Innocence (3 page)

They stared at one another intently.

He gave a half smile, “You look pretty when you smile.”

Kacey realized she had an awkward feeling of knots in her tummy, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She shied away.

Annoyed she had heard him say what he did. She gained the courage to turn and glare at him. “Don’t think your charm is going to work on me.”

“Like, I would dare,” he said rubbing his chest. “Now are you coming down from there or should I call someone to bring some food and drinks as I am starving. The pub has some great meals. We could get one of those sent to us.” He winked.

“Are you just going to annoy me until I come off the bridge?”

“Yep.”

Kacey saw she had no real choice. Her legs were getting tired, and became hungry herself. “You promise not to do any funny business?” She asked uncertain of what his intensions were.

“I promise, cross my heart and all that. I will not try anything,” he said while crossing his heart.

“What did you say your name was?”

“Calvin.” He smiled at her lifting his brows while grinning.

She inhaled a deep breath and decided to move her feet slowly, step by step, as the bridge moved, leaving her worried the wood would give way leaving her submerged in the river below. She took smaller side steps toward Calvin. Her arms ached from holding the rail so tightly, finding it difficult to keep her balance. She took each step unhurried. She glanced down into the river fearing she would fall in. Although, earlier she raced onto the bridge and had been determined to throw herself off.

Step by step, she got closer to the embankment.

“Here, take my hand,” he said.

She looked up seeing him holding his hand out to her. She grinned and reached for him. She turned her body to face him taking her steps a little faster. She was on land and remained holding his hand tightly. They stood face-to-face she gazed deep into his brown dreamy eyes. She felt her heart skip a few beats, lost in how gorgeous and pleasant he appeared to be. However, feared all might change now he had what he wanted, her off the bridge.

He gently took steps back, keeping hold of her hands, following him.

“Now does that feel better?”

She gave no response dreaming g into his eyes, lost and breathless.

“Brill, come on, my car isn’t far from here,” he said, releasing her hands and took steps away from her. Kacey lingered in the spot for a few minutes, lost in thought.

She stared back at the river, not realizing he had moved her so far away from the bridge or the river, shocked yet, annoyed at the thought.
Why have I let him do this? I wanted to finish it.

She regretted that Calvin had showed up and stopped her from doing what had been right. She could not see a way out of her current situation, she certainly wasn’t looking forward to the baby being taken from her. She had no home, no clothes, the bag she had owned got pinched while she slept in a cold ally way. She had no money to even buy bread, she had nothing, but this baby moving about inside her…and she resented it. She hated it when the baby started moving, reminding her of the biggest mistakes she had made, one meeting Rob and two ending up pregnant.

“Are you coming?” he shouted.

She turned her head to look at him finding him about ten feet in front of her.

She hesitated and could feel the sun burning her arms. She felt so hot and sticky and carrying a heavy lump inside her, gave her back ache, let alone nerve problems in her legs. There was nothing she enjoyed about being in her condition.

Kacey grudgingly followed him aware she he wouldn’t walk away and leave her, hoping later she could lose him and return to the river. There was no point in her being on this miserable, nasty planet, and as for the baby…what future did it have? A mother and father who didn’t love it! Passed from one home to the other! No doubt end up being unloved and in prison!

She waddled her way to Calvin where he stood waiting for her.

“You do know you’re on private land?”

“And so are you,” she said, overtaking him making her way down the single file foot track.

“Yes, yes, you are right,” he said walking quickly to catch up with her.

He was right behind her while she struggled to put one foot in front of another; she was exhausted. It seemed to have been a long day with her walking most of the journey to her parents’ house. It didn’t help that they lived in a small village with no public transport making it difficult, but luckily she had remembered the short cuts through fields and eventually made it home. Only for her mum to slam the door in her face. In disappointment, she had marched a few miles with tears streaming down her face, unsure what or where she was meant to go. She hated her life and loathed what the future would give her.

