In Chains Page 3

  “I heard you talking to your brother this morning.”

  Standing up he clears the table and starts washing the dishes. Grabbing a tea towel I stand beside him and dry up. “How long has my brother…,” I was going to say ‘owned you’ but I can’t bring myself to say it. “How long have you worked for my brother?”

  “Five years I think,” he hands me a plate. “Since I was twenty-one.”

  “Is he the only person you’ve…lived with?” I ask, as I put the plate in the cupboard.

  “No. I had another owner before him. He had little children, they were cute.” He passes me the knives and forks. “They had teddy bears like the one you’ve got in your car. Do you like teddy bears?” He’s gazing at me from beneath his long, dark lashes. His eyes are unique; I’ve never seen anything like them. When I first saw him they were a mixture of brown and blue but they seem to change colour because now they are mostly a warm brown.

  “I love bears. I had lots of them. I had to leave most of them behind because I left in a hurry. The one sitting in my car I’ve had since I was born. My mum and dad got him for me.” Thinking of my mum and dad makes me sad and I don’t want to get all emotional in front of him. “I’m feeling tired Kayden. Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Goodnight Savannah,” he says as he heads for the door.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Savannah

  As usual I wake up early and wander downstairs in search of coffee. The sun is rising. The sky looks clear so I take my coffee outside to the bench to enjoy with a cigarette. Simon must have made it home last night because his car is parked next to mine. When I’ve drunk my coffee I’ll do some maintenance checks on my car. It’ll pass a couple of hours until Simon gets up.

  Tonight I get to meet his girlfriend. I wonder what she’s like. I don’t know what kind of women my brother is attracted to. We’re complete opposites so I guess I only need imagine the total opposite to what I’d go for. I like dark haired men who are a little rough looking. I’ve always been a sucker for an underdog. I guess the opposite would be blond, well-groomed and highly successful. Hopefully we’ll get along.

  Stubbing out my cigarette, I stroll over to my car. It looks different, cleaner somehow. I remember the paintwork had mud splatters. Maybe I imagined it. Opening the door the first thing I notice is the smell, a citrus cleaning fluid smell. My ashtray, which yesterday was overflowing with cigarette butts, is now empty. My gaze falls to the floor; the sweet wrappers have vanished along with the grass and mud that covered the mats on the floor. The stains have disappeared from my seats too. Someone has definitely cleaned my car. Did Simon do it when he got back last night? Perhaps he couldn’t sleep and wanted something to do. No. I’ve never known him to have trouble sleeping and as caring as he can be sometimes it wouldn’t enter his head to clean my car. That only leaves Kayden. Well, unless the cleaning fairies dropped by last night. My teddy is still sitting on the back seat so it’s definitely my car.

  I open my boot to get my foot pump. Attaching it to the tyre I can see the pressure is low and I’ll have to pump it up. I try to push the lever down using just one foot but it’s stiff and it isn’t budging. I try using my other foot but it makes no difference. Sighing I stand with both feet on the lever, it finally, slowly moves. I step off and then step back on again with both feet. It’s going to take me all morning just to pump up the tyres at this rate.

  “Can I do that for you?” comes Kayden’s deep voice from behind me.

  “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind,” I say, stepping off again. “It’s stiff and hard to push down though.”

  His lips turn up in a little smile and his eyes sparkle at me. He places one foot on the lever and pushes it down with ease, he pumps it with no problem at all, and ten times faster than my efforts. In less than a minute the tyre has reached the correct pressure and he moves on to the next one. He must have powerful legs. “Kayden, did you clean my car?” I ask as I get the oil and screen-wash from the boot. He’s now finished pumping up the second tyre.

  “Yeah, is it okay?”

  “It’s great, thanks. When did you do it?”

  “This morning.”

  “That’s really nice of you, thanks.”

  He beams at me, his beautiful eyes are shining. He helps me top up the oil and water. Simon will be up soon, so I put everything back in the boot. “Do you want to have breakfast with my brother and me?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “I’ll see you later Savannah.”

