Doing it For the Kids

Doing it for the Kids - Chapter 12

Emma and Ethan were funny and their antics seemed to lift some of the tension. They'd both fought to sit beside either Matt or Hendrick, leaving Violet to be ambushed by John. His presence here still confused her, he'd made barely any contact since she'd left him almost a year ago, the odd email was all. Now he was here, and in her eyes seemed to be acting as though they'd never been apart. It made her uncomfortable, as if his own desertion of her emotionally wasn't enough, the few days she'd spent with Hendrick made her realize that she'd never really been in love with John. Not that Hendrick was worthy of her either.

Hendrick was a whole different thought process, his good looks, his humor, his coolness in any situation, all the things that had broken through her defenses, were still there, still drawing her in like a siren on the rocks of a dangerous port. She was fighting him, despite her anger, there was no way she'd ever be near him again, but she was desperate not to make a fool of herself again. She needed to be strong. Her response via Nathaniel would be with him in two days, and then things would change. He'd be out of her life forever. She just needed to stay strong. As she looked up and wet his lazy, yet inquisitive sexy gaze, she fought the warm sensation flooding her body; instead she had to keep remembering how he'd used her, him and John both.

No she determinedly ate her food, neither deserved her, and they could butt heads like warring stags, but she was no prize for either of them.

Hendrick was uncomfortable, Emma was plastered to his side like a limpet, and that was sweet, he loved Emma, but John was smoothing his way up to Violet and the jealousy he'd felt earlier was not going away. It was a strange sensation, he'd never felt so emotionally involved in a situation, and also never so angry.

"So this home in South Africa," John began, "sounds wonderful Violet."

She paused for a moment, remembering wistfully such great times, "it's beautiful, idyllic. You loved it guys didn't you?"

Ethan nodded enthusiastically, "the pool is great, and there are snakes and elephants and rhinos and lions!" He turned to Matt with a "Rooooaaaarrrr!"

Matt chuckled, "I wish I'd have come Eth......me and you stalking lions!"

Ethan laughed as Matt tickled him, "Hendrick knows all the best places."

"Well I have lived there all my life, and I love it too!"

"So do you live near Violet's home?" John pushed the other man.

Hendrick's heckles rose for SO many reasons, "I have a home in the City and on the same property."

"So do you pay Vi rent?"

Violet dropped her knife and fork and glared at the two childish men, "can we put the testosterone away and get on with things please?"

They both looked a little embarrassed and finished their meal on a lighter note.

Before dessert, it was decided by the younger element present that they'd play games first, so they burst into a game of charades. Violet had cleared the plates and was out the kitchen stacking them when John appeared behind her.

"So you're looking so well Vi, I can't believe how at home you are here, bringing up the children. I never saw it in you." He smiled, "an oversight on my part."

She turned around quickly, "look John, it's Christmas so I'm being hospitable, but that's as far as it goes ok? When my mother was ill, you chose to carry on with the trip, I don't blame you, it was the trip of a lifetime, but when we went our separate ways, our lives changed. And they don't include each other anymore, surely you can see that?"

As she watched him digest her information, saw the gritty arrogance as he thrust out his jaw, "everything changes Vi, and I'm not going anywhere."

Shaking her head, she turned with the large flaming pudding in her hands, to see Hendrick a few feet from the kitchen door, his angry expression telling her he'd witnessed the whole conversation.