Chapter 8
This is dedicated to my best friend Beth Titchmarsh (AddictedWriter26) Thank you for giving me the idea and then bugging the life out of me to write it and post it. And congratulations on Kacey Robert Haller. I can't wait until he's born. (5th of July!!!) And I'm away on holiday.
:'( Anyway onto the story.
Eden's been refusing to come out of her room all day, she's been in there since we came home from the party last night. She hasn't spoken to me since Aubrey asked me to the party. She hasn't looked at me since Aubrey asked me on a second date. After about two and a half minutes of thinking I came to the conclusion that she's possibly pissed off and actually thinks I'm over her. And that I've truly broken her heart.
'Beth what have I done. She won't look at me, she won't talk to me, she won't come out of her room. I actually think I've broken her heart,' I rested my hands on my knees and buried my face in my hands 'What have I done?' I moaned to Beth.
'Oh hun. Look at me,' She said sternly yet soothingly. I looked the computer screen to see Beth and Kade. Kade's fast asleep, snoring, on Beth shoulder. Beth is giving me advise on how I can fix what I fucked up on. 'That's the plan. It's cruel and mean and heartless. But every thing will work out in the end.' Her voice so soothing. I don't understand what she means.
'W-what do you mean Beth? That doesn't make sense.' I asked. I heard a deep sigh.
'Okay. Eden thinks your over her, that's why she made up Ralf her boyfriend and based it on her brother-' She started.
'Why is she over me?' I butted in.
'Did I sound finished? Nope, so stay quiet. When you went over there she was all over you, but you felt like she wasn't all there. Like she didn't really want you. And she admitted that to me over the computer. Jesse, she loves you but she's not sure if she's in love with you. The point of the plan is to reassure her that she loves you. She's so jealous of Aubrey at the moment, but she's not sure if its love or if she just pissed that your flirting with her best friend,' She paused for a few moments to think. 'She's so unsure of her feelings. Do you want her back without her loving you like she used to?' She asked. It was a straight forward question with a straight forward answer.
'Yes.' I replied immediately. I still love more than ever, but what Beth's telling me is ripping my heart out of my chest. It feels like she stood on my heart wear platform shoes and holding a knife to it. But I know what's she's saying is true.
'By making her jealous, making her wait we're letting her heart figure out that actually she loves you more than ever and missed you more than ever. And that when she thought you we're over her that she was upset, and that she didn't fall out of love with you. So you understand it a bit better?' She asked. I took several moments to think about it, it was becoming clearer. I nodded and she smiled at me, a small sympathetic one. I miss having her around. I could talk to her about my problems with Eden because she understood her more than I understood her. Girls understood each other better. They have like telepathy or something like that. Eden talks to Aaron a lot because he understand me a lot better.
This six months we've been apart we've lost each other, it almost feels like she's just come to live with us in our house again. It took us a while to get to know each other and all that time it pained me that I didn't know her better. And I feel that pain now. I want to get to know her again. I want to be able to make her feel like she can trust me again and that I can keep her safe.
I guess I'm going to have to grin and bare it. Listen to what I'm told by Aubrey and Ralf and ask Beth for advice.
'Listen to me Jesse,' My focus was drawn back to the screen. Only this time I could see my brother awake and looking at me. 'I've screwed up some many times and upset so many girls. I mean look what happened with me and Eden. I cheated on her,' I hate that he brought that up. Memories of Eden laid on her bed crying because he was in bed with Jade.
'Don't remind me.' I spat at him.
'Sorry. But look at me and Eden now, she talks to me like a human being and even asks me for help. If she can forgive me for what I did, she can forgive you for doing something you didn't do.' Great he knows why she thinks I'm over her and I don't. Great.
'What did I do?' I asked. Beth and Kade looked at each other and began to whisper. Beth shook her head frantically. They both turned to face the screen and have a guilty look on there face.
'I'm sorry Jess, but its not for us to say. When the time comes you'll find out. We can help you with everything else. But that we can't.' Beth apologised and my blood began to boil and I became more and more pissed off.
'WHY!? WHY CAN'T YOU TELL THAT ONE DAMN THING?' I yelled at them and this seemed to anger Beth even more.
'We can't tell you because you have to figure it out!' She yelled at me, silence filled between us for ten seconds. 'Jesse calm down. Go convince Eden to come out of her room and make sure your sat you either yours or her laptop to see the scan later in a few minutes. Make sure she sees the scan, she's been bugging me for weeks about it. Your mum and I had a lot of strings to pull to be able to have a laptop and video chat in there.' Beth smiled at me. I nodded to her and looked at her. Shame and embarrassment written all over my face.
'Beth... I'm really sorry for yelling. I didn't mean to it-'
'It's fine. Don't worry. Go on, go get your princess.' Beth smiled, I couldn't help but smile at her because she called Eden, my princess. I closed the laptop and sprinted off down to Eden's room.
