Chapter 38
I was walking down the hall when I heard a woman's voice coming from round the corner.
“Tommy!” a lady shouted. “Tommy! Come back here” I heard again this time noticing the womans America accent. From down the hall I saw a tall blonde woman running in her high heels catching after a little boy with the same blonde hair.
I feel like I've seen her before but I can't remember where or how? Maybe from TV or in magazines? She was very pretty with a slim figure, with long blonde shinny hair and big figures. She had big bold eyes and full pink lips, she was stunning. I wish I looked like that.
The little boy came running towards me but dumped into my legs as he wasn't looking where he was going. I court him before he fell on the floor.
“Oh, careful there sweetheart” I said to the little boy.
“Sorry” she said smiling at me. I knew her! I know I did. “He's been running around like crazy all week, haven't you little man” she said pulling him up to her and playing with his hair.
“It's ok honest” I smiled back to her.
“Don't I know you?” she asked. I knew it, I know her!
“That's what I've been thinking but I can't work out how” I laughed.
“Same! Maybe we just saw each other last night or maybe at another party. I'm forever going to these Anderson's parties now. It's hard to keep up with who you meet” she said adjusting the little boy in her arms.
“I know what you mean. So how do you know Rupert?” I asked not really knowing why I called Granddad Rupert.
“I've known him for about six years but haven't really got to see much from him. I'm his…” she was about to say when someone called a name loud from the hallway.
“Jaz… Tommy!” I can only just make out the guy from the end of the hall and as he gets closer I see it's my cousin, Joseph.
“It's ok Jo I've got him” the woman said turning round to see him smiling. I see him letting out a large sigh of relief. “This lovely lady helped me stop him” she past Tommy into Joseph's arms and it was then that it hit me. This is Jaz, Joseph's wife; I only met her once or twice and once was on their wedding day.
“This is my cousin, Jaz don't you remember Leah?” he said smiling at me. I forget that Joseph is a good guy, it's just thinking about the family and his evil brother puts me off. His Mum and Dad where good enough people, hard and firm but well enough. It was only when Alex and Jess started lies about me that made them dislike me so much.
Jaz turned back around at me and looked me up and down shocked.
“Oh my God it is you! Wow you look so grown up. Oh sorry I don't want to sound patronising you just look so different, in a good way”
“Thank you, you both look great too. This must be your son! Hi” I said looking at the little boy who laughed at me and moved all around in his Dads arms.
“Yer he's a little terrier. Tommy this is your Auntie Lea” Joseph said. It surprised me that he called me that, Auntie.
“Lea...Lea...Leaeee” little Tommy sang and we all laughed.
“Well come on you, we better get you bathed and put to bed” Jaz took Tommy from his Dad witch took some work I could tell and then turned back to me. “I'll see you tonight at the family meal?” she asked.
“Hmmm... No I'm not going” I answered giving them both a little smile tiring to sound that I different mind not going to the 'family' meal.
“Oh why? All the families going” she said. Jaz must not know about our family and what they think of me.
“Jaz...” Joseph started to say before he got interrupted.
“No don't Jaz me Joseph Anderson! I know what happened all them years ago and it’s all bullshit. I think it’s time Leah told everyone what a lying catch snake your brother is!” she said angrily
WOW! Did that really happen? Jaz, Joseph's wife, whose Alex's brother just stood up for me!
“Sorry, about her she's a little fired about what my brother has done to you. Know Jaz take Tom upstairs I just want to talk to Lea... Ok?” he asked his wife who just nodded with a sad face.
“Fine… sorry, see you later. Oh and Lea if you want to come to the meal your welcome your more part of this family than anyone” she said walking away with Tommy in her arms.
I turned back to Joseph who was watching her leave and after a long moment past he turned back to me with a smile.
“Shall we” he said walking into the bar room that was there. The room was quiet and dark with only a few dim light and twilight through the windows. We sat in the corner near the windows looking out on the lake with the pink and blue sky.
I was still looking out the window when Joseph started talking to me.
“How have you been?” he said looking at me with a deep stare. Joseph always had this talent of getting whatever he wanted with one look. It was because with one look people knew this man meant business and was to be taken seriously. He reminded me of Chris in that way. They were powerful and confident, strong and fearless. They both got whatever they wanted by playing by the rules nothing like Alex. He's always wanted to me his brother but didn't hold any of his qualities.
“I've been fine” was all I said. I always got scared and nervous when talking to Joseph because even if he was a good guy and simpler to Chris he looked a lot like Alex. But just better looking might I just add, not in a weird way because come on he's my cousin. “…and you? Jaz is lovely and Tommy... he's adorable. You’re very lucky”
“Thank you, I think so too. Despite the fact his got ADHD he’s a great kid. I could be luckier” his smile grown at that. I was happy for him and his little family, its true what they say that money doesn't make you happy; it's the love in your life.
But let's just be honest money helps!
I just sit there and smile at him. Minutes past and we're still sitting there not saying a thing until Joseph moves over to hold my hand. I jump a little, we're cousins but we've never been close or the hugging types.
“I'm sorry Leah” he looks at the confusing look on my face. “I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you when everything went down with Alex. I knew what he was like and on accession I saw the way he looked at you... I should have said something then but I was too focus on me and Jaz to notice and do something about it” he looked as sad as he talked.
