8 Chapter eight

She walked to the kitchen; once she had dropped the things she brought on the counter, she went back to on her answering machine and played for any messages in her absence.

'Hello, this is Amber Page, I am busy right now, leave a message.' She heard before she turned her attention to the gorceries on the counter, she began to unpack.

'Hey, babe. Just called to say Hi....I missed you; can we have lunch tomorrow.....call me.' She heard; Jake sounded like he needed something.

'Hey, Babe, this is your best friend; the client said the shipping won't be in this week, he said next month..... I was upset when I heard; that man likes procrastinating... I hope you are having a relaxing weekend..... enjoy, see you on Monday.' Cassie's voice ended; he sure likes procrastinating.... about a relaxing weekend.....so far it has been heated. When...

She stopped her thinking as she hears her sister's voice.

'I don't know where you went, what is keeping you so long...call me.' what was so important that Jessie couldn't wait for her?

She heard her again. 'I'm leaving; George told me to give you a painting; I dropped it on your bed. He said hello.'

George and Jessie were artists and he was her friend he wouldn't even let her pay for the painting he gives her.

'Very busy I guess, even to pick up your answering machine; why do you even have that.... anyways mom said to tell you, we will be having dinner at seven at the house tomorrow, so you should come early.'

She just nod put the carrots in the sink, to wash them.

'Hey, Amber, it's Tricia, I am going to be at the 4'oclock news, talking about my book; if you don't watch it, I will kill you.' Her excited cousin's came over the phone; finally.

'Babe, it's me again. You mind calling as soon as you get this message; I need a loan, please.' She heard Jake's voice, she wondered if he was okay.

That was the end of the messages, She deleted the messages and plugged it back on and no sooner had she climbed the stairs; did the phone ring. She thought about letting the answering machine pick when she heard Tricia's voice. 

She looked at the time, it wasn't even four yet. 

'Amber, it is now, right now; national television. Right now.' She said hanging up quickly.

Amber moved to her television and switch it on, she search through the channels and found the one that had Tricia; sitting, beautifully dressed, her hair up and her legs crossed and her book in her hand; she looked so confident.

She smiled as she watched and heard every word; she didn't even know when she pressed record on her remote control.

She reached for her phone and stood up, as she dialed Jake, half hearing what her cousin answered to and the ringing in her ear.

He answered after the second time.

'Hey, babe .'

'Hey.'

'How are you?' She heard him ask.

'I should be asking you, are you okay? I got your message.'

'Oh yeah, that.'

She nod her head, looking at the television and at her cousin smiling.

Then he told her, he needed some money to bail his brother out from jail.

'What did he do?'

'Obstraction of property, he was drunk wanted to let it out; I'm short of funds right. I shouldn't even be asking you, how can I be asking you for some money... it's not done anywhere.' She heard him.

'It's okay, do you want me to come over?'

'No, it's fine Clinton is embarrassed at the moment and I have work.'

She nodded understanding. 'I will send the money to you.' Clinton; his brother; Jake had introduced him once and his brother always had problems with the cops; she didn't know Jake's family that well, she only knew about his brother; Jake had said he had other family members.

'Thanks, are you free tomorrow..... lunch.'

She had an appointment with Nicholas at Carla's house and she had to go to dinner at her parent's; she was booked but she didn't tell him; about Nicholas just yet.

'Sorry.' She apologize at the end.

'It's okay.....thank you very much, Amber; I'll see you.'

She smiled as she removed the phone from her ears and looked at the television; the interview was about to end, and when it did; she pressed stop record and save; she could watch it again and show Tricia that she did; just as the reporter said; 'We will go on a commercial break and when we do; Dr Scarlett with speak to us to health hazards for the day.'

She hadn't gone far when the answering machine rang, when it picked and answered;

'Hello, this is Amber Pade, I am busy right now, leave a message.'

Tricia; she thought at the top of the stairs before she heard the voice.

'You should really change this recording, maybe something a bit for funnier and amusing....' She had thought about it, but hadn't had the time.

'Are you really not at home, or you are messing with me....I called your phone; phones are meant for carrying around not dropping it anywhere.'

She searched herself, she wasn't even with the phone; where did she drop it?

'I hope you watched it; I will come around by next week to know how I did.'

She did great! Tricia always do great; why did she have to call her out of all her other cousins, what about her husband?

