Scarlet Wilson - A Baby To Save Their Marriage

‘No connection on the Bora Boras, sir.’

‘What about a phone? Can I have access to a phone?’

‘Only radio contact with the mainland, sir. That’s the beauty of our resort. Most people come here specially.’

She heard the click again then the thudding footsteps. A few seconds later the small amount of sun sneaking under the parasol was blocked out.

He had his hands on his hips. His lips were pressed tightly together and there was a tic in his jaw. ‘Tell me you know where the Wi-Fi is.’ There was a tad of desperation in his voice.

She pushed her sunglasses up on her head and pressed her hand against her chest in mock horror. ‘There’s no Wi-Fi?’ She sagged back against the sun lounger. ‘Tragedy.’ She shot him a little smile. ‘Your computer and phone will probably spontaneously combust now. Just as well there’s a perfect ocean to throw them in.’

He sighed and sat down, running his fingers through his hair. ‘Oh, Addison. I’m in the middle of a deal right now. This could make or break our company. The only reason I came was because I knew I could still work remotely.’

‘And that’s why I didn’t tell you.’

She put her hand on Tristan’s shoulder. ‘Why don’t you go inside and have a little lie down for a while? I’ll come inside and put a DVD on for you.’ He disappeared quickly into the bungalow.

Addison swung her legs around and stood up, the warm sand beneath her feet.

‘You’re absolutely right. I deliberately picked a place with no phone and no Internet. Ask yourself why. You’ve forgotten we even exist. You treat us as if we’re not important. This deal could make or break your company?’ She waved her hand. ‘I’ve heard that for the last three years. Maybe the first time I believed it. But every time after that? I don’t think so.’

She stepped closer to him. Close enough that she could see the exhaustion in his face and the fine lines that had appeared all around his eyes. ‘What I do believe is that the only reason you came is because you thought you could work here remotely.’ She shook her head. ‘Think about that for a minute, Caleb. Just think about it. Do you think that’s normal for a family holiday? Do you think that’s what most husbands and fathers do on holiday?’

He at least had the good sense to look embarrassed. ‘You know how important this is.’

‘No, Caleb. I know how important you think it is. There’s a difference. I think you’ll find that in the scale of life it’s not that important at all.’

Now he looked annoyed again. ‘Well, in order to pay the mortgage and the bills I think you’ll find work is important.’

‘More important than your family?’

He waved his hand. ‘Now you’re just being ridiculous.’

‘No. No, I’m not. And don’t worry about your business. Harry will deal with everything. He’s more than capable.’

‘And how do you know that?’

She sighed. ‘Because I spoke to him before we left. He knew that once you got here you’d have no phone, no Internet.’

Caleb looked stunned. ‘What? Harry knew?’

She started to walk away. She’d had enough of this. ‘Of course he knew. Seems like he didn’t think it was such a bad idea. And you can stop checking your phone for emails or messages. There are no signal towers out here. I’m actually surprised Harry messaged you at all.’

Caleb shook his head. ‘Earlier? In Tahiti? It wasn’t Harry. It was Reuben.’

She couldn’t help it. She raised her eyebrows. She always did that when she heard this name. ‘Reuben Tyler? What did he want?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘He needed somewhere to stay. His flat’s got asbestos in the roof. I told him he could stay at ours.’

Her mouth fell open. ‘You did what?’

He seemed surprised. ‘What’s the big deal? We’re not there. The house is empty.’

‘Oh, no.’ Now she started pacing. ‘The house isn’t empty. Lara. Lara’s in the house.’

Now Caleb looked confused. ‘Why would Lara be in the house? I never saw her.’

Addison spun around. ‘She appeared just before you did. Seems she went home and found her boyfriend in bed with the neighbour.’ She threw up her hands. ‘This is what I’m talking about, Caleb. She was right there. Right there sitting in our kitchen. You didn’t even notice.’

He frowned. ‘Reuben will be expecting the place to be empty. That’s what I told him.’

‘And Lara will be expecting to have the house to herself. She needs a bit of time to sort herself out. The last thing she needs right now is Reuben Tyler. She won’t even know who he is.’

Caleb shook his head. ‘Well, it’s too late now. They’ll both be in the house and according to you we have no way to get in touch.’

Addison cringed. He was right. There was no way to get in touch. The world seemed to love Reuben Tyler but she didn’t. Probably because she’d walked in one night just as he’d taken a swing at her husband. Caleb had said it was nothing. But it wasn’t nothing to her.

‘There’s really no Internet?’

‘We’re back to that again?’

He nodded. She could see the stress on his face. It was practically emanating from his pores. Part of her felt a tiny bit sorry for him. It was like going cold turkey. But there was nothing he could do.

She folded her arms across her chest. ‘There is no Internet, Caleb. It’s four weeks. Live with it.’

He took a deep breath and turned towards her. His brown eyes fixed on hers. It was the first time in for ever that he’d really looked at her. Really looked at her.

‘What’s going on with you, Addison?’

She blinked. ‘What’s going on with me? Are you serious?’

Why did every conversation feel as if it ended up as a fight?

‘Yeah, I’m serious. I can’t believe what you said to me back home.’

‘And I can’t believe you came home from work an hour before we were due to leave and thought you would tell me you weren’t coming on holiday. At what point in your life did that seem okay to you?’

‘Everything is a fight with you these days.’

He’d just echoed her thoughts. She thought this was all him. Was he trying to imply it was her too?

It lit a fuse in her. How dared he? Didn’t he know what she’d just been told? Didn’t he understand how worried she was?

Of course he didn’t. She hadn’t told him yet.

And at some point she’d need to.

Just not yet. Not until she knew.

She didn’t want to tell him about the pregnancy. She didn’t want to tell him about the scary news. She didn’t need her husband to feel sorry for her. She needed him to love her. To love her enough to feel as if he could be there and support her.

Telling him about the pregnancy right now could make him tell her everything would be fine. And knowing Caleb, he’d probably think it would be. Then he’d go right home and start working hundred-hour weeks again.

She needed more than that. She needed more for this marriage.

‘How can everything be a fight when you’re never there?’

He sighed. ‘You work too. There’s been nights when you’ve been busy too. There have been events you’ve had to go to—people you’ve had to meet.’

She nodded her head. ‘You’re absolutely right. But the difference between you and me is that, when I know I’m going to be out at night, I make sure I’ve spent time with Tristan during the day.’

‘That’s easy for you to do.’

‘Actually, it isn’t. But I make the time.’

She bit her lip. Everything was a fight between them right now. And she hated that.

‘Always fault-finding, always criticising. Can I ever do anything right in your eyes these days?’

And it looked as if this was going to become a fight too.