Natasha's Awakening (43 page)

Her mobile phone rang and her Mother’s name came up on the screen. Since she had an in car receiver for her phone she was able to take the call straight away. “Hi Mum.” Natasha said and her Mother wasted no time on general chatter as she normally would. Straight away she demanded to know what was wrong and Natasha tensed, not really wanting to get into it over the phone while she was driving. She was too raw, her heart was bleeding and the last thing she needed to do was start crying while she was trying to get home safely.

“Mum, I’m driving up the freeway now, can this wait until I get home please?”

“Baby girl, I know something is wrong with you. I could hear it in your voice on the answering machine. Did that man you went away with hurt you?” She asked and Natasha drew a shaky breath.

“No Mum, not the way you think. It just didn’t work out ok? I’ll be home soon so can we talk then?” She could hear the frustrated sigh down the line.

“Ok Natasha, but I’m coming over just to make sure you’re alright. I’ll be there in a couple of hours. I’ll give you time to get home and settled before I arrive. I want to know what happened. I want to know all about this man and don’t even try to get out of it baby girl, ok?” Natasha muffled a groan. Her Mother was like a damned bloodhound. She wasn’t going to give up or leave it alone until she’d seen her daughter. There was no way out of this today, obviously.

She’d just hung up from her Mother when her phone rang again. A quick glance at the screen showed it was Maggie and instantly Natasha’s heart leapt into her throat. With a shaking hand, she answered the call. “Hello Maggie.” She said cautiously. “What’s wrong?”

Straight away she could hear the tension in Maggie’s voice. “Eric’s on his way back to the mainland lass. He left about an hour ago. Tom and I tried to talk to him out of going until he’d calmed down, but he wouldn’t have a bar of it. He’s furious lass. He kept going on about you deceiving him that you lied. I’ve never seen him so enraged, the look in his eyes. He and Tom ended up in a fight and Eric nearly took a swing at him lass. It was awful. I just thought you should know he’s on his company jet now and although I’m not much of a gambling woman, I’d put good money on him turning up on your doorstep tonight lass.” Maggie said. “Does he know where you live?”

Natasha nodded, then remembering that Maggie couldn’t see her, she cleared the lump in her throat and whispered. “Ye, no, not exactly, but I work for him. He just has to get my address from the Company records.” She told her.

“Just be careful.” Maggie said. “I’ve never seen him like that. He’s mad as hell lass, but he’s hurting. I know my lad, he’s hurting bad lass and when he hurts, he lashes out and he’s like a wounded bear right now.”

Natasha’s heart began to beat hard in her chest and her stomach rolled over until she thought she was going to have to pull over and be sick. God, what a nightmare. How had it all gone so horribly wrong?

“Are you still there lass?” Maggie’s voice was filled with concern and Natasha dragged her mind back to the present. “I’m still here.” She said quietly. “I’m almost home. My Mother is coming over when I get home. I’ll have her there to help me if Eric turns up on my doorstep.” She tried to reassure the older woman. “I’m so sorry Maggie. I’ve ruined everything. I’ve ruined your relationship with Eric and now you’re upset, Tom nearly got hit and things might never be the same again with you all and it’s all my fault.” She said her voice breaking as tears suddenly blinded her. She blinked furiously to clear them so she could see the road properly and listened when Maggie told her.

“Don’t be silly lass. I knew when Tom told me that Eric was bringing a woman to his home and then when I met you, I saw instantly that you are perfect for him. The lad’s crazy about you, he just doesn’t know it yet, or he’s in denial. You have to remember he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of anyone’s love lass. He grew up without much of it in his life. Yes his Mother loved him, but not enough to put him first, not enough to stop bringing men around that made it perfectly clear they didn’t want him. This is the closest I’ve seen Eric get to anyone besides his Mother and myself lass. Please, don’t give up on him.” She begged and Natasha told Maggie she had to go. They said their good byes, but Natasha never agreed to Maggie’s plea, that she wouldn’t give up on Eric. She couldn’t because she still thought Maggie was wrong. She just couldn’t promise something she didn’t feel she was capable of doing, plus she still thought Maggie was being a hopeless romantic and reading more into Eric’s behaviour other than a man who was used to getting his own way and who was acting like a spoiled brat now he wasn’t.

