Going Home

Part 125

Pulling up with a screech of brakes Josh jumped out of TR2 and strode with purpose into the hospital again. He was very worried and it was expressing itself as venomous bad temper. What the hell was wrong with Grace? She was fine when he left her this morning. If they’ve sent her home too early there’ll be hell to pay.

Storming into emergency Josh asked in an angry tone to be directed to where Grace was. The nurse at the desk looked with a worried expression at the obviously irate man in police uniform confronting her but pointed to the correct cubicle. Josh strode off and ripped back the curtain. He glared at the doctor examining Grace “what the hell happened? Why was she discharged if she wasn’t ready to go home?” he yelled.

Looking at his angry expression Grace decided she needed to try to calm him before he took out his temper on the doctor. “Josh it wasn’t anyone’s fault. My temperature was fine when they checked it before I left. It was only when I’d been home for a while that I started to feel bad.”

Josh has been watching her as she explained but now turning to the doctor he said “shouldn’t you have foreseen this?”

Nodding the doctor replied in an even tone “an infection is always a possibility, that was why we put what to look for on the discharge papers. Whoever was with her did exactly the right thing in bringing her back in. We’ve started her on antibiotics now and I have no reason to believe she won’t respond to them. We’ll keep her in overnight to monitor her and she should be able to go home again in the morning.”

Josh was still frowning but said in calmer voice “okay, thanks.”

Smiling the doctor left and drawing the curtain on his way out said to the nurse on the desk “phew, I wouldn’t want to be a criminal in his path today.”

Going Home

Part 124

Later that afternoon Grace woke with a start. She had been dreaming about the alley and the shooting. But the sudden movement caused a sharp pain in her arm, obviously the medication had worn off, and when she sat up the pain only increased. Grimacing and holding her arm against her body Grace walked out into the living room. Still feeling a little light-headed she headed straight for the couch and frowned as she lowered herself down.

Seeing Grace appear Lily walked inside from the balcony where she and Margaret were enjoying a cup of coffee.

“Hi sweetie, you okay?

“My arm hurts. Can I have some of those tablets we brought home from the hospital?”

Looking at the time Lily nodded “yes it says every four hours and it must have been at least that since you had some at the hospital. Would you like anything else, a cup of coffee?”

“Maybe once the tablets start to work” Grace said with a grimace as she tried to get comfortable.

Seeing Graces strained expression Lily moved towards the kitchen saying over her shoulder “ok I’ll get them now.”

Twenty minutes later Grace was finally feeling some relief from the pain and she turned off the Tv she had been using to take her mind off the pain. Standing she walked outside to where her mother and Margaret were sitting. But as she stepped outside the cooler air started her shivering. Ignoring it Grace sat down.

Smiling at herMargaret said “feeling better now?”

She wasn’t really but at least the pain was less so giving her a small smile she said “yes thanks” Then still feeling cold she turned to her mother and said “could I have that coffee now please?”

Putting down the paper she was reading Lily smiled “sure, it won’t be a minute.”

As Lily moved inside Margaret examined Grace’s troubled expression and asked with a worried expression “are you sure you’re okay?”

“I think so,” then hesitating a minute she added “well not really, it must be an effect of the medication but I feel a little strange.”

Frowning now Margaret leaned forward and said “strange how?”

“I don’t know” Grace answered frowning herself now as she tried to work out how to put what she was feeling into words “everything just seems like an effort.”

“Well that doesn’t sound good” Margaret said as she laid her hand on Grace’s brow. Then quickly getting to her feet Margaret called out “Lily I think we need to take Grace back to the hospital she’s running a fever.”

News

For anyone who is interested I have started posting Betrayed the sequel to Missing. It can be read on it's own page the tab for which is at the top of the home page. Happy reading.

Loss and Longing

Last part.

For a minute Stevie didn’t speak. Then making a decision she squared her shoulders and said, “okay, I accept on behalf of my family, but you’re taking mine back.”

He shook his head, “no.”                                    

“That’s the condition” she said. “Either you take mine back or you take all of them back.”

Grant glared at her. She had him over a barrel and they both knew it. If he wanted to help her, he’d have to do it her way.

He released his breath on a harsh sigh, “fine” he said.

“Good, now there is something else you can do for me.”

“Anything” he said.

“Two weeks ago tomorrow you asked me a question, will you please ask me again now.”

Grant frowned at her.

“Come on Grant” she said “it was only four words, surely you can remember that.”

Grants eyes narrowed and he tilted his head as he stared at her. Then as the smile she couldn’t hold back anymore pushed up the corners of her mouth, an answering smile appeared on his face. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Will I get a different answer?”

“There’s only one way to find out” she teased with a grin.

“Will you marry me?” he asked his expression solemn.

“Yes please” she said with a delighted laugh.

Grant looked at her for a minute and then grinning he lowered his head and kissed her.

After a minute he eased back and looked down at her “not that I’m complaining but what made you change your mind?”

“How could I refuse after what you did for my family? That was an amazing gesture Grant. I still can’t believe you were prepared to do it, even if it was all over for us.”

“Well I told you I’d find a way to repay you for all those meals you cooked at my place” he joked and as she acknowledged it with a smile he added, “I must admit I was waiting for you to hit me” he said grinning.

“I thought about it” she said.

He laughed. “Do you really want me to take yours back?”