  I wish I’d packed more clothes. Hopefully I can find something suitable to wear this evening, I want to make a good impression when I meet Simon’s girlfriend. Still, it’s only a pub, so casual is fine, so long as we don’t go on to a club afterwards. I throw my black jeans on the bed; they’re a little smarter than blue ones. I pull out my long-sleeved top with the floral design on it. I need to get a job, then I can buy myself some new clothes.

  I spend the remainder of the afternoon curled up in the armchair by the fire, reading a romance. When I read a good book I always imagine myself in the shoes of the heroine. As I’m reading the part where they have their first kiss, it’s Kayden’s face I’m seeing, not the guy that the author is describing. Shaking my head, I put my e-reader down. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. A guy is nice to me and I immediately think of him as boyfriend material. I’m sure he doesn’t think of me in that way at all, he’s just being kind because I’m Simon’s sister. Maybe Simon even told him to be nice to me.

  Simon will be home in thirty minutes, I need to get ready to go out. I’m looking forward to meeting his girlfriend but I’m also nervous. I put on my jeans and top and assess myself in the mirror. My stomach is too round, this top is more tight fitting than I usually wear but it’s the best one I have. Maybe I should keep my hands held over my stomach so no-one will notice. Now to tackle my hair. It’s the one feature of mine that I like and I usually leave it loose but I want to look smart tonight, so I’ll wear it up. Pulling it into a ponytail I twist it on itself and secure it with my black hair clamp. Luckily black goes with everything because it’s the only hair accessory I have with me. I fluff out my fringe with my fingers. I can’t do much about my face. I figure I’m looking the best I can under the circumstances. Slipping my feet into my black ankle boots I go downstairs to wait for Simon.

  He’s coming through the door as I get down the stairs and he smiles at me. “Did you have a good day Savannah?”

  “Yeah, I read a book. How was your day?”

  “The usual stuff, I won’t bore you with it,” he says as he takes off his jacket. “Give me ten minutes to freshen up and then we’ll go out to eat.”

  “I want to ask you something, about Kayden.”

  He stops at the bottom of the stairs and looks at me, puzzled. “Who’s Kayden?”

  “Um…your slave,” I say, frowning.

  “My slave doesn’t have a name,” he says, leaning against the bannister and folding his arms over his chest. “What do you want to know?”

  “Err…he does have a name, he’s called Kayden.”

  “Savannah, I want to get ready to go out. What do you want to know?” I want to know why he thinks Kayden doesn’t have a name but I guess that will have to wait for another time.

  “Does he have a problem with his nerves?”

  He frowns. “Why on earth are you asking me that?”

  “Because of the way he yelps and his body spasms.”

  He’s still frowning. “Not as far as I know.” He sighs. “I haven’t got time for this right now. We’ll talk about it when we get back.” He goes upstairs, leaving me with more questions than answers.

  Apparently the pub is at the end of the lane and we’re walking there, that way Simon can have a drink. I was scared driving along here; it’ll be even worse walking. Simon holds a torch to light our way but it’s a narrow beam and I feel vulnerable in the dark. I can hear rustling in the hedgerows; I hope something doesn’t jump out at me. What if a bat lands in m
y hair? I might walk into a spider web; I wouldn’t be able to see it. I shiver, I wonder if they have big spiders out here. An owl hoots overhead, I cling onto Simon, my heart is thumping. He puts his arm around my shoulders. “You’re jumpy. I didn’t know you were scared of the dark.”

  “This place brings a whole new meaning to the word dark. I don’t like that I can hear creatures but I can’t see them. I can’t even see where I’m putting my feet.”

  He angles the torch so it points down towards our feet. “There, now you can,” he laughs. “It’s not far, we’ll be there soon.”

  I relax my grip on him as the pub comes into view. It looks nice from the outside. It has a thatched roof and there are hanging baskets full of flowers near the door and windows, probably fake flowers at this time of year but they are colourful. Inside it’s cosy and welcoming. The first thing I notice is the log fire. There are wooden beams on the ceiling, a long wooden bar and dark wood chairs and tables, each one lit by a candle. The only customers are a couple of elderly men sat at the bar who turned to stare at us as we walked in. I guess it’s a local’s pub, off the beaten track. Hopefully it’ll get busier later because there isn’t much of an atmosphere at the moment.

