Betrayal (16 page)

He grins for the first time today as we
walk down towards the fish restaurant, he pulls me close to him his arm across
my shoulders, I grab onto his back pocket with my thumb. It feels so good to be
close to him once again and although I am aware it is for the benefit of his
family I almost believe it is real.

‘It’s lovely here’ Ron comments from beside
me.

‘It is’ I reply, ‘it’s the best move I
made’

‘Where are you from originally?’ he
questions.

‘I have lived in London for years but initially
a west country girl’

‘Brad informs us you own a coffee shop’

‘Yes I am looking into opening one here
too, it’s something I can do with the babies on tow’

‘Good idea’ he nods, I like Ron he reminds
me of Brad, quiet and unassuming but with a presence that demands attention.

‘We are always available for babysitting’
he offers.

‘Thank you Ron’ I smile ‘but I can’t
imagine letting them out of my sight for a moment right now’ I confide and he
nods.

‘We wouldn’t bring them in future’ he nods
towards Jake and Charlotte ‘destroyed my boy they did’ he murmurs for my ears
only and I purse my lips anger searing through me.

‘Not destroyed Ron made him a better man’ I
argue my arms tightening around Brad who turns at my action.

‘Bless you’ he taps my shoulder,
‘definitely a keeper Brad’ he calls over to his son who appears chuffed by his
words.  Brad turns and squeezes me as I move my hand up his back under his
shirt.  I feel goose bumps across his skin at my touch and for a minute forget
I have just given birth as my body awakens.

I notice Jake and Charlotte up front with
the little girl who is a solemn little soul. 

‘Sofia’ I call and she turns ‘you want to
help push your cousins?’

‘Can I?’ she skips back to me her blue eyes
round with wonder.

‘Of course’ I reluctantly release Brad and
move Sofia next to him, ‘you can help Uncle Brad push as it’s such a big pram’

‘Uncle Brad doesn’t like me’ she whispers.

‘Of course he does’ my stomach drops at the
thought of another person who is fucked-up through all this.

Brad turns and his face pales, ‘of course I
do Sofia’ he ruffles her hair but his eyes inform me he doesn’t know how to behave
around her. I imagine Brad has detached from his brother due to circumstances
and that included Sofia despite being a mere child.  My heart warms for the
blonde toddler as I stroke a hand down her hair.

‘See you are Ava and Harry’s big cousin’ I
encourage, she grins up at me as she makes a big deal of pushing despite the
fact she can’t see over the top of the pram.

I sit on the end of the table with the
babies facing me and Brad sits next to me his arm stretched across the back of
my chair.  His thumb is gently stroking my shoulder and I am almost purring at
the sensation.

‘You ok?’ I whisper into his ear.

‘Counting the minutes’ he smiles and I put
my hand on his thigh in a gesture of support.

‘Put her down for a minute’ Todd calls from
opposite.

‘Why, jealous?’ Brad calls back sweetly.

‘God yeah’ he grins as he rolls his eyes
over my chest area.  I feel Brad stiffen and I squeeze his thigh.

‘Why do you give them the power?’ I murmur
quietly.

‘What do you mean?’ he frowns.

‘Well why do you think they do it?’ I arch
a brow, ‘they want a reaction, don’t give them one and they will prove
themselves the idiots’

He relaxes slightly placing his hand on top
of mine on his thigh lacing his hand through mine.  I take a deep breath as I
feel emotional at the gesture.

‘Maddie’ he calls, ‘hormones?’ his eyes
twinkle and I grin nodding.

My eyes move around the table, ‘your dad is
great!’ I comment.

‘Yeah he is’ he agrees.

‘You are very much like him’ I comment.

‘My mum thinks so too’ he smiles.

‘So Brad, any plans for the future?’
Charlotte grins from across the table her mouth stretched across her teeth in
more of a sneer.

‘Like?’ he asks.

‘Well any wedding bells in the air?’ she is
intending to embarrass me I think.

‘I think that is between Maddison and I
don’t you?’ he doesn’t love her he tolerates her my brain informs me at that precise
moment.

