by Odette Botha
The next morning I was awake before everyone else, I left Joshua to sleep in.
I made myself a mug of coffee and sat outside in the garden at the back of the house. I sat there for a couple of minutes taking in the fresh air, it was so relaxing and beautiful outside.
As the sun fell on the leaves I could see at least four different shades of green.
The dew on the leaves made them sparkle in the sunlight.
It was also incredibly quiet out there; there was no noise and no traffic.
I moved the chair onto the grass, so that I could feel the grass under my feet it was an incredible feeling. It wasn’t something you could explain to anyone it just felt so good.
I thought about Dean and Alex how they would have loved to see this place, although they are probably seeing more beautiful things now. I still had this feeling of missing them but I could suppress it more. Whenever I felt incredibly happy or sad I would think of them and I would imagine what Dean would say, sometimes I would just sit and smile for no reason. Joshua would ask me why I was smiling but I never told him, I was still grieving my friends and I didn’t want him to worry. He understood but he too wanted me to move on and live my life as I would if they were here.
“Hey sexy girl, I woke up and you were gone,” I heard him say.
“I wanted you to sleep in, you know there was a time where if I just moved in bed that you would wake up,” I said smiling at him.
“Yes I know it was just because I was worried about you.”
He pulled me off the chair. He sat down and pulled me onto his lap.
“What do you mean?” I asked frowning.
“After the accident, you use to get up in the middle of the night and then one night I was looking for you everywhere, I was ready to get dressed and look for you outside the apartment but then I found you. You climbed out the window and you sat outside on the fire escape.”
“I almost don’t even remember it. I just remembered that I needed to get out of the apartment I couldn’t breathe. I was so doped up on the medication,” I explained rubbing his face with my hand.
“I love you,” he said softly kissing me.
“So we are the first to people awake?” I asked.
“No mom is awake she is making a pot of coffee and breakfast. Don’t worry I told her you don’t really like a big breakfast.”
I rolled my eyes I wasn’t going to make demands on people that I hardly knew.
We sat there I rested my head on his cheek; it was so calm and somewhat romantic.
“Good morning,” I heard Isabel saying as she walked out.
She walked to the chair closest to the door and plunked herself down. We both greeted her but we didn’t look at her. We all sat there in silence for a while when I got up to take my mug to the kitchen.
Joshua stayed outside with Isabel and I heard them talking.
“Good morning mom,” I said when I saw Liz in the kitchen.
She put down the dishcloth and walked over to me, she gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning sweet girl, did you sleep well?”
I was taken by surprise at her greeting me with a kiss. But I also picked up that they were a very affectionate family.
“Yes thank you I woke up refreshed.”
“Sorry about the noisy bed, its not exactly fit for newly weds,” she said winking at me.
The blood rushed to my face again, I felt my face was warm.
“Its fine thank you.”
“That was Joshua’s room when he was still living at home. Did you know that?” She asked turning her back to me as she got the cups lined up for coffee.
“No I didn’t know that.”
“His father had to put burglar bars on the windows because he used to climb out the window to go visit his girlfriends in the middle of the night,” she said laughing. “Really. Girlfriends?” I asked interested.
Liz looked at me and she saw I was very inquisitive.
“Alright it was actually just this one girl her name was Melinda, she was older than him but only by a year or two. Her parents use to leave her alone when they went away because she had school. It was a weird family the father was away allot and the mother looked like she was stepping out on a movie set everyday. So Joshua would climb through the window and go there, the house is only a couple of blocks away.” Her voice went down to a whisper so that no one could hear her gossip.
“So what happened?” I asked interested.
“I was scared he was going to get her pregnant or something, boys that age and their hormones... So we grounded him but that didn’t help, we had to put the burglar bars up,” she said laughing.
“Did she brake up with him?”
“Yes she did, she found someone else I suppose. He was heartbroken, you know teenagers everything is the end of the world.”
We both laughed
“Why are we laughing?” Joshua asked when he came in to the kitchen.
“Well your mom and I were just discussing the love of your life,” I said playfully.
“So you were talking about you.”
“No actually we were talking about Melinda,” I said looking at his mother.
“Ag mom, why did you have to do that?” He asked frowning.
“I always wanted to know what you did at that girl’s house late at night?” Liz asked “Nothing, mom we did nothing,” he said almost like he was a teenager again.
I laughed; at his disgust it was sweet.
He got a naughty smile on his face, he leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“Maybe mom should rather worry what we were doing in our room last night.”
I jumped off the bar stool and said, “I have to get dressed.”
Liz looked at me narrowing her eyes and asked, “what did he just say to you?”
She was a very inquisitive woman.
“Well I said...” he started.
“He said nothing.”
I put my hand over his mouth. She smiled at me, because my face was blood red again, she probably assumed it was something that I really didn’t want her to know.
“You are going to be even more irritated with me son, we are watching one of your movies this afternoon,” his mother said handing him a mug of coffee.
“Which one?” I asked.
