I Want (11 page)

“Oh,” was all the
sound omitted from Elle’s mouth, as her cheeks coloured brightly.

“Sorry Will, have
those back, and we will find our own.” Cate intervened; placing the two
untouched glasses back on the tray, he was still holding; frightened that Elle
would chuck the glasses' contents over him.

William muttered his
thanks, turning on heel to move back into the crowd after casting a long, lingering
stare at Elle.

“Oh marvellous, I
had set out to avoid him and run into him at the first turn! I can’t believe I mistook
him for a waiter.” Elle grumbled.

Cate chuckled. “I
am sure he will get over it. I think he was the shock of seeing you again that caused
him to be silent. You must have seen how he looked at you – he certainly did
not look like a man who wanted to be avoided.”

Elle pulled a face
and was about to reply, but was stopped as William reappeared in front of her,
minus the drinks' tray this time.

“Sorry…” He
started, “…that I had to rush off just then. I did not mean to appear rude, but
I had a table of people claiming they were dying of thirst!” He tried to joke.

“That’s fine.” Elle
responded stiffly.

“So how have you been?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“I hear you have
moved back to England.” He said shyly, his eyes searching hers, as though he
wanted to say something more.

She nodded silently,
trying to do her best to discourage the conversation from continuing.

Clearly surprised
by her coldness, William's brow furrowed slightly as he looked quizzically at her.
“Jess seems to be ecstatic that her momentous day has finally arrived. She was
showing off her wedding dress to Gina earlier; it’s beautiful designed.”

Elle shrugged, “What
are sisters for?” - still giving him nothing to work with.

Frustrated by Elle’s
lack of conversation, when all he had been doing for the past few months, since
he found out she was coming was planning what to say to her after four years of
no contact, his eyes bored into her, trying to fathom why she was being this
way. 

Dylan appeared at
her side, interrupted any further conversation. “Sorry to interrupt, but this gorgeous
woman promised me a dance.” Cate had sent him to rescue her.

Scowling at the other
man, William nodded and turned to walk away without another word.

With him gone, Elle
relaxed, and let out a deep breath, she had been holding to stop herself from
trembling in front of him. “Cate asked me to come and rescue you; she said you
used to be involved with him, and thought things might be awkward between you.”

Elle gave a tight
smile “You could certainly describe it that way.”

“I don’t think he
appreciated me interrupting.” Dylan mused, as they both observed William staring
in their direction, with a continuous frown upon his face.

“I guess he is not
as proficient at receiving the cold shoulder, as he is at dishing it.”

“He doesn’t strike
me as the type that is used to being ignored.”

“I cannot claim to
understand what makes him tick anymore. I thought I knew him extremely well, but
he did something I find unforgivable, so honestly do not care what he thinks
anymore.”

“Sounds like a heavy
conversation topic for a party.”

Elle laughed, “I agree,
maybe we should have that dance after all?"

After burning some
nervous energy on the dance floor with Dylan, they went to join the rest of the
group. As they conversed about the daily happenings of their lives over the
next couple of hours, Elle could not help but be aware of the sullen glances
being cast in her direction from William.

“Will seems to be
looking over this way a lot.” Cate whispered in her ear as the others at their table
circulated the room, dancing or talking to other guests.

“Let him.”

“Did it ever occur
to you that he might regret his ignoring of your messages, and now he doesn’t
know how to broach, the topic of Christian with you?”

Frowning Elle spoke,
“Has he been trying to find out about Christian from other people instead?” The
idea of Christian being discussed by William with someone else left her feeling
unnerved.

“Not that I am aware
of, but Charlie would have naturally mentioned him in passing, so he must know
bits and pieces about him. Maybe he just wants to know more from you though;
you are his mother after all.”

“Well, he gave up
all rights to knowing about Christian’s life the day he chose not to be part of
his life.”

“But, didn’t it ever
strike you as odd that he ignored them altogether after the way he fought to
see you, before you left for NY.”

“I can’t say I ever
gave it much thought, why?”

“What if someone maliciously
deleted the messages before he saw them, and he doesn’t actually know that
Christian is his?”

“Who would gain anything
from doing such a hateful thing?”

“Charlotte.” 

Elle looked over to
where Charlotte was standing, with an aloof-looking William, her hands were all
over him, and sense of doubt over her earlier summary of William’s character
swept over her. “But, she wasn’t even dating him when I sent those messages.”

“No, but I recently
found out she filled in for Will’s usual assistant during that time period. I
would not put it past her that she deleted them, so not to ruin her chances
with him. You know she has been after him since day one.”

“I know she is desperate
to be with him, but she must know it would be all for nothing if he found out -
would she risk that really?”

“Who knows what was
going on in her head?”

“So, do you have any
proof that she really did this, or are we just guessing?”

“Just guessing, unless
we can get her to confess.”

“That’s hardly
likely.”

“You could always
simply tell him about Christian in person and beat her at her own game.”

“And, how do I explain
the last four years of not telling him then – it would look like my fault,
rather than hers.” Elle said not quite ready to accept that she might be wrong
in her assumptions of William’s silence.

“Tell him your suspicions.”

“I am not sure.” Elle
still did not like the idea of having to go, and grovel to William, especially
after her earlier cold treatment at his attempts of conversation.

“You want Christian
to have the chance to know his father don’t you?”

“Yes, of course. But,
it’s hard to put aside the last four years of contempt for him on mere a guess.”

