Excess All Areas (26 page)

‘
No I know, I overreacted, I’m sorry. It’s just last night, reliving it all again - it still hurts. And I told you about it because I trust you more than I’ve trusted any man in my life before, which is completely crazy because we’ve known each other barely a week,’ Freya admitted.

‘
I am not like your father Freya. I’m not going to ask you to fit into my world,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
I don’t think I can fit into your world,’ Freya said a little sadly.

‘
Well that’s fine, I respect that. But perhaps my world can fit in somewhere around our world,’ Nicholas suggested.

‘
Our world,’ Freya stated.

‘
Yeah, you see, I’m really not the holiday romance kind of guy,’ Nicholas responded with a smile.

‘
No?’ Freya queried smiling back.

‘
No,’ Nicholas told her and he took hold of her hand, pulled her towards him and kissed her.

Twenty Six

Nicholas had filming for the rest of the day on Mount Pandokrator, so Freya returned to the Calypso Apartments to shower and change into some clean clothes. She should have felt liberated and unburdened having told Nicholas things she had never told anyone before, but it now felt like she was just waiting for events to blow up. It wasn’t a case of ‘if’ now, but ‘when’.

She had tried to telephone Emma to see how she was but her phone was switched off. Freya assumed from that, that she was still at the hospital. She decided she would go to Petroholis Restaurant for lunch later and see if there was any news then.

After her shower she had telephoned Russell. It had been a quick conversation asking him to meet her at the C Bar, and that was where she was now. It was 11.00am and she was waiting for him to arrive.

In front of Freya, lying on the table was a plain white envelope with nothing written on the front. Freya picked it up and tapped the corner of it on the table, mentally going over its contents.

She saw Russell as he arrived at the entrance to the bar. He looked terrible. His hair was dishevelled and he had bags under his eyes. Seeing him now, Freya felt almost sorry for him. He had obviously got out of his depth with a bookmaker. He had been in debt before, at the beginning of their relationship, but then he’d had a large win that cleared his bills and had vowed not to gamble again. At the time Freya had believed him but once a gambler, always a gambler. It had obviously become an obsession or it was an uncontrollable addiction.

Russell met her gaze and moved to join her at the table.

‘
I got you a beer,’ Freya stated, indicating the bottle on the table.

‘
Thanks. Look, about yesterday - is Emma OK?’ Russell asked in subdued tones.

‘
Yes and the baby’s fine, no thanks to you. What has happened to you Russell? Pushing people around to get what you want? Begging for money?’ Freya asked him.

‘
It isn’t through choice,’ Russell responded, sitting down and straight away taking a swig of the beer.

‘
So you
are
in debt? Bookmaker or loan shark? Why the Hell didn’t I know about this? How long has it been going on? Why didn’t you talk to me about it instead of shagging my mother to keep up the repayments?’ Freya questioned.

‘
I made you a promise I wouldn’t gamble again. How could I tell you?’ Russell answered.

‘
That’s so lame Russell. Was our relationship really so bad that you couldn’t tell me you were in trouble?’ Freya wanted to know.

‘
Is there any point discussing this now?’ Russell replied, unwilling to answer.

‘
No, I suppose not,’ Freya agreed.

‘
Is that envelope for me?’ Russell asked her.

‘
Yes it is, here,’ Freya said and she slid it over the table to him.

‘
Who signed the cheque then? Kaden or Daddy?’ Russell enquired as he eagerly tore open the envelope.

He pulled it apart and produced a sheaf of A4 paper and a business card.

‘
What’s this? Some sort of joke? I thought you said you had the money,’ Russell questioned as he took the paper out.

‘
No. I said I had what you wanted and there it is. That’s my life. In those notes are all the details of my life as Jane Lawson-Peck. Things even my beloved mother would have been unable to tell you,’ Freya announced.

‘
And the business card?

‘
Sandra McNeill from
Shooting Stars
magazine might give you a decent price for an interview and the information. Or you’re welcome to sell it to the highest bidder. Just be sure that whoever you choose to tell prints only the facts. If I read anything inaccurate, like how fantastic you were in bed, be sure that I will sue your arse,’ Freya told him.

‘
So you’ve told lover boy have you?’ Russell asked as he took another swig of his beer.

‘
Yes,’ Freya replied.

‘
But you could never find the opportunity to tell me,’ Russell stated.

‘
Is there any point discussing that now?’ Freya retorted.

‘
Perhaps neither of us trusted each other enough,’ Russell answered.

‘
Obviously not,’ Freya replied.

‘
Your mother has no idea who I am by the way. She doesn’t know about us,’ Russell told her.

‘
That’s a shame. It would have given us something in common after all these years,’ Freya said.

‘
I did love you,’ Russell spoke honestly.

‘
No you didn’t. You thought I was large and ordinary. I heard you at the restaurant on my birthday. Discussing it with the barman called Milo,’ Freya informed him.

‘
What?’ Russell asked.

‘
I heard you describing me. I was stood behind you Russell. I heard what you said and I saw the hand actions,’ Freya stated.

Russell didn’t respond.

‘
Well, you’ve got what you came for,’ Freya spoke, indicating the envelope.

‘
Yes, I suppose I have,’ Russell agreed and he rose to his feet.

‘
We’re done then,’ Freya stated finally.

‘
I’m on the first plane home,’ Russell spoke with a nod.

‘
Have your pick of stuff from the flat and drop the keys into Simon at the studio,’ Freya said, unable to meet his eyes.

‘
I’ll see you,’ Russell spoke and slipping the envelope into the back pocket of his jeans he headed for the exit of the bar.

Freya watched him go and couldn’t help feeling a little sad. How could a year and a half of her life with someone amount to so little?