“Definitely” she said with a frown. “While I can accept the others if I have to, because they are not for me, and they aren’t marrying you, I’m not starting out our marriage indebted to you like that.” Then touching his face, her expression softening she said “but thank you. Once again I forgot to say that after you had been very generous.” She was referring to when she’d tried to repay him for fixing her car, back when they first met.

He chuckled. “You’re welcome” he said.

“So how did you rope Rachel in to this little deception?” she asked.

“I didn’t think you’d agree to meet me if I asked. So I went to ask for her advice. When I explained what I’d done and why and she volunteered to help.”

“Hmm I’ll be having words with her” Stevie said but she was unable to feel too angry with her friend.

“She figured as much” Grant said “she said it was worth it to see you smile again. Were you that miserable?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t feel anything anymore. You?”

“You know how much I’ve lost” he said, his expression bleak, “I didn’t think it was possible to hurt anymore. I was wrong.”

“I’m sorry” she said.

“Me too” he said.

“I love you” she said her tone serious.”

Bending Grant kissed her.

Then as he lifted her head, her expression changed to teasing and she asked “now are we going to take advantage of this room or what?”

Grant grinned “well this isn’t the sort of place that rents rooms by the hour so I did book it for the night” and picking her up he tumbled them onto the wide bed.

Stevie laughed.

He lay over her and looking down into her eyes he said “I missed you.”

She shivered. “Me too” she said and pulling his head down, she felt him smile against her mouth. As they kissed and touched and made up for lost time, she vowed to do everything in her power to always make him happy. There would be no more loss in their future, not if she had anything to do with it.

THE END

Loss and Longing

“Right well as you know my family is gone, I have no one I need to look after. So instead of leaving what came to me from them languishing in a bank, not doing anyone any good, I decided to put it to good use. What I’ve done is set up trust funds for everyone in your family.”

Stevie’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand “hang on, I’m not done.”

“As things stand, your brother and sister are sorted out financially, their education is paid for and they’ll have an independent income once they reach eighteen. As for your mother, she need only work now when she wants to, the house will be paid for and she’ll have an income from what is left. So that leaves you, now while I’d prefer to marry you and look after you that way I’m pretty sure you’re not willing to do that so I’ve set up a trust fund for you too.”

“I won’t touch it” Stevie said, her eyes flashing. She was furious he’d gone behind her back and done this.

“That’s your right” Grant said not appearing to be the least bit offended by her lack of gratitude or surprised by her attitude. “But it’s not going anywhere, so it will just sit there until you’re ready.”

“I’ll never be ready. How could you do that, knowing how I’d feel about it?” she asked, angry tears burning her eyes. She felt betrayed.

“I love you” Grant said “and I want you to be happy. I knew helping you wasn’t going to be enough. You’d always feel responsible for your family, you’d always put their needs before your own. So this was the only way I could think of to give you a life of your own.”

“So with one swipe of your pen, you make me redundant, not needed by anyone” Stevie said getting to her feet and beginning to pace “Thanks very much Grant. Great life you gave me.”

“No” Grant said standing and taking a step towards her. “I wanted to set you free.” And his voice soft and deep, he added “you are very needed, by me.”

Stevie closed her eyes. When he spoke to her in that voice, he was hard to resist.

“Stevie I didn’t do it to punish you or hurt you or even to pressure you into taking me back” he said. “I’m aware I blew my chances. I did it so you could be happy and now you can be, even if it’s not with me.”

Stevie opened her eyes and looked at him. “So you’re doing this knowing it’s not going to change anything between us?”

“Yes” he said. “I couldn’t help my family, but I can help you and yours. There are no strings, I promise you. I want you to go out and find someone who makes you happy and I want you to be free to pursue that when it happens.”

Loss and Longing

Stevie turned to leave. It hurt too much just to look at him.

“Please don’t go” he said as her hand made contact with the door handle. “I didn’t think you’d come if I asked you to meet me. I just want to talk. I didn’t know where else we could meet and talk in private.”

Stevie didn’t move.

“Please” he said again “I have something I need to tell you. It won’t take long.”

She turned around and looked at him. She knew her pain was visible in her eyes, she couldn’t hide it.

“Do you want to sit down?” he asked indicating two chairs on either side of a low table in the window. The setting reminded Stevie of their night out at the bar. She pushed the memory away and taking a deep breath, she moved past him and sat down on a single chair in front of a desk instead.

He walked over and pulling another chair over, he sat on the edge of it facing her. He rested his elbows on his thighs and linked his hands. “How are you?” he said.

She didn’t reply. She just glanced at him and then away. He looked tired she noticed.

He sighed and tried again. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get in contact but I wanted to get a few things in place before we spoke again.”

“What things?” she asked as she turned back to look at him. Her tone was wary. She didn’t like the sound of that.

“Things I know you’re not going to be happy about” he admitted.

“Then why did you do them?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Because I had to” he said.

“What?”

“I’ll get to that” Grant said “first of all I want to apologise for the things I said that morning. I didn’t mean them. I admire the way you stand by your principles, I really do, but it’s not every day you have a proposal thrown back at you. In fact it was the first time I’d made one, so I was reeling a bit.”

Stevie just looked at him.

He sighed again. “Okay to what I have to tell you, I want you to listen to me all the way through before you speak okay?”

She nodded.