One Last Chance
By
Beverley Hollowed
One Last Chance
Beverley Hollowed
Copyright © 2013 Beverley Hollowed
First published 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.dpg
For permission requests, write to the author, addressed “Request: Copyright Approval” [email protected]
URL: https://www.facebook.com/Beverelyhollowed2012Author
Edited and published by: Titan InKorp…… http://titaninkorp.com/
Dedicated to my Mam
& For my Girls.
I would like to start as always by thanking my best friend, my partner in crime and the love of my life, Brian. Thank you for all your help, patience, your support and your unconditional love. You are my rock and my happy place. Love you all the way around the world and back xx
Thank you to my two beautiful boys Aaron and Anthony. I hope I make you both as proud of me as I am of both of you. xx
To my five little shining stars, keep shining brightly and light up my dark skies, love you always. xx
To my Mam, Dad and Uncle Tony love you all so much, xx
To Sam, Beverly, katz and Sally, thank you for all your help. Once again, this journey has been made so much easier by your love and support, xx
To Tabatha, thank you for making my book shine, xx
To all the lovely Orchard & forum Ladies, thank you for always supporting me, you have been with me from the very beginning, your support means the world to me.
To my Publishers Titan InKorp and especially our fearless leader and my good friend Chris Austin. As always, thank you for continuing to make my journey a happy, easy and enjoyable one. Thank you for all your hard work. Xx
Finally, a big thank you, to you the readers, for your loyal support and your kind words of encouragement. This journey would mean nothing without you all….. Love always …..Bev xx
Chapter 1
“This will be a little cold,” the ultrasound tech said, before she squirted gel on to Ally’s stomach. It was freezing. Ally caught her breath. She turned and looked up at Cole.
“Are you okay, gorgeous girl?” Cole asked, looking down at Ally with a worried expression on his face.
“I’m fine,” Ally laughed, as she reached up and softly touched Cole’s face. “It’s just a scan. It was just cold.”
“I know,” he grinned leaning in closer to Ally and kissing her softly on the forehead. “I just want to make sure my girl is okay.”
The ultrasound tech pressed the probe from the ultra sound onto Ally’s stomach and began to roll it across her abdomen. Both Cole and Ally held their breath. She would press a button, move it, press a button and move it again.
Finally, the girl looked up at Ally and Cole and smiled.
“Would you like to see your baby?” She said as she turned the screen to them.
Cole smiled at Ally before they both turned to the monitor.
“This,” the tech said as she reached up and touched the screen. “This is your baby.”
Ally stared at the screen and there it was. This tiny bean shaped thing on the screen. This was her baby. Their baby.
“If you look right there,” the tech said, moving her finger on the screen again. “That is your baby’s heart beating.”
She reached for one of the dials on the monitor and turned up the sound. A fast, rhythmic beat filled the room and Ally could feel the tears pool in her eyes.
She turned and looked at Cole, giving him a big smile. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he stared at the screen. His face was the picture of happiness and contentment. Ally never loved him more than she did right at that moment.
The past six weeks had been like a dream.
She thought back to the day she stood and stared at the flight attended waiting for her boarding pass, her life flashed before her eyes. She had always felt part of her was missing, like she somehow never belonged. And here she was, with a chance to belong to someone really and truly. She would belong to the baby and the baby would belong to her.
“Your boarding pass, please madam,” the flight attendant repeated, this time sounding a little impatient.
“I can’t,” Ally replied, her voice barely a whisper as the attendant looked at her in confusion.
“I don’t understand,” she said, looking at Ally like she was some crazy person.
“I am not getting on the plane,” Ally confirmed before she turned and walked away. She could hear the girl call after her but she just kept walking.
When she reached the security, she told them she had received a phone call from home saying her father had taken ill and was rushed to hospital. They couldn’t have been more helpful and Ally felt guilty for deceiving them, but she needed to get out of the airport with as little fuss as possible.
When she climbed into a taxi outside the airport, she took a deep breath before she gave Cole’s address. For the whole journey she ran through what she was going to tell Cole over and over in her head as the driver chatted away completely oblivious to the fact that she wasn’t listening. She made the occasional nod or sound of agreement to be polite, but in reality she hadn’t heard a word he had said.
