Our Hearts Entwined (26 page)

“Since your world changed?” she offered in place of the words he didn’t want to say.

Cayd’s eyes lifted again to meet hers, a small sullen smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yes. Since my world changed. He works for my father. They’ve known each other for years. He’s kind of like an uncle to me.”

“Well he sounds like a good man.”

“He is. But he would think that I was being foolish if I asked him to find you.”

“Why?”

“He thinks love is for fools.”

“You obviously don’t.”

“Of course not Mia,” he said, his face softening as he stroked her hair and ran his fingers along her skin. “From the moment I met you, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I dreamed about you. I hoped to see you in every crowd I walked through and then, you came to me. Granted the circumstances weren’t ideal, but I was willing to wait, I would have waited forever Mia, because this feeling – it’s not going anywhere.”

“Why didn’t you wait for me to come back then – not that I’m complaining, I’m glad you came. I’m just wondering is all…”

Cayd hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head so their eyes met. “I was willing to wait Mia – before you spent the night with me. I
was
willing to wait. But now… you said you’d be mine – I had to come.”

“Will you say it to me?” Mia whispered.

Cayd ran his hands through the length of Mia’s hair, his eyes soft as he gazed upon her beauty, for in his eyes, she was perfect. “I love you Mia,” he whispered, bringing his lips to hers and brushing them softly over her mouth as she whimpered softly, overcome with her own emotions. Connecting their mouths, they held onto each other’s lips as they pressed their bodies together, their hands cupping the other’s head, their fingers caressing.

Mia tilted her head forward, separating their mouths briefly. “I love you too, Cayd” she whispered. “Oh god, I love you.”

After a lengthy discussion based around Mia’s pros and cons list, Cayd finally convinced Mia to go back and visit Natalie’s parents. He had pointed out that if she went home without at least getting the details of her birth mother – no matter how out-dated they may be then she might dearly regret it later.

Mia had agreed with his point and had also admitted to being more than a little curious about Natalie, despite everything she had done. They made a plan to call the Johnson’s in the morning and ask if they could visit that afternoon.

“I’m so glad you returned Mia,” Sandra said as she greeted Mia at the front door. “Oh, and who is this handsome young man you’ve brought with you?” she asked, her eyes raking over Cayd.

“My name is Cayd Donnelly,” he said, holding his hand out to shake Sandra’s in greeting. “I’m Mia’s partner,” he informed her, causing Mia’s stomach to flip flop about.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. Come on in,” Sandra said, leading them through her home into the kitchen again where she had a stack of photo albums and papers sitting on the table. “I’ll just make us some tea… or do you prefer coffee?”

“Tea is fine thank you,” Cayd told her with a smile.

“My partner?” she couldn’t help saying quietly to Cayd.

“Yes Mia, that’s what you call someone you’re in love with,” he qualified. “You’re more to me than a girlfriend, so you’re my partner. Does that bother you?”

“No, actually that’s perfect.”

Mia and Cayd exchanged a smiling glance at each other before they turned their attention towards Sandra, who was beginning to explain what she had laid out on the table.

“I went through the cupboards and pulled out everything I could find that had Natalie in it – she had diaries, but I didn’t hunt for them, I didn’t think it was fair,” she explained.

“This is all wonderful Sandra, thank you,” Mia said, opening the cover of a photo album showing photos of Natalie as a baby, not long after she was born. As she turned the pages, Sandra pointed out different photos, explaining the events surrounding each one and where it was taken.

The albums were very extensive, showing Natalie as she grew into the woman she was now, giving Mia great insight into what her twin’s life had been like. Sandra explained to her that Natalie had been a very lonely child and a rebellious teenager. They did their best with her but she feels that perhaps their guilt over separating us, caused them to over indulge her.

“She’s never had a job in her life, you see. We just wanted her to be happy. We gave her everything we had, everything she wanted…

“She called you know,” Sandra said as they closed the last album. “Yesterday, not long after you left. She told me everything she did Mia, I’m so sorry. I wish I could tell you why she did it, but you have to know she’s very sorry.”

“I’m sure she’s sorry Sandra,” Mia said with a sigh. “She got mistaken for me and then fell into the lie – she just took it way too far. It’ll be hard for me to have any sort of relationship with her.”

“She’s coming home,” she told them. “She should be home tonight if she drives straight through.”

“I see,” Mia said, exchanging glances with Cayd. She felt her heart racing at the thought of having to see Natalie again, and not in a good way. Cayd took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Sandra, do you have the details of my birth mother at all?”

“Of course,” she said, shuffling some papers on the table and handing her a hand written note with the name ‘Belinda Harris’ and an address in Coffs Harbour. “I don’t know how much help it will be.”

“Thank you Sandra, I’m not sure that I’ll ever try to track her down, but it’s a start anyway. I feel better that I have it.”

As they rose to leave, both Cayd and Mia thanked Sandra for her hospitality and asked her to give Tom their regards.

Sandra walked them to the door, giving Mia a warm hug before she left. “Mia, I’m sorry – I never should have separated you, I should have taken you both,” Sandra said, a sad wry smile on her face.

“What’s done is done Sandra, we can’t change it with regrets.

“I want to thank you for having us and for showing me Natalie’s life,” she said nodding.

“It was lovely to meet you,” Cayd told her from beside Mia, Sandra held her arms out and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, proclaiming to have thoroughly enjoying meeting both of them.

