by Tara Brent
I’m excited about the three of us being together and it makes me wonder how I managed all these years without them in my life. I quietly return to the bedroom and breath in Tiffany's perfume. It gives me an urge to wake her up so we can make love again. But, we have a long flight tomorrow so I’ll sacrifice my urges and leave her to rest. I leave the bedroom chamber to make some calls and I’ll see my lover at breakfast.
+++
“I’ll miss this place,” Tiffany announces over breakfast. “It gives me a sense of freedom from any stresses when I’m here. But, I suppose it can’t last forever, back to life and making decisions again.”
“You are free, my love,” I take her hand and brush my lips over the back.
“You Italians are so charming,” she mocks me, but lovingly.
“I mean it though. I don’t want my wife ever to have a moment of worry in her life, ever again,” I tell her.
“Life would be boring if we didn’t fret over something every now and then. And anyway, we don’t even know where we’re going to live yet, so of course I’m worried,” she finishes.
“Ah, I may have that small dilemma resolved.”
“You’ve been making decisions without me, haven’t you?”
“Maybe,” I mumble. “One or two, but I only want to make you and Callum happy. That will be my life’s goal from this day forward.”
“Oh, you are such a charmer, Calvin Luca,” she laughs at me.
I witnessed an amazing transformation in her since we've been in Italy. I expected her to be preoccupied with Callum's absence, but instead, she's blossomed. Perhaps I should have bought our marital home here in Italy, but then she wouldn't like having bodyguards.
Soon, we'll be complete again, and Callum will be with us. We’re flying back to San Francisco, but I need to let her know my plans for our future in Texas. We could first stay with Nico and Ali for a short while until our new home’s ready. That way, Tiffany can be with Ali and she can get to know my mother better, who I know already adores them both. Most likely because she wanted to see all her sons married off and now she has her wish.
Chapter 30
Slow Motion
I’m so happy that it's like I’m walking on air. The sexiest man in the world loves me. Ali let a secret out that he's busy buying us our first home and it's in Texas, near Nico's ranch. I’m so pleased with not having to make all the decisions that I say nothing. Moving is a stressful time for anyone, but my man has it all sorted. When he decides to tell me, I'll let him know that I had an idea but I won’t give away Ali's snooping nature.
At the lake, Ali and I have hired a small powerboat that takes us into the center of the lake. The water's calm with barely a ripple as it reflects the hills and mountains that surround this huge lake. It's so inviting that we decide to moor the boat and take a swim. Once we're stripped down to our bras and panties, we dive into the clear water. I love swimming so it’s a great way to spend our last day. Ali's not such a strong swimmer so she’s less adventurous than me. Being a confident swimmer, I swim away and leave Ali to stay close to the boat.
After around five minutes of energetic swimming, I pause for a rest. Oh, this is beautiful, swimming in a lake surrounded by mountains. Allowing myself to float on the water, I enjoy the calm setting and totally chill. As I happen to glance back towards the boat, I'm surprised how far I've gone, so decide to return. Ali will be out of the water by now, knowing her. As I get closer, I notice that our craft is no longer alone, there is something else bobbing up and down next to our boat. With a sudden sense of foreboding, I speed up my stroke, doing the front crawl to close the gap as soon as possible. Since becoming a mother I often experience gut feelings of terror as I worry about my little boy. Because I know I'm guilty of this, I assume it's my own mind running into overkill. As I am almost back, I see that Ali's no longer in the water, which isn’t a surprise. What does shock me though, is the cloud of dark water floating around our boat. Is that blood?
Reaching the boat, I pull myself aboard to see two men standing over looking at something. The deck is pooled in blood and with growing horror, I realize that it's Ali. Two Jet-ski’s bob on the water and I quickly assume there's been some sort of accident. My body freezes on the spot and I’m unable to move or make a decision on what to do. My mind whirls and I hear someone shouting in the background.
“Lady, we need to get her ashore now!” The voice invades my head.
