Chapter 8
Mixing the batter up for pancakes, I dance around the kitchen listening to Every day by Ariana Grande. Rhett is still sleeping, I think he needs to sleep it off, but his family are not so happy with him. Terry, Helen and Jay have all called him, I told them that once he wakes up I will let him know, but I do not want to be on the other side of that conversation.
I sing and dance even though yesterday was not the best night with Rhett. But today is a new day, and anything can happen. Putting the bowl down, I turn to get some strawberries from the fridge and stop as I see Rhett leaning on the door frame, watching me with a smile.
“How long you been standing there?” I ask, taking the strawberries out of the fridge, and walking back over to the counter.
“Long enough,” he smiles as he walks over to me, “I think I might have found a new song to listen too,” wrapping his arms around my waist he pulls me in, for a kiss. “What are we making?” Dipping his finger in the batter, then licking it off.
“Pancakes,” I look up at him smiling at me, I could watch him smile all day every day until I die, without me even having to think about it. My heart is beating so fast that I swear it will shoot out of my chest, giving him a smile I take a step back and get back to making breakfast. “Terry, your mom, and Jay have all called, I told them you would call when you get up.” I watch him walk to the other side of the counter, picking his phone up, “you okay?” I ask him; maybe he might tell me what the evil woman has done now to piss him off.
“If I can wake up knowing that you’re in my life, then I will always be okay, sweetheart.” Rhett looks over at me and gives me a wink, “I best make some phone calls.” He says walking to the other room.
I grab my knife, and poke it hard into the chopping board, maybe not. Somewhere Rhett’s going to slip, and I will find out, and the worst part is, it won’t be Rhett that tells me something it will be from someone else.
I push the thought to the side of my head and continue
I get back to making breakfast, not wanting to keep thinking about this as it’s only going to make me go crazy. I smile at Rhett has he walks back into the kitchen, “So what is the plan for the day?” I ask, pouring the batter into the pan.
“What do you want to do today? I have to go to a meeting late afternoon, if you want we can meet up at the pub, Jay wants to come too.” Rhett asks me sitting the bar stool in front of me.
“Today, I want to stay warm. Sit in front of the fireplace, watch a movie and eat loads of crap.” I smile, “It freezing outside, why would I want to leave this warm house.” Placing the plate in front of him, I walk around the counter to sit down next to him. “You want some coffee?” I ask, getting back of the stool to grab the coffee.
“Please,” moving his mug closer to me, “you sure you don’t want to go out, training starts tomorrow, which means I won’t have much time to do anything.” Rhett takes a mouthful pancakes, “these are good, thank you for making breakfast.” Leaning over to give me a kiss on the cheek.
“I know, but I really just want to chill here today,” I lean on his shoulder, “plus I get to have you to myself for the day,” I say sitting back up. Taking another sip of my coffee and start eating my pancakes.
“I’m going to meet Terry about four, Jay wants to know if he can come over to keep you company,” Rhett asks looking at his phone at the same time.
I look at Rhett for a moment, and think about what to say to him, “I thought if your mom is going to work, I could pop in and…”
“I can give her a call and see if she is at work,” Rhett cuts me off, drinking my coffee, “so this morning what shall we do watch movies, or do something, if this is the playlist I have to listen too.” Picking my phone up off the counter, “you even named it sex playlist,” he starts laughing looking at the songs on there.
“Well, I was thinking I need to burn off the chocolate that I have been eating,” getting off the stool, I put the dishes in the sink, I turn to face him. “So are you going to burn some off too, or fuck me in your head all day?” I ask as I know he is because the only item of clothing I'm wearing is his t-shirt and my shorts, I can tell by looking at him, his doing things to me in his head.
“What would you like me to do to you?” Rhett asks, still sitting where he is.
“Is the front door shut?” There is no way I want anyone walking in on us, and Jay always seems to walks in at the wrong time.
“It is,” Rhett says watching me carefully, “so what would you like me to do?”
“Well, I thought…we haven’t done it,” I watch Rhett walk over to me, and before I can even say anymore, Rhett grabs me by the hip, lifts me up and pushes me against the wall.
“Against the wall in a while,” Rhett says kissing me hard, and yes that is what I was going to say, have no idea why but I do love it when he fucks me up against the wall.
* * *
Lying on the couch my legs stretched out over Rhett, I read a book, as he watches some sports on the TV.
“When we get back to Vegas, I was thinking about moving all my stuff to your place,” I say, I have been thinking about it for a while now. I don’t see why not I mean I spent more time there than I did in my apartment, it’s so silly having to pay rent when I can’t afford it anyway.
“Our place,” Rhett says not taking his eyes off the TV.
“Can I move my stuff into our place?” I ask rolling my eyes at him.
“I know you rolled your eyes at me,” he turns to face me, “your stuff will be at our house before you even get on the plane,” he gives me a wink, “so you best not change your mind.” He says smiling at me, he is going to ring Noah soon as he can get all my stuff there.
“Apart from the pub, where else do you go?” I ask, I want to get to know Rhett I’m in his country, where he grew up.