Distraught, scared, and confused, she had continued to walk fast unsure where the energy had come from when she’d arrived at the bridge with the fast flowing river underneath. She moved to the side of the road bridge and looked down. She remembered the bile had filled her throat to the thoughts of throwing herself in to end her pathetic life. It had seemed the only option. She’d used the back of her hand to wipe away the pathetic tears when she saw the ornamental gateway onto the land and decided she would follow the track down to the river in hope to find the perfect spot. She had found the perfect spot and now what she didn’t understand was why on earth Calvin was attempting to help her. He would soon be running for the Yorkshire hills once he heard about her years of living and breathing on the planet.

They made it back to his car which he had parked at the gateway she had entered earlier. Kacey saw a posh brand new BMW.

“I don’t own the car. I hired it,” he told her.

Like I even care about where the car came from, or who owned what.
Kacey was more pissed off that he had encouraged her to climb off the bridge. She rolled her eyes.

All Kacey could do was lift her head and gaze at him while he unlocked the car.

Slowly, but surely, she struggled to lower herself into the car and attempted to make herself comfortable, shuffling her bottom on the leather seat. Calvin started the engine.

“Do you live nearby?” she asked curiously.

“No. I live in London.”

Kacey turned to glare at him. How the hell could he help her then?

Chapter Two

Kacey could not see how on earth Calvin could help her. She bet he simply got her down from the bridge to ease his conscience. He would boast he saved a pregnant female, his
hero trick,
and disappear from her life. Little did he know that once he leaves her she would venture back to the bridge and try again.

Not a word was spoken in the car. She stared out the car window looking at the glorious rolls of hills, seeing the cattle and sheep grazing in the fields. He drove her down the narrow lanes, back to the village where her parents lived while she sat resenting the fact he was taking her back at all. They arrived at the pub. Kacey remembered the place that she’d once known well as her parents use to take her there when she had been younger, they used to regularly call in for meals or simply a drink. The pub had been the place where locals got together to talk about any problems, play dominoes, cards or to have a quiet meal. 

Calvin drove the car into the gravelled car park and switched off the engine. Kacey sat not wishing to move. Through the windscreen she noticed the small cottage at the rear of the pub painted in cream looked recently renovated, with a cute little pathway leading up to the cottage and a tiny fence surrounding the garden. New trees had been planted on either side of the cottage and were in full bud showing the promise of spring.

Calvin opened his door and was soon seen rushing around the car to the passenger side opening her door for her. She glared at him when he held out his hand for hospitality suggesting to help her out of the seat. Kacey gulped, unsure whether to take his hand, but decided to do so, as she would struggle otherwise with the car being so low to the ground. She took hold of his soft and gentle hand, clenching it tightly, as he helped pull her up. Annoyed by his sweetness and touch, she pushed his hand aside and quickly grabbed onto the car door for extra strength to hoist her out.

“Right, we can get a drink and eat something here, if you wish,” he said while she pulled down her vest top as it had crept up her tummy. She stepped away from the car when he closed the door.

“Whatever,” she said not being in the mood to do anything other than head back to the bridge.

She begrudged Calvin for showing up at the bridge and managing to talk her down. Anyway, he had and now somehow she was still with him. She wondered when he was going to call the police and tell them he had some raving expectant mother with him. Bitterness filled her throat just thinking about what could happen to her and her unborn, or what the authorities would do. There were no signs of his intentions for her yet, and that worried her drastically.

In all honestly, Kacey just wished to be left alone and make the decision about her future without interference from others.

Kacey stormed away from him toward the pub door feeling the weight of his stare behind her. She wished she could work out what he thought, but then did she altogether really care? If he was to call the authorities, then surely he would have already done that, unless he was buying his time. She didn’t know him and didn’t care if she never saw him again. However cute he was, no man would be trusted again. No man would show her affection ever again. She was aware she would only be hurt and thrown away in the rubbish. Her heart ached. She stopped abruptly and froze on the spot thinking about the mess Rob had created for her,
bastard!

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she snapped, not wishing to share anything with him.

