We are out the front of Natasha's house now.
She's home safe.
He pushes send and blows out a breath. We both sit still, waiting for a response. It beeps a message.
You're fired.
Another guard will take over in three days.
I am giving you one month's notice.
Max closes his eyes in regret and my eyes fill with tears as the lump in my throat burns. "I'm sorry Max. I had to get home. I couldn't stay there with him," I sob.
He nods but doesn't speak. He gets out of the car and retrieves our things and we head upstairs. As we get to the front door we hear a noise inside and Max pushes me behind him. He holds his finger to his mouth signifying silence.
I roll my eyes. "You should take up acting you know, you really are good with the dramatics," I mutter under my breath.
He bursts open the door like in an episode of NCIS. Mum, Bridget and Abbie are all lying on the lounge and scream in fright.
Mum falls off the lounge in fear. "Shit!" she screams.
I laugh out loud. Honestly what has my life come to … this is just totally fucked up.
"What the hell!" Abbie yells. "Are you trying to frighten us to frigging death Max?"
He relaxes. "Sorry." He gives a stifled smile.
"How did you guys know I was coming home?" I mutter flatly.
"Joshua rang me," Mum says as she pulls me into an embrace.
I pull back to look at her face. "Joshua rang you. Did he tell you what happened?"
She smiles sympathetically. "Yes love, he did. Can you ring him? He's distraught, Natasha."
I screw up my face. "Did he tell you he slept with Amelie?"
She nods again. "Yes."
My eyes flick to Bridget and Abbie.
"Natasha, you left him. He thought you weren't coming back," Bridget sighs.
"What! You're on his side? You're taking his side." I frown as I pull out of her embrace. I need support, not a fucking lecture.
"No love, there are no sides. But I know Joshua has had just as hard a time as you and I understand. We all understand. He's suffering too, Natasha," Mum says as she rubs my arm.
I stand still in shock as my eyes hold hers. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears as my anger hits a crescendo.
"Get out! All three of you. Get the fuck out! You may condone my boyfriend playing up on me, but I don't. And I never will." I storm to the bathroom and lock the door.
I run the water as hot as I can stand it, get in and sink to the bottom of the shower as silent acid tears roll down my face and the distinct taste of betrayal burns my stomach and lines my mouth.
An hour and a half later I leave the steamy bathroom to find the girls all lying on my lounge watching True Blood. The girls are filling Mum in on the storyline, which she doesn't seem to be getting. Hmm. I walk past them in silence and into my kitchen to make a cup of tea. Shit, I don't have any bloody milk. I open the fridge to find it stocked with groceries.
"Who went shopping?" I yell from the kitchen.
"I did," yells Abbie.
"Thanks," I reply flatly.
"Does that get me out of the bad books?" she yells again.
I narrow my eyes. "Just," I snap.
"Does anyone want coffee?" I ask.
"Yes I will. Milky Milo actually," calls Bridget.
"Can I have one of those Latte Sachet thingys?" Abbie yells.
"I want a chai latte or do you have any lemon tea?"
I roll my eyes. "Fuck off, this isn't a cafe. I'm serving coffee, plain fucking coffee! If you don't like it leave."
I hear them all giggle. Bitches.
Ten minutes later I walk into the lounge room with a tray of coffees, they all take them in silence and smile.
The thing is, I know that they know that I'm a donkey on the edge. But what they don't know is that I am so on the edge, I don't even care anymore. Anyone who messes with me tonight is going down.
"Where's Max?" I ask.
"We gave him the night off to go and see his girlfriend. We are going to stay with you for a couple of days."
I roll my eyes. "Can you keep your Joshua-sleazebag-loving mouths shut?"
They all stifle a smile and nod.
"Good, then fast forward it to the Alcide bits. Only Jo Manganiello can get me out of this funk. And nobody talk, I'm not in the mood to listen to your shit."
The three of them exchange small smiles and lie back in comfortable silence.