Going Home

Part 116

Half an hour later Josh was still waiting. But while he couldn’t handle sitting with Grace’s family, having his mother there had been okay. She hadn’t talked to him or asked him if he was okay, she’d just been there and even though he thought he wanted to be alone he had found her presence a comfort. But Grace had been in surgery so long he was beginning to panic. Why the hell was it taking so long? He needed to see her. He needed to know she was okay.

Finally Josh heard footsteps approaching and praying it was the doctor this time he looked up and then got to his feet as he saw an authoritative looking man walk in.

Slightly taken aback at the man in police uniform confronting him the surgeon said “Brendan Joshua?”

Stepping forward Josh took a deep breath and said “yes?”

“I’m Dr Mason, Grace is in recovery. Everything went well. It just took longer than expected.”

“So she’ll be ok?” Josh asked swallowing hard on the lump in his throat.

“Yes she’ll be fine. You’ll be able to see her shortly.”

Putting out his hand to the doctor Josh says “thanks”

Shaking his hand the doctor said brusquely “sure” then turning he left for his next patient.

 Josh sat back down and put his head in his hands. The relief he felt was almost overwhelming and he let out his breath on a sigh. Thank God. He didn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to her.

Watching Josh Margaret could tell he needed some time alone so putting her hand on his shoulder Margaret gave it a rub and said “I’ll go and tell Grace’s family.”

Josh just nodded and rubbing his hand over his face stared into the distance lost in his thoughts.

Going Home

Part 115

Sitting in the hospital Josh had his head in his hands. Grace hadn’t regained consciousness on the way to the hospital and it had Josh badly worried. She had lost a lot of blood while he was trying to get that guy to give up his gun and now she was in surgery and the waiting was killing him. He had called Graces family a while ago and they are waiting down the hall but Josh needed to be alone. As much as he liked her family he just couldn’t sit there with them now. Then all of a sudden Josh remembered his own family. It had been so long since he’d had someone to call at times like this it was no wonder he didn’t think of them straight away. But now he needed to let them know and picking up his phone he rang Margaret. Giving her only the briefest account of what had happened Josh then assured her he would let them know the minute there was any news. Hanging up the phone and unable to sit still any longer, Josh stood and began to pace. What the hell was taking so long?

A couple of hours later Josh was still waiting for news. Some member of the Reid family has come and checked on him every so often but for the most part he had waited alone. Hearing steps outside the room Josh looked up expecting to see yet another member of Grace’s family at the door. But he was shocked to see it was Margaret standing there. Getting to his feet Josh just looked at her.

Crossing the room towards her son Margaret stopped in front of him and looking into his worried eyes for a minute she put her arms around him and hugged him. Josh took a deep breath and putting his arms around his mother found some much needed solace in her embrace. But although he was pleased to see her, he was very surprised, he had not expected her to come and he didn’t know what to say.

Stepping back Margaret said “any news?”

“No” then after a pause Josh said without looking at her “you didn’t have to come down.”

“Josh” Margaret said prompting him to look at her. As his eyes met hers she continued “of course I had to come and your dad will be here tonight, once he gets things organised at home. We love Grace and we need to know she will be okay. Besides I wanted to be here for you”

Nodding and looking away again Josh said “thanks.” Even if he couldn’t express it he was glad she had come.

The Christmas Present

Sharni lowered her eyes to the box and untying the white ribbon she opened the lid. Her eyes widened as she looked at its contents. Nestled in the soft white interior was a circular silver charm with a fine silver chain threaded through it. Sharni remembered it from their search for his niece’s present. She had secretly admired it and had suggested it as an option for the required gift but he’d gone with something else. “It’s beautiful” she said looking up at him. “How did you know I liked it?”

He smiled. “Your face lit up when you looked at it. I wanted to buy it for you right then. That’s why I didn’t pick it. I didn’t think you’d have accepted it though.”

“No” she said removing the necklace from the box and fastening it around her neck “I wouldn’t have then. Thank you.”

“My pleasure” he said and leaning towards her he kissed her.

While they kissed Sharni considered just how lucky she’d been that year. She loved the necklace but the best gift she’d received that Christmas was Mitch. And as he rolled her beneath him she hoped that he would be making her Christmas’s and every day in between, memorable for the rest of her life.

The End

The Christmas Present

Sharni shrugged. “I’ve been single for a while now.”

“All I can say is the men around you must be blind. You turned around in that queue ready to yell at me and I took one look at those big blue eyes and I was gone. I wanted to forget the rest of my shopping and talk to you but by the time I got out of the shop you were gone.”

Sharni smiled. “Did you drop that package on purpose?”

Mitch grinned. “No, but I was trying to speak to you again. I was rushing to catch up with you.”

“I was so happy when you suggested coffee.”

“But not when I stood you up the next day?” he suggested.

She smiled “no for a while there I was pretty angry, mostly with myself. I was really beginning to doubt my instincts.”

“I’m sorry” he said “I wanted to be there.”

“It’s fine” she said. “It wasn’t your fault and you made up for it.”

He smiled “and speaking of making up for it I’ve got a present for you.”

Sharni frowned as he reached for his jeans and pulled out a small box. He held it out to her.

“You didn’t need to buy me anything” she said.

He smiled “yes I did, it’s Christmas.”

“But I didn’t get you anything” she said feeling very guilty.

“So you’ll make it up to me” he teased with a wink “take it.”

She smiled and taking the box she said “thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The Christmas Present

“I used emotional blackmail, tried to manipulate her" Mitch said. "It’s not something I’m proud of. In the end it came down to us wanting different things” he said. “We still loved each other but not enough to change. My work is here, my family are here. My life is here. After I’d calmed down we tried to make it work long distance but that was never going to happen. By the time we admitted that though, she’d built a new life for herself there, so earlier this year we did the only thing left, we divorced.”

Sharni let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. She understood now that she’d been wrong. The betrayal he spoke of was his wife moving away. Mitch felt she’d been disloyal by not putting him first. She could tell he also felt guilty that he’d done the same to her. Reaching out to squeeze his hand she said again “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks” he said and releasing her hand he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. 

But feeling guilty now for doubting him, Sharni felt she needed to tell him. She didn’t want anything sitting between them. Easing back she looked at him and said “when you said betrayal and talked about doing things you regret I thought you meant something else.”

He smiled and shook his head “I’d never do that, to anyone.”

“I’m sorry” she said.

“That’s okay. I can’t expect you to know everything about me, yet” he finished.

She smiled “yet?”

“Yes, I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

She knew he was offering her a commitment and it thrilled her. Things were moving fast between them but they felt so right she had no compulsion to slow it down. With a smile she shook her head, “no neither am I.”

With a smile he leaned forward and kissed her. Then easing back he said in a lighter tone “enough of my pathetic life history, tell me about you. How did I get so lucky as to find you unattached?”