A New Beginning

by Samantha Hicks

  She settled behind the wheel of her car, her gaze lighting over the graveyard. She knew deep down she wouldn’t be able to stay away for good but for now she had to try and keep her distance, she owed Laura that. She didn’t want Laura feeling like second best anymore and she couldn’t do that if she spent every week at the cemetery. She reversed out of the space and headed for home. She would call Laura later, after Aaron was in bed and she had a chance to decompress from the day’s events with a glass or two of wine.

  Amy never did get to make that phone call to Laura. As she pulled up to her house she saw an ambulance idling in the driveway. Two medical personnel were just pushing a stretcher into the back as Martha came running from the front door. Amy leapt from the car and raced to her mother who had just reached the back of the ambulance.

  “Mum, what’s happened?” she asked as her mum turned to face her. Her skin had lost its rosy complexion, now tinged a dull grey.

  “Oh, Amy. It’s your dad. They think it’s a stroke.” Martha’s eyes filled with tears. He was out with Aaron on the boat and he didn’t feel well so they came home. He collapsed not long ago.

  “Ma’am?” one of the EMT’s asked. “We’re ready to go.”

  “Okay,” Martha replied. Turning back to Amy she said, “I have to go. Aaron is inside. I’ll call you when I can.” She squeezed Amy’s hand then disappeared into the awaiting ambulance.

  Amy watched until the brake lights disappeared and then she made her way into the house to find Aaron. She couldn’t believe her dad had a stroke. He was the fittest man she knew. Not once in all her life had she ever saw him ill. He only retired because Martha had made him, but even then, he was always out in the garden or playing about in the sea with Aaron. There had to be a mistake. Something else must be wrong with him. She refused to believe any different.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Laura stepped out of the shower a little after six o’clock that evening. After leaving Amy she had gone to the office and tried to attempt to get some work done but she couldn’t concentrate. Thoughts of Amy plaguing her. She decided the best way to rid her mind of the images was to exercise. So, she had gone to her local gym and took her frustration out on the weights and treadmill. She felt better, physically. The battering of her body helped to lessen the bruises on her heart. As soon as the workout was finished though, Amy had flittered back into her head. So much for ridding her of the memories.

  She had just finished putting on a loose fitted t-shirt and jogging bottoms when her mobile phone rang from its place on her bedside table. She answered without looking at the caller ID.

  “Hello?”

  “Laura? It’s Martha.”

  She sounded upset, her voice coming out in hurried tones. Something was wrong. “Martha, what’s happened?” Laura’s panic went into overdrive, thoughts of Aaron or Amy being hurt making her stomach knot painfully. She gripped the phone tighter and braced herself against the wall with one arm trying to settle her racing heart.

  “I’m at the hospital. Jim has had a stroke. A pretty bad one from the looks of it.”

  “Oh God. I’m so sorry.”

  “I hate to ask but could you go and check on Amy for me? She’s at the house and when I talked to her a moment ago she seemed distant. Which of course is understandable, but I’m worried—”

  “Martha, it’s okay. I’m heading out the door as we speak,” she said as she grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter and rushed through the door.

  “Thank you. The doctor is coming back, I need to go.”

  “Of course. Don’t worry about Amy and Aaron, I’ll look after them.” If Amy will let me. She hung up the phone and got in her car. Her need to get to Amy burning her insides. Despite what had happened between them today, Laura didn’t want Amy to be alone, she prayed she wouldn’t slam the door in her face.

  Twenty minutes later she parked in Amy’s driveway then strode up the walk. She knocked and waited. A few moments later a shadow passed behind the glass paneling of the door and then she saw Amy, eyes red-rimmed and cheeks pink.

  “Amy?” For a second, she thought she saw gratitude in Amy’s eyes, but it was quickly hidden.

  “Laura, I don’t have time to see you right now.”

  “Your mum rang me. She told me what happened. Are you okay?”

  Amy shook her head. “She shouldn’t have done that, I’m fine.” Even as she said the words her eyes filled with more tears and she clamped her hand over her mouth trying to smother her sobs.

  Laura didn’t think, she took a step forward and pulled Amy into a tight embrace, lightly kissing her hair as Amy’s head curled under her chin. “It’ll be okay,” she said as she backed Amy up so she could shut the door.

  “He’s my dad,” Amy cried.

  “I know, honey.” She took hold of Amy’s hand and led her into the lounge, settling her on the couch. “Can I get you anything?”

  “Just you.”

  Laura didn’t need to be asked twice. She settled next to Amy and again took her in her arms, Amy’s head resting on her shoulder with her arm draped across Laura’s stomach. Laura lightly ran her fingers across her arm and asked, “Where’s Aaron?

  “He’s in his room. He’s been up there since I got home. He won’t open the door to me.”

  “If you want, maybe I could try talk to him.” She felt Amy shift next to her and look at her. Laura tilted her head to capture her eyes.

  “If you could that would be amazing. He was with Dad on the boat when he didn’t feel well. I think it’s hit him pretty hard.”

  Laura kissed Amy on the forehead. “It’s no problem.” She disentangled from her and stood. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “I’ll make some tea.”