“Perhaps we’ll meet again and you can bring your photos next time?” Sandra said. “Will you be in Sydney for much longer?” Sandra asked at the door.

“No, we’ll be heading back. I’m not ready to see Natalie, I’m sorry,” Mia said.

“Of course, I can understand that you need some time,” Sandra said, a smile plastered on her face in place of something else to say.

Cayd and Mia farewelled Sandra Johnson once more before returning to Mia’s rental car.

“Do you feel better?” Cayd asked when he had closed the driver’s side door and started the engine, the radio blasting to life.

Pressing the ‘off’ button, Mia shrugged her shoulders. “I think so,” she told him. “I kind of feel like I know her a little now, she hasn’t always been the evil villain I’ve been making her out to be in my mind.”

Pulling out into the traffic lane, Cayd laughed slightly through his nose. “No Mia, she’s not an evil villain. She’s very misguided, but I don’t think she’s a villain.”

.

I didn’t tell him where you were,
Louise signed to Mia while they sat in Mia’s flat catching up. Mia had been home for a little less than a day and was feeling much better about her situation since going to Sydney. Talking to Natalie’s parents and spending some time with Cayd, away from all of the drama that Natalie had caused, had made her feel like she had some kind of control over her life again. Something she had been severely lacking since Natalie had started interfering.

It’s ok, he explained how he found me.
Mia returned, a smile suddenly cracking over her face.
We had the most amazing time together.
She confided in her friend.

Really?
Louise asked, her own face breaking into a grin as if it were contagious.

Mia’s smile widened as she nodded and signed
Oh yes, he’s wonderful.

So you straightened everything out?

We did, I guess I kind of overreacted.

It was understandable, you’ve been through a lot lately,
Louise told her, nodding her head to drive her point home.

Did you know that Natalie has gone back to Sydney?
Mia asked.

Eric told her to go,
Louise informed her
.

Mia’s eyebrows shot up as she regarded her friend,
Wow, I thought he’d end up with her,
she signed finally.

He feels really bad about everything that has happened. He told her to leave because he didn’t want to hurt any of us by dating her.

Is that so?

It is, he’s a good guy.

I know he is, Louise. He’s still important to me,
Mia told Louise, meaning every word. For Mia, Eric would always be her first love and as a result he’d hold a special place in her heart. It wasn’t his fault that they weren’t meant to be, just like it wasn’t her fault either.

Basically Natalie was the catalyst that ended a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere anyway.

What were Natalie’s parents like?
Louise asked.

Mia bounced her left shoulder.
They seemed normal enough – if normal exists. They said she was lonely and rebellious. That she’s never had a job. They just gave her everything she wanted.

More money than sense huh?

Yeah something like that,
Mia conceded.

Do you wish you had have had a life like that?

Mia shook her head slowly as she thought about what life would have been like for her had she grown up with Natalie in Sydney.
I’m glad we were separated,
she admitted.

You are? Why?

Because – I would have missed out on you, and I may never have met Cayd…

You know he learned some signs, to try and convince me to tell him where you were?

Wow, really?

Yeah, Josh has a man crush on him – he thinks he’s so cool.

Mia chuckled a little, having to agree with Josh.
He’s definitely amazing,
she said, a grin taking over her face as she thought of her new partner.

Eric was spending more than his usual amount of time working out. It was helping him to focus on things other than his heart ache – not that he’d admit that to anyone right now. He was angry at himself for caring about Natalie almost as much as he was angry at her for her manipulation.

Mia found him on his local football oval, kicking goal after goal as a way to hone his skills. “I thought training was over an hour ago,” she called out to him.

He turned to towards her voice and gave a closed mouth smile before picking up the ball and jogging over to her. “Hey,” he said in greeting as he approached. “It’s still so weird seeing you as a red head.”

“Yeah? I was thinking of keeping it this way,” she said with a shrug. What followed was a pause that had none of the comfort a silence between them once had. “I… ah, went by your place first. I figured you’d either still be here or at the pub with the guys.”

Nodding, Eric tossed the ball between his hands, focusing on it rather than her. “What can I do for you Mia?” he asked, getting straight to the point.

“I don’t know. I guess I wanted to check on how you were. Louise told me about what happened with Natalie.”

“Yeah, well – there wasn’t much I could do about that. It wouldn’t have been right. Not after what she did to you anyway,” he told her, meeting her eyes, a sadness evident in his own. “Josh told me about you and Cayd.”

“Oh…” she said in reply, her heart lurching as her eyes dropped to the grass she was toeing with her shoe.

“I hope he makes you happy, Mia. You deserve something good to happen,” he admitted, trying his best to sound like he meant it, but having trouble keeping a tinge of bitterness out of his voice.

“I’m sorry Eric,” she stated. “I’m sorry about everything. I was probably a bit too hard on you the last time we spoke. I get that this has all been hard on you too and I really am sorry that everything has changed so much for you.”

Nodding Eric thanked her. “I appreciate that Mia. You had every right to be upset, you still do.”

“I know that Eric, but you have the right to be upset too. I feel so much better with her gone, but I do understand how hard it would have been for you to send Natalie away like you did. I know you had feelings for her… perhaps in time we’ll all heal. But for now, I think you did the right thing… for everyone.”

“Perhaps,” he said with a tight smile as he dropped the ball to the ground and rolled it under his foot, his eyes watching his own movement instead of meeting hers.

Awkwardness descended upon them as they stood looking anywhere but at each other, unsure of what else to say.