Betrayal (17 page)

‘This is the life’ he declares.

‘Hmmm’ I agree, ‘I need to go back to
London to check on the shop this week, I promised I would do it once a month’

‘You going to take the babies?’ he checks.

‘Of course, I still have the flat above the
shop so we will stay overnight and drive back the following day’

‘Why don’t you wait until I can drive you down,
I am not happy about the three of you up and down the motorway.  What if one of
them need you?’

‘It isn’t far’ I insist, ‘I am quite
capable of looking after us Brad’ I remind him.

‘I know’ he murmurs pensively before adding,
‘I have a project in the states’

‘For when?’

‘Wednesday for three weeks’ his eyes move
to mine.

‘Ok’ my stomach drops, three weeks is a
long time for him to be away.

‘I arranged it a while back’ he explains.

‘That’s ok, you have to work’ I shrug, ‘we
knew you would be away frequently’

‘I know’ he nods, ‘it just doesn’t feel
right now’ his eyes hold mine penetrating deep inside my mind as if he is
evaluating my reaction.  I turn away and fiddle with the babies blankets to
distract myself from his probing eyes.

‘Maddie’ he calls softly.

‘Yes?’

‘Will you be ok?’ he tests.

‘Of course Brad’ but inside I feel sad.  Is
this what it is going to be like him away for months on end? ‘The babies will
miss you’

‘Just the babies?’ he murmurs.

I shrug, ‘of course I will miss the extra
pair of hands’

He regards me for what seems an age before
asking, ‘how do you feel about us driving down to London tomorrow, you do your
thing and we can meet up with Cameron and Lucy.  I can drive us back Tuesday
evening then go from here Wednesday?’ he offers ‘I would like for you to meet
my friends’ he adds.

I think for a moment, ‘ok’ I relent, ‘we
will have to take my car’ Brad’s low slung Jaguar wasn’t equipped for family
life.

He nods approvingly, ‘ok, we will leave
early in the morning to avoid the traffic’

********

Brad is relieved that Maddison has agreed
to permit him to drive them down the thought of them on that motorway alone
makes him uncomfortable.

He regards his family sitting before him he
is a fortunate man his eyes move to Maddison, he is undoubtedly in love with
her.  He has attempted to remain at a distance but the magnetism between them
pulls at him constantly.  The last two nights he has gravitated towards her in
bed finally giving in to the desire to feel her body against his. 

The way she defended him to Charlotte and his
idiot brothers astounded him, when she loves she loves fiercely.  He doesn’t
want to go away for three weeks, he will miss them all he needs to face it
things have altered dramatically in his life.

She looks blue at the prospect of his
departure and it rips his insides apart. No more long commissions he decides
from hereon in.  He has plenty of studio work he can be getting along with.

********

I need to detach Maddison tells herself as
they drive down the motorway the babies safely in their car seats sleeping
soundly against the rumbling of the engine.  Brad had once again wrapped
himself around her in bed last night and when he turned away during sleep she
had automatically shifted towards him waking to find herself laying on his
chest her hand across his waist. 

She has to stop they are supposed to be simply
sharing the gift of their children, they had decided they couldn’t be together
months ago.  Motherhood had mellowed her she needed some space to evaluate her
feelings.  She feels as protective of Brad that she does over the babies, she
would lay in front of a moving train for him.  She sighs.

‘You ok?’ Brad tests from the driver seat.

‘Fine’ I fix a stiff smile on my face
moving my gaze to the outside countryside.

‘If you don’t want me to go I won’t’ he
speaks softly.

My head twists around to face him, ‘why
wouldn’t I want you to go?’

He shrugs his gaze returning to the road in
front of him.  Yes I need space to think.

