Friday's Child

by Clare Revell

  “They’ll come. Elle?”

  “Patrick,” she replied in the same tone.

  “Are you OK?”

  “Yes, fine, never felt better.” She pushed her hands through her hair. Her chest tight and her throat raw, she looked around wildly.

  “Talk to me.”

  She shook her head. Jumping up, she started pacing. “I need to get out of here. There’s no room in here.”

  Patrick stood. “It’s an eight person lift. Just sit down. It won’t be much longer. Look, I’ll call them again.”

  “I can’t sit any longer. I can’t breathe in here. I have to get out.” She hit one hand on the elevator doors. “Help! Get us out of here!”

  “We’re fine.” He moved over to her and put his hands on her arms. “Just take a deep breath. Come on, calm down. They’ll be here any minute.”

  Elle pulled herself free. “I don’t want to calm down. I want out of here.” Banging on the doors again, she yelled, “Let me out!”

  Patrick grabbed her wrists gently, maneuvering his body between her and the doors. “We’re fine. I’m here. You’re OK.”

  Her breath came in gasps. “I can’t...do this...”

  “Elle, look at me.”

  She glanced at him, his eyes full of concern and worry and something else she couldn’t quite put a finger on. “I’m…looking…”

  “Tell me about my daughter.” His hands were gentle on her arms and his intense gaze held hers fast.

  “You just trying to take my mind off the fact we’re stuck.”

  “Yep.” He grinned. “But I want to know everything.”

  She took a deep breath. “I was sick for almost the whole pregnancy. Day and night…”

  He pulled a face. “OK, not quite everything.” He slid down to the floor, wrapping an arm around her.

  “She was born almost 9 months to the day after that night. I named her after you.”

  “Her name’s Abbie.”

  She glanced up at him, one brow was raised. “Actually it’s Patricia Abigail. As soon as she was born, Mum named her Abbie, but I registered her. Figured if she was used to Abbie all well and good, but it would be her middle name. And yes, you are named on the birth certificate as her father, but Mum insisted on saying she was theirs. I wasn’t happy about it, but the only other choice they gave me was giving her away and I wasn’t about to do that.”

  Patrick raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. But this way I got to be around for her all the time. We moved a few times. No, make that a lot. We moved every couple of years or so, never having our own place, always renting. Then Dad died and since Mum had no marketable skills, I had to work all hours to support them. No boyfriends, no dates. Pretty boring life really.”

  “What about Abbie? Does she know?” His hand moved gently over her arm, his light touch keeping her grounded.

  “No” She smiled wryly. “It’s kind of ironic in a way. I kept from her the very thing that had been kept from me.”

  “Did they adopt her as they were insisting she was theirs?”

  “They wanted to. But no, they didn’t. I refused to sign the papers. I still have them. I never showed them the birth certificate, so they never knew who her father was and I wasn’t going to tell them.”

  “Do you know where the certificates are?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, why?”

  “Just a hunch. Soon as we can I want to go to your place and find them.”

  She shivered, the panic surfacing again. “If you figured it out, maybe someone else has. Maybe…maybe…I need to be with her. She’s alone out there.”

  “Shay is with her.” His hand cradled her face. “Elle, stay with me.”

  “Patrick, I can’t breathe.” She was terrified, filled with the need to get out.

  “Yes, you can. You can talk therefore, you can breathe.”

  “No...” She shook her head, rocking now as he wouldn’t let her pace.

  “Yes, you can. Look at me.”

  She opened her eyes. “No.”

  “No, you can’t look at me? You just did.”

  “I—”

  “Now breathe with me. In...out...in...out...”

  She struggled to inhale, wanting to please him as much as she wanted out of the tiny space. The walls were closing in, but she kept her gaze on his, trying to breathe with him.

  “That’s better. We’ll get out of here in a few.” Patrick kissed her forehead, slowly working his way down to her mouth, his lips warm against her cold skin. He looked at her, gazing deeply into her eyes. “You’re beautiful.” His lips touched hers again as he pulled her gently towards him.

