Chapter 56

Lara and Flynn occupied chairs on either side of the hospital bed. Between them, Gigi lay sleeping. Last night the ruptured appendix had been removed but they weren’t out of the woods yet. Her abdominal cavity had been flooded with bacteria; now they just had to pray the intravenously administered antibiotics would be up to the task of defeating them.

So far they weren’t. Gigi had a raging temperature and was still intermittently moaning with pain in her sleep. She was as white as the sheet covering her. Just seeing her so clearly unwell tore Lara in half; when you were used to someone bouncing around and never being ill, it was a terrifying scenario.

All my fault too.

Flynn pushed back his plastic chair and said, “I’m going outside for a bit. Won’t be long.”

Lara nodded; it was eight in the morning. “You can leave if you want.”

“Why would I want to leave?”

“Well, you’ll need to get to work.”

Flynn gave her an odd look. “Are you going to work?”

Oh for God’s sake. “No, of course not!”

“Why not?”

“Are you serious? I’m not leaving Gigi!”

“Because she’s your daughter?” He paused, his gaze boring into her. “Guess what? She’s mine too.”

He left the ward and Lara watched him go. If it was possible to feel any worse than she already did, she was feeling it now. And Flynn was right; she’d assumed he wasn’t as devastated as she was by what had happened.

“Sorry,” Lara murmured when he returned fifteen minutes later.

He nodded without replying, then sat back down and resumed holding Gigi’s left hand.

“It’s just that I’ve always been used to being the only one.”

“I know.” To her relief he didn’t add, And whose fault was that? “But you aren’t the only one anymore. I’m here now.”

More guilt, almost more than she could bear. Covertly watching as Flynn leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair off Gigi’s waxen cheek, Lara noted the strain in his eyes, the dark shadows beneath them, the tension on his stubbled jaw. It had been a sleepless night for them both.

He loves her just as much as I do. Please God, just make the antibiotics work and let Gigi get through this.

Then she jumped as Gigi’s head moved and she cleared her throat. Without opening her eyes she croaked, “Are you both still here?”

“Yes.” Flynn gave her fingers a squeeze. “I am.”

A lump formed in Lara’s own throat. Ambushed by love she said, “Me too, sweetheart.”

“Good. I’m glad. But could you please stop bickering?” whispered Gigi.

***

By midafternoon Gigi’s eyes were open and the color was slowly returning to her cheeks. She was still sore and uncomfortable but her condition had improved enough to have her fretting about the state of her hair. Which was evidently gross.

“No, you can’t wash it yet,” said Lara. Teenagers, honestly.

“Urgh, it’s like string.”

Flynn said helpfully, “How about if I borrow a razor? We could shave it all off.”

“Ha ha.” Her mouth dry, Gigi took a sip of water from the plastic cup he was holding for her. A dribble of water ran down her chin and Lara leaped forward with a tissue.

“Thanks.” Gigi smiled briefly then turned and smiled again at Flynn. “Thanks. You know, you two could do me a favor if you want.”

“No problem, fire away,” said Flynn.

“Go ahead,” said Lara. “What is it?”

“You could move your chairs so you’re both sitting on the same side of the bed. It would really make things a lot easier, instead of me having to keep going from side to side like I’m watching a tennis match.”

***

Three days later Evie visited the ward, bringing treats and toiletries and the just-out Christmas edition of Gigi’s favorite gossip magazine.

“Thanks.” Gigi greeted her with a kiss, then raised her eyebrows at the well-thumbed corners. “Have you been reading this?”

“I had to. Harry called the house to let us know there was a bit about him in it, so I rushed out and bought a copy. Oh, and these are from Bonnie and Ray.” Evie opened a bag and pulled out a pair of light-up Elton John spectacles.

“Cool!” Putting them on and posing like a celebrity while they flashed on and off, Gigi said, “What does it say about Harry?”

