The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (66 page)

I smile at her through worried eyes. “That sounds like a great idea, Hun. Tea always makes us feel better.”

Making our way downstairs, we bump into Gino, who informs us that poor Suzie will join us shortly, once the morning sickness has passed. I offer to go see to her but he shakes his head vehemently, adding that she had booted him out with strict orders not to allow anyone else in.

Bless her. I’d give it a short while and check on her no matter what he said.

I’m still not hungry, possibly due to the permanent dancing butterflies in my tummy, but someone has placed trays of hot croissants, pecan danish, muffins and a huge glass bowl consisting of all types of fresh fruit topped with muesli and greek yoghurt, and it all looked delicious. Coffees and teas are brewed as we land and handed to us, by Nathan as we curl up on the grey velvet sofas and I share a knowing look with Abby, whilst she theatrically sends up a prayer of thanks to the man or woman in the clouds, for sending her Nathan Silver; promptly dropping her closed palms as he turns to face her.
 

“Tea for the ladies walking the walk of shame.” He grins at us saucily and pecks me on my check, then leans into Abby for a lingering soft morning kiss.
 

“Wow. This all looks scrummy, and just what I fancied. Did you sort it all Mr. Silver?” she thanks him playfully.
 

“I did.” Nodding like a proud child. “With the help of Seb. I’ve already downed a bacon butty and Seb said he’d eaten earlier and done laundry - find the latter bloody hard to believe?”

I practically choke on my tea and smile inwardly.
Boy did we do laundry.

“If I’d known you were so domesticated Na, I’d have had you serving me grapes by the fire, wearing nothing but a loin cloth, ages ago.” Abby tempts him twisting a wavy lock of hair around her finger, not dissimilar to what she’s doing to him.

“All in good time, my cheeky Abigail,” he plays back. “Get tucked in Chicks. Seb is on the phone… again. It hasn’t stopped since I’ve come down and I’m just going to get Gino a butty.”
 

With that and a kiss to Abby’s forehead he’s off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving us to snuggle up and indulge.
 

“Dreamy!” Abby throws her head back and sighs happily

“What the man or the house?” I smirk taking a bit of my croissant, laden with apricot jam.

“Both - but seriously this house is fabulous Lu isn’t it? Last night was a great party. I can definitely see you here, hosting more of the same. Lady Lu of Silver Birches.”
I flick her opinions away with my free hand, and fidget in my ridiculously over-the-top dress, for a Sunday morning. I’m about to reply when I see Sebastian walking towards me. His face is serious, but it relaxes slightly as it drops to mine.
 

“Feel better?”

“Much. The shower was goood.”
 

He watches me. His eyes entirely focused on mine, and leaning in, whispers his reply.
“Next time I’ll join you Baby.” Taking a seat next to me, he crosses his foot up to rest upon his knee and rubs his head anxiously. He seemed very preoccupied.

“Morning Abs. You look very pleased with yourself this morning. Have something to do with my little bro me thinks?” he winks at her slyly.

Abby blushes. “That bloody charm oozes out of you two. Do you have it on tap? We had fun. Yes. Thanks for letting us stay over Seb. I had a great time.”

“You are always welcome here Abs - always.”

I hear the patter of feet; weakly tapping along the oak floor in the hall and looking up see Suzie enter. “Hey Sis. How are you feeling?” She looked rather washed out but still lovely.

“Urgghh. Don’t ask! Roll on 16weeks.” She settles next to me in a large high backed black velvet chair.

My questioning look and raised eyebrows alert her and she shakes her head. “Sorry. That’s when sickness is supposed to get better.” We all nod our heads in succession.

Seb hands her a tray with a tall glass of sparkling water, 4 crackers, and 4 ginger biscuits. She looks shell-shocked at his thoughtfulness.
 

“Gino said this is your menu of choice at the moment in the morning. I hope I got it right?”

“Yes, absolutely. Oh you’re a star Sebastian. The sparkling water has been a Godsend - it really does help. The cracker/ginger biscuit combo, is odd but doing the trick to get me up and running and at least some food in me.”
 

