Clouded Judgement. NICHOLA HARVEY
that you needed reminding.”
A satisfied smirk spread across vibrantly red-stained lips. Then without a backward glance, my mother pivoted on the spikes of her heels and strolled self-assured out the door, leaving me staring at the one reflection I’d always dreaded facing and knew to be true.
“Teddy…wake up.”
My brows furrowed at the sound of a lilted, timbre male voice gently chanting my name. But as their soft knuckles brushed my aching cheek, I let out a visceral groan, violently swatting their hand away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Teddy! Wake up!” they frantically insisted, only harsher and louder, startling me.
I flicked my eyelids open, struggling to focus on the person hovering above me. “What the f…?” I exclaimed, sitting up in a rush. A little too quick and swiftly laid back down as the room began to spin. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I also felt queasy, a rotten combination making me feel worse with each passing second.
As much as I loved Ari, his proximity was suffocating. As was the cologne I usually loved. “You’re as white as a sheet, what’s wrong?”
“I just felt…” I managed to mutter before my nausea suddenly rose past the point of no return. I jolted upright and clapped one hand to my mouth while shoving Ari out of the firing line with the other as I stumbled in the direction of the bathroom, slamming the door against the wall as I shoved it open. The stall door copped the same fate just as my trembling knees gave way, catapulting me towards the bowl. Ari surprisingly rushed in behind me, crouching askew to hold my hair back in a makeshift ponytail while I clung to the porcelain heaving. For the little amount I threw up, it was draining and had to force myself to slump my lathered body against the cubicle barrier when the vomiting eventually stopped. I then decided the floor beneath me was cooler and was about to flop my overheated body against the tiles when an objecting Ari grabbed me by the shoulders.
“You want to lie across the floor? In here, Teddy?” he sputtered haughtily. “It’s a dreadfully unhygienic place for a rest!” I got that he was concerned, but his prim and proper attitude was the last thing I needed.
I glowered. “Either you shut up and help me lie down before I pass out, or you can leave! Your choice!”
He opened his mouth to argue but wisely closed it again as I wagged a finger at him.
“Don’t!”
Exhaling sharply, he begrudgingly guided me downwards. “Careful, watch your head.”
I sighed with relief as my cheek pressed against the cold tiles while an unimpressed Ari dropped to his knees, lovingly brushing the damp strands of hair from my sweaty face with the tips of his fingers. A gentle touch that lulled me into a sense of momentary peace as I gave up the ghost and closed my drooping eyelids.
“What’s brought this on?”
Well, that peace lasted all of five seconds.
Swirling emotions, along with a killer headache had put me in a choleric mood, and at best, managed to reply with a vague wave of the hand, displeasing him immensely.
“Could you be a little more specific? Please?”
My eyes flicked open. “No,” I growled, mollifying Ari with a verbal response. “Help me up…” He elicited a heavy sigh and leaned back, folding taught arms across his puffing chest. With a roll of the eyes, I huffed. “…Please.” Clearly using my manners was all that I needed to have him help me drag my sorry arse off the floor. But just as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, another wave of nausea hit me, driving me to lunge for the toilet bowl once more. Except I was empty and only retched loudly. How embarrassing. Depleted, I fell back against the wall and blew out a wearisome sigh as I peered up at a furrowed Ari. “What’s wrong?”
“Your bout of illness had nothing to do with the pregnancy, did it?”
Again, my reply was vague as I shrugged my sagging shoulders.
Infuriated, he rushed to his feet and reprimanded me, “Stop with the nebulous responses, Teddy, they’re damned exasperating!”
In a knee jerk reaction, I swivelled my head rapidly, making me wince as I looked up at him. “Well, help me up off this damned floor, and I’ll tell you!” I angrily quavered, grinding the heel of my palm against my throbbing forehead.
“Christ, you’re frustrating tonight!” He glared, positioning himself behind me and hooking his hands beneath my armpits. With minimal effort, he hauled me off the floor and ambled alongside me towards the common area, keeping one robust arm wrapped securely around my shoulders the entire time.
“How’d you know I was still here?” I queried while gradually lowering onto the sofa with his assistance. I shuffled backwards and sank against the cushions.
“I called Spencer, only after several unsuccessful attempts to call you, of course. Luckily for me, he knew you were still here,” he informed me gruffly before storming into the kitchen where the cabinetry wore the wrath of his foul mood. Cupboard doors crashed, a glass scraped loudly, and the fridge door slammed shut. Twice. With a drink in hand, his heavy footsteps marched towards me soon after.
“Here, drink this,” he grunted thrusting the tall water-filled glass into my hand.
Not wanting to argue, I gratefully took it relishing in the relief the icy cold brought to my parched throat as I washed it down.
“Better?” he asked, thumping onto the sofa beside me and slipping an arm around my back.
I nodded and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Much, thank you.”
“Good,” he said, exhaling a cleansing breath sharply. Taking the empty glass from me, he set it down on the small occasional table beside him before slumping against the cushions and tugging at my waist, prompting me to shuffle closer. I obliged him by drawing my feet up and curling into his side. I let out a content sigh as he kissed the crown of my head before continuing his explanation. “Spencer also happened to mention you were working on a unique project…”
“Our house,” I whispered hoarsely. “I was drawing up our house.” Fresh tears pooled, spilling over my cheeks.
“Hey, what’s going on?” He cupped my cheek and turned my head, alarm etching his frantic gaze and voice as he compelled me to look at him. “Did something happen? Was it Emmett? Did he come here again?”
“No, it wasn’t him.”
“Well, what’s upset you then? You were content this morning, what’s changed?”
My lower lip began trembling uncontrollably. “….My mother.”
A vicious growl flared from deep within Ari’s throat. “What did she do?”
“She came here just too purposely berate me.”
His strong jaw clenched as he spoke tightly, “What did she say to you?”
My cries turned into full-blown sobs as I miserably repeated each horrid word. Inevitably, my distress became Ari’s and winced as a sharp pain lanced through my bicep as his fingers began digging into my upper arm.
“Ari, you’re hurting me.”
His darkened gaze dropped to his hand. “My apologies, I didn’t realise…” His arms fell away from me as he sat forward, flanking his hanging head between his hands.
I instantly felt empty and lonely.
“I’m lost for words, Teddy. Most of all, I’m tired! Tired of this never-ending drama with your fucking mother and Emmett! It’s sucking the life out of us! When will it ever let up?” Scrubbing at his face, Ari turned his head to look at me. His gaze so thunderous, my stomach flopped from the fear alone as I attempted to read between the lines.
“And before you go flying off the handle at me, I’m well aware that you too are tired of it all. I’m also well aware