Broken Silence (25 page)

Epilogue

Oakley

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, closer to the red ribbon that stretched from one side of the double doors to the other. Everything was done, and it was time to officially open La Fuga.

“I’d like to start by thanking every one of you for coming today and showing your support. Four months ago when I was just playing around with the idea I had no idea so many people would get behind me. Without the people and companies donating money, equipment and their own time, this would not have been possible.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mum crying.
Already!
I smiled. “I want this to be a place where everyone can come and do something they love. This centre is for you to come to and escape. So I’d like to declare La Fuga
officially open.” I cut through the tape, with a huge smile on my face.
We did it!

I stepped to the side as the crowd applauded and walked forwards. “Welcome! Come on in!” Children bounced around in excitement, running into the building. A sea of people streamed past me, giving their congratulations as they looked eagerly inside.

“I can’t believe it’s really open,” I said, rushing into Cole’s arms as the final people made their way through the door.

“Feels good, doesn’t it.” I nodded against his neck. It felt incredible. “We should get inside and speak to people. Hanky panky later.”

The classes weren’t starting until tomorrow, but everyone was looking around today, and the over fifties painting club, as they called themselves, had brought along their supplies to use the shack now. I was hoping that younger people would use it too, once they saw it’s not just all about painting still-life outside. It was a quiet space for them to paint whatever they wanted.

Cole held the door open for me, and we were immediately greeted by Mia holding out two glasses of champagne. “Welcome to
La Fuga
,” she said in a fake Italian accent. I picked Italian because it was in Italy where Cole had given me hope for having a normal life. It was where he made sex about love and trust, and when I realised that I wasn’t too broken to be in a relationship.

“Oakley,” Kerry shouted, bouncing her way over to me. “This is amazing! I want to work here! I love it You’ve done such a great job.”

Laughing, I gave her a one-armed hug, being careful not to spill my champagne. “Thank you. Wanna be a receptionist?” Lizzie was doing it until I found someone suitable, someone with experience, and someone that I trusted.

“Are you being serious?”

“Yes. Look, we’ll talk later. I really should mingle.” I left a beaming Kerry gazing after me. “Who first?” I asked Cole.

He shrugged. “Why not go to one of the bigger rooms, there will probably be more people we can get through at once.”

“Sounds like a plan. Gymnastics room?” Cole smirked and pulled on my hand, leading me there. Of course that was going to be where I wanted to go first. It was the room that meant the most to me.

Cole was right. It was full. I could barely see through the crowd of people. Children were already playing on the equipment. I didn’t mind though, they were being supervised, and hopefully it would encourage them to sign up for classes. Plus we had the insurance!

After spending the whole day talking to hundreds of people, giving interviews and having my picture taken, I was exhausted, and beyond ready to go home. I felt lightheaded and dizzy, even though I’d been eating canapés throughout the afternoon.

Mum and Jenna had lists of people’s details and what they were interested in. Not all would follow through and come to classes, but I hoped a fair few would; the place had a buzz about it. David and Miles had been talking to people from local businesses and handing out a lot of leaflets for them to put in their shops.

“Thank you all so much,” I said, once the centre was all locked up and we could leave. Mum, Miles, Jasper, and Abby all gave me hugs and got into one car, and then I said goodbye to Cole’s parents and Mia.

“Take me home, please?” I asked Cole, leaning against him.

“My pleasure.” Cole smiled and leant in, kissing me deeply. I gripped his arms, and the whole world disappeared.

I kicked my shoes off the second we were home. My feet hurt, and I just wanted to sleep. “I don’t feel good,” I muttered, pressing my face into one of the cushions.

Cole sat beside me. “You’ve said that a lot recently. Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah, just tired from being so busy.”

“Let’s go to bed then.” There were no arguments from me. I followed him upstairs and stripped off. Our bed was so inviting. I climbed under the cover and laid my head on Cole’s chest.

“Night,” I whispered. My eyelids were so heavy I fell asleep before I could even hear his reply.

I wok
e up early. The clock on my bedside table showed seven-thirty in the morning. I groaned. Jasper and Abby were opening the centre so Cole and I could go to Leona’s nursery school
fȇ
te for a few hours. I hated not being there the first morning it was open but family came first. We didn’t have to be at the nursery until ten, so I had hoped to sleep in until about nine.

Groaning, I pressed my hand to my throbbing head. Cole stirred beside me. “You okay?”

“Fine.” I lied, then, “No.” I jumped up and rushed to the bathroom. Oh God, I was going to be sick. Cole ran in after me and dropped to his knees just as I threw up in the toilet.

I stood up and flushed the toilet when I’d finished. My head was pounding, and I felt like I was going to faint. “Oakley, you don’t think you could be pregnant, do you?”

My heart stopped. “No. I’m just run down.” I’m on the pill.