“Okay. Are you coming in or do I have to bring the food and drink out to you?” He remarked with a hint of sarcasm. He stood while he carried on walking to the main entrance of the pub. He arrived to the door. He peeped back at her when she decided eating inside would be wiser. The building remained the same, painted white and the door on the side being the only entrance into the old property.

She sighed and rolled her eyes not being in the mood to talk about her problems to him, a complete stranger. She certainly wasn’t about to share her life story with him.

Kacey followed him into the pub seeing it had been fully re-furbished since her last visit. The 300-year-old pub boasted many charming features, with exposed beams, roaring log burners and the original bread oven, even retaining its country attraction with modern twists, brown leather chairs, and old oak flooring.

“Take a seat,” Calvin suggested.

She watched him approach the bar.

She sat at an old oak farmhouse table with matching chairs. Kacey looked out of the window, across the narrow lane at farm buildings, and saw the rolling green hills in the distance. It had been such long time since she saw the countryside reminding her of the pure peace it brought with it. When younger, she’d gone for walks to gather her thoughts and have tranquillity. She sighed to those memories.

The baby kicked.

“Will you stop doing that,” she growled at her bump.

“Stop doing what?” Calvin voiced.

She lifted her head. Kacey saw him carrying two glasses toward the table, both looking like orange cordial.

“The baby keeps bloody kicking me,” she snarled, not that it was his business.

“Isn’t it meant to do that?” he said, sitting in the farmhouse chair opposite her.

“No.”

Calvin rolled his eyes.

She wished he would stop interfering in her well-being. “So when are you going to call the police?”

He lifted his head to look surprised at her. “Would you like me to?”

“No, but I’m shocked you haven’t already or have you? After all, you are sitting with a mental case, right?” she voiced, thinning her eyes.

“Well, I still have time if you’d like me to, but personally…” He cocked his head to the side. “I might wait, if that’s okay with you?”

“Suits me.”

“So your parents live local?”

“No!”

“Oh, I thought you said they did?”

“I might have done.” She quickly took a sip of the cordial, hating orange juice, “I don’t like that,” and pushed it away.

“Fine, I will go and get you a black-currant?” He stood immediately to his feet, leaving her orange on the table.

“With arsenic?” she yelled out quickly.

Calvin stopped and turned his head slightly to the side. “I don’t think they do that, but I could check.”

Kacey looked at him, unsure what his motive was. He then carried onto the bar and ordered her drink.

She debated whether to bolt for the door and leave him here, but then, how far would she get before he caught up with her having this thing in her tummy? She sighed and hated what was happening to her, really regretting coming back to the village. She’d really hoped her parents would welcome her back or at least have a change of heart.

It was unfair to Kacey that they lived in this massive house, six bedrooms, two reception rooms, and was built centuries ago and yet they didn’t want to know their only daughter. Her parents were workaholics and, therefore, when she was born they immediately appointed her a nanny, until attending nursery. They worked hard having no time to give her siblings. Her mum had always said she had been a mistake. Great thought!

“Here you go. I keep expecting you to run off,” he said, sitting back in his chair and placing her drink in front of her.

She stared into his eyes, wondering how the hell he could read her mind. She grinned at his remark and turned her attention back to looking out the window.

“How are you feeling now?”

She turned to glance at him. “Annoyed.”

“You cannot honestly tell me you were going to jump?”

“Yes, I was.”

“What, and seriously kill your unborn baby? Don’t you think that is selfish?”

Kacey gawked at him frustrated, frowning, not liking what he said. Yet, it was the truth. “Yes and no.”

“But surely, things cannot be that bad. I mean, you’re young, beautiful, and having a baby,” he said.

She was taken aback by his words, it had been such a long time since anyone had said such words. Kacey ached to the pit of her stomach with tenderness.

“Where do you live?”

“London, I work there. I have an apartment that I share with two other guys, helps to pay for the expensive living there, and you?”

“And you’re not going to call the police?”

Calvin tilted his head to the side, lifting his brows, giving his answer. His gazed intently into her eyes while she sat anxious stroking her hair. She guessed he’d for some reason give her the benefit of the doubt, unsure why.