She looks like she could get emotional so I pat her knee and she shrugs in a cute Suzie-way, and lifting a cracker bites into it delicately, holding a flat palm up at Gino as a no-no, to come near her, after his piggy-bacon sarnie. Poor G, the hormones were rife and he was just going to have put up with the moods for the sake of their offspring. Pregnancy must give you serious sensory overload, as he had been practically in the kitchen.

Seb’s slips an arm along the back of the cushion, behind my back, just as Nathan comes to join us and he and Gino chatter away about the Rugby game that’s on that afternoon; Gino safely at the other side of the room. I look up at his sexy-stubbled face and pout.
 

“Well, much as I’ve had a great time I really need to go. I must pick Finn up from my Mum and Dad’s before lunch and I need to change first.” I say looking at my phone. It was already 11am and that didn’t leave me much time.

His own phone bleats at the same time. I can see a blurred text come through. But he ignores it. Who has he been on the phone with all morning and why don’t I feel comfortable asking him that simple question?

Making a move to stand up I place my mug on the large glass coffee table and straighten my evening gown, when I turn at the sound of footsteps.

“Morning All!” Chris Booth’s booming voice carries as he enters the lounge, all smiles and cheeky-chappiness about him.

I feel Sebastian plant a hasty kiss on my cheek, slide from behind me and head his way, in a hurry.
 

“Chris. You’re back. How’d you get on last night - I’ve been ringing you?”

“All good. All good. Toni escorted home. Party end well? Look’s like nothing was ruined?” He looks directly at me.

Seb answers for me. “Party went great. Thanks mate. Anyway, help yourselves to food, there’s plenty but I’m about to get Lucia home now.”

“Ah mate, think you might want to think twice about that. Maybe someone else could give her a lift?” He looks around at the rest of our friends wincing.

Seb looks pissed. “Why would that be then Chris?” Seb didn’t like to be told what to do by anyone, friend or foe.

“Because I bumped into another lady friend of yours, delivered outside in the drive and was kind enough to let her in. She’s come all the way from Dubai, Seb.”

Seb looks behind Chris in horror, shocked to see what he’s taking about but there’s no one there. “Chris, what
are
you talking about?”

“She’s just nipped to the toilet, said she’s been calling you all morning?” He holds his hands up relinquishing all responsibility as per. “Anyway I’m beat so I’m going to crash. Didn’t get much sleep last night.” Winking at Seb. “Thanks for that set up mate - girls are always up for it when they’re on a downer with another guy.”

God, could this guy get any viler? He really didn’t get it, did he? Talk about thick-skinned. I didn’t like Toni but she didn’t deserve to be used; no one did.
 

Abby’s eyes meet my own over the table and we roll them consecutively to the ceiling. I don’t know why, but I had a bad feeling low down in my belly and suddenly everything that was good about this morning was beginning to feel like it was about to take a huge nose-dive.

It gets worse as I hear a seductive, honeyed female voice cooing from the hallway.

“Hello Sebastian. Did you miss me?”

The
lady friend’s
slim sleek body is spilled into a navy and pale blue stewardess uniform, her glossy hair in an elegant low bun. She looked like an Estee Lauder counter girl. Make-up perfect, legs endless and lip-gloss in bucket loads. I shrink, feeling uncomfortable, in last nights dress, messy hair and bare feet.

“Ray. What are you doing here?”
 

To give Sebastian his due he looks as perplexed as the rest of us but I’m not hanging around to find out the answer to his question. Its pretty obvious that she is more than a friend, and here to stay, going by the Louis Vuitton vanity case on her arm and three large suitcases at her feet.

Suzie warily looks at me, her eyes nearly popping out in their desperation to silently communicate. “We are going now, so we can give you a lift, as I drove. Remember?”

“Get me out of here now!” I gulp, muttering it low to her and Abby, who now has her arm around me and is looking as worried as I am. The general vibe has gone sour. My initial feeling is to panic and go but something makes me halt.

Ray makes her way over to Sebastian and places a long well manicured hand on his chest, leaning into his body. “Darling, what do you mean, what am I doing here? You invited me. I missed you.”
 

She kisses him on his cheek, just at the corner of his mouth and I hear my own gasp and release the breath that I’d unknowingly been holding. I run my eyes around the room and can see that every other person is watching her actions with the same look of horror and then their eyes travel to me to see my reaction.

What and who the fuck was this? How could he do this to me?

