CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1) (33 page)

“No. Mommy says later, after
Daddy’s burgers,” she moans.

“Ah well, Mommy knows best,” I
tell her, not agreeing at all. She scrambles down out of my arms and pulls on
my hand.

“Come see, come see!” she
screeches tugging me along. We make our way outside, through the patio area and
into the hundred foot garden.
Whoa! How did I not notice that!

A huge bouncy castle has been
erected right at the far end, and there’s a massive paddling pool with a slide
in front of it. “Wow!” I say to her.

“Mommy got me a bouncy castle,”
she says jumping up and down with excitement. Hmm food then bouncing up and
down, I’m pretty sure some kids are going to be vomiting!

“That’s great Lily.” I beam.

“And a paddling pool,” she
screams, she’s so over-excited. “Come bounce with me,” she says, pulling me
towards the castle.

“Um...Lily, I don’t think it’s
for adults.” I tell her, hoping she’ll go play with her friends.

“But’ – “It’s ok Coral,” Scott
says, appearing from nowhere and grinning from ear to ear. “I had a go earlier,
takes you back!” He chuckles and winks at me –
The bastard!

Lily screams with delight and
runs down the garden. “Great, thanks Scott.” I say grimacing at him, and follow
Lily down to the castle.

Kicking off my flip-flops, I
climb up onto the castle in the most un-lady-like fashion, and pull Lily up
too. There are only a couple of kids on there, the rest of them seem to be
enjoying the paddling pool, splashing about in the water. We start bouncing,
and for a moment I am taken back. Scott is right, this is fun!

Ten minutes in and I am out of
puff, bouncing is a work-out!

“More Aunty Coral, more,” Lily
shouts excitedly.

“Ok, a few more minutes,” I puff.

I take hold of her hands and
start bouncing again, when all of a sudden my heart starts rapidly beating
against my chest. For a moment, I think I’m actually having some kind of weird
heart thing – then the butterflies kick in, swarming around my stomach, then
that weird pulling sensation starts right between my chest and abdomen.

I frown hard wondering what the
hell this is all about, knowing full well it only happens when I’m around
Tristan, or thinking of him, and right now I’m neither! Lily suddenly bounces
around in a circle and I’m the one facing the garden towards the back of the
house. As I look up, I see the crowd of people part. I see Joyce, I almost go
to wave, but instantly freeze because Tristan is walking in behind her…
Oh
My God! What the hell is he doing here?

I try my best to keep my
concentration and not stare at him, but he’s just too irresistible. He’s
wearing a pair of knee length khaki shorts, a crisp white polo t-shirt, and a
pair of thick flip-flops, and his aviators are making his smile stand out a
mile.
Oh wow…he looks hot!

I can see he’s searching the
crowd looking for someone. Joyce distracts him and takes him over to Gladys and
Malcolm, and then all of a sudden I see Gladys point in my direction.

Tristan looks up, takes off his
aviators and our eyes lock, all I can do is stare back at him, I cannot pull my
gaze away.
Holy crap!

My heart practically stops then
begins frantically clawing its way out of my chest. I lose my footing for a
second and just as I do, Lily bounces really high. I manage to tear my gaze
away and look down, just as the top of her head connects with the bridge of my
nose –
Oh fuck!

Several things happen at once, my
nose instantly gushes with blood. I moan with shock and collapse onto the
bouncy castle. Lily screams in pain, the other two kids start screaming too,
making the castle bounce all over the place as they try to get off.

The pain is beyond excruciating,
I try to help Lily, reaching my hand out to her. I’m more concerned that she’s
ok, but the pain is knocking all my senses for six, I can't think or see
straight. My stomach is rolling as I try to contain as much of the blood as I
can inside the palm of my hand (I don’t do so well with blood) my stomach rolls
again, and I know I’m going to be sick.

I try to stop the castle from
moving about so much, but I’m still rolling and bouncing all over the place. As
I try to regain my balance and check Lily, several worried adults appear. Debs
and Scott grab Lily and get her off the castle. At the same time I see Tristan
launch himself towards me, in the next breathe he’s picked me up into his arms.
It’s almost as though the castle isn’t bouncing, he’s so strong and balanced –
the speed and agility he uses to get me off that god damn thing is impressive.

