Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 27

After she left David, she drove to the beach and walked. Hoped that the walk would help her. But it was a lot harder than she had expected, as the meeting replayed over and over in her head. Thoughts raced through her mind, resulting in chaos: Hitting David was so wrong; At his home, she was about to burst a blood vessel; definitely barking mad! She wondered if she was stable! She had her fingers crossed behind her back and she mumbled to herself: I need a reality check. She walked for at least an hour. The walk was meant to shelve her thoughts. But it didn't. She breathed a quiet sigh. This walk wasn't working. So she turned around and went home.

When she got home, Ella collected the local free paper and the junk mail that was in her letter box and went inside. She tossed the paper on the recycling pile in the back porch and headed for the fridge. After that little 'exercise' dealing with David's issue, she felt she'd earned an indulgence, as the long walk hadn't worked. Now to decide whether to go for alcohol or chocolate. Probably both she thought. But she poured herself a glass of dry white wine and then took her glass to the front room.

Words raced through her mind. Ella muttered, "I knew I was falling in love with him back then." In reality, she knew that every cell in her body was telling her that he was her soul mate, her future. But the last few weeks were a nightmare. First Loretta and then Lise. Ella shook her shoulders, and took a quick breath and dug deep for some courage. "Well, the way it happened is not the best situation." Then she smiled. "Well, I have a job." With a quick lick of her lips she said quietly but firmly "And I will do it, but he is going to change!" She sipped her wine. I need chocolate, she thought and got to her feet again. She mumbled to herself, "Well, at least, I didn't fawn all over him. But not sure that hitting him was the right move!" She was teetering on the insane, her mind reminded her. She rubbed her head. She had never hit anyone before. Obviously ten years of frustration had erupted today. And she also knew that she could draw on years of experience to cloak the fact she was sad, seeing him with his girlfriends. He was handsome: A combination of height and breadth of shoulder were enough to have many a woman fancy themselves in love with him. Like her, her head reminded her.

No doubt, in due time she would have to say sorry. She went from amused to sad. Definitely time for chocolate, she thought as she reached for a large slab of chocolate. With the slab in her hands she headed back to the couch, then remembered that she had not checked her telephone answering machine. Normally, she would do that as soon as she got in, but she had forgotten it. All because she was rattled by the fact that she hit him. It was not in her nature. This wasn't supposed to happen. She simply expected a civil meeting, show her work, get his opinion, agree on the next stages and that would be it. She could feel her stomach roil with nerves as she reviewed her meeting with David.

On her way she discarded her shoes by her bedroom door, she'd put them away later, she pressed the play button on her answer phone and then listened while she sipped her wine. She had a string of messages from Jack, starting with one that asked her to call him and finishing with one that told her to tell Amelia to get in touch. None of them really made sense. But obviously he and Amelia had had a row, or something, if he was phoning Ella, asking her to ask Amelia to get in touch. Ella frowned as she thought about Amelia and Jack having a row, not that she imagined they wouldn't, but she wondered why Jack was so angry and from the tone in his voice a little bit anxious. She'd no sooner stopped listening to his messages when David phoned.

"Gabriella speaking." With her lips curving into a smile, she said automatically expecting it to be another call from Jack.

"David." He replied automatically. Ella put her glass down, and braced herself. She expected him to make some polite conversation, "Did you get Jack's message?"

"Several." She replied as she reached for her glass of wine. Ok, so he wasn't going to be civil. Why should he? And why was he worried about Jack's message.

"What?"

"He's left several. His language becomes more colourful as they go on." She took her glass with her as she headed for the sofa.

"He does that when he's stressed." There was a pause, then he added, "Is she with you?"

She replied primly, "I assume you mean Amelia, and no, she isn't." She curled up on the sofa and waited for him to speak.

Again there was another silence, then he asked silkily, knowing that his words were at odds withthe smoothness of his tone, "Look, don't take our issues out on him, ok?"  

With her nose wrinkled in umbrage, she questioned, "I beg your pardon?" She shifted, uncomfortable.

Ella couldn't see that David narrowed his eyes at her, "If she's with you, tell her to get in touch with Jack." David thought, what the hell was going on here?

Her true character surfaced, she was made of sterner stuff, "I understood that from his message. Perhaps you'd care to explain yours." Her thoughts spilled out in those two sentences.

"I'm not trying to wind you up, ok. But I know you left here in a bit of a snit with me, and though I apologised, I'm not sure you accepted it." He waited, almost as if he expected her to say something. When she didn't he carried on, "I don't want our differences to affect how you deal with Jack's request."

"Request?" Ella snorted softly, "He commanded." Then she laughed in clear disregard for Jack's command.

"He's beside himself with worry. Please ask Amelia to talk to him. He'll explain everything to her."

"What exactly will he need to explain?"

"That's between him and Amelia."

"Then I suggest he contacts her without me as the go-between."

Ella heard David's explosive sigh, before he said, "The photos mean nothing."

"What photos?"

There was silence at the other end of the phone, before he said, "Have you seen the local paper?"

"No."

"Page 6. Jack did not cheat on Amelia."

"I see. Then why would he be worried about these photos, whatever they are?" And she thought she knew what she would see. But as she knew from personal experience, not everything appeared to be what it seemed.

"Because they look bad. But the truth is he didn't do anything wrong. I don't know why I'm explaining it to you. I should be talking to Amelia. Can I speak to her?"

"She isn't here. I told you that."

"Fine." He snapped, as if he still didn't believe her. With exasperation in his voice he ordered, "Tell her to call me or Jack."