Forever Mine

The smell of coconuts gets stronger with each step I climb, and Cal walks out of the bathroom.

“Your bath’s ready.” He runs a hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face, and peers at me with his deep brown eyes. “Do you want me to take your bandage off?”

“It’s fine. I can deal with it.” Bubbles fill the bath like a snowy mountain landscape.

Cal stands in the doorway. “If it bleeds again, I’ll redress your foot. In fact, try to keep your left leg out of the tub.”

“Okay.” I wait for him to go, but he just stands there in the doorway, biting his lip.

“Are you going to watch me get undressed or what?”

“Oh yeah, sorry.” He turns around and closes the door behind him.

He’s clearly feeling guilty for how he treated me last night. I like him this way when he’s all attentive and kind. It’s the Callum I fell in love with. I peel off the bloodstained cotton pad he attached to my shin, but leave the bandage on my left foot as I step into the tub with my right, trying to keep my other leg dry and let it dangle over the side.

Once my hair is washed, I lie back, closing my eyes, and sink further into the water until it touches my chin. Memories of us bathing together fill my mind, and I move the flannel over my hard breasts, wishing it was his hand washing me as he always would. I could get used to having him here. Usually, I can only do this when the kids are at Justin’s. Or I have to bring Caleb in with me.

A knock at the door snaps my eyes open. “Yes?”

“Just checking you haven't fallen asleep and drowned or anything,” Cal says.

“No, I'm still here.” Even if I fell asleep, I couldn't drown. This bath is too small to lie down in, and I'm sort of wedged in at the hips.

“Caleb’s woke up. Did you want to feed him or shall I defrost another tub from the freezer?”

“I’ll get out.” I walk into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around my body, barely meeting in the middle. Cal folds more clothes and places a pile on my bed.

“Hey, let me look at those legs.”

I tug the towel over my body, gripping it in place as he kneels in front of me, inspecting my shin. His hand runs over my wet, prickly unshaven calf, making my skin break out in gooseflesh. Why didn’t I shave?

“It looks all right. Best to let some air get to it. Leave the bandage on your foot until morning.” He stands and heads back downstairs. I pop clean pyjamas on and a dressing gown.

I hear the TV in Cairen’s room and poke my head around the door. “Are you getting into bed? Don’t forget to clean your teeth.”

He lets out a long breath as he speaks. “Yeeeeees, Mum.”

“Night, night, sweetheart.” I close his door and open Cassie’s. She nods her head to the music blurting out of her headphones. “Turn that down. I can hear that from here.”

She tuts, taking the headphones off. “Mum, is your friend your boyfriend now?”

“No darling. He’s…” I pause. I can’t seem to tell them he’s Caleb’s dad. Not tonight. How can I explain it? “He’s just helping me look after Caleb, that’s all. Night, night. Don’t stay up too late. It’s school in the morning, and I’m back at work.”

Thinking of work tomorrow, I need to tell Mum she doesn’t need to babysit. I walk into the kitchen with my phone in my hand and make the dreaded call.

Mum picks up after one ring. “Stephanie? Huh. Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all day.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Yes, I heard…fromhim. What’s going on? Don’t tell me you’re shacked up withhimnow?”

Each time she says the word him, it’s like she daren’t say his name, like Voldemort. “He has a name, Mum. And no. I’m not shacked up with him, but he is Caleb’s dad.” A lump fills my throat as I say the last line.

She hisses down the line. “Some father.”

I close my eyes and hold the phone away from my head, ready for her rant.

“You should have worked things out with Justin. That man’s been more of a father these past five months. You had the perfect husband, Stephanie, and you threw it all away for him. Now look where it’s got you.”