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‘I never stopped loving you, Freya.’
‘Don’t you understand how that sounds? Whatever we felt for each other back then was wrong and disgusting. I have memories in my head that keep replaying and I don’t ever want to see them again.’
‘We did nothing wrong. We didn’t know.’
‘That doesn’t make it alright. God, what sort of freak am I? My mother sleeps with my boyfriend and now I’ve slept with my half-brother. Any more and they could probably dedicate a whole episode of Jerry Springer to me.’
‘So, where do we go from here?’
‘Where do we go from here? Well, I suggest you go that way and I’ll go in the opposite direction. You didn’t expect us to get together and all be one big happy family, did you?’
‘I didn’t expect anything, but would that be such a bad thing?’
‘You’re serious, aren’t you? You think you and I and our father can put our differences aside and let bygones be bygones! Jonny, you’re completely insane. I can hardly bear to look at you.’
‘I never had any siblings growing up.’
‘Well, go back to Daddy. Ask him how many other prostitutes he slept with. There might be a whole new multi-cultural family waiting out there for you. We might even have to expand Friends Reunited to fit us all on there.’
‘Can you blame me for wanting to be part of your life? We’ve missed out on so much.’
‘Perhaps I’m not being plain enough. Stop sending me letters. Stop breaking into my house and ruining perfectly good photos of Nick and me. And stop with the floral tributes. I don’t want your money. I don’t want your help with the Every Day project and I don’t want to see you again. For all I care, you can go ahead and build a giant Recuperation Inn on this very spot.’ She’d yelled so loud, her throat hurt and tears were pricking her eyes.
‘I never meant to hurt you.’
‘Then you didn’t try very hard.’ She got into the car and slammed the door shut. Her fingers shook as she turned the key. She performed a U-turn, leaving Jonathan in her dust.
She trembled as she drove, her emotions overloaded. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. All the good times she had with Jonathan, all the memories they’d shared together and the love they’d felt for each other had been destroyed. Recalling their time together would never be the same now their relationship had changed so drastically. All Freya felt now was hurt and disappointment of the severest kind. The foundations of her life had been built upon lies and deception and here she was, preparing for motherhood. She knew all the things she wanted to teach her child, things she had to learn for herself through trial and experience. But would she really be able to do it when so much of her world had been based on untruths?
She needed to stop thinking about it so much. She needed to get absorbed in something else. She turned off the main road and headed for County Bridge.
29
At Whitewood House, Nicholas sat in the study trying to read through the same script. Ordinarily, he’d be reading outside but the weather had worsened. The sky was filled with grey clouds that threatened snow and there was a biting wind that chilled you to the bone. He took off his glasses and laid them on the desk, rubbing at his eyes. All he could hear was banging and drilling as the security team installed cameras and more equipment to secure the house. He wasn’t getting very far and the lines had to be learnt before his trip to Africa.
There was a knock on the door.
‘Yeah, Roger, come in.’ He put the script to one side and swigging back the remains of his cup of tea.
Roger entered.
‘Sorry to bother you. Sasha’s here.’
‘Hey, Sasha. Come on in,’ Nicholas invited as she stepped forward and Roger ducked back out.
‘Would you like a drink?’
‘Oh, well I don’t want to disturb you if you’re busy. I just thought while Freya is out, I’d drop some things round here to surprise her.’ She shook a pair of shopping bags at him.
‘I’m about done. I can’t seem to concentrate with all the noise going on. Would you like some tea?’
‘Well, maybe a quick one. I want to get back to the office before Freya does, though. Don’t want her to think I’m slacking off.’ She checked her watch.
‘I’ll make it quick. Hey, Roger! You and the guys want tea?’ Nicholas called up the stairs.
‘No thanks, Nick. We’re all good up here.’
‘You make everyone tea?’ Sasha exclaimed.
