You Got It Wrong - Part Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Eight

A/N Sorry, this chapter got deleted somehow from my laptop and I've struggled to recapture it in its original glory, I may go back and re-edit. Hope you're still avidly following and haven't given up. Things are about to hot up and get a little more intense. Love to hear your opinions! 

Nina lay rigid in bed, every inch of her skin buzzed with memory of his touch, her lips were sore from being thoroughly kissed, and as she tried to move her legs, they groaned in protest. But she couldn’t stay in bed, the pillow beside her smelled of the man who’d walked out, and she couldn’t believe he’d abandoned her. Again.

With a deep breath, she jumped out of bed, and straight into a hot shower, but even as she aggressively scrubbed her body clean, she couldn’t get the sensation of his hands touching her out of her mind. Hair clean, body more than exfoliated, she had no option but to turn the shower off and head back to her bedroom. Her sanctuary that was now forever tainted by the man who had walked out so abruptly. With a solitary cry out, she dragged the bedding off her bed, replacing the sheet, pillows and duvet cover.

Then she lay in the crisp fresh, usually rewarding bed, but her active mind wouldn’t let her sleep. He used Mansell. Theo Peterson used his ill grandfather as an excuse to get his arse out of her bed before the sun came up. She had no words for how she felt, how much she hated him. She’d finally let down her guard, finally after years let someone back into her bed...and he did this.

She hated that she could no longer trust her instincts; they are what she’d lived on for years. Now she knew nothing. Other than she’d spent a rapturous night in the arms of a scumbag.

Nina tried to close her eyes, but sleep eluded her, she got it wrong...didn’t she?

With a grunt she reached for the phone beside her and dialled the home. Pam the night manager answered on the third ring.

                “Pam? It’s Nina; I was just calling to see how Mansell’s night went?”

The other woman sighed, “great until about four am. He woke up...well he swore he’d had another stroke. We called an ambulance...he’s back in the General, but to be honest, I wonder whether it was a panic attack. He was a much better when the paramedics arrived.”

Nina slumped back against the pillows, he wasn’t lying. Thanking the woman, she hung up then immediately sent him a text message.

                “How’s Mansell? Been worried about him.”

A reply almost immediately popped on to her screen.

                “He’s ok. Settled back on the ward. Too much too soon it seems.”

She stared at that for a while unsure of what to say, when another message appeared, “And you’re only worried about HIM? The lucky man, anyone would swear I ran out on you without a goodbye. I am sorry.”

She sighed, her heart surging with pleasure.

                “I accept that apology...again.”

She was dressed when a reply once again appeared.

                “It won’t happen again. If you still give me the time of day.”

Laughing she gave a final response of, “We’ll see.” Then as a deliberate after thought, she added a winking face.

It was totally inappropriate to skip in to a place where people were ill, suffering and in pain, so as she reached the hospital, Nina tried to curb the spring in her step, and modify the inane grin that was plastered on her face. And as she got closer to the ward, she suddenly became anxious, she felt like a nervous teenager at the thought of seeing Theo after the night they’d shared, and it was only as the lift took her to the fifth floor that she truly relived any moment of the last twelve hours, and there was a LOT to relive. She blushed at the memory of what his hands, tongue and lips had done to her...and how she’d reciprocated.

A doctor in the lift carriage with her looked at her strangely, and she realised that she was both grinning and blushing profusely. Dropping her head, she avoided his gaze until the doors opened and she could escape.

                “How is he?”  Nina asked the nurse emerging from Mansell’s room.

                “Settled, he’s been upset...”

She sighed, “he’s ok though?”

The nurse nodded, “he’s no worse, just tired...a bit too soon maybe. Go in, he’ll be glad to see you.”

Nina peered around the door and was relieved and disappointed in equal measure to see the old man alone. But he looked pale, his eyes sunken even in sleep. He must have sensed her, because he opened his eyes briefly before turning to look away from her.

                “Hey Mansell, how are you?”

He shook his head, eyes closed, “I’m not...” He exhaled slowly, then finally looked at her when she moved to him and laid a hand over his.

                “I hope you’re not worrying about things.”

He shrugged, “my legs were caught up in my bed, I couldn’t move them...I thought I had another stroke. I panicked.”

Nina gave a soft laugh, “no one blames you for being scared, you’ve gone through so much, give yourself a break Mansell. Ok?”

Closing his eyes, she hated the tears that welled there. He was weeks from having a stroke, it was no surprise that he had found it difficult and scary going home. “You’re allowed to be scared.”

He scoffed at that, “I’m sure my grandsons will agree with THAT sentiment.”

                “But we do!”

A voice from behind made them both look up, Theo was stood there looking delicious, leaning against the doorframe, a pretty, smiling Melody on his hip. Daniel, suave and suited was the other side of the door. Both looked at Mansell with such love and affection that it made Nina gulp for air. Giving his hand a squeeze, she smiled at him briefly before standing up.

                “Melody, I want to go get a doughnut. You wanna join me?”

Melody grinned then looked up at her father, when he nodded, she wriggled out of his arms and rushed over to Nina, “granddad, I’ll see you later.”

Mansell grinned, “bring me back a doughnut? They are my favourite!”

