Fumbling with the keys as I dreaded what was transpiring on the opposite end. I finally got the door opened and ran into the loft as I closed the door. Food and key in hand. Eyes wide opened in disbelief as I saw Claire on top of Natalie, she had her in a choke hold.
Natalie was pulling Claire's hair belligerently with one hand, as the other tried to pry Claire's hands from her throat. Claire's face displayed anguish as I could see a color darker than cerise all over it, one I had never before witnessed. Nevertheless, Claire was merciless and continued her affliction on Natalie.
Natalie was coughing and struggling to breathe. It was so unreal the sight of the two of them fighting for unknown reasons to me. They were screaming profanities at each other rapidly as if they were robots programmed to repeat their incessant taunts.
"I...I'm going to mother fucking...kill you, you fucking dead BITCH!!!!" I heard Natalie choke out as she coughed and squealed in agony. Her torso and legs twisting violently under Claire, in a distressed attempt to get Claire off her. To free herself from the choke-hold and get the advantage she so urgently sought.
"I hate you! Whore! The only killing that's going to be done here is from me. I'm going to squeeze your pathetic life from you!" Claire screamed without a hitch in her voice despite the obvious pain she was in from Natalie pulling her long brown hair with hints of gold. Claire pinned her down relentlessly and was not yielding at all. It was shocking to see them in action and I hated it.
"What the bloody hell is going on here?!! Fuck! Shit!" I screamed on top of my lungs as I ran into the dining room area of the loft, dropping the contents in my hand, onto the wooden floor.
They were both shocked and quickly looked at me loosening their grips but still holding their positions. Natalie's torso immediately stopped its ferocious struggle. Going towards them in hast, I place my arms around Claire's torso I gingerly lift her off Natalie. She was breathing heavily and almost at the point of tears as she looked at me as I turned her around to face me.
I too was in distress as my breathing became heavy and saturated with fury. And I could feel my anger boiling rapidly as I quickly looked over her body to make sure she was not injured. As my brows began to furrow in disbelief, shock and fear, I pulled Claire into me hugging her tightly.
The last thing I would ever want, is for her to be hurt or someone placing a hand on her. She was precious to me, from the beginning until now. I loved her and nothing or no one could ever destroy that. As I held her to me she held me back tightly as she cried against me. A bit beyond us, adjacent to the sofa I could clearly see a broken glass of red wine on the wooden floor. Natalie never drinks red wine, so I knew it belonged to Claire. It seemed as if she were attacked or caught off guard by Natalie as she was approaching the sofa to enjoy her wine. I clenched my fists together as I held her, almost forgetting Natalie until I heard her coughing as she sat up on the floor parallel to us.
Why the hell did I leave the two of them together alone? What was I bloody well thinking? They have always hated each other and a decade only made it worst.
Kissing Claire's head and closing my eyes to fathom the magnitude of what I had interrupted, I slowly let go of her and looked into her cerulean eyes that showed distress. The eyes that locked hers mirrored the same. I moved in and placed a small kiss on her lips before I looked away.
I looked down to Natalie as she sat, offered my hand to her and pulled her up off the floor. She too was fuming, both their hair wild and crazed. Claire no longer has a reckless bun, now it looked like Medusa's snake tendrils as did Natalie's.
As upset as I was, I suddenly found that I wanted to laugh at the ridiculous spectacle. I had never seen this side of Claire or Nat before. Claire had never been in a physical confrontation with anyone. Somehow, she was apparently winning against Natalie who I might had was lean but very strong. Natalie was no match for the Countess seemingly. There was a new fierceness in Claire that I could not rationally comprehend.
"Are you both alright?" I asked looking at them both alternately. They both nodded and didn't look away from each other. Eyes glaring with fiery ferocity. Natalie was caressing her throat.
"I don't know what the fuck happened. But you are both grown woman. I don't need to babysit you both and frankly I'm appalled. I can't believe how childish you both are...Shite! I only stepped out for less than fifteen minutes!" I fumed as my anger resurfaced.
Looking at Claire, I could see the embarrassment as she looked into my angry eyes. Her blue eyes darkened from fury, a fury obviously fueled by Natalie.
"Je suis désolé. Il ne se reproduira pas ma chérie. Mais, elle a commencé, me narguer de vos affaires téméraires. Je pourrais la tuer! Je suis juste venu vers le bas pour un peu de vin. Mais il n'y a aucune excuse . Excuse-moi?" Claire ended in French in a shaken tone.
(Translation: I'm sorry. It won't happen again my darling. But, she started it, taunting me about your reckless affairs. I could kill her! I just came down for some wine. But there is no excuse. Forgive me?)
She clearly didn't want Natalie to understand her. So, I pulled her into me once more and kissed her forehead then locked my eyes with hers. Letting her know I understood, even though I did not approve.
