Chapter 13 - Love Actually Holly
I’m trying to think of a scenario that could be worse than the one I’m currently in, but I feel like I’ve had a lobotomy and cannot function or process the fact that my ex-boyfriend has just caught me practically fucking his father.
‘Well?’ he spits louder.
‘Should I wait outside while you finish?’ He takes up most of the door frame, looking intimidating as he folds his arms across his chest.
Beside me, Chris swiftly finds his pants and pulls them up while tossing me his shirt to cover up, but I’m a bumbling fool, and I miss catching it, and it falls to the ground.
‘Son…’ Chris’ voice cracks.
‘Son? Oh, fuck right off with your ‘son’ shit.’ He bangs his hand on the door, most likely bruising it in the process.
I can tell that he just wants to pummel Chris the way his fist is still clenched.
‘Cole…’ Chris tries again, anguish evident in his voice.
‘How long have you been going behind my back?’ He punches the door again.
I hear a crack and know he’s broken one of his bones immediately.
We hadn’t discussed what we’d say to him because we banked on him never finding out.
I look to Chris for a life raft, but his eyes are trained on Cole.
I suddenly feel like I’m alone on the life raft, drifting out to sea.
No one can save me.
‘Don’t look at him.
I never knew how slutty you were.’ Out of respect for Chris and not wanting to dig this cratersize hole we’ve created any further, I refrain from defending myself.
I look down at the ground, accepting I’m a whore.
‘Please don’t say that about her.’ Chris’s tone is even, but I hear the slight wince in his voice as he defends me against his son.
‘How could you do this to me?’ he now directs his ire toward Chris.
Chris looks gutted.
Scratching the back of his neck before running the same hand down his beard, he contemplates what to say.
‘I’m so sorry.’ He starts, treading carefully with his words.
I notice he has stepped away from me, which makes me feel slightly abandoned.
‘It just happened.’
Good one, Chris.
I internally cringe at his attempt to explain our way out of this.
‘Oh, it just happened? Your dick just managed to find my ex- girlfriend’s pussy?’ Thank fuck I live out in the forest because this is not a conversation I would want to be having within earshot of bystanders.
‘Cole…’ I try.
‘No.
I want to know when this sick, deranged, incestuous affair started.
You’re a frigid fucking bitch.
You wouldn’t even have sex with me apart from a few lousy times, and all of a sudden, you’re jumping on my dad’s cock.
Is it because he’s richer? Or do you just have deep-rooted daddy issues and you want to try and steal mine? You’re a sick little bitch you know that?’ he taunts.
My throat feels like razor blades as I force myself to keep my tears at bay.
‘It wasn’t like that.
I...I’m sorry.’ I see Chris stiffen as I fumble through a non-explanation and pathetic apology.
‘You’re sorry? You’re sorry, full stop, or you’re sorry I found out? You were my girlfriend.
You could be his fucking daughter!’ I don’t respond.
Instead, I stare at the ground again, taking the verbal beating as I wait for Chris to step in, but he doesn’t.
‘And you.’ Cole starts thrashing his hands in Chris’ direction.
‘I knew you were a lousy father, but this is a whole new level.
You practically abandoned me when I was young, then you made the business your focus after she left, and then you go and screw the one girl who I realised was actually good for me, and that I took for granted.
You’re a cunt, and I don’t ever want to see or speak to either of you ever again.’
What baffles me about his entire confession is that I meant something to him.
He was hardly the poster boy for what a boyfriend was when we were dating.
‘Cole.’ I can hear the devastation in Chris’ voice as he pleads with his eyes.
‘What can I do?’ He moves toward him, but Cole shuffles back.
I see Cole sneer, and I know immediately from precedence that whatever he is about to say is going to be evil.
‘Yeah.
There is something you can do, Dad.
Choose.’ My mouth parts in panic, and at the same time, I see Chris blink and inhale harshly.
With those final parting words, Cole spits on the ground, turns on his heel, and stalks off, leaving the door wide open.
It’s a frosty morning, but it’s not just the weather making the temperature arctic inside my home.
I feel the tension seeping from Chris, who is stuck between an impossible rock and an even harder place.
A few more seconds pass before Chris starts haphazardly throwing on the rest of his clothes.
He mutters about his left shoe and starts searching the practically bare room.
I watch him still as a statue with the rug wrapped around my body as I come to terms with the ultimatum Cole just dropped on Chris.
He swipes his phone and keys from the breakfast bar before making a beeline for the open door.
‘I have to make this right.
I’m sorry, Holly.’ He darts out the door before I can even clarify or comprehend his words.
Left naked and stunned, my body starts to shudder from not only the chill boring into my bones but from the shock that Chris just up and left without telling me where we stand.
He may have walked out the door, but I can’t help thinking he’s metaphorically walked out on us as well.
When my body eventually begins to work again, the first telltale sign is the unshed tears that fall from my watery eyes.
Less than ten minutes ago, I was sure I was in heaven, wrapped up in Chris’ arms after professing our true feelings for one another.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that Cole would once again ruin my life.
It wasn’t as if I thought he would throw us a party when he found out, but I hoped we could have avoided mentioning how we met and when.
Lessen the blow a little.
Now, all hopes of that plan have been dashed.
Feeling discarded like an unwanted toy, I crumble to the ground.
I realise I have no one and nowhere to go if I leave Cradle Mountain, but surely I cannot stay here after all that was said and done?
As much as it pains me, perhaps I need to reevaluate my life and take the deal my mother proposed.
How bad could marrying a stranger be?