Heart & Soul
Episode 43
Through With Love?
By Allan Craig
Josh’s Apartment: Natalie’s Room
Natalie stood in front of her mirror in
her underwear, holding her stomach. It was strange, even though she knew there
was a baby growing inside her, by looking at her it would be impossible to
tell. Her slender frame was not changed one bit by the fact she was carrying
her first child. She turned herself to various angles as she scrutinized her
figure, it wouldn’t be long until it was gone, with a huge bump protruding from
her stomach.
“I don’t know,”
she thought, “Am I really doing the right thing keeping this baby? I mean, I’m
just out of school; I’ve got no life experience, no college diploma, no job. And I can’t rely on my brothers for the rest of my
life. Leo doesn’t want anything to do with his kid, and do I really want to
raise a kid that will never know his or her father? Do I really want to be
connected to Leo for life? Maybe…maybe I should just have an abortion. Maybe
that would be the right thing for me, and my baby.”
Josh exited the
deli, a small brown bag in his hand containing the best chocolate fudge
brownies in town: another little treat for Natalie to cheer her up. Quite why
he was spoiling his pregnant teenage sister was unknown to Josh, but he knew
she was down and needed some cheering up, and he couldn’t stand to see her
unhappy. The vibrations in his jeans pocket caused Josh to reach in and pull
out his ringing cell phone and answering it.
“Hello...Max,
hey…yeah, she’s good…I think you better come and visit soon, she’s a little bit
depressed about the whole situation…okay, okay, cool…give me a call later
then.”
Josh flipped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket, his brother
was busy with family stuff, as usual. He approached his car and pulled the keys
out of his pocket, colliding with a woman in the process. He looked up to see
Jessica standing in front of him.
“Can we talk?”
Jessica stood, arms folded.
“Talk all you
like. Doesn’t mean I have to listen,” Josh stated bluntly, avoiding eye contact
with Jessica.
“Oh come on,
Josh,” Jessica rolled her eyes, “Is there any need for this? Just because
things ended between us doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”
“Why would I
want to be friends with you? You walked out on me and then the next thing I
know you’re with Rex. As usual, selfish Jessica, no
thought for anyone but herself.”
“That’s not
fair and you know it,” Jessica defended herself, she didn’t mean to get
involved with Rex before things were ended properly with Josh. It just
happened.
“Like I care,”
Josh pushed past her and opened the door to his car, “Stay away from me, Jess.
I don’t want anything to do with you.”
Josh got into
the car and started up the engine, driving off and leaving Jessica standing on
the sidewalk alone. Jessica couldn’t believe Josh was so ignorant towards her.
Okay, well, she could, but she didn’t want him to be like that. She didn’t want
there to be an atmosphere between them. Sure, she didn’t want to get back
together with him either, but there was nothing wrong with clearing the air, if
not for their own sake, then for the sake of their
friends. Deflated, she re-adjusted her handbag onto her shoulder and took out
her car keys, walking back down the street to where she was parked.
Fix
Coffee House
Natalie walked
from the counter of the busy café to a chair, where she waited for her order to
be ready. As she sat playing a game on her cell phone, she noticed Leo walk in.
Although she could tell he was trying to avoid her, she got up and walked over
to him.
“Hey,” Natalie
managed an awkward smile, her hands sliding into her pockets.
“Hi,” Leo
didn’t know what to say to her, he had hoped she wouldn’t have noticed him.
Usually he would have just ignored her, but Natalie was different…Natalie was
carrying his child, “How are you?”
“Well, you
know, except from the fact that I’m carrying the baby of a man who doesn’t want
anything to do with me, I guess I’m good.” Natalie did her best to make it
clear to Leo just how much he had hurt her. Usually she wouldn’t dare let a guy
know her true feelings, but Leo really had put her in an awkward position to
say the least, “And then you add the fact that there’s no way I can provide for
this kid and cant rely on it’s father for anything because he wants nothing to
do with the kid either, let’s just say life isn’t the best right now.”
“Look,
Natalie,” Leo put one arm on her shoulder, “I know this sounds harsh, but maybe
having an abortion would be the right thing. You’re too young to be having a
baby, and it’s going to take over you’re entire life. I just think, you know,
maybe it would be for the best.”
“You mean it
would be for the best for you?” Natalie shrugged off his arm, “You mean it
would save you having to deal with the fact you got me pregnant?”
“Well it’s not
something either of us really want, if you’re being honest. And I’m not ready to be a
father. But at the same time, I couldn’t stand the thought of having a kid that
I had nothing to do with. Please, Natalie, do what’s best for all of us and
have an abortion.”
“We could
always give things another try,” Natalie suggested, “Maybe this baby is just
what we need to bring us closer together.”
