Pressure on her chest and stomach stirred her out of a deep sleep. Her hand traced the outline of her baby belly and she choked back a sob of relief. She was still alive but where was the question. Her eyelids wouldn't open and something was filling her nostrils making her panic. Lifting a hand she tried to swipe it over her face but someone reached out and stopped her.
"SShhh, you are safe. Stacey, my name is Bran. I'm Morgan's brother." The gentle voice soothed her and she forced herself to relax. "You are in hospital and safe. You have so much equipment around you and I can tell you that your baby is fine. The reason you cannot move your other hand is because my brother is holding it in a death grip. I fear he is afraid to let you go again but you can discuss that with him later when he wakes and you feel up to it."
She tried to smile and groaned when her lips pulled and cracked. "Let me put something on that for you."
Stacey held her breath while a cool cream was smoothed over her dry lips.
"Thanks." Her voice sounded raspy to her ears.
"No problem. I fear we have a lot to thank you for. I have to apologize for the despicable way in which my manager treated you. I will make it up to you any way I can. But for now I want you to take it easy and rest up. Anything you want, get in touch with me."
Stacey swallowed before she spoke.
"I don't need your money. I want nothing from you at all, understand."
"Yes I do and I applaud you for that. But, I feel you should talk to my little brother about what you two are going to do. Don't blow it Stacey. From what Nigel tells me, you are head over heels in love with this guy and I know he feels the same way about you even if he doesn't know it himself."
"Nigel says way too much."
"That may be so but he has your best interests at heart. Now he has promised me a steak to die for tonight so I had better get going and let them all know how you are. Rest easy and take your time getting well. There are a lot of people out there worried about you."
She felt the air shift as he leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Tears slipped out between the swollen eyelids and ran down her cheek.
"Now don't you dare tell my wife I made you cry. She will kill me."
The door closed behind him and the room was silent again. Drifting off to sleep, Stacey dreamed of the dark tunnels and movements she couldn't see.
Something tore at her throat and chewed on her fingertips. She screamed and thrashed around trying to break free of the arms that held her.
"Shh, Stacey, shhh." Warm breath rolled over her face and hands cradled her head. "I have you, it's okay."
She clung to him, shaking with fear as she relived the terror of being left alone in the dark dank tunnel. Her face streaked with tears and the sobs subsiding, she lay back against the pillows.
Morgan pushed a tissue into her hands and she blew her nose. Lifting her eyelids as far as they would go, she gazed at him. His face was drawn and there were dark smudges under his eyes.
"How long have I been here?"
"This is day two. I found you two days ago early in the morning. It seems like longer than that."
"Thanks. For finding me, I mean."
"I owe you so much more than that. I can't believe he came and took you." He ran a finger over the bruise on her cheek and pulled his hand away when she shuddered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I want to make it better."
"It didn't hurt you touching me Morgan, I was just remembering what he did to me."
"He will never get the chance to hurt anyone again. Assault, theft, kidnapping, extortion. The list goes on. He will be going away for quite some time."
"That's good. You don't have to stay you know. With me I mean, I'll be okay."
He looked down at her and she almost cried out loud to see the hurt she had inflicted upon him.
"I want to stay and I won't leave, not again. Look," he took her hand again and ran his fingertips over her palm, "I have a lot to answer for I know that. I let you down, I slammed you for getting pregnant. I was an ass and I don't blame you for not wanting to listen to me but I would appreciate just a few minutes more."
She held her breath and waited for him to continue.
"When I met you I was just getting over a messy break up and was hurting. You see, my families money is a magnet and I got burned more than once because of it. It seemed like the thing to do, come out here and not say who I was or why I was here." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips.
"I saw things differently and went back home full of ideas for saving the waterfalls and Sid's house and his junk collection. There is so much history I feel shouldn't be lost and I kind of got caught up in your plans. It seemed like the least we as a company could do. I threw the idea out to Bran and he made me put it to the board. Luckily they saw it the way I wanted them too." He gave a small laugh. "It didn't hurt that it made the company look good in the process either. Big mining companies get a bad rap so it made sense business wise to set up a community plan to preserve everything you wanted saving."
"So why didn't you come back and tell me that? Why leave me hanging so damned long? It's not enough Morgan. I need someone who will be there for me and put me and my child first." She reached for the buzzer and waited for the nurse. When the door opened and the ward nurse put her head in the door Stacey closed her eyes. "Please take him out and don't let him back in."
She turned her face into the pillow trying to hide the tears that ran down her cheeks.
* * *
"Honey you have to eat," Nigel pleaded with her. "Doc won't let you come home until you are better and this isn't helping anyone."
Stacey looked out the window and sighed. "I just don't feel like it. The thought of food makes my stomach churn."
"Rubbish. You are suffering from bad boyfriend syndrome and we both know it." He stroked her cheek and then grasped her hand. "You have to eat, if only for the baby. You know you do. And if you want to spend the rest of your life eating hospital food you are going the right way about it."
"I don't believe he did all the stuff he told me about when he left Nigel. I think he was only saying it because he felt guilty for what Mike did to me." She gave him a wobbly smile.
"No. I mean yes, he does feel guilty and so he should but according to his brother, Morgan had this all in play as soon as he left here. It just took a while to get it sorted out."
"But he didn't even call me. Don't you think that means something. Hell, if it was me I would have been on the phone every day. He totally ignored me and I can't get over that."
The door opened and her mother walked in with a stranger behind her.
"Mum." Stacey tried to sit up and fell back down, her weakness winning out.
"Darling, just look at you." Her mother rushed over and took the seat Nigel vacated. "When Nigel called me I was so worried. Come over here Lois. Honey this is Lois Taylor, Morgan and Brandon's mother. She gave me a lift to see you."
She looked around the room and shook her head. "What do you mean she gave you a lift?"