Still it didn’t stop her heart flipping over when she thought about coming face to face with him again. She was terrified about seeing him and desperate to see him, all at the same time. She couldn’t shake the feeling of concern though when Maggie had told her that Eric had been accusing her of deceiving him. Just what had he meant by that? She had no idea and it was scaring her to death trying to work out what it could be. Suddenly she was relieved that her Mother would be coming over this evening so she’d have her there for back up should Eric show up at her door.

It was a relief when she finally pulled up in her driveway and parked the car in her garage. She lived in a townhouse, one of six in the complex. They were only 2 years old, so very modern looking, built overlooking the water on a quiet, tree lined street at East Gosford. After a quick nervous look around and not seeing Eric or a car that might be his and certainly no limo, she let herself inside her townhouse.

It was hot inside after having been closed up for close on two weeks so the first thing she did was go around opening windows to let the cool breeze coming off the water in to flow through her home. Natasha was feeling exhausted, bone achingly tired but she forced herself to empty her bags, putting things in the washing basket and hanging up the clothes she had never worn.

Once that was done, after a quick glance at the clock she knew she’d have just enough time for a shower before her Mother arrived and the grueling questioning began. She put her mobile phone on to charge and couldn’t help swallowing nervously when she saw all the missed calls from Eric. She wasn’t game to listen to his voice messages, she would end up in tears again, so she ignored them for now, telling herself she’d listen to them later, after her Mother had left.

She had her shower and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before going back downstairs to wait for her Mother. She operated on auto pilot, determined not to think about what happened, how her world had fallen apart, the fact that she was pregnant to a man who didn’t want her or a child. Well technically he doesn’t know there’s a child, she told herself.

Natasha poured herself a glass of water and sat on the lounge, turning on the TV and aimlessly flicking through channels. There was a knock at the door and she jumped violently. She was strung about as tight as she could get and when she got up to open the door for her Mother, she took a few deep slow breaths to try and calm herself down. Before she opened the door, Natasha peered through the peep hole just to make sure there wasn’t a completely irate Eric standing on the other side, although he probably wouldn’t have made his way through Sydney yet, if he was going to come to her as Maggie predicted. He might have the power of position and wealth to get things he wanted, but not even he could part heavy Sydney traffic and make his way through it faster than everyone else.

It was a relief to see her Mother standing on the other side and Natasha opened the door to greet her. She stood there with a bag of take away food in her hands. When she stepped inside and put her arms around Natasha to hug her, Natasha burst into tears. “Oh baby girl, what’s happened?” Her Mother asked, her hand going up to run over Natasha’s hair soothingly. “What’s that man done to you? Talk to me baby girl.”

Natasha cried even harder. “Mum, it’s all so awful.” She sobbed. “It’s Eric, my boss. We went away for some time alone. It’s was so wonderful but today it all came crashing down. He hates me, he doesn’t want me and I love him so much.” She pulled away from her Mother to drop down on the lounge again, her legs suddenly threatening to give way.

Her Mother sat down next to her and put her hand out, taking Natasha’s in her own. “Why would you think he hates you Natasha? Talk to me sweetheart. What’s happened?”

Slowly and struggling to hold herself together, she told her Mother about meeting up with Eric in the hotel, then him asking her to come to Tasmania with him. She talked about the horses, meeting Thomas and Maggie and finally she told her about their fight and how Eric had told her he didn’t want her and how he’d driven off, coming back right when she was leaving for the airport. “He was so angry Mum, he told me to fuck off.” She burst into a fresh round of tears.

“Oh Natasha, I don’t know what to say baby girl to make it hurt less for you. What about your job? Do you still have a job?” She asked and Natasha shrugged.

“I don’t know Mum. Maggie rang to say Eric had left Tasmania and she seems convinced he’s going to come here but I don’t know. He was so mad, you have no idea how angry he looked and I can’t imagine he’d come here, I can’t imagine he’d want me as his PA anymore. I think I’m the last person he wants to see.” She dissolved in another flood of tears. She cried for what felt ages before finally her tears stopped and all through her uncontrollable sobbing, her Mother had simply held her.

“Have you eaten Natasha?” She asked and Natasha shook her head. “I haven’t been home long and there’s not much food in the house. I need to go shopping.”

