Fragile (28 page)

“You threatened Lucinda?” Luke stood to Ireland’s side, looking at her.

“She’s wrecking my family,” Ireland whispered. “I thought that if she was gone, you would come back to me. I can’t compete with Lucy over you. I won’t have her taking you off me. Your family needs you, Luke, and Lucy isn’t part of that anymore. I am, and Claire is.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “This is your last warning, Ireland. Stay away from my family. If I see you near them, you too, Luke, you’ll wish that you’d never returned.” I slammed the door on my way out, and drove back to Lu.

I made an effort to calm down before I knocked on the door. The last thing this situation needed was more anger thrown into it. Ray opened it, and he wasn’t happy. “What happened?”

“Ireland is what happened.”

He closed his eyes, shook his head, and stepped to the side, allowing me into the apartment. “What did she do this time?”

“Where’s Lu?” I couldn’t see her anywhere.

“Lying down. She was really upset when she returned.”

“Mather? Tray?”

“Tray’s with her and Mather went to get some food. Now what did Ireland do this time?”

“She’s the reason Lu left.” I took a large breath in, feeling my anger come to the surface again. “Ireland threatened her and the babies, said that she would destroy their lives.” Ray swore. “And Luke’s back. He’s over there with Ireland now.”

Ray went to the fridge and got two beers. “Why did Ireland do it this time?”

“She feels that she’s in competition with Lu over Luke.”

“That’s bullshit. Lucy hates him. She loves you. Why would she think that Lucy has any interest in Luke anymore?”

“Because of the way she took him off Lucy.” We looked over to the front door to where Mather had entered. “She probably thinks that, given the chance, Lucy will run back to Luke,” she continued as she put the groceries in the kitchen.

“Lucy doesn’t want anything to do with Luke. I was just telling Rick that Lucy loves him, not Luke. He has nothing to be worried about.”

“I’m not worried,” I lied. I was scared that Lu would leave me permanently. “Lu doesn’t want anything to do with him. That’s why she moved all the way out.”

“Exactly.” Ray stated.

I needed to get Lucy away so that we could work on our relationship away from Ireland and Luke. “What if I do this...”

LUCY

I hadn’t heard from Rick since I saw him drive away from the car park yesterday. Tray hadn’t left my side either, nor had Aiden, “Lucy, honey.” Mather knocked on the bedroom door.

“Yeah.” I sat up expecting for her to have food or water, but she had nothing.

“Let’s go for a drive.” She passed me my shoes and Tray appeared in the doorway with Aiden and car keys in his hands.

The drive was short, but I couldn’t believe where Mather had driven us. No one said a word as they got out of the car. Dad’s car was there too. Something was up, and I was not in on it. Tray opened the car door, but I stayed where I was.

“Why are we here?”

“You’ll see, Lulu. Come on.” He held his hand out, and my hand was shaking as I grabbed it and stepped out of the car. I straightened my shirt up as Tray walked me over to Rick’s car.

“What’s going on?” I asked again, throwing the question to anyone who would answer.

It was Tray who explained, “Rick thinks that it’s best if you guys get away for a while.”

I looked over at him. “Why?”

“Because,” added Rick, “my family is important to me, and I think that if we get away for a while, things will settle down before the babies come and we’ll be able to fix whatever has happened between us. We’re getting away from Ireland and Luke, to where they can’t hurt you anymore. Everyone is going to come and visit, and stay after the babies are born, and we’ll come back when it’s safe too.”

I didn’t know what to say, “You’re taking me away?”

“Yes, but we’ll be back. Promise. Right now though we need to leave, for us.”

“What about your work?”

“It’s all sorted, and you’re on maternity leave. All that’s left to do is get into the car and drive.”

“Dad?” I whispered.

“I’ll be right behind you, with Aiden.” He stated, pointing over to his car.

“Mum, Dad, and I will be visiting when you’re settled,” Tray hugged me.

“This is insane,” I whispered to him.

“I know, but its only temporary, Lulu. You need to be safe, and Rick will make sure that you are.”

We said our goodbyes and got into the car. My tears ran as Rick drove away from everyone that I loved. As we pulled onto the highway, heading North, Rick grabbed my hand. I squeezed his hand back, knowing that he would look after us.

LUCY

Rick drove for hours, the car silent as the scenery moved past us. I dozed off and when I woke, the car was pulling into a long driveway. I couldn’t see much outside of the trees that lined the yard. The house was large and when Rick came and opened my door, the sound of waves hitting the sand met my ears.

“Is that the beach?” I asked in disbelief as I got out. I hadn’t been to the beach since I moved out here and missed it.

“Yes it is.” We walked up to the front door and Rick opened the house up, letting me walk through the door first. The place was as massive on the inside as it looked to be on the outside. I was walking through the large living area when a sight caught my eye and I walked outside. The sound of the water was magical as my toes dug into the sand. I instantly felt relaxed and at ease. My nerves had been on high since I was driven to Rick’s and then told that I would be taken away until after the babies were born. Rick was looking after his family. Keeping me safe and away from the people who want nothing but to hurt me.

“What do you think?” Dad came up behind me.

“It’s beautiful.” I answered honestly.

“I won’t be staying Honey. I’ve got to head back but not until you’ve settled in here. Rick is a good man; please don’t be hard on him. None of this is his fault.” I turned and looked at my Dad, there was sadness in his eyes. “He’s doing this for you and my grandbabies.”

“I know, Dad. I know.” Dad offered a small smile and hugged me.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Aiden and Rick standing at the back door looking at us. He looked so unsure. “Let’s get you unpacked and dinner cooked. You must be starving.”