Mrs Taylor stepped forward and stood at the end of the bed smiling serenely. "Brandon called me yesterday when he got home and filled me in on what happened Stacey. Imagine our horror. I am so sorry, really I am. To think one of our staff would stoop so low. Anyway, Brandon gave me Nigel's number so we could keep in touch and see how you were healing and I couldn't help myself." She blushed and looked away. "I had to come and see you. Another grandchild on the way and I didn't even know."
"Neither did I. Why didn't you tell me Stacey, I would have come out and seen you? Got you more help or even closed the pub and brought you home so I could spoil you."
"Slow down, both of you. Nigel, seriously did you think this was the wisest thing to do?" He blushed under her accusing gaze.
"You weren't listening to anybody so I took the initiative, alright." He dipped his head and sighed. "Look, drastic times called for drastic measures and here they are." He opened his hands to encompass both of the visitors.
"I understand you are having issues with Morgan Stacey but that doesn't mean I can't get to know the mother of my grandchild. Nothing will stop that unless you forbid me to see you and I hope you don't."
"Stacey, honey," her mother butted in, "you need someone to look after you and we are here to do that. Lois is at a loose end for reasons she can explain and you know I have plenty of time on my hands."
"I'm sorry." She looked between the two women. "I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself and I can't seem to snap out of it. Sorry Nigel, I know you mean well."
"That's okay honey, not your fault. Now you are in safe hands I will get back to the pub and start on dinner. Lots of hungry men coming in soon." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Ciao."
When Nigel left the room Stacey looked at Morgan's mother. "Why are you really here? Is it to offer me money so I don't rock the boat?"
She laughed and walked to the other side of the bed, pulling a chair up closer.
"No. I hear my sons have already offered you everything except what you really want. I'm here to be a grandmother if you will let me. Just so you know, Brandon was very impressed with you. Not many people walk away from us without some sort of cash in their pockets. That is one of the reasons Morgan fell in love with you."
"Funny way of showing it." Stacey pouted and then suffered a quick pang of guilt.
"There you go honey, jumping to conclusions. Why don't you let the poor boy have his say without getting the wrong idea?" Her mother patted her hand and smiled. "Give the boy another chance, he did save you after all."
"Mum. It was their fault in the first place. You don't know anything about this."
"I know more than you think. Lois and I had a good chat on the way here. All I'm saying is that you should just breath and give him a chance to have his say before you decide to go this alone. I'll respect your wishes but not if you don't listen before making your decision."
Stacey grabbed the sheet in her hands and twisted it, watching the blood leave her fingers. "I told him to get out."
"We know. He is sitting in the waiting room refusing to leave. Apparently Doc threatened to have him bodily removed but must have felt sorry for him. He is still there." Her mother patted her hand. "Let him come in and talk to you, just for a minute. We can go and get a cup of tea."
Tears formed in Stacey's eyes and she nodded her head. Lois pushed a tissue into her hand and got up walking to the door.
"You are doing the right thing honey." Her mother kissed her hair and walked out, leaving her alone.
Minutes later she heard footsteps running her way and the door burst open.
"Stacey." Morgan stood at the door, his face drawn and haggard.
"Come in."
* * *
He hesitated and looked over his shoulder before letting go of the door waiting for it to close behind him.
"Our mothers have decided I was wrong and you need a chance to tell your side of the story. I'm not sure I agree but since it’s probably the only way I will be able to talk them into getting me out of here you can have your say."
Morgan leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.
"I will admit I stuffed up big time but in my mind I had a good reason. You see, when I went back to the city I headed straight for the office and told Bran what I wanted to do. He had no problem with it because it was my project so long as we didn't lose any money. I put together a plan the board could and did approve."
"So why did you take so long to get back here if it was so simple?"
"My father is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, something we tried to keep private. My brother and I have run the company for years but there are days when he forgets what is going on. He thought he still had control of the business and tried to take me to court to cut me out when he heard what I wanted to do." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It was pretty horrible for my mother but we had to get him declared incompetent in the eyes of the law before we could proceed." He cringed inside at the memory of his poor father being taken into care and the devastating pain that had hit his mother watching it. But it was nothing to the pain they all suffered when two days later he died of a heart attack.
"It must be horrible for you but you could at least have phoned to let me know."
"Yes I could and I should have but I didn't. I don't even have the heart to make up an excuse. I won't lie to you Stacey. I let you down and acted like a spoiled selfish kid. I'm sorry."
"I need more than that Morgan. Can you understand? I need someone that will be there for me and the baby, regardless of what else is happening in our lives. If there is a holdup I deserve to be told about it, not pushed to the back burner. I don't work like that."
"Fair enough, I get that." He took a deep breath and asked the question. "Is it too late for us?"
A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth before her lips wobbled. He noticed the tears building in her eyes.
Striding over to the bed he gathered her in his arms before she broke down and cried.
"Shh, I have you darling. Nothing will hurt you again, least of all me."
Stacey sobbed as though her heart would break and Morgan held her tight rubbing her back. Doc had told him she hadn't let go of her shock yet and he was worried about her going home and breaking down without someone to support her. Hopefully this was her release.
"Can you lie on the bed and hold me please Morgan. Just hold me while I sleep for a bit longer. I'm so damned tired."
Morgan stretched out beside her and slipped his arm under her head bringing her down onto his chest. Smoothing her hair back he stroked it until she fell asleep in his arms. For the first time in days he was relaxing. Closing his eyes he breathed in her scent and drifted off to sleep.
When the mothers peeked in later that evening, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Both of their children were sleeping happily in each other's arms. That bode well for the future.
"Let's go and have dinner at the pub. I hear Nigel does a fabulous steak," Lois said slipping her arm through Stacey's mothers guiding her out of the hospital.
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