by Ciara Shayee
Whatever they saw, Indie hoped the couple could tell how happy they all were—how content and relieved they were to be together again.
~ oOo ~
“She’s amazing, isn’t she?”
Indie looked up at Laker, not ceasing in her gentle side-to-side rocking motions. Bodhi was almost asleep in her arms after fighting sleep for hours. “She is. Her speech is just…it’s brilliant.”
“She’s a little you, that’s for sure.”
Returning her gaze to Marley, playing on the floor with Grace and chatting non-stop, as usual, Indie smiled. “Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one,” Laker murmured, looping an arm around her shoulders to give her an affectionate squeeze. “Want me to take the boy for a bit? Your arms must be aching by now.”
Hesitating, Indie finally sighed and carefully transferred Bodhi into Laker’s arms. He settled against his chest almost instantly, peering up at him through trusting, half-lidded eyes. “Thanks. He’s getting heavy now.”
“Her speech really is coming on so well, isn’t it?” Laker commented when they still hadn’t moved a few minutes later, still both watching Marley and Grace. They’d spent less time together since returning to England, but their bond was still obvious. No matter how much time passed, Grace would always be one of Marley’s all-time favourite people as well as the woman who’d helped Indie bring her into the world.
“It is. Ines says it’s mostly thanks to her being happier, more comfortable with her surroundings and the people around her.”
Laker tipped his head down to gaze at Indie’s profile, taking in the line of her jaw, her slender neck, and the gentle slope of her shoulder. He clamped his mouth shut for a long moment, biting back the temptation to find out with his tongue if the skin joining her neck and shoulder was as soft as it looked. “Do you think she’s right? Marley’s your daughter; you know her better than anyone.”
Gazing at her daughter, Indie took a moment before murmuring, “I think she’s right, yeah. I always wondered why she didn’t talk, but it makes sense that she just wasn’t comfortable there. I’m glad she’s happier now. I only ever wanted her to be safe and content, you know?”
A question Laker had wondered about for months popped to the forefront of his mind. “Is that why you left her at the medical centre?”
Indie’s eyes darted up to his face, finding nothing but gentle curiosity. She’d expected judgement, but he was simply asking a question only she had the answer to. “Yes. I couldn’t risk him coming after us and having Marley getting hurt. I had to hope the note would work and they’d call somebody here, but obviously it worked out a lot better that you were already in Montana anyway.” She snorted, the sound far from amused. “I think that’s the only time I’ve ever wanted to be wrong.”
“Expecting to be found?” Laker asked, not wanting to say Smith’s name; not even wanting to think it.
In the time since Smith’s capture, Riley had been too busy to pay them many visits. He’d come to the hospital to meet Bodhi and read Laker the riot act for ignoring him and getting himself shot, but other than that, they hadn’t seen much of their American friend. Laker got the distinct impression he was keeping something from them, but he trusted him to share anything they needed to know. As for talk about Smith…neither Indie or Grace wanted to talk about him, so nobody pushed them.
For all Laker cared, Smith could rot in hell for what he’d done. He was just hoping the piece of shit wouldn’t put them all through a trial by pleading not guilty—they just had to wait and see.
“I knew he wouldn’t let us go easily, so I had to make sure Marley was safe.”
“Mummy, I’m sleepy.”
Lost in thought, Indie hadn’t realised Marley had moved until she was tugging the hem of her T-shirt. Indie smiled and scooped her up, ignoring the twinge in her still-healing stomach. “Shall we head up to bed, baby girl? I think your brother is ready for sleep, too.”
Marley stretched to peer at Bodhi. He was fast asleep in the crook of Laker’s arm, suckling contentedly on his dummy.
“Yeah, I’ll tuck baby Bodhi in though, ‘kay?”
“Okay,” Indie agreed, always happy to indulge her daughter when it came to her love for Bodhi. After having her mum all to herself for so long, Marley was a star when it came to sharing her affection and helping with her baby brother whenever she could. Their steadily growing bond was adorable. “Say ‘goodnight’ to Auntie Grace.”