“Found it.” Lara had been riffling through the pages. Reading aloud, she said, “Ooh dear, looks like a parting of the ways for the Odd Couple. Just a few weeks ago, Harry Wells and EnjaySeven were best pals, but now that everyone’s favorite nerd has announced he’s gay, ladies’ man Enjay is severing all contact.

“‘I’m totally surprised to hear this,’ Enjay announced yesterday. ‘I had no idea. Anyhow, filming in the UK is over. Nothing against Harry, he’s a good guy, but we now have even less in common than I thought. I doubt I’ll be seeing him again.’ Whoa, Enjay, Harry’s only gay, he doesn’t have rabies. It’s not catching, we promise!”

“What a git.” Gigi pushed the flashing spectacles to the top of her head and said crossly, “Poor Harry.”

“And there’s a photo of Enjay with his new girlfriend.” Lara held up the magazine so they could all see. “Apparently they’re spending Christmas together at his villa in Antigua. You have to admit, she is stunning. Then again, he wouldn’t go for an ugly one, would he?”

“He’s such a lech though.” Her lip curling, Gigi said, “He’s never going to stick with one girl. Give it a few weeks and he’ll have found someone even prettier.” She paused. “Speaking of pretty girls, wait till you see what Annabel gave me this afternoon. Mum, can you get it out of the cabinet? I can’t reach.”

“Annabel was here?” Lara didn’t like the way this made her feel. Not content with bagging Flynn, did Annabel have stepmotherly designs on Gigi too? There was being nice and then there was being downright ingratiating.

“Isn’t it amazing? I’ve never owned anything so beautiful in my life!”

“Mm.” Lara held up the purply-gray silk negligee, shimmering like iridescent suede beneath the unforgiving fluorescent strip light.

“And guess where it’s from? Harvey Nichols!” Gigi’s eyes were like saucers. “Can you imagine? Annabel finished a twenty-four-hour shift this morning and went straight down to Cabot Circus to buy it for me. She said it gets so hot here on the wards you don’t always want a fluffy dressing gown.”

Feeling ashamed, Lara said, “It’s gorgeous.” Oh good grief, Harvey Nichols. What on earth had it cost?

“Mum, we were talking about Christmas Day. I said she could always come to our house for lunch if she wanted.”

“You did?” It came out quite high-pitched. That wasn’t what she wanted at all. Her brain recoiling from the prospect, Lara said, “I thought it was, you know, just going to be us.”

“I know, but Annabel has to work on Christmas Eve and on Boxing Day… and it would be nice for Dad to have her there.”

Oh God, she was officially a mean person and her daughter was a lovely warm generous one. Lara felt ashamed of herself. Carefully folding the silk robe back up and returning it to the bedside cabinet she said, “Well, if she doesn’t have anywhere else to go…”

***

“She’s doing really well,” the doctor told them on the fifth post-operative day. “No signs of septicemia, thank goodness. Everything’s looking nice and clean. And the scar’s healing nicely. I think we can take this drip down now.”

“Excellent.” Gigi beamed up at him. “How soon can I go home?”

“Let’s just keep an eye on you for the next couple of days.” The doctor closed her notes. “But I’m sure you’ll be out of here by Christmas.”

“Trust me, I’ll be out of here if I have to crawl on my hands and knees,” said Gigi. “No offense, but I’m not missing Christmas at home for anything. Are you single or married?”

He smiled at her bluntness. “Actually, I’m single. Why?”

“Nothing. Just wondered.”

“What did you say that for?” Lara gave her a nudge when the doctor had left the ward.

“He’s about your age, he’s quite good-looking, maybe we could invite him to lunch on Christmas Day.”

“What?”

“To even things up a bit,” Gigi explained. “Just a thought.”

“Well, don’t think. And don’t you dare invite him!”

“But he might be lonely, and it would really help you—”

“Stop it. I don’t need that kind of help.” Lara held up her hand to halt Gigi in her tracks. “No, no, no.”