I knocked on her door, and no answer came. I tried again and again.
'Eden? Come out please? Eddie? Please? Come on Princess?' I called. I heard her footsteps and then the stopped just in front of the door.
'H-hello?' She called to me.
'Hi princess. Beth's on her way to the scan, she wants us to watch.' I said calmly and gently. I heard the click of a lock and the door slowly opened and a little girl appeared. Eden's never looked so innocent and vulnerable. Its like looking at a five year old child. She looks so little. I had to restrain myself from hugging her and holding her in my arms. I want to rock her to sleep like my mum did when was five and upset.
She came out and threw herself at me and gave me a hug. She looked up from my chest and smiled at me, the same smile she had when we snuck out the night before she left. The same smile she had when we had our date on the yacht. My smile. I couldn't help but smile back at her.
'Come on lets go see baby Bolton in the making.' She said skipping down stairs. I ran back to my temporary room and grabbed my laptop, before racing downstairs to the living room. After a few minutes I Kade signed online and accepted my video call.
'Hey.' He called with a big smile, he turned the screen to show Beth. She was laid in the on a bed next to where he was sat. Her top lifted over her swollen stomach. The midwife was placing a gel on the southern hemisphere of her stomach.
'Hey Eddie, hey Jesse.' She smiled and waved at us, a big groofy grin on her face. I don't think she could be more happy at this moment. I caught her wink at me and I know what it meant. Well done.
I heard a door opened and then a woman in her fifties walked in, her face covered in wrinkles and the more emotion she showed the more wrinkled she became. I heard Eden next to me, trying her hardest to be polite and not laugh. But little giggles kept escaping.
'Hello Bethany, my name is sister December. Before we start I have a few questions. How far along are you?'
'A little over six months, nearly six and a half.' Beth answered.
'Okay, so that twenty eight weeks. Okay... Do you know or want to know the gender of your baby?'
'No and no. We want it to be a surprise.' She grinned and look over to use.
'Okay that enough of them questions. So is here with you today?' She asked getting the ultra sound machine ready to look for the baby.
'There's the daddy who here, here. And on the web cam is babies aunty and uncle.' Beth looked over at the three of us and smiled. A matching smile sat on mine and Eden's face. I like the idea of being a uncle and Eden being an aunty. Even if Eden didn't marry into the family she would still be considered as an aunt.
A picture of a little baby came on the screen.
'Huston, we are reporting from inside the womb of Titchmarsh. Over, Huston, Over.' Kade said as if he was an astronaut on Apollo 11. He even made the noise of a radio cutting off. As if the baby could hear us, its little arm made a waving motion. I've never seen something so sweet and small. Mum never let anyone apart from Dad go to the scans with her. Not even her parents.
I kind of wish that, the ultra sound picture being shown on the monitor was mine and Eden's. I mean I know we're a little young to have kids and expectationally seen as the mess we're in at the moment. But I envy the day that's me sat in that room with Eden. And I envy Kade.
I heard foot steps behind us, but no one moved to see who it was.
'OhMyGod, what the hell is that!? Are Shrek and Fiona having another baby?' Daphne yelled in disgust. 'OhMyGod, if you looked like that Eden I'd put you up for adoption! What an ugly thing that is!' She shrieked. I heard Beth begin to cry and sob uncontrollably. The screen went black as Kade ended the call.
Eden stood up and turned on her heels to face her mother.
'You bitch! That's my niece, you dumbshit! I can't believe you said that. I wish grandma and grandpa had said that to you when you were having me so you could know how much you upset my best friend. PISS OFF DAPHNE!' She yelled in her face. Before I knew what had happened Eden had landed on her ass, a red hand print in her on her cheek. Small scratches, that were seeping blood, on her cheek from were her nails had hit her skin. Un-shed tears swam in her eyes.
Daphne had hit her daughter.
I scrambled to my feet and over to Eden. Not even caring what her mum thinks.
'That will teach you to disrespect me. And if I had had any sense when I was pregnant you wouldn't be here now!' She yelled. Austin and Ralf ran in a saw the scene unfold. Austin and Ralf grabbed her and dragged her out of the room.
'Can we go out some where together, somewhere private where that can't follow us. I need to apologise to Beth for my mums? Don't worry its not a date.' Eden said.
'I don't care what you call it. Come on lets get you sorted out and call Beth again.' We walked into the hallway and Ralf handed me his car keys. I nodded in appreciation and we ran outside to the beat up, old, death trap of a car.
We drove to the sixties diner - I seem to be becoming a regular customer here – and slid in the booth I've sat at for the past few times I've been here. The blood had stopped coming out of the four identical cuts Eden's face but a small blood stain on her top. She ran to the bathroom to wash the blood off her face. Whilst she was in there I began to dial Beth's number but it kept going to voice mail. I tried Kade's number, he answered as Eden came back.
