The gates to the drive slide open and Gabe stands up. “That’ll be Zac and Coop, I’ll just let them in.” I watch him go down the stairs, he’s wearing trackies and a hoodie and his feet are bare. God, I love his bare feet!
There are kisses, cuddles and handshakes all round from the boys and then the beers are passed around. Basically what follows over the next hour or so is a discussion on all things construction. The boys, it turns out have won the contract to build the new hospital in South Australia, it’s a massive job, bigger than anything else they have taken on and is worth millions. What they are proposing is to buy Jason’s business out, take on all of his staff and contracts and offer Ryder a job as part of the team managing the soon to be set up South Australia arm of the business. All of the Wilde boys have families and are settled in Victoria, but for a young and single Ryder, it could be a great opportunity, SA isn’t the most exciting of places granted but they are offering a great package and the chance to work on some of their other projects around Melbourne, once SA is set up.
I head into the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea and zone out after a while; it’s more information than I can take for one day so I take my tea to the bedroom and read a book on my kindle as I drink it. I must fall asleep at some stage as when I wake later, I am cocooned by the throw from the end of the bed and it’s dark outside, I slide my leg out and feel for Gabe but his side of the bed is empty, I turn onto my back and think about today’s events, going over and over them in my head, no matter how many times I replay my life, I just cannot believe that I have spent most it with a man that was coked out of his head or more recently high on meth. I sit up and the room spins, my lip is still sore but all things considered, physically, I’m okay. Mentally, I have no idea where I’m at and now I have to ring Sonny and let him know.
I get up and wander out to the family room; I stand and lean against the wall as I look at the site that is Gabe lying on the sofa. His long frame covers one whole end, he’s lying on his back, one arm bent and tucked under the back of his head, his other arm out straight, holding the remote as he points it at the telly and flicks through the channels, I get this tingling in my belly as I watch him, it’s like a mild electrical current or how it must feel to be a piece of metal when there is a magnet around. That’s how it feels, like little fingers of sensation, reaching out for him, he’s the magnet and I’m as useless as a paper clip at trying to resist his pull I watch as he smiles that sexy arsed lazy smile of his as he says. “See something ya like?”
“Fuck yeah.”
He turns his head and looks at me and I’m pretty sure I sigh out loud. He is hot.
“You… Need… To… Stop…Swearing.”
“What?”
“You Lauren, you need to stop swearing so much, the babies will be saying fuck as their first word if they listen too much to you.”
I actually feel a little offended. Why does everyone keep giving me advice on parenting, they obviously all feel like I’m not that good at it, despite having done it twice before.
“Fuck you.” I say to Gabe as I put my empty cup on the drainer and go to fill the kettle to make another cup of tea.
“And such an adult too.” I pick the cup up and throw it, it skims past his head and smashes on the wall above. “What the fuck Lauren? What is wrong with you?”
“What is wrong with me? Will you stop, please, telling me what to do around these babies, stop with the top twenty tips from Practical Parenting? I know what I’m doing, I’ve raised two beautiful, well-adjusted boys, I’ve brought them up to be loving, caring, well-mannered men.” I start to sob as I speak, I feel entirely useless as a wife and as a mother right now and Gabe’s little digs are really not what I need to be constantly hearing. “I’m not a bad mother.” I finally get out.
He’s up, off the sofa and has me wrapped in his arms in seconds. “Hey, hey, I’m sorry, I was joking, I was just joking with you.” He picks me up in his arms and carries me back to the sofa and sits me in his lap. “You’re boys are credits to you, especially in light of today’s events. You are an exceptional Mum and I couldn’t choose anyone better to be the mother of my children. Please believe me, your boys, these babies and Ava are all so lucky to have you, please Lauren, it was a joke that is all. If all this bullshit hadn’t have gone on this morning with Jason, you would have thrown more than just a cup at me. And I would have deserved it, I’m sorry; it was thoughtless of me, but don’t let the actions of that prick, make you doubt your abilities as a mother Lauren, don’t let him doubt your ability to achieve anything in this life. You’ve come so far these past few months, don’t let his life choices impact on ours now. You heard what Ryder said, you’re the best Mum. Fucking hell, we don’t employ idiots Lauren, he’s a smart boy and no doubt Sonny is the same.”