“’Night, Auntie Grace,” she repeated softly, nuzzling into Indie.
“’Night, sweetie. See you in the morning,” Grace laughed, unfolding herself from the floor to tidy up the toy animals they’d been playing with.
After grabbing Bodhi’s blanket from the sofa in the living room, Laker followed Indie up the stairs, arriving in the doorway to her room as she tucked Marley in and kissed her forehead. “She’s too tired to tuck the boy in after all,” Laker whispered, chuckling quietly.
“Looks that way,” Indie shook her head with a smile, watching Laker move to Bodhi’s crib. He put her baby boy down so gently that he didn’t even stir before tucking the blanket beneath his arms and into the foot of the bed without her having to remind him. Mr. Ted, his fluffy brown teddy bear, sat proudly in the bottom corner, watching over his sleeping buddy.
Seeing him, so easy-going and helpful with her children, Indie felt her entire body warm from the inside-out. He really was a beautiful man—only made better by his sunny personality and the adoration he showed her babies. For the millionth time, Indie felt herself smiling as she remembered him waking up; as she remembered seeing the look on his face when he spotted Bodhi for the first time.
Indie passed out in the chair, Bodhi fast asleep in his Moses basket on the sofa on the other side of Laker’s bed. She’d been dreaming, though of what, she couldn’t recall. She woke slowly, unsure why, at first. It took a few seconds to realise…
She could feel eyes on her.
The prickle of someone’s gaze resting on her face made Indie freeze as her eyes peeled open, immediately finding the stare she could feel.
A pair of vibrant, confused green eyes were open for the first time in weeks. Indie felt tears stab at the backs of her eyes as she launched herself forward and clutched at Laker’s arm.
“Laker! You’re awake! Oh my God…you’re awake.” She whispered the words over and over, inordinately relieved, never having realised how much she wanted to see those mint green eyes until Laker was blinking slowly, clearly trying to focus and orient himself. He looked bewildered, to say the least.
Licking his lips, he rasped, “Where am I?”
Indie sighed, reaching up to cup his cheek. He had quite a beard going on, though the nurses had offered to shave him. Indie had refused on his behalf, unwilling to accept that he wouldn’t wake up to decide the fate of his beard for himself.
“You’re in the hospital. You…” She swallowed hard. “You were shot.”
She watched with a lump in his throat as his brows drew inward in a frown. His memories seemed to sweep in at once, realisation dawning in his eyes. He squeezed her hand. “Are you okay? I don’t, um…what happened?”
It had been difficult relaying the events to the police, but it was a whole other kettle of fish explaining it all to Laker. She readied herself with a deep breath and stroked his temple gently with her fingertips.
“You came in and tackled him, I think. When I opened my eyes, you were on the floor after the…the gun went off. I couldn’t tell at first who it hit. Riley and the police were already on their way up because they’d realised you’d come in ahead of them. They got to you pretty quick after they heard the gunshot, but you lost a lot of blood. We almost lost you.”
Laker absorbed her words with an odd look on his face, almost like he didn’t believe her. He shifted a little, wincing at the pain in his side. Carefully, Indie lifted the blankets to show him the dressing, proving that she was telling the truth. Slowly, recog
nition sharpened his gaze.
“And you…are you okay? I remember…I remember them putting you in an ambulance, I think?”
Without her permission, a smile spread across Indie’s face. She squeezed his hand gently and nodded in Bodhi’s direction. He frowned, tipping his head away from her slightly, but his eyes lingered on her face for as long as possible before swinging towards the sofa.
She saw the exact second he realised what, or who, he was seeing.
“Oh, God…” Laker breathed, sucking in a deep breath. He fidgeted a little, but Indie laid a hand on his chest and told him to wait a second. Once she’d used the buttons on the remote control to sit him up slightly, she moved around the bed and carefully removed Bodhi from his bassinet. He fussed for a few seconds, settling down in her arms as she perched on the edge of Laker’s bed. He opened his sea-blue eyes wide, blinking long lashes at his mother.
She smiled down at him and smoothed a wayward curl away from his forehead. “Baby boy, this is Laker. He saved our lives.”
