That Summer (Part Two) (17 page)

“Fine.”
She concedes begrudgingly, making it obvious that she’s not happy I’m the
central concern of Cole.

He
drags me up the stairs and into our bedroom, closing the door behind us.

“Where
the hell should I start?” He groans, leaning back against the wall behind him.

“When
did you sleep with her?” I ask, making sure my demeanour remains detached and
reserved.

“It
was pretty soon after my release.” He confesses, rubbing the centre of his
forehead before sighing deeply.

“So
three months ago?”

“Something
like that, yeah.”

“Wow,
you can’t even remember?” I challenge him scornfully.

“I
can’t remember because it meant absolutely nothing to me.
She
means
nothing and she never did.”

“She’s
having your baby.” I remind him, taking a seat on the bed.

I
don’t know how I’m managing to remain so calm. My outward appearance resembles
someone who is composed but inside there is a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions
which are just screaming to be released and explode in a second.

“Is
she even pregnant? I don’t even know whether I should believe her or not.”

“You
can tell she’s being honest.” I inform him, remembering how frightened she was
when she turned up on our doorstep. “She was terrified and heartbroken when I
first let her in and the least you owe her is a conversation.”

“Ok,
so let’s go down there together and talk with her. You’re a part of this and I
want you to be with me.” He argues, crossing the room so he can kneel down in
front of me.

“As
far as she’s concerned I’m your sister.” I murmur quietly. “We can’t confront
her like we’re a couple now I’ve told her the truth.”

“So
we’ll say you made it up. We’ll tell her that we’re in a relationship and the
three of us can discuss what happens next.”

“Cole,
you’re not being realistic!” I yell angrily, jumping up from the bed. “This
changes everything… this changes us.”

“No,
no it doesn’t. I won’t let it change anything for you.” He promises, following
me across the room so he can force me to look at him. “I’ve finally got you
back again and there’s no way I’m going to let that bitch downstairs change any
of that.”

“And
what about your child?” I retort sharply, glaring at him in confrontation.

“I
don’t want one with her. I don’t want anything to do with it. All I care about
is you.”

“You’re
bound to feel differently once the baby is born and I don’t think I have the
strength to stand by and watch you play happy families with someone else.” I
admit, lowering my gaze towards the floor.

“The
only family I want is one with you. You’re the centre of my universe and no one
else will ever compare.”

“Cole,
she can give you the one thing I can’t and that’s a child. Please, just go and
talk with her while I wait up here.”

“She
can’t give me anything, not when everything I want is with you.” He growls,
smashing his lips against mine in a passionate kiss.

“Just
go!” I exclaim loudly, shoving him away from me. “You need to deal with this
yourself.”

“No!”
He roars, slamming his fist against the wall behind me. “I want you with me!
Why are you pushing me away?”

“Because
I don’t know what else to do! I keep picturing you with her and it makes me
feel sick. I’m now questioning how many others there have been since you came
out of prison and I don’t know how to stop myself from hating you because of
it.”

My
jealousy is overwhelming. It’s threatening to consume me and I don’t know how
to control it.

“I
don’t care if you hate me, we can deal with that and I can handle it. What I
can’t deal with is you pushing me away. If Fiona wants to keep the baby then
I’ll be there for it, I’ll help raise my child but that’s it. I don’t want
anything more to do with her beyond that.”

“She
obviously has feelings for you.” I warn him, speaking softly. “Did you not see
the look on her face after the way you spoke to her?”

“Look,
she knew that I was in love with someone else because I told her. I let her
know that there was a girl I couldn’t be with and she understood exactly what
it was. It was sex and nothing more than that. Afterwards, she became clingy
and that’s when I told her to get lost. I hated myself for what I did and
that’s why I haven’t slept with anyone since then. I haven’t even spoken to her
so I have no idea how the hell she found me.”

“I
don’t think I can do this…” I whisper, covering my face with my hands.

“You
can.” He insists, taking hold of my hands. “Neither of us has a choice.”

“Don’t
we?”

“Listen,
I’m going back downstairs and you’re coming with me. We’re going to talk
through this together and figure out what happens next. I’m not doing this
without you, Serena. I just can’t.”

Understanding
dawns on me like a bolt of lightning. I suddenly realise what needs to be done
and how this devastating revelation can be resolved.

“Can
you give me a few minutes? I just need a moment alone.”

“I’ll
wait.”

“Cole,
please. I’m begging you to give me a few minutes.”

I
smile weakly, hoping it will be enough to convince him.

“If
you’re not downstairs in five minutes then I’ll come back and get you.”

“I’ll
be down in a minute.” I lie, pretending to go along with everything he’s
saying.

He
turns to leave, turning around to face me once he reaches the bedroom door.

“I
love you, Serena.
Only
you.” He says, lowering his head sadly. “This
changes nothing.”

I
wait until he’s left the room before I whisper my reply to him, meaning every
word.

