were, but I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for the repentant gift. I would just forget to collect them later.
“You are so fussy ,” Elliott said with a mouthful of sandwich. My heart sank, I simply shook my head.
“Shall we go out tonight? What would you like to do ?” He looked at me waiting for an answer, but I didn’t have a clue what he expected me to say.
“Erm...I’m not sure . Whatever. I don’t mind,” I answered honestly. Truth was, after yesterday, I just wanted to go home and lose myself in a book, forget the real world for a while.
“Sweetheart .” He pulled at my hand, holding me tightly. “I want to make up for all the arguing we’ve been doing lately, but I feel nothing I do is right. I’m trying, Eve, but you have to make some effort too.”
“I know , I’m sorry.” The hurt on his face hit me like a blow to the gut. He always turned it round to me, and the sickening thing was he succeeded in making me feel guilty for just being me.
“I’m trying to sort my head out; I want to make you happy. It’s all for you, I get so wound up because I love you so much ,” he said, his voice low and pitiable.
“I know . I haven’t been trying as hard to make it work as I should, but I swear, I will.” I attempted a smile, but even I knew it was a weak effort.
“What about a movie and munchies night? We haven’t been on a date since I got back from Scotland. We can make the most of my overnight stay at my Mum’s. You choose the film, I’ll grab the treats. Do you want to get a take out too?” A genuine smile spread across his face.
“Yeah... okay. That would be good.” I forced enthusiasm into my voice. I hated how it trembled. “Where –“
“ Mum is out tonight with a friend from work, and I believe Dominic has a hot date with the lovely Vanessa.” He smiled, wiggling his brows at me. I now felt sick at the thought of an evening entirely alone with him. I no longer wanted any lunch, so I pushed my food away and grabbed my coffee. I stared out of the window, watching people rushing to and from their destination, wondering what was going through their minds as they dashed across the street or entered a different building –
“I do love you, you know that ? I know I'm I royal shit sometimes, but I love you.”
I turned to look at the man before me. His dark blonde hair combed back into a neat formal style, his dark blue eyes pleading for my understanding and begging to be believed. Elliott had slightly darker skin than Dominic; he looked perpetually sun kissed like he lived his life on a hot sunny beach. Apparently , Elliott was his father’s double. Jill often said sometimes it took her breath away at the similarities between them. Where Elliott had blond hair, blue eyes and golden skin, like his dad, Dominic had darker hair, the bluest eyes, and creamy skin like his mum.
“I know...it will work out .” I offered him a weak smile. I really wanted to believe my own words but the truth was, I lost any hope or trust in his words when the man who professed to love me had violated me beyond nightmarish extremes. The only thing I felt was loathing, and not just for him. I felt it for myself, for being so weak. I never thought I would be an abused partner.
When I returned to work , I closed myself in my office and buried my head in data analysis.
****
The evening was surprisingly uneventful, we sat curled up together on his sofa. It took me a while to relax into his side. I hated being alone with him. He allowed me to choose the movie, so I had picked his favourite film, Terminator 2 , but he insisted we watch my favourite, and surprisingly he knew what that was, the classi c My Fair Lad y . I adored Audrey Hepburn in this film, and I always felt a warm glow when it finished.
“I must love you to sit and watch this , you know,” Elliott said as Rex Harrison started to sin g ‘ I’ve grown accustomed to her fac e ’.
I smiled at the song blocking out the man beside
“You are so fussy ,” Elliott said with a mouthful of sandwich. My heart sank, I simply shook my head.
“Shall we go out tonight? What would you like to do ?” He looked at me waiting for an answer, but I didn’t have a clue what he expected me to say.
“Erm...I’m not sure . Whatever. I don’t mind,” I answered honestly. Truth was, after yesterday, I just wanted to go home and lose myself in a book, forget the real world for a while.
“Sweetheart .” He pulled at my hand, holding me tightly. “I want to make up for all the arguing we’ve been doing lately, but I feel nothing I do is right. I’m trying, Eve, but you have to make some effort too.”
“I know , I’m sorry.” The hurt on his face hit me like a blow to the gut. He always turned it round to me, and the sickening thing was he succeeded in making me feel guilty for just being me.
“I’m trying to sort my head out; I want to make you happy. It’s all for you, I get so wound up because I love you so much ,” he said, his voice low and pitiable.
“I know . I haven’t been trying as hard to make it work as I should, but I swear, I will.” I attempted a smile, but even I knew it was a weak effort.
“What about a movie and munchies night? We haven’t been on a date since I got back from Scotland. We can make the most of my overnight stay at my Mum’s. You choose the film, I’ll grab the treats. Do you want to get a take out too?” A genuine smile spread across his face.
“Yeah... okay. That would be good.” I forced enthusiasm into my voice. I hated how it trembled. “Where –“
“ Mum is out tonight with a friend from work, and I believe Dominic has a hot date with the lovely Vanessa.” He smiled, wiggling his brows at me. I now felt sick at the thought of an evening entirely alone with him. I no longer wanted any lunch, so I pushed my food away and grabbed my coffee. I stared out of the window, watching people rushing to and from their destination, wondering what was going through their minds as they dashed across the street or entered a different building –
“I do love you, you know that ? I know I'm I royal shit sometimes, but I love you.”
I turned to look at the man before me. His dark blonde hair combed back into a neat formal style, his dark blue eyes pleading for my understanding and begging to be believed. Elliott had slightly darker skin than Dominic; he looked perpetually sun kissed like he lived his life on a hot sunny beach. Apparently , Elliott was his father’s double. Jill often said sometimes it took her breath away at the similarities between them. Where Elliott had blond hair, blue eyes and golden skin, like his dad, Dominic had darker hair, the bluest eyes, and creamy skin like his mum.
“I know...it will work out .” I offered him a weak smile. I really wanted to believe my own words but the truth was, I lost any hope or trust in his words when the man who professed to love me had violated me beyond nightmarish extremes. The only thing I felt was loathing, and not just for him. I felt it for myself, for being so weak. I never thought I would be an abused partner.
When I returned to work , I closed myself in my office and buried my head in data analysis.
****
The evening was surprisingly uneventful, we sat curled up together on his sofa. It took me a while to relax into his side. I hated being alone with him. He allowed me to choose the movie, so I had picked his favourite film, Terminator 2 , but he insisted we watch my favourite, and surprisingly he knew what that was, the classi c My Fair Lad y . I adored Audrey Hepburn in this film, and I always felt a warm glow when it finished.
“I must love you to sit and watch this , you know,” Elliott said as Rex Harrison started to sin g ‘ I’ve grown accustomed to her fac e ’.
I smiled at the song blocking out the man beside
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