Never Again - 26

Chapter 26 - meet the family

                “So what are your plans?” Erin asked after breakfast as he bundled her into his car.

                “Shopping! Then lunch, then...I don’t know a movie. What do normal couples do on a day off?”

She laughed, “We’re not a normal couple Jack. You can’t pretend that we are!”

He closed the door after she’d climbed into the passenger seat, then wandered around to the driver’s seat. “We are two people living together, having a baby, that makes us a couple, even if you’ve made the relationship a little unorthodox.”

                “Me?” she spluttered. “I’m the only one thinking straight obviously. I’ll accompany you shopping, eat lunch with you, and I’ll pretend to whoever is listening that I’m your significant other, but that doesn’t mean I am, or ever will be.”

He leaned across to her, stopping his lips to a fraction from her ear, “we’ve got a connection Erin, we’re good together, and I KNOW that you relive our nights together as much as I do.”

Erin was approaching a state of meltdown, his words, his closeness, it was all smashing her defences to smithereens, any thought that she could resist Jack was evaporating by the second, and was that his tongue? On her earlobe? The moan that escaped her lips was completely involuntary, and she snapped her lips closed to try and disguise it. But Jack’s deep chuckle told her he knew exactly how he was affecting her. At some point she’d closed her eyes, but when she opened them, his hands were on the steering wheel, his eyes on the road and he was driving off into the distance.

Erin had heard about the Trafford Centre but never been there, and if the car park was anything to judge it by, it was a far larger shopping centre than she had ever imagined. Jack’s face lit up as he got out of the car, then he spotted her rather more concerned face.

                “You don’t like shopping?”

She groaned, “I don’t mind a couple of shops, but I’m not really up for hours of plodding around. And what sort of man are you to be so excited?”

He laughed, slinging an arm around her shoulder, “the type that wants to treat the mother of his baby to some special things!”

Sighing she allowed him to lead her into the chaos. It was a weekday, the sun was shining and so she presumed that this constituted quiet, though it was anything but. Thankfully it was air conditioned; otherwise Erin would doubt she’d survive.

                “So I’ve got a confession to make...”

It was the sort of comment that caused one to stop dead in their tracks, glancing up at him slowly, Erin fought nausea and anxiety, “And that is?”

Jack grinned, and for a moment it made everything ok, “I brought you out for a reason, I want to buy you a really sparkly dress as Friday evening I have a charity dinner to attend and it’s about time we appeared together!”

With a smiled he carried on leading her towards the shops, but she dug in her heels, like a stubborn dog, and he was forced to stop and turn around.  

                “We’re not some romantic couple Jack, you are getting confused.”

He smiled, “we live in the same home, we are a couple of sorts. What’s the alternative? We both spend our time doing different things? I leave you home alone then attend these things on my own? It doesn’t make sense.”

None of it made sense, that was the problem, how had she ended up in this position? Yet again she was to be a fake trophy on a man’s arm at a charity dinner. Shuddering, she dropped her head and followed Jack. He was making her life secure, and she supposed she owed him something, but she wasn’t falling into this like she had with Max, she’d play her part, but that’s as far as it went.

He left her in a department store where he’d encouraged a more than eager assistant to help her spend vast quantities of his money. Erin had no idea where he’d gone, but the lingerie was so soft, even the holdup stockings, she filled a basket in just that department.

By the time he returned, Erin was a little embarrassed by the amount she’d selected. He was grinning from ear to ear.

                “Something pleasing you?”

He was carrying a small bag from a gaming shop and it warranted her raised eyebrows, “ok, the new FIFA game for Xbox came out today...”

She laughed, “I thought you’d have stuff like that sent to you!”

He shrugged, “I wanted to bring you out, two things at once, you know?”

It made her feel a little easier, but when they pulled up at a quiet cafe several miles away for lunch, she had to share her fears. As they waited for their sandwiches sat under a parasol in a quiet she sipped on her sparkling water, then turned to him.

                “I find it all uncomfortable.”

                “What?” he was attentive, turning to study her, listen to her.

She sighed, “You paying for everything, being reliant on you...it’s hard for me, I’m usually independent.” She omitted that the last time she’d lost that had been by the last man to penetrate her heart. “I know that you’ll tell me fifty reasons why it’s not bad, but all I want is to be me. And this...” she gestured randomly around herself, “this isn’t me, and it’s hard.”

                “But...” he made to protest, but she raised a hand.

                “Jack, just try and understand, ok? I met you four months ago and hated you for so long, now I’m living in your house, spending your money, you’re even taking time to entertain me...”

