Against The Odds (25 page)

“
Jono, listen, she had agreed not to go in the attic but you
have to forget the rules about her other movements. You stopped her
from going shopping?”

“Yes,
she walks around for hours, no rest, and no food.”

“
Jono, I don’t think that is going to work. Perhaps it might
be best if you went shopping, but stopped off for lunch, rest and
the like. If you push her, you know she will just get
impossible.”

“
I know. She has been a complete witch to me. She keeps
fighting about how I am treating her like a child. I have to. I
want her to relax and enjoy it. We waited so long.”

“
Yes, but nine months is a long time for her. If she is not
entertained, then she will get hectic with you. It is also new to
her, you know.”

“
Okay, thanks. Say hello to Rebecca for me.”

Clayton
smiled when he stopped talking.

“
You women, you always try a man’s patience.”

“What did I do? Anyway, what is this
tell
her what to do?”

“
Sometimes a man has got to take control and stop the
nonsense.”

“
What? Take control? Of what, the women?”

“
Yes, Princess. Otherwise you get away with murder. Now, that
confession, let’s hear it.”

“Maybe
later. You are in that ‘I am the boss mood’.”

“Playing
for time again? Knowing how much I hate it? That will certainly
help you.”

He
looked at her, his mind on her blouse and he did it again. He
ripped it off with his mind. She glared back at him, shocked and he
looked out the window.

“
I don’t want to talk about it.”

“We’ll
see about that,” and this time his mind ripped off her
jeans.

He
watched her touch her belly and wanted to laugh. He looked out the
window again. “Your parents are great. It is so interesting to
visit them.”

“
Interesting?”

“The way
they talk to each other.”

“
Yes, nice. Clayton I am going to sleep now.”

“
Why? We are almost at your house. Trying to run away
again?”

“
Clayton, stop it. I don’t want to talk to you. Go away and
stop trying to get into my head.”

He
laughed and said nothing.

When
they had taken out their bags, Clayton complained that he was
starving.

“
Okay, what do you want to eat?”

He
looked at her and ripped off her jeans again. She was
startled.

“
I think I want a sandwich. Are you okay? You seem a bit
jumpy.”

“
I am fine. One sandwich coming up.”

She dashed off into the kitchen.
Shit, he knows and he is going to do
this until I confess. Damn, I should have told him that night when
he was half-asleep.

When Clayton bit his sandwich, he visualised biting into
her thigh. She touched her thigh, rubbing it and he almost wanted
to stop his game, because she was getting anxious. But, she just
glared at him and it spurred him on. With each bite, his mind bit
into another part of her. She got up and walked away.
Confess sweetly,
remember?

She came
back in and said,

“
Clayton, I am feeling a little tired. Do you want to go to
bed?”

“Hmm, is
that an offer?”

“Yes, I
missed you this weekend.”

She was
smiling at him and she went and sat on his lap.

“
Are you charming me?”

“
Yes, do you object?”

“
No, not really. What do you want Rebecca?”

He said
softly but his mind went for a large chunk of her breast. She
jumped off him.

“
Okay, you win. I have had enough. I can’t bear it. Stop it,
Clayton, it is quite scary.”

“What, Princess?” His eyes were smiling.
Got
you.

“
Okay, I have always been able to see into your mind. From
that day, okay? I just didn’t tell you. So there, I have said it,
are you happy now?”

“
No, I was just beginning to enjoy myself. You confessed too
soon. I am not happy. I had quite a few things planned for
you.”

“
Clayton, please, stop it. I should have told you, but I
didn’t. I know.”

“
Okay, but the next time you don’t tell me something
important, it will be much worse. Deal?”

“
Deal.”

“
Now, about that offer......”

~ ~ ~
~

Clayton
was sleeping, dreaming of Double J and their fighting about
Jackie’s movements when Rebecca woke him up.

“
Clayton, please wake up.”

“
No, I am tired. Really, woman, don’t you get
enough?”

“
I need to tell you something. Please, it’s
important.”

“
Hmm it better be. Another confession?”

He was
sitting up now and watching her.

“Yes,
Clayton. Before you fight about this, I want to tell you that I
never told you before because I did not really want to deal with
it. So, please, don’t start giving me a hard time,
okay?”

“
Rebecca, no stalling, no games, just say it...”

“
I died that day on the mountain.”

Clayton
was so shocked he said nothing. He had expected she would do her
usual stalling and trying to find a long-winded way to tell
him.

“
Yes, I know. Princess. Tell me about it.”

He
pulled her close to him and she told him, how she felt and all the
fears and doubts that went through her at the time. She had tears
in her eyes and Clayton said nothing. What could he say?

Then she
said, “Clayton, how did you know?”

“
Because your body was lying in the car and you were floating
above me. It was too awful. I can’t even tell you how I got the
strength to get up and go to you. I called to you, but you just
smiled at me. Why did you smile?”

“
I was thinking, Clayton, please answer the phone, it will
just ring again. You seemed to think you were in your bedroom, the
way you fumble around the table in your sleep, trying to find the
phone.”

“Clayton, when I saw my body lying there, I got such a
fright, that I became confused. That was the scary part. I tried to
fight my way back the dark passages, back to you, but it so dark.
If the butterfly was not there, I would not have found
you.”