She thought to continue with the previous question he asked her. “York. I moved there many years ago before attending college, well, I only attended college for a few months and then…well…had to leave. I managed to get a job, temporary but struggled and had to leave that. I failed my parents, but then I always seemed to disappoint them no matter how hard I tried to impress them. I did however, work in a bridal shop, designing, and became a seamstress for a short time. I enjoy dress making and have done since I was tiny,” she said, smiling, remembering the days when she enjoyed getting up and heading to work. “I enjoyed it. I house-shared at the time until the landlord evicted us.”
Why have I just told him that!

“Wow, designing bridal wear, that is something,” he said.

Her thoughts drifted miles away thinking about the boutique, how glamorous and rewarding the job had been to see the bride leaving the shop excited and about to marry the man of her dreams.

“Yeah, loved it. Then I got involved with a bad crowd, met Rob, drugs, drink, sex you name it and fell pregnant and well, he cheated on me with many women and ditched me. Only I had lost everything in the meantime that meant anything to me. I tried so hard to talk to my parents, well my mum but she just wouldn’t listen. My father works in York, at least I think he still does,” she said unsure if he did or didn’t. What she did know was they still lived at the same house. “My mum wanted me to follow her career path I was just never interested she forever kept telling me how I was letting her down. I left home for a short while, and well went back months later grovelling, only my mother wouldn’t accept me back, told me I was useless and wants to cut all strings with me.”

“That is rubbish. I don’t understand. Why would they cut their strings with you because you wouldn’t follow their career path?”

“Exactly.”

“But that is selfish on their part. My father never expected me to follow his footsteps, I just did.” He chuckled. “We are all not suited for what our parents wish us to be. My father never expected me to follow I just did. I loved following him around and acting the boss.”

“That is good you wanted that direction.”

“I just didn’t want to, I loved making, fixing clothes. My mum said it wasn’t a career path.”

“You tell the best designers in the world that! I am sure they would argue.”

“Exactly. I followed these designers, even wanted to go to London for fashion week, my mum said no,
I’m not wasting money on looking at ridiculous’ clothes that no one would wear,
” she said in her mother’s best posh voice.

She watched Calvin laugh. He really is cute when he smiles.

“Your mum sounds shocking, even my mum who can be snobby doesn’t behave in that manner. My mum is cool, spends her spare time baking, gosh she makes the most delicious cakes and her bread, wow my mouth is already watering.”

“My mum hated cooking, unless of course she had special guests coming around ad she would hire someone in.”

“Really? Wow she really does sound a cut above the rest.”

“Oh darling, do behave,” she said posh taking the piss out of her mum.

Calvin laughed again in hysterics, making her heart melt. There certainly was something about the man sat opposite her.

“And this Rob is he’s the father?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “Sorry,” he said, holding his hand up in defence.

“It’s okay. Just don’t get me started on him,” she said, pressing her hand on her tummy. “He wants nothing to do with me or the baby, which I guess is a blessing. After all, he would hardly look after us, no doubt will not even be thinking about us,” she said, kneading her swollen stomach.

“And your parents know you are not with him?”

She lifted her head, staring at him. “I told mum earlier today, but she said I am still carrying the bastard child. I mean what the hell am I meant to do? I am not sure if she expects me to give her up.”

“Do you want to give her up?” Calvin asked sweetly, resting his head on his hands.

She grinned not knowing the honest answer to the question. She had no idea what on earth she wanted. Right now, she had nothing and no one in her life to give her the time of day. Yet here, sitting in front of her, was a young man who clearly wished to somehow help.

“You know, no matter how bad things are you have a chance to change all that.”

“How?” She snarled. “I am pregnant, meaning I cannot get a job, no money, nowhere to live and people like addresses. I have nothing. Who the hell would look at me twice?” She snarled.

“I am sure there are many people who would be interested in the fact you’re a wedding dress designer, I bet they call out for them in London.”