Unnaturals (25 page)

`You want me to leave,' she shrugged, `to give you space?'

`No,' Wilson shook his head. She was important to him. `I want us to be friends, just as it is now. Is that possible? Anything else would be complicated.'

`Anything's possible,' she said, wiping a tear away. `I said I would respect what you have with Sally.'

His throat went tight as she leaned away from him. `And you have.' He touched her leg with a finger. `I feel for you in a different way to Sally. Like we've known each other for ages.'

`Maybe we have, but we just can't remember it.' She slipped her singlet back on.

`Last night was unique for me, Wilson.' Lilly tied back her hair. `I felt safe for the first time since I can remember.'

`You did?' Wilson wriggled his shirt on, trying to not bump her in the cramped space. `Pretty weird, considering what's happened so far.'

`Yep.' She grinned at him and the knot in his stomach faded. `Weird is good. You want some breakfast?'

`I need to go for a run first.' He moved on the moss. `I need to burn some energy off.'

She glanced at him. `Sorry about that.'

`It's fine,' he said, trying to keep his blush controlled. `There's room to run here on the estate?'

`Follow the stone wall. A path beside it runs around the estate,' Lilly said, sliding out of the flower hutch. `I'll meet you in the kitchen?'

`Yeah.' He followed her out. `But you don't have to cook for me, Lilly. I'll have a quick shower first. If you want to wait, I can cook for the both of us.'

`But you're a guest here.' Lilly pushed the glasshouse doors open. `Besides, I like to cook for you. It would make Rose fume.'

`Ha. Good point.' He stretched as the first rays of sunlight crept over the trees.

`See ya,' she said.

Wilson watched until she disappeared into the main house.

He rolled his shoulders, conscious of his tension. Conscious also that he had watched the trees along her path until she had entered the doors and was safe inside.

`Yes, a run,' he muttered, scanning the trees. `Lots of energy to burn this morning.' He headed towards the stone wall he could see through the trees. A path appeared through the trees and he could see it followed the wall. As his pace picked up, Sally filled his mind. He missed her. She had been so happy to hear his voice the night before.

His jog became a paced run.

Lilly's scent still lingered on his skin. Sally's laugh echoed in his mind. Images of the island flashed through him. He needed to hold Sally again, feel her lips on his.

Trees flashed by, his legs pumping hard.

Lilly's pain he understood, and he wanted to be around her. He felt comfortable, protective of her. Maybe more.

A branch lashed his face. He shook it off and the trees became a blur.

The lake house flashed by, mansion and then glasshouse followed. He didn't slow, the cycle repeating again.

Ignoring the burning muscles that he pushed harder.

Burning away the guilt.

 

Ruth sat up, reaching out. Nikki had gone.

She blinked, pushing down the tendrils of fear that had pervaded her sleep. Mason's snoring pulled her back to the bed. He lay flat on his back, Renee almost attached to him, the thin layer of the sheet separating them. Long red hair spread across him like a living blanket.

Ruth reached across, touching his hand. His fingers closed over hers, making her smile. A sound brought a frown. Someone was being sick.

She slipped out of the bed and raced to the bathroom.

`What's wrong?' She helped Nikki stand. `You're sweating and you look terrible.'

`Sick,' Nikki muttered.

Nikki held onto the cabinet while Ruth wiped her face with a towel. `Is it serious?' She ignored a flicker of fear. `We need Eleanor, don't we?'

Nikki slumped, skin cool and clammy. `Take me to the house, please.'

`I've got you. I'm strong when I need to be. It's okay.'

`Feel like shit.' Nikki said, head resting on Ruth's shoulder.

She held Nikki tightly, looking around for a robe.

`Leave it. No one cares here,' Nikki whispered.

Ruth used her gift. `Trust me.' The wave of nausea faded under Ruth's hands and Nikki relaxed.

`Awesome,' Nikki sighed. `Handy after a big night that will be.'

`You're so funny,' Ruth said glancing up the path to the main house. `Hold on.' Ruth ran, holding Nikki, moving fast. Trees flashed past.

`Where's your room?' she asked, stepping up onto the patio.

`Upstairs, turn left and it's the last one.'

`Okay.' Energy sparked from her fingertips to Nikki's skin as they climbed the stairs.

`Ow!' Nikki shuddered in her arms.

`It's all right.' A set of double doors greeted her at the end of the hallway. `We're here.'

