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

I wanted tobelieve him, but deep down I just couldn’t.

“I have beentaking all my medication and seeing my doctor three times a week. Ihave been fine. I feel fine. I really want to get to know you ifyou’ll let me. If Bryce loves you as much as he appears to, then Iknow I will love you too.” He smiled at me.

That smile,mixed with those last words had me invisibly dry-heaving. Icouldn’t help it; it was all just a bit too much. My head was in nostate to be deciphering anything, let alone whether a DID alter wascurrently putting on an Academy Award-worthy performance.

“Gareth, Iappreciate what you are trying to do, and I appreciate you wantingto apologise for Scott’s behaviour and actions, but I’ve had ahorrible day and this is all just a bit too much for me to dissectright now. Look, maybe if we spend a little more time in eachother’s company we might just be able to be friends. But for now, Ireally need to go lie down, I have a horrible headache,” I stood upquickly, feeling a little bit dizzy. Bryce noticed my slightimbalance and shot up to my side.

“Are you allright?” He searched my eyes for any signs of distress.

“I’m fine. Ijust need to lie down and sleep off this headache. You stay hereand catch up with Gareth. I’m going to go upstairs.” I leaned upand kissed his cheek while watching Gareth for any indication thatit was, in fact, Scott in his place. Gareth looked awaymomentarily, making me think that it was Scott all along. But thenhe offered me some get well wishes as I left the room. I slowlyclimbed the stairs, watching the two cousins sit and talk. It wasclear Bryce somewhat held back in his interaction, but at the sametime, it was also clear that deep down he cared and respectedGareth. It was terribly sad.

CHAPTER FIVE

After checking to see if thekids were okay and interrogating them as to what Gareth had said, Idecided a long talk needed to be revisited—a talk to remind themboth never to let complete strangers anywhere near them. Charlottehad cried knowing she had done the wrong thing by opening the door,and Nate, too, had sulked, knowing that he should have called myphone the second Gareth had entered the apartment. I felt terriblenot having been there to stop the whole scenario, but instilling alittle fear into them about it had to be a good form of deterrencein repeating the same mistake, right? Oh I hope so. I hatedeliberately scaring my kids. But this is for their own good; theyneed to be on high alert where Gareth is concerned.

I planned tospeak to Bryce about the security of the apartment, especially nowthat my children lived here for a better part of the week. I didn’tlike the fact that his family or company employees could have sucheasy access to his office.

“Is he a badguy, Mum?” Nate asked as I was leaving his room. “You seemed reallyscared of him. I know I should have called your mobile when I sawthat Charli had opened the door, but I thought he was okay becausehe’s Bryce’s cousin and cousins are family, and isn’t Bryce goingto be in our family soon?”

“Oh,Sweetheart, just because someone is family doesn’t mean you shouldautomatically trust them. Trust has to be earned. I know it’s hardto understand but you don’t know Gareth, therefore you can’t reallytrust him yet, right?” I searched Nate’s confused face. “Look,Gareth is not very well in here.” I pointed to my head. “He getsconfused a lot, and when that happens he can be dangerous. That’swhy I looked scared, because I don’t know when he is going to getconfused, and it’s also because I don’t trust him. Listen, I wantyou to stay away from him, okay? Never be alone with him, andnever let him inside this apartment, ever! I don’t want to scare you, it’s just better to besafe than sorry, that’s all.”

I blew him akiss and left the room, heading directly for bed. My head now hurtwith conviction and I needed to rescue my mind from its state ofunrest and whisk it away to a place where it could relax and besubconsciously entertained—my pillow helping that necessity.

***

The nextmorning saw me recovered from the horrid feeling of a miniatureperson having somehow climbed inside my head, unleashing hell andpounding frantically against the inner confines desperate to getback out. I think the terrible headache I had experienced was aresult of shock from Gareth’s appearance and apology, together withthe stress of having to divide Rick’s and my assets. Just lightlytouching on those two issues in my thoughts was spurring anotherhead pounding session. That, and the fact Charlotte was overexcitedthat she had her first swimming lesson, and more so that Bryce andI were going along to watch. Her motor-mouth was in overdrive asshe was explained her take on how humans float. I pinched thebridge of my nose but couldn’t help finding her demonstrationsamusing.

***

As all four ofus drove toward the school in the Lexus, I found myselfunenthusiastically anticipating a rather excited—and let’s just sayfloored—reaction to the sight of Bryce by the other mothers atschool. I was resigned to the fact that their goggling wasinevitable, but would I ever get used to it? I guess I was going tohave to.

The bell rangjust as we got to the school. Both the kids happily said goodbyeand ran off to class. “See you in a minute, Bryce,” Charli calledout as she ran off. Oh, yeah, don’t worry about me. Apparentlybeing your mother and allowing my stomach to be sliced open inorder for you to be born into this world means nothing anymore.I’ll just hug and kiss myself, will I? I shook my head andsmiled.

“What are yousmiling at?” Bryce asked, after waving to Charli and looking backto me.

“Nothingreally, it’s just...you seem to be a massive magnet to allthings.”

He smirked.“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It can be,” Ismiled truthfully.

Just as he wasabout to add to our conversation, I heard my name being shoutedfrom a distance. “Alexis.”