For a few seconds, I'm completely lost. It soon passes and my professionalism kicks in. To help my friend, I need to switch off my emotions and treat her as if I don’t know who she is. That’s exactly how the next hour of my life passes by. The others on the boat are holidaymakers and one of them is very distraught. He must be the one that hit Ali.
"Can you take us to shore?" I ask the calmer one.
I have no anger or panic as I'm in auto mode and quickly tend to my friend. She has an open fracture on her right leg, with the tibia breaking through the skin and protruding out. The pain on impact must have been horrendous for her, my poor Ali. First thing is to stop the bleeding so I gently pad out the open wound with towels and our clothing. Her breathing is too shallow which concerns me. As I’m treating her, she goes into shock and stops breathing. Feeling for her pulse I don’t find one and instantly begin resuscitating her. Thankfully, I don't need to do it for long as she starts to breathe again, but her pulse is weak.
It helps that she’s unconscious, but that can also be problematic. Has she fractured her skull, or broken her back or neck? I pray not, but we won't move her while we wait for help. While I tended to her, one of the jet-ski riders steered the boat back and the other called for help. I feel the engine turn off as we dock and I tell the men that we can't move her. All I can do is stem the blood flow and pray she doesn't "crash" again.
The passage of time is surreal but I must keep her alive until professional help arrives. I’ve no idea how long we've been here, but it all seems to play out in slow motion.
“It’s landing now,” a voice tells me.
I’m numbed at the events going on around me and soon find myself in a helicopter watching the paramedics battle to save my friend's life. They’ve brought me along too as I’m in shock. I'm only coming around from the warmth of a cover that has been wrapped around me. My whole body trembles and my teeth clatter. I can’t focus and my vision is blurry. A dark line of dots rush into my view and I slip into a state of unconsciousness.
When I awaken, I'm lying down on a medical bed. Through an open window is a cool breeze and I can see the mountains. At first, I don’t know where I am as foreign voices speak around me. The room's very clinical and it slowly dawns on me that I’m in a hospital. The memories rush back and I recall Ali's predicament. Calvin enters through a door and a sense of relief overcomes me. As I sit up he takes me tightly in his arms. I sob my heart out and I don’t even know if my friend, my soul sister, is alive or dead.
Trauma
The doctor informs me that Tiffany suffered severe shock. Then she goes on to explain Ali's accident.
“Your wife is a hero,” she adds. “If it hadn’t been for her quick thinking, her friend would not have been so lucky.
“Can I see her?” I ask, urgently.
“Yes. Yes, of course. She may be a little groggy as we've given her a sedative, but you can see her in that room over there,” she points to the room.
I enter and see Tiffany lying on the bed. She'd been sleeping and I breathe a sigh of relief when she sits up. I embrace her, holding her tight against my chest as she sobs. If she's only just woken up for the first time since the accident, it will all be hitting her right now.
When the boat hire people rang us, my heart had dropped into my stomach. They informed me what had happened and poor Nico was beside himself.
I haven’t seen him since we arrived at the hospital. He went straight to Ali’s side and me to Tiffany’s. I felt this morning that nothing could infiltrate our happiness. Traumatic events can
serve to remind you of your own mortality. Selfish as it seems, I’m so relieved that Tiffany is well. I stay with her a while and she falls back to sleep again from the sedative. It allows me to go and track down Nico and Ali.
When I get to him I can see that he's a broken man. My brother, the tough cowboy, sits with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, weeping. I thank the nurse who is comforting him and take over her role.
The doctors had told me that she was unsure of all Ali’s injuries. At that point, they hadn’t assessed her fully. Hopefully, we’ll have some news soon but it’s the waiting that's breaking my brother.
I hand over a cup of coffee I've got from a machine. It's insipid stuff but it's sweet so it might help. As I remark on how bad the hospital coffee is, Nico smiles and asks me about Tiffany. I reel off the information I’ve been told and as I’m finishing, a doctor approaches us.
