Tolerance (Heart of Stone) (3 page)

I narrowed my eyes on Greg “Did you phone Mason?” I asked
slowly. He shrugged “I can’t understand why he said that to you Ava. Its total
opposite of how he feels” he shook his head sadly and took a gulp of his coffee
“What do you mean?” I cocked my head at him and he eyed me nervously as though
he realised what he’d just said “Erm nothing” I could see him mentally kicking
himself “Greg?” Courtney asked with a warning tone.

“This does not leave this room” he glared at us both and
we nodded and then he turned to me “He’s a mess without you Ava. He’s
constantly moody and angry. He’s drinking every night and a couple of weeks ago
he got raging drunk in the club and me and Sam had to carry him out and take
him home but he just kept mumbling how much he loves you and misses you and
then started going on about hurting you and biting you or something” he said
quietly and gave me a timid smile.

I instinctively rubbed the scar on my neck and sighed “He
turned up at mine drunk a couple of weeks ago. Kind of got a bit heated…he lost
control and got a bit rough”

Courtney flew out of her chair and Greg’s face darkened
and I put my hands up to placate them “No, no nothing I couldn’t handle, he
just kind of…well you know” I cringed and Courtney snorted “Oh Yeah, I’ve seen
the DVD remember” she winked and then chuckled “DVD?” Greg asked and I shook my
head with a laugh and she turned to him “Let’s just say Ava and Mason have
pretty…what shall we say? Very
active
sex” she pursed her lips and I widened my eyes at her but she waved me away and
chuckled.

 
Greg’s eyebrows
lifted and then he chuckled “I’m sure I could manage ‘active’ if that’s what
makes you hot Baby” he grabbed Courtney and pulled her onto his lap as they
both laughed.

I missed that sense of intimacy and fun with someone you
loved, the simple act of sitting in his lap and feeling his breath on my neck
as his arms circled and held me. “I’m gonna get off, laundry and shopping” I
stood and bend down to kiss Courtneys cheek “Enjoy your week away” I smiled as
her eyes twinkled and left them to carry on with what I had interrupted.

I rang Kerrie Sunday morning “Hey Sweetie” she greeted
after the second ring “Hi, how are you Hun?” I asked “I’m good, how’s my little
people?!” I smiled at her reference “That’s why I’m ringing you actually. I
have a scan tomorrow and wondered if you wanted to come and say hi to them?”

She was silent for a moment “What time Ava?” I frowned at
her reluctance “11:30” I said simply and she huffed “Oh sweetie, I have my
chemo at 11:00”

I had forgotten about her treatment, that’s why I heard
her hesitancy “Hey, no problem. I’ll be fine on my own. You sort yourself out
Hun” I told her and I heard her pause again “Won’t Courtney be going with you
Ava?” she asked slowly “No, she’s in France at the moment with Greg. It’s no
problem Kerrie” I heard her sigh heavily “What about Mason?” she asked
cautiously and I swallowed my sadness down “Erm No, he’s made it quite clear
he’s not…well not bothered. Honestly Kerrie, it was just a thought. I’ll make
sure you are available for the next one, how’s that?” she chuckled “Blow my
little people a kiss from their Aunty Kerrie” she chirped happily and I beamed
down the phone “I will, the peanuts send you their love” I told her and she
giggled, already aware of my nickname for my babies.

So this is why Monday morning I was sat outside the
sonographer’s room alone, a large bottle of water tucked under my arm and a jar
of peanut butter in one hand with a finger from the other hand scooping huge
quantities into my mouth.

My phone alerted me to a text and I tried to balance the
jar between my knees so I didn’t have to stop gorging out

COURTNEY

Hey Babe. France is
wonderful…not that we’ve seen much ;-) give the peanuts a wave from me

Love ya xxx

I was face down texting a reply when I caught a glimpse
of someone sit in the empty chair next to me.

ME

I will
,
I’m glad you are having fun. Stop being such a horny tart
and enjoy France ;-)

Luv ya too xxx

I took another scoop of butter while I answered another
text I had received from George and sighed in pleasure

“What the hell are you eating now?” Masons voice asked
from beside me. I jolted and spun my head round and stared wide eyed at him, in
shock or disbelief, I wasn’t sure which or if it was both.

