‘She didn’t know that.’ He shrugged. ‘And I didn’t feel the need to inform her. Anyway she identified Gloria from a photo. Said she had seen her and Christina together quite often.’
‘Game over.’ I took a sip of the hot liquid. It wasn’t bad for hospital coffee. ‘I’m sorry.’ I looked up at him.
He pulled a face. ‘Let’s consider it my rebound relationship.’
A woman in scrubs walked towards us. ‘Mrs Milano?’
‘Miss Milano.’ I sat up straight, wishing I could read her mind.
She smiled. ‘Billy is out of surgery.’
‘He’s okay?’ I sucked in a deep breath as I tried to control my suddenly trembling hands.
‘He came through surgery. His vitals are strong. He’s in recovery at the moment.’ She smiled at me. ‘Things are looking promising. We’ll come and get you when you can see him.’
‘Oh.’ I put the coffee on the seat next to me. ‘Oh.’ I put my hands over my face. He was going to make it. Billy was going to live.
This time is was tears of joy that rocked me.
‘Chanel?’ Mum trotted towards me. ‘What is it? Is it Billy?’
‘It’s okay, Tess.’ Trent held a hand out towards her. ‘Billy’s out of surgery and he’s doing well. Chanel’s just a little overwhelmed.’
‘Harry.’ Mum turned and jogged toward the canteen. ‘Harry. Billy’s out of surgery.’
Within the minute Nick, Harry and Mum were clustered around me asking for details.
Trent squeezed my hand and stood up. ‘Better get going,’ he said.
‘Stay,’ I said.
He smiled as he shook his head, his eyes straying to Mum. ‘I’ve got to get back to work. Keep me in the loop.’
‘Sure.’ I nodded. He was in enough pain over Gloria’s betrayal without me forcing him to be in the same room with Mum and Harry.
We waited for another hour before they came to get us. ‘He’s still unconscious,’ the nurse said. ‘But family members can come through.’
She eyed us all as we stood as a group. ‘You’re all family?’
‘I’m his father,’ Harry said. ‘This is his step-mum, his step-sister, and his step-brother.’ He gestured to each of us in turn.
‘Good enough for me.’ She shrugged and led us through the doors to the hospital rooms.
We followed her down a corridor to room three. ‘He’s in here,’ she said. ‘Let us know if he wakes up.’
‘The surgery?’ I asked.
‘The surgeon will fill you in when she comes to check on him.’
I pushed open the door and walked into the room. If not for the monitor tracking his heart rate, and the IV attached to his arm, Billy may have just been having an afternoon nap.
I pulled a seat up on one side of Billy, and Harry did the same on the other side. We each held a hand as Mum and Nick made themselves comfortable at the end of the room.
I couldn’t believe he was here. Couldn’t believe he was okay. The past seven hours felt like a nightmare that had been chased away by the morning light.
‘Hey, Billy,’ Harry said. ‘You gave us all quite a scare. It’s good to see you son.’
I squeezed Billy’s hand and leant over and kissed it. I placed my head on the bed next to it and closed my eyes. I wasn’t moving from there till he opened his eyes.
‘Chanel.’ Mum nudged me. ‘The doctor’s here.’
I started and sat up, rubbing at my eyes with my spare hand. The other still held Billy’s.
A woman stood at the end of Billy’s bed looking at his chart. She made some notes then hung it back up, clicking her pen and putting it into the pocket of her white coat.
‘How did the surgery go?’ Harry asked.
‘It went as well as could be expected,’ she said. ‘The bullet was lodged between one of his kidneys and his spine, so we had to go slowly.’
‘But, everything’s okay?’ I asked.
‘His kidneys are intact and his spine is undamaged. He was remarkably lucky. One inch to the left and he might not be able to walk.’ She smiled. ‘Our concern over the next twenty-four hours is internal bleeding.’
‘How will you know if that’s happening?’ Nick asked.
‘His blood pressure will drop and initially his heart beat will increase. Then it will weaken. Both are strong at the moment. I’ll be back in the morning to check on him. The nurses will page me if there are any changes.’ She paused as if waiting for us to ask her more questions. When we didn’t, she nodded once and left.
‘How long have I been asleep?’ I flexed my neck from side to side.
‘Two hours.’ Mum handed me a plate with a sandwich on it.
My stomach grumbled as I took it from her. ‘Thanks.’ I winced as I placed the plate on the bed. My hand had stiffened up while I’d slept.
‘What happened to your hand?’ Mum took it and turned it gently so she could look at it.
‘Sally Sparkles ground her heel into it,’ Nick said.
‘I’m surprised you saw that while you were being bitch-slapped by Christina,’ I replied.
He chuckled and gave me the finger.
‘You need an X-ray,’ Mum said. ‘It could be broken.’
I looked at it. It was bruised and swollen but it would have to wait. ‘After Billy wakes up.’ I picked up a sandwich and took a bite. ‘See. It still works.’
She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. ‘Do you want a coffee?’
‘Sure.’ I took another bite of the sandwich. The edges were a little stale but it was better than nothing.