Violence should always be the last resort, my parent taught me that and I believed in it wholeheartedly. Listen, not like Mahatma Gandhi, no passive resistance here, but one can conclude that I'm more of a lover than a fighter. Yes, yet another paradox, as I'm proficient in Kick-Boxing, fencing and have extensive firearms training. Nevertheless, these just allowed me to let off occasional steam and for fortification, if it were ever to be required.
Natalie's eyes were penetrating through me like a surgeon's scalpel, figuratively speaking. Conversely, Claire was my love and I would always, no matter what the circumstances, be on her side. While I consider myself to be an impartial person, Claire was always the exception. Always...fuck whomever cogitates negatively. They can freely classify me as biased and a hopeless romantic most favorably.
As I looked away from Claire's hypnotizing cerulean orbs, I was unpleasantly welcomed by Natalie's gorgeous brown ones yet again. Ones, that squinted at me screaming abhorrence and intolerance. Her long slender hands are defiantly and tightly crossed under her very voluptuous breasts.
Not that I was looking or checking them out, however it was quite, there, just right there. There were her most...mmm...complementary assets, apart from her beauty.
"Claire, do you mind giving us a few moments my love?" I asked softly without removing my unwavering stare from Natalie's. Without hesitation, she squeezed my hand she was holding gently, kissed my cheek and made her way upstairs. Once again closing the door behind her.
This time, the closure was not fueled by anger as it was almost noiseless.
Meticulously, I reached out for Natalie's hand and she instinctively handed it to me. Indeed I was upset, at first thought I wanted to let Nat have a bloody dirty piece of my mind. But, I composed myself and used a more subtly approach. After all, she came to support my mission. I failed to check my messages, even though I had just cause. Nonetheless, I would be a bigger woman. But, I would draw the line with her when it came to Claire.
So, I smiled a warm smile which showed her I was upset, but that I also had some sympathy towards her. Her facade appeared to soften as I held her hand and walked her over to the living room sofa. As we became seated in calm, I spoke unobtrusively.
"Alright..." I said as I walked with her and I could hear Natalie let out a deep sigh. We looked at each other as we sat at arm's length in the large comfy sofa still holding hands.
"Nat...Are you alright?" I continued softly. She simply shrugged her shoulders and looked away from me. I could sense a struggle within her. Her eyes had become faintly red. I believe she was fighting tears. The strong woman that I had known for so long in a love hate friendship was breaking down. And, I didn't want her to, somehow I felt responsible for it all. I sat there looking at her not knowing what to really say and she was at a complete loss for words this time around.
"Nats, I'm sorry! I really am, for everything. You are an amazingly woman and drop dead gorgeous. I know deep down you are really not what you portray yourself to be—"
"What? A slut like all of you think Anni? Huh?" She interjected pulling her hand away and wiping her now misty eyes. "If you had checked your stupid fucking phone Anni to at least warn me that your dead mother fucking bitch—"
"Don't! Don't you bloody call her that because she isn't and you know it!"
"I know it? I know it Anni? The fuck!? Are you for real? Where was she? Where the hell was she when you..." She screamed and stood up abruptly looking down at me. I maintained my composure and narrowed my eyes at her clenching my jaw together. I wasn't going to feed into her obvious frustrated outbursts and her attempt for self-justification for what she had done. Then, she continued as she shot me a deadly dirty look. If looks could fucking kill just about now, I'd be dead ten times over.
"When you were left for dead...when you were fucking so messed up you couldn't speak...when you were whoring yourself out like a prostitute—"
"Stop! I've had enough of your ongoing shit Nat...no one touched me and you know it! Bloody fuck! How many times did you try, huh? I might have fucked you on the rebound but that was all. A meaningless 'fuckapade' if there is such a bloody word and you were one the fucking....shit! Numberless victim to fall prey into my bloody hands Nat!!! You want the truth? Well there it is...It meant nothing, nothing at all!!!" I yelled at her, fuming from all ends as I stood up and closed in on her. She was shock at my sudden outburst and stepped back slightly as I approached her.
She was cried quietly as she held my gaze. She asked for this...She did this to herself.
Seeing the fear and distress in her, I decided to compose myself once again as I quickly controlled my breathing. It always helped in adjusting my anger.
"Nat...I did love you once." I said lowering my tone. She needed to hear this as I felt that the real issue wasn't Claire coming back, but me. And, her built up frustration over the years.
"But, understand I don't anymore and I haven't for a long time. Claire is my life and I don't care that she left me. All that matters is that she's back. Fighting won't elucidate anything and lying to her about the nature of our relationship was cruel. And to top it off I find you both acting like children fighting over a toy. I'm not a toy! I have feelings too, despite how messed up they are. No one will get in our way! Especially you as you are fully aware there can never be anything more between what we had shared briefly. It all ended that night you and...fuck. Just stop! Please! I told you to leave me alone, because this is what happens all the time. For the last few years....Go home to your bloody husband and kid Nat! You have a life, just forget about me because all I've been doing to you is fucking your life up. Why? Why the fuck do you still try...hmm?" I ended on a higher pitch than I had started out with. I took a few deep breaths before continuing. Natalie, for the first time in a very long time, was speechless. So I continued as I held her gaze. She was tenacious, that much credit I would give her.