 
He looked his
usual gorgeousness, wearing a fitted white shirt and grey tie and those grey trousers
than skimmed his hard, toned backside and I was already willing him to stand up
so I could catch a glimpse of it.

“Erm hi” I stuttered and he smiled sheepishly “Bit of a
shock?” he smiled now, his eyes glittering and my heart melted “Erm…yeah” I
couldn’t seem to form eligible words. He looked away with a guilty expression
on his face “Erm how did you…?” I frowned and he turned back to me “Kerrie rang
me” he said simply “Oh” My heart sank, I had hoped he’d
wanted
to be here not been made by his sister to come. He frowned
at me when he saw my sad expression “I asked her if she’d heard from you and
she said you were here today so I asked her what time and well, here I am” he
shrugged but smiled softly at me “I owe you an apology Ava” he said
shamefacedly but I shrugged at him “Why, for being honest?” he scowled at me
when the door to the side of us opened

“Ava Stone” the technician called and I shoved the peanut
butter in my bag and stood up “Oh hey Ava” he smiled as he swiftly shifted his
eyes over me; it was the same man from my previous scan and I was surprised he
remembered me with the amount of people he got to examine every day. I grinned
happily at him “Hi” he gestured for me to enter the room and I took a step
forwards but Mason didn’t move.

I turned back to him and his gaze was fixed on the
technician, his eyes were narrowed and his fists were tight and I frowned at
him. Was he scared? “You
coming?”
I asked softly and
his eyes flicked to mine and the haze in them cleared suddenly and he nodded.

“Bed Ava” the technician winked at me and patted the blue
sheeted examination table beside him and I shook my head in humour, noticing
that his name badge identified him as Ethan Havenshaw.

I scrambled on and lay back as Mason took the seat beside
me, still glaring at Ethan “I’m just gonna lift your dress Ava” he said as he
rolled it up to under my breasts and I grimaced at the slight snarl that
rumbled in Masons throat “Why didn’t you wear something he could pull down
instead of up?” Mason grumbled and I glowered at him “Because, I can’t get my
belly in any of the trousers or skirts I’ve got. It was either this or joggers”
I snapped and he huffed.

Ethan looked at us wide eyed “Erm are you Ava’s partner?”
he asked and I shook my head “He’s the father but we’re not together” I
informed him and Mason stiffened. What the hell had I done wrong now? Ethan
smiled timidly and squirted some Gel on my stomach “Ready mum?” he smiled and
swiped my stomach with the transducer.

My heart flipped as my babies emerged on the screen
“There they are” he smiled and clicked away at the keyboard. “Hey peanuts” I
grinned and I felt Masons hand slip into mine.

I turned to look at him and my heart skipped a beat; he
had tears in his eyes and the extreme look of awe on his face halted my breath.
“Hey” I said softly and he swallowed and turned slowly to me, his eyes were so
full of love and adoration that I instantly felt the prick of tears in my own.
He stroked his thumb across my knuckles and I pulled in a sharp breath at the
familiarity of it “There’s thousands of fragments of me and you, bundled up
into two little lives Ava” he whispered.

OH WOW!!
His
words choked a sob from my throat and he leant down and placed his lips against
my forehead, softly kissing me as another tear rolled down my cheek. He closed
his eyes and rested his lips against my head for a moment and then sighed
loudly as if it physically hurt him and sat back up.

Ethan was frowning slightly at us but a small smile
played at his lips “Picture mum?” he asked warmly and I nodded “Dad?” he lifted
his brows in query at Mason who also nodded.

We sat hand in hand staring at our babies until Ethan
smiled at us “The peanuts are growing nicely Ava” he winked “You remembered” I
smiled “How could I forget, there’s not many patients who call their babies
peanuts” he chuckled and I felt Masons’ hand tighten in mine. Was he jealous?

Ethan reached out with a piece of towel to wipe my
stomach and Mason practically snatched it from him “I’ll clean her” he snapped
and I rolled my eyes at Ethan and mouthed ‘sorry’, he smirked and shook his
head slightly as Mason gently wiped across my stomach and swallowed hard as he
got near my knicker line. He smiled sheepishly at me as he traced along the
edge and I raised an eyebrow at him.
Seriously?
He’d been
closer than that plenty of times.