`Open,' Nikki muttered and the doors swung open.

`Do you want me to find Eleanor?' Ruth said, focused on getting Nikki onto her bed.

`Nope,' Nikki moaned and held her stomach. `I know what's wrong.'

`What is it? Is it bad?'

`Kind of.' Nikki grabbed Ruth's hand and the sparks flared again. `It's morning sickness.'

`What?' Ruth stopped fussing and fell onto the bed. `But… It was only a couple of hours ago.'

Nikki sighed and closed her eyes. `When I was heavy with my son it was the same.'

`You have a son?' Ruth lay beside her.

`No, he,' Nikki shuddered and Ruth let her gift seep out into her. `He was murdered while still in my womb.'

`Nikki, I'm so sorry.' She shuddered at the thought.

`It happened a very long time ago,' Nikki curled an arm around Ruth. `But what are we going to do? Last night it seemed the right moment, but now
he
doesn't know.'

`No.' Ruth let her breath out slowly. `This is unexpected. Is it normal?'

`We carry our children as you would. Usually.' Nikki shifted beside her. `But I can feel life in me and it's growing fast.'

Ruth rubbed at her eyes. What had they been thinking? `Are we insane?'

`Your idea seems to have worked. We have a child. I could never be with Mason, but… It has happened. We may be insane but you were not wrong.'

Ruth faced her across the pillow. `He's going to be pissed off. We took it without asking or discussing this with him.'

`Or Renee.'

Fear stirred in her as Nikki's face went whiter. `She's going to hate me, Ruth,' she whispered hoarsely. `You have no idea how much she wants to have a family. We have to hide this from them as long as possible.'

`I can't do that.'

`How about until we're sure then. Wait to tell them when the time is right.'

`The time will never be right, Nikki, but we can wait.' Ruth ran hands through her hair. She had never kept anything from Mason before. This was dangerous new ground.

`Okay then. You hungry?'

Ruth stared. `You're hungry? After that?'

`Yeah,' Nikki said, touching her stomach. `Fruit is all I could eat last time.'

`Fruit.' Ruth smiled at her, as she stood. `Fruit I can do.'

Nikki reached. `Thank you for this. Our child.'

`Don't thank me yet.' Ruth squeezed her lover's hand, giddy at once with both delight and shock. `It's only going to get complicated from here on out.'

 

Wilson pushed open the kitchen door, refreshed from his shower. Renee was there, dressed in nothing more a blue bikini.

`Good morning, Master Wilson.'

He stopped, glancing around the kitchen. `Uh, hey. Where are Mum and Dad?'

Renee smiled as she lit the gas grill. `Ruth is upstairs with Nikki. Mason is still asleep.'

Wilson considered looking for Lilly but the smell of the grill awakened his hunger. The door closed behind him. `Does everyone here get up at dawn?'

`No,' she said throwing two steaks onto the grill. `Just the opposite usually.'

Wilson leaned against a bench while Renee busied herself cutting up onions and carrot. He didn't know what to say, and when he thought about it, he discovered that Renee unsettled him.

`I feel the same.'

`What?'

`I don't know what to say.' She shrugged, hand moving so fast the onions seemed to fall apart rather than being cut.

`Say about what?' He nearly drooled at the aroma of the cooking steak.

`I don't know how to talk to you. I'm not good at this.' She scraped sliced onion onto a hotplate.

Wilson tried to hide the sound his stomach made but she smiled more.

`Food is a great equaliser. It helps break the ice.'

`Yeah. Where's the steak? I'll think I'll have one too.'

`Have one of these. I don't mind.' Renee mixed carrot and tomato in with the onion on the hotplate. `I'll have to do more when Mason gets up anyway.'

`Um.' Wilson felt the unease creep back in.

`It is a bit weird,' she said; her smile gone. `He's your father.'

Wilson didn't answer straight away, preferring to watch the steaks cooking as Renee stirred the vegetables. `Yeah.'

`We can decide to not talk about it if you wish.'

She turned the steaks and Wilson controlled his hunger. Renee was trying. He should at least make the effort.

`This situation is different.' He picked up some tongs and moved his steak. `Mum had her girlfriends. That was hard at first but she was still my mum. Plus, she didn't think I knew anyway.'

`But you did?' Renee pulled a steak onto a plate.

`Yeah, it was easier then.'