“
Yes, Princess. It saved us. You know, it flapped all over
your body, trying to tell me to give you energy. Eventually I
understood. Rebecca, whatever happens between us, we are bound
together by that moment. I know that I am over-protective
sometimes, but I saw you, floating above me. I don’t ever want to
see that again.”

“
Clayton, are you angry with me, for not telling
you?”

“
Yes, a little. But I guess I was so upset myself that I tried
not to deal with it. Also, I told your father.”

“
You what?”

“
Yes.”

“
What did he say?”

“
Not much. He just felt the way I do, guess. That feeling of
loss, of wanting to protect you. That’s why we took so long. We
talked about it a lot.”

“
But he said nothing to me.”

“
We thought it best to let you deal with it when you were
ready. Your father understands you better than you know, Rebecca.
He knew you would talk on your own terms, even if it is in the
early hours of the morning.”

“
Sorry, I just couldn’t keep it in anymore. Sorry.”

“Hmm,
come, it’s already day time. Let’s go have coffee and get ready for
the day. Oh, Princess, if there are other confessions, can you make
them, say, between 6 and 10 in the evening?”

She
laughed. “Well, I’ll try.....”

She kissed him and went to make the coffee. Clayton stayed
in bed, thinking how she always surprised him and how he
would
never
understand
the only woman whose mind he could read.

*****

Jackie and Jonathan were arguing about the baby’s possible
names. Jonathan was furious, because since she had been pregnant,
she had taken on an air of superiority he did not appreciate. This
was not how he dreamed it would be. He had visions of his beautiful
wife, serene and peaceful and most importantly,
acquiescent
. She was four months pregnant and already
she was starting to talk about
her
baby. She had been moody and ill and had taken his head off
over anything he did that was not to her liking. She was a
complete
nightmare, because when he tried to fight back, she
would just cry. He felt helpless and totally emasculated. He
realized that he had little say in matters around the house,
especially with issues about the baby. He could control nothing,
not his house, or his baby growing beautifully in her belly. What
infuriated him the most was that she looked so beautiful, so
wholesome. He wondered if this was one of the phases, as had been
her morning sickness when she had shouted and screamed and told him
to shut up, because he did not know what it felt like. Now, she was
glaring at him, saying,

“
Jono, what kind of name is Timothy? Are you mad?”

Jonathan
walked outside. He needed to breathe. What could he do?

“Don’t walk away from me Jono, not when we are
talking
.”

Jono
snapped.

“Talking? Who’s talking?
Darling,
from where I see it, I am making suggestions and
you are insulting me. You are rude and obnoxious and I don’t have
to take it, okay? I’ve had enough. Choose whatever name
you
want for
your
baby. Then send
me a note informing of your
decision, okay? Save me the insults. Now, please, woman, leave me
in peace.”

“
Jono?” her voice had softened.

“
Please J, leave me in peace.”

“
Jono, I am sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I am sorry,
okay?”

“No, J, it is
not okay. I want my wife back. I don’t
want some screaming woman. If you have a problem, let’s talk about
it. I don’t know what you want from me when you scream insults at
me. Now, please leave me alone for a while. I need to cool
off.”

She went back inside
, walking in that dejected way
she did when she wanted him to feel bad. Well this time he
wouldn’t. He turned his back on her and breathed the fresh air
.
I don’t know how I am going to survive five more months of
this.
He could hear her crying and it took all his resolve not
to go to her and comfort her. He knew that once he had done that,
tomorrow would bring fresh insults and he could not do it. He went
inside and fetched his cell phone and spent the next hour talking
to Clayton, telling him his trials and tribulations. Clayton, as
usual, teased him and as much as it had annoyed him in the past, it
comforted him. He liked the fact that there was still someone out
there who made him laugh, even if it was at himself.

When he
got back inside, his wife was curled up like a baby in their bed,
fast asleep. He was a relieved man.

Clayton took Jackie to lunch the next day.
These women, why
don’t they just say what is wrong? Why make it difficult?
She looked her normal chirpy
self and she was filling out nicely. She looked a lot better than
he had seen her in the last few years.

“
Okay, J, no nonsense, no lies, what is going on?”

“Oh Clay, nothing really. I just get so tense. I worry
about the baby. What if something goes wrong? I worry so much and
then I see
him
sitting
there, looking so happy and it irritates me. It is all on my head.
We have waited so long and it is all on my head. If anything goes
wrong, then he will blame me, so I fight to get it out. Also, I am
feeling a little scared. If all is well,
can we take care of
a child? Can we do that? We have spent all our lives partying and
having fun. We don’t know anything about babies. What will happen,
Clay?”

“J
ackie, you are
impossible. First you complain that he is too involved and then you
complain that he is leaving
everything to you. What do you
want Jackie? What do you want him to do?”

“I
want him to stop being so bloody logical. I want him to talk to me,
tell me he also has fears and anxieties. He just takes this as one
of his cases, with a few obstacles along the
way. I want him
to care, okay? Not just about the baby, but also what happens
afterwards. Do you understand?”

“No, I don’t actually. He cares. I know he does. He is also
very happy, yes, but that is because he thought this is what you
wanted. I don’t
understand. I think you should tell him
this, I know it would make it easier. Right now, he looks like
shit, and he is not enjoying this. The only thing that keeps him
going is that he loves you.”