  Laura made her way up the stairs to Aarons room. The door was shut, and no sound could be heard from inside. She gently knocked on the door. “Aaron?” No answer. She knocked again. “Aaron, it’s Laura. Can I come in?” She pressed her ear to the door, listening. She thought she heard footsteps. “Aaron, I just want to make sure you’re okay.” Finally, the door opened, and Aaron stood there much the same way Amy had a moment ago, red eyes and puffy cheeks. “Hey, buddy.” He flung himself at her and it took all her strength not to fall over from the force of impact of his small body. She hugged him close.

  “I don’t want him to die,” he mumbled into her stomach where his head was pressed.

  She ran her fingers through his messy hair. “I’m sure it’ll all be okay.” She crouched down to his level, raising his head up with her other hand. “You’re a young man now Aaron and that means you have to be brave.” He gazed at her, her words seemingly sinking in. “Yes, something bad has happened to your grandpa and he might not be the same when he gets home, but he will need you to be strong for your nan and Mum. Can you do that?”

  He nodded. “But is it okay to cry?”

  Laura smiled softly at him. “Of course it’s okay to cry. Do you remember when we first met?” He nodded again. “I was crying then too, and I’m really old.”

  He laughed then wiped at his wet cheeks. “You’re not old.”

  “Well, maybe not really old, but everyone cries and it’s okay to be upset.”

  He went back into his room and sat on the bed, Laura followed then sat next to him, shoulder to shoulder. “I think I’ve upset Mum,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I wouldn’t let her in my room. She was banging on the door, but I said no.”

  Laura took a breath and let it out slowly. “Aaron, I don’t think you’ve upset her. I imagine she was worried about you after what happened. She probably just wanted to make sure you’re okay, much like I did.”

  He turned his head to look at her, his little chin quivering. “What should I do?”

  She turned the question back on him. “What do you think you should do?” She watched as his brows came down and his lips pursed.

  “Well, you said I need to be strong and brave,
right?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, I think I should give her a cuddle and tell her everything will be okay and that it’s okay to be upset.”

  Laura smiled at his use of the same thing she had said to him. “I think she would really like that.”

  “Okay.” He stood from the bed and took Laura’s hand. “But you have to come too so we can all be brave together.”

  A lump formed in Laura’s throat making it impossible to speak, so she nodded her agreement. They found Amy in the kitchen staring out of the window, three cups of tea next to her on the counter. Aaron dropped Laura’s hand and went to Amy.

  “Mum?”

  Amy turned around and smiled at her son. “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t let you in.”

  “It’s all right.” She stroked his cheek.

  “And,” he glanced quickly at Laura who nodded for him to continue, “everything is going to be okay and it’s okay to be upset.” He opened his arms and Amy bent down to pick him up, cradling him against her.

  “Thank you, Aaron. That’s just what I needed.” Laura met Amy’s gaze over the top of Aaron’s head. Amy smiled at her and mouthed, “Thank you.”

  Laura shrugged and mouthed back, “You’re welcome.”

  They all settled in the lounge and decided to watch a DVD to help pass the time until they heard news of Jim. Laura sat as close to Amy as she could, holding her hand, while Aaron sat on his gaming chair in front of them. She knew none of them were interested in the movie but all they could do was wait for Martha to call, and no way was Laura going to leave until she knew everything would be all right. The events of earlier that day, for now, were forgotten. She was in love with Amy and if she had to wait forever to have all of her she would. She wanted to spend her life with Amy and Aaron, they were her family now and she vowed to protect them any way she could.

  #

  Eleven o’clock came around, and after watching another DVD, Laura could see Aaron flagging. His head had lolled to the side and occasionally would jerk upright again. Poor kid had a stressful day and the effects were showing on him now.

  Amy must have noticed his bobbing head too as she said, “Come on Aaron, it’s time for bed.”

  He shifted on his chair to glare at his mother. “But I want to wait for news on Grandpa.”

  “I promise I’ll wake you up the minute I hear anything.”

  He pouted his lips for a moment and then let out a huge yawn. After rubbing his eyes, he asked, “Can Laura take me up?”

  Laura glanced at Amy who smiled back at her and nodded. “Of course, I can, buddy,” she said. She stood and stretched her back muscles, her spine cracking after spending so long in one position. Not that she minded. Having Amy curled up next to her all evening felt great. Amy stood as well and hugged Aaron.

  “Goodnight, Mum,” Aaron whispered.

  “Goodnight, Aaron. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Laura took his hand and led him from the lounge toward the stairs. Amy’s voice sailed over to her saying “no pillow fights,” making her chuckle.

  Laura waited in Aaron’s room while he used the bathroom. She closed his Marvel curtains and pulled back his Superman duvet ready for him to climb into bed. Aaron appeared a moment later.

  “Did you brush your teeth properly?” she asked him.

  “Yeah.”

  “Good.” He settled in the bed and she tucked him in, then gently ran her fingers over his forehead and cheek. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired,” he said as another yawn over took his features. He stared at her for moment, his eyes shimmering with tears. “I was really scared when Grandpa went funny.”

  Laura held his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Do you want to talk about what happened? It might help.”

