You Got It Wrong - Part Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five

Theo wanted to punch a wall, since the moment that Nina waltzed out of his home, Sadie, his now demonic ex wife was on his tail. She was vindictive, nasty and threatening since she’d seen Nina both arrive and then leave a lot later. Not only was she angry that she wasn’t able to see Melody without the supervision of someone in authority, now she was aggrieved that he had finally moved on, she perceived Nina as a threat, and that was bad news, for them all. He’d sent Nina a text the following morning, telling her how much he’d enjoyed the night, but since then he’d had a battle on his hands.

He looked at his phone; the last message from Sadie was from an hour ago, she’d gone from angry and threatening to desperate.

                “I just want to see you, talk to you. You can talk to HER, play happy families with her. Will you meet me? Lunchtime, please?”

Theo groaned then made for the kitchen, popping open a can of beer he glugged half of it, then slammed it down on the counter. Sadie had been running rings around him since she’d met him years before, now she was threatening to interfere what amounted to a fledgling relationship with the only woman to appeal to him in a long time.

Picking up the phone he called Tony, his best friend was a lawyer, he was the only one who could help him.

                “I’m going to Oakdale; I promised the ladies that we’d do some screen printing.”

Lilah looked up from her place sat on the lounge floor painting her nails, “screen what?”

Nina shook her head not wanting to get involved in explaining, “art. You going out?”

She nodded, “hot date later.”

Leaning against the door frame she looked down at her friend, “Daniel Gershwin?”

Looking up her mouth open in shock she shook her head, “no, my date, the guy I met at a trade fair.”

Nina, sensing a story, lowered herself on to the arm of the sofa, “really? You haven’t mentioned him in ages; in fact, you haven’t even told me his name...which makes me curious.”

Lilah blushed and that made Nina laugh, “is this you feeling a little unloved by the hot politician, and trying to make him jealous?”

She shrugged nonchalantly, but Nina knew her friend too well, “there’s no saying he’ll be at the Marketing Society dinner. If he is, then he’ll see what he is missing.”

Nina grimaced, it was great to see her friend so confident, so determined, but she knew that she was still fragile, she wondered if this was too much for her. As she made to protest, Lilah cut off her conversation.

                “So when are you seeing the equally devoted brother?”

That was meant light-heartedly, but it stung like a barb, because since that amazing night at his home, she’d barely heard from Theo. He’d seemed keen, but as the weekend opened with nothing on her agenda, she was starting to doubt her judgement. And she hated that she’d finally let down her guard; let him stake a claim on her. For what?

Sylvia, Cheryl and Maggie were the three who came to the printing session; she’d always loved all forms of printing and had done a huge project on it back in school. Screen printing took effort, but gave great results, and within an hour they were all covered in paint and laughing heartily. As usual the older women tried to wheedle gossip out of her.

                “We are quite happy to live vicariously through you, so tell us what you youngsters are doing this weekend!”

Nina laughed, “my housemate is going to Majorca on a modelling assignment, I’m not doing anything, a quieter weekend than you lot I bet, what’s happening here?”

Every Saturday there was some form of entertainment for the residents, a singer, bingo, a movie night...it varied.

                “It’s quiet this weekend as Mansell is visiting; he’s trying tomorrow night here, to see how he gets on.”

                “Wow,” Nina was genuinely pleased. “I had no idea he was doing so well.”

Cheryl, the regular, and arguably most nosey, chirped up a response, “Daniel, his grandson, you know the politician? Well he brought him here earlier. He’s going to stay for a night, to see how he gets on.”

                “He’s here now?” Nina’s heart surged for the old man, “I’ll call in when we finish up.”

                “Go now if you want,” Maggie offered, “we can start cleaning up.”

Nina grinned, “cheers ladies, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She was using white spirit to clean her hands of the oil based paint as she strolled down the corridor, as usual she rued using that medium of paint, the results were spectacular, but they created such a mess. Mansell’s door was open as she approached, and she called out to him.

                “Mansell?” Then she broke into a smile to see him sat as he always did in his chair near the window. “How are you?”

As she rushed across to give him a hug, she heard a voice from behind them, emerging from his bedroom, “are you sure you want to unpack everything?”

She froze knowing before she turned to see the face who the voice belonged to. Turning slowly she came face to face with Theo.

She couldn’t be angry that he was spending time with Mansell over her, the old man deserved love and time more than anything, but he hadn’t as much as called her, other than the text the morning after their dinner.  Silence, that’s what he’d left her with, and she was angry with him for that. Not that she’d let him see that. Lifting her chin proudly, she turned back to Mansell after the briefest and most courteous smile.

