After All - Part Fifty Six

Chapter Fifty Six

Her brother’s house was a beautiful colonial style house at the bottom of the hills that seemed to rise majestically from the north of the city. It had a huge veranda at the back that basked in the evening sun, and over looked the twenty metre long pool. It was luxurious, but her father assured her that it was a modest house in relation to some of the mansions nearby. Dylan had stayed at the hotel sorting out some business, it was the longest time away from the office that he’d spent in years and since landing in Chiang Mai, he’d been having regular messages from Brandy amongst others, and as she hadn’t seen Gareth for a long time, she was glad to be making the first trip alone. She didn’t need the hassle of the two men clashing horns, and secretly, she wanted to smooth the water with her brother. The previous afternoon, she’d walked into the hotel bar to see Dylan and her father talking...really talking, and getting along. When they both looked up at her, she knew they’d spoken, truly spoken, and she felt pleasure radiating out of her. That was all she wanted, a simple future. Whilst she was honest and knew that nothing was ever that easy, she also felt that if her family and Dylan were good, then the rest was purely incidental.

Her and Dylan, they could deal with anything together.

Gareth had been sat on the veranda looking out when they’d entered the garden. Her father was comfortable and at home in the house, which was as it should be as he was living in the same grounds.

Gareth stood when he saw her and gave her a rib threatening hug, but all affection ended as he held her at arm’s length, “where is he?”

Matilda sighed, “Gareth please, can you just accept things as they are?”

He shook his head, “do you have any idea how worried we’ve been about you the last few years? Because we have been. That man ruined everything, he abandoned you, left you when you needed him, broke you when you were at your most vulnerable, and hurt you...”

She held up a hand to silence him, “I am FULLY aware of how I was when we split up, but it wasn’t all his fault.” When he made a gasp of disbelief, she shook her head, “I have forgiven him, I understand. What is there about that that you don’t get?”

                “He hurt you...”

She laughed, “yes he did...but I hurt him too. Let’s ask a more deep and probing question, why are you so dead set against him? Because you moved out here when Mum died, you didn’t exactly understand where I was coming from. You abandoned me and Dad, just as much as he did.”

                “You bitch!” He was right, but Matilda wasn’t about to back down, he HAD left, and he was now interfering in her life when he hadn’t bothered to be involved in it for years.

                “That maybe, but where’ve you been the last five years? And I don’t mean physically. You don’t call, email, you haven’t been home in four years. So don’t pretend that you have some right to dictate in my life.” She didn’t know where the anger was coming from. It wasn’t his fault, but she was sick of everyone interfering, and she was defensive for Dylan. It was easier to deal with her issues with her brother than let the two men attack each other. Her father and Gareth’s girlfriend Suni were already looking anxious.

                “I have my own life to live Matilda, and forgive me if I’m not screwing it up like you!”

She laughed, “you hit the nail on the head, spot on. You live YOUR life, and I live mine. I make decisions, and if I forgive Dylan for his role in things, then it’s up to you, accept him...accept us, or don’t. It’s pretty simple.”

When he merely scowled at her, she gave a smile to her father and Suni. We’d love you to join us for dinner at the hotel tomorrow. It’s up to you what you do, but that’s where we’ll be. Neutral venue, neutral terms, animosity left at the door. If you’re not there, I’ll understand. Gareth I love you, I really do, but I’m almost twenty nine, and I’ve got a father, I don’t need another one. Ok?”

Her father made to protest, but she shook her head, she needed a dramatic exit, and this was it. Her parting shot.

AS she trudged the streets back towards the hotel in humid heat, unable to find a taxi, and then slightly apprehensive of if the passing cars were genuine, she regretted her big walk out. Fortunately the hotel was a landmark in the city and wasn’t more than a couple of miles from her brother’s house. But by the time she got there, she was hot, bothered, sweaty, and her feet were dirty from dust. She was almost embarrassed as she walked into the pristine and air conditioned reception like a street urchin.

Dylan was sat at the desk on a Skype call to Brandy when she burst in to the room. He glanced up in shock as she smiled then made for the bathroom. And she could hear Brandy chuckling, “I presume that means Mattie’s home. Can I say hello?”

Matilda smiled as she ran some cold water to clean her face, “I’m hot, sweaty and very dirty. Can I speak to you another day?” She called out from the bathroom.

That was greeted by the deep raspy chuckle of the older woman, “when this man is out of the room!”

                “Deal!” She called out.

She was running the warm but not hot shower and stripping out of her disgusting clothes, when two arms encircled her bare waist.

                “You ok?”

The words were spoken into her neck and when she glanced at the mirror in front of her, she sighed at the sight of his dark thick hair on the top of his head as his mouth nibbled at her shoulder.

                “Fine...I shouted at Gareth, then stormed out. It was a great idea until I had to walk four miles home!”

His eyes met hers in the mirror, “shit. You ok?” when she nodded he added, “do you want a special massage from me?”

She nodded, “sounds amazing. I just need a shower first; I swear there’s no dust or dirt left in the town!”

