Over The Weekend

by Rachel Lenna

  Chapter 8

  “Anna dear?” Betsy whispers quietly. Why is she invading my darkness? Its so peaceful and painless here!

  “Mm?”

  “There’s a gentleman at the door asking for you.”

  “I’m asleep.” I mumble grumpily as I try to shut out the noises and go back to the land of dreams. It took forever to go to sleep last night. My mind was constantly replaying what happened with Hugo over and over.

  “I said that but he said he needed to see you anyway. It’s urgent.”

  “Tell him to come back at a more reasonable hour.”

  “It’s 10am.”

  “Oh.”

  “I think it’s the babies’ dad.”

  “Probably. I don’t know anyone else here.” I cover my face with my arm.

  “He seems really insistent on seeing you straight away.”

  I groan loud, stretching as best I can like a cat. “Why?”

  “I don’t know dear.” I peek an eye open to see Betsy with her face right up in mine. I jolt back and she does too. “Sorry didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Betsy is she awake?” Bill asks from the door way of the room they gave me.

  “She is now.” Betsy half turns to him.

  “Anna do you want me to make him go away?” Bill holds a protective tone to his voice that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. He would have made an awesome dad.

  “No.” I pout gently. Hours of thinking calmed me down enough to realise Hugo is coping the only way he knows how. Being bossy and taking control. “I can’t run from him forever.”

  “No but I can give you a good long while.” Bill growls and I look at him with a curious gaze. That man must sense everything.

  “Thank you Bill.” I smile, sitting up. “That’s very kind of you but I am okay. Tell him I will be there in a few minutes.”

  “Are you sure?” Bill insists.

  “Yes.” I smile at him warmly.

  He grunts his acceptance and stalks away without another word.

  “He’s harmless Anna-Beth.” Betsy says to me straightening up.

  “No its okay.” I say watching him walk back down the hall. “I don’t mind, he just sounds so passionate. It’s actually kind of sweet he’s willing to do it for me.”

  “He has two daughters. Byron’s Mum and her younger sister. He lost her to domestic violence five years ago.” Betsy says with a sad look. “It was horrible. She was the baby of our bunch and he blames himself for it.”

  “How?” I ask before I can stop myself. “Why?”

  “He was the one who introduced them. The guy was a work college of Bill’s.”

  “I’m sure he wasn’t to know that the guy was like that.” I say in Bill’s defence.

  “Of course not.” Betsy agrees. “But that doesn’t stop the guilt he has, and you remind him of her. She was four months pregnant when she died.”

  “Oh.” I whisper, tears springing to my eyes. The thought of something like that happening to me makes me shudder. My babies mean everything to me and I just wouldn’t be able to cope if something happened to them. “That’s so sad.”

  “He’s never fully recovered.” Betsy pats my hair gently. “Could be why he is being so protective of you.”

  “He has nothing to worry about, Hugo won’t hurt me.”

  “I know dear and so does Bill.” She smiles sadly at me as she helps me up. “It is just a young woman in distress affects him.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Nonsense dear. It is not your fault.” Betsy moves over to my suitcase. “Now what would you like to wear?”

  I quickly get dressed, with Betsy’s blessed help and walk out to Hugo. Bill is standing at the door with a shot gun over his shoulder – literally – staring Hugo down. My heart swells with instant love for the older man and I burst into tears.

  I walk over to him silently and wrap my arms around him from behind. “Thank you Bill.” I whisper just loud enough for him to hear. He stiffens at first but then relaxes, patting my hands.

  “You’re welcome my dear.” He turns back to Hugo who is frowning. “You hurt her kid and I don’t care who you are. I will castrate you.” He cocks the gun for added measure and Hugo flinches.

  “Yes sir.” He whispers, his eyes locked on mine.

  “You are coming here for dinner tonight too.” Bill adds with a voice that says he has no choice. “Be here at five thirty got it? This young lady has us now and I don’t care if it’s been two hours or two years she's become family and family meets other family.”

  Hugo finally meets the man’s gaze. “Yes sir.”

  Bill nods and then stalks off without another word.

  “Well that was pleasant.” Betsy says just as Byron comes bounding through the back door.

  “Is this the baby dada?” He inquires, sizing Hugo up.

  I hold back a laugh as I nod. Byron walks up to him and motions for Hugo to squat down. He does. “She’s my checkers partner and she's one of the best I played. You better not make her leave me or I will help Pops… what was it again he said? Cat-rate you.”

  Betsy and I barely manage to control our laughter as Hugo looks horrified at the kid before quickly composing himself. “I promise I won’t hurt her. I just want to take her out for breakfast and grovel an apology. If she will let me that is.” He adds when Byron raises an eyebrow.

