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Penny sat on the small veranda, wrapped in a blanket with only her face exposed to the cold winter day. Though she felt the chill, the sight of snow falling and gathering in clumps on the ground was too magical to turn away. She could watch it from inside the warm cottage, but the fresh air and sweet scent of eucalyptus kept her out here.
In the distance, a kangaroo and joey grazed on the grass. The youngster, still small enough to hop back in its mother’s pouch, scratched through the groundcover and shook the snow off its ears every few minutes. Penny watched the mother sit up and chew, her bottom jaw grinding in circles as she observed her surroundings to keep her offspring safe. She never strayed far from the little one and regularly checked, as if concerned a predator would snatch it away. The blighter was so small Penny wondered if an eagle would be strong enough to carry it off.
Seeing nature in action reminded her that life went on. Despite everything she’d seen and felt, the world around her marched ahead. In many ways, it had left her behind. Both Damien and Stevie had adapted to their new realities, building a strong relationship between them with its roots firmly planted in their shared history, and its new branches strengthened by recent events. Could she do that? Could she forge connections with both of them in light of everything that had happened?
She wanted to.
After her session with the counsellor this morning, she knew she had to accept the possibility too much stood in the way. The thought made it hard to breathe, let alone acknowledging the fact that deep in her soul, it fed a desire to run. The confession left her raw and ashamed, and while understandable, the emotions only perpetuated the desire.
Why is it so hard to connect with Damien? She’d asked. Our relationship had developed naturally, intuitively and yet now, all I can focus on is how much I hurt him. Hearing the words out loud shook her to the core and caused her to wonder if she possessed the skill to move beyond that one fact.
Under the blanket, she rubbed her cold hands together to chase away the chill inside her. The counsellor had only asked a single question in return and even now, she felt her mouth curve into a smile at the memory.
“Do you want an intimate relationship with Damien again?”
Yes. She hadn’t hesitated in her answer, nor did she feel any doubt about it. The only caveat that loomed was whether or not he wanted the same thing.
The sound of an engine pulled her out of her thoughts and startled both animals. The joey hopped back into the pouch and the mother kangaroo vanished into the forest at the edge of the clearing. Disappointed by their disappearance, Penny turned her attention to the enormous black SUV that crawled along the drive toward her. Damien sat behind the wheel, his face clouded with worry and fear. Penny rose to her feet, the lotion Colt provided numbing her to the pain.
“What is it?” she insisted when he jumped down from the cabin. “What’s wrong?”
He jogged toward her and took her by the shoulders. “What are you doing out here? It’s freezing.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine, but something’s wrong. What is it, Damien?”
His lips pressed into a thin, tight line and it seemed like he didn’t want to tell her. “It’s Stevie. She’s been admitted to hospital.”
Penny’s heart slowed to a crawl inside her chest. “Why?”
“She has a fever, and since she’s pregnant, they didn’t want to take any chances. Max is there too. I feel so helpless.”
The despair on his face called to her. Shrugging off the blanket, she reached up and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes at the contact and sighed. Seeing him so distraught, Penny pulled him toward her and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her to him, his grip tight despite the tremor that shuddered through him.
“I can’t lose her,” he whispered.
“She’s in good hands.” She tried to reassure him but his fear echoed in her head. I can’t lose her, either. “Take me to her.”
“Are you sure?”
Pulling back, she frowned at him. “Hospitals don’t scare me.” But losing you both does. She swallowed. “Let’s go.”
At the hospital, her daughter painted a frightful sight. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she lay under a sheet. An IV delivered fluids into her arm. Her shallow breaths panted in the quiet room and her closed eyes fluttered rapidly. Penny glanced over the machines to assess the situation and felt the tension in her neck ease. Beside her, Damien stood rigid as a board, worry creasing his forehead with deep lines. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Relax,” she said softly. “She’s okay. Looks like they’re just being cautious. Rest and fluids. Have they identified the cause?”
