by Emma Lea
“Won’t the clinic do that, though? Surely she has an emergency contact on file.”
“It would be quicker for you to do it. Besides, she asked you.”
Kendra had a point. It was her responsibility, not just as a friend to Dawn, but also as the proprietor of the business where Dawn collapsed. Of course she should be the one to contact the family. Which all sounded good in theory, but was a lot harder to action.
“Give me the phone,” Kendra said.
“Why? What are you going to do?”
Kendra made a give-it-here motion with her hand and Georgie reluctantly handed the phone to her. She pressed a button on the screen and lifted it to her ear. Georgie could hear the phone ringing from where she stood and held on to a small glimpse of hope that Kendra might actually talk to Connor in her stead. Unfortunately that hope was dashed when she heard Connor’s voice and Kendra held the phone out to her.
“Hello? Georgie?”
She rolled her eyes, of course he knew who it was. She took the phone and lifted it to her ear, the nerves in her stomach causing the option of throwing up a very real possibility.
“Connor?”
“Georgie? What going on, what’s wrong?”
His voice sounded thick with sleep and she realised that maybe it had been too early to call.
“Sorry to wake you,” she said, her voice tremulous, “But there was an incident with your grandmother.”
“Gran? Is she all right? What happened?”
“Well, she, ah… she fainted in my shop.”
“Oh God! Is she all right? Why did she faint? When did this happen?”
“It happened just a few moments ago. She was conscious and talking, but the paramedics wanted to take her into the clinic to get checked out just in case. She, ah… she asked me to call you so you could let the rest of the family know.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” he paused and she imagined him running a hand through his hair while he thought about what to do next. “Look, can I call you back? It’s really early here and I just need to get my bearings.”
“Of course,” Georgie said, “I’ll go to the clinic and see if I can find out what’s happening. I’ll keep my phone on and with me, so call whenever you need to.”
“Thanks Georgie,” he said, his voice less panicked and softer. “I mean it,” he said, “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”
The call was disconnected and she stood there looking down at it.
“What did he say?” Kendra asked.
“He’s going to call me back. I think I might have woken him up.”
“So we’re going to the clinic?”
Georgie looked up and Kendra and nodded. “Do you mind driving me?”
“Come on,” she said, grabbing Georgie’s bag off the desk, “Let’s go and check on Dawn.”
18
As quickly as he could arrange it, Connor was on a flight back to Australia, which wasn't all that quick. The flight didn't leave until nearly ten o’clock that night, so it still gave him a whole day of shooting. Jerry wasn't happy, but Connor didn't really care. They were just about done with his part anyway and he would be back in a couple of days. What was the use of being a big star if you couldn't throw your weight around sometimes? Besides, this was Gran and he was worried.
Seeing Georgie’s name on his phone had been such a shock that he thought at first he was dreaming. He had been asleep, so it took him a moment to realise that it really was her. His heart had leapt into his throat with the thought that maybe she was calling because she missed him. He would have probably jumped on a plane to come and see her if she had.
Now he was doing the long haul flight, incommunicado for far too many hours and hoping that nothing went wrong with Gran in the meantime. He'd called Georgie back to get an update before he boarded, explaining that he would be arriving the next day. It had been three o’clock in the morning but she hadn't complained. Georgie told him that they wanted Gran to go in to hospital in Armidale for the night, just so they could keep an eye on her. She had refused, of course, so Georgie had stayed at her house with her to make sure everything was okay. She'd reassured him that Gran was fine, that he didn't need to rush home, but once he'd decided on the course of action, he had to follow through with it.
He had checked in again when they landed in Dubai. He had a four hour stopover and nothing to do but worry about what was happening back in Aus. Georgie had taken Dawn back to the clinic in the morning so the doctors could run more tests. He didn't get to hear the results before he had to get back on the plane.
If he was being honest with himself, Gran wasn't the only one he was rushing home to see. The fact that Georgie was talking to him again was another incentive. He could fly home, spend some time with Gran and maybe get a chance to speak to Georgie too. They may even finally be able to clear the air. The distance hadn't dulled his feelings for her as he'd hoped it would. If anything, those feelings were more acute now and knowing that he would be seeing her soon had his heart pumping and his hands sweating. Would she always have this effect on him?
The flight from Dubai to Sydney was uneventful and he slept as much of the way as possible. He had another plane change and a two hour delay in Sydney airport. He called Georgie as soon as he was through customs, desperate for news.
“They've admitted her to Armidale hospital,” Georgie said, her voice husky from sleep. He had woken her up again, forgetting that it was still early in the morning. “They have some concerns about her heart.”
Connor swore under his breath and ran his hand through his hair. He was glad he'd come home.
“Is she going to be all right?”
“I'm sure she will be fine. She was giving the doctor hell when I left, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.”
“I've got another hour before my flight leaves and I will be landing at about twenty to ten. Ike will pick me up and I'll go straight to the hospital from the airport.”