“Jesus Coral,” he says placing me
down on the cool, non-moving grassy ground. I lean forward trying to stop the
pain. “No, no, hold your head back,” he tells me. So I do, but all I can feel
is blood gushing down the back of my throat; it’s nasty taste instantly
triggers my stomach.

I roll on my side and vomit,
blood and vegetable juice are splattering all over the green grass. He reaches
down and grabs all of my hair out of the way, making a makeshift ponytail.

“I think we need an ambulance,”
Tristan grimly states. I can feel him rubbing my back, trying to soothe me.
When I finally stop being sick, I sit back up and see that Gladys is there with
something in her hand, she leans forward and presses it against my nose.

“Oh Jesus!” I screech. It’s so
cold, and the pain of it touching my nose is so overwhelming, my eyes roll into
the back of my head, I pass out…

***

“Ugh!” I blink my eyes open,
everything is blurry
Oh Jesus!
The pain, I reach for my nose, but gentle
hands are stopping me.

“Hey, careful now.” I know its
Tristan’s voice, but I can’t see him.

“Lily?” I whisper. It hurts to
speak, to move my face.

“She’s fine, bit of a bruise on
her head, but fine. In-fact she’s in the paddling pool right now,” he chuckles.
“Kids, they get over things so quickly,” he adds.

I quickly assess –
Paddling
pool, so I’m still at Debbie’s?
I keep blinking trying to get my sight back
to full capacity.

“Why are you blinking so much?”
he asks, his hands gently brushing my hair away from my face.

“Everything’s blurred,” I
whisper.

I feel Tristan tense beside me.
“The paramedic is here Coral, you took a nasty bang to the nose it’s not broken
though, just badly bruised. Do you remember?” I want to scream of course I
fucking remember! The throbbing in my nose and my loss of eyesight is enough to
make anyone remember, but I don’t.

“Yes,” I squeak, my nose pulsing
so strongly now that I feel like I’m going to pass out again. Then I feel
something get jabbed into my thigh, it really fucking hurts!

“Jesus!” I scream. “What the fuck
was that?”

“Sorry,” an apologetic voice I
don’t know answers. “It’s Morphine, for the pain,” he quickly adds. And it’s in
that moment I feel it flood my system, the throbbing in my nose quickly dies
down to a numb ache. I feel my body relax –
Oh that’s so much better!

“Better?” Tristan asks. I feel
his lips brush against my ear.

“Yesh,” I say feeling quite drunk
now. “W-hers Gladish?” I ask.
What’s happened to my voice?

“I’m here darling,” she says. “Oh
dear! Coral you’re going to have such a bruise, what happened?”

“Shaw Trishtan.” I answer
honestly even though I don’t want to.
Is this friggin truth serum?
I
hear Tristan chuckle.

“Oh?” Gladys sounds surprised and
I know there’ll be further questioning – Great!

“We’ll need you to come in
tomorrow for a check-up.” The strange voice says.

“That’s ok I’ll take care of
that.” Tristan answers authoritatively.

“Oh thank you Tristan, Malcolm
and I had arranged to go out for the day, visit his daughters,” Gladys says.
What
no roast dinner? What the fuck!

“What about Roasht Dinnerr?” And
what about Debs already knowing about Malcolm, I want to say, but I know it’s
not something I want to discuss with other people around.

“Oh yes, sorry darling, I was
going to tell you later. I’m off to meet Malcolm’s girls tomorrow,” she says
full of excitement.

“Well thatts just greaaat,” I
slur.

“Oh dear!” Gladys leans over me,
I can almost make out her face. “I’m sorry darling, I should have warned you
earlier,” she says. I snort sarcastically forgetting that my nose is in a less
than operative state, and splatter Gladys with tiny specs of blood. “Oh!” she gasps
trying to rub it off. “Never-mind dear,” she says patting my head. “It’ll come
off.” Then she leans down, kisses my forehead and disappears from view.