He laughed, “I like you Erin, you’re funny, you make me laugh. There are millions of women I’d not spend time with, I can assure you. As for the money, you are about to be the mother of my child, I didn’t know how cherished that person would be until now, until it happened. I admire you, I’m in awe of you...no money can make up for the sacrifices you are making.”

It was a great speech, and music to the ears of a hormonally challenged woman.

                “You sure you’re ok with this?” Jack asked as he straightened his bowtie, then turned to watch her come down the stairs. A vision of beauty. She’d chosen a deep blue dress, appropriately full length, clinging to her low cut cleavage, before cascading down to the floor. It was loose, but soft, flowing, and it hid the gently expanding waist line that she was still self conscious about. The fact that he found it so attractive was incidental. “You look stunning!” His words were a croak, emotion threatening his voice. She was beautiful, he was so lucky to have her in his life in any capacity.

He watched her slowly descend the final steps to join her in the hallway, “could say the same about you, you look very handsome!”

With a theatrical bow he accepted her compliment, then led her to the car.  5the hotel was a twenty minute drive into the City, Jack was driving as he had a friendly the following day, there was no formal curfew as such pre season, but he wasn’t stupid anymore, his days of flaunting rules were behind him.

He drove into the underground car park and pulled in to a space, then helped her inside. The whole evening was surreal, it was a children’s cancer charity, and the place was full. Jack was inundated with people wanting photos and autographs, she was glad when the night ended.

                “You tired?” he asked as they waltzed around the dancefloor. He’d been the epitome of  the perfect companion that evening, introducing her to everyone, yet never abandoning her, ensuring her orange juice was constantly filled, he was attentive, verbalised her thoughts as she people watched...she wouldn’t have expected more from Michelle. It was a long way from the numerous functions she’d attended with Max, sitting alone watching him ‘network’ thought that was his term for flirting with anything female, or rich...when it came to greed he was non-discriminate.

She nodded, “long day, how the hell did I ever work?”

He chuckled, spinning her rather enthusiastically, “who knows! We’ll go soon, think you can hang on another half an hour?”

After a celebrity auction, a few speeches, they were excused. Jack led her out to the car, a valet had driven it up from the garage, and once she was in safely, he got in beside her and zoomed off.

The next day was absorbed with a game for Jack, and Erin was glad of the chance to sleep, relax, and just be. She had sent her mother a message to inform her that she was visiting the next morning, then settled in to wait for him to come home.

Jack called about seven, he and Scott were having a few drinks...she’d laughed and assured him he didn’t need her permission, but he knew how important the following day was to her. Despite a late night - she was asleep before he came home, as promised, Sunday morning, bright and early, he loaded her and Barney into his car and started for her parents’ home. She managed to direct him, despite wanting to curl up and go to sleep.

After an hour, and a hold up due to road works, Erin was stiff, uncomfortable, and desperate for the bathroom. So once they’d put a few miles past the hold up, she begged him to pull off the road.

Jack in his sunglasses and a baseball cap became more difficult to recognise, but as they walked into the motorway service station for a bathroom break, Erin suddenly wished she’d had a disguise. As they passed the newsagent at the entry to the service area, the Sunday newspapers caught her eye.  Emblazoned on the front page of one of the tabloid papers was a photo of her being escorted from the ball a few nights earlier, protectively wrapped in the arms of Jack.

He spotted the picture at exactly the same time as she did, and he whisked her into a quiet corner, trying to control the meltdown he knew was coming.

Erin was panicking; the last thing she wanted was this, to be news of the world. Everyone would see it, she’d be talked about, judged...her parents probably knew. Shit! It was so difficult to control her anger, her fear and her anxiety. She’d not wanted to be in the limelight, not like this, and she wanted to turn and run away.

                “Calm down,” he whispered his lips at her ear, though it was more like a hiss. “You’re hyperventilating, just take a deep breath and chill for a moment.”

                “Chill?” She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, “I didn’t want this, I can’t...”

He sighed, “When the baby’s born people will know. I’m not hiding it, or you from anyone, I’m sorry that you’re today’s piece of news, but this is how I live my life, and I can guarantee tomorrow will see a different headline. I can’t help this, and whilst I can try and diffuse things, ultimately I’m not ashamed about you or our baby. I want to protect you from it all but I can’t stop everything.”

Erin was trying to take deep breaths, trying to fight the lightheaded sensation that threatened to engulf her. Jack’s thumb brushed her bottom lip, and once again she lifted her eyes to his, in surprise this time. It was so long since he’d touched her, and it felt so natural.