Leo laughed
subtly, “Nothing personal, Nat, but I don’t want commitment right now. I never
did. You were just a bit of fun, just like all the other girls.”
Oakridge
Plaza Mall
Ashley Abbot
walked out of her favourite boutique empty handed. Disappointed by her lack of
purchases, and frustrated that she couldn’t concentrate on anything except the
mess her life was in, she sighed and took a seat on one of the benches as she
took her MP3 player out of her pocket and selected the next album she wanted to
listen to. She felt somebody tap her on the shoulder and she looked up to see
her old friend, Lisa Smith, standing next to her.
“Hey, Lisa,”
Ashley pulled out her headphones, turning her MP3 player off and putting it
back into her pocket, “It’s been a while.”
“Well yeah,”
Lisa looked around awkwardly, “I was gonna call you a couple times, I just
didn’t think you’d want to speak to me.”
“I’m sorry,”
Ashley shook her head remorsefully, she couldn’t believe how horribly she’d
treated Lisa, someone who had only ever shown her kindness, “My head was way up
my own ass, I was a total bitch to you.”
“No need to
apologize,” Lisa insisted, “I guess it’s just one of those things. Boys always
come between friends whether you want them to or not. So, are you and Leo still
together?”
“Yeah right,”
Ashley rolled her eyes, “He just used me, I was an
idiot not to see it sooner. He messed up my entire life, he got me isolated
from my friends, I’ve missed out on so much because of
him.”
“Don’t let him
ruin your life,” Lisa sat down next to Ashley, taking her hand, “You’ve got
your whole life ahead of you, don’t let Leo Sterling screw it up for you. Not
all guys are like him, just stay positive. Don’t let him come between you and
every guy you meet. You deserve someone who’s going to treat you right, and one
day you’ll find him.”
“Thanks, Lisa,”
Ashley smiled, she needed to be told things like that, she needed her
confidence boosted again after everything she’d been through recently, “Hey, do
you wanna go and get a coffee?”
“Yeah, I’d like
that.” Lisa got up, followed by Ashley, “We really do need to catch up.”
“So, what’s new
with you?” Ashley asked as they walked towards the exit of the mall.
Natalie ran out
of the coffee house in tears, sitting down on a bench and burying her head in
her hands to hide her tears from passers by. She could have kicked herself for
even suggesting to Leo that they give their relationship another try. What
relationship? She couldn’t believe she had let herself believe what she had
with Leo was anything more than just sex, pure and
simple. And now she was carrying his baby, a baby she wasn’t even sure that she
wanted.
“Excuse me, are
you okay?” Natalie heard a guy’s voice and looked up to see Kyle Masters
standing in front of her.
“Yeah,” Natalie
smiled, “I just wish I’d never come to Oakridge. It’s just been one thing after
the other since I got here.”
“Well that’s
not a positive sign for me then,” Kyle sat down next to her, “I only just got
here a few weeks ago.” He could tell she was upset, and he couldn’t leave her
sitting alone in that state.
“It’s an okay
place,” Natalie wiped the tears away from her face, “It was great until I met
Leo Sterling.”
“
“Really?” Natalie couldn’t believe it, it seemed to
her that everyone in Oakridge was connected to a
“Too small,”
Kyle agreed, “It’s like, I’ve got two sisters here, yet it feels like I don’t
know anyone.”
“Yeah I’m the
same, my brother lives here but apart from him, I don’t know anyone. Well,
except Leo.” Natalie didn’t know why she was telling a complete stranger her
problems, but somehow she just felt at ease around him. She had only known him
a few minutes, but she knew she could trust him.
“And now me,”
Kyle smiled, “I’m Kyle, by the way.”
“Natalie,
Natalie Denman.”
“Listen, I
gotta run. I said to Carrie, that’s my sister, that I’d get her some stuff from
the drug store before it closes. I know this is really forward, but, would you
like to meet up with me sometime and do something?”
“Yeah, I’d like
that,” Natalie’s face brightened up: things were definitely starting to look
up. She took out her cell phone and handed it to Kyle, “Put your number in.”
Kyle dialled in
his number and handed her the phone back, “Give me a call.”
“You can count
on it,” Natalie grinned, “It was nice to meet you Kyle Masters.”
“You too,
Natalie Denman,” Kyle winked as he got up and walked off, rushing to the drug
store before it closed.
Jazz
& Co
Josh sat at the
bar holding his bottle of beer. He couldn’t believe Jessica earlier, like she
just wouldn’t give up. Sure, he still loved her, but he couldn’t trust her. He
couldn’t risk opening up his heart like that to Jessica again only for her to
hurt him once more. No, he had to keep her at arms length, and if that meant
totally ignoring her then so be it. It was the only way for him to avoid
getting hurt.
