The Nuclear Family Pt. 03

The minutes passed, and I drew in a breath.

"Amy?" I said, simply looking down at her.

She looked up at me. Her face was a mess, and her usually raven black hair was plastered to her face in several places. Her tears had been staining her cheeks, the neck of her shirt was soaked almost down to her bust and Amy's eyes were covered in ringed red circles.

"Robbie, I... I'm..." and she broke down again, crying.

I let her sob a few minutes more, then leaned forward and grabbed her a few tissues.

"Shhh, my love, here," I said, handing the tissues to her.

She briefly looked at me, then at the tissues in my hand. It was then I noticed the scratches on her arm. They were red and angry, just starting to scab. As she blew her nose, she noticed my frown and followed my gaze.

"Amy, what happened?" I asked quietly.

Amy said nothing for a few minutes, but at least she didn't go back to crying.

"Robbie, I am so sorry," were her first words.

"Sorry? Amy, are you alright?" I felt my panic increase, but not because I felt betrayed.

She shook her head. "No," she whispered quietly.

I wanted to take her into my arms, but I was terrified. My heart was beating faster; I could almost feel it pounding in my ears. What happened? Was she still my wife anymore? Had she cheated on me or could it be something worse?

"Robbie, I don't want to let you go, but would you be able to get me some water while I try to settle myself for a few minutes," Amy asked, fighting with a range of emotions I could not yet understand.

I reluctantly stood, walked to the kitchen, got us both a glass of water, and returned to the couch.

"Thank you," she said modestly, trying to remain calm.

She took a drink, swallowed, looked down at her arm, and then back at me.

"Robbie, this is not going to be easy." She told me quietly. "You may not like me after I tell you this, but I have never lied to you."

I swallowed, but not because I took a drink.

Amy looked me in the eyes and held my gaze for the first time since getting home. I watched as she steeled herself. "Last night, Maria and I went to dinner and drinks with the production house as well as the studio following some very successful meetings." This I already knew; I nodded.

"Dinner was great, but I was missing you. While I was getting ready, I wanted to call you, hear your voice and perhaps play around. I was wet all day after playing with you the night before." She blushed. I said nothing, almost holding my breath, knowing she was leading up to something terrible.

"As we sat down and got into the meal, I began to feel a little ill. I was drinking wine." Amy held up a hand. "I know not my usual drink, but everyone was, so I figured two glasses would be alright." She looked briefly into my eyes before back down at her hands.

"One of the production managers at dinner with us, Kurt, had been flirting with me all evening. I never let it go anywhere, but he was persistent. I think that Maria noticed, but she wasn't going to say or do anything unless I signalled her.

Amy continued, speaking quietly. "I had finished dinner and started feeling really out of it, so after finishing my wine, I apologised to the group that I wasn't feeling well, and since I had an early flight, I gave my goodnights. I didn't hear anyone else leaving the group until a few moments later; I noticed Kurt had followed me, also giving his farewell for the evening.

"I didn't think much of it because everyone was staying in the same hotel. Once we got in the lift, I felt sick as the elevator moved. Then, without asking, Kurt helped me back to my room. I opened the door to my room and ran for the toilet. I barely reached the bathroom door, let alone the toilet. but moments later, I was bringing up everything I had been eating and drinking."

I sat there frowning. I wasn't liking where this was going. Amy noticed my frown, squeezed my hand and kept talking.

"I must have been sitting there for five minutes before I noticed Kurt's hand rubbing my back. At first, it was a nice sensation, but then I realised it wasn't you and there was an almost stranger in my hotel room. Without trying to look worried, I got back up, washed my hands as Kurt watched and walked back into the main room. I thanked Kurt for getting me back to my room, hinting that he should leave. He kept asking if I was alright, then handed me what was obviously, an open water bottle."

Amy was straining to say this, but her eyes met mine, and for the first time, I felt hope that Amy was still mine.

"I felt something was wrong with what just happened, so I put the bottle on the bedside table and tried to usher him out of my room.

"He still wasn't taking the hint, so I asked him to leave my room, as I felt uncomfortable. He turned, walked to the door, but instead of walking through it, he kicked the door jab and pushed it shut."