‘Sure’ but her eyes penetrate into mine,
god how can he stomach this? She thinks she is irreplaceable.

‘We don’t need a piece of paper to confirm
our love for each other’ I comment fury circling within my insides at the
audacity of the woman.

‘He isn’t good at commitment’ she smiles as
if she has a secret and I tense up.

‘Well I guess on pass experiences once
bitten twice shy’ my eyes pierce hers as rage flows though me.

‘I expect the fact you got pregnant to trap
him didn’t help’ she laughs once sitting back against her chair in victory and
I feel my cheeks flush.

‘He has a choice’ my voice is low as I feel
everyone’s eyes on me around the table.

‘Sure he does’ she places her fork down as
her eyes bore into mine ‘so you don’t even live together?’ she questions ‘what
kind of relationship is that?’

‘That’s enough Charlotte’ Rachel frowns at
her daughter-in-law, ‘anyone can see they are in love’

‘Jealous Charlotte’ I croon.

‘No. Been there, got the t-shirt’ she
sneers.

‘You speak as though you are proud of the
fact’ I scoff.

‘That’s enough Charlotte!’ Brad snaps his
voice cold.  Jake turns his eyes to Brads before moving back to his wife where
he whispers something.  Her lips thin before she picks her fork back up.

‘Don’t rise to it’ Brad whispers into my
ear, ‘she is just looking for a reaction’ and grins at my own words and I cannot
contain the smile.  He drops a kiss down on my lips quickly and I run my thumb
over his lips to wipe off the gloss. 

I glance over to Charlotte who is regarding
us intently then move my eyes along to Jake who is oblivious and I shake my
head whispering into Brad’s ear, ‘he doesn’t even love her that’s her penance’

When we arrive home I make coffee before
everyone departs, Rachel and Ron spend the time cuddling the babies.

‘Oh can I hold Harry’ Charlotte whines and
my insides tense, my eyes find Brad’s and he appears as disturbed by this as I.

‘What’s the matter with Ava?’ I ask.

‘Oh nothing it’s just he reminds me of our
son Daniel’ she glances at Brad a distraught look on her face, they will be
gone soon I recite in my head as I exit the room unable to witness it.  I busy
myself in the kitchen for a moment before I cannot contain my annoyance any
longer and re-enter the lounge to find Charlotte sniffing all over Harry.  I
walk over and retrieve my son bringing him close to me.

‘I am sorry for your loss Charlotte but
this is Harry not Daniel’ I walk out of the room and move upstairs with my
son.  My little Harry who is an absolute angel, never causing me a moments
grief, I don’t want people crying all over him.  I cuddle him close to me as
Brad’s eyes gaze up to me from his little face, ‘oh you are such a handsome
fella just like your dad’ I coo.

‘He obviously has his dad’s temperament
too’ an amused voice calls from the door ‘Ava however….has her mum’s temper
that is for sure’ he grins as he saunters towards me with the cockiness that
has been absent all day.

‘Yeah well’ I shrug my insides tingling at
his stance.  This is Brad from Antigua, I narrow my eyes as I regard him ‘what
you doing?’ I hum.

‘Nothing!’ he moves to stop in front of me
as his eyes assess me, ‘you have upset Charlotte’ he tuts but appears totally
unaffected by it.

‘Do you still love her?’ I enquire.

‘Good god no!’ his eyes widen and I smile.

He drops a kiss onto my lips tilting my
head back by tugging gently at my hair.  His tongue teases my lips enticing
them open as I gasp my tongue moving against his.

‘We are…oops’ we spring apart at Rachel’s
voice as she once again walks in on us kissing, ‘you kids are going to have
another one in nine months if you aren’t careful’ she smiles genuinely, ‘too
much passion not enough sense’ she shakes her head.

‘Sorry’ I mumble embarrassment surging
through me.

‘My darling don’t you ever be sorry for
making my boy happy’ she moves over and takes Brad in her arms, ‘I love you
son, I am so happy for you.  I can only apologize for your brothers behavior I
have spoiled them, they have always looked up to you and wanted what you have’
she sighs lightly.

‘They are adults mum they are responsible
for their own behavior’ Brad reminds them.

