Chapter 37 #3
“We are going nowhere with you. We don’t want to come to your house ever again.
” Cal’s face crumples, but Noah is glaring at Nigel.
“I’ll never forgive you for saying those things about Mum.
And I will never agree to come to live with you.
We’ll tell the court what you’ve done.” His face is white and blotchy, suffused with anger, but his voice is loud and clear.
“I’ve done nothing other than tell the truth. Get in the damned car.”
“No.” Noah pulls Nathan closer and pushes him behind my dad’s legs.
“Nigel, take your boy home.” Dad points to Cal, who is also now crying. “You’re upsetting everyone.”
“I’m taking all of my boys home,” Nigel demands.
“No, Nigel, you are not.” I’m not sure how I’m still standing, but I am. For my kids, I am. “They are due with you at the weekend. If they want to come, they’ll be there, as agreed.”
He looks over at Noah, still protecting Nathan, and down at a crying Carlton.
“This is not over.” He storms out, leaving Cal behind.
Cal comes over to Nathan and Noah. “We’re still brothers, aren’t we?”
His little voice breaks my heart in two. How can Nigel do this to his kids? This is bordering on mental torture.
“Always, Cal.” Noah touches his hands, as if he’s communicating with him.
Nathan does the same as he can’t get any words out.
We hear Nigel shout to Cal from outside, and the boy runs out the front door.
Louise dashes forward, shuts the door and locks it, then turns and leans her back against it like a secondary barrier.
Kneeling down in front of Nathan, I put one arm around his shoulders and my other around Noah's waist and pull them as best I can into a hug. “It’ll be alright, boys. Things just need to calm down.”
“Well I’m not going to Dad’s unless he promises we can come home again.” Noah is glaring at me. “Have you spoken to Jude?”
I shake my head. I daren’t tell him I just cocked it all up again. “I’m going to call him tomorrow. I’m waiting for things to cool down.” I think Jude will speak to me. We both just need time. “In fact, I’m going to go see him tomorrow,” I state with conviction.
Both the boys nod, obviously choosing to believe me. Or at least hope they can.
Dad distracts them with a bit of cricket on the TV, and they all go into the family room.
“Did it not go well on the phone?” Louise asks me. “Was he annoyed? It looked really shady. I’m surprised Jude was still on the phone, to be honest.” She looks at me and then at Mum, filling her in. “Nigel tried to grab the phone from Emma and told Jude to eff off.”
“He hung up on me,” I admit in a small voice. “But I’ll go into work tomorrow and go see him. Explain. He wants to get married. I need to tell him yes.” I watch their reactions, not sure what to expect.
Louise breaks into a huge grin. “Wow, married. That’s fantastic. It’s obvious he adores you. And you light up, Emma. Any time you see or hear him.” She comes and gives me a hug.
“That’s amazing. I’m so pleased for you, love. Have you told the boys?” Mum asks, casting looks towards the family room.
“No, so please don’t say anything. I need to sort a lot out with him. Tell him everything that’s been going on. It’s a lot, Mum.” I put my head down and tears fill my eyes.
“Sit down and tell me. I’ll fill your dad in later.”
An hour later, after lots of Baileys—neat first, then with ice—Louise and I finish telling Mum about all the problems. She is steaming angry.
“I can’t believe the gall of that man. To come in here, pretend like he’s the doting dad, when all the time he’s trying to ruin your business.
Drag you into court. Get you to move and try to take the kids from you.
” A pretty good run down of my life at present.
“Wait til I see him on his own. He’s getting a piece of my mind.
” Mum is blowing like a stampeding elephant.
“But why haven’t you told us, Emma? You didn’t have to shoulder all this on your own. Have you told Jude anything?”
“No,” I state in a little voice. “I didn’t want to appear weak. I wanted to get the business through this patch myself. I would have felt like I was taking handouts.”
Mum huffs a breath, plainly telegraphing her thoughts on that.
“I would, Mum.” I don’t even try to hide the exasperation in my voice.
“He offers all the time. But I don’t want to be beholden to anyone.
I’ve struggled hard these last eight years.
To make sure I stand on my own two feet.
Jude makes it really easy, but at the end of the day, if he changes his mind, if he decides the kids are hard work, and I’m not worth the effort anymore…
Where does that leave me?” I look from one to the other, trying desperately for them to understand.
“He wanted me to move in with him. But Nigel would insist I sell this house. It’s the only security I have.
” My voice is rising to a crisis point, my fear strangling me.
“Yes, but Jude said he wanted to give you property, and for it to be in your name to give you security. Not sure how that makes him trying to scam you? Or put you on the streets with three kids.” Mum has put on her logic hat.
And Louise has joined her. “So let’s get this right. The billionaire Jude Greystone wants to marry you. Give you a house.” Louise is listing the items one by one.
“Houses,” adds Mum. “He said houses.”
“Houses,” parrots Louise. “He wants to take you on holidays. I heard him asking you loads of times.” She points at me as I open my mouth to argue. “And pay for them. I know for a fact. When we were sorting your diary for Devon, he told me.”
“I couldn’t think straight. I’d got Nigel, the courts—”
“Which he could help with. Apply pressure in the industry. But you never asked him. We work in construction. He is construction in the UK.”
“I want to do it on my own.” I’m frantically looking for them to understand. But I can see they don’t.
“I think, Emma, you were frightened. And understandably so. Nigel has tried to trample you into the ground for years. And it didn’t end when he left you, he’s continued ever since.
” Mum pulls me into a hug. “It’s not weak to ask for help and support.
If anything, it shows how determined you are to make the most of your business.
I think you were frightened to give your heart to Jude. In case he leaves like Nigel did.”
She looks down at me, and I don’t try to stop the tears rolling down my face.
She gentles her voice, holding my face in her hands.
“Not every man is Nigel. Thank god. It’s time to move on, Emma.
Truly move on. Allow yourself to love again.
And more importantly, be loved.” She kisses the end of my nose.
“I do love him. I just hope I haven’t left it too late.”
My stomach is in turmoil. I’m starting to feel dizzy. My blood pressure must be running rampant. And I need to make this right. I need Jude.