“The good news is that your wife appears to have only a broken leg. If you can call that good,” he tells us, his eyes flitting between us as he assumes one of us is her husband.
I explain our situation and he turns to Nico.
“She's been very lucky. Her leg took all the impact and we've had to realign the bones with pins. The police inform me that the ski biker managed to steer away from her at the last minute. They also told the police that Ali's heart stopped as she was being treated, but luckily someone was on hand who knew what they were doing. It could have been much, much worse otherwise. She's now stable and you can go in and see her.”
Nico thanks the doctor and I can see the relief in his body as his muscles relax in his shoulders. We both follow the doctor into the recovery room. Ali’s leg has already been treated and is in a metal brace around her leg. The brace is screwed into the bone to hold it in place. Now I’ve seen how bad an injury it is, I understand how lucky she was to have Tiffany on hand. Hopefully, she'll make a full recovery and have a great story to tell her children when they see the scar on her leg. She remains asleep from the anesthetic and once I see she’s alive and breathing, I leave my brother alone with her. He's a much happier man now that he knows she’s pulled through.
For me though, I have an urgency to return to Tiffany and let her know that her friend is on the mend.
Chapter 31
Good News
Whilst the distress of the accident, and the stay in the hospital, was a difficult time for everyone, something good emerged. During Ali’s medical checks, they discovered she was pregnant! Nico is so happy that he walks around everywhere singing country and western songs, all the time. If I have to hear one more rendition of Achy Breaky Heart again, I'll scream right in his ears! Still, it’s good to see him happy after the recent traumatic events. I’m so pleased for them. They're a great couple and they'll make fantastic parents. The doctors have assured them both that all’s well as the baby was only about the size of a single grain of rice. Imagine that!
Since the accident, I can’t bear to leave her side. Its left me a little traumatized at the thought of losing her. I keep playing out the scene over and over in my head. If I hadn’t gone off and left her, maybe it wouldn’t have happened. Who knows? When you’re in a traumatic situation like that, you tend to blame yourself all the time. It's difficult not to play out all the different scenarios on how you could have changed things. To keep myself sane, I decided to stay on in Italy with Nico, and help him care for Ali.
Calvin's been brilliant and he is my savior. I was so torn between my son and Ali, but knowing Callum’s daddy will be with him helped me come to a decision. I spoke with my little boy and he told me that, I must stay with Auntie Ali if she’s hurt because I’m a nurse and I can fix her. Oh, the simplistic thinking of a child is so refreshing. Thanks to Calvin, I presently have no responsibilities that I need to worry over. I’m learning how much I can trust my fiancé, and I’m liking it.
We’ve stayed on for another two-weeks but now we’re all keen to leave. Italy is beautiful and I’ve enjoyed my stay but it’s time to leave. After a week in the hospital, Ali finally came home to the winery. Mobility is difficult for her at the moment, what with the metal contraption fixed to her leg. Most of the time we push her around in a wheelchair, which makes her laugh.
Ali’s not complaining one bit. She secretly loves that her fiancé has to tend to her every need, and he is a very willing servant. Despite the idyllic setting, all three of us are keen to get back to the States, but I still find I don’t want to leave her. She’s so fragile and I’ve never seen her like this before. Of the two of us, Ali has always been the tough one, both physically and mentally. No way can I leave her, so I discussed my dilemma with Calvin.
He completely understood and suggested that I go on to Texas with them. I have to admit I’m very nervous about this idea. Calvin will bring Callum and mom over to join me, while I’m helping out there. It seems they’re both excited about going to Texas for a holiday.
“You can take as long as you need, honey,” Calvin says as we finalize our arrangements over the phone. “Tell you what, you never have to return to San Francisco ever again if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, but my little house...and kindergarten for Callum...and work...and...” I stutter out, suddenly feeling scared.