“Is this seat
taken?” said a female to the left of Josh. He looked round to see a stunningly
beautiful woman with long red hair, in a sexy black dress and huge diamond
earrings.
“Not at all,”
Josh motioned for her to sit down, “Can I get you anything?”
“A Screaming
Orgasm would be great,” she smiled, a cheeky glint in her eye. Josh didn’t know
how to respond until he realized she was talking about the cocktail. The barman
overheard and nodded before starting to mix the drink.
”So, I haven’t seen you around here before, are you new in town?” Josh asked.
“You could say
that,” the woman opened her purse and removed her cell phone, turning it off
and sliding it back into the purse, “I hate being disturbed when I’m out.”
“Tell me about
it,” Josh joked, “I’m Josh, by the way.”
“I’m Amber,”
she stuck out her perfectly manicured hand for Josh to shake.
“So what brings
you to Oakridge? Is it business?” There was something about Amber, something
Josh couldn’t put his finger on. She was captivating, he was drawn to her every
move.
“Nope, strictly
pleasure,” Amber leaned in closer to Josh, “Sometimes you just need a change of
scenery. Just get away from it all for a while.”
“I couldn’t
agree more,” Josh slid a ten dollar bill across the bar to the barman and
handed Amber her cocktail, “I could definitely use a break from the daily
grind.”
“Well why not?”
Amber removed the stirrer from the cocktail glass and slid it past her glossy
lips into her mouth.
“Too many
responsibilities, I can’t just drop them all because I feel like it.” Josh
didn’t want to bore Amber with the details of his pregnant teenage sister, his dysfunctional
relationship with his ex-girlfriend who he still harboured feelings for, and
all the other trivial details that would probably have her getting away from
him as fast as she could
“I don’t see
why you can’t do that?” Amber insisted, “Life’s too short to worry about these
things. My philosophy is: don’t let life control you, you control life. Grab it
by the balls and show it who’s boss.”
Josh smiled, this girl was hot, sexy and smart. He wasn’t about
to let her out of his sight. Everything about her fascinated him, and he was
keen to find out more.
Josh’s
Apartment: Lounge
Natalie sat on
the sofa, trying to distract herself by reading a magazine. But not even the
latest scandal surrounding Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes could get her to
concentrate; she wanted more than anything to call Kyle and set up a date. Then
again, she didn’t want to get too involved with a guy so fast, not after what
happened last time with Leo. Screw it, she thought, and dialled his number.
“Hello…oh Kyle,
sorry, I selected the wrong number…I meant to call my friend Kira,” Natalie
lied, “But since I got you, how about we meet up on Friday? I don’t mind where
we go really, it’s up to you…yeah, that sounds good.
Well I better go, I’ll speak to you soon…ciao.”
Natalie hung up
the phone with a huge grin on her face. She had a date with a really sweet guy, Leo Sterling was ancient history in her mind.
The Metro
Hotel: Amber’s Suite
Amber handed
Josh a glass of red wine as they sat on the sofa in her spacious hotel suite. Josh
gazed deep into her eyes as she ran her hands through her hair.
“So, Amber,
tell me about you,” Josh placed his wine on the table beside the sofa, still
maintaining eye contact with her.
“There’s not
much to tell.” Amber ran her fingers around the rim of her wine glass, “What
about you?”
“Nothing that
exciting, my sister just moved in with me and she’s a bit of a handful,” Josh
turned his body around on the sofa, now he was face to face with Amber, “Where
is it you’re from?”
“Nowhere
special,” Amber took a sip of her wine.
“Why do you
never answer my questions?” Josh joked.
“Why do you ask
so many questions?” Amber replied, “We both know why we’re here, Josh. You want
me, and I want you.”
Josh was taken
aback by her forwardness. She leaned over to him, kissing him passionately as
she undid his shirt, revealing his toned body. He ran his hands down her back,
unzipping her dress and sliding it off as she unbuttoned his jeans, maintaining
their lip lock as he ran his hands through her thick auburn hair. She pulled
his jeans down, revealing his tight black boxer shorts,
while he undid her red bra and let it fall to the floor. She ran her hands over
his smooth chest and abs as his hands wandered up her back and into her hair
once again. They kissed again, her soft lips touching his as they rolled off
the sofa onto the sheepskin rug by the roaring fire. Josh wrapped his muscular
arms around Amber’s slim frame as their bodies rubbed together, all the while
their lips remained locked, their passion as hot as the flames next to them.
Josh’s
Apartment: Natalie’s Room
Natalie lay on
top of her bed, ecstatic about her upcoming date with Kyle. She was already
mentally planning what she would wear, how she would do her hair, what she
would say to him. She stood up and walked over to the mirror again, touching
her stomach as the smile dropped from her face.
“Wait a
minute,” she thought, “How do I tell him I’m pregnant?”
TO BE
CONTINUED…