  “It’s okay Byron.” I whisper in the little boy’s ear. “I’m gonna go talk to him and I will be back to play checkers with you again this afternoon okay?”

  “You sure?” Byron says spinning around, hands on hips. “I heard him make you cry. Boys don’t make girls cry. It’s not nice. Pops tells me so all the time.”

  “No its not.” Hugo agrees. “I didn’t mean to make her cry Byron. I was just surprised that she came to me that is all.”

  “Don’t make her cry again Mr Hugo.” Byron shoves his little fist in Hugo’s face. “I mean it.”

  “Yes sir.” Hugo nods then looks at me. “Shall we go?”

  “Sure.” I smile waddling out. “Be back soon you guys, thank you.” Betsy and Byron wave.

  “Wow.” Hugo says when we are out of ear shot.

  “What?” I ask, playing dumb. I know why he said wow, I feel the same way. It’s like I have known these people my entire life and they are my family.

  “You said you met them yesterday right?”

  “Yes.”

  “And they just decided to take you in like that?”

  “Betsy – that’s the little grey haired fire cracker – said that Bill lost his daughter to domestic violence five years ago. She was apparently pregnant too. He blames himself.”

  “Oh shit.” Hugo says. “And you’re…”

  “Yeah. I remind him of her so he has become instantly protective.” I smile warmly. “To be honest Hugo he is the first person to be kind to me in a very long time. I won’t hurt him.”

  Hugo opens the car door for me before gently picking me up. “Of course not.” He says. “I don’t want you to. I will admit I was a little freaked out to hear that you had just moved in with some random people off the street but after meeting them I can understand why.” He smiles at the house as he shuts the door.

  “They have been so kind to me.” I say. “I don’t want to cause them any trouble.”

  “I get that and I promise to behave myself.”

  “Good.”

  “Where would you like to eat?”

  “I don’t know this area Hugo.” I reply. “You tell me.”

  “I was thinking we can go back to Touchés for breakfast and talk for a while.”

  “To be honest with you I have five weeks till the babies come. Yesterday was horrible. Today I want to just relax and chill and for you and I to just hang out.”

  “Really?” His voice squeaks.

  “You seem surprised.”

  “Well I have been a bit of a di…”

  “I know.” I say cutting him off. “But I understand that i
t would have been a shock to you. Hearing that you have twins on the way. I will give you yesterday for free but from now on any jerkiness and I have Pops and Byron at the ready.”

  Hugo laughs. “Byron was so cute wasn’t he?”

  “Sure was.” I smile. “And Bill? He has been more fatherly to me this last 24 hours then my father has this whole pregnancy.”

  “I was going to ask how your family are coping.” Hugo says.

  “They aren’t.” I shrug.

  “Really?” He asks surprised. “Not even after having all this time to digest it?”

  “They tried everything they could to get me to have an abortion.”

  “Really?” Hugo squeaks again, starting the car.

  “Yes.” I nod, looking out the window. “Even took me to court, claiming that I was incapable of making such a decision at my ‘young age’.”

  “Oh my god Anna!” Hugo looks at me horrified before pulling out onto the street.

  “The judge obviously ruled I can.” I shrug. I have blocked out how much that hurt. “Because here we are today.”

  “Wow.” He is driving so can’t look at me but his face says it all. He’s disgusted with my family. “I have to ask but Anna?”

  “Why I didn’t get an abortion like they wanted? Made my life easier?”

  “How did you know that was what I was going to ask?”

  “Because anyone and everyone who knows me has asked the same thing.”

  “Oh.”

  “And to answer you?” I look out the passenger window again. “I couldn’t do it. The thought of it just made me sick. It was never really an option. My parents have always drilled into us to take responsibility for our actions so I did.”

  “Bet that’s not what they meant though hey?”

  “Nah I guess not.” I laugh along with him.

  “I still can’t believe they would take their own daughter to court.”

  “Look Hugo, I don’t want to talk about them.” I sigh. “They kicked me out and told me to never come back so that’s what I did. As far as I’m concerned right now Bill, Betsy and Byron are more family then my real one and I have known them less than a day.”

  Hugo looks like he wants to say something but changes his mind. “Okay.” He sighs as we arrive at Touchés just as Jaydan and his girl are walking from the other direction arms around each other.

  “Hey there.” Jaydan smiles at me. “How’s my favourite pregnant lady?”

  “I’m okay thanks.” I blush, worried his girlfriend may take offence.

  “Tara this is Anna, Anna meet my beautiful lady Tara.”

  “Hey.” She smiles warmly at me and there is no hint of crazy jealous psycho in her. If anything she seems compassionate. “Nice to meet you. Jaydan has told me you’re the inspiration for last night.”