Jack did the only thing he could think of in this situation, he kissed her. And for him it was like coming home. For a moment she was resistant, but within seconds she’d parted her lips, responded to the inquisition of his tongue by joining her own to the battle, her arms linking around his neck, she pulled him as close to her as she could.

Jack couldn’t hide his response to such a passionate kiss, his body was as taught as a bowstring, and he wanted to rip at her clothing. But they were in a service station. This was all wrong time, wrong place. With extreme reluctance he pulled back and looked down at her closed eyes, parted lips, blissful expression and another bolt of desire juddered through him. Then her eyes flicked open and it was all over, the moment shattering like glass. Shrugging free of his arms, Erin stormed off into the distance.

In the sanctity of a toilet booth, she collapsed into sitting and sank her head into her hands. She was in a swirling pit of hell, she was about to face her parents, tell them that about the baby, and now all this made it even more difficult to deal with. She didn’t deal with confrontation very well, that’s why Max had got away with things for so long. But she couldn’t avoid today, and one thing she knew was that Jack wasn’t going to let her avoid this. Then there was that bloody kiss. She couldn’t even begin to contemplate how that had made her feel.

Standing at the mirror, she realised how pale she looked, so she pinched her cheeks, it didn’t help but the pain distracted her. Finding her shades, she threw them on, then stormed out of the building. She was back at the car before she saw Jack strolling along way behind her, he was annoying her deliberately, she knew that. As he got closer his smile only added to that.

                “Erin...”

She shook her head, “don’t even try and justify anything. You’ve made my life hell Jack Reilly, hell!”

With that she climbed into the car.

He drove for about twenty minutes before he glanced at her, she was still scowling.

               

                “I’m not that bad!”

She met his eyes with a sideways glare then fought a smile, even when she was angry with him he had the ability to win her over, “ok, I was wrong, it’s not hell. It’s just not what I know Reilly, you have to understand that.”

He nodded, “I’m sorry that it happened, but I can’t help it.” He took a deep breath and steeled himself for an assault when he asked, “does this have anything to do with your ex?”

Erin wanted to snap, this wasn’t her fault, it was his, but in all honesty there was a lot of the past that she didn’t want to revisit again. Max hadn’t just been her husband; he’d been a famous and charismatic face in her working life too. Everyone knowing everything about them had made their marriage almost public domain, and whilst the hospital the worked in wasn’t the world, it was where she’d spent so much of her time.

She realised she hadn’t answered and that Jack was waiting patiently, so she turned to him, “I have no interest in being famous, and I definitely don’t have an interest in being famous for screwing you...” She laughed, “Or in any capacity...imagine if the media knew I was your Rent-a-Womb!”

                “I wish you wouldn’t keep saying that Erin. You are not that.”

She laughed self deprecatingly, “I’m sure. As for my ex...the man was a bastard, he didn’t deserve me, I know that now. The fact that he was a surgeon where I worked, that everyone knew the ins and outs of our marriage wasn’t pleasant, and then he started sleeping around and I became a figure of pity and sympathy. I don’t want to feel that again, see people’s opinions of me echoed in their expressions and words.”

Jack pulled off the motorway joining a smaller road that led to her family home, “you’re right about one thing, he didn’t ever deserve you. You are special Erin, I appreciate that.”

She sighed, “I think you’ll change your mind after my dad wades in!”

He glanced over at her, a confident look on his face, “how bad can you father be? He’s human after all, and to be honest, there’s nothing he can do to change the future, we’re both consenting adults!”

As he pulled the car along the rough track that led up to the farmhouse, Erin was filled with dread, she’d never worried about her father’s approval before, but was it her recent failure of a marriage, or how she really felt about Jack that made her worried now?

Stopping next to her father’s Landrover, Jack cut the engine as Erin jumped out and was swamped by two dogs and a couple of cats. Barney was out of the boot and cavorting with his long lost friends around the farm courtyard before the front door to the house opened and her mother appeared on the porch.

Erin looked up and saw the anxious look on her face, but then there was the hint of a smile.

                “Hey Mum,” she strolled over and hugged her mother. “This is Jack.”

Her mother nodded at Jack, then back at Erin, “we were expecting him!”

                “You saw the paper?”

As her mother was about to nod, Jack approached and shook her mother’s hand enthusiastically, “Hi Mrs Bailey, lovely to finally meet you!”

Her mother smiled, there was something so natural about Jack’s charm, Erin knew that first hand.  As her mother was about to reply, there was a cough from behind, and all three turned to see Danny Bailey scowling at them.