Excess All Areas (23 page)

‘
Just stop it Russell. This has nothing to do with Emma. Just get it over with - how much do you want?’ Freya wanted to know.

‘
You think I want money? Whatever gave you that idea?’ Russell questioned.

‘
Well I realise I haven’t seen my mother for a year or so and I’m sure she’s been surgically and cosmetically enhanced into looking half her age, but I am relatively sure that the only reason she turned your head was because she has a Swiss bank account. And as you’ve been servicing her in the bedroom and my mother is generous with cash when it comes to getting what she wants, I’m also assuming she tipped you well, probably well enough to enable you to reacquaint yourself with your bookmaker,’ Freya began, watching Russell’s expression.

‘
Your mother is a very accommodating woman,’ Russell responded.

‘
But she also gets bored very easily and, believe me, you are not the first younger man she’s entertained in this marriage or her previous marriage. She can’t help herself you see, she likes pretty things and everything has its price. How do you feel about being one of her pretty things Russell?’ Freya enquired.

‘
It was a mutual admiration and we both got what we wanted,’ Russell replied.

‘
Until she moved on to the next one. I take it that’s what happened. Or did you just get greedy and she thought it was time to move on to someone with less financial ambition? Either way, she ended it didn’t she? That meant goodbye to your betting fund,’ Freya carried on.

‘
There was a little more to our relationship than just a shared love of the good life. She’s actually good fun, uninhibited and carefree. It was a shock in more ways than one to find out that you were her daughter. I can only presume you take after the old man,’ Russell responded.

‘
How dare you!’ Emma exclaimed immediately, her voice full of emotion.

‘
It’s OK Emma. Let Russell have his say. It will be the final conversation he ever has with me. How much do you want to keep your mouth shut and to keep the bookies from your door?’ Freya wanted to know, maintaining her calm.

‘
I want twenty five thousand, that’s all. Give me that and your identity stays in the past,’ Russell informed coolly.

‘
What?! You
are
joking!’ Emma exclaimed in horror.

‘
Do I sound like I’m joking? Do you really think I would have travelled over here if I didn’t have to?’ he retorted.

‘
And if I don’t get you the money?’ Freya asked.

‘
If you don’t get me the money, I’ll sell your story and the truth about who you are to the highest bidder. And there will be bidders Freya, particularly now you’re moving in celebrity circles,’ Russell spoke with a smirk.

‘
You evil shit!’ Emma stated, before she could stop herself.

‘
I’ll take that as a compliment. So, Freya, what’s it to be? A quiet settlement? Or you, me, mummy and daddy sharing the front cover of
Hello
?’ Russell wanted to know.

‘
I don’t have twenty five grand, you know that,’ Freya managed to speak.

‘
But you have at least two men in your life who could easily provide that sort of money and I’m not fussy how you get it. Ask Mr Kaden, ask Daddy, but if you don’t get it, your world is going to come crashing down,’ Russell warned.

Freya took a deep breath and then she nodded at Russell. A smile of satisfaction appeared on his face until she spoke.

‘
No.’

‘
I’m sorry? Did you say “no”?’ Russell asked, his expression darkening.

‘
Do you want me to say it again for you? I said no. You are not getting a penny out of me. If you think I’m going to pay you anything after I have wasted eighteen months of my life with you, then you really are a mug,’ Freya informed him.

Russell pursed his lips, considering what to do and say next. Along with anger and almost contempt in his face, Freya saw utter fear and anguish in his eyes. She could only assume that he really was desperately in debt to someone.

‘
Now you’ve heard what Freya’s said why don’t you piss off back to where you came from,’ Emma ordered bravely.

Russell turned, as if to leave, and then, overcome with rage he turned back and pushed Emma hard, making her stumble over and land on the ground.

‘
You bloody idiot! What have you done?’ Freya shrieked and hurriedly bent down over Emma who was sitting on the ground looking shocked.