“The Rising sun,” she answered.
“I love that movie I have seen it a hundred times,” I said excited.
“Does he watch it with you?” Liz asked.
“Yes he has no choice, he always hated watching movies that he was in but I think he got use to it by now,” I said giggling.
Joshua just nodded; he once told me he had never watched his own movies. He also never bought gossip magazines.
“Doesn’t it bother you to see the love scenes in his movies?” She asked.
“Actually before we knew each other, I had seen him in a love scene in a movie and decided he is precisely the right person to play the lead character in my book, that was around the time I was in negotiation for the book to become a movie.
“Anyways he played this drug addicted teenager in the movie and there was one love scene between him and this blond girl and I just thought this guy is brilliant, so I requested him for an audition. But now since we are married it drives me insane! I can see it on TV its not that bad but in real life like the last couple of days of filming it made me angry and grumpy.” I was honest.
“Are you very possessive?” She asked but before I could answer Joshua answered, “she’s not possessive just a little jealous.”
He was right I was, when he and Wendy kissed I wanted to climb out the walls.
The worst part was; the love scene I loved the most in the book, when they acted it out in front of me, I had to get up and go outside for a fresh air.
Chapter 40
We had breakfast outside that day, everyone was talking at the same time it was chaos b
ut in a good way. I enjoyed spending time with his family they were kind and I felt comfortable with them.
After breakfast Joshua helped his dad work on his dad’s car and I spend time talking to his mother and sisters.
Isabel wasn’t snapping at me the whole time anymore she actually spoke to me, not much but it looked like she was trying.
When Josh and his dad was done with the car the family all got together in the TV room with popcorn ready to watch Joshua’s movie.
When we laid there watching the movie, I could feel him cringe at some of the scenes, he was his own worst critic.
After the movie everyone discussed it and then his mom said, “I know you haven’t had a proper reception for your wedding so we organised a cocktail Saturday night, we invited some friends and family over. I hope you don’t mind?”
I looked at Joshua.
“No that’s fine thank you mom,” he said.
I could see he wasn’t entirely happy about the idea but he agreed.
“Then you can show off your beautiful wife,” Haley said.
“I don’t want to share her,” Joshua said smiling at me.
“I didn’t bring anything for a cocktail, we better get to a shop,” I said realising that a denim would not do.
“Yes we are going shopping later,” Liz said excited.
She didn’t need much of an excuse to shop Edward explained.
I had managed to find a short red dress, I rarely wore red but I had decided that I needed something different. I was nervous about the people who were invited, if any of them thought like Isabel did then I was going to have disastrous night.
“If I had a figure like yours I would go naked,” Haley said when I asked if the red dress I had bought wasn’t too short.
We were sitting at a coffee shop because our feet were tired and Haley was over powered by a craving for cake and ice cream.
“It’s just till after the baby is born you will get into shape in no time,” I reassured her. She just rolled her eyes while she put spoon after spoon of ice cream in her mouth. “How do you keep in shape Katie?” Isabel asked.
I was shocked that she opened her mouth, she had been quiet the whole trip.
“I don’t know good genes I guess,” I said.
“So you don’t even exercise?” Haley asked shocked.
I looked shyly at my slice of carrot cake.
“No I get a proper work out.”
I felt awkward because his mother and bigger sisters were sitting at the table.
“I don’t understand,” Liz said.
I gave a sigh smiling and thought, I was just going to say it, there was no point in trying to change the subject with them.
“I get a work out everyday sometimes twice or three times a day, I just don’t have to leave the house do it.”
“Do you have a gym at home?” Haley asked stupidly, I was about to settle on that when Isabel shot back, “don’t be stupid she is talking about having sex.”
Everyone including Isabel started laughing.
“I didn’t want to say it out loud.”
My face was red, I could feel it.
“It’s fine, we are all girls at the table we will forget that Joshua is family don’t worry,” Liz said smiling,
“Look Katie, I am sorry that I have been such a bitch to you, my brother loves you and I can see that you are both very happy,” Isabel said looking ashamed.
“That’s fine thank you Isabel, all is forgiven,” I said almost shocked.
She stood up and walked towards me to give me a hug. I got up and gave her a hug she whispered in my ear, “I was wrong sorry.”
I pulled back and nodded.
“So tell us more, about you and Joshua do you guys ever fight?” Isabel asked.
“Yes we have disagreements but no we have never had a huge fight. I did how ever break his heart the first night we started dating. I broke up with him out of concern for his career, but I couldn’t stay away so I went to his hotel room and I asked him to take me back.”
All of them were looking at me hanging on my every word.
“It’s probably difficult with the paparazzi?” Liz asked.
“It gets better, I have learned to manipulate them to suit me but Jack, Joshua’s agent still gets a heart attack when I speak to them,” I said laughing.
“I just love Jack,” Isabel said dreamy
“Seriously you have a crush on Jack?” I asked almost choking on cake.
“She has always had a thing for him,” Haley said.