  She slid her hand around his neck and kissed him again, finding his lips soft and warm and responsive.

  He pulled her closer, his body firm and safe.

  When his mouth touched hers, nothing mattered apart from him. She kissed him back, no longer afraid.

  Patrick broke off as something hit the roof and the escape hatch opened. He looked up into the flashlight, shielding his eyes against the brightness. “Hello?”

  “Fire brigade. Is everyone all right?”

  Patrick grinned. “We’re fine, Jared. Glad to see you guys though.”

  Elle straightened up, breathless but for the right reasons. “Jared? Do you know the entire fire department by name?”

  “Only one. Jared is my brother-in-law. It’s always nice when family comes to the rescue.”

  A firefighter in full gear, dropped down to them. He moved over to Patrick and hugged him. “Though rescuing my own family is beginning to become a habit I’d rather ditch. Are you both sure you’re OK?”

  “I love it when family drop in for a visit.” Patrick returned the hug. “We’re fine, Jared, but definitely ready to get out of here. Elle didn’t like lifts before we got stuck in one.”

  Jared smiled and held up the harnesses. “We’ll strap you in and take you up through the shaft to the next floor.”

  Elle shook her head, liking that idea even less. “I don’t think so. Can’t you just pry open the doors?”

  Jared shook his head. “The lift is stuck mid-way between two floors. Until we know why the cable failed, we can’t risk taking the lift up or down the shaft.”

  Patrick rubbed her arm. “You can do this, Elle. It’s either that or you stay in here, and we both know that’s not an option.”

  Elle shivered, trying not to flinch as they attached the harness to her.

  Patrick took a deep breath as another firefighter dropped down through the roof. “Elle, look at me.” As she looked up, he continued. “You want out of here, right? Well, the only way out of here is up.”

  Jared finished attaching the harness to Patrick and double checked it. “OK, let’s get out of here.”

  “Take her first,” Patrick insisted looking at him.

  Jared nodded. “Sure thing.”

  Patrick turned back to Elle. “Look at me.”

  Elle looked at him as she felt the ropes passed around her and fastened to the harness. Tears filled her eyes. As much as she wanted to get out, she couldn’t do this. “Hmmmm?”

  “You can do this. Abbie needs you and she’s up there.” He leaned forwards and brushed his lips across hers. “You go first and wait at the top.”

  She parted her lips, disappointment overriding her embarrassment as he pulled away. She looked at him her face falling. She hesitated.

  Patrick winked. “The only way is up,” he sang. Was he deliberately off key? He brushed his finger over her lips. “Wait for me at the top. Else I’ll start singing, again.”

  Elle nodded as the firefighter gently lifted her into his arms. She kept her gaze on Patrick’s face as she was hoisted upwards. Once she could no longer see him, she shut her eyes tightly. The shaft walls closer than the lift ones were, despite the fact logic dictated they had to be wider. Then the movement stopped and something solid appeared under her feet. She opened her eyes. “Where am I?”


  “Fourth floor. How are you doing?” Another fire fighter with an Australian accent asked as he ushered her to a nearby chair.

  She took a few shuddering breaths. “All right, I think.”

  “Good. Your friend will be out in a few.”

  She pushed herself back into the wall, sliding down on it, hugging her arms to her chest.

  Someone pressed a bottle of water into her hand. “Here, drink this.”

  “Thank you.” She looked over at the door waiting for Patrick.

  ****

  Patrick let Jared rope him up and then winch him up the elevator shaft. He was immensely relieved the firefighters had arrived when they did, as Elle had been on the verge of losing it completely. He totally understood where she was coming from, but panicking wouldn’t have solved anything. She’d been through too much these past few days. She was barely holding it together. Although effective, slapping her to snap her hysteria hadn’t been an option, but kissing her seemed to have worked.

  “Thank you,” he said as Jared set him safely on the floor.

