Un-Break my Heart: Book 2 (The Heart Trilogy) (19 page)

“Good idea, perhaps the news about us moving in together might lessen the blow of the trip t
o
America” I responded, reaching down to touch my lips to his.

“Mmmh…I could get used to being part of a couple again” James said, allowing his tongue to linger within the moist cavern of my mouth.

“You may not when you witness my daughter’s temper” I replied. With a grin on my face I turned back to the food.

“Can you give them a shout” I said to James.

Then as I started to get the plates ready and the food on the table I listened to the footsteps return to the stairs as two fresh, hopeful faces appeared round the door.

Chapter 29

The roast lamb went down a treat with the sweet scent of the rosemary filling the air. However the atmosphere abounded with tension and suspense as the knives scrapped up the last of the thick gravy.

“Ice Cream, anyone” I asked, reaching for the empty plates.

“Mum, can’t you just let us know” Charlie wined “I can see you’ve had a look at the paperwork on the table” Mitch cast a glance in her direction, willing her to hold her patience a little longer.

“After dessert” I replied, as James helped me to carry the empty dishes to the sink.

Sitting down again I looked across at James and he gave me a small nod to let me know he was ready.

“We have some news to tell you both” I began. I watched as two sets of eyes settled on both of us. The pupils of our children dilated with interest

“I’ve been given a promotion at work and from the start of December will be the Station Manager for Love Shack Radio Birmingham” I said. Just hearing it roll off my tongue made the butterflies of excitement flutter within me. I watched as the geographical location sunk in.

“You mean we are moving” Charlie asked, anticipation lit up her face like a Halloween lantern.

“Yes” I replied, matching her smile with my own.

Charlie looked across at her Mum and then back at Mitchell who was also grinning at the news.

“Looks like we’re going to be room mates” he whispered. A secret sparkle resided in his eyes as he laid a hand on Charlie’s thigh beneath the table.

“Really Mum, are we moving” Charlie asked.

“Yes, if James can put up with you” I replied.

“I’ll be good, I promise” Charlie said, looking across at James who was trying not to laugh at her earnest response.

“Also Stephanie deserves a holiday so we are going t
o
Jamaic
a
for ten days at the end of October” James said, enjoying the extra look of shock cross their faces.

With the empty ice cream bowls apparent it was time to tackle the trip t
o
America. Charlie quickly loaded the dishwasher and then returned to the table an expectant look on her face. I exchanged a quick glance with James as he picked up the sheaf of papers from the side.

“Have you both read through all of this” James asked.

“Why” Mitch asked, clearly puzzled by the question.

“I think Charlie may have a problem with her passport as they are only able to accept dancers who are eighteen or over” he said, letting the sheet fall to the table. Charlie reached for it, her fingers trembled as her eyes scanned the lines that sealed her fate.

I knew from the look of guilt on her face that she should have been eighteen for the video shoot too and hadn’t realised that her passport would give her away. It broke into sorrow as she left the table and stifling a sob ran upstairs to her room. Mitchell looked at it too and then excused himself from the table.

“Sorry Dad, Stephanie” he mumbled as he headed for the hallway and stairs.

I looked down at the words of the contract in black and white, despite the lies that had been told my heart went out to my daughter and I longed to follow her to console and protect her from the hurt inflicted by rules and regulations.

“What do you think Mitchell will do” I asked.

“I really don’t know, he’d be a fool not to go but it depends whether he lets his heart rule his head on this one”

Throwing herself onto the bed the tears fell onto her pillow. In her heart she knew that she had got off lightly as her Mum had guessed that she had lied to get the dancing job on the video shoot. However she also knew that she could not hold Mitchell back from his dream and this offer of work could help him. She heard the door open and looked up to see Mitch standing there.

“You should still go” she murmured. He saw the look of love and pain in her green eyes as she reached for him. Crossing the room he took her in his arms and clung onto her as if his life depended upon it. He didn’t speak just breathed her in, the glorious scent of her coconut shampoo. As his lips grazed her cheek and neck he took in her perfume.

It was a sweet floral scent of roses with an undercurrent of musk that really suited her. Her arms reached around his neck, pulling him close and in doing so his senses were heightened at the closeness of her pulse. It heated the scent to an intoxicating level as her lips pressed against him, no room for speech as their bodies sang to each other. Peeling off her clothes slowly he caressed her body thoroughly with his fingers and then his lips and tongue. The scent and the taste of her pushed him on until he could wait no longer. Her fingers deftly helped him to shed his clothes so that they were naked together.

Sinking into her softness they danced together until they dropped over the edge of oblivion and into the smouldering heat of their love. An hour later he finally opened his eyes again to see Charlie lying still on his chest. Her heart beat was slow and sleep was starting to cloud her vision.

“I don’t have to go…I’m not sure I want to go without you beside me” he whispered.

“You need to go…I don’t want to be to blame for holding you back” she replied, honestly. Her eyes were now far from sweet dreams and back in reality.

He pondered her words and struggled with his inner conflict of following his dream yet leaving his angel behind.

“Anyway…by the sound of things I’ll be able to keep your bed warm for you while you are away” Charlie said, grinning as her finger trailed over his smooth chest.

“Let’s make a decision tomorrow…today has been full of surprises…some good and some not” Mitch said “We could always call them and see if they would make an exception if your Mum gave her permission”

Charlie loved him even more as she heard his words of hopefulness. Struggling to keep her eyes open she snuggled into his arms. She was already trying to comprehend how it would feel for him to be oceans away instead of just miles.

“Goodnight, see you in my dreams” she managed.