“The pub and the gym, I will take you there. That’s where it all started, where I met Terry as a troubled child. I would never leave that place.” Rhett says looking at his phone as it beeps. “Mom says that she is going into work in about an hour, and she will be there until you get there.”
“Great. Is there anywhere else you go?” I ask, I mean there must be somewhere else they go to have fun.
“Nope, the gym and the pub, Jay sometimes likes to hit the club, but not as much anymore. The pub is a second home for us,” Rhett puts his phone on the coffee table next to the couch, “Jay wants to take you to Birmingham to Cadbury world, so let him know when you want to go.” Noah emailed me about that place, as he said it would be something that I would want to do, and he was very right I get to see how the chocolate is made, that is something I need to see.
“Okay, will let him know,” closing my book I put it on the table, “I’ve been thinking about us, and I wanted to know how much do you travel in the year?” I ask. I want to know how much time he will spend away from Vegas.
“You have? That’s a good sign, you’re thinking about us in the future, next year I have two fights, one in New York and one in Vegas, so ninety percent I will be in Vegas next year. Might come to England twice, but that only depends on if you come with me.” Rhett lies on top of me, “what are you thinking in the beautiful head of yours?” He asks kissing my neck.
“Nothing while your kissing my neck like that,” I smile, feeling his hand move up my shirt, “you best finish what you start,” I moan as he moves up to my jawline.
“I plan to finish,” brushing his lips with mine, “you are just thinking of a future with me that has made me happy,” Rhett says.
Thinking of a future with Rhett is making me happy, I don’t see my life without him in it anymore. I’m happy.
* * *
“Mom said that we would meet you for dinner at Terry’s, see you later,” Rhett tells me, as he stops the car in front of the building.
“You not coming in?” I ask him.
“No, if I walk in, the kids don’t let me leave, and I have a meeting to get too,” Rhett replies, and I start laughing.
“Okay, I will see you later,” leaning over to give him a kiss, getting out the car, I walk in to the building and look around for Helen.
“Scarlett,” Helen calls me, turning around I see her walking over to me, “so sweet of you to come here today,” she says giving me a hug.
“Thought I would see what you do,” I smile looking around at everyone, “so is this like a home for children or just a place to get together.” I have never actually asked in detail about her work before.
“Yes, we have some children that live here because we haven’t found a good foster home for them, some of the others have a foster home, but come here to play with their friends.” Helen walks around the room and I follow her.
“So the ones in foster homes do you check up on them?” I ask. I feel bad asking but, I want to know how the system works in England because I don’t think it worked for me.
Helen stops and looks at me, “Scarlett what happened to you was wrong on so many levels, but I promise, that every child I have put in the foster system I check up on twice a month,” I give her a smile, and she starts walking again.
I look around at all the children playing, reading, drawing smiling, my eyes stop at a girl looking out the window, sitting by herself.
“I have a few things to do, look around talk to some of the staff if you want,” Helen says giving me a smile as she walks off.
Slowly walking to the girl looking out the window, sitting on the chair next to her I look out the window, she looks over at me, then back outside.
“Hi, I’m Scarlett,” I look over at her, giving her a smile but she ignores me. I look back out the window and sit there in silence. Maybe she has just come here and doesn’t know any of the other children here, she looks about sixteen I would say, I have no idea why I came to sit next to her, but something inside told me too.
“Are you one of the new workers?” She asks still looking out the window.
I let out a little laugh, “no, just a friend visiting,” I answer her, looking out the window, “do you have a name?” I ask, and again she ignores me, I look over at her then I see her wrist, I look up at her face and it's blank as she just looks out the window. “Can I ask a question?” I ask, why did I ask that? I mean I’m not trained to talk to anyone about these things.
“Sure.” The girl says.
“Self-harm or trying to control yourself,” I ask pointing to her wrists, she looks down at them then back outside.
“What do you know,” I’m not sure if that is a question or not, it didn’t sound like a question, I turn my head to look out the window.
“You know when my boyfriend asked me to come to England, I had no idea how cold it would be, but I suppose you guys are used to the weather. I mean it gets cold in Vegas, but here the wind is like ice hitting my face,” I say, trying to start a conversation with her.
“You live in Vegas?” She turns to face me, and I smile, “where do you work? I’m Chloe.” She says.
“I work in a hotel, not the fanciest job in the world,” I give her a smile, “but it’s one of the top hotels, so we get actors, singers, big CEO come stay there.” I tell her, “do you have any friends here?” I ask looking around behind me.
“No, I don’t trust people, they only want to hurt you,” she looks out the window, “but like the other workers you won’t know about that.” She tells me and her tone comes out a little bit harsher.
“I might surprise you, I know more than you think,” I give her a comforting smile, “but I’m not going to push you into talking to me, but instead of looking at the people outside, how about we play a game.” I look at the table next to me, “connect four,” I pick the box up, and place it on our table.
“Okay, so you moved across the world for a man, that sounds stupid.” She says picking the red coins up.
“I haven’t moved here; he just wanted me to come to England to check out the country,” Putting a yellow down into the slot.
“What do you think of Merry Old England?” She’s talking to me, that’s a good sign.
