Resolution (Saviour #2)(74)
“You’re lucky Nina. Must be really nice to have someone so hands on and helpful as the father of your children.” I smile at her sweetly.
She looks at me blankly, then tilts her head back, looking me up and down. “Have you put on weight Lauren?”
Bitch!!!
“I have yeah, I lost so much while I was in the hospital, Gabe has spent the last few days trying to fatten me up.”
I look her long skinny frame up and down. “It goes on easy when you’re happy and content, and I’m both of those things right now so expect a few more kilos the next time you see me.”
I can feel Gabe holding his breath next to me but before there is any fall out, hurricane Ava flies into the room. She flings herself at me.
“Lauren, hi. Did you show her? Did you show her the ring we chose?”
Oh shit. I look at Gabe, who’s looking at Nina, his mouth is moving but nothing is coming out.
“No, not yet Ava.”
We asked Ava not to tell her Mum about our engagement until we could, which Gabe was going to do Monday when he dropped her back off. Oh well, here goes. I look across to Gabe to give him one more chance before I take over explaining; he catches my stare and seems to find his voice.
“Our gathering tonight is to celebrate mine and Lauren’s engagement. The reason we were late getting Ava back on Thursday was because she came with us to choose an engagement ring.”
Ava has taken hold of my hand as she realises she’s put her foot in it, I give it a reassuring squeeze. I hate the way she intimidates my big strong fearless man with her threats to stop him having access to his daughter and I hate even more that right at this moment Ava is well aware of the tension between her parents; I know it’s not really my business but I’m going to suggest that he sees a solicitor in the week and gets something drawn up legally, I actually can’t believe he hasn’t done it before now with the amount of times she has pulled the custody card.
“You are f*cking kidding me right? My daughter is attending your engagement party tonight and you took her with you to buy the ring. You bought HER a ring?”
“Mum.”
“Shut up Ava, you lying, deceitful, little girl. Get upstairs to your room, you’re going nowhere with these two.”
My stomach churns with frustration, there is so much I want to say to this nasty, spiteful shrew; I swallow down my words as Ava squeezes my hand tighter and turns towards her Dad. Please don’t let her down Gabe. Please.
“Ava, will you and Sophie get your bags and go and wait in the car please”
I can actually feel the rush of air leave Ava at the same time as I release the breath I was holding.
“Ava, you f*cking dare go out to that car.”
“Don’t speak to her like that. Go and get in the car Ava now.”
The girls leave quietly and I watch as Gabe glares at Nina; I take a step towards him and without even taking his eyes from her, he reaches out for my hand, and rightly or wrongly, I feel a little surge of triumph by his actions. He’s shaking and breathing a little too fast, he pulls me slightly behind him and I kiss his shoulder. He takes a deep breath.
“Nina, I really don’t want to blue with you over this, but you really need to get your head around the fact that Lauren and I are together and we are staying together, next to Ava, she’s the most important thing in my life, as soon as her divorce comes through, we will get married and like Lauren told you at the hospital, Ava will be part of our wedding and will remain part of our lives, she’s not trying to take your place but she will continue building on the relationship they already have. I know you don’t like it but I am over the f*cking moon that the two women I love most in the world get on so well, Ava is lucky to have Lauren in her life, you should be grateful that Lauren loves Ava the way that she does and I really don’t see what your issue is. You and me have been over for a long, long time and in all honesty, there never really was a you and me, we didn’t know each other or really have a relationship back then and apart from the fact that we share a daughter, that’s pretty much the way it is now. You’re married to Dean now Nina, you have two children together and I have never, ever interfered in your relationship with him so why you are behaving like this and being like this towards Lauren is beyond me, but I will tell you this now, so listen good. Ava is and will remain part of my life, if you make any more threats to stop me seeing her, I will go to court for full access and I will go back on our original arrangement and take this house back, I don’t want to make threats like that but I am f*cking over you and your attitude. Are we clear?”
Nina looks from me to him and then, strangely down at my engagement ring.
“You bought her a ring” It’s a statement, not a question.
“Yes, I bought her a ring.”
Her? I do have a name… and helloooo, I’m standing right here. I bite my lip and manage not to say the words out loud.
“You never bought me a ring.”
“We were never engaged, we got married because you threatened to take my child away from me, I didn’t love you Nina, I’ve never loved you, I cared for you and looked after you because you were carrying my child, I’ve let you live, rent free in my house so that you can continue caring for my child and live a comfortable lifestyle, I pay Ava’s school fees and give you more than enough money to buy her what she needs each month, but all you have ever done is talk to me like shit and threaten to stop me seeing her and it stops, here and now it stops, otherwise I will take this to court, are we clear?