AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Arabella and I were waiting until we could tell you together,” Xavier said. Then added, “Apparently. I can’t actually recall any of this for myself.”
The door burst open once more and all three turned to look in that direction, only to see Elizabeth walk in, the phone tucked under one ear and Xavier’s body tightened. She’d withdrawn so hard and fast from him that he’d taken to picking up whatever crumbs he could – he watched her whenever he was able. At times like this, when she was distracted and relaxed, and he imagined how it would be if she were like this more often. All the time.
“I don’t know if he’s taking new patients but I’ll find his number,” she said, not looking up, her eyes scanning the room for something else entirely. She moved quicker once she located her iPad, lifted it and then turned.
When she saw Xavier’s parents, she dropped the phone to the floor. It clattered loudly, skittering across the room. Xavier scooped for it, his expression impossible to discern. He handed it to Elizabeth and came to stand beside her.
“Nell? I’ll have to call you back. No. Everything’s fine.” She disconnected the call and slipped her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, her air of relaxation completely evaporated.
Xavier was aware of the three of them staring at one another, silent, watchful, confused as all hell. And then Elizabeth lurched forward, an forced smile on her face – her expression so different to how he’d ever seen it. “You must be Xavier’s parents,” she said, softly, the words trembling. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Maria’s face was pale – Xavier couldn’t blame her. He could have prepared her better for this but he hadn’t particularly wanted to risk anyone saying or doing anything to upset an already perilous situation.
“You’re…”
“My name is Elizabeth,” she said, and Xavier watched as Roberto moved forward and put his hand in Elizabeth’s.
No one spoke. They continued to stare at one another. It was all very sensible and yet didn’t seem to make any sense.
“You had a baby,” Maria murmured.
“Yes.”
Maria was becoming increasingly wan, and Elizabeth noticed. “Would you like to come to the kitchen and have some water? Perhaps sit down?”
Maria nodded, her lips compressed tightly.
Xavier moved closer, his expression serious. “We’re getting married in three hours,” he said, a warning note for his mother contained in the simple statement.
But it was Elizabeth who flinched, and his chest rolled with the certainty that this wedding was the last thing she wanted. Now who was being selfish?
“You’re … you were pregnant,” Maria murmured, shaking from the shock of the last few minutes.
“Yes.” Ellie was awash with emotion. Anger, grief, guilt, pain, and resentment. They all bubbled through her, tearing her apart and somehow making her defiant too.
“His engagement was over. That weekend with you; it wasn’t an affair.”
“I know that now,” Ellie agreed, moving to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. She handed it to Maria, the older woman’s fingers shaking.
“I thought he’d just… I thought you were just some woman. I needed to save his engagement. He was in a coma and couldn’t speak for himself so I thought… I truly believed…”
“You thought I was just some random hook up,” Ellie supplied.
Maria’s eyes flashed.
“I wasn’t. He loved me, and I loved him.”
Maria’s expression showed shock and pain. “I had no idea…”
“No.” Ellie stood, the pointlessness of it all hurting her now.
“I saw you there and presumed the worst. I… there was a time, some years ago, when Roberto… when I had to go through that. My husband had an affair and it almost destroyed me. I wanted to spare Arabella from the same pain. I didn’t think…”
“You thought I meant nothing to him, and you wanted to get rid of me, no matter what.”
“Si,” Maria agreed, her eyes rounded with surprise as the realisations began to explode.
“You have to believe me, I had no idea about their broken engagement.”
