“Joshua, stop it,” I scowl. “This isn’t a joke.”
Knock, knock, knock … ”Joshua,” she calls.
“In a minute Mum, I’m showering with Natasha.” My mouth drops open in shock and I hold my hands over my eyes.
“Sshh, shut up,” I whisper as I shake my hands in a nervous gesture. “Stop it. She’s going to go crazy.”
He smiles a full beaming smile and raises his eyebrows at me. “I told you I don’t care anymore, she can like it or lump it.” I jump out of the shower and start drying myself double time.
“She’s going to lump it …you know that.” He turns off the shower and starts to dry himself. He stands still while I hurriedly dress. I quickly brush my hair and exit the bathroom. This is just so uncomfortable—what must I look like? He’s in hospital for Pete’s sake. I walk out into the room to find Cameron sitting on the bed smirking at me. “Really … hospital sex?” He raises an eyebrow in question. I screw my face up in embarrassment and turn to see Joshua saunter out of the bathroom in a towel, proud as punch. My stomach drops. God, this looks bad.
Cameron shakes his head at Joshua. “You look,” he smirks as he raises an eyebrow, “better.”
Joshua smiles at him as his eyes flick to me, “Yes I’m feeling much better, thank you.” Please, earth, swallow me up, I’m like a hospital sex stalker taking advantage of the sick. “Where’s Mother?” Joshua asks.
Cameron smiles. “Your little ‘I’m showering with Natasha comment’ scared her off.”
I put my head into my hands. “Oh god, Josh, you’re making it worse. She hates me enough.” I pull a worried face at Cam.
Joshua saunters over and embraces me from behind. “Presh, let me take care of my mother.” He kisses my cheek over my shoulder. “I told you I’m done with her making me feel guilty for loving you. Hasn’t this last two months shown you to not worry about anyone but me?”
Cameron interjects. “And me … and Adrian,” he winks.
I smile warmly at him. In all honesty they’re the only three people worth worrying about on his side anyway.
“I will handle my mother and if she can’t handle us being together then,” he shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t know what role she will have in my life.”
I shake my head and pull away from him. “Joshua, you are not fighting with your mother over me. I will not let you cut her out of your life. She deserves more respect. You wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for her. I will try to make this right and stop … all this nonsense. But I need you to stop antagonising her. You’re just making it harder for me.” He smiles and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before he walks over to his drawer of belongings, he pulls out some clothes and starts to dress. “Can we talk about this later please?” I ask as my eyes flick to Cameron and I notice he is in a white coat.
“Oh my god Cam, you’re in your doctor’s get up. Is this the hospital you work at?” He nods and smiles as he looks down at his coat.
“Yeah, I start at ten,” he replies.
I hunch my shoulders up like a little kid. “Ohh, this is so exciting.” I bound over to give him a cuddle and he laughs out loud.
“Shit, I’m getting a photo.” I run to my bag and get my phone and turn to see a proud as punch Cameron. Probably nobody took a photo of him on his first day. I start to click away.
“I’ll send this one to the girls, so try to look hot,” I smile.
“That won’t be hard, I am hot,” he replies.
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Yeah, smoking.” I smirk at Joshua who is now sitting on the bed watching the photo shoot.
“Tash, I have an idea. Why don’t you go and find a nurse’s outfit and then let me take some photos of you looking hot,” Joshua whispers.
I fake-scowl at him and shake my head.
“Cam, where’s Murph?” Joshua’s eyes flick to Cameron.
Cameron frowns, ” I don’t think he is coming until later. The press have got a hold of your overdose and the office is swamped with reporters.”
Margaret enters the room. “Joshua,” she runs to him and breaks into tears and I know the fun conversations are over. This is about to get heavy. “You could have died. What were you thinking you stupid boy?” She nervously smiles at me and I fake a smile in return. They embrace as she cries. “I thought I was going to lose you. Don’t ever put me through that again. You have no idea how terrifying the flight was, not knowing if you were going to be alive when I got off at the other end.”
“Sorry, it was an accident. I didn’t mean it,” he replies.
She pulls back from the embrace. “Why were you taking cocaine, Joshua?”
Joshua hangs his head. “I don’t know.”