‘It doesn’t take a genius to see Maddison adores
you Brad her head won’t be turned by a pretty face. That Charlotte was always
searching for the next better offer’ she kisses his cheek affectionately.

She hugs me, ‘great to meet you Maddison, I
am sure we will meet again and you are absolutely right your Harry here is
gorgeous in his own right.  This room is lovely by the way’ she smiles as her
gaze moves around the nursery. ‘I can die a happy woman’ she grins up at her
son.

‘Mum you aren’t dying’ Brad rolls his eyes.

‘We are all dying Brad’ she informs him as
she winks at me.

Everyone leaves at the same time of which I
am pleased, Charlotte merely waves her hand from across the room before
wrapping her arms around Brad.

‘Don’t forget Daniel’ she touches his cheek
and he frowns.

‘Don’t Charlotte’ he steps away, ‘as if I
would ever forget my own son’

 Jake ignores both his wife and daughter
the whole visit and I question whether Charlotte was indeed a challenge to Jake
as Rachel suggests.  He blinks not an inch at the gesture by his wife whilst I
am standing there fuming. Jake and Todd both come in for a hug but as I have
Harry in my arms they do not get near enough to make me uncomfortable.

‘I’d take this one off your hands Brad’
Todd teases Brad as he kisses my cheek.

‘Sorry Todd I am taken and also have
morals’ I snap my eyes finding Charlotte’s who is fuming her cheeks pink, her
lips set.

Jake chuckles, ‘I bet she’s a right
firework in the sack’ he mutters quietly to Todd who is grinning towards his
twin.

Brad moves menacingly over towards him as
Ava wriggles, ‘leave it’ I plead grabbing Brad’s arm.

‘You stay away from her’ he warns them both
his voice like ice ‘you won’t get off so likely you touch Maddison’ he warns
them.

‘Todd, Jake!’ calls Ron his voice harsh and
they depart like school boys.

Closing the door with Ava tucked under his
chin Brad leans against it and exhales a breath.  ‘I owe you my life for
tolerating that’ he mutters as he moves into the lounge and relaxes into the
sofa.  I follow suit at the other end bringing my feet up placing Harry against
my chest as I lay on the cushion exhaustion hitting.

‘I am glad at this moment in time I am an
orphan’ I sigh and Brad chuckles hard, I join him and we end up disturbing the
babies who are cranky through being handed around all afternoon.

‘You didn’t eat much you want pizza?’ he
offers lightly.

‘Yes I want pizza’ I hum, ‘pepperoni
please’

‘Pass my phone’ I hand him his phone and it
lights as I touch it to reveal his screen saver is of me feeding the babies in
bed this morning.

‘Brad you cannot have this as a screen
saver’ I gasp.

‘You can’t see anything’ he argues, ‘the
babies heads are in the way’

‘Still, I am all but naked.  You have a
pornographic picture on the front of your phone for anyone’s eyes to view’

‘Everyone who?’ he snorts, ‘no one sees my
phone oh except Charlotte may have glanced at it’ he grins.

‘Great! Bet she had a right laugh at my
expense’ I stroke Harry’s hair.

‘Why would she?’ he frowns ‘you are
beautiful’

‘You don’t have to say that now no-ones
here’ I declare.

‘No one needs to be here’ he informs me.

The weekend from then on was fantastic, once
the twins were settled we ate pizza and watched a film, dozing on the sofa
ourselves.  When we climbed into bed I didn’t bother to question Brad joining
me but relaxed and slept soundly with his body behind mine until four when Ava
woke us demanding to be fed.  When the babies were content we changed them
before once again snuggling down for another couple of hours.

‘You are making me lazy’ I yawn as I swing
my legs over the bed a while later and make my way to the shower. 

‘You need to catch up’ he expresses his
eyes following me as I walk to the door in PJ bottoms and a camisole.

I dress casually once again in leggings and
a sweatshirt pulling my hair into a top knot and Brad finally gets his peaceful
walk along the beach with the pram. We sit and eat pastries and coffee watching
the water as the babies sleeping soundly beside us.