Illusion of love

Chapter Twelve

*Warning* Violent Scenes ahead.

Emma stared at Nathan and so did
the others.

"Love, it's none of our business," April said.

Emma took it as her cue to leave. "I have to go. Enjoy your time here."
"Thanks, Emma. Actually, we just came from the wedding venue. Gosh, it's stunning," April said.

"Emma! I don't have all day," the man from the bakkie shouted.

Nathan was fuming. Emma noticed, but she was not interested in analysing him or the situation.

"Bye guys," Emma said walking away, smiling at everyone, but Nathan, with Bubbles jumping on her.

"We should get going as well," Nathan said.
"Yeah," Joel agreed. "We have to be at the airport early tomorrow morning."
"It was lovely here, but I want to sleep in my own bed," April added.

Emma gave her cousin, Sean, an ugly stare, before getting into the passenger seat. Sean put Bubbles in the back of the bakkie. He was not getting dog's hair onto his seats. He sat in the driver's seat, putting the radio on Emma's favourite radio station. He was not in the mood for Christian radio, but he wanted to make up for his bad behaviour.

"You don't have to sweeten me up, Sean, an apology will do."
He turned to Emma."I'm truly sorry, Em. I did not mean to take my stress out on you. My mom's been calling me incessantly, asking me when I'm going to pick her up at that party. The party hadn't even started and she's ready to come home," Sean sighed.
"Then pick her up, I will find another way home."
"Are you crazy? What taxi are you going to get with Bubbles tagging along? Mom will just have to wait, I'm taking you and Bubbles home first."
"Maybe you should pick her up first?"
"No. Anyway, she won't even drive past the area where you life, much less enter. She can wait."

Sean started the engine and put the bakkie into gear.

"You can drop us on the outskirts of town, we will walk home."
"No, Emma I'm not having your assault or death on my conscience."
"Bubbles is with me, we'll be fine."
"Bubbles? Bubbles is everyone's best friend, and his best years are long gone. Everyone knows that he does not bite. He doesn't even need a leash."
"Okay, you've made your point."
"When are you moving out of that nightmare area, anyway?"
"When I can afford it. Not all of us have lots of cash laying around, Sean."
"That's a poor excuse, Em. You can afford to live in a much better place, but no, you want mountain views. What use is mountain views when you're dead?"

Emma smiled as her cousin drove out into the main road. He was right, she had been saving for a flat in the city. But, she was yet to find a place within her budget range. In fact, she knew that it would  take a miracle, but she wanted that mountain to greet her every morning, and a sea breeze blowing through her windows would be a welcome bonus.

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Nathan woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. He had had a nightmare, the same nightmare he's been having for the past four years, but this is was a bit more vivid. He took his phone from the bedside table to check the time, it was 02:15.

He got up and started exercising, he knew that he would not be able to sleep and they had to be at Cape Town International by six, which meant that they'd have to leave by five. The flight was scheduled for seven. The work out kept him busy, but could not keep Emma's face out of his mind.

It was almost two hours later when he was finished working out, he phoned April. She was going to be his wife, so he had to put her first and fill his mind with thoughts of her,  and not his distant past.