From where she sat she had a view of Petroholis Restaurant and she watched as a taxi pulled up and Emma and Yiannis emerged from it. Freya knocked back the remainder of her drink, hurried from the bar, and made her way up the road towards them.

‘
EMMA!’ Freya called as she rushed along.

Emma and Yiannis stopped outside the restaurant and waited for her to reach them.

‘
Oh, let me just get my breath back. How are you?’ Freya asked as she took gulps of air.

‘
I’m fine, just a bit bruised,’ Emma responded.

‘
And the baby?’ Freya enquired.

‘
Is absolutely fine and everything looks normal. We saw the heartbeat on the monitor and it was amazing,’ Emma told her, looking at Yiannis.

‘
Oh my boy and Emma! You make me grandmother! Come here, come here!’ Mrs Petroholis shrieked as she came out of the restaurant to greet them.

She enveloped Emma in a bear hug that nearly squeezed all the breath out of her and then she let go, and turned her attentions to her son. Mrs Petroholis hugged him tightly too and exchanged words in Greek. They both then disappeared into the restaurant leaving Freya and Emma alone.

‘
I’m sorry again, for Russell and what he did. I feel completely responsible and…’ Freya began, still feeling that she had not properly made up for events.

‘
Stop it Freya. You aren’t responsible for Russell. I think Yiannis might want a few words with him though,’ Emma spoke.

‘
Russell’s gone and he won’t be coming back,’ Freya stated.

‘
And he went without a fight? After all the threats last night?’ Emma exclaimed in surprise.

‘
Well yes, kind of,’ Freya replied, holding back from telling her friend she had handed him her life history on a plate.

‘
And Nick?’ Emma queried.

‘
I told him. Everything,’ Freya said with a deep breath and then a smile.

‘
Oh Freya. How do you feel now?’ Emma asked.

‘
Strange. Relieved in a way, terrified in another,’ Freya replied.

‘
And what did he say?’ Emma wanted to know.

‘
He said he wants to see my prison tattoos,’ Freya joked.

‘
Stop it! I was being serious,’ Emma told her.

‘
He said he was falling in love with me,’ Freya spoke.

‘
Oh my God! Oh Freya! I would jump up and down but Yiannis would probably have a fit. So, how do you feel about him?’ Emma wanted to know.

‘
Well, I know I really like spending time with him and he knows everything about me now. I don’t know, things like this don’t happen to me. I’m a bit scared to like him too much in case I jinx it. I mean, look at him Em and look at me. Hollywood actor, someone who shops in Evans,’ Freya stated, holding her arms out.

‘
I won’t have this again Freya. You are amazing and Nick obviously likes what he sees. Physical stuff is all superficial anyway,’ Emma spoke.

‘
What did I do to deserve a friend like you?’ Freya asked.

‘
You must have put up with a lot of grief in a past life,’ Emma told her.

‘
Yeah, I must have,’ Freya agreed.

‘
Girls! Girls! Come, come, we have champagne to celebrate my grandchild! Emma, you have sparkling water. Come sit down! Come! Come!’ Mrs Petroholis called, beckoning to them both.

‘
She is not going to leave me unattended for the next seven months,’ Emma said quietly to Freya as they moved towards the restaurant.

‘
It could be worse. She might let you off working the restaurant so much,’ Freya suggested.

‘
Oh I doubt it. Yiannis’ already told me she nearly gave birth to him in the middle of preparing a
moussaka
and that she used to have him in a carry pack on her back in the kitchen until he could walk. Then basically after that, he was serving tables,’ Emma informed her.

‘
You’d best start reading the menu to your bump then, get it in training,’ Freya suggested.

‘
I’ll read it in Greek and English, make sure it’s bilingual when it comes out,’ Emma replied.

‘
Just teach it the basics. “More please”, “beer” and “can I have a room for tonight?” Those phrases have seen me through,’ Freya told her.

Emma took hold of Freya’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

‘
I am proud of you for telling Nick. I know what that means to you and I know how hard it must have been,’ Emma spoke.

‘
Well it wasn’t as hard as it’s going to get. I have a feeling by tomorrow the tabloids are going to have a field day. God! Get me inside! There’s a film crew heading down here, all lenses aimed at me,’ Freya shrieked and she ducked behind Emma and began to walk backwards into the restaurant, pulling Emma with her.

‘
My baby is going to have a celebrity godmother,’ Emma announced as she let herself be moved along by Freya.

‘
Godmother?’ Freya said.

‘
If you want to. I can’t think of anyone better to guide my baby along life’s path,’ Emma told her as Freya ducked behind a plant.

‘
I would be completely honoured but are you sure? I mean, what with
everything
,’ Freya said crouching down behind one of the restaurant tables.

‘
Everything
as you put it is
nothing
. We’ve been best friends forever, who else am I going to ask?’ Emma asked as Freya started to crawl along the floor towards the kitchen, keeping an eye on the camera crew.

‘
Someone who hasn’t been in clink?’ Freya suggested.

‘
Experiences enrich people. A godmother needs to have led a varied life to be able to counsel and advise,’ Emma insisted.

‘
Then that’s me. Varied life, photographer, ex-con, appearance in
The Daily News
. Christ, they’re coming in, I’ll come out when they’ve gone,’ Freya exclaimed and she hurried into the kitchen, nearly bowling over Yiannis and Mrs Petroholis in the process.

Twenty Seven

It was a little after 5.00pm when Freya arrived at Villa Kamia wearing the apron and headscarf she’d borrowed from the restaurant to disguise herself. It had been a hectic day trying to avoid the cameras and she hadn’t wanted to take any chances in being spotted now.