As I listened, my wife told me how Kurt's demeanour changed as he threw to bolt across the door, turned, coming at her. This asshole Kurt told her that he wanted her, and she was now his bitch. So Amy should get with the program and let him take her. He wanted her from the moment he laid eyes on her. Now they were alone, he would fuck her, and she would be his woman.

My blood started boiling as Amy told me how she screamed, fighting back against Kurt as he tried to corner her. Kurt was a fit Mouri man. She told me how he slapped her at one point, laughing but then cried out when Amy used one of the defence moves I had shown her to crush his foot, followed by his testicles. She immediately ran for the door when he crumpled, screaming for help. Amy managed to get the bolt undone on the door and had been reaching for the door when Kurt grabbed her, throwing her back into the room. She told me how she caught the edge of the desk on her arm, getting the scratches I saw on her arm.

Apparently, Kurt was furious and came at Amy ignoring his crushed gonads. But my wife was no shrinking flower, her husband was a fighter, and she wasn't going to give in without a fight. Amy told me that as Kurt approached her, he jumped to pin her to the ground, but she rolled out of the way. Amy quickly stood, again kicking the big man in the balls, followed by another kick to the head. Kurt was now starting to hurt. Amy was now on the offensive and was winding up for another kick when the room door flew open. Three large security guards roared into the room after someone heard the screaming just as Amy kicked Kurt again.

In the ensuing chaos, security had to restrain a furious Amy. Kurt, now unconscious following Amy's last attack, was taken to hospital while Amy was arrested. She was held for hours and denied due process to make her sweat. Since Amy was Australian, they wouldn't let her call George or me as it was an international call. Her phone had been smashed in the altercation, so she didn't even have Maria's number. The police didn't care who she was or who ALRO was; as far as they were concerned, she was assaulting an unconscious man.

Once Amy got a public defender in the early morning hours, she spent hours more attempting to explain to the wet-behind-the-ears woman that she was defending herself from a potential rapist.

Still, it was almost mid-morning before the police believed her because Kurt, who had woken up in the hospital not long after he arrived, told a story about how Amy had come on to him at dinner and invited him back to her hotel room before he turned her down, and she got violent. The police didn't believe him, but he pointed out how could a small woman fight against someone as big as him unless she got the drop on him.

The police had two conflicting stories, one person in the hospital and some Australian woman that, as far as they were concerned, had to be in the wrong.

What broke the stalemate was Amy falling sick again. They had brought her water and a snack mid-morning, and she was bringing it all back up within the hour. They brought in a doctor who examined Amy, took some blood, interviewed her again, and everyone started believing that she may have been drugged.

This time when she told her story, they listened. The Police returned to the room finding the remains of Amy emptying her stomach in the bathroom, the bottle of water and even skin and blood from Amy's arm on the side of the desk.

She laughed when they asked how she fought back against such a large guy like Kurt.

"My husband is Robbie Other, the MMA fighter who took down Cody McGuiness." One of the police officers knew of the fight. Once it was established that she indeed was the victim, everything started going Amy's way.

In short order, Her public defender ensured that Amy was officially released and taken directly to the airport. No one could raise me. The person dialling got one of the digits wrong in the phone number. So Amy panicked, frightened and alone, chartered a plane home with a promise to return for the trial.

Right before she got on the plane, the police handed her a report. Kurt was arrested for aggravated assault along with several drug and sexual intent charges. The toxicology report they gave Amy showed that her system had been clean of drugs but that she would have been in serious trouble if she had drunk any of that water with the cocktail of chemicals Kurt had laced it with.

"So why were you so sick, Amy? If he didn't drug you, was it food positing?" I asked.

"That's the thing, baby; it wasn't drugs or food poisoning when the test results came back." She told me, still sniffing from telling me the story. "They told me I would have been in danger because I was throwing up because I'm pregnant."

I sat there stunned for a moment, just processing.

Throughout the past day, I had gone from worry to panic, from my life being destroyed again because I had entertained thoughts that Amy was cheating on me. Then I was concerned about someone trying to rape her. Now I was hearing that my wife was pregnant. I must have taken too long to respond.

