Page 84 of The Story of Me
I turn my head and look up at him, giving a little shiver. It’s early December and bloody freezing. He wraps his big arms around me from behind and kisses the top of my head.
“I know every room needs updating, but I really like it. The layout’s good and the location is great in relation to where all of your family live and my office, and besides, I’ve been thinking. I wanna get things set up so I don’t have to go into the office every day. I want to be at home, or wherever you are.” He turns me around to face him and I lace my fingers together around his neck. “I’m forty-two, George. I’ve worked hard all my life. I just wanna step back for a bit and spend time with you.” I smile while looking up at him, he looks worried. “Since I lost you last time, I’ve done nothing but work. I’ve worked hard to make all aspects of my businesses legit, and I’m at a stage now, where I feel comfortable taking a back seat. So what d’ya reckon, you, me, this place? What are ya thoughts?” I take a deep breath.
“It feels like home.”
He nods and smiles. “It does, doesn’t it. I thought it as soon as the gates opened at the front of the drive, but I didn’t wanna put you under any pressure, just in case you didn’t like it.”
I shake my head. “No, I love it. This is the one, Tiger. Let’s turn this house into a home.”
* * *
As we walk into Cam’s apartment a few hours later, his mobile rings and he frowns as he looks at the screen.
“Tamara. I better take this. I’m sorry,” he says as he walks into his office. It’s three in the afternoon, so definitely a reasonable time for a wine, which is a good thing as that woman drives me to drink.
Cam had explained to me that when he had gone to the hospital with her earlier in the week, she’d admitted to snorting cocaine and smoking heroin. The hospital had no way of forcing her to stay unless she was admitted to the psychiatric ward, which is what Cam had managed to do before with the help of Tamara’s father. And once again, it was his help Cam had had to enlist. He was Tamara’s next of kin, and because of her past problems, he agreed to have her sectioned again. Sadly, his decision had nothing to do with his concern for the health and wellbeing of his only child and unborn grandchild and everything to do with the twenty-two thousand pounds worth of gambling debts he had and Cam’s offer to clear them for him.
In total, Cam had admitted to spending almost half a million pounds on Tamara, her treatment for addiction, her pregnancy, accommodation, living expenses, nurse, minder and her father’s debts. I didn’t question his motives. It wasn’t my place to, but it didn’t stop my heart aching for him. I know he feels torn about the baby. He would love to be a father, but he would rather the mother was anyone but Tamara. If the baby does turn out to be his, then we will just have to make the best of a horrible situation. In saying all of that, I can’t help but be terrified that if the baby is Cam’s, that I might just lose him to Tamara and their child.
I send a text to Jimmie. We are going over to her and Len’s place for dinner tonight, along with my other two brothers and their wives, and I need to know what to bring. She said to not bring anything, but I hate turning up empty handed; besides, Cam and I stopped off on the way home and bought a selection of wines and a couple of bottles of champagne. It might be a little premature, but we’ve decided to celebrate the fact that we put an offer in on the house we looked at with Vera and hope that it’ll be accepted.
Is there anything you need us to bring 2nite?
I hit send, just as Cam walks into the room. He takes the wine glass from my hand and drinks down its contents, goes to the fridge, gets the bottle out, tops up my glass and gets himself a beer as he puts the bottle back. All without saying a word.
My phone chimes as Jimmie replies.
Reading that word ‘us’ has just made me cry.
I’m so glad ur part of an us again G.
U really have no idea
Luv ya guts
X
I smile as I read her message, then look up at Cam, leaning against the island bench top as I lean against the sink. He looks thoroughly pissed off and I hate thatshe’sdone this to him. We’ve had such a good day and came through the front door on such a high and thenshecalls.
“What’s she want?”
“Attention, that’s all she ever wants.”
My phone goes off again, “Sorry, I was just asking Jimmie if there’s anything she needed us to bring.” He nods, but I know he’s not paying attention.
Oh, and no.
Just bring the other half of ur ‘us’…
And all of his 9 inches ;)
I smile and shake my head.
“She’s sorted. We’ll just take some alcohol.” I look up and find Cam staring at the tiles on the floor. He’s taken his shoes off and is tracing the line of the tile grout with his big toe.
“She also asked if we could not wear clothes as they’ll only get in the way later when we start to lick dessert off each other’s bodies.” He rakes his hand through his hair and swigs on his beer without looking up at me.
“Perhaps you should think about shaving your ball sack before we go. I wouldn’t want you getting trifle stuck in the hair around them… And yours are hairy, like really hairy. I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about how hairy they are. It’s quite a turn off actually.”
