She had had a bad night and woke up with a headache. She was still in bed but had been fiddling with the phone for a while when she finally made up her mind to make the call. She could feel it was going to be a difficult conversation, and she hated to cause disappointment. She sighed deeply and selected Nate’s number.
After only two rings, she could hear Nathaniel’s excited voice at the other end of the line.
“Alex!”
“Hi, Nate.”
“I could hardly wait for your call.”
“And I was worried in case I’d wake you,” she said, powerlessly.
“Are you joking? It’s not like that at all. I’ve been up for a while. I only have physio scheduled for today. Tomorrow we’re playing Everton in Liverpool. Then a few of us are travelling to Amsterdam for the European Championship’s qualifier. I will not be back in London before Wednesday.”
“Oh, I see.”
“But this afternoon and evening are ours. Come on, tell me everything. How was it? Did you manage to settle things with your sister? And what did Nick say? Did he freak out very much?”
He sounded uptight; it was obvious that he could hardly contain his joy and excitement. Alex’s throat seized up as her eyes filled with tears.
“Things didn’t exactly work out as I had planned.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. But still… How did he receive the news?”
“We couldn’t talk,” she breathed with a dying voice.
“What’s that? I can’t hear you.”
“I couldn’t talk to Nick. It was impossible.”
A painful silence followed.
“Nate! Please, understand!”
“What is there to understand?” he asked icily. “When we parted yesterday, you promised you’d tell him everything at once, and end it. You promised!”
His voice filled with energy, becoming more and more accusatory.
“I know, and I meant to. But there was never an occasion.”
“To hell with it, Alex! The occasion is never right for you.”
“Believe me; I’m telling you the truth!”
“No.”
“Nick had staged a surprise party for me at Cassis,” she said, with another desperate attempt.
“I don’t care. You lied to me.”
“I didn’t. But I couldn’t have broken the news to him in front of our parents and all of our friends. Don’t you get it? It just wasn’t the right time. I had to wait.”
“Then talk to him now! Right away,” Nate shouted angrily.
“I can’t. He’s away for the weekend. He’ll only be back tomorrow evening.”
“You’re just playing me for a fool,” he stated coldly. “Now I’m positive. You’re just playing me for a fool.”
His voice was shaking in a temper. He was less and less in control of his emotions. Alex grew anxious. Things were going worse than she had hoped.
“Don’t talk to me like that, please.”
“I’ll talk to you however I bloody well like. I’m right, aren’t I? It was never your intention to break up with him. You were just playing me for a fool.”
“Not at all. I will definitely talk to him as soon as he gets back.”
“I’ve heard that one too many times.”
“If you had been there, you’d understand.”
“I’ve had enough of this crap. I don’t want to hear anymore,” he stormed, and without any further ado, he hung up.
She stared at the phone in shock and couldn’t believe that he was able to just hang up on her. She knew Nate was a quick-tempered, passionate man, and because she was also like that, she could feel what must have been going on inside him. Still, to hang up this way seemed quite brutal. She bit her nails in disbelief, pondering what to do. She knew that he had a reason to be angry, as it wasn’t the first time she hadn't been able to keep her promise to him. She took the phone in her hands and called his number again. She counted at least twenty rings until she finally pressed the red button. Then, she made another attempt, but the damned phone just kept on ringing, and there was no answer. She desperately threw herself back on the bed. For a good while, she stared at the ceiling, then picked up the device again, and gave it another try. This time it was an unfriendly machine voice informing her that the number wasn’t available. Thus started a gloomy weekend, with very few good things in store.
#
Nathaniel huffed and puffed as he arrived at the massage parlour. Seeing his dark gaze and bleak facial expression, his teammates began to joke around with him, guessing who the girl might be who had put him into such a horrible state. However, all their attempts were in vain, and after he snapped at Alan Terry, one of the defenders, in a rather rude manner, they decided to leave him alone.
It took Nathaniel a lot of strength to contain the rage, which was building up inside him with each passing moment. Time and time again, he recalled their conversation on the phone and analysed the girl’s every sentence, every argument. Yet no matter how many times he thought it all through, he always came to the conclusion that Alex’s reasons were just empty excuses. He was convinced that if she had really wanted to break up with Nick, she would have found a way. Of course, it was true that a bar crammed with friends and family was not the right place to do something like this, but if you really want something, there is a way to follow through. He was convinced that in a similar situation he wouldn’t have hesitated, despite the fact that he would have offended some people. Plus, he didn’t really understand the Woodvilles’ relationship with the Blake clan, and the whole old-fashioned issue of marrying off people, arranging marriages, was so strange to him, so very hard to comprehend.