'Hi?' He answered.
'Hi, one minute let me put you on loud speaker,' I clicked the louder speaker button. 'How Beth doing?' I asked. He let out a frustrated sigh.
'Not good. After Daphne said all that shit about Shrek and Fiona's baby Beth began to cry, before I could stop her she ran out of the room and I don't know where she is. She won't answer her phone. She won't reply to texts or when I call her name. Where the hell could a huge, six months pregnant girl hide when she's that big and not be found?' He sounded panicked and stressed.
'Kade I'll find her don't worry. She'll be fine. You stay calm and talk to Jesse. I'll be back when I've got hold of her.' Eden said trying to calm him down. She disappeared outside whilst I began talking to Kade in private again.
'So what happened at your end?' Kade asked sounding more relaxed now that Eden was looking for her as well.
'Not good either. When you ended the call Eden flipped at Daphne. Daphne hit her around the face and her told her that she wishes she'd aborted her.' I said leaning back on the sofa and pinch the bridge of my nose. I herd Kade whistle.
'Wow, that's... that's crap too. Is she okay? Has Daphne done it before?' He asked, sounding concerned. Kade is my best friend, a side from the guys on the swim team. And I care about Beth just as much as I care about Eden. What can I say, the girls going to be my sister in law.
'She's got a few scratches on her face that have been bleeding. And I dunno I haven't asked, I'm a little worried about the answer I'll get.' I admit. I hate the thought of Daphne hitting my princess.
'You'll need to find out. Maybe we can do something to help. Look I have to go Eden's calling me. See ya, bro.' The line clicked dead and I pinched the bridge of my nose again. Now I can see why Eden doesn't like her mum. And what if Kade is right? What if she has hit her before?
There so many emotions running through me.
I didn't even notice Eden come back.
'What's wrong?' She asked me, her eyes wide studying my face with concern.
'Nothing, did you find Beth?' I asked.
'Don't give me that bullshit Jesse, I know you better than that. And yeah I found her she locked herself in a back of your dad's car. I don't even know how she fit in there. But she's with Kade now.' She explained, her eyes never leaving my face. 'So come on what's on your mind. I'm a big girl- ish. And I can deal with it.' She smiled.
'Your... your mum hit you. Has she... you know?' I couldn't bring myself to ask the question properly. I prepared my self for the answer coming my way.
'Yeah she has... you know. But its fine after a couple times your used to it.' She shrugs and grabs a menu. She's acting like its not a big deal. How can she not freak out. But I remember when she woke up from the coma after being hit. She didn't freak out then, she just smiled at me.
It's like nothing can shock her. Thinking about it, I don't really know much about Eden before she came to live with us. All I know is that she didn't get along with her dad because he kept leaving and that she lived in the New York. I didn't know she even had a brother. Half-Brother.
The waitress came over the one that served me the other day, the one with grey streaky hair. She took Eden's order of gammon, egg and chips. She looked at me.
'No thank you... Christiana.' I said reading her name tag. She smile, nodded her head and disappeared to the kitchens.
'What you looking at Jess? What are you wanting to know?' She asked, tilting her head to the left. The bun she had is fell to the side a little.
'Tell me about yourself.' I said. She let out a giggle, a shook her head.
'You already know about me.' She said.
'I know about you from when you lived with me. But I don't know about you before you lived with us.' I said.
'That's a subject I don't like to talk about. My childhood wasn't like yours.' She looked away from me and focused on the table.
'Come on, you know you can tell me.' I coaxed her. I really want to know the mysteries of her history. She took a deep sigh and looked at me. 'My childhood wasn't as perfect as you think.' My childhood is one of those subjects I don't like to talk about but to get Eden to open up more, I guess, I need to open up even more.
'My mum got pregnant with me when she was eighteen, parting and drunk. When I was born, I was born into a normal family. Mum and Dad would fight, I thought that what ever parents did. But they fought a little more than other parents. Dad would come home smelling of booze and smoke. When I was five he left us, and mum told me he went to live in a different country. But he ended up going to live with Ralf and his mum.
They separated for about two years and they stayed together for six months before he went to go live with Ralf again. They did it on and off, going year apart and together for a few years before the cycle began again.
When I was twelve Austin took me out for the day, whilst mum was at work. He took me to Ralf's house, where he was living at the time. That's when I found out I had a half family. I have Ralf who's a year younger than me and I have a. I had a half sister, Harriet, and she was four years younger than me.' As Eden spoke about Harriet her eyes grew glossy and misty. 'I'm sorry.' And she darted to the bathroom. Leaving me to my thoughts.
What did she mean she had a sister?