Chapter Twenty-Six
Blast From the Past
***
Rikki POV
The passenger seat door swung open and Bella popped her head round.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," she sighed, crashing into the seat.
A balloon bounced off of my face and I swatted it away, into the back seat. Bella leaned over the seat and threw down her bags and the beautiful bunch of purple and blue flowers.
"What's in the bags?" I asked as I swallowed my muffin and set down my coffee as Bella struggled with her seatbelt.
I started the engine as Bella set a bag on her lap and delved in. As I reversed out of my parking space outside Bella's apartment building, Bella pulled several items from her shopping bags.
"I bought lots of Get Well Soon rubbish and loads of baby things. I got maternity clothes like this super cute white dress with embroidary at the bottom." Bella explained, waving a pink and white striped top near my face. "I saw all these baby clothes and I'm not ashamed to say that I may have purchased everything in the store."
I glanced towards Bella as she folded the clothes and frowned. "Not to burst your bubble but it might be a little... insensitive to buy Cleo all these baby things."
Bella stared at me in surprise. "Cleo's strong! She'll get through this and make me the baby's godmother and auntie and I will spoil him slash her!"
I let out a sigh and avoided her gaze. "Okay, just... wait, before you show off all these things, okay?"
Bella threw the bag behind her and folded her arms. "Alright. But your just trying to snag godmother."
I laughed quietly and turned the corner to head to the hospital. Bella was right, Cleo was strong and I had complete faith that she and her baby would get through this. But Cleo was very emotional, her hormones going crazy and I'm not ignorant to that. I remember struggling through this time during my pregnancy but I was never put through anything like this.
My phone started playing paramore, startling me as I was pulled from my daydream.
"Oh, I'll get it!" Bella exclaimed, searching around the car for my mobile.
"It's in the compartment, I think."
Just at the last ring, Bella answered the call and held my phone to her ear. "Hello, this is Bella speaking."
I sat still to listen as I turned down the road passed the library and college. Bella murmured quietly, agreeing with the person on the other end.
"Who is it?" I asked, swerving round as I drove into my lane.
I saw Bella move from the corner of my eye and I kept my eyes on the road as she bustled about in her purse.
"Okay, the numbers 3753...81...29. Did you get that?" Bella spoke into the phone, eyes glued to her knees. "Okay, I'm gunna call you back from my phone in a bit. Don't do anything yet. Okay. Bye."
I shifted in my seat to see behind me and Bella took off her seatbelt.
"What are you doing?-", I asked quickly, spinning the steering wheel into place and glancing over at her quickly.
Bella grimaced at me and placed her hand on the car door. "Sorry, I have to go. I'll give you one guess who just called. I'll ring Will to pick me up, okay? Send Cleo and Lewis my love!"
I dropped my hands from the wheel and grabbed Bella's arm. "Denman? Why was she calling me? Where are you going?"
Bella pushed open the door and hopped out, only grabbing her handbag and throwing down my phone onto the seat. "Sorry, Rikki, I'll explain later. See you."
I watched in amazement as Bella manouvered around the cars in the lanes, raising her hand apologetically towards them. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, I grabbed my phone that was on the passenger seat where Bella had thrown it down in her escape.
Emma POV
The door opened and Lewis appeared, nodding at me. I smiled and told Ash I'd ring him back.
"Sorry to interrupt," Lewis apologized, taking a seat next to me.
I slipped my phone into my jacket pocket and shook my head. "It's okay. So, how are you? Bella and Rikki will be here any minute now."
Lewis nodded and breathed heavily, clasping his hands together. "I'm fine. They're going to be okay, the doctors are saying."
I pursed my lips in the silence, feeling my phone vibrate. I reached over and took Lewis' hand in mine, not able to find any words of comfort.
"There was a moment." Lewis turned to me and I tilted my head. "Well. Just after the accident, when Cleo was first entered into hospital the night of the crash with you and Kim... She told me something."
I nodded encouragingly, not knowing where this was going.
"She was obviously in shock and not quite in the right mind but in her confusion... she told me that she didn't want them to get the baby." Lewis told me, his face hard to read.
"Oh," I replied, sitting back in my chair thoughtfully. "The doctors, maybe?"
Lewis shrugged and I felt my phone vibrate once again. Sighing, I took it out and opened up my text. There were several texts from Rikki each sent in the same several minutes.
"Rikki's outside," I read out to Lewis as I scrolled through. "Bella had to run off. I-."
"What?" Lewis asked, leaning back in his chair and watching my face. "Is there a problem?"
I stuffed my phone back into my pocket and stood up, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry about this but I couldn't get someone to cover my shift at work. They're asking me to go back."
Lewis nodded understandingly and stood up, pulling me into a hug. "No problem. I'll see you."
I squeezed him back and headed down the corridor, my heels clicking loudly as I walked. I avoided the eyes of a nurse walking passed and pulled out my phone once more. Quickly sending a text to Rikki, I bolted through the doors, once I was sure Lewis couldn't see me anymore. I told Rikki to wait outside for me to arrive and that I'd be quick, my fingers typing so fast that I ignored several spelling errors. I flew around the wet floors sign and skipped down the flight of stairs in a hurry. Once I entered the reception waiting area, I slowed down, keeping my cool as I made my way towards the automatic doors.
