Hey, thanks everyone for the reviews etc, always appreciated and very helpful- thanks especially to godlovesbonie for giving me a few ideas.
Just wondering if anyone recognised the book extract that Luke was reading in my last chapter?
Jade was allowed home a few days later, though Grace spent over an hour giving her a lecture on what to eat, what to do, and what to look out for. Luke drove his wife home from the hospital, very slowly and very carefully. Whilst she appreciated it and understood why he was doing it, all Jade wanted to do was curl up in her own bed once again.
Luke had offered to cook dinner but they were both so tired that they ended up sitting on the sofa watching tv with a Chinese takeaway. Jade had invited Lexa around too, she lived with Luke's mother just a few blocks away, though Jade prepared the spare bedroom for her anyway.
Later that evening Jade and Lexa were watching a film with a bowl of ice cream each whilst Luke slept gently on the other sofa, uninterested in their film. Lexa glanced over at Jade as she idly rubbed her slightly rounded belly 'you're finally getting bigger...I'm sorry I couldn't visit more often'. Jade frowned 'it's not your fault you had school, I'm glad to see you back. At any rate you were there more than my Dad'.
Lexa looked surprised 'wasn't he there much?'. Jade's eyes darkened 'no... He didn't visit me once. The day I went in he was there, that was it...he didn't visit again'. Lexa didn't know what to say so but the inside of her cheek.
Jade was disheartened, not paying attention to the film anymore. Her father had taken her to the hospital the day she found out she was pregnant, but in the last two weeks he hadn't made any type of contact with her.
Of course Jade didn't know that he had heard what she'd said to Carrick, but at about three to five weeks until she was due, Jade would have expected him to overlook his feelings for a little while anyway. Christian however had been wallowing in self pity at home, barely speaking to anyone except Ana.
And now she had walked out on him. Christian couldn't understand why Ana had gone, she had asked him to show her how bad it could get an he had done what she'd asked.
On Tuesday morning Luke would once again working for Christian, though by Monday he was annoyed at Christian's lack of communication with his wife over the last ten or so days. It was taking its toll on Jade and she was becoming more and more lonely and lethargic every day he ignored her calls an texts.
On Monday morning Luke woke early and left Jade sleeping peacefully with a quick note before driving through Seattle. Ryan had confirmed to him that Christian was spending the day at Escala and not at the office, so that was where Luke headed.
Luke knocked on Christian's study door and heard a muttered 'yes' before opening it. He didn't even try and hide his surprise, stopping short in the doorway. Christian looked like he hadn't slept in days, his eyes had dark rings underneath, his hair was messed and ruffled and he hadn't shaved for a few days. Luke glanced over the crumpled white shirt and the tie on the desk in a heap, an eyebrow raised
'Uh...are you alright?' Christian looked up 'Yeah, bloody brilliant'. Luke wanted nothing more than to leave this awkward situation but sighed and asked 'what's happened?'. Christian looked up at Luke with sad eyes 'Ana...Ana left me'. Luke managed an 'oh' and watched Christian for a second, he looked so broken, and Luke noticed the beginnings of a model glider on the desk
Luke groaned a little and sat down opposite Christian, who glanced over him warily 'do you love her?'. The older man shrugged weakly 'I think so' Luke pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation 'the first time you met her, what was Ana wearing?'. Christian didn't even pause for thought 'skirt, blue sweater, brown boots- why?' he noticed that Luke had a slight smile on his lips before leaning forward in his char.
'Christian, the first time I saw Jade was when I came here for my second interview with Taylor. She was wearing this blue dress, her hair was a mess and she was shouting at someone on the phone- I couldn't help myself. Taylor told me to stay away from the boss's daughter but I couldn't. Then she went to Israel and I thought I'd lost her, when she was brought back I took any excuse to sit with her, just reading to her, then when she woke up it was such a relief'
Luke looked Christian in the eye 'I knew that there was no way I was letting Jade go and it took her turning me down once before even agreeing to go to dinner. Now I'm married to her and I've got a kid coming in a few weeks...if you love Ana, you'll try, it might not work but you'll try'.