“Sure,” she paused before saying, “Ike?”
Oh crap. He had forgotten that she didn't know Ike worked for him.
“So will you meet me there?”
“You don't need me there, Connor. Your parents are here and your brothers and sisters. In fact I think your entire extended family has descended on Oxley Crossing.”
“I do need you there,” he said, “I need to see you.”
There was a pregnant silence, the phone line fairly crackling with unsaid things between them and then she sighed his name.
“Connor—”
“Please, Georgie. Please just say you will be there.”
She huffed out a breath and he could imagine her squinting her eyes shut and crinkling her nose as she gave in to him.
“Okay, fine. I was planning on going in to see her anyway.”
He grinned and for the first time since this whole drama started, he felt settled. She anchored him and knowing she would be there helped him to remain calm when he wanted to jump out of his skin in frustration at just how long it took to get home. It had been about forty hours by his approximation since she'd first called him to tell him about Gran and he had run the gamut of emotions for every single one of them.
“Okay, great. I will see you in a couple of hours.”
He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat in the uncomfortable plastic chairs while he waited for his flight and the last leg of his journey. It was a good thing he liked air travel and if things went his way, he hoped to be doing a lot more of it. Coming home seemed like a second chance for him and Georgie, which felt uncharitable to think about when his grandmother was lying in hospital. He couldn't help it though and he knew Gran would want him to make the best of any opportunity he had to see Georgie. His Gran had given him an earful before he left, telling him he was an idiot if he walked away from Georgie. He had been, but what other choice did he have when she refused to see him? Maybe the time away had been good for both of them, allowed them to have a clearer understanding of what they each wanted. For Connor
, what he wanted had become crystal clear and now he just hoped that Georgie had had a change of heart. If not, he would have to convince her to give him a second chance.
She was standing outside the hospital when he arrived. He didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he was out of it and rushing towards her. Without a second thought he scooped her up into a hug and breathed her in. God he missed her. Her initial resistance melted away as her body moulded to his and her arms snaked around his neck, holding tight to him. He loved that, loved the way she clung to him. He didn't want to let go, but a subtle cough behind him made him step back.
“Connor,” his brother James said.
“Hey man,” Connor said as he pulled him in for a hug. “Good to see you, how is she?”
James shot a curious look at Georgie before answering. “Gran is… well, Gran. She is raising hell and wants to be released, but the doctors are still running tests.”
He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Georgie was inching away and he reached out and took her hand in his, weaving their fingers together and pulling her into his side.
“Have you met Georgie?”
James smiled. “We have met, yes.”
He did not like the feeling that began to churn in his stomach. He had never been jealous of his brother before but if James had hit on Georgie then he was going to have to hit him.
James’ grin widened as he saw the look on Connor’s face and he slapped Connor on the back.
“Come on, let's go and see the old bat before she causes a riot.” There was affection in James’ voice. The whole Faulkes clan loved Gran, loved how outspoken she was and how she refused to conform to the expectations of a woman her age.
Georgie tried to tug her hand free, but he refused to let her go. If he had his way, he wasn't going to let her out of his sight, not until they got a chance to talk, not until he got a chance to tell her how he felt.
Georgie had been right when she said the whole extended family had arrived. Not only were all his immediate family in the little break room near the ward where Gran was, but his two uncles and their families were there too. It was quite a gathering and he knew that they would be getting kicked out soon if they weren't careful.
He hugged his mum and dad without letting go of Georgie, even though she gave it a good go. Then he man-hugged his other two brothers and then his sister, making sure that Georgie had been introduced to them. He went around the room, greeting the rest of the family and making sure they met Georgie as well. He was staking his claim, he knew, but he wanted them to know that he was serious about her and the best way to do that was to make sure she was by his side. He never introduced his girlfriends to his family because he had known that they weren't the women he was going to marry. Georgie was different.
“She's asking to see you, Connor,” his mother said.
“Thanks,” he replied, heading for the door, towing Georgie with him.
“Maybe you should see her on your own,” Georgie said.
He stopped to look at her, searching her eyes. He did want to speak to Gran privately but he was afraid that given half the chance, Georgie would run again.
“I promise I'll wait for you,” she said and she reached up to cup his jaw. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.
“Okay,” he breathed.
James stepped up beside them. “I'll look after Georgie,” he said with a wink, “You go and see Gran. She's been a nightmare asking for you every five minutes. I'm pretty sure that if you don't get in there soon, she will get out of bed and come find you.”
“Okay,” he said, squeezing Georgie’s hand. “Promise you'll wait?”
“I'll make sure she doesn't go anywhere,” James said and a silent communication passed between them
James had picked up on his feelings for Georgie and he was giving him the nod. He liked her and was happy for Connor and he would make sure she didn't run away while he was in with Gran.