Laker was crying when she looked back up at him, but he shook his head when her expression betrayed her worry. “I’m okay, I’m okay. I just…I didn’t know if I’d get to…”
He trailed off, but of course, they both heard his unsaid words anyway.
“Can I hold him?”
Indie nodded, suddenly desperate to see Bodhi in Laker’s arms. She carefully placed him between Laker’s arm and his torso, knowing it would be all-but-impossible to keep her squirming son from tangling himself in the wires draped over Laker in any other position.
It was enough. Laker reached over and stroked Bodhi’s soft cheek, tears pouring into his messy beard. He wasn’t holding him, but it was close enough. “What name did you decide on? You never told me.”
Feeling an abrupt bolt of nerves, Indie fiddled with her baby’s socked foot. “Bodhi. I stole your name, I’m afraid.”
Laker grinned his crooked, lopsided grin that he reserved only for Marley and Indie. “Bodhi. I like it. It suits him. I bet Ray’s chuffed.”
“He is. He was a little sore that he got bumped down to the third name, but he’s over it now.”
Laker frowned. “Third?”
Indie swallowed hard. “Yeah, third. Bodhi…Laker Reagan Ashby.”
They both cried until their eyes hurt and their faces were stained, a nurse rushing into the room when she saw the spike in his heart rate. The room had been overtaken with doctors and nurses wanting to see Laker and examine him then, so Indie took Bodhi home and promised to return bright and early the next day. His family wanted to see him, too, and Indie was busy with Marley, Bodhi, and preparing the house for Laker’s discharge, so they hadn’t spent much time together since.
“Indie?” Laker’s whisper pulled Indie from her memories.
“Hmm?”
He grinned, gesturing towards the hall. “I was just saying ‘goodnight’. I’m gonna head to bed now.”
“Oh, all right.” Sighing, Indie shoved away her disappointment that another day with Laker had come to an end, feeling exhaustion creeping in. And Bodhi would be waking shortly for a feed…
“Goodnight, Laker. Thanks for all your help today.”
“No problem at all. I love spending time with you and the kids.”
She smiled, watching him leave. He paused in the doorway, gripping the frame for a second before looking back at her. “I’m proud of you, Indie, you know that? You’re an amazing mother, and you’re absolutely the best person I’ve ever met. I’m glad I get to call myself your friend.”
Before Indie had a chance to respond, surprise tying her tongue in knots, Laker was gone.
She wanted to say so many things.
So did he.
As he crawled gingerly into bed, popping two of the painkillers he avoided during the day so he could be alert and helpful with the children, Laker sighed, reminding himself of his mantra.
Slow and steady.
In the coming days, weeks, and months, he already knew he’d fall deeper and deeper in love with Indie, the enigmatic young woman he witnessed growing into a beautiful mother, daughter, and sister before his eyes.
As autumn turned to winter, to spring, to summer, Laker’s physical injuries would heal, his mental ones aided by fortnightly sessions with Ines.
~ oOo ~
Before the sun had a chance to rise, the entire Ashby-Davies clan—with the addition of a few McKinleys: Laker, Andy, and Sarah—gathered in Reagan’s kitchen. Riley had called Reagan and Peter, asking them to round up their families.
He had news.
Much to everybody’s worry and frustration, Riley hadn’t said whether this news was good or bad, just that they needed to hear it as soon as possible.
Archie drove right over with Carl-Roman and Chase, then tucked them in upstairs where they’d both promptly fallen back to sleep. Marley slept soundly, even as Indie scooped Bodhi from his crib and carried him downstairs with her. She sat at the breakfast bar with Laker and her son, watching everybody else nervously flit around the room. Reagan and Peter were the worst, their agitation obvious, but Indie could see Grace’s nerves were also kicking in. She was attuned to her best friend in a way nobody would ever understand, she always had been, so she didn’t need to ask to know Grace was struggling.
Still, she remained on the stool at the bar, cradling Bodhi against her chest and accepting the comfort Laker offered. He reached over and squeezed her knee in silent support. As the sound of a car pulling up outside filtered through to the group in the kitchen, all eyes shot to the doorway leading to the hall.