‘
You should keep the bitch on her leash,’ Russell spat angrily.

‘
She’s pregnant for Christ’s sake! Go and get some help!’ Freya screamed, overcome with fright for her friend.

Russell’s expression changed and his pallor paled as he realised what he’d done and the seriousness of the situation. He put his hands to his head and just stood still like a frozen statue.

‘
The baby,’ Emma said in nothing more than a whisper, looking up at Freya with panic in her eyes.

‘
I know, I know. Does it hurt anywhere?’ Freya asked her hurriedly.

‘
I don’t know. I’m not sure, but I think I’m bleeding,’ Emma stated as the tears began to fall and she started to breathe heavily.

‘
No, no you’re not. Everything’s going to be fine. For God’s sake Russell either go and get some help or piss off!’ Freya exclaimed as she began to rifle through her handbag to find her mobile phone.

Shocked back into the situation Russell turned on his heel and hurried down the pathway back towards the village.

Freya opened her phone and called Nicholas.

‘
Hello is Nick there? Yes I know he’s filming but this is an emergency. It’s Freya Martha and I need to speak to Nick. Please, for Christ’s sake, just get him – oh forget it!’

Freya ended the call and contemplated what to do for a few seconds. It was useless to call an ambulance, they were miles away from the nearest facility and the nearest hospital was in Corfu Town. She needed transport immediately.

‘
I’m going to lose the baby aren’t I?’ Emma stated, going very pale.

‘
No! Emma don’t be silly, it’s going to be fine. Look, don’t move, just stay there, I’ll be back,’ Freya spoke as positively as she could.

She set off up the hill towards the fort as fast as she could. She hadn’t wanted to leave Emma on her own but she needed to get hold of a car. The nearest person who had a car was Nicholas and if anyone could rustle a car up in a few seconds it was him.

By the time she reached the area where they were filming she was sweating, out of breath and in absolute panic.

The crowd around the security cordon was ten deep and she couldn’t see anyone she knew. It was pointless calling Nicholas’ phone again and she didn’t know what to do. She had to do something, but what?

Just as fear was rising in her stomach, threatening to actually make her vomit she saw Roger, Nicholas’ bodyguard, at the edge of the cordon. She had never been so pleased to see someone in her whole life but she still had to attract his attention.

‘
ROGER! ROGER!’ Freya yelled at the top of her voice, waving both her hands in the air as wildly as she could.

‘
Get out of the way! I was here first, you can’t just push in you know,’ a woman who Freya had ended up standing next to yelled at her.

‘
Piss off will you, this is an emergency. ROGER!! ROGER!!’ Freya shouted hysterically.

She put her fingers to her lips and whistled as loudly as she could. The high pitched noise was enough to make Roger look up from what he was doing and see her waving and shouting.

‘
ROGER I NEED HELP!’ Freya screamed.

Without hesitation, he ducked under the cordon and hurried through the crowd towards her, pushing people aside as he did so.

‘
Move aside please, move aside Sir, move aside - Freya, what’s going on?’ Roger greeted when he eventually reached her.

‘
Roger I need the car. It’s an emergency. My friend Emma, we need to get to the hospital now,’ Freya babbled hurriedly, emotion rising rapidly.

‘
Fine, where is she? Let’s go, I’ll call Mike,’ Roger said and he followed Freya towards the way back down from the fort.

‘
She’s just down here,’ Freya said, leading the way.

‘
Hi Mike, look can you get to the path at the entrance to the fort right now, we’re going to Corfu Town,’ Roger spoke into his mobile phone as he hurried behind Freya.

Emma was sat in the same spot but was being comforted by two passers by who Freya could only assume Russell had called for assistance.

‘
Emma it’s going to be fine. Roger’s getting the car and we’ll be in the hospital in no time. Mike is a fantastic driver, no one could get you there quicker or safer,’ Freya assured her and she put an arm around her shoulders as she sat down on the floor next to her.