“But you did the other night, on the Terrence”
“Yes but it’s gone too far now. I remember coming back from the states and Mum told me what happen I'm mean what Alex told her what 'happened' but by then he had already spread his poison and you were gone. I didn't say anything than because I thought that as long as you were gone and away from him you'll be save but know your back and he's here... I want our family to see him from what he really is”
“It's not that easy Joseph. I think there is something wrong with him... mentally. I'm not saying that defends what he does but he's not in on it alone”
“Jess?” I nodded. “I thought so. I've always known there was something... different about Alex. I genuinely think he doesn't know what he's doing...” he said but then got distracted to someone standing behind me. I turned round to see a very angry looking Chris.
“What the hell are you talking about? Are you trying to defend him?” he shouted at Joseph who just stood matching his height.
“This is a private conversation, it has nothing to do with you” Jo said.
“Everything about Lea has something to do with me” Chris put his hand around my waist tight but it didn't hurt. I felt warm and safe in his arms again.
“Jo this is… my boyfriend Chris Howard. Chris my cousin Joseph” I introduced them. Jo looked at me then back to Chris understanding what he meant about his past comment. He nodded his head and sat back down.
“Then maybe you should pull up a chair” Joseph said now smiling. “Look I'm not defending him, what he's done to Leah he should be locked up... but I don't think in a prison” Chris looked at him confused. “One of the big family secrets that only I and my parents know was that Alex was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was fifteen. It's a mental illness when he sees...”
“We know what it is” Chris said. Do we? I was too shocked to say anything. I understood now all the symptoms were there, paranoid, delusions of reference and grandeur. Him thinking that everything he does is normal and its ok, him wanting to be like his brother and all that.
“Of course, well ever since then he has become different, with this illness and his own personality things are difficult to mix. Right now I believe that Jess is using this against him and is making him do her dirty work. There have been a number of times that I've ever heard him talking about how much he loves her and would do anything for her. His mind is like a child's, he can't think for himself and he never does anything unless someone told him to do it, that someone being real or not. He needs to go back to hospital not a jail where he'll just get worse”
“The guy nearly raped her!” Chris shouted.
“Don't you think I know that, my own brother tried it on with our cousin, don't you think I realised how sick and wrong all this is. But at the end of it all he's still my brother and if there is anything that I can do to make him normal and not hurt anyone again I'll do it. I'm not asking you to understand I know I shouldn't even bother but I feel like I have to help him as his older brother. I'm just hoping that after I get him some help and away from people like Jess... the way he talks about her I know she's playing with him”
“Yer... The other night he told me... things” I said looking down at my hands that where linked with Chris's. “Like him being in love with Jess and them... both being together... but I couldn't see her doing that. He kept on talking about voices in his head”
“No she most likely hasn't but has gotten it into his head that she has. This doesn't move the blame all onto Jess, Alex still shouldn't have done what he has even if he has the mind of a five year ago”
“If you knew what he was like why did you let him run wild? Why did you let him so close to Lea in the past and now” Chris narrowed his eyes across to Joseph I could still feel him tense next to me.
“He always played it cool around my family. My Mum and Dad don't know he's had an episode since his teens. That thing that happened to you five years ago Leah, I'm so sorry I should have said something sooner to my parents but I was to court up in me and Jaz I didn't think but when I heard what happened I threaten him that if he didn't go back to the doctor I would tell Mum and Dad. I thought things were going good and you being away from him I knew you were safe”
“Ok, ok I get it but what are we going to do now. He needs to be locked up or whatever”
“It's all been taken care of believe me, he won't hurt anyone again and I'm hoping he'll get whatever is sick and twisted in him out. I'm going to speak to Grandfather about it this evening...”
“Are you going to tell him what Alex did to me?” I asked feeling my heart beating a little faster.
“Well yes...”
“No!”
“No?” both Chris and Jo asked.
“You can't tell him that, he'll get all worked up and upset”
“Lea…”
“No! I don't know why but I feel that Granddad's not himself... that he's unwell and I don't want him getting upset ok”
“Ok I won't say anything to him but I will be telling my parents and telling them about Jess you can't stop me there they need to know you’re in the right all along, this as gonna on far too long. I best go see Jaz will be wondering where I am. Night, it was nice to have met you” we both said goodbye and watched Joseph walk out of the bar. There was a long silence between Chris and me. I could tell he was a little fired up from what Joe had said. After what felt like forever Chris got up from the chair and sighed.
“Right are you ready for dinner?”
“Yer... I don't fancy posh rich food though”'
“What do you fancy then? Anywhere you want to go”
Thirty minutes later
“Yer hi can I get a big Mac meal with a coke and a quarter pounder with chesses deal with a diet coke please” Chris ordered as we came up to the speaker on Mc Donald's drive thru in Chris's jeep. It took us forever to find it but after half-an-hour’s drive here we are.
“I'm so excited for this” I wasn't too sure Chris was but he said I could go anywhere I wanted and when I said Mc Donald’s he seemed fine with it.
“I haven't had this in a long time” he said when we parked and got the food out their bags.
“That should be a crime” I said loading the chips in my mouth not caring how piggish I looked. I didn't realise how hungry I was until now. “Thanks for this”
“I'm glad to give the woman I love what she wants” he said. I'll never get over how excited I get every time he says “'I love you” he really was amazing and I would love him forever. More now he's fed me McDonalds!
“Hey everyone's at the pub we were at the other day, you want to go?” he asked looking at his phone. I nodded my head and he started driving again.
“Do I look ok dressed like this?” I asked noticing I was only in Jeans and a jumper, not the greatest look when meeting friends at the pub.
“Only you could wear something so simple and make it look so beautiful” he said leaning over bring his lips to mine, it was a soft meaningful kiss that shoot my heart to my throat.