Stanton Box Set

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I sit on the toilet and put my head in my hands. The alarm stops and it becomes eerily silent. Bridget takes my hand as I am gripped with fear.

“Natasha,” I hear Joshua’s voice yell out and I hold my hands to my chest in relief.

“He’s ok,” I whisper. “He’s ok.” Tears of relief start to roll down my face, a knock sounds on the door and we all jump.

“It’s me, baby,” Joshua’s voice calls through the door. I open it and fall into his arms in a fit of tears. “What happened?” I cry.

The hall light switches on and the girls come out of the bathroom and then the bedroom light flicks on.

“Can you two put some fucking clothes on?” Cameron snaps and I look down and Joshua and I are totally naked. Oh jeez, how embarrassing.

“Shut up!” Joshua snaps. He pulls out of my arms and retrieves my nightgown and wraps me in it, then wraps a towel around his waist.

“What the hell was that?” Cameron stammers.

Joshua starts to pace with his hands on his head.

“Where’s Ben?” Bridget whispers wide-eyed.

“He’s ok,” Joshua answers. “Everyone is ok.”

“Oh, dear god, who was here?” I whisper.

“I don’t know. “ Joshua shakes his head in frustration.

The blue and red lights flicker through the window… thank heavens, the police are here.

Adrian

I stand at my office window as I watch the media circus below clamber around Joshua’s car as it arrives at the entry to the underground carpark and waits for the guard to open the door. The break-in at his house last night is all over the news this morning. This is the last thing he needs. I buzz my receptionist.

“Can you get coffee for Joshua and me please, Ella?” I ask.

“Yes sir,” she replies politely.

Two minutes later Joshua is entering my office at the same time as our coffee. “Thank you, Ella.” Joshua smiles as he takes it from the tray.

I wait for her to leave and my eyes flick to my dear friend. “Are you ok?” I ask.

He nods and walks over to the window to watch the photographers who are the size of ants below.

“What happened?” I ask.

He turns. “I don’t know. We were all asleep and three men cut the power and then broke into my house.”

I frown as I listen.

“They obviously weren’t aware that the alarm system has battery backup,” he murmurs into his coffee as he takes a sip.

“Oh my god,” I whisper.

He shrugs. “Natasha’s a cot case. She didn’t sleep all night, and kept having those fucking nightmares that she gets.”

“Christ,” I murmur. “The news said that there were shots fired.”

He nods. “We think someone was shot.”

My eyes widen. “What do you mean?” I ask, horrified.