“It
changes everything.”

I
sneak down the hallway, unable to ignore the sound of raised voices downstairs.
I know there’s no way I can sneak past them to the front door so I’ll have to
use the back.

I
realise that if I don’t do this now I never will and an opportunity where Cole
is distracted like this might not happen again.

Some
would call me a coward for what I’m about to do… others might think I’m brave.
Either way, I’m doing it with the best of intentions and hope that Cole will
understand. I hope that one day he will forgive me.

There’s
a small flight of stairs which are separate from the main ones we normally use,
it leads down into the kitchen where the back door is. It’s bound to be locked
but I know where Cole keeps the key, it’s in one of the kitchen doors and all I
can do is pray I won’t be discovered before I manage to reach it.

I
hold my breath as I sneak down each step, closing my eyes as I wait for a
creaky floorboard to betray me, alerting Cole before I have a chance to escape.
It doesn’t happen and I reach the bottom without making a single sound.

Cole
and Fiona are still arguing. I can hear them rowing about the paternity of the
baby and what they plan to do once he or she is born. I know I can’t turn the
kitchen light on because he’s bound to see it and I end up spending another
thirty seconds or so with my arms out in front of me, praying to God I don’t
fall over anything.

The
drawer with the back door key inside it is easy to locate because it’s right
underneath the window. The storm outside is still howling, masking the noise I
accidentally make as I open the drawer.

Now
that I have the key in my hands, I have to act fast. Cole will no doubt become
impatient when he realises I’m not joining him downstairs and I also know how
he can be when he gets angry. So far he has kept his promise to keep on taking
his medication but one small slip could push him over the edge in a split
second.

“Serena!
Come on down here. You’ve been up there long enough!” He yells irritably,
raising his voice so I can hear him.

He
still thinks I’m upstairs and he’s bound to race up there any moment when I
don’t respond to him. Taking my one and only chance, I turn the key and unlock
the back door, flinging it open while an almighty crack of lighting lights up
the entire kitchen.

I
scream, exposing myself and giving away my location. I hear Cole’s voice roar
out my name and that’s when I run, speeding out the house and throwing my body
across the large field in front of me. The thunder is deafening and the
downpour of rain crashes against my body in a relentless downpour.

My
hair sticks to my face and forehead, blinding me so I stumble and fall several
times. Each time I pick myself back up, I am convinced that he is right behind
me. I daren’t look back in case I catch sight of him but I just
know
he’s behind me. The only consolation is this destructive weather. I hope it will
be enough to obstruct Cole’s vision and I dart forward, determined to outrun
him and get away without being caught.

I
hear him crying out my name, sounding more furious with each passing second. My
chest is hurting and my heart feels like it might leap out of my chest if I
don’t stop anytime soon but I keep on moving. I can’t stop now and if I don’t
make myself disappear then I know my chances of escape will be miniscule.

Cole
swore that he would never let me go and he kept his promise. We’ve been apart
for three years but that was because of his custodial sentence. If it hadn’t
been for that, who knows how long it would have taken him to hunt me down.

I
don’t know whether it’s because I know that Cole is going to be a father or if
Fiona turning up unexpectedly with her news has somehow provided me with an
opportunity to run. Either way, I’ve never craved my freedom so badly. I need
it like I need air to breathe and I will not stay with someone who refuses to
tell the truth. I’ve been lied to, abused, hurt and manipulated since I came
here, resulting in me being locked up that house like a prisoner. I convinced
myself for a while that I could live like that but now I know different.

I
ran for my life that night and I ran for my freedom, ignoring the desperate
pleas I heard from Cole for me to come back. He was unable to catch me and he’s
been chasing me ever since.

That’s
why I’ll always keep on running…

Chapter Twelve

Present
day… (three years later)

“I
escaped that night but he’s never stopped searching for me. He’ll never quit
and that’s why I have to keep on running.”

I
exhale slowly, relieved I’ve finally reached the conclusion to my story. My
therapist remains silent, her eyes full of sympathy and compassion.

“In
one of our previous sessions you told me that you had contact with Cole six
months ago.” She reminds me. “What happened?”

“He
found me.” I reply simply, remembering the night I woke up and found him in my
bedroom. “I was living with my friend Natalie for a short period of time and he
broke in one night when she was out. I woke up to find him in my bedroom with
his hand over my mouth. He was threatening to take me like he did before but he
was interrupted. Natalie came home early and he was forced to flee, forced to
abandon his plans to take me with him. Since then the police have placed me on
the witness protection programme and provided me with a new identity. They
hoped it would be enough but they were wrong. They underestimate him and that’s
how he’s managed to evade them for so long.”

“You
also told me that Cole said he despised you… was this when he broke into your
bedroom six months ago?”