Theo moaned at the sight of her, she was like a port in a storm and he wanted to march over to her, drag her to her feet, and kiss her, ravish her. But her frosty reception, even though she fought to hide it wasn’t a surprise. He SHOULD have called her, should have done more, but Melody would always be his priority, and he wasn’t sure how she would take that news, but it was nonnegotiable. Having melody full time was  huge strain, he couldn’t juggle everything, that was blatantly obvious, but the only threat to him and his little girl was her mother, Sadie, and THAT worried him, until he’d dealt with the newly reformed ex wife, he couldn’t offer anything to Nina, he knew that now.

That was until he saw her, all brave and strong, trying desperately to hide her pain, badly. She was no Oscar winner, and he’d done that to her...all he wanted was to walk up to her, promise that it’s all be good...but he couldn’t, not with Sadie wise to the ‘other woman’.

So he smiled at Mansell, and gave Nina a nod of recognition, “how are you?”

Nina glowered at him, but she wasn’t about to make a scene in front of his grandfather either.

Small talk was more than awkward, and after just a few seconds of genial conversation, Nina excused herself promising to visit soon.

As the two men watched her disappear, Mansell turned to his grandson, “I don’t know what the hell you’ve been up to, but you need to get after that girl and apologise for whatever you did.”

Theo had the good grace to blush, but as he made to reply, Mansell shook his head, “GO.”

                “Nina!”

She kept walking, not wanting to acknowledge the voice calling out to her.  Any voice would be hard to respond to, as emotionally fraught as she was after that awkward moment, but Theo’s...no way.

Shaking her head she kept walking, but heard him break into a run, she’d not outrun him, and there was nowhere to go, so instead she turned around and snarled at him.

                “Get away from me. Now.”

He reached for her elbow, “can I just explain?”

She glared at him, “explain what? You owe me no explanation, and I owe you no time. Let go of my arm before you cause a scene.”

He shook his head, “I’m sorry. It’s been hell this week...can I just talk to you...a little later?”

                “I’m busy.”

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair, “I’ll be in the Ship in a couple of hours, if you want to talk, if you think I deserve it, then come?”

He stared at her, watching for a reaction, but she wasn’t about to give in to that, so instead she turned on her heel and rushed away.

Anger and frustration seemed to garner her greatest creative work, and she spent the next few hours buried in designs in the basement of her townhouse. She had eight current commissions, and she’d manage to almost complete their designs in the time she was ferreted away.

When she emerged, to an empty house, she grabbed a beer from the fridge and almost drained the whole bottle in one go. It felt good and she realised she hadn’t drunk or eaten since breakfast. Reluctantly she pulled on her converse and grabbed her cash; she needed food...and more alcohol. That would distract her from places that she didn’t want her mind...and body to wander.

The Ship.

Why was she there? She looked at her watch, it was almost five, four hours since she’d seen Theo at the residential home, there was no way he was still there, but she somehow felt the need to punish herself, to walk past the place where he suggested they meet, FAR too late. What was she thinking? Sighing she paused glancing through the window, more than half of her hoped to see Theo sat gloomily at the bar, ruing all that he had let go. She could then burst in, be all that he wanted. Her ego soared at the thought of that, devotion and pleasure in equal measures.

But he wasn’t there.

With a sigh, she crossed the road, heading for the small supermarket that would stock an infinite supply of alcohol...enough for her to wallow in, and forget the personal disaster that the day had become.

Groaning, she dug her hands into her pocket and looked up to the sky, at just the moment she heard her name over the crash of the waves on the shore to her right.

She held her breath as she looked behind her, and there, sat on a bench, slumped over looking unnerved, was Theo...The man who’s face she couldn’t get out of her mind.

                “Nina...wait.”

He jumped to his feet, suddenly animated, but the haunted look in his eyes remained.

                “Is Mansell ok?”

He stared at her for a moment, “he’s fine.”

Suddenly Nina realised the sadness, the melancholy was because of her. That gave her a spark of energy somewhere deep inside her.

                “I just wanted to TRY and explain why yet again I’ve been a complete bastard. Will you listen to me Nina? Can I buy you dinner? Neutral busy place.”

                “Is that so you can’t pounce on me?” she asked with a glint in her eye.

But it wasn’t met so freely by him as he shook his head, “no. So that you can’t hit me.”

That made her laugh, “as much as I hate you on times, I’m not about to resort to violence. I promise.”

                “Where do you recommend?” he offered with a wry smile, offering an elbow.

Nina stared at him for a moment, wondering how he’d so quickly turned her intentions towards him, from animosity, to excitement. But then she knew that despite everything she had subconsciously come out tonight looking for him. She gazed up at him for a moment, met his eyes, there was an earnestness in them, and she couldn’t believe that she’d got it so wrong. She may be out of practice, but she hadn’t read the signs wrong the previous week, at her home, and then at his. He wanted her, he liked her. Maybe he did deserve the chance to explain.

With a nod, she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, “but you had better make it an expensive place...I’m worth it.”

Theo looked down at her and nodded, “that you are.”