"Robbie, did you hear me? You're going to be a father," she said, looking at me, concerned.

"I'm going to be a Dad?" I whispered, looking at my wife. She frowned at me.

"Robbie.... Oh no, Robbie," Amy looked at me in a panic. "There is no way that this.... Robbie..."

She started to reach for me, tears in her eyes, thinking of what could just have gone through my brain. I enfolded her in my arms.

"Shhh," I said, "I know, my love, and I am sorry that I had that thought; it's not fair to you."

She cried for a moment, then thumped my chest.

"No, it's not fair, and I curse Georgia forever that she did this to you." She paused, looking up at me. "But I do understand, Robbie. I can tell you, unequivocally, there has never been another man inside me except you. This child is yours!"

That night we went to sleep in each other's arms, professing our love for each other, I kept rubbing her belly, and we fell asleep emotionally spent. In the morning, we made love, then called her parents and followed Darren and Toni, letting them know that Amy was home and safe.

We also called George, giving him the abridged version of what happened. By the end of the day, he had started legal action again the Production House and Kurt directly, sending three of his team over to New Zealand to manage the situation.

"No more last-minute trips without me, okay, honey?" I said as we sat down for dinner that night.

"I'm not going to be travelling, period, moving forward." She said, holding her belly and smiling at me. "Soon, I'll be as big as a barn."

"And a most beautiful barn you will be," I replied, getting a playful punch in the arm.

Over the coming months, we were busy. The production house immediately fired Kurt giving ALRO and Amy very favourable terms to settle out of court. Kurt was released on bail with one of those electronic GPS anklets. We heard that he did get beaten up a few months later, but the culprit was never found.

Amy's belly grew as the months passed, and I loved rubbing it every evening.

Amy was busy with ALRO, but I made her managers take much more of her work as her due date drew closer. Her clients and the team worldwide knew that she wouldn't be travelling for a while, so everyone planned to visit her here in Australia for the next twelve months if it couldn't be done over a video conference.

ALRO Homes was also expanding. With the backing and connections from ALRO, we had put another two teams on. I was also surprised that we often competed with my old workplace, Total Build. It was gratifying that we won three of the four projects over them. In some ways, it validated that I knew what I was doing, that the feelings of worthlessness my family had tried to pile on me were unfounded.

With so much changing quickly in our lives, Amy had Rayne and Peter sign privacy agreements a few months before the baby was born. Of course, they were shocked when they found out their daughter was a multi-millionaire. They were sworn to secrecy that Georgia and my family were not to know anything, that included Amy's pregnancy.

It was a warm August morning, one of the first we had as winter broke when Amy went into labour. After a gruelling nineteen-hour labour, my amazing wife gave me a son. William Other was born, and I knew no pride like it. Amy was worn but delighted to be a mother, and I could not be prouder of my wife. Over the coming weeks settled into life as parents even though sleep was elusive. Newborns!

Darren and Toni became William's godparents. Then, in a surprising move, they moved up to the Sunshine Coast to be nearer to us. They further surprised us by announcing their engagement. The weekend they moved, we had a barbeque at our place with Amy's parents, Darren and Toni, as Amy fussed over William. We had a sense of normality, and it felt good. Family and friends supported us; I know I smiled a lot that afternoon.

About three months later, I was in the office when Cameron, one of our two salespeople, came into my office.

"Hey Boss, what's happening?" he said as he slipped into the chair on the other side of my desk.

I took a sip of my coffee, my eyes hanging out of my head due to lack of sleep. I eyed Cameron, and he just laughed.

"Don't worry; it gets better." He said to me, noticing the look of a new father.

"Does it?" I asked hopefully. In the last week, I had been up with William until three in the morning, giving Amy time to sleep. She was exhausted with breastfeeding, looking after our son and still trying to keep a finger on the pulse at ALRO. I was helping where I could, I wasn't shy about changing a nappy, but Amy was our ringmaster when it came to baby care, and no one would override her. So when I could, I let her sleep.

