"Yeah, I don't think it's such a great idea," said Nathan into his phone. At any second it looked like he'd crush it judging by his whitening knuckles. "So? I know. And?"
Curiosity one day would be the death of me, and yet it didn't stop me.
Standing comfortably and with caution by the kitchen island, my open palms pressed against the cool table top, whilst watching Nathan pacing the room back and forth.
When he spots me watching him, I sharply spin away and head for the fridge. It'd be a good distraction and keep me within ears reach of this conversation.
"I don't have time for this. I have my life, and you guys have yours. Live it. I don't need either of you calling and guilt tripping me to be any different... not after the years I endured living with you, bye," his tone colder than the freezer I'm searching through.
Closing the food compartment and freezer door and slowly stand up to casually glance his way. He's staring at the centre of his where his phone rested and tosses it on the couch.
I let out a sigh of relief, thankfully he didn't break another one.
"Everything okay?" I ask without realising the words had escaped my lips. And a little too perky in my tone, trying to lighten a tense call.
"Mhm? Oh, its fine, all good," he's blunt and takes off for the bathroom.
"Cool, mm... cool," I reply and roll my eyes. Guess I deserve the icy treatment, too.
Within seconds he's back out, a small towel flopped over his shoulder. He creeps up behind to leave a quick kisses on my cheek and goes on to head for the door.
"Wait, you're leaving?" I ask the obvious and before he exits.
"Yeah? I've got practice with the guys," he looks down to himself, decked out in his sporty attire. "I won't be out late."
"Oh, alright," I fold my arms against my chest and give him a small nod. "Have fun then."
He returns a sheepish smile and exits. I didn't expect a dramatic farewell, but more answers about the call he'd just ended. Again, curiosity creeps within me and I go over to the couch, he hadn't bothered to grab his phone.
I waited a few more seconds and hear a faint sound of the car ignition.
Taking hold of the device, I check his call history. The numbers aren't saved except a few. The most recent one, the call had gone on for 20 minutes, I'd only been there for 3 minutes of it when coming home from work.
Lapping my tongue across my drying bottom lip, I peer to the door and back to the phone and hit call. I had to know who he was speaking to, maybe I'd know by the tone.
It's only 3 rings in and the line answers.
"Nathan? I didn't think you'd call back already. Please listen to me, hear me out," a frantic woman whimpers into the phone.
"Nathan?"
I try to muster a convincing sound, one that'd match his groan and grunts. I hmm into the line and they proceed to go on.
"I know we haven't always had it easy, especially not with your father. He pushed you and I let him. I tried to stop him but I had my battles, too. I always tried to protect you."
Of course. I knew the caller had to be someone close, but who exactly, I didn't know.
But now I did.
I hadn't heard her voice a lot but I hadn't known her to go long without crying, or wailing for forgiveness. I get it. Nathan has a hold over people and you never wanted to be on his bad side. Not when he played the angry - bad guy so well. You're tormented and his icy treatment would freeze you to death.
He'd been speaking, barely, to his mum.
Id at one point believed things had been somewhat resolved, with any issues between one another, or at least enough to be civil and despite Tim's apparent situation.
I knew Nathan and him had spoken it out and he'd gotten past it, though surely he'd give the same understanding to his parents.
His mum, a little more so than the disgruntled father I'd witnessed a few times and copped his bad side more times than I'd like to in my life.
"Are you there?" She sobs.
I hmm again, showing signs I'm on the line.
"Are you going to say anything? Oh it doesn't matter, if you just listen to me and think about it. It'll help. Us. We need to be a family again. And I know your father does some bad things. With poor Karen and-"
My mind trails off, what about Karen?
I mumble Karen, it's a terrible Nathan impersonation but she's too distraught to think too much of it as she answers back.
"The shooting, this was to do with your father and I don't care you know," she sobs and has to blow her nose, "this was against that boy... the one you don't like," she's referring to Sam and I got it, Sam wasn't exactly the most likeable person on this earth but he wasn't that bad to want to shoot him, either, "he and your father have some on going issues and poor Karen, she got in the way..."
Lucky she isn't fucking dead either.
"We've paid for her hospital expenses, she doesn't know it's us. It's the least we can do."
Barely. The woman will never be the same if she's terrified of anymore attacks.
"I love you, Nathan. I want you to come home. We can fix this. I know you're an adult, but I need you. We've even bought the house behind us and you can live in there... we can be a family again. Please. You can bring your girlfriend..."
This was all too much. I grunted a few times. "Talk later..." and hung up the phone.
A small cough comes from beside me and I look wide eyed to Nathan.
"Is that what you think I sound like?" He arches a brow and seems to stand taller than he already did compared to my height.
"Na-Nathan? When did you come back in?" I stammer out.
Both of us look at the device that's about to cause further drama. I drop it on to the couch, well let it slip from my hand, being caught in the act.
A terrible one at that.
"Who did you call!" He growls and I had never heard him sound so deep.
I take a step back, as he takes one forward and retrieved what he's obviously come back to get in the first place.
"My mum? Why would you do that? Actually you know what, doesn't matter... doesn't seem you said much anyway. I hope you found out what you wanted to know."
He turns around and heads for the door.
I felt my feet stick to the ground, my arm stretches up and I find the power to sprint off after him.
"Wait, please," I plead and he keeps his back to me but thankfully stops.
"Why did you call her and not ask me?" He says across his shoulder, "I never go through your belongings, not without asking."
"Okay, I made a mistake, huge but I didn't say anything. She did all the talking." And she did, really. "I didn't know what to expect and she, she seems to really need you, Nathan..."
"Don't twist this around on her, this is about you and me. And why you felt the need to go and do that? Do you not trust me?" He asked and turned around this time, the hollow blue eyes staring into my eyes. He was swallowing me whole like the sea colour in his eyes, drowning me on the spot as I stammer for words. "You know, I love you, okay? But if you can't talk to me, then what do we have?"
I felt he'd taken a line from me and used it against me. A low blow to my stomach as I cradled my worried gut.
"It's not that I don't trust you, I just wanted to know what was going on.. so I can help you, you know how much I care about you. And i know you've not had it easy, your parents are crazier than mine." And I try to bite my tongue from coming out anymore the wrong way than I'd intended too. "I love you, too."
"Then don't do that again? Okay? Ask."
"I kinda like this commanding side to you," I smirk and try to remain composed. "Sorry."
"March inside," he said flatly.
"Sorry," I repeat and try to scramble forward so he doesn't take off again, not without a damn reassuring hug to know we are okay.
"I said, turn around and go inside," he spins me around and I reluctantly take the few steps forward, when his hand runs down the small of my back and cups one of my butt cheeks. Squeezing it in his large hand.
"To the bedroom."
"What about practice?" I ask innocently.
"I've got a better workout here," he said before pressing his near lips against the side of my neck. "And this can be your punishment...."
"Since when did you get into some weird kinky stuff?" I let out a not so sexy snort, as we close the door behind us.
"When you decided to go and disobey our trust," he presses his forearms into the backs of my knees so my legs buckle and I drop into his capturing arms, bridal style. "So, now you'll pay and we can talk properly later... right now, I've got other things we need to discuss..."