Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

“Shit! Sorry,you scared me too,” she answered with an instant blush ofawkwardness across her face.

“Are youwearing my dress?” I asked—or more to the point—accused.

She lookeddown at the dress and then back up to me. “Um...yes. I didn’t haveanything else to put on.”

I don’t reallyknow what came over me at that point. All I remember was seeingred—as in screaming bloody murder red. I could only imagine itlooking like I was a bull in Pamplona’s infamous running of thebulls race and Claire one of the shit-scared runners. I basicallychased her out of the house, steam surging out of my nostrils, andif I’d had horns like one of those bulls, I could guarantee youthey would have pierced the bitch’s arse.

After yellingat her to get out of my house, shoving her handbag into her chest,snatching back my towel and slamming the door in her face, Istarted angrily packing up everything I could see. How dare shecome in here and start wearing my clothes, eating from my fridge,showering in my shower and more than likely sleeping in my bed.Bitch!

I grabbed allmy clothes and shoved them in the suitcase. I picked up every lastbottle of perfume and every toiletry that I could find. I grabbedmy photo albums, pictures from the walls, potted plants, and evenmy KitchenAid and Aldi coffee machine. I stomped around the houselooking for things I couldn’t bear for her to touch—like mydecorative couch pillows. Okay, so I only paid five dollars eachfor them at K-Mart, but they were pretty and I liked them, and Iwas not about to leave them there and let her get comfortably cosywith them. Fuck her. I forcefully squished as much as Icould into my car and took off to pick up the kids from school.

***

Nate andCharli had been excited to see me waiting for them when the bellrang. But my presence at the school probably made the wholegossip-about-my-love-life problem worse, as I was clearly in aferal mood and my car was noticeably filled to the brink with allkinds of shit. One could have easily mistaken me for living out ofmy car, and I’m sure the rumour mill would soon reflect that.

Tash and Stephhad asked me what was wrong, but I was in no mood to elaborate, soI promised them I was fine and that I would soon have them all overfor coffee and a tour of my new home.

***

My mind wasmiles away as I drove toward the city, thinking about Rick, Claire,my house and the fact I now wanted to speak to my lawyer—who justhappened to be my old boss. Charlotte had been talking non-stopabout her friend Addison’s sleepover party that was in a few weeks’time. I hadn’t really been listening to much of what was coming outof her overzealous mouth when my phone rang.

The Bluetoothfeature in my car automatically answered it.

“Hello,” Ianswered out loud.

“Hi,beautiful—”

“Hi, Bryce,”interrupted Charli.

“Charli!” Isnapped. “Don’t interrupt.”

After a momentof silence, Bryce’s voice came through the speaker again. “Alexis,is everything all right?”

I didn’tnormally yell at Charli for something as minor and innocent assimply saying hello and Bryce was fully aware of that. “Yes, I’mfine. I’m just tired and I have a headache and—”

“She’s beenbusy packing our house up into this car,” Nate interjected, lookingat the lamp shade that was poking over the back seat.

“Right. Whereare you?” His tone seemed softer and somewhat concerned.

“I’m about tenminutes away,” I answered. “I’ll see you shortly.”

“Okay, Hunny.But pull over if your headache gets any worse, and I’ll sendsomeone to come get you.”

He hungup.

I put my handto the bridge of my nose and sighed. “Charli, I’m sorry forsnapping. Mummy’s head is killing her.” I looked in the rear-viewmirror and smiled apologetically.

“Well, youshould tell it to stop killing you.” She rolled her eyes, as ifthat was simply the cure to a headache.

“Duly noted,Sweetheart.”

***

I pulled intothe basement carpark where Bryce was standing, waiting for us. Heeyed the visible contents of my car as I stepped out and closed thedoor.

Charlotte ranup to him and hugged his waist.

“Hi, Charli.How was school?”

“Good. I startswimming lessons tomorrow. Do you want to come and watch?”

He lookedslightly shocked at her invitation. “Sure. I’d love to come,” hesmiled. Charli looked over at me then motioned for Bryce to leandown so that she could whisper in his ear. Whatever she had said tohim provoked a smile to appear on his face, piquing mycuriosity.

He winked ather then spoke to Nate. “Mate, can you take Charli up to theapartment? I need to speak to your Mum in private for aminute.”

Nate nodded,and both the kids stepped into the elevator.

When the doorsclosed, I wasted no time in questioning him. “What did Charli sayto you?”

“She told meto make sure your headache didn’t kill you because she loves you,and if it tried, could I please kill it first.” He raised hiseyebrows at me, and I smiled guiltily. “Are you feeling okay? Howbad is your headache? Do I need to kill it?”

I smiled andscoffed. “It’s just a small one. I’m fine.” I lied. I didn’t wanthim hauling me over his shoulder, bundling me into the Crow andflying me to the nearest hospital.

I turnedaround and opened up the tailgate to my car. Three bags and mycouch cushions tumbled out onto the ground. “Shit.”

“What’s allthis?” Bryce asked dubiously, obviously sensing my fragilestate.

“My stuff,” I hissed ever so slightly.

“Hunny,there’s a vacuum cleaner in there.” He leaned in and pulled itout.

I could hear avery small hint of amusement in his voice, which helped snap me outof my ridiculously angry mood. “I know. It’s my Dyson. It’s a goodvacuum.”

“So I’veheard...but...we have house-keeping. So...you...don’t...really needit.”

I turnedaround to find him cautiously smiling at me. “I know,” I conceded“I just didn’t want her to touch it. Thesethings are mine. I worked for them, I chose them, I used them; theyare mine, not hers.”

“Hers?”

“Claire’s. Shewas at the house when I showed up. She was wearing my dress and hadjust taken a shower. I got angry and went a little crazy.”

“Oh,” hesmiled, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around me.

“I’m not angryat her for being there with Rick. Really, it’s not that at all,they