All day he had been in a disturbed state, sulking. He didn’t join the boys either, the ones who wanted to celebrate William Cole’s birthday somewhere in the neighbourhood. All afternoon, he never left the Stadium. After physio, he went to the covered pitch and determinedly worked on his ball-handling skills. As it grew dark, his tension began to ease. It had always calmed him to have a ball nearby: he was able to literally kick the stress out of himself. It was a type of therapy he'd practised ever since he had been a child. Driven by a sudden idea, he changed his mind to join the group, and follow them to the pub. He knew he had been rude to his teammates in the morning, and now he wanted to make it better. In the underground garage, he entered section R8, taking very little notice of the camera flashes from the paparazzi who had been waiting for him near the exit. He drove off to join the party.
On Sunday he woke up with a clearer mind and a less upset spirit. He had had a good sleep, which was no wonder – like a good boy, he had got home by 11, to spend the night at his parents’ home in Kew. Sleepily, he glanced at his clock and realised with amazement that it was already 10 am. The bus from Bradford was to leave the stadium at 12:30, to take the team straight to Liverpool. He packed his clothes and a few necessary items into his sports bag and put on the team’s lilac-blue uniform designed for travelling. He took the flight of stairs down to the kitchen to have a bite to eat. Evelyn hadn’t forgotten about him; there was a good-sized sandwich waiting for him on the table. He could see from the kitchen that his parents were sitting in the garden. Before he pushed the sliding door open, however, he stood still for a moment, studying the pair. He found the view unusually idyllic, as Manuel and Evelyn sat close to one another, deep in conversation. She laughed dropping her head back, after he had called to her and pointed out something in the newspaper. It seemed to Nate as though his father had spent more time at home recently. He had the firm impression that in his 50s he was becoming gentler, more reserved. This could be the reason why Evelyn had begun to bloom again – he assumed. To tell the truth, he didn’t really know what to think of it, but if his mother was happy, it also pleased him. Alex came into his mind again, whether or not they had a chance together. Yesterday’s anger had mostly evaporated from him, but the feeling of disappointment was still intensively present in his heart. He knew that the girl had tried calling him several times the day before. However hurt he felt, the mere thought of Alexis filled him with hot shivers. He knew he wouldn’t be able to leave London without the chance to talk. He decided that as soon as he had spoken with his parents, he’d call her.
Evelyn’s understanding eyes soon recognised the signs of restlessness on his face. She stood up to hold her son tight, who this time didn’t protest.
“Thanks for the sandwich, mum,” he said a bit later once his mum had unwrapped her arms from him, though she didn't let go of his hands.
“It’s nothing. You didn’t come to say hello last night. I would’ve wanted to hear how things had gone with Alexis.”
Nate nervously scratched his forehead, and mumbled quietly, “Not well.”
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”
She took a step back and studied her son’s face.
“Does this mean that… that she still…”
“Yes,” Nate agreed impatiently.
“But I don’t get it,” she said, shaking her head pensively. “I had the firm feeling when she was here, that…”
Manuel stepped up to them, and placing a hand on Nate’s shoulder, asked, “Could you tell me what this is all about? I don’t understand a word.”
They both looked at him with wonder, as it was highly unusual that he would show interest in what was said between them. She was the quicker to sober up, and responded with a smile, “We were talking about Alexis. She’s one of Nate’s friends who… You also met her when she was here, remember?”
“Alexis. Hang on,” he scratched his head. “Of course I remember. Auburn-haired, stunningly beautiful girl, right?”
Manuel winked at his son, but he didn’t get the picture. He turned away and threw himself on one of the chairs. Manuel looked at his wife inquisitively, with his arms open in puzzlement.
“I’ll tell you later,” she said soothingly and asked him to bring more ginger ale from the fridge.
She settled down beside Nathaniel and looked at him with worry.
“I was just going to say that I don’t exactly get it.”
“Welcome to the club,” Nate laughed sharply.
“She must have had a good reason; a reason not to clear the issue.”
“I’ve told myself the same, but it's becoming harder and harder to believe.”
“How strange,” she said, leaning back in thought. “When I saw you together, everything seemed so nice, so harmonious. Something serious must have stood in the way.”