Cole frowned. “You’re going back to bed, and I’m going to get a test. We need to make sure.”
Please no.
Nodding my head, I turned on the tap and rinsed my mouth with the ice cold water.

Turning around, I stumbled out of the bathroom. Cole’s arm kept me upright. I felt so weak and fell back into bed. “You relax. I’ll get some water and then go to the shop.”

I mentally rolled my eyes and snuggled under the cover. Cole left the room, and I started to panic. Pregnant. I couldn’t have a child. What the hell was I going to do if I was?

Perhaps it was just food poisoning? Although no one else was sick, and Cole and I ate the same things. My heart was in my throat as I waited. How could I protect a child when I couldn’t even protect myself?

I curled up and pulled the cover over my head, hiding from reality. Placing my hand over my flat stomach, I tried to feel a connection. Shouldn’t I just know if I was carrying another life inside me?
Shit! No, no, no, no!
I gulped as my eyes stung with tears.

“Oakley,” Cole called softly. I pulled the cover down and looked up at him. “Hey, come on, let’s go and do it now, yeah?” I took the box from him and got out of bed. The sooner we knew the better. “It’ll be okay, whatever the result.”

Nodding, I walked out of the room to the bathroom. Would it?  I read the instructions to make sure I would know what the result meant and sat down to pee on the stick.

As soon as I finished I washed my hands and opened the door. A little person, half me and half Cole. The idea was perfect, but the reality? What if something happened to the child?

Cole paced outside the bathroom, wearing a hole in the carpet. “I’m scared,” I admitted, gripping the stick in my hand. A little blue cross would change our whole lives forever. He opened his arms, and I eagerly stepped into them. “What if I’m pregnant?”

“Then we’ll need to finally sort that second bedroom out.” That was it? No freak outs, just we’ll need to decorate?! “Oakley, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to get engaged, married, and have kids. I don’t care what order that comes in.”

I laughed through my tears. “You’re greedy.”

“Never said I wasn’t. Please don’t worry. Whatever happens I’ll always be here to protect you, and any children we have. Should we look now or…”

“Will you?” I croaked, holding the test out.

He nodded and took it from me. Cocking his head to the side, he frowned. What did that mean? “How do you tell? It doesn’t say anything. There’s a line in the ‘test’ window and a cross in the other one.”

I gasped and grabbed it out of his hand. A cross! It was positive. “What does that mean, Oakley? Negative? Why can’t it just say Pregnant or Not-Pregnant? Where’s the instructions?” He looked behind me, into the bathroom for the box.

“Cole,” I whispered. “A cross means positive.” His mouth dropped open.
Oh God, I’m pregnant!

“We’re gonna have a baby? Wow.” He leapt forward and scooped me up in his arms, spinning me around. “Shit, I’m gonna be a dad!”

I couldn’t help laughing, getting caught up in his celebration. When he put me down he had the biggest smile, one that lit up his whole face and showed his dimple. He stroked the side of my face. I took a shaky breath; my knees felt weak. We were going to be parents. In that instant, I knew that I would do anything to protect this little life inside me. It would be okay because the baby would have us.

“We’re having a baby,” he repeated.

Cole’s hand trailed down my neck and chest and rested on my stomach. I bit my lip. It seemed like a dream. Smiling, he slowly bent his head and pressed his lips softly against mine.

More books by Natasha Preston

Out Now

Silence (Book One)

Oakley Farrell stopped talking at the age of five and has remained in her own little world since. Her mum is desperate to find out what's wrong with her daughter, but does she really want to know? Oakley's best friend, Cole has stuck by her. Their friendship is easy but as they start to become closer she is faced with a new set of issues to deal with.

Covert

After seven friends take a trip to a secluded log cabin, a drunken night ends in the tragic and brutal murder of two of them. Mackenzie and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh and Courtney on the kitchen floor. With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turns to the five survivors.

Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages

(A companion novel to Silence and Broken Silence)

Putting his player ways behind him, Jasper Dane is now strictly a one-woman man. Jasper, desperate to start a family with his wife, Abby, is devastated when she puts their baby plans on hold.
Holly has just arrived back in town for the summer, and after landing a job with Jasper, the two form an unlikely friendship. Abby’s immediate dislike of Holly and Jasper spending time together causes him to question his wife’s fidelity.
Broken hearted at Abby’s sudden change of heart and suspicious of her reasons, Jasper takes action, sparking a chain of events that make his once well planned out life spiral out of control.

To get what he wants, he first has to lose everything.

Coming March 2014

The Cellar

(P
ublished by Sourcebooks)

Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe - that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation
 can track her down.

Spending
months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin's abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family...his perfect, pure flowers.

But flowers can't survive long cut
 off from the sun, and time is running out...

www.natashapreston.com