Captivation

Captivation Part 45

Nigel phoned Jared a couple of weeks later because Candy had been on his case to make the call. Both of them felt that things between Caitlin and Jared needed to be sorted out, and the only way that was going to be possible was if Caitlin and Jared met. Nigel hoped that would happen naturally. Candy wasn't willing to wait! More so given all her attempts to get Caitlin to come to dinner were met with a blunt refusal! Caitlin had heaps of excuses and explanations and Candy knew that they were simply that. Excuses. Caitlin had no intention of coming to dinner because she figured Candy would engineer it for Jared to be there too. And Caitlin was not ready to forgive him!

Candy knew that as Caitlin was now back in the country that meant that she would be at the dance. With her family. So as far as Candy was concerned this was the perfect opportunity for Caitlin and Jared to meet, talk and sort things out.

Jared answered the telephone call and didn't have to wait long to hear why Nigel was calling. "You might want to go to the Easter dance." Nigel said somewhat cryptically.

"Why would I want to do that?" Jared asked. He'd been in a lousy mood ever since that debacle of a night. By the time Jared went in search of Caitlin she was nowhere to be seen. All because Jared had wasted too much time explaining to Neil that Jared was going to marry Caitlin and he did not need her uncle ordering him to do so! Neil was far from convinced. He wasn't sure whether Jared was making that statement because the three girls were still party to the conversation and Jared wanted to lessen the impact of his earlier statement, or whether he was genuine.

It took Jared several minutes to learn that Caitlin had gone home. His instinct was to follow her home. Continue this discussion. But when he'd gone in search of Candy and Nigel to explain he was leaving and to thank them and wish them a good night, he'd heard the rumours and gossip. So he'd stayed at the engagement party attempting to quash the rumours that he had once again turned her down.

Jared tried phoning Caitlin the next day. She did not return his calls. So he left his messages on her voicemail. He tried several times to talk to her. But to no avail. He was starting to realise just how stubborn she could be. To make matters worse on the next day she was on a plane and off to her next assignment. Something Jared only learnt when he turned up on her doorstep. And instead of having a conversation with Caitlin he had a conversation with her father.

Caitlin was back ten days later, at the end of her assignment. She returned a day before the Easter dance, not because she wanted to go to the dance but because her sister was due to give birth any day now. Normally the girls would go with their father to the dance. But given Georgia's pregnancy and her reluctance to go this year because she felt tired Caitlin was coerced into accompanying her father to the Easter dance. Georgia's pregnancy was progressing well and they were expecting her to give birth within the next week. But while everyone in the family was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Georgia and Elias' baby, the baby seemed quite content to stay put. Which did not suit Sophie at all. She was desperate to meet her new brother or sister. So she kept talking to her mother's tummy to encourage her brother or sister to get a move on. Not that it worked.

"Caitlin's going to be there. With her father. Her sister is due to have her baby any day now, so Caitlin and Mr Fonseca are going to the dance, but Elias and Georgia are staying home." Nigel explained, relying on Candy's prompts to supply the gist of information. Nigel also knew from Candy that Caitlin was far from happy about having to go. For Caitlin unfortunately knew that the gossip was still doing the rounds. And worse still, depending on who you listened to Jared was either desperate to marry her or determined not to be bullied into marrying her!

Jared had only half a ear on listening to Nigel. Now that he knew that Caitlin was back he was tempted to go straight round to see her. "So?" He was sure that a public meeting was not in his or Caitlin's best interests. They needed a quiet, personal one to one meeting. Nobody else present. Just him and her. That's what they needed. Time together. On their own.