"Miss Gilbert?!"
I skidded to a halt and flashed around, partly wondering if I had imagined the voice. I looked around oddly and the nurse behind the reception desk waved at me. I tried to breathe normally as I slowly walked up to her, my heart thumping in my ribcage.
The receptionist smiled at me. "Miss Gilbert? There is a car waiting outside to pick you up."
"What?" I replied, frowning suspiciously and narrowing my eyes. "Who sent it?"
The receptionist cocked her head to one side and picked at her nails. "I was told you were aware of her sending for you?"
I paused slightly and widened my eyes. "Oh! Of course, sorry, my mistake. Thank you."
I turned abruptly, ending the conversation and quickened my pace. The doors slid open and the warm Gold Coast breeze hit me, the blazing sun burning down on my back. I stopped and looked around for the car, trying to look natural. To the right I noticed a white mercedes parked outside the hospital and rolling my eyes, I knew this was the car. Denman's style.
I walked up to the car and squinted into the window as the sun shone down onto it. I waited outside unsurely and just as I thought, the door opened and a man strode out, pulling down his sunglasses. I smiled confidently at him and put my hands on my hips.
"Where are we going?" I demanded, raising an eyebrow at him.
The man gave me a look and locked his car hesitantly. "I'm sorry?"
I blinked awkwardly and flushed red, facepalming inwardly. "Oh, god, sorry! I was told that a car was sent to pick me up and I just assumed..."
The man scratched his face and nodded at me again with an odd expression, before walking passed. I scrunched up my eyes and grimaced, cringing at my stupidity. I rolled my eyes at myself and thrust my hand into my jacket pocket, pulling out my phone and unlocking it. I had four new messages, all from Rikki and just as I opened the first, I felt eyes on me. I looked up quickly and froze as I saw someone standing staring at me, smiling.
The woman grinned at me, waving, clutching a pair of sunglasses. She had smiling brown eyes and her hair was an mahogany brown, glistening in the sunlight. She was leaning against an open door of her blue volkswagen polo, wearing a pale pink skater dress. Walking slowly, I made my way up to the woman, glancing around in the unlikely chance I could see Rikki.
"Long time no see, eh?" the woman, called to me and I choked on my breath.
"No way! Oh my, god."
Bella POV
The car pulled up by the pavement and I waved to Will. He smiled at me and stopped the car, giving me time to hop in.
"What now?" he grinned at me and I blew air out of my mouth.
I put my seatbelt on and pulled out my phone. "Denman called me. We're meeting up. I needed a ride."
Will turned on his SatNav and looked at me curiously. "Where to?"
I flicked through my messages. "She texted me the address a few minutes ago."
I recited the address to Will and he entered it into his SatNav. We pulled out of the parking space and onto the busy road.
"I assume you know what your doing and you don't need me butting into your business and such but..."
I turned to look at Will expectantly. He had a concerned look on his face and looked away from my gaze. I frowned, opening my mouth to say something when Will reached over his hand and grasped mine that was resting on my lap. I looked down and widened my eyes, shocked.
"I'll pick you up when you're ready, I'll drive around, have lunch at a cafe or something. But I'll be minutes away, okay?" Will muttered, keeping his eyes on the road.
I squeezed his hand, nodding.
Emma POV
"Wow, it really has been a while."
Charlotte nodded towards the passenger door she had opened for me and I raised an eyebrow at her, displaying my feelings clearly.
Charlotte sighed. "Emma, get in. We need to talk."
I felt my phone vibrate once again and bit my lip uncertainly. Rikki was waiting for me with news about Bella running off with Denman, I had to see her.
"Can we meet later today?" I asked as Charlotte's lips became a thin, tight line. " It's just, this isn't the best time."
Charlotte twisted round and scanned the carpark, furrowing her eyebrows. "I know, you're about to go see Denman. I'm here to stop you. We really need to talk about this."
I scowled, glaring at Charlotte accusingly. "How do you know about any of this?!"
A horn beeped to the left and we both turned to see Rikki. She was in the car, her window rolled down, motioning for me to come. She hadn't recognised Charlotte from the distance.
"Come with us, Charlotte." Charlotte looked at my in disbelief. "You're right, you do need to talk. I only agree to listen to what you have to say if Rikki can hear it too."
Charlotte slammed the door to her car and shook her head. "You aren't in the position to be negotiating. I'm trying to help you!"
I cocked my head to the side in the direction of Rikki, who was staring at me in frustration. "Come on then, Charlotte."
Wow, okay. A year. It's been a year since I updated this story. Yikes. And I understand the frustration. I know the feeling when you read a story, reach the last chapter, look at the date to see if they updated recently and then it's been 9 months. I'm really super sorry. You have no idea how many times I tried to write this chapter and I just didn't have the inspiration. See, I got a new phone that didn't have the Wattpad app, which is where I wrote my story. But a few days ago, I got my own laptop and now, ta-da! New chapter! Sorry if it sucked, I'm still trying to get into the flow again. But thanks to the readers who have been patient with this story and are going to continue reading... a year later. I love you all and prepare for a new chapter in 2014! Just kidding :)