  He took a breath, and with one big effort, he spoke. “We had just finished reeling in a fish. Grandpa helped me take out the hook and let him go. His face went kind of weird and he couldn’t speak. He fell, and I couldn’t get him up. I started crying. I didn’t know what to do. But then he was fine. He looked normal and could talk again. We got the boat back to the jetty and when he stepped off he went funny again. I ran up to the house to get Grandma and she made me stay inside.”

  “That must have been scary,” Laura said, hating how upset Aaron was. Seeing anyone collapse like that would be frightening enough for an adult but especially for a boy of Aaron’s age. With it being his grandad too, the kid must be going out of his mind.

  Aaron burrowed further into his covers. “Yeah. And then I saw the ambulance from my window.” The tears he had been gallantly holding back whilst he spoke now tumbled free.

  “Come here,” Laura said as she gathered him close, her own tears falling into his hair. “Everything’s going to be okay.” She hoped she wasn’t giving him false hope, that everything would be alright. She herself lost her gran a year ago and that nearly killed her with the grief. She couldn’t imagine what Aaron must be feeling. If she had lost her gran at his age she would have been devastated.

  “Can you stay here tonight?” she heard him mumble into her neck.

  “You betcha.” Nothing was going to stop her from being here for him and Amy. “I’ll be down stairs with your mum if you need anything.” She tucked him back into bed and kissed his forehead. As she headed for the door Aaron’s voice called her back.

  “Laura?”

  She turned around, her hand on the light switch ready to turn it off. “Yeah?”

  “Are you going to take care of my mum?”

  She smiled at him, wondering at the gravity of that question. If she had her way she would never leave. She would look after them both for as long as she could. But that was up to Amy. However, for tonight, Laura wasn’t going anywhere. She nodded. “Yes, I am.”

  “Okay. Goodnight.”

  He rolled over and pulled the duvet up to his chin. Laura switched the light off and whispered, “Goodnight.”

  “Don’t forget to wake me when you know what’s happening,” he said just as she closed the door. She headed back downstairs and found Amy pacing in the dining room talking on her mobile.

  “Okay, Mum. Call me if you need anything.” Amy hung up and put her phone in her pocket. Turning around she spotted Laura. “Hey.”

  “Hi.” Laura came fully into the room, standing a couple of feet away from her. She wanted to hug her again, to try and take some of her pain away. Her once vibrant eyes were stormy and distant, her shoulders slumped. She looked as listless as she had the very first time Laura had seen her at the cemetery. “That was your mum?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Amy replied as she scrubbed her hands over face. “Dad is being prepped for surgery. They did an MRI and found clots that need to be removed. He’s still sedated so Mum doesn’t know how severely the stroke has affected him.”

  “How is she?”

  “She says she’s fine, but I really want to be there for her.” Amy pulled out one of the dining table chairs and slumped into it, resting her elbows on the table and cradling her head.

  Laura went to her and stroked her back, feeling Amy relax under her fingertips. “If you want I can stay with Aaron while you go to the hospital.”

  Amy shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “You’re not asking, I’m offering.”

  “I don’t know.” Amy lifted her head and tilted it back to gaze at Laura. “Laura, we need to talk about earlier.”

  “No, we don’t.” She crouched down so they were eye level, grasping Amy’s thighs to steady herself. She could feel the warmth of her skin through her trousers. “Everything is fine,” she soothed. Now was not the time to be worrying about the argument they had earlier. Things had come to ahead and they did need to discuss a few things, but doing it now, when emotions were high for everyone, wouldn’t be wise.

  “But I need to tell you something—”

  Laura silenced her with a finger to her lips. “
Let’s just put a pin in it and get your dad sorted first.” She pulled her hand away. “I’ll stay with Aaron and you go see your mum.”

  Amy stared at her for a long while and Laura could see questions flashing in her eyes. Finally, Amy asked, “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you.” They both stood, and Amy hugged her tightly, burying her head into Laura’s neck.

  Laura held her close, imprinting the feel of her in her arms to memory. She hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she would get to hold her. “No thanks needed.” They stayed that way for a few moments then Laura pulled back. “Call me when you hear how he is.”

  “I will.” Amy went and gathered her car keys while Laura waited by the front door. “Laura,” Amy said as she came to stand by her. “You need to know how special you are to me.” She looked away for a second. “I don’t want to give this up.”

  Hope flared in Laura’s chest that all was not lost with them. She took a chance and lightly kissed her on the lips, thrilled when she felt Amy lean into her. Pulling back, she said, “We’ll talk later.” She opened the door for her. “Go.” She watched until Amy’s car had disappeared then she closed the door and settled back in the lounge. She channel surfed for a while until she found a re-run of Friends then watched while she waited for news from Amy.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Amy found her mother sitting in an uncomfortable looking plastic chair on the stroke ward of the hospital. Being nearly midnight there weren’t many people milling about. An older couple sat huddled together a few seats up from Martha, and occasionally a staff member would rush down the drab looking corridor. An eerie silence surrounded Amy as she approached her mother. Martha didn’t seem to notice her arrival until Amy sat next to her and took her hand. Martha looked up from where she was staring at the linoleum.