`But not me?' She stirred the vegies, her hand white on the eggflip.

`I don't know what to say.' He waved his hands around him. `This has happened overnight and the… You with him is hard.'

`You think it is wrong?' The eggflip creaked in her hand. Colour built in her neck.

The question made him stop. What did she really want from him?

`No,' he said carefully. `I don't understand, but that doesn't make it wrong. They're my parents.' He rubbed his nose. `They are who they are, simple as that.'

She scooped vegetables onto her plate. `Want some?'

He grabbed a plate and Renee dished some onto it. Blood pooled on Renee's white plate. `You eat red meat then?'

`Yep. I'm the only one who can.' Renee half-smiled at him. `You know about Darkells and red meat?'

`Lilly told me.' He grabbed his steak and followed Renee.

Her smile faded as they sat. `Lilly?' She stabbed the steak with a fork.

`She's okay. Rose is a bitch though.' Wilson wondered why he had been so quick to jump to her defence. He ate, wondering where Lilly was.

`Lilly's coming,' Renee said. `She knows I'm in here with you. That's why she's not come in yet.'

He stopped eating as Renee sat back and focused on him.

`She is afraid, Wilson. Lilly knows I resent what she said to me on the island. It was very hurtful. What's more, she thinks I want you.'

`What?' Wilson blinked, shocked. `Why would she think that?'

`Because you're Mason's son and probably immune to the curse, the one that stops me from being with a man.'

`You're serious?' He looked the kitchen door, then back at Renee. `Do you? Want me?'

`Oh, please,' she snorted. `You didn't even check me out when you came in. Most men can't help themselves, but since you didn't, we're fine.'

`I, er.' She was right. It was a tiny blue bikini, and she was a beautiful woman, but he didn't see her like he saw Lilly or Sally.

`Go get her, will you? She's heard everything anyway.' Renee waved a fork over her shoulder. `And I promise to stay out of her head.'

`Right.' Wilson stared for a second, until she winked, then he went to the door. Lilly stood on the other side, almost white.

`She was in my head, Wil,' she whispered, hugging herself. `I felt her. I…'

Wilson led her into the kitchen, her hand clammy in his. It was wrong for anyone to be so afraid.

`Renee, this is Lilly. Lilly, this is Renee.' He introduced them, ignoring Renee's expression. `Renee, I like Lilly. We've just met but I feel we're going to be good friends. Lilly is also very sorry for what she said to you on the island.'

He waited as Renee struggled to speak.

`Okay, then. Lilly, this is Renee. Renee is close to my parents and I feel she will be part of my weird family. I don't fancy her and nor does she fancy me, but I don't dislike her either. Renee also promises to stay out of our heads.'

Both stared at him.

`Good, excellent.' He let Lilly go and rubbed his hands together, hoping it had worked. `What would you like for breakfast, Lilly?'

`I, um, eggs?'

`No worries. Where are they?'

`Top shelf. Middle fridge.' Renee pointed with her fork.

Wilson looked at her. She shook her head, a smile forming.

`Thanks. You want anything to drink while I'm there?'

`Juice. Bottom shelf. Thanks.'

`Me too,' Lilly said, leaning against the table, eyes on him.

`Sweet. Anything else need clearing up before I cook some brekkie?' He really hoped there wasn't. Crap, he wasn't even sure if he'd done the right thing.

`Nope,' Renee said, smiling. `I think that's about it, unless you want to sort out who's going to wash up.'

`Me,' Lilly waved her hand. `I don't mind.'

`There you go,' Renee said cutting into her steak while she glanced at Lilly. `Domestic bliss achieved, Wilson style.'

`Yes, well.' He turned away looking at the row of fridges. `Breakfast is only the beginning.'

Mason stretched, feeling around him. He was alone.

`Morning to you, too,' he muttered, rolling out of bed and doing a quick scan of the lake house. The scorched wall and broken glass scattered on the floor remained as a sharp reminder of the night before. Clothes were laid out neatly on a nearby lounge chair.

He slipped on a shirt, shorts and sandals. `Looks like I'm going to the beach today.'

He still didn't feel ready to face the world. Or was it the women? He washed his face, then found a hairbrush and did a quick tidy up. `You ready for this?' he finally asked his refection. `Really ready?' He leaned closer, touching his cheek. `No stubble? Two days without a shave and no stubble and no grey hairs?' He nodded. His reflection nodded back.