His head moved side to side, but he didn’t take his eyes off Stevie. Penny rubbed his bicep to allay his fears but it didn’t work. As if in the grip of terror, he simply stared. With a gentle tug, she urged him forward and sat him on the edge of the bed. A small pan had been left on the side table, a cloth and water inside it. Penny wrung out the cloth and stepped closer.
“Keep her cool with this,” she put it in his hands. “Dab it on her forehead and cheeks.”
His eyes flickered toward her. “Would you check on Max, please?”
With a nod, she leaned down to press a kiss to Stevie’s forehead. “Rest, darling.” Straightening, she turned to Damien. “She’ll be okay. I promise.”
Penny turned to leave but he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Seeing Stevie lying helpless made her sick to her stomach, but seeing Damien this distressed kept her rooted to the spot. The depth of love he had for their daughter reaffirmed her desire to reconnect with him.
He’d earned her trust and adoration with his countless acts of selflessness during their youth, and she’d thrown it aside. Her decision to walk away from her family—justifiable or not—angered her but the affection blooming inside her beat it into submission.
No more anger. No more guilt. They didn’t have a place here anymore. She’d once vowed to love and cherish him for the rest of their lives. Now, she wanted to prove it.
She embraced him. “Me, too.”
Leaving them ranked as one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do but knowing she’d return leant her strength. In the corridor, she stopped a nurse to ask where her grandson would be and was directed to the pediatric ward of the hospital. It consisted of a triage area and three treatment rooms. Colt met her when she entered. He took one look at her feet and shook his head.
“Can’t keep a grandma down, huh?”
She shook her head. “Where is he?”
“Take a breath, Penny, he’s fine. It’s all precautionary. He has a low fever, but with Stevie the way she is, I wanted to bring him in as well.”
Following the good doctor’s advice, she took a deep breath to steady herself. “You never can be too cautious with the little ones,” she agreed as he led her to the far room.
On the bed, Riley nursed the child on his knee. Dressed in a singlet and nappy, Max’s cheeks were flushed bright red and his black hair was damp with sweat. He played with a rattle as if the mild temperature didn’t bother him. Riley smiled and encouraged her closer.
“You two haven’t met, yet.”
He looked like his father, though she saw Damien in the boy, too. Penny moved toward the bed and placed the back of her hand on the babe’s forehead. “He looks just like you,” she noted. “May I?”
Without hesitation, he held Max up for her. The kid squealed when she took him and his face brightened with laughter. Clearly not troubled by his condition. Penny hugged him to her, wrapping an arm under his bottom to support him. He dropped the rattle and reached for her, his tiny hands flattening against her cheeks as he babbled happily.
Seeing glimpses of Stevie in him when she was a baby, Penny lowered herself into the chair by the bed and stroked his head. He released her face, rested his head on her shoulder and murmured softly. Calmness settled over her as she held her grandson. His baby smell filled her nose and woke something inside her she’d never thought she’d feel.
A sense of home poured through her veins, the same feeling she’d experienced the night she and Damien brought Stevie home from the hospital for the first time. It brought a tear to her eye but she wiped it away quickly, hoping no one saw.
“Would you look at that?” Colt marveled. “Clearly grandma’s on duty. We’ve been trying to get him to rest since he arrived.”
She hummed at Max’s ear with a smile, so content she doubted she’d move for a while yet. To her surprise, Colt brought a small stool toward her and motioned for her to lift her feet. He elevated them and laid a light blanket over her legs.
He pointed to the trolley by the bed. “There’s some water for him, and a cloth if you feel the need to cool his forehead. I’ll go check on Stevie.”
He left her and Riley alone. The scarred man smiled and nodded at them. “You have the Midas touch. How are you?”
“Doing better. What about you?”
He grimaced. “Worried. I feel helpless.”
“You’re here,” she assured him. “That’s enough. Why don’t you go and sit with your wife? I’d like some time with this little one.”
