Page 94 of Cuts Like An Angel: Part 3

“Fine. Well, I spoke to William’s doctor.”

“You spoke to William’s doctor? On what grounds? What right do you have to speak to his doctor?”

She wasn’t sure why this angered her. Like it was going behind her back or something.

“His mother said I could. I asked her for permission. They say he is out of the worst of it now. It’s just a case of resting and healing.”

Rosie wasn’t so sure she liked where this was going. She took a step back from them. “Yes,” she said, hating the way she sounded.

“They’ll be letting William go home soon. So, you can come home. He doesn’t need you here any longer.”

“He’s broken his arm and leg, not to mention that he impaled himself on something. He’s in the hospital still. I’m not going to just leave him.” She was raising her voice, but she didn’t care who heard her. The place had gone silent listening to their discussion, but she didn’t care about that either. She cared about William.

“The man can cope on his own,” her father said. He hadn’t sat down, but he hadn’t moved closer to her either. “You need to step up and take responsibility for things in your life, and he needs to move on and do the same with his. You’ve been here long enough. We gave you extra time.”

“You have responsibilities at home,” Peter added.

“I do?” Rosie shot at him, “I have responsibilities? I made it quite clear I wanted nothing to do with any of that, Peter. I just want my freedom.”

“You make it sound like we’re keeping you prisoner,” her father said.

“It feels like you are,” Rosie said, “If I were free, I’d be able to stay here without all of these threats.”

“It’s time to come home,” Peter said. He rose from his seat, and then squeezed himself behind her mother and walked around. Rosie went to move back, but that would show them fear, and regardless of who these people were in her life, they were all businessmen, her mother included. Just because her mother didn’t go to an actual office, she was well adept to making and getting things her own way. They’d smell the fear if she stepped back. They’d see it like her backing down. “I’ve made some enquiries,” Peter added.

“Enquires? About what? Who?”

“It doesn’t matter, Rosie,” Peter said, “The fact is, you need to come home. You have things you need to do there — people you need to be with. You’ve been here long enough. You’ve had your tantrum. I forgive you, okay? But you need to be done swanning about with some man you met here.”

“Some man?” Rosie scoffed. “That man is the father of my baby,” Rosie said, and then she gasped and covered her mouth as everyone went silent. Not just her parents or Peter. Not just herself, but everyone in the place like she’d just announced she’d got the plague and spat into everyone’s coffees. “I’m pregnant,” Rosie said more clearly, “William is the father.”

She was breathing hard as she stared at them all. Wanting almost to throw her fist in the air in victory, but they’d have something.

“There is no custody until the child is born,” her mother said. “If you come home, have the child in America, it’ll be an American citizen. William will have no claim on it. And, Peter would maybe an excellent father.”

“If you want the best for your child--”

“No,” Rosie cut in before her father could finish that sentence. “Don’t. The best thing for my child is to be raised by his father. By someone who has more integrity than all of you put together.” She shook her head at them. Feeling dismayed. Why had she been such a fool and come here? What had she really expected from them? “I have work to go to. I have responsibilities here.”

“And you have them at home,” Peter said, “We’ll be contacting the authorities tomorrow and asking them to revoke your visa.”

Rosie could plead; she could beg them not to. But as she stood there with them, it was like something came down inside her head, and she could see them for the first time. This wasn’t about her, was it? It wasn’t about getting her home because they wanted the best for her. No, this was about them winning. That was all. A game for them and she had said no, and they hated that.

“Do what you want,” Rosie said in the end. “As far as I am concerned, we’re done here.” She raised her eyes to Peter. The clone of her father. “And that contract you think we have?”

Peter raised a brow.

“You’re an idiot. Go home.”

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