My eyes fill with hot expectant tears, my lungs are tight - I feel so stupid and to do it in front of all our friends. The
total bastard!

“Right.” I hear my voice thankfully clear and calm, and air stewardess Ray, turns to focus upon me, for the first time, as if to say
and who are you?

“I’ll make a move then. Thanks for a great night Sebastian. It’s been… informative.”

His face is taut, angry, annoyed, and despondent. I almost feel for him. He’d been caught out big time; this time it appeared for real. I was here to see him with my own eyes.

“Lu, don’t go. Let me deal with this and then we’ll talk…” Rachel continues on, reaching behind Sebastian and helping herself to a pecan danish, daintily taking a bite.

“Darling? Which one is our room? I’m totally shattered after the night flight.” Her overly bubbly voice flows throughout the now extremely quiet house. You could seriously hear a pin drop.

“Rachel. Just. A. Moment!” Seb rubs his hand over his hair, in angst. I can tell he’s trying to weigh up the situation and figure out how to deal with things. Unfortunately,
Ray
has other ideas and she whines at him in a
babyish
voice.

“But S - your friends can see to one another now. You haven’t seen your girlfriend in three weeks. We’ve some serious making up to do.” I feel nauseous, bile rising.

Ray or Rachel or whatever her bloody name is, is oblivious to the total carnage she has just caused but she is not willing to relinquish any of Sebastian's time and I don’t want to spend another minute in his vicinity. The man has just proven what I’d always feared he was, an utter player. He’d never change.

His girlfriend? He had a bloody girlfriend! How could I be so stupid?

My mouth is dry, I can’t get my breath; I feel sick. Deep breaths, deep breaths.

Nathan and Abby are great. One look at my ghostly pallor and they sidebar Sebastian, and Suzie and I head straight for the door - Gino quickly tagging along behind. Nathan would be in big trouble later with Seb but I don’t care and remind myself to thank Na later. I just had to get out.

I turn as I remember I’d left my bag on the lounge sofa and dart back into grab it.
 

“Start the engine Suze. I’ll grab my bag and be out in a tic.

“You sure?” Suzie queries warily, but heads out at my nod, and scuttles outside, and Gino quickly follows her lead.
 

Taking a deep breath, I pelt back inside. Sebastian is hand gesturing and gesticulating with Rachel whilst she is coyly looking all-innocent. All I hear as I run past them is…

“Rachel why now? You said no when I asked you to come
visit
last month.”

“Sebastian Darling, Dubai or Dull Yorkshire? Seriously. How was I expected to keep up this tan? But pretty soon I realised I should have come home with you - The Middle-East was no fun without the Silver Con team.”

I’m definitely going to be sick. Get out without him seeing you now!

Oh Crap. He’s seen me
. Sebastian continues pumping her for information

“Why didn’t you call? Some notice would have been good?”

“I did!” Her voice squeaks. “I spoke to your PA and she said she’d let you know. Then late last night she confirmed my flight and sent me your address info. She’s awfully efficient.”

More head rubbing.
 

I take back everything I’d said earlier about Toni, she deserved everything she got!

“I’ve been on the phone most of the morning with Toni and she never mentioned you.

In fact she is no longer an employee of mine.”

I locate my bag on the couch and jump, as I hear Abby hiss from her hidden stance at the corner of the wall, behind the area where Seb & Ray are talking. Bless her, she is majorly eavesdropping and I know it’s for my benefit.
 

“Pssst.”
 

She waves me over with the crook of her arm and I see Nathan, to our left, frantically tidying up in the kitchen. Obviously trying to occupy himself, with something. Seeing me he makes his way over. My shoulder slump; I don’t want pity. I just want to go.

“Are you OK Lu? I thought you’d gone. All was a bit manic.”

Abby sshhh’s him with her finger and using the hitchhiker sign points to the wall behind her. “They’ll hear you and I’m ear wigging!”

“I’m leaving now Na. Thanks for earlier. I can’t deal with this now.
 

“Stay and speak to Seb, let him explain. Rachel and he, well… she’s not you.”

I look up at that. “You knew about her?” To give him his due he bows his head like a naughty schoolboy.

I don’t wait to hear his answer, feeling betrayed by him too.