"Not really," he laughed, "But don't regret a moment of it boss. You'll recall the good and the bad as they get older and learn to laugh at it all." He said as he smiled. Cameron had three kids with his high-school sweetheart.

"What can I do for you today, Cam?" I asked, changing the topic, taking another sip of coffee, feeling the brew wake my synapses.

"Bit of an interesting one boss. You know how we've been having a bit of success in the camping space with those modern container faces?"

"Yes, we're doing quite well. You got another?" I asked, hoping this was another new client conversation.

Cameron shook his head, "No, one of the salespeople from a mob we've been winning against reached out to me yesterday afternoon."

I got a look on my face. I knew... Cameron saw it, but I don't think he understood it, "go on." I told him.

"Well, he calls me up like a totally arrogant son of a bitch," Cameron told me, looking a little pissed off recalling the conversation. "He was trying to get me to believe that he was God's gift to salespeople, telling me how their product is so much better but that since we seem to have luck on our side winning against them so much recently, we should partner with them."

I snorted; I didn't even need to guess who the salesperson was. But I let Cameron continue.

"Honestly, Robbie, the guy was a total tool, but I recalled what you always said of looking for an opportunity in every challenge. So I invited him in two weeks to meet you over coffee and chat. I don't think anything will come of it, but who knows, perhaps they can sell our stuff for us as partners."

Cameron laughed, and I frowned.

He looked at me as I thought for a minute. I got up and paced the room, then turned back to him.

"Cancel the meeting; I'm not interested," I told him.

"Boss?" Cameron looked at me.

"Just confirming, you are talking about Brad Other Jr from Total build, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yeah, how did you... Shit, it's them, isn't it?" I nodded, "and he's...." I again nodded.

While I had not told anyone my background, the industry was tight enough that a few rumours had gotten around. Also, consider that the last name Other was hard to hide because Cameron put the pieces of the puzzle together; I was related to Total Build.

"Consider the meeting cancelled; I'll call and cancel right away," Cameron said, rising from the chair.

"Thanks, Cam." I sighed.

He paused in the doorway, "Shit, don't sweat it, boss. I should have put two and two together. I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories."

I waved him away, "It's all good. Don't stop looking for opportunities. I applaud you for thinking outside the box, but there is no way I'm working with that business or my asshole of an older brother again."

We spoke for a few more minutes, then Cameron headed out, returning about a half-hour later, confirming that he had cancelled the meeting, letting me know he had not mentioned my name. He noted that Brad was upset, trying everything to have the meeting, even promising to bring along my father, Total Build's CEO, to which Cameron politely declined.

I thought that was the end of it. Of course, when it comes to my family, I should have known better.

It was a Wednesday morning two weeks later. Amy and I were walking into ALRO Homes for a few hours, coffee in hand, myself holding a smiling, cheeky William when my past again pushed itself into my life.

"At least now I know why I couldn't get a meeting. The fucking cuck works here." I heard the arrogant voice of my older brother say.

We turned back to the waiting area, having missed the group sitting on the lounges. My father, Brad Jnr and Georgia. Georgia had a baby in a pram and a toddler, I assumed my first nephew, on her lap. Her gaze went the reverse of mine, starting with Amy, then William and lastly myself. When she locked eyes with me, a sadness came across her face as she looked at me holding my son.

Of course, my older brother Brad did nothing but glare at me after his opening statement.

"I see your professionalism has not improved over the years," I responded. "You are still a total disappointment, but yes, you are correct. I am the reason you didn't get your meeting."

Brad took a breath to give me a snappy retort, but before he could say anything, my father put his hand out, stopping what I'm sure would have been an eloquent statement.

"Robert, When Brad had the meeting cancelled, we thought we would still take the chance and drive up to meet with Cameron and your boss. ALRO Homes has been taking more and more of our market over the last year, and we hoped we could partner.

"Now, seeing you," he continued, a snarky tone edging into his voice. "I have to ask, are you so petty as to push your owner to take our already suffering business?"

While I don't like my father and everything he supported in happening to me, I will have to give him points for trying to be professional. It had to cost him a lot of emotional control. I could see his mind trying to reassess the meeting he thought he could get. He had reinvigorated a few social interactions since I moved on.