“But I was married and then that didn’t work out well either,” Isabel said disappointed.
“I could always hook you up when you are ready of course,” I suggested.
I could see her eyes light up.
“Isn’t Jack coming to the cocktail tonight?” I asked Liz smiling.
“I don’t know Josh was supposed to invite him,” Liz said pulling up her shoulders. “Wait Isabel let me just phone quickly.”
I took out my cell phone and phoned Joshua.
“Hi listen is Jack coming to the cocktail? Great… I will tell you later…No! I am at a coffee shop with your mom and sisters we are not getting into that now... alright love you too.”
I put the phone down and looked over to Isabel pleased.
“Jack will be at your house in about fifteen minutes.
“We have to get me one of those sexy dresses as well I can’t wear what I was planning on wearing,” Isabel said sounding totally stressed out.
“What did Josh say that you said, you not getting into that now?” Haley asked.
“He was just being silly,” I said.
“Katie please I haven’t had sex in two months anyone who is, should share the details with me,” Haley said ice-cream dripping from her chin.
“He said he wants to fit in a quickie before the people arrive,” I said almost in a whisper.
I wanted to share with them, like one would with girlfriends but it felt awkward.
“I think Joshua has a sex addiction you should refuse him sex for a couple of days,” Haley said.
“They are recently married leave them,” Isabel defended.
Chapter 41
We went back to the shops so that Isabel could get something sexy to wear. Everything she tried on I had to comment on, as per her instruction.
We eventually found her a dress she was happy with, it was a black strapless cocktail dress.
I looked around at the shoes and decided to get me a new pair of stilettos, I had this beautiful dress I might as well put on a nice pair of shoes I thought.
They were silver with ruby crystal beads. It was incredibly sexy and it looked nice with my red toe nails.
We paid and got into the car.
I wasn’t aloud to go out without a body guard so we travelled around with a body guard.
I overheard Joshua and Jack talking about a couple of letters they had received from a guy that threatened to kill me. I never asked him about it because I assumed he had it under control.
The story of the woman that had threatened Joshua with exposing him as the father of her unborn baby Anna Milo, was also still lingering over us. We refused to pay her a cent and we demanded a paternity test. Jack was handling it.
We got into the house and went straight to Isabel’s room we decided that we were all going to get ready in her room, she had a nice big dressing table in there and the room was big enough for all of us to get dressed in.
I put the things I bought down and walked around the house looking for Joshua. He was sitting outside with Jack.
“Hey sweetheart,” Jack said when he saw me. He got up and gave me a hug.
“Hey I am so glad you are here I need to talk to you,” I said sitting down on Joshua’s lap.
“What can I do for you?” Jack asked.
“Its about Isabel, she kind of has the b
iggest crush on you and she wanted me to talk to you.” I said.
“That’s very sweet but isn’t she married?” Jack asked confused.
“No she is getting a divorce,” Joshua said.
“I don’t know, won’t it be awkward?” Jack said looking at Joshua.
“No its fine, just don’t tell me stuff I don’t need to know,” Joshua said with a serious face.
“What, like you tell me?” Jack joked.
“You tell him about us, you two gossip like two girls,” I said hitting Joshua playfully.
Suddenly I heard a scream come from the house. We all jumped up and ran into the house. Joshua grabbed me and pushed me in behind him almost like he wanted to shield me.
“It came! It came,” Isabel was screaming.
“What is it?” Joshua asked worried.
“It came in the post,” she said as she held up a magazine with Joshua and me on the cover.
We did the shoot a couple of weeks ago. It was incredibly sexy photos. I had never posed for photos before but I looked pretty good. We started laughing at Isabel’s excitement.
Joshua grabbed the book from her and paged through it to our article. We looked through the photos together.
“Wow it turned out really well, look at this one it’s my favourite,” he said pointing to one where I was standing next to him with my hand on his chest he was lifting my one leg up against him, it was a sexy photo. You could see the clips at the top of my stockings.
“Hallo Jack,” Isabel said embarrassed.
“Hi Isabel,” he greeted her giving her a kiss on the cheek.
She grabbed the magazine from Joshua and left the room in haste clutching the book to her chest. I turned to Jack.
“So are you interested?” I asked him.
“Yes I am very much,” Jack said smiling.
I kissed Joshua on the lips and excused myself to get ready for the cocktail.
Joshua was disappointed that he couldn’t help me get dressed or should I rather say undressed. But I told him that he can undress me later.
Jack just walked out the room, when ever Joshua and I started flirting there was no stopping it.
“I am here lets do this,” I said as I got into Isabel’s room.
“What did he say?” Isabel asked eagerly.
“Well I asked him if he was interested and he said and I quote ‘yes I am very much.’ So yes he likes you too.”
Isabel was so happy with that news that she jumped up and down trying not to scream.
We got dressed and I did my makeup and hair. I looked at myself in the tall mirror, the dress fit me like a glove it showed off everything I liked about my body. My legs also looked longer and toned.