine a king to walk, full of entitlement and arrogance in each of his long strides. Elle talks fondly of him on occasion, but I still wouldn’t spit on him if he were on fire.
“Hold it,” Tony says quietly and we lift the second door to its jamb. “He’s coming this way.”
I try to remain passive when he finally stops beside us. His eyes scan our work before he pats Tony’s shoulder, nods at me and walks away.
I release the breath I was hol
ding and help Tony finish the door.
“He’s a bit of an arse sometimes, but he’s otherwise really cool.” Tony states, seeing my unease written across my face. “You’re still training, so don’t worry too much about messing up.”
That’s not what I’m worried about; I just hate being in his bloody presence. “Thanks.”
“Want to get a drink later?”
I shake my head, smiling once more. “Not tonight, my wife is home.”
“Wife?” He notices the wedding band on my finger. “Sweet.”
I notice the lack of a ring on his finger. “Not married?”
“Not yet. I will be though.” He wipes his forehead on his sleeve which pushes his short fringe to the side, making him look younger than he is. He’s got to be my age at least, though right now, with his large brown eyes and chubby face, he looks about twenty two. “How long have you been tied down?”
“Five weeks.”
“Holy shit! Still in the honeymoon period, then.” He lets out a laugh and releases the door once it’s in place.
I quickly drill in the screws and wipe my own brow on my sleeve. It’s absolutely roasting hot in here.
Eloise: Guess who’s on her way home?
I don’t respond. I don’t get the chance as Stan comes over to check the doors. When he gives his approval, even Tony seems to blow out a breath. This is tense. If we’d done something wrong, we’d have to start again and I am seriously ready for my break.
Speaking of which, Stan is letting us go for fifteen minutes. Fuck yes.
Isaac: I can’t wait. Be naked when I get home.
Destruction: The Distraction Trilogy #2 Page 5