“I have been taking all my medication and seeing my doctor three times a week. I have been fine. I feel fine. I really want to get to know you if you’ll let me. If Bryce loves you as much as he appears to, then I know I will love you too.” He smiled at me.
That smile, mixed with those last words had me invisibly dry-heaving. I couldn’t help it; it was all just a bit too much. My head was in no state to be deciphering anything, let alone whether a DID alter was currently putting on an Academy Award-worthy performance.
“Gareth, I appreciate what you are trying to do, and I appreciate you wanting to apologise for Scott’s behaviour and actions, but I’ve had a horrible day and this is all just a bit too much for me to dissect right now. Look, maybe if we spend a little more time in each other’s company we might just be able to be friends. But for now, I really need to go lie down, I have a horrible headache,” I stood up quickly, feeling a little bit dizzy. Bryce noticed my slight imbalance and shot up to my side.
“Are you all right?” He searched my eyes for any signs of distress.
“I’m fine. I just need to lie down and sleep off this headache. You stay here and catch up with Gareth. I’m going to go upstairs.” I leaned up and kissed his cheek while watching Gareth for any indication that it was, in fact, Scott in his place. Gareth looked away momentarily, making me think that it was Scott all along. But then he offered me some get well wishes as I left the room. I slowly climbed the stairs, watching the two cousins sit and talk. It was clear Bryce somewhat held back in his interaction, but at the same time, it was also clear that deep down he cared and respected Gareth. It was terribly sad.
CHAPTER FIVE
After checking to see if the kids were okay and interrogating them as to what Gareth had said, I decided a long talk needed to be revisited—a talk to remind them both never to let complete strangers anywhere near them. Charlotte had cried knowing she had done the wrong thing by opening the door, and Nate, too, had sulked, knowing that he should have called my phone the second Gareth had entered the apartment. I felt terrible not having been there to stop the whole scenario, but instilling a little fear into them about it had to be a good form of deterrence in repeating the same mistake, right? Oh I hope so. I hate deliberately scaring my kids. But this is for their own good; they need to be on high alert where Gareth is concerned.
I planned to speak to Bryce about the security of the apartment, especially now that my children lived here for a better part of the week. I didn’t like the fact that his family or company employees could have such easy access to his office.
“Is he a bad guy, Mum?” Nate asked as I was leaving his room. “You seemed really scared of him. I know I should have called your mobile when I saw that Charli had opened the door, but I thought he was okay because he’s Bryce’s cousin and cousins are family, and isn’t Bryce going to be in our family soon?”
“Oh, Sweetheart, just because someone is family doesn’t mean you should automatically trust them. Trust has to be earned. I know it’s hard to understand but you don’t know Gareth, therefore you can’t really trust him yet, right?” I searched Nate’s confused face. “Look, Gareth is not very well in here.” I pointed to my head. “He gets confused a lot, and when that happens he can be dangerous. That’s why I looked scared, because I don’t know when he is going to get confused, and it’s also because I don’t trust him. Listen, I want you to stay away from him, okay? Never be alone with him, and never let him inside this apartment, ever! I don’t want to scare you, it’s just better to be safe than sorry, that’s all.”
I blew him a kiss and left the room, heading directly for bed. My head now hurt with conviction and I needed to rescue my mind from its state of unrest and whisk it away to a place where it could relax and be subconsciously entertained—my pillow helping that necessity.
***
The next morning saw me recovered from the horrid feeling of a miniature person having somehow climbed inside my head, unleashing hell and pounding frantically against the inner confines desperate to get back out. I think the terrible headache I had experienced was a result of shock from Gareth’s appearance and apology, together with the stress of having to divide Rick’s and my assets. Just lightly touching on those two issues in my thoughts was spurring another head pounding session. That, and the fact Charlotte was overexcited that she had her first swimming lesson, and more so that Bryce and I were going along to watch. Her motor-mouth was in overdrive as she was explained her take on how humans float. I pinched the bridge of my nose but couldn’t help finding her demonstrations amusing.