“Her family,” he moaned in resignation. “They keep her in their grip so much, or at least they try to control her according to their ideas. And Alex is too tactful to tell them directly what she wants.”
“I can hardly believe that. That wasn’t my impression of her. She can’t be so soft.”
Nate shrugged his shoulders quickly.
“What a rotten situation.”
“Talk to her before you go. It will hardly be good for you if you travel in this state. You won't be able to focus on the game as much as you should.”
“That’s really not an issue,” he snapped. “I always play better when I’m tense.”
“You play more aggressively,” Evelyn lifted her finger. “And that’s not the same.”
“The point is achievement, mum.”
Evelyn patted her son’s hand with a smile, and leaning in more closely, added, “Call her. I can see that you’re suffering. Give it another try; it’ll be worth it!”
His mother’s advice only affirmed his former determination. He went into his upstairs room and phoned Alexis. The conversation didn’t have a smooth start, neither of them knew what to say. Alex apologised again for not being able to keep her promise, and assured Nate that as soon as Dominic got home – that is, later that evening – she would talk to him. Nathaniel was also sorry for hanging up on her so rudely before, and not picking up afterwards either. After they had got through the apologies, a short silence settled between them. But soon, Nate could no longer keep his cool but began to speak more demandingly, in a heated voice.
“I want to see you, Alex! I can’t wait until Wednesday.”
“But the match…” she replied, excited about the unforeseen prospect of meeting him.
“The bus is only going at half past twelve. If I leave right now, I could be at your place in 30.”
“All right,” she responded, amidst her pounding heartbeat. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Nathaniel quickly said goodbye to his parents, and as if in flight, left the house. The unearthly smile spreading across his face was a sure sign of whom he was about to meet. Evelyn followed him with her eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
#
Alex had been brooding over whether or not to call him again, or whether to wait until she had arranged everything with Dominic. Then Nathaniel’s call had suddenly and very happily solved her dilemma. She was dressed excitedly and tried to quickly tidy the apartment. Although Nathaniel’s sudden mood-swings confused her, she could feel that his visit meant that he was giving her another chance. She was firmly determined to take that chance, whatever might happen. When her phone rang again, her first thought was that Nate was calling her because things had changed and they couldn’t meet before the team would leave for Liverpool. While she rummaged for her phone in the kitchen, she came to the realisation that if it was the case, then she would go to the Stadium herself, so at least they could see each other for a moment before his departure.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hi Alex, it’s me.”
“Nick?” she said with a shock, as in the present situation Dominic was the last person whose call she had been expecting.
“Ehm. Yes. Listen, Alex… Something has happened, but I don’t want you to be too scared.”
“What’s the problem?” she asked, paralysed.
“It’s about Ronnie.”
The room began to spin. The phone call of her worst nightmare had just come true. She grabbed the kitchen counter, and listened, paralysed.
“An accident has happened in Canterbury, in our house.”
“An accident?” she repeated, numbly.
“Ronnie fell down the stairs.”
“Oh my God, Nick! Where are you? Where are you calling from? And where is Ronnie? How is she?” blurted Alexis with a shaky voice.
“Calm down. She’s in hospital. She’ll be all right, I’m sure.”
“But what happened exactly? And in which hospital?” she asked, feeling more and more hysterical, sensing an ice cold panic creeping up the back of her neck, and taking control of her.
“I’ll tell you everything. I’m on my way to your place. I’ll pick you up in ten minutes, and we’ll go to the hospital together.”
“But why don’t you tell me where she is?”
Dominic sounded unusually determined and firm. Alex sensed the worry in his voice, and also that it wasn’t the right time to fight with him.
“It’s pointless, Alex. I know you. I don’t want you to drive in this state.”
“Nick!”
“Just get a few things together, whatever she might need. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Alex stared in front of herself numbly for a while, then got up and began to pack a bag with nighties, socks, a toothbrush and some other things. Her hands shook so much that she could hardly pull up the zip. She ran up and down the apartment, while nightmarish images appeared before her eyes about her sister’s tortured, thin body. Somehow she had always feared that a call like this would come, but now that it had happened, it seemed even more cruel than she had ever anticipated. It was clear to her how vulnerable and fragile Veronic was physically, and the thought that they had parted so coldly, tortured her. She was breathing so heavily, in such a panic that she began to hyperventillate. She glanced at her watch nervously, but couldn’t wait any longer. She picked up her randomly prepared things and quickly ran to the street to wait for Nick. She was about to call him from the gate when his car pulled up the drive. Dominic got out and walked hurriedly towards her. Alex ran to him, and by this time, she was unable to hold back her tears.