  “Welcome. Wait ‘til I tell Niamh about this tonight.”

  “I’ll never live it down. Agent 3.14 being rescued from a lift.”

  Jared grinned at him. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  As soon as he was unhooked, Patrick moved over to Elle. “Hey, how are you doing?”

  “OK,” she whispered.

  Patrick nodded, pulling her to her feet, hugging her. It felt so good to have her in his arms. He never imagined in a million years he’d feel this way again, but Elle made him feel alive. “You are one of the bravest women I have ever met.”

  She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Ri-ight.”

  “I mean it. Yes, you got upset, and yes, you panicked, but you know what? You still let them take you out of there, despite being scared stiff.”

  A faint smile crossed her lips, making him want to kiss her again. “I did, didn’t I?”

  Patrick smiled at her. “You did.” He caught her mouth with his, kissing her.

  “There are people here,” she protested. “Including your brother-in-law.”

  “I don’t care.” He stood there, his forehead touching hers, able to hear a pin drop, despite the noise going on around them.

  For a moment, they were the only two people in the world. He studied her face, for a moment, then kissed her again.

  17

  Breaking off for air, Patrick pushed a hand through her hair. “Are you feeling better?”

  She nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She cupped his face with her hand.

  Jared came over to them. “We’re off. Not every day I get to rescue MI5.” He stuck out a hand. “Guess I have time to say hello properly, though. I’m Jared Harkin, Patrick’s brother-in-law. I’m also guessing you two know each other rather well.”

  She shook his hand. “Elle Harrison. We go way back.” Patrick smirked and she glanced curiously at him. “What?”

  “If only he knew he’d just shaken the hand of his favorite singer,” he grinned.

  Jared frowned. “Huh? Think being stuck in a lift has gone to your head, mate.”

  Patrick lowered his voice. “This is Lisa Bellamy.”

  Jared did a double take and took a step back. “You’re kidding.”

  Elle shook her head. “Nope. Guess that’s two firsts for you today then. Rescuing a secret agent and a singer.”

  Jared nodded. “We’ve got all your CDs. Niamh, my wife and Patrick’s sister, wants the new one. Don’t suppose you could give me an autograph, please?”

  An autograph was the least she could do for them. Perhaps when Abbie was better, and Mum was buried, and she wasn’t being hunted by a killer, she’d go visit and let Patrick take her photo with them all. Funny how being stuck in the lift had blocked all that out. And, like surviving the lift, she’d just take all the horrible things in her life at the moment one at a time. God was with her.

  She looked at Patrick. “Have you got some paper?”

  He pulled out a notebook. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” She took it and winked. “Pen?”

  “You didn’t ask for a pen,” he laughed. He pulled one from his pocket and handed it to her.

  She smiled and looked at the paper. To Jared, thanks for being my knight in shining armor, Lisa Bellamy she wrote. She looked up. “What fire station are you based at?”

  “Cedarwood Fire Station, Green Watch.”

  She nodded and wrote on another piece of paper. To the heroes of Green Watch, with grateful thanks, Lisa Bellamy. She held them out to Jared. “I’ll bring a signed picture in later on. But now, I need to get up to ITU.”

  Patrick’s phone rang and he turned to answer it.

  Jared nodded. “Thank you so much for these. The guys are going to be rapt.”

  “Welcome.”

  Patrick gripped her arm. “Yeah, you’re right Elle, we need to go. The docs want to talk to us. I guess the test results are back.”

  Jared looked at them concern in his eyes. “Is everything all right?”

  “Not really. Just pray for a teenager called Abbie, will you?”

  “Sure.” Then Jared leaned closer. “I haven’t finished up the investigation, but I want you to stop by the station when you get the chance. I’m quite sure the lift mechanism had been sabotaged, but I’ll know more when I get the inspector’s report.”

  Patrick frowned. “We were prevented from using the stairs. They were being cleaned. And the other lifts were having maintenance done. The janitor told us to use the service lifts.”

