Electric Touch | Jude Bellingham

Chapter 17

"That flight was hell," my sister called me from the hotel. "Elena would not stop crying, I felt like everyone wanted us dead."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad, Lex," I unlocked my apartment and through my keys on the island. I walked around and checked the bedrooms. No one was home.

"Ooo we're at the hotel, it's so fancy," she changed the subject as I flopped onto the sofa and switched on the tv.

"You are staying at The Ritz," I laughed as I listened to her talk to her husband as they got out of the taxi.

"I love being rich," Lexi sighed as she finally reached her room. "If you'd told 15 year old me living on a council estate in Birmingham I'd be staying at The Ritz with my husband and baby in 10 years, I would've turned up One Direction and laughed."

"You really do paint with words," I replied, half listening to her.

"But you'd know all about that, with two hot rich men fighting over you."

She caught my attention. "What?"

"You heard me," she scoffed. "I saw those pictures from the ceremony, Jude still looks at you the way he did back then."

I sat up and put my phone on speaker on the coffee table trying to word my sentence so Lexi wouldn't get suspicious. "Well, we haven't spoken since that night so I have no idea what you're on about."

"Wow, even over the phone you're a terrible liar. He's in London you know, Jobe told me."

"Lexi, please."

"Fine. We'll be over to yours in half an hour with El, are you sure you want to do this? You've never looked after her alone before."

"It was your idea, and we'll be fine, she loves me," I smiled at the new toys I bought my niece. "She's the sweetest 9 month old ever."

"Ok, ok," she chuckled. "I'll see you later."

She hung up the phone. I paced round the apartment, tidying, trying desperately to keep my mind off the fact that Jude was in London and not 1078 miles away.

Before I knew it, there was a knock at the door and Lexi, Alex and baby Elena stood behind it, smiling like a cartoon family.

"Ok so, I think there's everything you need in that bag," Lexi handed me the biggest duffel bag in the world. "She's sleeping through the night now so that shouldn't be a problem, but she really hates when you leave the room. She loves grabbing things, like your hair, your phone, your food, so be careful with that, also."

Alex interrupted her. "Evelyn will be fine, love. Won't you?"

He smiled at me his Irish accent soft like summer rain. He was one of the nicest men I'd ever known, how he put up with my sister I'd never know. "I'll be perfectly fine, and if there's any I need, I'll call you."

"Ok, you're right," Lexi walked towards the door, kissing her daughter as she waved bye with her little chubby hands. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Then it was me and Elena alone. With Eleanor with her family and May still with Hayden, it was nice to have someone to properly talk to, even if she had no idea what I was saying.
It started off well, I fed her, changed her and played with the teddy that I bought her all before six o'clock. Then everything began to crash and burn.

Elena had soon had enough of the toy and started grabbing at my hair and pulling it. Then, when I refused to have my hair ripped out, she started screaming, and screaming, until I wasn't sure if I could hear anything but screaming anymore.

I didn't want to call Lexi and ruin her one night in London and prove that I was yet again useless at everything. But Elena persisted with her haunting wailing, and soon I was on the verge of tears myself.

"Please stop crying, please Elena," I bounced her up and down on my hip. But she ignored me.

Soon I felt myself reaching for the phone and dialling the first number I thought of.

"I need you."

Happy New Year everyone! 2024 is going to be our year, I can feel it.