"By the way Nat, don't you ever lay a hand on my lady again! You understand?" I ended heatedly. But it was the truth. She looked at me in disbelief and bewilderment. I somehow felt guilty. She cried and shook her head violently as the magnitude of all I said settled. Especially the last parts.
Then all I could do was hold her to me and hug her. Maybe, I revealed too much truth. She knew it, but maybe I was too harsh.
"Nat, I'm sorry. But, you already know me and you know how I feel. I don't hate you. How could I? We became close friends over the years through this, but there is just nothing else. Please understand. I'm sorry. And, I apologize for the fight you and Claire had, no matter who started it, just don't let it happen again. Alright?"
She rested against me, holding me to her crying uncontrollably. And, for the second time, I felt love for Natalie, that of friendship. She wasn't as bad as she seemed, I knew that. There was just something broken within her that I couldn't repair. I thought after she married and had a child a few years back, she would be fixed. However, I was wrong.
She always came back to me for intimacy which I couldn't give to her. And for a full commitment, even though she was married and had a child. The first time I had felt love for her, was when we dated and became serious many years before Claire. But we were both young and immature.
Then, it turned to disgust when she cheated on me with Nick. Yes, I forgave them both as they had really been wasted and lost all inhibitions. In fact we all did, the difference was they took theirs to an extreme level.
She fucked him right in my bed with me drunk and fast asleep. I had been completely wasted and was unaware of my surroundings. Then, I woke up the next morning to see them side by side naked with love stains all over her body. It was despicable and one of the worst experiences I ever had the displeasure of undergoing. It took me close to a year to forgive them both. That's another story in itself.
Natalie's crying subsided after a few minutes of me just comforting her. Slowly, we broke apart and I looked at her as she spoke.
"I'm...sorry Anni...it's hard. And I'm sorry that I hurt you so badly in the past...I'm sorry her and I fought. It was crass."
"Nat, stop! That was eons ago, the hurt aspect. I've absolved you and Nick. There is simply no need to say sorry or to continue to even torture yourself about it. I don't think about it anymore at all. Ok? Just let it all go. Let's just be friends. Can you manage that?" I ended sincerely.
She simply shook her head and smiled. "You do know the only reason I married François was because you forced me to right? Yes, I love my son but I never loved his father Anni..."
She looked at me with a hint of remorse in her eyes and immediately deviated from that which she was about to continue. I simply stood there with my hands now placed in my shorts pockets, looking at her nonchalantly because I really didn't give a damn.
Yes, I knew I was responsible for her marriage. I pushed her away but I wasn't the one who said yes to François's proposal, she did. She always brings it up whenever we spoke, be it in person or on the phone. Damn it! This time, I wouldn't comment. I was determined to hold my somewhat ghastly tongue as it could be very crude at times.
Sensing that I had had enough of her fucking bullshit blame game and utter disrespect on many levels. She took an unexpected detour.
"Listen, I'm sorry. Alright? About everything period. I'll check in a hotel, just give me a few moments to call a cab. But, I came here to support your cause even though it had to do with her. I just never expected to see...Can I just borrow your mobile?" She said sniffing her nose as she now looked away.
"Stay..." I said unexpectedly shocking even myself as I saw the disbelief registering on her face similarly.
"No thanks! I doubt Cruella de Vil, wants me around." She countered sternly.
I giggled, I'm sorry her sense of humor was so fucking crass for a woman of her maturity and intelligence.
"I'll talk to Claire, besides it's only for a few days right?" I ended.
"Yup...til Tuesday afternoon. Are you certain?" She questioned as she raised a cautious eyebrow up to me as she looked in my direction once more.
"Yes, tomorrow I will go to the main house anyway. Plus, I'm sure Claire will be leaving soon, I just don't know when." I said sadly as I now looked away, removed one had from pocket and ran it through my raven black hair.
"So...let me get this straight! She's back but only temporarily and you Anni have no clue when she's planning to ditch you again? Are you going to wait for another ten years? Fuck! What the hell Anni?" She scolded as our conversation took yet another turn.
"Listen, stay if you want. You'll have privacy when we leave tomorrow, but do me a favor yeah. Stay the hell out of my personal life and Claire's way." I fired heatedly and quickly walked away to the dining table. Grabbed the food and headed into the kitchen to warm it up for Claire.
In the distance I could hear Natalie mumbling to herself but I didn't care what she was saying. Then I heard a door slam shut to the guest room. I take it she was taking me up on my offer even though heated.
Suddenly, I was regretting my decision and I'm not certain how Claire will react to it. However, in a few moments I would find that out.
A/N...yeah I know what you trio are thinking... ;-)
Here's another update ladies...hope you enjoy the saga...lol....not edited...please leave comments and comments. I like the interaction.
Ciao...