Elemental Fear (9 page)

"Hold on a minute..."
Leaning forward in his chair, Johan snapped.

But Rebecca was not to be deterred.
“What? We are only having a bit of fun, and Miss Stick in the Mud over there has to spoil it.” She crossed her arms over her chest and slumped back in her chair.

If possible
, my face heated even more. I turned and quickly headed for the door, quietly apologising.

"I bet shagging that is like sticking your dick in the freezer
," I heard a little way down the corridor. Three loud laughs and giggles followed. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard at the lump lodged there.

"That was totally uncalled for. Inappropriate and bullying conversations regarding
Senior managerial staff will not be tolerated. I’m all for a little banter and fun, but you turned so vile on another highly valued member of my team. I will not stand for that. Do I make myself clear? “I heard Johan’s loud commanding voice shout.

I shuddered and quickened my pace down the corridor. I could hear quickly approaching footsteps.

"Eve, wait," Johan called. "Wait, please." His voice was soft as he tugged at my elbow. "Don't listen to them."

I couldn’t look at him. I stood with my hands clenched in fists at my sides. "I'm sorry; I don’t mean to be...a prude."

"What? No! Listen, ignore them. They’re pathetic bitches who have zero chance of landing Dominic, and they know it. However, you - that's a different story." I still hadn’t looked at him, but I knew he was smiling at me.

"You have a vivid imagination
, Johan." I attempted to smile, but it ended up more of a grimace.

"Sweetheart
, you have no idea."

I let out a small laugh and chanced a glance up at him.
He cocked his head to the side and as usual, a cute smile plastered across his face.

"There she is
,” he said. "Don't let them bother you."

I nodded my agreement.

"Do I get a hug?” He held his arms open to me. I shook my head and smiled stepping toward him. His arms wrapped around me. Although Johan could be quite flirty and suggestive, his hugs never felt inappropriate or sexual. They felt safe and friendly, as I expect a big brother would protect his little sister. He was slightly taller than me, so I kind of curled into the nape of his neck. His cheek rested on my ear as he whispered soothing words and not so charming insults towards Rebecca. I could feel the weight of my sorrow lifting.

Someone behind Johan cleared
his throat. Startled, Johan turned us, still holding me. We came face to face with Alastair Ealing and Dominic. Alastair was grinning like he'd just caught two teenagers behind the bike sheds at school; Alistair was the most laid back boss I think anyone at this company had ever worked for. But Dominic -

"Well
, this looks cosy," smirked Alastair. "But may I ask that you keep your personal lives and....affections to out-of-hours. I cannot have my staff - "

S
udden realisation hit me like a brick. He thought we were kissing, that we were...together. I suddenly looked over at Dominic, whose face was like thunder. His brows were furrowed so much, his eyes were almost closed. His lips had clenched so tight there was a white line tinting the edge. He looked furious.

I looked at him
, pleadingly, shaking my head, trying to explain telepathically, which I knew was futile. "We weren't...”

"Eve
, you don't have to explain. We've all been in love at some point. Am I right, Dominic?" Alistair teased, not realising the fierce daggers Dominic's eyes were shooting Johan.

Alistair laughed and walked away, closely followed by
an angry Dominic. When they were out of sight, I let out a sigh of relief and looked up at Johan who had a devilish smirk across his cheeky face.

"Nothing going on between you two
, huh?” He nudged me with his elbow.

"Shush, you've caused enough trouble."

"Saved your fine little ass, is what I just did."

I laughed at him, relief flooding my body
, and I will admit that a smile was plastered across my face for the rest of the day.

***

When I got home mum was in the kitchen making dinner, dad sat at the dining table reading the newspaper and I could hear the TV so knew Ellie was watching her favourite TV programmes.

“Honey I'm home” I called out in a sickly sweet voice. “Hey sweetie, have you had a good day?”

“Yeah it was pretty good. I'm tired though” I answered hanging my coat under the stairs.

“Is Louise home yet?” I asked looking at
mum and dad.

Dad shook his head “no, I think she’s gone to talk to Darren. Apparently he’s finished with her again. Why the hell she puts up with it I have no idea, he’s a total idiot. I would love to get my hands

–“

“Alan we have talked about this.”
mum warned.

“I agree with
dad he is an idiot and she can do so much better for herself.” both mum and dad gaped at me as if I had sprouted another head.

“What?” Dad shook his head “little advice for yourself baby girl
.” He returned to reading his newspaper and I stood like a statue staring at him.

“Alan.”
mum chastised.

“I'm just saying, that nephew of mine is starting to grate on my last nerve. He’s hardly ever here and when he is he’s a moody little bugger. She goes days without seeing him and when he does show up he’s snapping and snarling at her.”

“I said not to interfere.” mum said opening her eyes wide in a silent plea to shut dad up, and then she smiled an apology to me.

“Interfere? She’s our daughter and...” I turned and walked away, leaving them to argue about me

in the kitchen. As I entered the hallway I leant against the wall listening to them. I rested the back of my head against the wall. I closed my eyes and willed the impending tears to go away.

“If she couldn’t deal with it Alan she would end things with him.” “I just don’t like how he treats her sometimes
,” he said moodily.

“You’re her
dad; no man is ever going to meet your standards.” mum laughed.

“I just...she’s changed so much since being with him. She’s quiet and shy, Marie, she was never like that”

“Darling it’s called growing up. We can’t blame that on Elliott, he cares very much for her. I admit I don’t like how he talks to her sometimes, but sweetheart you are no prince charming when you’re tired.” She laughed “besides I’m her mother I would know if something was wrong.”

I let out a shaky breath at her words, relieved neither had any idea what their daughter was really like, but I wanted to scream for them to see. Open their eyes and see what I lived through for them, I wanted them to break me out of this unending hell.