Nathaniel was taken aback. In shock, he took a few steps back, having spotted from his position a little further from the entrance of Alex’s house that the girl ran at full speed towards Dominic Blake and embraced him. The world began to spin around him. He no longer understood anything. He couldn't believe his eyes as he witnessed Nick gently stroking the girl’s face, hugging her again, then taking her by the arm and leading her to his car. Nate’s bewildered eyes settled on the rear windscreen of the vehicle until it disappeared in traffic. A bitter flush of fury flooded his veins. He was convinced that he had been cheated and pushed aside in an ugly way. His self-esteem, wounded so many times, could not have been convinced otherwise by any authority. He pulled his baseball cap deep over his eyes, folded up the collar of his sports suit, and with a raging spirit, walked back to his car. In his anger, he kicked the innocent R8 on the side, then, pushing his foot to the floor, drove off, bitterly offended.
#
Their progress to the hospital wasn’t smooth, and Alexis was so tense, she could hardly sit still. She scolded the slow traffic while bombarding Nick with questions.
“But how did it happen? What do you mean she just fell down the stairs?”
Nick glanced at her, troubled. It was visibly hard for him to discuss the details.
“We also have steps back home, but nothing like this has ever happened.”
“I didn’t see anything. I was on the terrace when I heard your mum shouting.”
“Mum? Was mum with her?”
“Y… yes,” Nick groaned the word, scratching the nape of his neck. “The truth is, Ronnie wanted to come back to you. That’s why they were having an argument.”
“What?” Alex shouted in surprise.
“Yesterday she said that it had been a mistake that she had come with us and that there was something she needed to discuss with you immediately. Something that couldn’t wait,” he explained, shaking his head with resentment. “She was going to take the morning train to London.”
Alex leant back in her seat and buried her face into her hands in despair. She knew what that urgent business was that her sister had wished to talk to her about. Obviously, she had also been upset by the bad aftertaste of their last goodbye.
“Damn it, Nick! It’s all my fault,” she mumbled, her words turning into sobs.
“Of course it isn’t! Don’t talk such nonsense.”
“It is! You don’t understand, but I know it’s true.”
“Stop it, Alex! It was an accident. Nobody could help it.”
“You’ve just said that they were having an argument.”
“Elisabeth was already angry because you hadn’t come with us. And when she heard what Ronnie had in mind to do… well, what can I say, she got into a state.”
“What do you mean exactly?”
“We all heard how she was yelling at Ronnie upstairs. Like, she’d forbid her to leave the house, and things like that.”
“I can’t believe this,” she stated, shaking her head angrily. “Ronnie is no longer a baby. She can go wherever she wants, whenever she wants to.”
“I’m sure she was worried about her. She didn’t want her to take such a long journey by train on her own,” he interposed, benevolently.
Alex looked at him with doubt and irritation. Only Dominic would have been able to assume things of that sort, even though he was familiar with Elisabeth’s relationship with her youngest daughter.
Nick sensed the look he got from Alex, and added warningly, “Don’t even think about blaming your mum for having anything to do with the accident. To hell with it, Alex!” he exhaled nervously. “Ronnie was also tense because of their argument. She rushed down the stairs too hurriedly, and you know what that means in her condition.”
Alex nodded, her lips held tight, giving no other response.
#
She took a few more deep breaths before opening the door to the ward on the third floor. As she looked around the single room, her eye was caught by the rich wooden panelling and the colourful curtains, so much more decorative than the average hospital, giving a friendlier atmosphere to the ward. After all, it was a private clinic! When Alex stepped inside, everybody turned in her direction. James sat beside the bed, holding his daughter’s hand. Elisabeth paced up and down nervously in front of the window but came to a halt when her oldest daughter arrived. Ronnie, who almost disappeared under the thick lilac-patterned blanket, gave her a faint but visibly relieved smile.
“Alex, it’s so good to see you,” she said quietly and reached out her hand.
James rose and stepped toward her for a hug. Elisabeth planted a kiss on her cheek, but all this time, she did not avert her eyes from her sister, who looked awful. Her left arm, which was resting on the blanket, was wrapped in a white cast. Her right arm was dashed with purple marks, and a large white plaster on her forehead spoke of a head wound. Under her right eye, there was a bluish bruise. Alex could feel her tears welling up. She took James’ place by the bed and put her palm on top of Ronnie’s cold hand.