‘
I think it’s going to be too late,’ Emma spoke, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

‘
No it’s not, don’t say that. It’s going to be fine. I promise you,’ Freya said, trying to hide her fears.

‘
Don’t make promises you can’t keep Freya,’ Emma told her.

‘
I don’t make promises I can’t keep. It’s going to be fine, it has to be fine - where is Mike?’ Freya asked, looking up at Roger.

‘
He was just at the harbour, he won’t be long - here he is,’ Roger announced as the black Mercedes arrived and pulled up next to them.

‘
We need to make a stop at Petroholis Restaurant,’ Freya told Mike as Roger picked Emma up from the ground and put her gently down in the back of the car.

‘
You’re going to get Yiannis? But he doesn’t know,’ Emma reminded Freya.

‘
Well I think it’s time he did because you need him right now. Roger, can you tell Nick what’s going on?’ Freya asked him.

‘
Sure,’ Roger agreed.

‘
Step on it Mikey,’ Freya ordered as she got into the front of the car and made the dividing screen fall so she could keep an eye on Emma.

‘
I’m scared. I don’t want to lose this baby, no matter where it was supposed to come on my list,’ Emma announced.

‘
I know,’ Freya replied and she bit her lip.

A little life was hanging in the balance because of her and her secrets and her stupid past. It suddenly put everything into perspective.

Twenty Four

It was just over an hour before the group reached the hospital. Freya sat alone in the corridor, staring at the white wall in front of her. Yiannis had gone as white as the wall when Freya had burst into the restaurant and told him Emma needed to go to hospital. Freya didn’t know what his reaction had been when Emma had told him about the pregnancy. She had shut the dividing screen and given them some privacy on the journey into the capital.

Freya was terrified for Emma and she knew she had caused this situation. Bloody Russell, bloody parents, bloody, bloody past. She didn’t care any more, about anything. The only thing that mattered to her now was Emma and Yiannis’ baby.

As the door of the room opened, Freya rose to her feet and held her breath. Her heart was racing, she was mentally praying over and over in her head and her fingers were crossed together behind her back so tightly they hurt.

Yiannis came out into the corridor and Freya couldn’t tell from his expression what the news was. Her heart thumped against her chest and she felt physically sick.

‘
She’s fine,’ Yiannis stated.

‘
And the baby?’ Freya asked, swallowing a lump in her throat.

‘
The baby’s fine too. Heart is beating normally and all is OK,’ Yiannis announced.

‘
Oh thank God! Oh Yiannis, I’m so, so pleased,’ Freya said, almost hysterical with relief.

She threw her arms around him and held him close to her.

‘
You are going to make a wonderful father,’ Freya told him sincerely.

‘
Thank you,’ Yiannis answered, tears in his eyes.

‘
Can I see Emma?’ Freya asked, wiping at her eyes and trying to compose herself.

‘
Yes, they are going to keep her overnight to make sure all is OK and I am going to stay too,’ Yiannis told her.

‘
OK, well I’ll just be a minute and then I’ll leave you two alone,’ Freya spoke.

She wiped her eyes again and took a deep breath before she opened the door of Emma’s room and entered.

Emma looked pale and washed out, hardly standing out against the white bed sheets. There was a doctor in the room, pressing buttons on the machine next to the bed.

‘
Hi,’ Freya greeted.

‘
Hello,’ Emma responded.

‘
Please, no stay too long. She needs rest,’ the doctor told Freya as he headed towards the door.

‘
I promise, two minutes that’s all,’ Freya assured.

The doctor left the room and Freya sat down in the chair next to Emma’s bed.

‘
The baby’s fine,’ Emma informed her.

‘
I know, Yiannis told me. It’s fantastic news,’ Freya spoke.

‘
You kept that promise. I’m sorry if I was horrible to you earlier, I was just so scared,’ Emma told her.