Strong (Kindred #1) (13 page)

“Take this food away from me!” Harry groans, pushing the food away from him.

“Pass it to me, I’ll eat it.” Carter grins, pulling the left over food towards him.

“Carter, where is all that food going? You’ve eaten more than all of us put together.” Megan laughs.

“I’m hungry, I’m always hungry.”

“So how come there isn’t an ounce of fat on you?” Harry asks, drinking his beer.

“I run, I swim, I go to the gym, not to mention I work on my feet all day. I don’t get a chance to sit down until the end of the day and I’m usually too tired to do anything except sleep then.”

“But I know you eat junk. Megan, he bought enough chocolate and junk to feed the whole of this apartment block on the drive back from Cornwall.” I tell her.

“I didn’t eat it all that day!” he tells us, trying to defend himself.

“How much is left?” I ask him.

“A couple of candy bars and a bag of chips.”

“You bought loads and you’ve basically eaten everything!”

“I had a midnight snack.” he replies, flashing me his smile.

“I love a midnight snack,” Harry announces. “Nothing better than a
—
”

“I beg you to keep it clean.” Megan groans, covering his mouth.

“How can you make it dirty?” Carter asks.

Harry pulls Megan’s hand off his mouth and leans back, I’m almost certain what’s about to come out of his mouth so I cover my ears and squeeze my eyes tight shut.

“If you’re eating your gir
—
”

“NO!” Megan shouts, getting up and climbing into his lap and kissing him.

I’m impressed with the speed she moves at. She silences her husband and Carter looks at me a little confused. I look at him and look at him and eventually it clicks.

“Dude!” he laughs.

“Stop it.” Megan scowls at Harry.

“I won’t say it.” he shakes his head and she nods.

“You really need to stop, when this little one arrives, you’re going to have to keep it clean.”

“Babe, they won’t know what I’m talking about for years.”

“I still don’t want you talking like that around them.”

“Time to be responsible, Harry.” I grin at him.

“If our baby knows that my favourite midnight snack is you, I’ll be seriously concerned.” he looks at Megs and grins.

“You had to say it, didn’t you?” she sighs.

“Of course I did, you’re delicious!”

“Enough of that, I want dessert, who wants some?” I announce, getting up to clear the plates away.

“Me! Harry doesn’t get any… And I don’t just mean chocolate.”

She sticks her tongue out and laughs at him. He scowls then flashes her the smile that has her practically melting in her seat.

“Don’t give me those eyes, Harry. Behave yourself.”

“Then can I get some dessert?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” he gets up and walks around the back of her chair, resting his mouth at her ear. “And I don’t just mean chocolate either, gorgeous.” she visibly shudders when he kisses her just below her ear and I can’t help but feel a little jealous.

“Come on Carter, help me put these things away.” I cough, clearing some of the sexual tension in the air.

“Then can I get some dessert?” he asks, picking up a pile of take-out boxes.

“Yes, but only the chocolate kind.”

We’re driving back to my hotel, it’s dark and Carmen has
Aretha Franklin
playing. She looks lost in thought and I don’t know whether I should ask if she’s okay or let her work it out on her own. I don’t know how I’m supposed to help her and I hate it. Tomorrow is a huge deal and if I could take it all away, I would. But I can’t and it sucks. The hotel comes into view and I know I’ll have to say goodbye pretty soon. I try to think of something to say, something that will help her, but my mind is blank. She parks outside and everything goes silent when she switches off the engine.

“Carter,” she asks, turning in her seat to look at me. “Are you really sure you want to come with me tomorrow?”

“Yes. If you want me to, I’ll be there.”

“I do want you to.”

“What time?”

“I’ll pick you up at ten-thirty.”

I look at her and see she’s fighting tears and looks like she’s about ten seconds away from losing it. I unclip my seatbelt and lean over, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, five seconds later the tears come and they don’t stop for a long, long time. When she does pull back, red eyes and wet cheeks, I want to lean in and kiss her, I want to kiss her so she forgets everything bad and remembers everything good.

I don’t though.

Instead I press kiss to her forehead and run my fingers under her eyes, capturing a few stray tears.

“I’ll be here. I promise.” I tell her, cupping her face in my hands.

“Thank you.” she whispers, closing her eyes.

“You need to go home and get some rest before tomorrow. I’m only a phone call away. If you need me, I’ll come over, there are taxis all over the place, I can be there in minutes.”

