At least, while we were making love beside a shattered vase, none of it’s sharp edges cut me. I started at the cut in my palm as Christian cleaned it. He was hell bent on doing it himself.
“This would hurt” he said seriously as if he was planning to stab me with a dagger.
I closed my eyes and when he poured the alcohol, I winced and threw my head back.
“Sorry” he winced as if he was the one being hurt.
When I slept, I dreamt of Christian switching my pills, in the dream he was selfish and greedy and he wanted to lock me up.
I woke up to the sound of drills and I remembered the jewelrer and wondered if she ever sent those replacement rings.
I stood up and wrapped a robe around my naked body, the drilling sounds were too much to overlook. As I went out to the hall, it got louder.
When I got to the living room, I saw that there were workers, repairing everything and putting things into place. There was a new and more beautiful dining table, the old chandeliers that were shattered were now being replaced with new ones… They were even tearing down some part of the wall.
Christian was standing at one edge, his sleeves were rolled up and he was holding machine that I had never seen before, I didn’t even know what they used it for but I was sure it was dirty work.
He was covered in dust and sand. He turned to me and his eyes twinkled with a smile that melted me whole. He dropped his gear and without breaking eye contact, he came to me.
“Hi” I said. My voice got lost in the wave of all the other noise but I was certain be read my lips.
“Hi” he mouthed.
He nodded towards the exit and he was about to pull me over when he looked down at the robe and he gave a disapproving frown.
He led me back to the room where the noise was softer.
“We have to go over to Kylee’s” he said and opened the armoire.
He picked out some clothes for me and handed it to me.
It was a chiffon trouser that was very loose and a short top with long sleeves, it was fancy and mildly see through.
I wore it and the pulled out my night gown and his own pyjamas and just held it under his arm. I giggled at the sight and he turned to me with a raised brow. I just shrugged.
When we got to Kylee’s house, there was food ready, as if she knew we were coming. As the three of us are, there was a thick cloud of silence. The both of them were still not on speaking terms.
“Where is Wayne?” Kylee raised her head like a hyena.
“Oh, he went on some errands” she said curtly.
I nodded, we didn’t speak about Josef, I wondered if he was just a rebound for a night, a one night stand.
I cleared my throat because the silence seemed to clog it.
“Kaylee, I need to speak to you” Christian said and he stood up and left, as expected, Kylee walked with him.
CHRISTIAN
I stepped outside and Kylee followed, she closed the door and leaned on it.
“I’m sorry” she said.
I shook my head.
“Save it. I want to ask you for a favour”
“Yes?”
“Jenna said that she researched the event and I almost panicked, almost”
“Why?”
“I haven’t told you about the date?”
“What date?”
I began telling her about the date that was set with me and Lacey. How Mr Cooper had weaved his way with the reporters, it was a big set up.
“I used mind play to make the reporters keep the date between Lacey and I a secret”
“So no one else knows?”
“Well, apart from the gossips that would spread the story… No one else would know. I can’t let Jenna fine out”
“It wasn’t your fault, she will not be angry at you”
“No. She saw the picture of Talia and I on a date, I don’t want her to remember ”
“She will be fine ”
“I’m standing on a thin line here Kylee!” I snapped.
I shook my head, trying to shake off the anger and yet it clung to me like an wild animal. It’s claws dug deep.
“What do you want?” Kylee asked.
“Do you know anyone that will be willing to go on a date with her instead of me?”
I didn’t have any friends to ask for the favour of filling in for me, just business partners and their generosity didn’t reach the level of going on dates on my behalf.
“I don’t know… We’re on an island, I don’t know anybody here. Can’t you just leave and abandon her?”
“I did a research on her and she’s a devoted worker. She’s helped the company, I want to repay the favour ”
“Come on. You repay every one of your employees enough, you pay them handsomely ”
“Where were you last night?”
She rolled her eyes at me, but didn’t fail to answer.
“I was with an old friend ”
“You left Jenna alone, all by herself ”
“How did you find us?”
“There are cameras on every road”
She understood immediately.
“I’m sorry for leaving her. We haven’t spoken about the consequences of what you did’
I was quiet.
“She says she has forgiven me, I know she has forgiven me but I want to apologise in a big way”
Kylee scoffed.
“You’re lucky to have her. She forgave you in a heartbeat, I would have buried you alive ”
The unspoken word clung to the air, I thought about our future from here, how things would change.
“Do you think she’s pregnant yet?”
“If she isn’t, then what, are you planning on swapping her pills again to get her knocked up”
It was a question, even though she said it jokingly.
“Maybe”