“Dinner will be another half hour if you want a quick shower” I heard mum say and I quickly moved away from the wall and walked down the hall to my bedroom.

When I re-entered the kitchen for dinner Louise had returned and I could tell she’d been crying. She sat slumped in a chair opposite
dad twisting her phone around in her lap as if willing it to ring. “Hey sis, you okay?” I asked sitting beside her.

She looked up at me with red rimmed eyes and the jolt to my chest nearly incapacitated me, the total anguish on her face nearly destroyed me. I reached out my hand and pulled her to her feet dragging her to my room,
mum and dad didn’t say anything I think they realised now was not the time.

I pulled her through the door behind me and closed it, then I pulled her to sit beside me on the bed. “Right tell me what’s wrong.”

She burst into tears and buried her head in my lap, sobbing loudly. I waited it out, letting her cry because the state she was in there was no way she would be able to speak, or at least make coherent speech. I stroked her hair; she had the softest chestnut hair. We had practically the same colour hair but where as mine had natural curl hers was enviously straight.

Her sobs slowed down and she started taking steadying breaths.

“Are you ready to tell me now?”

She looked at me and her face crumpled again and tears rolled down her face, this was far beyond a boyfriend dumping her, and frankly she was beginning to scare me. Thoughts of Elliott touching her started to seep into my mind, maybe I had failed in my task to save her from him.

“Lou, talk to me. You are scaring me now.”

“He...he...he
.” She took a deep breath and started again, my heart stopped, my chest ached and I dreaded the words that would eventually pour out of her mouth. “Darren finished with me, he...I had something to tell him and when I did he...oh God he called me so many horrible names Eve. I feel sick. I loved that fucking bastard, and he goes and dumps me, what a shitty arsehole.” She gasps.

I couldn’t help it I smiled at her barrage of names and the relief that spread through my body “not so bad on the name calling yourself sis”

She looked up at me and smiled weakly.

“Why? I mean what did you tell him that – oh God you didn’t cheat on him did you?” I asked not really believing she would ever do such a thing.

“What! Shit Eve, thanks very much, no. I. Did. Not. Cheat! For fuck sake what is it with people?”

“
Okay sorry, did he then?”

She laughed humorlessly and shook her head. “He accused me of it when I told him, but I didn’t, like I said I was a moron and loved the bastard.”

“Lou make sense!”

She turned and again her face crumpled into tear agony “I'm pregnant.”

“What?”

She nodded “yep, you heard. I'm pregnant. And –“

“The bastard DUMPED you!” I shouted.

“Whoa, Evie-beevie watch the language
.” She mocked.

“Seriously, he just...he said it was over because you
’re pregnant?” Louise just nodded sadly.

“Well bugger me.” I gasped.

“What the hell am I going to do? mum and dad will go mental, what if –“

“
mum will not go mental, dad might with Darren’s reaction but they will understand. mum’s been there remember.” I lifted my hand and stroked her tear soaked hair away from her face.

She nodded “I never thought this would happen to me. And more than that I really thought he loved me, I thought..
.” She bowed her head and stared at her hands in her lap “he said I was a lying slapper, Eve, he called me some really horrible names. I don’t know where the anger came from but it seriously scared me.”

My heart sank at my baby sister fearing the man she loved; I knew all too well what demons could lurk within some personalities. And I hated that she was finding out the man she loved was breaking her heart, but I felt an affinity to her with regards to finding out the darkness within him. I once was naive and opened myself to a man who destroyed my faith in ever being loved again.

“Maybe it is better you found out now, rather than later.” I said quietly.

She nodded in agreement “well it’s over now so..
.” She trailed off with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Maybe once he’s calmed down he will apologise and –“

“He can apologise till he’s blue in the face, that dickhead does not talk to me that way and think I will go back to him.” She protested adamantly.

“But I thought you loved him?”

“Yeah and clearly he doesn’t love me.” She snapped.

“
Okay Lou, I'm on your side remember.” I said putting my arms around her and hugging her tight to me.

A soft knock came at the door and
mum slowly opened it. She opened it fully and dad stood with his hand on her waist and one resting on the doorframe above his head.

“So...”
mum started in a soft voice. “When do we become grandparents?”

Louise dissolved into loud sobs again and hid her face in my jumper.

“Lou-Lou come here” mum said on a breathy cry. “I know it seems like the end of the world right now, but we love you and we will support you through this.” She held my sister who had thrown herself into mum’s arms.

“I'm sorry
.” Lou sobbed.

“Whoa, no I'm not hearing that sweetheart, this is our grandkid. He or she will be loved so much, with or without Darren. You hear me?”

“How did you know?” Lou sniffed.

mum
laughed “I'm your mother, I notice when my girls suddenly stop having periods. When the sanitary products in a house full of girls suddenly stopped being used it’s a dead giveaway. Your dad assumed Eve, she’s been so quiet and withdrawn from us but then you started acting all emotional and secretive, then the upset stomach kind of gave you away. I’ve just been waiting for you to come to me.”

“You’re not mad.” Lou stated rather than questioned.

“I would have preferred to see you married or at least settled down first but God brings us these little miracles for a reason.”

“Yeah, to show us why contraception is a good thing.” Dad said dryly from the door. I laughed and

mum sent him a seething look. He held up his hands “just saying”

“He’s right; it was a stupid mistake to make.” Lou whispered.

“You’re mum wouldn’t let me near her without a –,” he said pointing his finger at us.

“Dad!” we both shrieked simultaneously before he could finish.

“I cannot believe you just said that. I think you may have traumatised our girls.” mum said to him with a smile on her face.

He winked and left the room.
mum kissed Lou on the head and leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I love you both” then she smiled “now all three of you, come on dinner is ready”

My baby sister was having a baby, what a strange day it had been today.