“Well, you have to
do something; otherwise she would have won – she has already convinced him to
marry her. And, once that ring is on her finger, you will stand no chance at getting
him to acknowledge Christian; she will poison him against you.”

Elle looked incredulous.
“He is marrying her?”

“Yes, Jess told me,
they were going to make the announcement tomorrow, after the wedding.”

“You know, when I
had the altercation with her, before she said that he had chosen her baby over mine,
I thought she had meant he actually willingly decided that, but it makes more
sense now that she conveniently made it sound that way to cover her tracks.”

“Elle, you seriously
need to tell Will all this, even if he refuses to believe you, I am sure the
seeds of doubt will start to grow, and she is bound to slip up somewhere along
the line.”

Seeing the others
returning to the table from the dance floor, they moved onto another subject.

As the evening progressed,
Elle had to restrain herself from confronting Charlotte; her nemesis seemed to
be on a mission of flaunting her relationship with William. On several
occasions, when they were dancing near to their table, Charlotte had made a
point of initiating a full-on kiss, which William seemed too embarrassed to
make a scene about, except for pulling her back to their own table. She could
be overheard by other guests making derogatory comments about Elle, which William
made an effort to curtail with his formidable stare; despite the obvious
pregnancy bump, Charlotte was carrying her behaviour, to an inexperienced observer,
would appear as the result of drinking more than just soft drinks. But, Elle
suspected the behaviour was because of her secret drug habit. Clearly embarrassed,
William seemed to have no choice, but make their exit from the party early.

“I certainly cannot
imagine why Will is allowing his child’s health to be put at risk by allowing
that woman to drink so excessively.” Mrs. Potter, who was sitting at Elle’s table,
commented once the couple had retreated from the room. She was the wife of a
filmmaker who was associated with Dexter Media’s ad campaigns. Her husband also
employed Cate, as part of his photographic team, and so knew all three of them
- Cate, Elle, and William - very well.

“I don’t think it
was brought on by a drink.” Cate responded to Mrs. Potter observation.

“Does he know about
her drug history?” Elle asked quietly.

“I have no idea, but
Charlie might.”

“I am just going to
go outside to make a call to Rachel, to check on Christian.” Elle excused herself
from the table, to see if she could discretely catch up to the retreating
couple, to see how William was reacting to Charlotte’s odd behaviour.

Out in the deserted
hallway, Elle could hear the arguing voices of William and Charlotte drifting
downward through the open staircase. 

“I cannot believe
how irresponsible you are being – didn’t your doctor say it’s bad for the baby to
drink this much alcohol!”

“I am not drunk.”

“Then, how do explain
the fact that you cannot even stand up without my help, and you just behaved
abominably, in front of all those people?”

“You drove me to it!”

“How exactly am I
to blame?”

“You went over to
that bitch TWICE, and tried to talk to her after you promised you would
no
t do so.” Elle was standing
open-mouthed, as Charlotte screamed, her voice shrill as it echoed down the
walls to where she stood. “I never promised you any of the sort – she is a
guest in my home. I was beginning polite by talking to her.”

“You told me, you
would be here for our child yet, at the first opportunity you have to go off, and
try to get in her pants.”

“What the hell are
you talking about – I never went over to her with that intention, the drink is
making you delusional. I said I would be here for the child,
and I will be - I am marrying
you for goodness sake.”

“I told you, I am
not drunk! I simply took a pill to calm my nerves.”

“What kind of pill?”

 “Just an upper,
It’s no biggie. I do it all the time.”

“No biggie? Your disgusting
habit could be hurting MY child.”

“I only take them
because I am so frightened that you will leave me for that bitch when you find out
the -” Elle’s heart began to race as she knew Charlotte had slipped up.

“When I find out what?”

“You are trying to
confuse - I don’t know what I am saying.” Sobbing noises started.

“Charlotte – tell
me, when I find out what?”

The sobbing became
louder. “Owww, you are hurting my arm!”

“Stop with the fake
tears, Charlotte. We will continue this discussion in the morning,
and you may as well know now
- I will not be taking you to Derbyshire. I do not want you to be able to ruin
Charlie’s wedding with more scenes like this tonight.”

“You just don’t want
me to be there, so you can get back into HER good books.”

“No, I don’t want
you there, in case your jealousy gets out of hand again, and I need time to think
away from you.”

“If you leave me,
I will abort our child.”

“You undoubtedly are
a heartless bitch to threaten such a thing, I have already said I will do my duty
and marry you for the sake of the child, but that does not mean I have to like
it, and it most certainly will not stop me from spending time with whom I
choose.”

The sobbing continued
for a few moments then just silence.

Elle blew out the
breath she had been holding, amazed at all that had been overhead. So, Charlotte
had slipped up. But he was still marrying her, despite the abortion threat and
the fact he clearly could tell she was lying to him about something.

Despite an overwhelming
rush to tell him her suspicions, whilst he was experiencing doubts about
Charlotte, Elle knew about William’s sense of duty. Now that
,
he had promised to marry Charlotte,
he would still proceed, even if Elle did tell him about their child. That
situation was one she refused become entangled in.

Elle made a decision
there and then to protect her child from being ensnared into the mess that
their marriage would surely become. Even if
,
Charlotte had deleted her messages, and he had not knowingly
rejected their child, she could not put her child through having a stepmother
that dysfunctional.