Tricia answered the question for her. 'I love you and you give honest opinions, I don't think, I can live without you. I have work right now, call me later or better yet; wait until I come over. Kisses.' She said before she cut the call.

Tricia was a year younger than her and she loved Amber like her sister; Amber wasn't even sure she had much friends, out of the entire Pade family; Tricia could only stand her mother and Amber, the rest didn't see eye to her with her.

She sighed as she moved to her room.

'I want you back.' she heard his voice in her head.

She stopped at the door and looked into her room; she could feel his presence here and suddenly she remembered their time together.

They had guests, so they took a break and escaped to their room, Nicholas lay down in her lap, while she stroke his hair, he gently rubbed his hands over her arms.

'When is your sister coming back?'  She asked him.

'During fall.'

She nodded her head; she likes Apirl, she was nice.

'Amber, let's have a baby.' He told her.

She smiled as he sat up. 

'A baby that have your eyes and your smile.' He said as he touched her cheeks; she smiled and giggled.

'A baby you will love more than me?' She teased.

He held her shoulders fast and his hands gently moved to her face and caressed her cheeks.

'I will love our baby but I'll love you more.' 

'How much more?'

He pulled closer. 'So much more.'

She smiled as he tilted his head and kissed her slowly, causing her heart to skip a beat; he raised his hand to her nape and guided her gently and then; the kiss went from slow to passionate; he pulled her closer as she held his face in her hands and kissed him back in the same pace and with as much strength she could give.

She smiled in his mouth as he lay down on the bed, pulling her down to him; his hand caressed her breasts and she smiled as his other hand went up her shirt; they had guests in the house; didn't he know that. Neither did she; because her hand undid his buttons as she sat on his waist and pulled out his buttons from their holes one after the other but their mouths did not leave each other. He smiled at her as her hand went beneath his singlet; his breathe caught and just as she was about to pull his shirt from his arms; they heard their names;

'Nicholas, Amber come down.' Came her mother's voice.

They smiled at each other before she let go; they looked at each other for long time before she muttered to him; voiceless. 'Let's go.'

She straightened her hair and was about to get off the bed, when he moved to her and pulled her back to his arms;

She giggled; 'Nick, mom is calling.'

He shook his head and kissed her cheek; This is our house, they invade it; don't we have the right to spend an alone time together; making out? I have a feeling your mom doesn't want us to have children right now.'

'Nick, you can't be serious right now.' She said smiling.

'Babies don't come from heaven; they are made; we..... have to make them.'

She hit his chest. 'And at due time; right now, we have guests in our home.'

He didn't release her. 'They can make themselves at home; they always do.'

He was right, everytime; her parents and cousins come, they always make themselves at home.

'I love you, Nick, right now. We have duties.'

He smiled. 'I love you, Amber but this is the only duty I am obliged to perform.' 

She smiled again when he took her lips and she kissed him back with a light chuckle. 

And suddenly they heard;

'Aunt Amber, Uncle Nick, what are you doing?'

Amber shoved her husband to the bed as she moved away from him; he sat up.

She smiled at her nephew; Matthew; her father's sister's last born. He was fourteen; the last of five.

'Aunt Elisabeth, sent me to call you.' He said looking at them both.

'Tell mom, we are on our way.' She said about to excuse herself but Nicholas held her hand, making Matthew glanced at him.

'Uncle Nick.....'

'You know, Matt, we are a couple right?'

He nod his head. 'So?'

'We need privacy.' He said as he pulled Amber down to his lap.

'You've got the privacy you needed.' He heard the teenager, unmoving.

'You know, we could just do what we want.'

Amber smiled at him. 

'Then I will just stand here and watch; besides, I have seen couples do whatever they do; it couldn't be more gross.'

Amber hit Nicholas on his chest and stood up. 

'Matt, go downstairs; we will be with you shortly.'

The boy nod but not without looking at Nicholas; 'My aunt is more reasonable than you sometimes.' With that, he walked out.

Nicholas just smiled; Amber grabbed his hand.

'Let's go.'

Then he grumbled until they were out of the room.

She sighed and smiled; they had been so happy, then what happened?

She moved into her room and sat on the bed.

She had come back from work one day and Nicholas was seated waiting for her; with an unpleasant frown on his face.