“I’ll go,” Peter said quietly, leaving the room. When he returned moments later, it was with a stony-faced Riley right behind him.
Indie’s heart began to race, her knee jiggling in place. Laker gave it a soft squeeze, reminding her of his presence. She sucked in a deep breath and forced herself to relax.
“I’m sorry to have woken you all so early. I’ll be upfront with you all—I’ve known what I’m about to tell you for a little while, but I thought it would be better to put off telling you until everyone was home and healthy,” he paused, shooting a pointed look at Laker.
Nobody seemed to know what to say, but they all looked to Reagan when he mumbled a curse and tugged at his hair, casting a quick glance in his daughter’s direction. “Well, come on, out with it.”
Riley looked around the room at the faces of the expectant family. He sighed, meeting Grace’s eyes first, then Indie’s. They both gasped at the simple, two-word sentence he uttered. “Smith’s dead.”
“D-dead?” Grace stammered, leaning heavily on Peter.
“Yes. We went to collect him from the police station but someone had already got to him.” Riley’s fierce gaze betrayed his anger, but there was knowledge there, too. He may not have known ahead of time, but it was clear he now knew what had gone on—and possibly who was responsible for Smith’s demise. “It happened three weeks ago, the same day we arrested him.”
Without speaking, Indie handed Bodhi to Sarah with shaky hands, letting Laker stand and loop his arms around her. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.
Smith’s dead. Smith’s dead. Dead. He’s dead. He’s been dead for three weeks?
When Indie woke up after her emergency C-section with Bodhi, Smith was already dead. His heart had already stopped beating.
It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be…could it?
“How?”
It took a few seconds for Indie to realise that it was her who’d asked, and she quickly decided she really did want to know.
Riley grimaced, looking to Reagan. He nodded, giving his permission, but winced when Riley murmured, “Evisceration, amongst his other injuries.”
It had a kind of poetic justice, Laker thought, that the man responsible for tearing apart the two families he loved the most would lose his life in the same way.
Torn apart from the inside out.
A small, sick part of Laker hoped it had been painfu
l. He hoped Smith had suffered.
“I don’t…um, I can’t process…”
“It’s okay, honey. You don’t have to do anything right now,” Peter told Grace, holding her close.
It was safe to say not a single person in the room was mourning the loss of the vile excuse for a human being Smith had been.
Bodhi began to fuss in Sarah’s arms, so she quietly stepped out of the room after taking the bottle from the prep machine in the corner. Indie’s eyes followed her son’s head until he was out of sight, then she peered up at Laker from beneath tear-laden lashes. Gazing down with soft eyes, he cradled her face in one large hand, stroking the apple of her cheek with his thumb.
“We’re…we’re safe?” she whispered, her voice croaky.
Smiling, his lips curling up, Laker huffed a breath. It was relief, wry amusement, and exhaustion all rolled into one. “Yeah, Indie. You’re safe.”
“Not just us,” she protested, nodding in Grace’s direction. “You, too. He’d have come back for you, you know.”
“Well, he can’t now,” Reagan interjected, crossing the room to wrap an arm around his daughter. Laker’s presence meant he was included in the one-armed hug, but Reagan didn’t care. All of his attention, at that moment, was focused on Indie and her wide, worried, blue-green eyes. “He can never hurt you again, sweetheart. Never. He’s gone.”
Silence followed Reagan’s fierce statement. Nobody really knew what to say.
Until Riley cleared his throat, and the group recognised the beginnings of a smile dancing on his lips. “So, that’s not my only news. Before you all lynch me, I have a feeling what I’m about to say next will go down a lot better.”
Indie cocked her head at Riley, but he didn’t say a word. She barely had the chance to recognise the man who appeared in the doorway before he was obscured.
Grace crossed the room in a blur, her gasp loud in the otherwise silent room. With her arms looped tight around the visitor’s chest, she sobbed and repeatedly murmured, “Thank God. Thank God, you’re okay. You’re okay.”