  “I um…”

  “It’s okay.” Tara says warmly. “I just wanted to thank you. You helped him do what neither of us was willing to without a gigantic nudge.”

  “Then I guess you’re welcome?” I smile at her. She nods.

  “Hugo I have some news.” Jaydan says to me. “Shall we all have breakfast together and I can fill you in?”

  “Jaydan you just had breakfast!” Tara laughs.

  “Yeah so? Hugo and I both did but that was like so two hours ago.” He grins at her. “I can go again, what you say Hugo?”

  Hugo looks as me sheepishly. “Anna?”

  “You already had breakfast?”

  “At Mum and Dad’s.”

  “Then why do you want breakfast again?”

  “Cos I can.” Hugo grins at me goofily and I can’t help but laugh.

  “Well I guess its breakfast time then!”

  We are seated quickly couples on opposite sides of a booth that the boys insisted on because it would be more comfortable for me and ordered drinks.

  “Hugo you know that singer Willow Greene?” Jaydan asks and I pretend not to be interested.

  “Yeah?”

  “I finally got a hold of her people.” He says and stops. “They finally rung me back just after breakfast this morning.”

  “Yeah and?” Hugo finally encourages when he adds nothing else.

  “She’s coming here in three weeks to do a concert.”

  “Here like Moonlight Falls or here like Touchés?”

  “What do you think?” Jaydan grins at Hugo.

  “Oh my god you got her got her?” Hugo seems ecstatic.

  “Yep three Saturdays from now.”

  “She’s so awesome.” Tara smiles at her boyfriend adoringly. “You did good. He wooed her people so much they were almost willing hand her over to him without negotiations.”

  “Oh honey I know.” He says staring straight her with a look that says he is referring to her and not Willow Greene.

  “Ew.” Hugo says, pretending to vomit. “Get a room you too.”

  “You’re just jealous!” Jaydan goads.

  “Not really.” Hugo laughs. “I’m about to be a daddy.”

  “And married.” Tara adds smiling. Hugo freezes. Everything goes deadly silent and Tara looks confused.

  “I’m sorry?” I ask.

  “You guys are getting married?” Tara says not so sure now.

  “We are?” I ask looking to Hugo.

  “Umm.” Tara looks to Jaydan for help.

  “Oh oh.” Jaydan grins at his brother. “Someone’s in trouble.”

  “I thought you said you would let me think about it?” I hiss at Hugo.

  “I am.”

  “So why do Jaydan and Tara think we are getting married?”

  “Um…”

  “Hugo!” I hiss at him again. “The truth. Now.”

  “I may have announced it at breakfast at my parents’ house this morning.”

  “So all that talk of you letting me think about it?” I demand as my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. “That was all a bunch of bullshi…”

  “Anna no!” Hugo exclaims. “I am willing to do it your way. Give you time. I was just so excited I had to tell someone.”

  “So telling your parents you’re getting married is telling someone?”

  “Um…”

  “Jaydan maybe we better go?” Tara says shoving him out of the booth. “For what it’s worth I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” I snap at her then stop. Take a breath. “Don’t be.” I repeat nicer. “I’m sorry for snapping. The pregnancy hormones mean my fuse is about yay big.” I hold up my hand with my pointer finger and thumb squished tightly together. “You did me a favour Tara, thank you.”

  “Anna...” Hugo looks nervous.

  “Tara, Jaydan you don’t need to leave.” I take a deep breath. “Hugo I don’t like that you lied to your parents but I get it. Let’s just hang out today like I said and for a few hours forget everything.” My phone buzzes again and I shove it deeper in my bag.

  “Are you sure?” Tara asks sitting back down.

  “Absolutely.” I fake a big grin. They lower themselves back to their seats, everyone still looking a little uneasy. “I’m okay. It’s okay.” I repeat when everyone just sits there.

  Tara seems to sense the fact that I need to move on. “When are you due?” She asks glowing. “I love babies. It’s so exciting!”

  “Five weeks.” I grin at her effortlessly, shooting her a thank you look.

  “Five weeks?!” Hugo squawks, paling.

  “Well technically its eight weeks but the doctors back home said twins usually come earlier because they run out of room faster.”

  “Oh geez.” Hugo pales even more. Tara looks at him and then at me.

  “Oops.” She smiles. “Clearly no baby talk at all right now.”

  I laugh at her and pet Hugo gently on his arm. “It’s okay Hugo. We have today.” I smile at him reassuringly and he looks so lost I just hug him without thinking. I wrap my arms around his neck and shoulders and hug him.

  Stunned Hugo doesn’t move for a moment and my emotions still haven’t
caught up to my actions. When he wraps his arms around me back everything clicks.