“He
looked me right in the eyes when he said it.” I divulge quietly. “I remember
him telling me that he won’t rest until he makes me as miserable as I’ve made
him. He said he will destroy me like I destroyed him and ruin everything. He
still blames me for leaving and I believe him when he said he’s going to break
me. He meant every word of it and now that I saw him in the park, it means I’ll
have to run again.”

“And
how long do you think you will be able to live your life like this?” She
challenges me gently.

“Until
I get tired of running.”

“Aren’t
you tired right now? Aren’t you sick of having to escape this man who has been
hunting you for the past three years? Don’t you think you’re entitled to some
sort of life without him ruling every decision that you make?”

“The
consequences of Cole finding me are not something I like to think about. I run
because I have to and that’s how it’s always going to be.”

I
leave her office and take the same route by the park where I spotted Cole. It’s
been two days since I saw him here but there’s still a twisted little part of
me which longs to see him again. He’s changed so much in three years and looks
far more mature than he did when we were living together. We’re both
twenty-four now and the years we’ve spent apart have altered him greatly.

It’s
nearing six o’clock so I don’t suppose there will be anyone at the park. Most
people are on their way home from work and the town is quiet. There’s hardly
any people about which makes my journey even more dangerous. There a lot of
people who would call me foolish for what I’m about to do but my answer to
those people would be that they have yet to understand. Until they have lived
my life and walked in my shoes, they will never know what it is like to be torn
from your soulmate. They will never know what it’s like to love a man as much
as you fear him.

My
heart rate increases as I approach the park, trembling with each step that
takes me further. In the distance I can see a man pushing a little boy on the
swings. The young child is screaming with delight and laughing uncontrollably,
demanding that his father push him even higher.

Cole.

It’s
him.

He’s
the man by the swings playing with his child, obeying his son’s every command
and chuckling lightly at his enthusiasm.

“Daddy,
higher! Even more high!” The little boy squeals, giggling with delight.

I
wipe away a stray tear as I watch them together, seeking some sort of comfort
from the man who I fell in love with six years ago and my nephew. Cole’s son
must be around two and a half by now and the resemblance between them is
incredible. He has the same dark hair as Cole and I bet the same brown eyes.

There’s
no sign of his mother so I’m guessing that this is one of the days he gets to
spend with Cole. I’m glad they have each other and decide to leave them to it,
providing father and son with the privacy they deserve.

I
force myself to turn around and keep on walking like I never saw them, making a
vow to myself that I will never come here again.

The
sound of my phone ringing distracts me from my deep contemplation and I reach
for it, glancing at the screen before I answer.

It’s
Kevin.

We’ve
been together for six months now and he still doesn’t know a thing about my
past. I bumped into him one day when I was out shopping and he bombarded me
with questions, wanting to know why I disappeared and what happened to me. Of
course I knew I couldn’t tell him the exact truth behind the reason why I left
and came up with the excuse that involved a bad break up and needing to make a
fresh start.

It
turns out my old work colleague had been promoted just a few weeks after we had
been out together for my twenty-first birthday and Kevin wouldn’t take no for
an answer when it came to giving him my new phone number. We somehow fell into
a relationship with one another after a couple of months and he’s even talked
about us moving in together. Nothing has been finalised yet and I’m glad about
that. I don’t feel comfortable taking that next step with him and have been
delaying the inevitable for a long time. He recently told me that he never got
over me, even after I vanished and he confessed that our relationship completes
him.

I
wish I could say the same…

“Hello?”

I
answer the phone, trying to sound bright and cheerful. Kevin doesn’t even know
about the therapy sessions I’ve been having and that’s why I make a point of
making out like everything is normal whenever I see him. I’m extremely private
when it comes to my past and it’s not something I open up about with anyone.

“Hi,
baby. How are you?”

“I’m
good.” I lie, raking my fingers through my hair as I walk on. “I’m just on my
way home.”

“Listen,
I want you to make sure that you get all dressed up tonight so I can pick you
up around eight.”

“We’re
going out tonight?”

“That’s
right. I have a surprise for you.” He replies mysteriously, sounding excited.

“A
surprise?” I prompt him, groaning inwardly. “But it’s not my birthday or anything.”

“I
know but that doesn’t mean I can’t spoil you.”

“Kevin,
you know I don’t like surprises.”

“You’ll
like this one, I promise you.” He assures me with confidence.

“I’m
not too sure about that.”

“Serena,
I’m really sorry but I have to go.” He informs me, abruptly diverting the
conversation. “There’s a crisis going on at work with this deadline we have so
I might have to stay on a little late. I’ll text you when I’m on my way to pick
you up and then we’ll go straight on to the restaurant which I’ve booked for
us, does that sound ok?”

“Yeah,
that’s fine.” I respond absent-mindedly. “See you later.”

“Bye,
Beautiful.”

He
hangs up the phone and so do I, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more. I
turn around one more time to watch Cole in the distance, remembering it all.

I
don’t know what makes me come to my following decision or what the
repercussions of my choice might be. All I do know is I have to go back.

A
part of me needs to go home…