Grinning he slid his hands down her body and started to unfasten her shorts, “maybe I can wash you first?”

That was met with a moan, she’d never relax if that happened, but then she wasn’t that bothered. Turning in his arms, she reached for the hem of his t-shirt.

When he lifted an eyebrow, she grinned, “this is all seeming a bit one sided!”

                “One sided?” His eyes were following his fingers as they reached around her to release the catch of her bra. As the lace fell away from her tanned skin, revealing the parts of her that were still pale, he sighed, “I can’t think around you, that’s how one sided things are here.”

She craned onto tip toes and placed her lips over his, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

His arms slid around her, holding her against his bare chest, “was it that bad?”

Matilda wriggled against him, loving the way his eyes filled with lust, then with a nod, “it was worse. But I don’t care!” She reached behind him and turned the shower off, and with a brief tug, her short cotton skirt fell to the floor, her cotton knickers went the same way, and she was under the fierce multi headed shower and it was blasting her body almost aggressively. Dylan was no shirk within seconds he was beside her reaching for the shower gel then soaping her body erotically and in a way that distanced her mind from the trauma of her brother and the hideous walk home. Then he moved on to shampoo her hair, cleaning it thoroughly, a she leaned back into his body. Eventually when he’d finished, he stood back to admire his handy work, but her smug teasing grin caused him to grab her and devour her               

“Woman, you’ll be the death of me,” he moaned as she smiled against his lips her hands running over his wet skin in the most enticing way. As he bit her neck, nibbled at her collar bone, she lifted a leg and wrapped it around her waist. He groaned, taking her weight as she joined her other leg at his waist.

But it was her turn to moan when he slid into her, pressing her up against the smooth tiled wall, and with each thrust, with each kiss, she lost control that little bit more.

A couple of hours later, they lay on the bed, a light sheet protecting them from the now cold chill of the air conditioning.

                “So are we going to get some dinner? For some reason, this little minx I know has drained me of all my energy!”

Matilda smiled rolling on to her back and out of his arms as he sat up. She was uncaring that the sheet had fallen to her waist, instead, she watched him intently.

                “What did you have in mind?”

                “Well I’m fed up of the inside of this hotel room. I was thinking of a stroll through town...the guy on reception this morning recommended a restaurant near one of the temples...we could eat...see some culture?”

She nodded, “we’ve not really seen more than beaches...”

                “And as delightful it is to see you in a bikini...make love to you in the sea...we’re miles from the coast.”

                “There’s a pool, landscaped, with a bar...we’ve hardly frequented there.”

He grinned, “you think I can cope with swimming in public with you when you flirt your curves at me? It’d be obscene.”

She was still laughing when she dragged herself to her feet and got dressed.

It was a beautiful City, though they only saw a snippet of it, and the restaurant sold fresh tasty food, on a terrace overlooking a square where families played with their children and footballs were booted around.

                “I think about what could have been every day.”

Her stark confession caused his head to snap up, other than the first moment he’d arrived in Thailand they’d not mentioned the ‘thing’ that had caused him to flip.

                “It must have been scary.” It was ineffective, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say frankly, he’d tried to put himself in her position, wondering how she’d felt making such a huge decision. He wasn’t sure he could have done something so strong alone.

She nodded, they were finishing the bottle of wine that had accompanied dinner, and it was a particularly chubby toddler that made her heart surge.

                “It was a bit...but the thought of the opposite,” she sighed. “It wasn’t easy...but I thought about it long and hard, it was the only way really. I was at rock bottom, and I was too proud to call you, or tell my Dad. He’d have supported me, but I’ve always relied on my independence...and my head was in the clouds. I was depressed, I was struggling to function.”

He reached out and covered her hands with his, “I understand, I really do.”

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes, “and I don’t regret it, really I don’t. But then I look at those children over there...”

Dylan reached across and tilted her chin, making her look at him, “there’ll be time for kids, and we’ll have loads, ok? And they’ll all be beautiful like their mother. Don’t feel bad...”

She nodded, “I just had a dream last night, you walking along the beach, a little dark haired boy on your shoulders...”

                “And that’ll happen...when we’ve had enough of each other, ok? When we’ve holidayed, and planned, and argued...and made up...there’s so much we need to do together. And then we’ll settle down ok? Have our swarm of kids. You’ll see.”

She smiled, “you make me think anything is possible.”

He nodded, “with you by my side, it is.”

Gesturing to the waitress, he paid their bill, then offering her his hand; he tugged her to her feet, then headed out into the street. His arm around her shoulders, his voice a constant stream of observations in her ear, they walked back to the hotel.

                “So we’ll try the pool tomorrow, ok?”

Dylan was looking down at her with a knowing look as they entered the hotel foyer, grateful for the icy blast of air conditioning after the humid walk home, “you know what you’re suggesting?”

As she beamed a reply, mouth open for a witty retort, a voice disturbed them.

                “About time, I was about to give up and head home.”

Spinning around almost guiltily, they came face to face with Gareth, and he wasn’t exactly looking happy.