“You’re incredible, you know that?”

“No, that’s you.” I smile, leaning in again and resting my head against hers.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight Carter.”

I climb out of the car and watch her drive away, as she gets further away I feel more empty, more hollow, than I’ve ever felt in my life. Everything is about to change for her, her life is going to be so very different after tomorrow and she’s trying to deal with it all alone. She’s incredible, the most amazing person I know and if I can make it even a little easier for her, I will.

I
drive back to Mum and Dad’s and let myself in. They’re still awake, sitting in the lounge watching TV. I slip my boots off and head in to see them.

“Evening, love,” Dad smiles. “Have a good day?”

“Yes thanks, Dad. You?”

“Not so bad.” he smiles.

“You’ve been crying.” Mum states.

“Yes, it all got a little too much. I’m okay.”

“You’re not okay, sweetheart. It’s okay to admit as much.” she tells me sadly.

“I know.”

“While we’re talking about it,” Dad sighs. “What time are we leaving tomorrow?”

“I’m leaving at ten… But you won’t be coming with me.”

“What?” Mum half yells, shocked.

“I know you both want to come with me, but it’s not about what you want. I love you both so much, I promise to let you be there when I need you, but not tomorrow. I need to be strong, and I can’t be with you there. I’ll crumble and that won’t help me.”

“Carmen, please
—
” Mum pleads.

“You want to fight my battles for me, you want to make everything okay, I know you do and you have no idea how much I want you to. But I need to go and see what I’m facing and then… Then I’m going to need you. Both of you.” I look between Mum and Dad and feel helpless.

Watching your child go through something like this must be every parents worst nightmare and they’re living it. I want them to be a part of this, I want them to be there, I need them to be, just not tomorrow.

I will not let them see me fall apart.

“You cannot go alone, Carmen.” Dad pipes up, clearly upset.

“I’m not going alone Dad.” I assure him.

“Then you’ve told Megan?”

“No… I’m going with Carter.”

“Jack’s brother?” Mum smiles.

“We’re friends, Mum. Nothing more. But… I can’t explain it, he’s amazing and strong and he understands me and he’s willing to give up his time here to be with me.”

I don’t tell them he’s willing to leave his home, move in with me and be there for me through everything. That he wants to be my rock, that even though I’ve only known him a couple of days, he already is. That he has the ability to calm me, to soothe my worries and crush my fear. That I know, given time, he will become the most important person in my life if I let him. That scares me and right now. I have to put it into that box at the back of my mind and deal with it later, when I know what’s happening.

“You want a stranger to come with you?” Dad asks, his voice heavy with sadness.

“Dad, I need him to come with me, he’s one step removed from all of this. I don’t know what they’re going to tell me, but I have a good idea. I need to think about me tomorrow and not about how you’re taking what they’ve said. I know it’s going to hurt you both but I need to focus on me. Does that make sense? I love you, you know that.”

“Of course we do,” Mum wraps me in her arms and I fight the tears I feel rising. “We’ll do whatever you want. Whenever you need us to.”

“Thank you.” I whisper. “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I kiss them both, tell them I love them then head upstairs. Tomorrow is going to be difficult enough without me being tired. I brush my teeth, remove my make up and climb into bed. I pick up Walter and hug him to my chest, switching off the light after I text Carter goodnight, because right now he’s the only person who knows what I’m going through and the only person who can make me feel even a little bit better.

Me:
Goodnight Carter. Thank you for today X

Carter:
I didn’t do anything, thank you for letting me cross one thing off my bucket list. Get some sleep. I’m here if you need me X

I wake up to rain.

Of course I do.

It’s almost torrential and hitting my window so hard it sounds like it’s trying to knock the house down. I get up and shower, spending more time than necessary under the hot water. I get dressed and try to empty my mind of all thoughts while I blow-dry my hair. It doesn’t work and all I can think of is what today has in store for me. I head downstairs and I’m greeted by Mum in the kitchen.

“Morning sweetheart.” she smiles.

I know she hasn’t slept, I can see it in her eyes. I can also see she’s been crying. I manage to put a smile on my face and take a seat at the dining table. Dad walks in a few seconds later and stops when he sees me, it’s clear from the look on his face he’s been crying too.

“I’m just going to have coffee then I’ll head off.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to have something to eat?” Dad asks, making me a coffee.

“My stomach is churning, if I eat, it will come back up. I’ll eat after.”