You Got It Wrong - Part Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

Nina had loved her afternoon, they‘d made more cakes that they could possibly eat, and Melody was covered in flour, not to mention the amount of cake mixture she’d consumed.

                “Right, let’s decorate these cakes, one for your Dad, and one for Lilah.” She handed the little girl an icing pen and a pot of sprinkles. “Can you draw a picture on here? Shall I help you write a ‘D’ for Dad?”

Melody laughed then giggled, and they managed to get the two largest cakes decorated.

                “Right, wash your hands,” she ordered as she heard the doorbell ring, “I’ll see who this is, then we can share our cake, ok?”

Melody nodded enthusiastically then disappeared to the downstairs cloakroom.

Pulling open the door, Nina grimaced when she saw Theo stood there, “wasn’t expecting you yet.”

He smiled, “seems I’ve interrupted another make up session.”

Confused she turned to glance at the mirror behind her to see she was wearing as much flour as Melody had been. Groaning she stepped back to let him in to her house, “baking. Melody’s just washing her hands.”

Giving a nod, he followed her into the house.

Theo couldn’t help but stare as they walked through the house, he had no idea what to expect, but the place did seem as eclectic as she was, and that pleased him. They passed the large mirror and a dresser topped with a pile of mail and a photo of Nina and her friend grinning, and into a huge kitchen that was old fashioned, yet modern, he immediately liked it. As he was staring around the room, he catapulted straight into the back of Nina who’d stopped dead in her tracks.

                “What the...?”

Her glare silenced him and he followed her nod to the small sofa immediately to their right, where Melody was curled up, fast asleep, still covered in flour.

                “She was awake a few minutes ago.”

He sighed feeling so guilty that his daughter was shattered and should be in bed, “the poor thing. She’s shattered.”

Nina looked at him sympathetically, “she was telling me all about her afternoon with you. She loves spending time with you.”

Glancing at her, he shrugged, “I think you’re being generous there. She’s like a homeless waif at the moment.”

Nina moved to the kitchen and pulled two beers from the fridge, without waiting to see whether he wanted one, she cracked them open then handed him one.

                “It can’t be easy, looking after her, working...”

He rubbed a hand over his eyes, hating how emotional that level of understanding made him feel. “I have to be everything to everyone. That’s difficult.”

                “What about her mother? You said she was ill?”

Again he felt overwhelmed, taking a nervous gulp it was a while till he looked up and met her eyes, “she came out of hospital a couple of days ago. She wants Melody back.”

                “And you won’t let her?”

He gave a wry laugh, “it’s more serious than that, I have Child Protection Services on my side. She can’t have her, she neglected her. I can’t give her up.”

                “What happened?”

Theo wasn’t ready to discuss things, he wasn’t about to bare the ugly details, the dirty secrets of his life with her.

                “Sadie...she wants her own life more than she wants to be a mother.”

She nodded slowly then took a slug of her beer, “and now you’re mother, father and bread winner.”

Theo stood and walked to the window looking out into the garden, “don’t forget grandson.”

Nina’s heart bled for him, she could see the turmoil in his eyes, he wanted to do everything for his daughter, but he was torn, committed elsewhere. It was hard for him, very hard. Standing too, she moved away from the kitchen table, to the sofa, pulling a blanket onto Melody.

                “You eaten?”

He looked up from his reverie, from his fascination with something outside, “had a few of Melody’s chicken nuggets earlier. Planned on getting home and eating when she was in bed.”

                “She’s settled. It’s half past seven. Let her sleep. We’ve got a spare room...I’ve made dinner...and cakes of course.” He made to protest and she merely added, “I’m not about to kidnap her or jump on you, I can assure you. I’m just thinking that she’s asleep, you can wake early and drive back to London then.”

He stared at her for a moment and she could see the warring emotions in his face. “What’s for dinner?”

That made her grin, “curry, my speciality.”

She heard his stomach grumble from across the dining table, “take her up to the room at the top of the stairs, it’s got a double bed. You ok sharing with her?”

                “She won’t know where she is when she wakes...”

Nina grinned, “well...” She reached out for the work surface, “we have this.” She waved a baby monitor at him. “I have one half in my workshop for when I’m busy, Lilah can contact me if it’s an emergency, there’s no mobile phone connection in the basement. Connect it up and you’ll hear her wake.”

He took it from her then stared at her, “why are you being so nice?”

                “What you mean after you repeatedly being a complete bastard towards me?”

When he laughed and gave a nod, she smiled, “I like your grandfather, I like your daughter...there must be a nice bit of you there somewhere inside, I just ain’t seen it yet.” He laughed and then she added, “and it’s nice to see a man who wants to do the right thing by his kid.”

                “That is a very loaded comment, but I won’t ask now.”

It was her turn to laugh, “ask all you want, there’s nothing to say.”

When he came back downstairs Nina was stirring a large pot on the stove, another open beer beside her.

                “I feel a bit crazy staying here.”

She looked up and shrugged, “Melody needs a bed, you need a meal. What’s wrong with that?”

He sighed, “nothing I suppose, what about you? I still feel strange, putting you out like this.”

Nina laughed then tilted her head to drink more of her bottled beer, then turned to him, “don’t you get it by now? I like helping people. I’m almost masochistic with that.” She looked up at him poignantly, “pretty sad really that not everyone is generous with their time or thoughts.”

Nodding in the direction of the fridge, she offered, “help yourself to another beer.”