'What is it?' She asked him, when she dropped her bag.

He gave her the paper he had in his hand.

She skimmed through the paper and smiled; before she looked at him but he didn't share the same feeling she had right now.

'It's just a silly letter, Nick.'

He looked so angry; she haven't seen him this upset. 'That is a love letter, Amber.' He said almost biting his lip. His anger was unmistakable.

'It's not a big deal.' She said trying to pacify him, even it was a little bit.

'Not a big deal?' he stood towering over her; she scrambled back.

'Not a big deal? Amber, I found this letter on our bed.....did you bring anyone here, that I do not know about?'

She wasn't sure what he was talking about. 'No.'

'Are you cheating on me, Amber.' Came the real question; Amber thought she was going to collapse, but her feet stood rooted to the ground.

He didn't give her a chance to answer. 'How can you tell people that I don't have enough money to provide from my own family; I am working two jobs; how can you say you are the one who takes care of the house.'

She hadn't exactly say that; she had just given a few words that everything was fine but for Nicholas to ask her if she was cheating on him....that....was too much.

'What if I did, am I wrong? You haven't paid the bill for two months now and you haven't taken care of our daily requirements. I am not wrong to have said that.'

'So, you, telling your friends or who ever this person is, about your husband is not a problem?'

She shrugged. 'I am not one to supercoat the truth, I am an honest person and they are my friends.'

He frowned, nod, nod and nod as if he was contemplating on what to say. 'And you are encouraging this because....'

'He has enough money to take care of me.' she told the lie; without thinking. She didn't even know this person; he was talking about, there was no name no address; how can he take this seriously!

He frowned; when did it reach this?

She was disappointed with herself; when the look on his face said he had believed every word she said. 'I am not... cheating on you.' She started to say but he had already walked out.

When he had nothing, she loved him but his stupid ego; still feels, it is not him but someone else.

He didn't come back that day or the next. Cassie had said he would back after a few days but he did not, she called him; he didn't answer, months began to crawl by; she had thought he might have died until she saw his picture on a magazine a few days later; she couldn't call him; she just decided he wasn't ready to come back, he could stay where he was...forever. He was the one who walked out on her and she wasn't going to beg him to come to her or to his home.

But he was back now and telling her; he wanted her back; after he left her alone by herself but here is the thing; Nicholas Mitchell, she had learned to live without him.....just like he walked out on her, not a call or text, she could live without him in her life and in her heart.

She sighed as she run her hand over wrapped painting, before tearing it opened.

She loved the painting, as she walked out of her room; She made a mental note to call George and thank him for the painting; she hung the fiasco by the kitchen door; sometimes she felt her home was turning into an art studio. She head to the kitchen. She saw a bag, she must have forgotten to unpack; as she opened it; she saw some of her vegetables; no wonder she was thinking they were not complete, she put the vegetables on the counter and she heard the sound of a bottle; she raised it up; she smiled.

'He still put it here.' Nicholas had placed the wine, in her bag; she didn't know when but he did. She put the bottle on the counter and went over to wear her apron before she moved over to wash the carrots she placed in the sink and she began preparing dinner.

****

'Gosh!' her hand hit something. Her eyes opened slowly then she blinked the sleep from her eyes. 

She glanced at the clock that was supposed to be by her bed but there wasn't any clock. Her memories begin to come back one by one; she looked round where she was, her eyes stopped at the clock. 

6:55am.

'Gosh!' She jerked up, just as she placed her legs down, she stepped on something soft, she quickly raised her legs. She looked at the image. 

It was Skype, still there; she whimpered and suddenly barked at her; saying good morning before she walked to the bathroom downstairs.

Amber watched as she moved slowly like she was straining to walk...or did she step on her?

She stood up; 6:56am; how did that even happen? And Nicholas was never a minute late, she didn't know what else changed about him but she sure didn't want him to see her, so unkept and untidy.

First, she will take a shower ...a quick shower.

She hurried up the room and she hit her leg on the door post and grunt hard; before a scream came from her, but thankfully she wasn't bleeding; just closed her eyes waiting for the pain to disappear. She checked her clock on her bed side; 7:00am. 

Her eyes widened and just then the bell rang; doesn't he have anything to do this morning; to be here so early and on time?