I instantly panic thinking I’ve
been left alone. “Tristchtan?!” I whisper, reaching my hand out for him. I feel
his fingers grip mine.

“Right here, I won’t leave your
side,” he softly says, but I can hear the humour in his voice.

“S’not funny!” I tell him
sternly.

“No, no. It’s not,” he says, the
humour so evidently still there.

“Ok, Coral. I’m going to place
this compres over your nose now.” The strange voice says and something
wonderful and cool is placed over my nose. “Don't let her fall asleep, and get
plenty of fluids inside her. She can take Nurofen or Aspirin for the pain once
the Morphine’s worn off, but if the pain gets too much you’ll have to bring her
into A&E for another shot.”

“Will do,” Tristan answers, I
feel him stroking my forehead.
God I feel so hot and sticky!

“Aunty Coral.” I hear a little
voice squeak.

“Oh! Lilys that you?” I slur.

“Yes.” I hear her start
sniffling.

“S’okay,” I say reaching my hand
out for her.

“Want to try sitting up?” Tristan
asks.

“Ok.” I feel his arm push
underneath my shoulders, his other hand gently holding my head up. And suddenly
I’m upright; all the blood feels like it’s rushing out of my head down to my
toes.

“Oh!” I feel drunk, which makes
me start giggling. Lily stops sniffling and starts giggling too, and my vision
slowly starts to come back to me. I’m in Debs living-room, on the sofa.

“Hey shweetie,” I say to Lily. I
can see her properly now, her cheeks are still stained from her tears.

“I’m sorry Aunty Coral,” she
sniffs again. I reach my hand out to her and stroke her cheek, then pull her
closer to me.

“Shit with me,” I say.

Lily giggles at me. “You said a
bad word,” Tristan chuckles too and lifts Lily onto the sofa next to me.

“S’not your fault,” I tell her.
“Doesh your head hurt?” She shakes it left to right as she continues to chuckle
at me.

“You’re talking funny Aunty
Coral.” She giggles some more.

“Am I?” I ask.

“Yes.” She squeals loudly, making
it reverberate around my head.
Whoa!
“And you look funny!” She chuckles
even harder, I hear Tristan join in.
Great, magnificent!

“Well thanhks.” I say trying to
smile too, but the throbbing gets that little bit stronger when I do.

“I’m sorry I banged your nose,”
she tells me sweetly. “Mommy said to come and say sorry, but I was sorry
anyway.”
God it’s hard to believe she’s only five.

“S’okay, snot your fault, it was
Trishtans.” I smile inwardly, because I know Lily will tell him off.

“Tristan,” Lily scolds. “You hurt
Aunty Coral and me; that’s very naughty,” she adds pretend smacking his hand.

“I consider myself truly told
off, I do apologise,” he says.

“That’s ok,” she giggles. “Are
you Aunty Coral’s boyfriend?”
Holy Crap! Shut up Lily!

“Maybe…” Tristan answers. My
heart instantly flutters.

Lily giggles. “Have you kissed
Aunty Coral?”

Tristan laughs. “No, but I’m
hoping to,” he whispers.

Lily’s eyes nearly pop out of her
head. “You’re handsome, like Daddy,” she says, putting her tiny hand on his
cheek.

“Why thank you,” he croons.

“Are you going to marry Aunty
Coral?” she asks all innocently.

Tristan sniggers again. “Maybe…”
He whispers.
What?

“I want to get married when I
grow up,” she says.

“Well, maybe I should wait for
you,” Tristan teases. Lily throws her head back giggling in delight. “No,” she
squeals. “You’re too old for me.”
Ha! That told him smug bastard!

“Oh, my lady, you wound me,” he
says, clutching his heart.

“Aunty Coral hasn’t had a
boyfriend before,” she says –
Ok, time for the kid to go!

“She hasn’t?” Tristan questions,
Lily shakes her head at him. But I’m saved from the conversation going any
further by Debs walking into the room with a thunderous look on her face. She
stops in front of me with her hands on her hips.