I was hungry but I didn’t want to say anything. This whole day had been out of the ordinary and I was tired. We walked inside and Rick stayed behind us. There was food spread out across the bench and Dad started to put them away as Rick started to move about the kitchen, finding pots and utensils. While they were doing that I ventured upstairs to look around. There were four massive rooms. Each with their own bathroom and larger then large closet. Two rooms had perfect views of the beach and the other two on the other side of the house had views of greenery.

“I put your bag in the first room with the beach view,” I spun to face Rick, “I know you love the beach.” He looked at me with sadly, “I’m sleeping in here.” He pointed over to his bag of clothes sitting by the door, I didn’t see it there. “I want you comfortable enough to want to fix us, so…” he shrugged.

“Rick,” I looked around the room, “This wasn’t necessary, we didn’t have to leave home.”

Rick nodded, “We did. With Ireland and Luke there it’s too hard. I want you safe, I want us safe and we aren’t with those two constantly trying to split us up. Here there is only us.”

“And what’s going to happen when we return. They’re still going to there, they’re still going to try and make trouble.”

Rick looked at me, “I’m hoping that by the time we go back that we’ll be strong enough together not the let them do that.”

I took a deep breath, he was scared. “I won’t leave you Rick. I have no interest on Luke. No matter what he does, it will never be enough to even tempt me to go back to him. He hurt me too much and I don’t want to feel the way he makes me feel.”

“I won’t lose you Lu. You mean too much to me. I love you too much to even take that chance. This is my fault and I know that. If I have just listened to you in the first place, when you said that you couldn’t be with me, we wouldn’t be in this mess. If I hadn’t stepped away from you the night Ireland showed up, we wouldn’t be in this mess, if I never left you, we wouldn’t be in this mess. This, where we are now, is all on me and I take full responsibility for this, but pregnant or not, you are my family, my love, and I will do everything possible to prove that to you.” I had tears running silently down my face, he loved me and I knew that. “You say you hate the way Luke makes you feel, I hate the way I feel when I’m not with you.”

“I love you Rick, you know I love you. I don’t understand why you’ve done all of this. You’re the one who drove away yesterday and didn’t return. You talk about me behind my back to our parents; you get angry when Tray is around…” I couldn’t finish talking, my tears taking over.

“Tray’s to protective of you, he doesn’t leave you alone with me and he interrupts me when he doesn’t like what I’m saying.”

“He’s just—”

“I know, he’s protecting you. Being a brother.”

“How do you propose we…” I wave my hand between us, “fix us?”

Rick stepped closer and held my face in his hands, wiping my tears away. “We go downstairs, have something to eat, then you head to bed because you look exhausted and we start fresh tomorrow.”

RICK

I watched Lu eat. Ray had cooked dinner before he left. I knew that Lu would be hesitant leaving with me. I had lost her trust and Ray being here, assuring her that this is a good thing, made Lu stay. She could hardly keep her eyes open while eating and when her plate was finished, I took her hand gently and walked her to bed.

She took my hand and gripped it as we walked up the steps. Lu lay down and closed her eyes. She was asleep. My baby was so tired, so worn out. I stayed with her for a while, watching her sleep, feeling out children move around. Lu stirred and I didn’t know how she would react to me watching her with our relationship being as it is, so I kissed her forehead and left.

I couldn’t settle enough to sleep, so I laid awake, thinking about ways to prove to Lu that she can trust me again. I heard movement in the hallway, I was getting up when Lu opened the door. “I want to go home.” She stood in the doorway with her arms crossed above her beautiful belly.

“After the babies are—”

“No. I. Want. To. Go. Home. Now.”

I stood up and walked over to Lu, running my hands up and down her arms, “Not yet Baby.”

She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. “I want to go home, Rick. Now. No excuses, I don’t want to be here, I want to go home.”

I tried again to tell her that we weren’t ready to leave when Lu cut me off without getting a word out. “I’m going to pack and Aiden and I will meet you at the door.” With that she turned and left.

“Lu, honey.” I went after her. When I entered her room, her bag was on the bed and she was packing.

“No Derrick, I’m going home tonight.” She continued to pack her bag.

“Baby…” I tried again, keeping my distance.

Lu spun around, tears in her eyes, “Damn it Rick, just take me home!”

I bundled her in my arms and kissed her head “Baby,” I tried again, “Why?”

She sniffed and wiped her eyes but didn’t lift her head up from my chest, “I don’t want to be here. I’m tired and my body hurts and I just want to go home.”

I rubbed her back, it was shaking under my hand, she was upset and this wasn’t good for her, for the babies and for us. “Ok, I’ll take you home but to our home. I’ll sleep in the other room but we’re living under the same roof.”

“I don’t want to sleep in separate beds, Rick.”

I kissed her head one more time, “I’ll go pack.” Lu nodded and stepped back to the bed, where she started to pack again. Luckily I hadn’t unpacked so it didn’t take long to meet Lu and Aiden at the door. I helped Lu into the car and sent Dad and Ray a message, telling him that we were on our way home.

Lu fell asleep not long after we left and I stopped for fuel and coffee as well as water and snacks for when Lu would wake. The sun was rising as I pulled into our driveway and turned the car off. I watched Lu sleep for a moment before I got out of the car. I opened the front door, letting Aiden run in then I went to get Lu.

I placed her delicately in bed and pulled a blanket over her before heading back out and getting our bags. When I returned I climbed into bed and held her close to me. When I woke next, the bed was empty but the door was open a slither.

Walking down the steps, I stopped and listened to Lu and Dad talk, “I feel so bad for making him drive me back in the middle of the night.”

“Don’t be, he loves you and would do anything for you.”

“I know but still, he was in bed and I was crying and angry…”

Dad laughed, “I remember when Mather was pregnant with Tray, she cried all time.”