I climbed from the bed and lowered my dress “See you in a
few weeks Ava. They want to keep a close eye on you after last time” he
informed me as he passed us the photos and Mason slipped his hand in mine
again, a sad look flicked across his eyes and I squeezed his fingers.

He smiled softly and pulled me from the room; his hand
gripping mine tightly and we made our way to the lift to take us back down to
the ground floor. He was silent and morose as we descended and when we exited
he stopped and turned to me “You want to grab a drink?” he asked quietly and I
shrugged, confusion written in my face “God Ava, I just want to buy you a
coffee” he said with a scowl “Okay” I squeaked and he smiled then, his
beautiful, just for me smile and I had to inhale sharply at the sight of it.

He was still demanding my hand as we walked into the
hospital café and got in line “You want anything to eat?” he asked, glancing at
me and I grinned and picked up a chicken salad sandwich, a sausage roll, a
packet of ready salted crisps and a blueberry muffin. Mason eyes widened and
his jaw dropped at my selection “Wow, you hungry Ava?” he smirked and I smiled
shyly “The peanuts will demolish this lot within 30 minutes” I informed him
with a huff “Peanuts? I keep hearing that word today” he said as we shuffled up
the queue “It’s mine and Courtneys nickname for the babies” I shrugged and
snatched up a packet of shortcakes. Masons eyes shot from me to the tray and I
smiled ruefully.

He ordered our coffees and we found a table near the
window and I tucked in immediately. Mason sat in silent awe as I devoured
everything “Wow” he said “Hey, I was hungry” I scolded as I took a gulp of my
coffee “Really?” he mocked and I narrowed my eyes on him but a huge grin
erupted on his face “I really hope the peanuts don’t starve” he said in mock
seriousness and I grinned back at him.

He gazed into his coffee for a moment and then looked
back at me “I didn’t mean what I said to you yesterday” he said softly and I
shrugged. His hand shot across the table and rested over mine “I mean it Ava. I
was just…just angry at seeing you…Not like that!” he said as my eyes widened “I
was just angry and sad and pissed that what we had…well, it’s gone and I lost
you” he said quietly and lowered his eyes. I sighed heavily and placed my other
hand over his “You can’t begin to imagine how sorry I am Mason, I hate myself
for what I did to you…to us” I bit my bottom lip “The babies…they
are yours
Mason, Kade didn’t…didn’t, you
know” I cringed as his face hardened “I’m sorry Mason but I had to tell you, I
don’t want you thinking they are Kades…” I trailed off quietly as I saw his
expression harden

“I know they’re mine Ava because my mum and Kerrie were
born to twins” he divulged and my mouth opened. He gave me a small smile “We
lost Kerries twin brother to cot death when he was six months old” he took a
sip of his coffee “I’m sorry” I whispered and he shrugged “I don’t remember
much but it was after this that my mum shut down with me and Kerrie, she
couldn’t handle the grief when she looked at us I guess” he said sadly and I
nodded “I just wanted to explain best I can about Rebecca though Ava” he sighed
and I bit my lip harder at the mention of her name “I have to go to all
Rebecca’s appointments Ava, it’s not because I want to, it’s just well…I have a
part to play” he sucked his lips and stirred his coffee froth with his spoon “I
don’t understand” I said, thoroughly bewildered by his statement but he just
shrugged and I gathered that was the only piece of information he was going to
give me

“She’s due soon isn’t she?” I asked, trying to keep the
bitterness from my voice. His eyes slowly slid up to mine “She’s booked in for
a caesarean at the end of March” he shifted his eyes away as I choked on my
coffee “What the hell?” I near shouted and he winced but then realisation
dawned and he looked at me sharply “No, no Baby. Do not think that I slept with
her while I was with you” he held my hand tightly “Please don’t ask me to
explain, it’s too complicated but I need you to know that I
DID NOT
sleep with Rebecca when were
together” I shook my head rapidly “Oh come on Mason. She was due at the
beginning of February and now all of a sudden she’s not due until the end of
March. That makes it pretty fucking clear to me”

I stood up swiftly, knocking my chair backwards and
grabbed my bag. His eyes were closed as though he was struggling internally
with something but he just slumped back.

I bit back a sob and stormed from the café, knocking a
perplexed Ethan out of the way as he entered the room “Ava” Mason shouted but I
ignored him and scurried back to my car.