I quickly chase after him and my son. He places Dillan gently in the car seat in the back of my car and tosses the keys at me. Catching them like I did the coat, only an inch from my face, I grit my teeth and climb into the driver’s seat.
“You forgot your coat; it’s cold,” Nathan snaps, his hand on the doorframe.
A thought comes to mind. I climb back out of the car and stomp towards the house.
I grab my coat but as soon as I get near him, I click my fingers. “Oh, wait. I totally forgot.” I lift my t-shirt over my head and throw it at him.
“What are you doing?” His eyes widen as he takes me in wearing nothing but a bra and trousers.
I kick off my shoes and tug my trousers down, ignoring the horrid feel of the wet dirt beneath my socks.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Nathan hisses as I kick the jeans at him.
I slip my feet back into my shoes and snatch my coat from his hands. Shrugging it on I give him a friendly smile. “You bought those too.”
“You can have the clothes.” He gawps, disbelief plain on his face.
“No thanks. I don’t want anything from you. Not unless it’s for Dillan.” I button my coat up at the front, ignoring the fact that it doesn’t even cover my thighs, and lean into the back of the car to grab Dillan. I’m probably giving him a spectacular view of my lace knickers right now.
“Now what are you doing?” He snaps as I cradle my son to my chest and walk casually to the boot. With one hand I pull out his pram and unfold it with the aid of my foot. I place Dillan inside and wrap him tightly in his blanket. I use the rain cover to keep the cold air from attacking him. “Guinevere!”
“Yes?” I enquire sweetly, stopping a few feet from the car.
“You’ve made your point.”
I pretend to be confused, almost laughing evilly at the look of defeat on his face. “Point? What point? I thought you wanted back everything you bought for me?”
“Gwen,” he sighs, looking exhausted. “Stop this.”
“Nope. If you want to be an idiot, then I’ll just be an idiot right back.” I click my fingers again. “Now that I think about it,” I let out a little laugh and shake my head as if telling myself I’m stupid. “You bought me this underwear too.”
His eyelids stretch as far as physically possible, his mouth dropping open. “You wouldn’t. Anybody could see you. You’ll get ill.”
“I didn’t realise you cared, Nathan.” I bat my eyelashes and lift up the hem of the coat. My thumbs hook into the edges of my French knickers.
He gulps, his eyes almost daring me to do it. “That’s it!”
I let out a scream which is half a reaction to being startled at the fact I’m now over his shoulder and half triumphant at the fact I cracked him.
His shoulder digs into my stomach as he carries me back to the house. He uses his other hand to push the pushchair. I smile. Score one to me.
“The only reason…” He begins but I scowl deeply at him and admonish, “Save whatever horse crap you’re about to try and feed me. You care. You just proved that. I win this round.”
His phone rings and he holds up his finger to tell me to be quiet. I’ll give him this respect.
No words leave his mouth during the duration of the call. He only listens quietly, his body tensing. I can’t hear what’s being said but I can hear an angry male voice. Nathan hangs up the phone and pushes me towards the stairs. “Get dressed and pack. I’m serious.”
“Nope.” I return firmly, giving him a smile that I know is annoying the hell out of him. “But thanks. Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?”
He stalks towards me, his eyes a fiery blaze of fury and something else. I’m not sure what the something else is but I have a feeling I’m about to find out. “Pack your bags.” His voice is menacing, almost vicious. His face only an inch from mine, I almost cower. Almost but not quite. Although I do gulp. “And leave.”
“No.”
“Fine,” he says and moves his head side to side, causing his neck to crack. “Have it your way.”
“Okay.” I give him another smile and race up the stairs. “Be a sport and watch Dillan for me.”
“I have things…” I don’t hear the rest of what he’s saying because I’m in my room and searching through my closet for something to wear that he didn’t buy.
I can’t believe I just got undressed in the driveway in front of Nathan. I’ve officially lost the plot.
The next few days are the same. Nathan either ignores me or insults me. If he insults me I ignore him. It’s an endless cycle. It’s also making me miserable.
Nothing I say or do gets through to him.
I need to find a way to bring the old Nathan back. I have to do something.
With this thought in mind, I drop Dillan off with Jeanine for a while and head to the supermarket as was her suggestion. She thinks I should try and remind him of the good times we’ve shared, so that’s what I’m going to do. Nathan got rid of all of my eggs and I’m going to need some if I want to get on his good side with food. This is the only weapon in my arsenal, baked goods. I’m keeping my fingers crossed but I’m also not holding out hope.
If only he’d tell me. If he’d just tell me then we could move past this. What’s so bad that he has to make out like he hates me?
I don’t want him to know what I’m doing so I spend the morning baking cake after cake and cookies after cookies and treat after treat, using Jeanine’s kitchen. By the time I’m done it’s almost two.
Jeanine insists I leave Dillan with her while I do this. I thank her profusely and, after loading the baked goods into my car, I set off for home. The entire way I beg the skies for strength and help.
Now I just need to figure out what to say.
I gather as many cakes and things as possible and step into the house, relieved that the door isn’t locked.
“Nathan?” I shout as I place the last of the boxes on the kitchen side.
My phone alerts me to a text and I open it.
Nathan: I’m in the nursery.
Well, that’s an improvement already. Maybe he can smell my surprise treats and has decided to suddenly be civil.
The only thing I take up with me is the small bag of homemade donuts that taste way better than anything you’ll find at a theme park. In my mind that was the night that Nathan and I connected, that was the night we became friends, and now I just have to remind him of that.
“Okay,” I start shouting as I head upstairs. “So I went slightly overboard on the baking but I thought we could…”
Nathan’s eyes meet mine and they wince at whatever he sees in them.
It’s heartbreak he sees. My heart shatters into fragments so tiny they couldn’t be seen under a microscope.
My phone beeps as I stare at the empty room. There’s no nursery furniture in sight.
He’s throwing me out.
Mum: Would you care to explain why a van full of yours and Dillan’s things has just arrived on my doorstep? Are you coming home?
It would appear so.