As Nina led her out of the room, Theo reached out and linked his fingers around her wrist, “thanks.”

                “No problem.”

An hour later, Nina sat back in her seat; arms folded over her stomach watching Melody demolish a second doughnut. She should have limited her to one really, but then again, she was happy, quiet...and there’d been little contact from Theo. The family needed to talk, that was blatantly obvious. 

                “Come on then, let’s go find your Dad. It’s getting late.”

The two grandsons were deep in conversation outside the hospital room when they approached, and Theo looked up as he heard Melody call out his name.

                “Ok?” She asked.

He nodded but it was Daniel who spoke, “just trying to get to the bottom of what we’re going to do. Don’t worry, we’ll deal with it. You ok little lady?”

Melody held out a paper bag, “there’s a doughnut for Granddad. I ate yours Uncle Daniel!”

He squatted down in front of her, “really? You ate MINE?” He tickled her ribs as she squealed in excitement. It was then that Theo’s hand appeared at her elbow, and he led her across the corridor.

                “Thanks.”

                “She’s a good kid.”

Theo smiled, “that maybe, but I meant for giving me another chance. I am hardly breaking myself in two to do the right thing here; I’m a long way from impressing you.”

She looked up at him coyly, “oh, I don’t know. I’m occasionally impressed.”

He lifted an eyebrow and smiled, “well that’s good. I hope I have chance to impress you again...soon?”

Nodding, she responded, “I’ve got a lot of work on, but I wouldn’t rule it out completely.”

                “I’ll call you.”

Back in the empty house, Nina really did want to work on some designs. She had half a dozen commissions on her books, but she wasn’t in the mood to crack on with them, not really. Not when she could make a cup of coffee and remember in glorious detail all that had happened the previous night. She was still sat there, daydreaming when the front door opened.

                “Hi Honey!” She called out to Lilah, “do you want some lunch? I’ve got a chicken roasting as we speak.”

There was the sound of movement, but no firm response, so she followed the sounds into the hallway to see Lilah disappear upstairs. “Hey Lilah. You ok?”

                “Fine," her voice came muffled from behind her closed bedroom door.

                “I’ve got dinner on. You hungry?”

                “Need shower.”

With a shrug, she returned to the kitchen, obviously Lilah was hung over, she didn’t handle the day after alcohol well, Nina knew that. So she refilled the coffee pot and waited for her friend. But it was a long time until she appeared.

Nina had placed the large roast chicken onto the table along with some homemade coleslaw and roast potatoes and freshly cut bread when Lilah finally entered the room. Her face was sallow, her damp hair scraped back in a clip, and she was dwarfed by a huge towelling robe

                “You ok?”

Lilah shrugged, opening the fridge and reaching for a carton of orange juice, “feeling a little fragile.”

                “Dinner?”

She sat opposite Nina and sighed, “haven’t got much appetite.”

                “Feed a hangover, you know the rule.” Ignoring her resistance, she loaded a plate for each of them. “Tuck in.”

Whilst Nina ate, she was aware that Lilah sat opposite her unmoving.

                “What’s up?” She asked swallowing her food greedily.

Again Lilah shrugged, it wasn’t like her to be so defensive, so introverted.

Placing down her knife and fork, she reached across the table and took Lilah’s hands, but she immediately snatched them away.

                “Lilah?”

Her friend stood, kicking out her chair, “I’m tired. Ok?”

She watched Lilah fill a mug with coffee then stand, nursing it in her hands as she leaned against the work surface, eyes dropped to the floor.

                “It’s more than that.”

She lifted her eyes finally, and gave a half smile, “no. Honestly, I’m just tired...”

At that moment Nina’s phone bleeped, looking down she grinned at the name on the screen. Theo. Opening the message she couldn’t wipe the inane grin off her face as she read his message.

                “Thanks again for earlier. You are a legend and a star. Must treat you to repay your kindness. Dinner one night? Will let you know when I’m free? Theo.”

                “What’s making you smile?” there was an animosity in Lilah’s voice despite the insistence that she was ok. 

It was Nina’s turn to shrug, but Lilah was suddenly animated.

                “Who text you?”

Pleased to see her friend react more normally, she smiled, “Theo. Just wanting to meet in the week.”

                “And? You look ready to explode.”

Nina stared at her friend for a moment, “he stayed here last night.”

                “You slept with him? Theo Peterson?”

Chuckling at her friend’s amazement, she nodded, “I might be the most picky woman in the world, but I never said I was frigid!”

She expected a grin from her friend, a laugh or a sympathetic pat on the back. What she didn’t expect was a screaming fit.

Lilah stood in the kitchen, glaring at her, “are you mad? He is the least trustworthy man you can imagine. You are like a bloody child, you don’t SEE the big picture, you don’t SEE what he’s doing to you. Nina he is using you, and you like a fool have just gone and done THAT with him! Really?”

 Nina backed away from her, genuinely stunned. She had no answer for her accusations and the diatribe that followed her as she climbed the stairs. Lilah was all she had, her best friend, her confidante, her sister, and often her mother. But on the one time that Nina took a step towards a man, something she hadn’t done for SO long, in almost ever, her friend ripped her to shreds.