“Think about what you just said,” he comes back at me in a soft but firm voice. “You’ve left work, remember? Callum has finished kindergarten here because we decided we’d be moving on anyway. As for your house, it isn’t going anywhere because it doesn’t have legs.”
“Oh, you're so funny,” I say sternly. “You know what I mean though. My house is all I have ever invested in. It’s my worldly possession. I don’t know I can let it go that easy”
“I know, but that's your old life, you’re about to start a new one. You need to leave those things behind. By the way, are you aware that Nico has arranged for Ali’s father to move to Texas?” He asks me. “He’ll already be there when you arrive.”
“Nico mentioned the possibility but I hadn’t realized it was in motion. I suppose it was the accident that's moved everything forward,” I say, a little shocked as Ali hadn’t told me. “Everything’s moving so fast.”
“Ali doesn’t know so don't say anything. It’s meant to be a surprise for her when she gets to Texas, so don’t spoil it for her,” he explains. “Nico spoke with her father and they agreed it was for the best. Do you think she’ll be okay with it?”
“Yes, she’ll be over the moon to know her pa is with her,” I respond. “They’re very close."
It’s good of Nico to have arranged this for her. It’ll be a nice surprise for her when she gets to her new home. Ali is such an adventurer in life always looking out for new experiences. Her favorite saying is that when one door shuts another one always opens.
Texas, Here We Come
The news that I’m going to be an uncle again was most welcome. It’s also a relief that Ali didn’t lose the baby in the accident. But, that's not the only good news; Tiffany wants to go to Texas with them. This could be the answer I was looking for. I've been wondering how I was going to approach her about moving to Texas. Fate has made sure that everything has fallen into place.
I returned to San Francisco to care for our son, while Tiffany stayed in Italy to help Nico with Ali’s recuperation. I decided to stay at Tiffany's house, believing that Callum would settle better with me there. The house feels tiny in comparison to what I’m used to. Schools out and Callum has left kindergarten, so we have plenty of quality father and son time together.
We're both enjoying each other's company but we're both missing Tiffany too. It’s been weeks since we’ve been apart, but at least we video call every evening. Modern technology! What would we do without it? Pauline's been a real support in helping me bond with my son. She's also been very supportive of my plans for our future as I ask her about every part of my plan. I shared with her that I was thinking of buying a horse ranch for our new home. She thought it was a fantastic idea. When I asked her if she’s co
ming with us, she burst into tears. Turns out that she’d resigned herself to staying in San Francisco and letting her daughter lead her new life. Tiffany, on the other hand, always assumed her mom would move with us wherever we went. I like Pauline, she’ll be great company for my own mother.
If all goes to plan, we’ll never return to San Francisco ever again. Then again, it’s not entirely up to me is it? I’ve yet to convince Tiffany, but having her mother behind me will help.
Tiffany tells me that Ali is making a slow recovery. That’s what we all expected as it was a nasty break. She’s in a wheelchair most of the time, with a cast on her leg. I’m pleased that Tiffany wants to stay with her, not only because of my plans for Texas, but I like Ali and I understand how close their friendship is. Anyway, it keeps Tiffany busy while she plays nurse, so she won’t miss her old life if she’s in that role.
Pauline’s packing up some personal belongings to take with us, but I told her I’d get someone in to do the rest. She accepted the idea with a great sigh of relief, telling me she wasn’t looking forward to that job without Tiffany around. Neither Tiffany nor Pauline have yet realized how easy life can be when you are wealthy, and I quite like that in them. It means they’re grounded to reality, and that can only be good for my family.
Chapter 32
1 Month Later
We're at the ranch in Texas now, and even though Ali has limited mobility, she's as happy as I’ve ever seen her. She's walking with crutches, but Nico keeps worrying she’s going to fall over. It's so funny as he follows her around with the wheelchair. It's quite touching watching him, he’s a bit like a mother hen. Of course, Ali is having none of it and hobbles around the ranch on her crutches. She also insists that the wedding should go ahead, regardless of her leg.