                “Thanks.” He helped himself to a beer, “I’ll go grab a few more from the shop in a minute.”

She shook her head, “no need, there are loads here. Sit down dinner is almost ready.”

He pulled out a chair and watched her confidently move around the kitchen dishing steaming rice and what looked to be amazing curry on to two places.

                “So you live here with your friend?” He asked after thanking her and taking the plate she offered.

She nodded, “Lilah lives here, but she’s not always around.” He watched her and gave a nod of encouragement, so she added, “she’s a model, mainly magazines and clothes catalogues, but she used to be a catwalk model.”

He smiled, “she is tall...”

Nina dissolved into laughter at the awkwardness in his response, but she was used to people feeling inadequate when it came to her stunning best friend, “tall? She’s absolutely beautiful, her hair, her eyes...she’s the most beautiful woman I know.”

Theo paused then shook his head, Lilah wasn’t a patch on the woman in front of him, but then tall, glamorous Lilah reminded him far too much of his ex wife. But he wasn’t ready to start that conversation, so instead he tucked into the curry, which was amazing.

Lilah came in as they were finishing eating, arms loaded with bags from a shopping trip, the kitchen door burst open and she almost fell into the room.

                “OMG you will NOT believe what happened...” She froze mid sentence as she took in what probably appeared to be a cosy dinner for two in front of her. “What?”

Theo looked from Lilah to Nina who was smiling, then watched as she spoke.

                “I looked after Theo’s daughter earlier, but she fell asleep before he picked her up. So she’s in the front bedroom. They’re going to stay.”

Lilah didn’t look any less stunned as her eyes flitted between the two of them, “staying? Here?”

                “I can go if it’s a problem,” he offered immediately, but that just made both women stare at him.

                “Don’t be stupid,” Lilah almost snapped, “I’m just surprised that you’re here.”

Nina grinned, “will you stop fussing woman?”

Lilah groaned, “he was a complete bastard to you two weeks ago, just don’t want to see you roll over and be nice to him!”

Theo was amazed at how calm Nina was, she laughed again, “thank you mother! I’m not being held down and compromised, and I’m hoping we’ve buried the hatchet...there’s food there. You want some?”

Lilah nodded, still eyeing him suspiciously as she passed them to get some food.

                “So what were you about to say? Before you got sidetracked?”

Her friend paused in her action, almost shaking with the need to share her information, but then she looked at Theo again and shook her head, “nothing much. Can’t remember.”

Theo went to the bathroom and to check on Melody after what had been an enjoyable meal once Lilah had become less prickly.

                “What were you going to say before you got pissy about Theo?”

Lilah stares at Nina, “I’m not getting pissy, you were really upset after the wedding, now he’s here making use of you?”

                “I offered, I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. He’s good company when he’s not being a knob.”

Lilah laughed out loud, “must run in the family cos his brother FINALLY called me today. Been too busy apparently.”

Nina could see the huge lack in self confidence that her friend had, and she squeezed her hand, “He’s preparing for an election, and his grandfather’s ill...all the French family are over. It’s a lot going on, it’s not you darling, you are beautiful, he barely deserves you.”

                “And his brother deserves you?”

Nina laughed, “his brother freely admitted that he doesn’t want me, so there’s no question of deserving, but no, he doesn’t deserve me. Look, I like Mansell, I like Melody. I’m helping them.”

                “I don’t want to see him break your heart; you’re not someone who does this.”

Standing Nina made for the fridge and grabbed another beer, “does what?”

                “You don’t do casual Nina, you don’t do relationships. I mean have you dated anyone since Josh?”

Nina took a few deep breaths, “a four year old girl fell asleep, I’ve given her a bed. Theo’s ok, he’s not about to steal our jewels. So stop worrying, and stop throwing my past up at me, Josh was a long time ago, a LONG time ago.”

Lilah sighed, “and it still hurts you.”

Nina shook her head vehemently, “the betrayal of the woman he cheated with is what hurt me, a woman who should have cared for me.” She couldn’t bring herself to mention her step mother’s name. “I expect nothing from strangers, which is why Theo can’t hurt me. I’m over being hurt.”

Lilah sighed, “it isn’t that easy Nina, it really isn’t.”

Theo waited a reasonable time to enter the room, he felt almost uncomfortable at the conversation he’d unwittingly overheard, but with every hour that passed in her company, he knew that he wanted to get to know Nina Willoughby in far greater detail.

                “You don’t like me.” It was a statement not a question that he offered as soon as Nina left the room.

Lilah looked up maybe a little surprised at his honesty, “I don’t know you Theo, but I know her.” She pointed above her head in the direction of the bathroom where she knew her friends had disappeared to.  “And she’s not wise to someone like you.”

                “What is someone like me?”

Lilah shrugged, “you know what I mean. She’s good, she’s generous, she’d give her last penny to someone who needed it more. You are worldly, you are experienced...you can chew her up and spit her onto the scrap heap easily, and THAT is what worries me.”

                “I’m not interested in that, I don’t want to hurt her.”

Lilah laughed, “I’m sure you don’t...now! Look she deserves the best, to be loved, adored...if you do anything to compromise I’ll come after you. That’s all I’m saying, ok?”

He reached for his drink after giving a nod, how strange that the fact that he’d been threatened by this woman made him pleased, he was glad, that Nina had someone protecting her at all times. Lilah was right; she had a vulnerability about her that was appealing to his protective side. This was a dangerous combination.