Page 27 of Stanton Unconditional

6

Natasha

I scurry out of the bathroom in a daze and find myself entering Joshua’s room. The nurse is still in there adjusting his machines. He smiles warmly at me as I stand at the end of the bed, my face is blank and expressionless, and I fall into the chair against the wall as I keep staring at him in shock. This can’t be true. I don’t believe her. He frowns and puts his head on the side in a question as he looks at me. My eyes fall to the floor as I go over the words Amelie has just relayed to me: He’s only with you out of obligation. He loves me. We made passionate love as recently as Friday.

The nurse smiles and leaves the room and he holds his hand out for me.

“Come and lie with me, Presh.”

My heart stops, I stand and walk to the end of his bed. “Did you sleep with Amelie?” I breathe.

His face falls and he starts to pull the cannula out of the back of his hand.

“Natasha,” he whispers.

“Did you or not?” I cry. He lunges for me and I jump back.

“You’ve been sleeping with her all along?” My eyes fill with tears.

“No!” He shakes his head. “So, she is lying?” I ask.

“Tash, baby. Listen to me.”

“Answer the fucking question!” I scream. “She told me you’re in love with her.” I sob.

He shakes his head urgently. “No, Tash. I’m not. Listen to me.” He rips the cannula out and starts to frantically try to remove the suction things attached to his chest. An alarm from the heart-rate monitor sounds through the room.

“DID YOU?” I scream.

“I love you, Natasha. I made a terrible mistake … It was just once.”

I step back from him in shock. Dear God.

“Tash, listen to me!” He struggles to break free from the machine. “Cameron. Get in here,” he yells.

I turn to the door as adrenaline courses through my body. He lunges off the bed to grab me again but is held back by the wires on the machine that he can’t remove. I dive away from him.

The door opens and Amelie walks in.

His eyes flick to her. “Get out!” Joshua screams.

I step back again. It’s true, she was telling the truth. I look at her deadpan. “He’s all yours,” I whisper through my tears… and I run. Joshua dives for me. The machine alarms echo through the room and nurses come running from everywhere. I duck past them out the door and sprint for my life down the corridor.

“Natasha…Natasha, come back. Get the fuck out of here, Amelie!” I hear Joshua scream from behind me.

“Nataaaaashhhhhha.”

“Where are the fucking bodyguards?” he yells at the nurse.

I run around the corner, dive into the waiting lift and push the button. I quickly look up at the numbers. Come on. Come on. The doors slowly close and I run my hands through my hair. Oh fuck, it’s going up, wrong way. The lift stops at the next floor and two nurses get in. I step to the back. What am I going to do? What am I going to do? My heart is beating so hard in my chest. He will be going off his brain, I remember Max told me that security has gone back to his house. I need to get out of this hospital before they get back or they won’t let me go, I will be cornered.

The lift stops on the next floor and I step out into the corridor. My eyes shoot around as I look for an exit. I’m panicked, I just need to get away. I see a sign for a fire exit, the stairwell. I open the door and start to sprint down the stairs two at a time as I sob uncontrollably. I desperately need to get out of here. He fucking slept with her and then he slept with me. After everything we have been through…he slept with her. I probably have AIDS now or some other STD. I dry-retch as the thought poisons me from the inside out as I keep running. I scramble for air as my lungs burn from the exertion. Finally, I hit the bottom and burst out the door. Sunlight beams onto my cold face and I feel a wave of relief hit me. Daylight at last. I run to the road like a mad woman and flag down a cab as I half run in front of it.

“Stop…please…Please, just stop,” I cry. The tears run freely

down my face as I pant in exhaustion.

The cabbie frowns at me and stops. “Get in. Are you alright?” His eyes shoot around as he looks to see who’s chasing me. I dive into the backseat and nod nervously as I run my hands through my hair.