‘I’ll come with you.’ Harry took her hand as they left the room.
‘Might go stretch my legs,’ Nick said. ‘Find the little boy’s room.’
I finished my sandwich as I looked at Billy. Then I stood and leaned over him so I could run my fingers through his thick hair.
‘I love you,’ I whispered. ‘For a while there I didn’t think I would get to tell you that again.’
I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.
‘Billy?’ I placed my hand on the side of his face. ‘Can you hear me?’
His eyelids fluttered and then I was staring into his chocolate-brown eyes. ‘Are you an angel?’ he whispered.
‘No. Billy, it’s me.’ I sniffed as tears ran down my face.
He reached up and cupped my cheek with the hand I wasn’t clinging to. ‘Hello, Me.’ He winced at the movement of his arm.
‘Careful,’ I said. ‘You’re all stitched up. I’ll go get the nurse.’
I made to go but he tightened his grip on my hand. ‘Chanel, wait.’ He stroked my face. ‘I need to tell you something.’
I pressed my face into his hand, enjoying the feeling of something I’d thought I’d never experience again.
‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he whispered.
‘That’s what you wanted to tell me?’
‘No.’ He shook his head, his eyes solemn as they held mine. ‘I wanted to tell you I never meant for any of this to happen.’
‘Nobody ever means to get shot.’
He smiled. ‘I mean this job. When Werner first asked me to do it, I said no.’
‘So….’ I frowned. ‘What changed?’
‘I didn’t go looking for it. It came to me.’
‘That day at Dazzle?’
He nodded. ‘If I hadn’t been there I hate to think what would have happened to Bruce.’ He closed his eyes. ‘I managed to convince them that Dazzle was not where their target market hung out. Carlos offered me a job. I took it because I saw it was the only way long term I could keep Dazzle safe.’ He opened his eyes again. ‘The only way I could keep you all safe. I was going to tell you but….’ He stopped and pulled a face.
‘What is it? Are you in pain?’
‘Only here.’ He tapped his left breast. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to, but I knew you would try to get involved and I didn’t want you anywhere near those thugs.’
I smiled. ‘Wel
l, that plan worked out well.’
He tugged at my fingers. ‘With anyone else it might have.’ His eyes became serious. ‘If anything ever happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.’
‘Ditto.’ I leaned forwards and pressed my lips to his. ‘It’s all over. You can come back home now.’
He nodded. ‘It’s not enough,’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’
‘All of this has made me realise that each breath could be our last.’
‘Billy. That’s just the….’
‘Shhhhhh.’ He moved his hand so that his fingers sat over my lips. ‘Let me get this out.’
I nodded my head and he removed his fingers from my mouth.
‘Chanel. I don’t want to spend another day without you. But it’s not enough to be your partner, or your live-in boyfriend. I need to know that you are mine.’
‘I am yours.’
‘Good.’ He smiled as he put his hand back over my mouth. ‘Chanel Abigail Smith,’ he said, ‘I’ve loved you since the moment I first saw you with your manky fake tan.’
I smiled and opened my mouth to defend my tan, but the look on his face stopped me.
‘My love for you fills me up and gives me purpose.’ He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. ‘I can’t imagine anything better than spending the rest of my life with you by my side.’ He turned towards me and stared into my eyes. ‘Chanel, will you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?’
I felt my mouth moving against his hand even though no sound was emerging. He moved his hand and finally, one word made it past my larynx and out of my mouth. ‘Ooooooooh.’
THE END
About Me
Hi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live near the Swan River in the beautiful city of Perth. When I am not working or writing, I love to kayak, ride my bicycle, and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.
You can connect with me on Facebook, Goodreads,or my website – www.donnajoyusher.com.
What To Read Next...
There will be more of Chanel and her crazy gang coming in 2018 so check out my website HERE to see how I am going.
I’ll also be starting a new series, The Alien Private Eye Series (A.P.E.) very soon, but until you can get your hot little hands on it, why don’t you check out my fantasy books. You can get Book One in The War Faery Trilogy, for FREE on the next page.
FREE BOOK OFFER
So I know you like Cozy Mysteries and Chicklit, cause you’ve read this far, but I’m wondering if you might like some of my other work???
Just in case you’re a multi-genre reader who also enjoys Fantasy, I’d like to offer you Faery Born, Book One in The War Faery Trilogy, for FREE. Just click the button below.
P.S. – Even my father enjoyed it. :-))))
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Also by Donna Joy Usher
The Chanel Series
Cocoa and Chanel
Goons 'n' Roses
Tess's Tale
Billy
Goons 'n' Roses PLUS Tess's Tale - Books Two and Three in The Chanel Series
The Chanel Series: Books 1-3 (The Chanel Series Box Set One)
Two Weddings and a Fugitive
Two Weddings and a Fugitive (Book 4 in The Chanel Series) Plus The Seven Steps to Closure
The War Faery Trilogy
Faery Born
Faery Forged
Faery Revenge
The War Faery Trilogy: Books 2-3
Standalone
The Seven Steps to Closure
Billy Page 26