  I sit at a four seater table near the fire, while Simon goes up to the bar to order our drinks. He returns with a pint of beer for himself and a half pint of cider for me. I haven’t drunk cider in ages, but wine goes to my head too quickly and I want to be sober when I meet his girlfriend. I’m taking a sip of it when an elegant blond woman approaches our table. She bends down and kisses Simon on the cheek. “Hello sweetie.”

  This must be Christina. I take a good look at her. She’s tall and slim and dressed in grey trousers and a dark pink silk blouse. Her shiny hair is cut in a neat shoulder length bob and her face is perfectly made-up. I feel like a bag lady in comparison. Simon introduces us and she sits down as he goes to the bar to get her a drink. “It’s nice to finally meet you Savannah, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Her voice is as elegant as her appearance; she pronounces every word clearly and correctly. Afraid to open my mouth, I take a big gulp of my cider. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Simon returns, hands her a glass of white wine and slips his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry Savannah, you won’t be playing third wheel all night. I’ve invited my friend Ben along.”

  “Oh you’ll love Ben,” Christina says, smiling across at me. “He’s very intelligent and such fun.”

  They’re now discussing work and my eyes flit around the pub. The barman is reading a newspaper. I wish they had some music playing. My thoughts drift off to earlier in the day, to Kayden, and I smile to myself, recalling his powerful legs and his cute grin. I wonder what he’s doing right now.

  “Savannah,” Christina’s blue eyes assess me. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m writing a book. I hope to self-publish it by the end of the year.”

  “Oh,” she says, sipping delicately at her wine. “You haven’t got a proper job then?”

  “Um…I worked in a supermarket but I had to quit when I came here.”

  “A supermarket.” Her lips curl up.

  “What do you do for a living?” I ask.

  “I’m a PA.” She turns to the door as a man walks in. “Ah, here’s Ben.”

  Ben is also blond and looks a couple of years younger than Simon. He’s dressed in charcoal trousers, white shirt and a red striped tie, like he’s come straight from work. He seems a lot friendlier than Christina. He shakes my hand and smiles. “Nice to meet you Savannah.” Turning to Simon he says, “You kept her well-hidden Si.”

  Ben goes over to the bar and returns with four menus. He sits down next to me. “All the food is good here, but I particularly recommend the steak.” Though I’m sure Ben’s right about the steak, I love chicken, so I opt for the chicken in white wine sauce. Ben and Simon go for the steak. Christina orders tuna salad, I guess that’s why she’s got a flat stomach and I haven’t. Ben leans towards me and whispers in my ear, “Personally, I can’t stand all that rabbit food.”

  By the time our meals arrive I’ve got to know Ben well because his favourite topic of conversation is himself. He was quick to tell me that he’s divorced; he was blameless in that of course. I know he works with Simon in finance, how long he’s worked there, what he does for fun, where he lives. On the few occasions he has asked me about myself he’s interrupted me with a related anecdote about his life. At least he doesn’t look down on me like Christina does. His hand has snaked around the back of my seat and he’s leaning in so close I can smell the beer on his breath along with his over-powering aftershave. I move my seat along to put some distance between us. I should attempt to make more conversation with Christina; we haven’t spoken much to each other so far. “Do you own a slave Christina?”

  “Oh heavens no,” she says. “I live in a town house, where would I put it? I rent one to do my daily cleaning.”

  “I’d buy one if they weren’t so expensive,” says Ben. “My ex-wife got half my money so I’m trying to economise.”

  “My sister’s obsessed with slaves, aren’t you Savannah?” Simon smiles across the table at me. “She’s convinced mine has a name and a nervous problem.” They all laugh at this apparently amusing piece of information. I glare at Simon but he’s talking to Christina again and doesn’t notice.

  The barman calls last orders, Simon gets us all one last drink. I hear him asking Christina if she’s going to stay at his place tonight. I’m sure they’re well-suited for each other and they seem to get along, but I’m not gelling with her. I think I’ll go to bed when I get back and leave them alone with each other. As Ben gets up to go to the toilet, Simon leans over towards me. “You and Ben seem to be getting along well.”