Reluctantly he pulled his hand away and walked into the room where his grandmother lay, a scowl on her face.
“Took you long enough,” she said as he bent over to kiss her cheek.
“It's good to see you too, Gran,” he said, settling himself on a chair beside the bed. She was in a private room, thank goodness, so it gave them some privacy.
“If I had known all this was going to happen I wouldn't have done it,” she mumbled under her breath.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she said with a sharp shake of her head. “Now that you're here I just want to get out of this place.”
“I don't think the doctors would have admitted you unless there was something wrong.”
“But that's just it,” she said, exasperated, “There isn't anything wrong, there never was.”
“What?”
She waved the question away and shook her head. “These doctors are imbeciles. I'm fine, fit as a fiddle.”
“No, Gran, you're not. You fainted and now they think there is something wrong with your heart.”
“No, I didn't and there is nothing wrong with my heart.”
“You are not making any sense,” Connor said, shaking his head.
She sighed and patted his hand. “I didn't faint, not really. It was just a little ruse to get you and Georgie talking again. You were both so miserable and when she started crying in Book Club, I knew I needed to do something. So I pretended to faint. I did not think it would turn into this three-ringed circus!”
“Are you serious?” Connor stood and began pacing. “Do the doctors know you're faking it?”
She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I told them when they tried to admit me the first time, but they insisted on running some tests. Then they apparently found something and so here I am being poked and prodded and held hostage until they can determine what it is they found.”
“So there is actually something wrong?”
“Apparently,” she said sounding most put out by it. “If I had known they would find something, I would have chosen a different tactic to get you and Georgie back together.”
Connor didn't know how to feel. He was angry that she had pulled such a stunt, but the fact that they had actually found something made the stunt a little less idiotic and more fortuitous, especially if they caught whatever it was in time to fix it. He was also torn over her interference in his life. On one hand he was mad she had manipulated him, and on the other he was glad she had forced his hand.
“You are a menace,” he said, sitting back down and taking her hand.
“But you love me,” she said and he grinned.
“Of course I do. Now let's see what we need to do to get you out of here.”
19
Things happened very quickly once Connor was back. The doctors came and spoke to him and Dawn and then she was released under the proviso that she came back in a couple of days so they could run a few follow-up tests. They had been concerned about an echo they had heard in her heart, and her cholesterol levels were too high. The doctors put her on medication and wanted to monitor her until they were sure she was out of danger.
Georgie had tried to leave, but the Hawkes and Faulkes clans would have none of it. Somehow they had gotten the message that Connor wanted her to stay, so they made sure she stayed. It wasn't really a hardship. They were all lovely and Connor’s sister Amelia (who was hugely pregnant at this point) had stuck close to her side. Georgie was surprised to discover that they had a lot in common and seemed to have similar tastes in books and movies. Georgie could almost admit that Amelia was as much of a nerd as she was and it was a big surprise. Who’d have thought that Connor Faulkes had a nerdy sister?
When Connor came back into the waiting room, his eyes immediately sought her out and he seemed to relax when he saw her. He made a beeline for her and she stood to meet him. He wove his fingers through hers as he turned to fill the family in on what was happening. He seemed to need the connection with her and if she was honest with herself, she nee
ded it too.
Georgie had been petrified about seeing Connor again, but he hadn't made it awkward at all and she was grateful. It was almost like their last fight hadn't happened and she was lulled into thinking they could go on pretending that it hadn't. That wasn't real life though, and they would have to talk but for right now, she was just happy to be in his orbit once again.
Most of the family left after Connor told them Dawn would be released imminently. They went back to the house to prepare for Dawn’s arrival. They would all stay through the weekend and be there for her checkup next week. Georgie had to marvel at the family’s obvious love for their matriarch. She had never experienced the solidarity and support of a family group and it made her wish she was a part of it for real and not just an observer.
Connor’s brother stayed to drive Dawn home and when the waiting room was empty, Connor turned to her and she held her breath.
“We need to talk,” he said and she nodded, unable to speak. “Come for a drive with me?”
She nodded again and let him lead her out of the hospital and into the waiting car. It was then that she noticed Ike in the driver’s seat. He grinned sheepishly at her.
“Hi Georgie,” he said.
“Hello Ike. I didn't know you knew Connor.”
“He works for me,” Connor said unapologetically and it all fell into place for Georgie. For that week when she thought Connor was avoiding her, he actually had Ike looking out for her. She should probably be mad about it, but she actually felt her heart warm. He had cared enough about her to want someone to keep an eye on her. No one had ever done that for her before.
Connor ushered her into the car.
“Where are we going?”
“To your place,” Connor said.
They drove in silence, Connor sitting beside her, holding her hand. It was surreal and she had to keep reminding herself that it was actually happening and not one of her dreams. Her dreams had been filled with images of Connor coming back to claim her and although she didn't know if that's what this was, a girl could hope.