Riley got off the bed and stretched. “Thank you.”
“I think that’s my line, Riley. You saved my daughter, supported Damien, and brought me home to my grandson.”
He rounded the bed and stood beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Looking up at him, she saw a different man to the one she’d met during her rescue. Back then, he stood like he belonged in the military: tall, strong, proud. His eyes were wary, always assessing and looking for danger. Now, the soldier was gone, replaced by a loving father and a concerned husband. She hoped he didn’t have to make such a dramatic transition too often.
With a squeeze of his hand, he left the room and she found herself alone with Max. His weight on her chest felt right, and his little baby whispers filled her with joy. Tiny hands held onto her sweater and deep, satisfying breaths bathed her skin with hot air. Penny released the tension from her muscles, closed her eyes and settled in for a long spell of just being.
Movement woke her and she squinted at the bright overhead lights. Through the window, she noticed the sky outside had turned dark. Snowflakes drifted passed the glass pane, swirled this way and that by the wind. Damien entered the room and sat on the bed near her, his smile assuring her all was well. Max remained sprawled on her chest in a deep sleep, his breathing slow and calm. She touched his forehead and found it cooler.
“Do you need me to take him?”
She placed her hand on the babe’s back and rubbed gentle circles. “No thank you. We’re quite comfortable. How is Stevie?”
“Her fever hasn’t subsided but she woke briefly. Riley’s with her.”
A little shiver passed through the child. Penny motioned toward the blanket covering her legs. “Would you mind?”
Damien stood and then paused. He held up a finger as if to ask her to wait and disappeared from the room. He returned a moment later looking pleased and came to her side. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“Doc says it’s okay to take Max to Stevie.”
She glanced down at the mop of dark hair covering the boy’s head. “I hate to wake him.”
With a chuckle, Damien lifted the blanket from her legs. “I doubt it. He looks like nothing could wake him.” He held out a hand. “She’ll want him close.”
Balancing Max on her hip, Penny let Damien help her to her feet. He carried the blanket as they strolled through the near-silent hospital corridors to Stevie’s room. Riley had climbed into bed with his wife and held her as she slept, leaving the single padded chair free for her to occupy. Once she’d arranged herself and the child, Damien draped the blanket over the both of them.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked, crouching beside her chair. “Coffee? Tea?”
“Tea would be lovely.”
He smiled and touched her hand. “Be right back.”
Penny turned her attention to the bed, where the couple lay entwined in what looked to be a comfortable, loving embrace. Damien had always been there to support her, from the moment he defended her to the day she gave birth to Stevie. He’d been at work and hadn’t hesitated when he got her call, simply dropped whatever he was doing to be by her side. And here he was again, offering her whatever she needed in her moments of need. He really was her knight in shining armor and when he strolled in with a paper cup, she wished for the right words to tell him how much it meant to her.
Nothing came.
Her throat dried and tears stung her eyes.
To his credit, he put the cup in her free hand and said nothing of her teary state. He offered to take Max so she could drink, but she waved him away and managed both perfectly fine.
“Well, isn’t this a lovely sight?” Colt arrived before she’d finished her tea. “It’s good you’re all here to support Stevie, but I’m afraid some of you are going to have to leave for the night. I’ll allow one to stay.”
Damien and Riley shared a look before getting to their feet. “Penny’s in charge.” Damien nodded toward her. “We’ll be back in the morning.”
Glad for the extended time, she smiled her thanks. He came over to her and knelt by her chair. Without a word, he stroked her cheek, leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Penny breathed in his scent and returned his kiss, surprising him. He pulled back and opened his mouth to speak but she stopped him with a small shake of her head, preferring to talk about them later. Without an audience.
“Take care of our daughter,” he whispered, caressing the sleeping babe with incredible tenderness. “And our grandson. They need you.”
Penny swallowed. His words resonated deep within her soul and it struck her speechless to admit to herself just how much she needed them.