“I think if he wants me to come again, I want to come in the summer, there is no way my body is made for this winter,” I start laughing, and I get a small chuckle from her too.
“Trust me the summer is either really nice, or it's just rain, so Vegas, is it glamour as it is on TV?”
“That depends on which show you watch?” I say, taking my phone out of my pocket as it beeps.
Ed- Well done, your work is really good, I’ve emailed you the next piece of work to do.
Me - Thank you, will start it tomorrow xx
“I don’t watch TV it just seems nice when I see pictures,” Chloe says, looking at the game.
“It’s nice, it’s home for me, lucky my boyfriend has moved there, and before you say 'has he moved for me' no, he was going to move there anyway,” I smile, as she looks at me with a smile.
“Your question before, self-harm,” she looks down at her wrists, “sometimes I wake up not seeing the point of being here and got nothing to live for,” she whispers as he puts a coin into the slot.
I lean back in my chair, and wonder what her story is, I wonder if Helen would tell me, pulling my sleeves up on my sweater, I show her my bandages, “self-control,” I point to them, “there is always a reason to live.” I tell her.
She stares at my wrist, not saying anything, then I hear a small bell go off, “time for dinner,” she says stands up, and I stand up too, “just going to get something to eat,” she walks away, and I see Helen walking back into the room.
Walking over to her, “right I’ve finished my work, ready to go, I’ve sent Terry a message that we are on our way,” Helen says putting her coat on.
I look around to see if I can see Chloe, she is back at the table, “just going to say bye to someone,” I say walking over to the table, “well it’s time I go, it was nice meeting you, Chloe.” I say giving her a smile, she doesn’t look up from her food, so I walk back over to Helen.
“Scarlett,” I turn around hearing Chloe shout my name, “you coming back tomorrow?” She asks, looking at me.
I know it’s a question, but I also feel like it's her asking me to come tomorrow, “Sure,” I smile at her, as she smiles back at me, “see you in the morning.” I ask as she walks away from me.
“I bet you can’t tell me anything about her can you?” I ask Helen, she shakes her head looking over at me, but I get the feeling she wants to say something to me. Walking out the building I follow her to the car.
“Chloe is quiet, doesn’t talk to the workers or the children. If she opens up to you please let me know what I need to do to help her,” Helen says starting the car, I look over at her. Helen sounds worried, she does want to help her.
“You know she cuts herself,” I say, making Helen look at me, “I take it you didn’t know,” I ask.
“No, and if I ask her now she will know you have told me, then she won’t even talk to you,” Helen pulls out, and I can see her having a conversation with herself.
“I think she wants me to come back because I showed her my wrists bandaged up, and maybe feels that I understand, I don’t know.” I say looking out the window. Maybe I can help her, if I can make one girl feel better about herself through my story, I am more than happy to help her, even if it means telling them about my history.
“I could tell you, but I want to see if she tells you, if you feel something will help please let me know and I will see what I can do,” Helen looks at me, as we pull up a driveway, I look at Terry’s house.
“This is Terry’s house? I thought it would be smaller, as he spends most of his time with Rhett.” I say getting out the car.
Helen laughs, “If they’re not training, then Terry comes back home, but Rhett said he wanted to stay in Vegas, he wanted somewhere to feel like home, so he choose Vegas as he spends the most time there.” Helen replies.
“And Terry comes back because you're here,” I smile at her as we walk into the house, I saw Rhett’s car parked up, so they are back too. “So warm in here,” I say to myself.
Taking my coat, scarf, and gloves off, I place them on top of my bag and follow Helen to the sitting room, and yet again, they are watching sports.
I sit down next to Rhett, “Hey sweetheart,” he gives me a kiss, “have a good afternoon?” taking a sip of his beer.
“I did thank you,” looking over at Helen walking in with some coffee for me, “thank you,” I say taking the coffee from her.
“How was your day?” Helen asks them sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, they both look at each other, “what happened?”
“CeCe asked for more money to go into her account, told her to fuck off,” Rhett says, his body tenses up a little, but just saying her name makes his body tense up, “I’ve also told her that she is no longer allowed to be close to me, and she has lost the friendship I had with her.” Rhett says.
I keep wondering how they have been friends for so long, and the only thing that keeps popping in my head is, after what his dad did to her, he feels bad about it and need someone to lean on.
“Good, the quicker she is out of your life, the better,” Helen says looking at me, she must think that once the divorce is over, we will both be fine with each other. “On a plus side, Chloe talked today,” Helen looks over at Terry.
“That’s great, I know you’re worried about her,” Terry says, “Oh for fuck sake,” he shouts at the TV, looking up. I have no idea what just happened, but Terry is not happy about it.
“Well she didn’t talk to me, she spoke to Scarlett, and even asked for her to come tomorrow,” Helen says.
Rhett looks at me, “Looks like you have plans tomorrow while I’m at training then,” giving my head a kiss, “you okay with going?” he whispers to me.
Giving him a small nod. Not sure why he asked me, worried that being there will be too much for me. I have no idea, but if Chloe wants me to come, I will come if she wants to talk I will be there, or if she wants to sit and look out the window I will be there.