Christian blinked at Luke for a second 'you loved her all that time?' he nodded awkwardly, 'yep. Anyway, I'll leave you to winning your lady back, I've got to take Jade to a scan, let me know how it goes. Um, also, I know you're my boss but you're also my wife's father- she wants you to talk to her, I think she's lonely'. Christian grumbled and nodded, absently looking out of the window of his study. Luke felt a little defeated but knew he would get no where right now. With a polite nod to Christian he left, heading gratefully home to his wife to wake her and take her to the scan. Of course Luke would tellJade about Ana leaving and Christian's current state- knowing full well that she would go there herself.
Jade was walking slowly, whilst her bump wasn't physically that large, she was still carrying a baby and it had started to pack on weight in the last few days. She was tired, irritable, hungry and constantly aching all over. She was wearing a black maxi dress and looked exhausted, getting out of the lift in the Escala apartment.
Jade wondered into the great room and saw Taylor talking to Gail whilst she cooked something. She couldn't help but grin 'hey Jason, what are you doing here? I thought you were off?' he looked up in surprise but his expression softened when he saw who it was
'technically yes, but Gail's on her own so I'm keeping her company'. Jade smirked 'yeah, bet you are' Gail giggled and Taylor rolled his eyes 'mature Jade, very mature'.
She shrugged and glanced around 'is my Dad in his study?' they both nodded, looking wary. Jade took the hint and steeled herself before heading for the study.
Luke had warned her about her fathers current state so she wasn't too surprised but it was still a side to him she had never ever seen. Christian glanced up from the model glider with surprise 'Jade...what are you doing here?'. She was hurt, the tone of voice was as clear as saying he didn't want to see her. Jade swallowed and stared at her father for a few seconds 'I came here to ask you something. Ana left you, right?'.
Christian nodded, looking confused 'yes... Why?'. Jade could hear that tone of voice again and felt a familiar pang of hurt and annoyance 'I was coming here to try and make things better, but you know what, I don't care Dad. I've been in the hospital for ten days now- you visited me on the first day for twenty minutes and that was it. Too busy for your own daughter?'.
Jade's tone was cold and Christian was surprised, holding part of the wing for the model glider 'Jade, I heard what you said to Carrick, about me as a father...I was outside the room. You said you couldn't be a parent when you'd had one like me'
Jade didn't even look that surprised, instead her expression turned quickly to anger, her voice darkly sarcastic 'oh I'm sorry, did I upset you in a private conversation with my grandfather by telling him how I felt? I'm sooo sorry Dad'.
He blinked and she continued before he had a chance to even open his mouth 'you don't know what it was like for me, Elliot was more of a fucking father to me than you ever were. You know how long I was terrified of the monsters under my bed? You know how long I spent trying to get good grades to please you Dad? I brought a report card home once with straight A's but you didn't even look at it, told me I was holding you up for work. You know how many nights I spent crying my eyes out in this apartment wondering why both my parents hated me. You know how long I planned to go to Israel- to get away from this fucking place?'.
Christian opened his mouth to speak but Jade cut him off, shouting at him 'no you don't! You didn't care and you only just started giving a shit about my life, but now Ana's gone I get my old Dad back, the one who didn't know and who didn't care'.
Christian stood up sharply, looking annoyed 'Jade, don't you dare say I didn't care about you-'. She cut him off sharply, holding her belly 'feel it, Dad, feel it'. Christian looked wary but gingerly reached out and laid a hand on her belly, which looked like she was only a few months along.
Under the material and the skin Christian felt the tiny sign of life in the gentle movement beneath the belly. He looked up in amazement but Jade had daggers in her eyes 'my child isn't going to be let down by you again and again, I went through that enough. They won't have you miss their graduation, turn up two hours late to their 18th birthday meal, refuse to hug them until they're an adult, and try and buy their affection with money- because you're not getting the chance to. Don't contact me'.
Jade felt defeated and emotional as she stormed from the apartment, he hadn't fought to see her child, and he hadn't denied anything. Instead Christian had simply watched her leave and walk out of his life without saying a word.