“Night, Lucky” Mitch replied. He closed his eyes but his mind was a whirl of thoughts and sleep was hard to find. He heard his Dad and Stephanie climb the stairs and then the house around him was silent, apart from Charlie’s even breath as she slept.

In the end he untangled himself from her arms and in a pair of shorts and t-shirt he headed downstairs. Jester greeted him as he entered the kitchen and after a short fuss returned to his bed. The tension in his body longed for release so he made sure the kitchen door was firmly closed and he turned the stereo on. Scanning through the tracks on Stephanie’s iPod he soon found the Shape Shifter’s track that they had listened too on the way to the engagement party. There was just enough room for him to move in the kitchen as he closed his eyes and let the beat and lyrics flow through him.

I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and wondered which of our children was still awake at three in the morning. James felt me stir in his embrace and pulled me closer again, planting sleepy kisses on my lips. As I drifted off once more I thought I could hear music from below and a further pair of feet heading across the hallway. Opening the kitchen door, Charlie lent in its frame and watched Mitchell move and glide to the quiet beat of the music. She knew he would have his eyes closed but instead of startling him and joining in she just continued to watch. More than ever it was evident that he had something special, almost hypnotic about him when he danced.

When the song finished she started to clap and startled Mitch turned around to fin
d
Charlott
e
in the doorway, her dressing gown slightly open. It revealed her slender body beneath, the smooth skin that he just loved to touch.

“Come back to bed, I’m lonely without you” she said. He nodded and they walked back up the stairs together. Nothing needed to be said between them, Charlie knew that he would go. Mitchell knew that she would miss him as much as he would miss her but this would be welcome money to finance his dream.

In the morning they both headed down to the warmth of the kitchen and their parents worried faces.

“Mitchell is going to go without me” Charlie said “I told him he should still go”

“It was a hard decision but its only for six weeks and perhaps if I earn enough for the first few then I can pay for Charlie to come over for my Birthday” Mitch said. I glanced across at James, the look of shock and surprise mirrored mine.

I held out my arms to my daughter and she didn’t hesitate in filling them as I gently stroked her hair.

“Tough decision” James said, as he handed Mitchell a cup of coffee. Mitchell nodded at his Dad’s words

“We can still talk and see each other everyday with Skype and the internet” Mitch replied.

As they sat down together at the kitchen island I spotted a quick look pass between them one that conveyed their blossoming love and also despair at having to make this difficult decision. I remembered back to the day when James had told me he was leaving Ross, before we had even become more than friends and the way the dagger of those words had plunged into my heart. Being a workday morning for me and James on a watch later in the day we had to say our goodbyes and leave Charlie and Mitch to say theirs a little later in the day.

The next couple of days were hectic as I started to get my head around the new Radio Station launch. When Sarah asked if I was free on Wednesday afternoon I jumped at the chance for a proper catch up with my best mate and also to find out what her suggestion was that she had cryptically mentioned. I drove back to Ross and pulled into Sarah’s driveway. Walking in through the back door I spotted my best friend and she nodded and put the kettle on.

“Hi Sarah, how are things”

“Fine, Chris is back for his last tour and then he finishes for good, my job is safe at the moment but I’m not sure for how long as they are discussing reduced opening hours now” she said “But enough of that, how are things with you”

Handing me the cup Sarah sat down opposite and took a nervous sip of hers.

“So what did you really want to talk about” I said, getting straight to the point.

“The baby situation; or rather lack of it”

“Have you and Chris made a decision then” I asked, watching a distinct look of fear cross her face.

“Well, it sort of depends upon you and whether….whether you might consider being a surrogate for our egg and sperm” she said, her voice fading to whisper. I could hardly believe that they had been discussing the same idea that had popped into my head the other night. I could feel the weight of Sarah’s gaze as a smile spread slowly across my lips and a giggle started to bubble within me at the strange coincidence.

“Is it that stupid a suggestion” Sarah said, bemused as I tried to hide my giggles and instead shook in my seat. The laughter was silent within my chest, banging its fists to be let out into the open. Eventually as the tears ran down my cheek I let it escape and howled at the way we were so in tune after all these years. I reached for her hand and held it in mine as despite her ignorance at what I was actually laughing at she joined in and we filled the room with happiness. Eventually I stood up and grabbed some tissues and dabbed my cheeks and eyes and handed a pile to Sarah.

“Sorry about that…it’s just that…I had exactly the same idea on Saturday when we were all out together” I exclaimed.

The look of surprise and relief that it wasn’t the suggestion that had made me start to laugh passed over her features as we both paused and took a sip of our now lukewarm tea.

“So how on earth did you end up with the same idea” Sarah asked.

“You guys are the best family I had when Charlie was born and Mark had gone and I just couldn’t bear to see you both un-happy and fighting over wanting to have your own baby” I said, the love shining in my tear stained eyes.

“Really” Sarah said, grasping both my hands in hers across the table

“Will you do it for us?”

“If it was just up to me then the answer would be yes straight away…but” I paused and wondered if I shouldn’t just make the decision myself instead of needing to talk to James again.

“Is it James or your new job” Sarah asked “We don’t need an answer for a while”

“A bit of both I guess. I already mentioned my thoughts to James on Saturday night and let’s just say he was pretty shocked and not in a good way so I let it go”

“Also possibly best I get through the initial start up period with my new job and with living with James” I continued “A lot has happened since I saw you on Saturday night”

Then I filled Sarah in with the holiday t
o
Jamaic
a
in a couple of weeks and Charlie and Mitchell having to be apart for six weeks whilst Mitch worked i
n
America.