‘Why don’t we stay at my apartment instead
of the shop?’ he suggests as we drive into London, ‘there is more space and it
may be too noisy for them at the shop’

‘Well the point is to spend some time at
the shop’

‘Yes but we are meeting Cameron and Lucy
later, my place isn’t far from them’

‘Oh ok’ I forgot about meeting Brad’s
friends, ‘I guess that makes sense’

‘Good’ he seems pleased with this
arrangement, ‘are you sure you don’t want me to take them for a couple of hours
to allow you to meet with Cassie?’

‘No they all want to meet them.  Are you
coming in?’ I invite as he unfolds the pram from the boot.

‘Not unless you want me to, I thought I
would catch up on a few things whilst we are here’

‘Oh ok, no you go do what you need’ I
dismiss him ensuring I have all I need for the babies, ‘I will catch up with you
later’  he bends and kisses the babies gently on the forehead before dropping a
kiss on my cheek.  I smile up at him my heart thumping through my chest and
watch as his eyes darken. He tips my chin and places another on my lips, I can
hardly breathe as he nibbles my lip.

‘Whoohoo’ Cassie tears out of the shop and
we spring apart like a pair of teenagers, ‘let me get my hands on these babies’
she screeches cooing into the pram.  ‘Oh my god they are so tiny’ she whispers
a little too late as Ava’s face contorts at all the commotion and she lets out
an almighty cry.  ‘Oh sorry’ Cassie grins, ‘can I hold her?’

‘Let’s get inside’ I hug her, ‘it’s good to
see you Cassie’ I glance at Brad and he smiles as he climbs back into the car.
So much for detaching.

The day is exhausting as I attempt to tend
to the babies needs and go through the books and stock with Cassie.  I am
walking around with Ava snuggled up to my chin as Cassie follows with Harry. 

When Brad walks in I am relieved passing
our temperamental daughter directly to him.

‘Oh dear, have you been misbehaving Ava?’
he kisses her softly smiling against her.

‘Demanding is the word you are looking for’
I take Harry and bring him close before passing him to Brad too who balances
them expertly.

‘Could you change them for me?’ I plead, ‘I
must finish this off with Cassie or I will have to stay another day’

‘Sure, I will take them upstairs for a bit’

‘Thank you’ I smile thankfully kissing them
both on the head and opening the door to the flat for him.

‘One for daddy’ he demands stopping in
front of me.

‘Brad’ I warn confusion etching my face.

‘Come on’ he teases he is in a playful mood
so I lean up and kiss his cheek but he turns catching it on his lips.  Grinning
he moves up the stairs, ‘come on you two you have been banned from your first
establishment’

The playdate at Cameron and Lucy’s goes
extremely well, they are a great couple who absolutely adore each other. 
Cameron’s eyes follow his wife everywhere she goes and I cannot help but smile
my insides reminding me Brad will never look at me in that way.  I catch him
looking at me pensively and frown in question but I shake my head.

‘Hormones?’ he asks gently and I nod
averting my eyes before Cameron and Lucy notice.

‘Are you still hormonal Luce?’ he
questions.

‘Oh god’ Cameron groans rolling his eyes in
a sympathetic gesture towards Brad before Lucy sends a dark glare in his
direction.

‘Take no notice Maddison’ Lucy calls over,
‘they haven’t just pushed a watermelon out of their….bits’ she produces a smile
for my benefit, ‘or two in your case’ I grin at her as the boys exchange a look
of disgust at her description.

Louisa is huge in comparison to the twins
as we lay them on her activity mat and watch as they wriggle their tiny bodies.
She is a blonde haired baby with large blue eyes that regard you intently.

‘She is a looker’ I stroke her cheek
lightly.

‘Thank you’ Lucy flushes with pleasure at
my words, ‘how can we ever be without them now doesn’t bare thinking about does
it?’

I shake my head as Daniel pops into my
thoughts, how do you ever get recover from something like that.  I guess you
don’t ever!

‘So how are you feeling now?’ Lucy asks as
the boys move into the kitchen to load the dishwasher.