“You gave me such a fright, sis! I was so terrified when Nick called.”
“I’m so sorry. I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to let him call, but he insisted that he himself go to get you.”
“She would’ve rushed through the city like some mad woman, as I know her,” the boy added with a smile.
They both looked at him. Ronnie perhaps held her gaze on the man a bit longer, and with a bit more gratitude than her sister.
“But what exactly happened? Nick says you fell down the stairs.”
“Not a big deal,” the girl mumbled, as if she was greatly embarrassed to discuss the issue.
Alex looked into her eyes, then turned to the rest of the group.
“I’d like to have a word with Ronnie alone. Could you leave us for a short while?”
“But…” Elisabeth started, until Nick took her gently by the arm and walked her to the door.
“Let’s give them some privacy, Liz. I think they’ve got something to discuss.”
“We have to see the doctor anyway,” James added while they were all on their way out. “Do you need anything, sweetie? Should I get something from the shop?” the father asked with tender care in his voice.
Ronnie smiled at him in gratitude and replied cheekily. “ A strawberry lolly?”
“I’ll get it, wherever I have to go for it, Love,” the white-haired man said, winking at the girls.
Alex turned to her sister, and tilting her head scornfully, looked the girl up and down.
“You gave me such a fright, sis. I hope you’re not planning similar actions in the future!”
“It’s nothing serious. Only my arm is broken. The rest are bruises and scratches.”
“And your head?”
“Just a little bump. Not so bad. It will pass.”
Alex stroked her sister’s thin face and shook her head. She knew Ronnie was playing it down, just to keep her from worrying so much.
“Were you fighting?” she asked directly. Ronnie stared at her in surprise
“How do you know?”
“Nick told me. Is it true?”
Ronnie shrugged, but her face twitched with pain.
“Well, kind of.”
“Did you want to come back to London?”
“I can see you already know everything,” she smiled, but her sister couldn't laugh.
“But what were you thinking? Why didn’t you call?”
“After you left, I felt terrible. The more I thought about how stubborn I had been with you, the more ashamed I felt.”
“Oh,” Alex waved. “It was my fault. I should have brought up the issue sooner. I could’ve avoided a lot of conflicts that way,” she said with a sigh.
“Everything has turned out so stupidly. The surprise party at Cassis…”
“True. You undid my plans altogether,” she nodded. “But what happened in Canterbury? Was mum rude with you?”
“No ruder than usual. Okay, maybe a tad.”
“What did she do?”
“Goodness sake, Alex,” she looked at her in horror. “Nothing of the sort that you’re thinking about. She just shouted and forbade me from going back to London on my own. She was also really mad because you had suddenly cancelled. Then, as she heard what I had been planning, she went nuts. She took my bag so that I’d stay put.”
“Oh, Ronnie!”
“This, of course, made me feel angry too. I acted in haste. But somersaulting down the steps, that was all me; you can take my word for it.”
Alex heaved a deep sigh and planted a kiss on the girl’s pale cheek.
“I’m so very sorry. I wish I had been there!”
“I’ll be all right. Don’t worry about that. But now I’d like to discuss something completely different with you.”
Alex raised her eyebrows with a start.
“You know what I mean. I really want to hear what’s going on between you and Nathaniel. That’s what you were going to tell me about, wasn’t it?”
She nodded and took a deep breath. Crouching beside her sister on the bed, Alex began to talk.
“I know that Nick is like a family member to us. I know you also like him a lot.”
Veronic’s eyelashes flickered and her face turned a pale red. This, however, went completely unnoticed by her sister.
“I don’t want to hurt him or his family, even though that’s the very thing that’s about to happen, I’m afraid.”
“You worry too much about others. Forget about the family now, or what they expect from you!”
Alex smiled. She had always appreciated her sister’s insight into things. She continued deep in thought.
“Nate said to me once that no one would ever believe that Nick and I… you know, that we are an item. What do you think?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Most of the time, people can’t judge themselves or their actions objectively when they are struggling with a problem. And you know me much better than anybody else. Be honest.”
Veronic thought for a while before speaking, then with a genuine interest in her voice, asked, “Do you love Nick?”
“Of course I do,” Alex replied with a shrug. Ronnie slowly shook her head.
“No. I mean, do you really lo