  Jared frowned. “Hmmm, they weren’t being serviced when we arrived. I’ll look into it. See you later.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks again, bro.” Patrick glanced around for Elle. She was standing by the stairs.

  “Come on,” she said. “Thought you said we had to go.”

  “I’m coming.” He took three long strides to the door and grabbed her hand. “I’m here.”

  She smiled. “Good. What did the doctor say?”

  “It was Shay on the phone. She just said the doctor was looking for the both of us.” He pushed open the fire door and started up the stairs with her.

  “That’s not good.”

  “Don’t worry. Shay didn’t sound stressed or upset and she’s pretty good at reading situations. And if something had happened to Abbie she would have said.”

  “OK.” She glanced down at her feet. “These stairs don’t look very clean to me.”

  “No, they don’t. I was just thinking that, myself.”

  His hand was warm in hers. Now things were right with God, could she make things right with Patrick, too? Was he a match? And if so, would he agree to the transplant? She didn’t dare to hope he’d want to be part of her life. Part of Abbie’s yes, that was understandable.

  She could be reasonable about access, couldn’t she? As long as he didn’t want Christmas, every weekend and all summer long.

  She took the stairs two at a time, anxious to get back to Abbie as quickly as possible. She’d wasted enough time in the lift as it was. Half way up, she heard Patrick’s breath coming in gasps. She glanced at him. Was he was out of breath?

  “Patrick, are you OK?”

  “I’m… fine.”

  She shook her head, deliberately playing with her words. “How can someone so fit be so unfit?”

  He harrumphed. “That’s nice. You just managed to compliment and insult me in the same breath. Is that some special ability or something?”

  “Yeah. You have a problem with that?”

  “Nope.” He looked at her. “And I’m perfectly fit, just been a long couple of weeks, is all.” He started climbing again.

  And getting longer especially with Mum dead and Abbie so ill... She broke off, not wanting to think it. ”Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

  “About what?”

  “The transplant?”

  “It depends on what the doctor says. Presumably it’ll mean m
ore tests, even if I am a match.” He paused. “I also need to protect you. And find out who’s behind the letters. They already tried to take your family out once. I’m assuming that was a warning and you’ll get a follow up letter or phone call.”

  “But I don’t have my phone. You took it away, remember?”

  “I know. I’ll send Shay to pick it up, along with any mail from the house. You can have it back to check for messages, but I’d rather you didn’t make any calls.”

  “OK.”

  They reached ITU and she noted the worried look Shay and Patrick exchanged. “Is Abbie all right?”

  Shay smiled. “Abbie’s doing fine. I sat right by her bed, the whole time you were gone. Read to her.”

  Elle smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Just hopes she likes the celebrity gossip column.” Shay winked.

  Elle’s smile widened. “That’s right up her street. That and boy bands.”

  Patrick grinned. “She’s a teenager, what do you expect? Go on in, I need a quick word with Shay, then I’ll be there.”

  She went inside the unit, leaving the two agents to talk quietly. She washed her hands and crossed over to the bed where Abbie lay, surrounded by machines.

  She sat and took hold of Abbie’s hand. “Hey, squirt. I’m back.”

  Abbie stirred and opened her eyes. “Hi…” she whispered.

  Elle smiled, her heart jumping for joy. “Hey, you’re awake.”

  “You weren’t here…”

  “I went to get some tea and we got stuck in the lift and had to be rescued by the firefighters. Just like on TV.”

  “We? Is Patrick here, too?”

  Elle squeezed her hand. “Yeah, he is. How are you feeling?”

  “I want to go home.”

  “I know, but you have to stay here for a little while longer. Has the doctor been in?”

  “Looking for you, then he went away again. I’m scared, Ellie. I really don’t like it here.” Her voice wobbled and her eyes widened and glistened.

  “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “What if I die, like Mum did?” Abbie squeezed her hand so tightly it hurt.

  “The doctors won’t let that happen.”

  “But I might. This is where they put the really sick people, right?”