  “He’s okay.”

  “Christina and I were thinking, maybe you’d like him to stay over tonight?” He and Christina were thinking. What’s my love life got to do with them?

  “We’re just friends.”

  He gets up and puts on his jacket. “Well, if it’s okay with you I’m going to invite him back anyway. He parked his car at my place and he’s had too much to drink to be able to drive home.”

  I’m dreading walking back in the dark. Simon and Christina are walking ahead and they have the torch. I can’t see a thing, I almost trip over. There’s rustling coming from the hedgerows again. I can hear insects too, are they crickets? I jump and cry out as I feel something touch my head. Someone puts their arm around me. “Hold onto me, I’ll look after you.” It’s Ben. I don’t want to hold onto him, nor do I want him holding me but I hate the thought of walking alone in the dark much more. He tugs me closer to him and I put my arms around his waist. “Scared of the dark are you?” he asks.

  “This kind of dark, yes. Something touched my head.”

  “It was probably a bat, or a flying beetle. It may have been a spider.”

  I let go of him and rub my hands frantically through my hair. “Is there a spider in my hair? Can you see if there’s a spider in my hair?”

  I can hear him laugh as he grabs me and pulls me back towards him. “I’m sure you’ve scared it off.”

  It seems to take forever to get back to the house. Simon has turned on the light outside the front door. I shiver again as I see a spider has spun a web over it. Ben still has his arm around my shoulders but I’m no longer holding onto him. We all troop inside. Ben sits down on the sofa and taps the space beside him, looking at me. Simon is uncorking a bottle of wine and Christina is getting some glasses. It seems everyone intends to continue the evening but I feel tired. Simon said we’d talk about Kayden but I don’t think now is the right time, I’d rather talk to him alone, so it will have to wait till the morning. “Thank you all for a lovely evening. I’m tired so I’m going up to bed.”

  “Already,” says Ben, frowning at me. “Do you want some company?”

  I shake my head. “No I’m tired. Goodnight everyone.”

&n
bsp; Before getting undressed I wedge the chair under the door handle, just in case Ben does decide to keep me company during the night.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Savannah

  I wake up and wander down to the kitchen. Doesn’t look like anyone else is up yet. Their empty wine bottle and glasses are on the coffee table. I throw the bottle in the recycling and put the glasses by the sink. Fixing myself a vanilla coffee, I put on my jacket and go out to sit on the bench and have a smoke. As I’m about to light up, I see Kayden approaching.

  “You can smoke in my caravan, it’ll be warmer,” he says.

  “Thanks but I don’t want to make it all smoky.”

  “It don’t bother me, it’ll be warmer for you. You can smoke in there whenever you want.” Oh what the hell. It is cold. I get up and follow him to his caravan. I sit on his bed but he stays standing, leaning against the wall, fixing me with his stare. He looks like he wants to say something.

  “Is everything okay Kayden?”

  He looks down at his feet and then blurts out, “Do you like him?”

  “Who?”

  “The guy who had his arm around you last night?”

  Kayden was there? I didn’t see him, but it was dark. “He’s okay,” I say. He’s still looking down at his feet and doesn’t say anything else. The silence feels awkward. “Have you done anymore drawings?” I ask. He doesn’t lift his gaze, just shakes his head. He seems unhappy and I wish I could cheer him up. “I’d love it if you’d do a drawing for me sometime. Who knows, you could be famous one day and I’d have a first original.” I smile at him.

  Finally, he lifts his eyes. “Can I draw you?”

  “Um, if you want to.” He grins and picks up a sheet of paper and his pencil. “Are you drawing me now?” I ask.

  He sits opposite me on the bed and rests his feet up on the mattress. “Yep.”

  I don’t know if I’m supposed to sit still, or pose and I need to put my cigarette out. “I don’t suppose you’ve got an ashtray have you?” He reaches over and plucks the cigarette out of my hand, takes a drag of it and then crushes the lighted end between his finger and thumb to put it out. “Didn’t that hurt?” I ask, frowning.