‘I am fine almost completely back to
normal.  I didn’t have stitches as they were so tiny thankfully’

‘Ouch they are a killer, Louisa was almost
eight pounds so needless to say I did’ she grins ‘how are things with Brad?’
her eyes move to the door to assure herself he isn’t in the room.

I shrug, ‘I don’t know really, he is a
fantastic dad’ I smile ‘I don’t know how I would have managed during these
first few weeks without him’

‘Maddison, it doesn’t appear as if he is
just around for the babies to me he observes you constantly’ she gasps, ‘how
can you not see it?’

‘No’ I insist, ‘we discussed it months
ago.  He can never forgive what I did, I can’t regret it because of what I have
now but I feel the remorse every day that I wounded him so’

She regards me as if she is going to argue
but nods and smiles.

‘Doesn’t Harry look the image of him?’ she
notices.

I roll my eyes, ‘how can I ever get over
him with those identical eyes staring at me daily’ I tease lightly.

‘Maybe you don’t have to get over him, just
under him’ she arches an eyebrow and I grin.

‘As delightful as that sounds I don’t think
so’

‘Right, we had better make tracks’ Brad
calls as he re-enters the room.  He moves over to the babies and picks up
Louisa.  ‘Well it was a pleasure to see you again young lady you have grown’ he
kisses her nose and hands her to Lucy who takes her and wraps an arm around
Brad.

‘Now you stay in touch you hear?’ she
kisses his cheek, ‘we can’t have our daughter not knowing her godfather now can
we’ she smiles and his eyes widen.

‘It would be an honor.  Take care
sweetheart’ he kisses Lucy and shakes hands with Cameron before scooping up
both babies.

‘How do you do that?  I would be petrified
of dropping one’ Cameron grimaces.

Brad smiles and looks to me, ‘you ready?’ 

‘Thank you for inviting us Lucy’ I hug her.

‘No problem, now remember if there are any
problems while Brad is away please feel you can call on us’ she instructs and
Cameron reiterates wholeheartedly.

I am shattered when we arrive back at
Brad’s apartment. He lives on the top floor of a trendy block which is
luxurious to say the least overlooking the Thames.

‘Wow, this is special’ I look around my
surroundings at the contemporary furniture and artwork.  ‘Very you!’

‘Maybe once’ he mutters lightly, ‘not so
much these days’

‘Why not?’ I question.

‘Me being a family man and all’ he smiles,
‘I like the warmth that your house brings’

The next hour or so is taken up with
feeding and changing the babies and settling them in the travel cot that we had
transported with us, Brad places it adjacent to the king size bed he has
sitting overlooking the stunning view.

Ava has decided she doesn’t like the travel
cot and is extremely unsettled so while I shower Brad lays on the bed and
attempts to pacify her. I can hear her whining as I leave the en-suite and
frown as Brad is usually guaranteed to settle her.

‘Is she ok?’ I probe.

‘Maybe it’s the new surroundings’ he calms
me but I see his face and know he is concerned.

‘Of course and she has had a busy day with
the trip down and her first playdate’ I intend to lighten things as I observe
his anxious face.

‘Let me try’ I take her and snuggle her
into my neck and she settles slightly.

‘I’ve lost the touch’ Brad relaxes as he
glimpses at Harry in the cot who is sound asleep.

Brad joins me the following morning when I
return to the shop to finish things with Cassie but takes the twins on a walk
in the pram to occupy them. As I observe them walking up the street a handsome
man pushing a pram I smile to myself that has got to be the sexiest picture
ever.

By the time we load the car up to return to
the cottage I am satisfied with how Cassie is managing the place.

‘Cassie thank you’ I hug her ‘you are doing
brilliantly’

‘Can I rent the flat?’ she enquires
hopefully.

‘We need it when we visit’ I remind her.

‘What if when you come I stay at my mum’s’
she pleads her kohl rimmed eyes pleading.

‘You can stay at mine when you are in
London anyway’ Brad informs me, ‘whether I am here or not’