She pulled off her clothes and put on her robe; tieing the ropes securely. She headed to the door. Skype was already barking at the door, her excitement seeing Nicholas.

'Settled down, girl.' She told the dog but Skype didn't hear; she was all over the place.

When she opened the door; then rounded Nicholas; before he carried her and used his legs to shut the door. 

'Whoa! You are so heavy, what has Amber been feeding you?' He asked with a smile. The dog licked his face as she breathed deeply.

'Dog food.' She muttered as he entered the house.

She watched as he stopped and looked round the living room.

'You have a guest?' He inquired lightly knowing it wasn't his place.

She shook her and picked up; the half finished bottle of wine and her glass, heading to the kitchen.

'No, my home doesn't always look like this.' She said before she entered the kitchen.

Then she came back to clean up where she and Skype ate. 'I had a lot to drink last night; I even forgot you were coming.'

He nod his head as she excused herself again.

When she came back, he sat with the dog in his arms.

'Please, give me a few minutes, I will be back; I don't want to keep you waiting but excuse all these.' She gestured to her shoes and her shirt on the couch were he sat and the puzzles started on the floor, before racing back up the stairs. 

She hated delays and right now, she was the one delaying.

She sighed as she entered the bathroom, for a quick bath and her teeth.

He smiled; at this time; Amber would be on her way out; the house has never been like this, only if they had her cousins over, she would have to clean and he would have to join her. She was always neat; maybe if he hadn't bothered to put the wine in the bag when she wasn't looking, she would have been dressed by now and he get to miss seeing her this disorientated Amber, or he wouldn't even spend time with Skype like this or eat breakfast. He was glad he met her like this.

He touched the dog's collar; Skype licked his cheeks again. He should really get Skype to stop licking him. 

'How about, let's clean up for Amber.' 

The dog nod excited.

Since he didn't know where anything was; Skype showed everything; barking at the right place and shaking her head at the wrong places.

They finished cleaning the living room and the kitchen; 

'I'm hungry.' He muttered.

Skype barked at the fridge and he picked what he wanted; he looked for Skype's food which she barked at him to pick but he didn't get it, until he searched and saw it. 

At 7:30, he took a walk round the house with Skype at his side; he saw most paintings that was not in the house before; were from one person and he didn't see their wedding pictures anywhere; he wondered if Amber threw them away...She couldn't have done that, could she?

He decided to explore more when he saw a room door opened; this was their room, he remembered; Amber choice of color and his art work; he had so shabbily drawn ; the shape of a heart; poorly she told him and she had drawn perfect hearts on each sides.

He remembered when he left hat day; he hadn't taken any of his clothes; he moved towards the wardrobe. His clothes were still there but covered to prevent dust. He saw hers; she had brought so many other clothes with brighter colors that suit her skin.

'What are you doing?' He heard.

Immediately he dropped his hands and turned to face her.

'Do you come into someone's house and look through their things?'

He closed the wardrobe and moved back away from it.

She was half dressed; her hair was a bit damp from the water and she was wearing her trousers but nothing but a bra up; that he saw that because she was tieing a towel; that didn't cover her fully because he could see her flat stomach, showing her belly button. He swallowed and raised his eyes back to her face.

'I..... I wasn't sure what was keeping you.....'

'I'm sure you know a lady's dressing takes longer.'

He nod his head; he hadn't forgotten how many times he had to help her hurry up with her dressing but he was the one who ended up delaying them because his hands didn't stop touching her or when he would so skillfully comb her hair for her or wear her shoes for her; just to be fast?

Of course he hadn't forgotten.

'Could you excuse me now?'

He didn't move.

'Nicholas.' She called his name and for the first time, since they've been together.

He smiled and walked out.

She sighed. How could he come into her  room like that?

Technically, Amber, you are still married to him; that makes it his room too.

But he didn't know that.

She sighed as she saw the door shut behind him and then she saw the clothes she had left on the couch, on her bed; he had brought it in, with her shoes.

Maybe she was being rather harsh? 

She didn't think so, she could treat him, however she wanted for leaving her like that and coming back unexpected.... don't forget the scene she caught him kissing her sister.

She thought on and on until she moved to the wardrobe where she met him standing;

She looked at his clothes, she had said she was going to give them out but she hadn't had time to go to charity center to give out the clothes and she just couldn't discard them like that. She would do it when she had time.

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