“Well come on baby girl, I brought dinner and you’re going to eat whether you feel like it or not.” Her Mother ordered. “I’ll get plates and we can eat on the lounge. Don’t you move sweetheart.” She got up to go and organise the food for them both. While her Mother put out dinner for them, Natasha went into the powder room to splash water on her face and try and get herself back under control. She looked terrible, her eyes were blood shot from so much crying, she was puffy under her eyes and her nose had gone a not so attractive shade of red. As she stared at herself, her mind drifted back to just 24 hours ago and she couldn’t believe how much things had changed and so quickly. She had been so happy with that little ray of hope inside that Eric was beginning to care for her, but that was gone, torn apart, destroyed forever.

“Natasha, get out here baby girl and come eat.” Her Mother’s voice called to her and Natasha went back out to join her so they could have dinner. Even though she’d brought Natasha’s favourite seafood vol-au-vents, she could only eat some of them, spending most of her time pushing her food around on her plate with her fork. She tried to make herself eat more for her Mother’s sake and also for the sake of her tiny baby nestled in her womb, but she just couldn’t do it and finally she gave up. “I’ll put this away for tomorrow Mum. I’m sorry, but I just can’t do this tonight. I’m so tired, I don’t even have the energy to eat anymore.”

Her Mother sighed. “Ok baby girl. I’ll let you off this time but don’t let that man make you sick. If you don’t eat properly you will become run down. He’s not worth it Natasha. If he can make you this unhappy he sure as hell isn’t worthy of my little girl.” She pulled Natasha into her arms.

“So what’s going on in your life Mum.” She asked, desperate for something to take her mind off Eric and her Mother’s constant chatter would help. Seeming to realise that Natasha needed something to take her mind off her problems, she spent the next hour chatting away about her craft group and the various ladies in the group. It was when Natasha nearly dozed off that her Mother stood up and turned to her. “Ok baby girl, you need to get yourself to bed. If you’re sure you’ll be alright, I’ll leave you to get some rest.”

Natasha yawned. “Thanks Mum. Thank you for dinner. I love you.” She hugged her Mother, fighting not to give in to the tears that threatened again.

“I love you too baby girl.” She gave Natasha another hug and they both walked to the door. Natasha pulled it open for her Mother and both women gasped in shock because standing at the door, one hand raised as if he’d been about to knock and with an intense rage burning in his brilliant blue eyes, was Eric.

                                                                              Chapter 20.

Natasha’s eyes widened in shock when she saw him standing at her door. She gaped at him for a moment before she panicked and tried to swing the door shut. Eric’s foot shot out stopping her and he shoved it open again, stepped inside and closing the door. She backed up, fear replacing her shock. Eric advanced on her until she finally hit the edge of the lounge and tumbled onto it.

“Eric, I presume?” Her Mother said and his eyes swung to her in surprise. He had been so focused on Natasha it was like he hadn’t even noticed the presence of her Mother in the room.

“Yes.” he ground out. “And you would be?” He looked at her for a moment before recognition dawned in his gaze. “You must be Natasha’s Mother. She’s the spitting image of you.”

“Yes I am.” She said. “And as for you, I’ve heard a lot about you and nothing good so far.” Natasha cringed at her Mother’s words. “Way to go Mum,” she thought to herself. Eric was looking like he was close to exploding as it was. She didn’t need her Mother making things worse.

“What do you want Eric?” Natasha asked her tone weary.

His gaze returned to her. “I would prefer to have this discussion in private.” He said but Natasha’s Mother jumped in between them.

“I’m not leaving you alone with my daughter. I think you’ve done enough damage for one day.”

Natasha watched Eric’s jaw tighten but he kept his anger under control and forced a smile to his face as he replied. “Fine Mrs Barrington, if that’s the way you want it.”

“Call me Kathryn.” Her Mother said and Natasha groaned silently. “Don’t tell me Mum is being taken in by his good looks.” She thought to herself. She turned her attention back to Eric as he towered over her from her position cowering on the lounge. He was so unbelievably sexy. Even as angry as he was, her mouth went dry at the sight of him. She could see the lines of strain on his face as he struggled to rein in his anger in front of her Mother and as he looked down at her, something flashed briefly in his eyes before the rage was back and she braced herself for him unleashing his fury on her.