When they reached the house, she was relieved Cole’s car wasn’t there. But then why would it be, he was heading to some important meeting that morning.
She paid the driver and pulled her carry-on bag from the back seat then headed for the door. She slipped her key in the lock and opened the door quietly before she headed for the stairs, hoping she could get in without being noticed. She reached Cole’s bedroom and headed straight for the wardrobe. She pulled out her suitcase and began to pack her belongings.
“What are you doing?” Rosie’s voice came from behind her, making Ally jump with fright. “Please tell me you aren’t leaving him. Ally he loves you so much. You will break his heart.”
“I need to be ready,” Ally replied as she turned around to face Rosie. “Rosie I love Cole with all my heart, but I might have no choice.”
“I don’t understand,” Rosie replied, completely confused. “If you love him, why are you leaving?”
“I’m pregnant,” Ally said and the words still sounded alien to her.
“That is wonderful news…”Rosie began excitedly moving towards Ally.
“Cole doesn’t want children,” Ally said, cutting her off mid-sentence. “What happened with Ben has crushed him…”
“Oh Ally, sweetheart,” Rosie said with a sigh as she stepped forward and took Ally by the hands. “Cole adores you. He is just hurting. But I know him and he would walk through fire for you and that baby. Please give him a chance.”
“What if he doesn’t want us, Rosie?” Ally said as the tears suddenly pooled in her eyes and quickly slipped down her cheeks.
“He loves you, Ally,” Rosie smiled happily at Ally. “He loves you more than life itself. When he thought he lost you, he was broken. Please don’t leave. Give him a chance.”
“I was never going to leave,” Ally sniffed. “I was only getting ready in case he told me to go.”
“He will never do that, sweetie,” Rosie sighed. “You mean the world to him. Never doubt that.”
“Thank you Rosie,” Ally said as she hugged the elderly lady tightly.
“I did nothing but tell the truth,” Rosie replied warmly to Ally as she released her from her embrace. “Now, how about you go down an
d get yourself a drink while I put all these clothes back where they belong.”
Ally kissed Rosie on the cheek and left her standing in the wardrobe. Ally knew by now it was better not to argue with Rosie, so she did exactly was she was told.
She just reached the bottom of the stairs when she heard Cole’s car pull into the driveway. Ally froze as her heart raced rapidly in her chest.
For a moment she panicked, she had no idea how she was going to tell him. She thought she would have a few more hours before he got home. She thought for a moment. She considered heading into the kitchen, half with the hope he wouldn’t find her straight away. But she realised she was just delaying the inevitable.
So she turned and headed towards the living room. She walked to the fireplace and turned to the door and held her breath.
“Ally,” the ultra-sound technician said, bringing her back to the present. “I will give you a disc with the scan on it, okay?”
“Okay,” Ally smiled and looked back at Cole who was looking at her with a strange look on his face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m perfect,” he grinned brightly but he stared at Ally with a strange look on his face.
“Then why are you acting so strange?” She asked him nervously, not really sure if she wanted the answer.
“I just think you are amazing,” he said as he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed it against his lips. “You have this life growing inside you. This tiny perfect life and it’s mine. You have my child inside you. I have never loved anyone or anything more than I love you right now. I think you are amazing.”
Before she could answer he leaned in and captured her lips with his.
“Thank you for being you,” he whispered.
“Thank you for loving me,” she replied as she reached up and softly touched his face.
“Okay,” the tech said, with a slight cough, not really wanting to disturb this special moment she was witnessing. “We are all set.”
*****************************
An hour later, they were both sitting side by side in the back of the Rover, their hands joined and their fingers entwined. Ally was clutching the DVD the tech made of the scan, while Cole was holding tightly the black and white scan photo the tech gave him, each lost in their own thoughts.
Ally looked over at the scan in his hand and then up at him. She couldn’t help but smile at the look of happiness on his face.
But then she saw something that troubled her. He dropped his eyes to the photo and smiled again, completely unaware she was watching him.
He stared at the photo taking in every detail he could as he stroked back and forth over it with the pad of his thumb. Suddenly the briefest look of sadness filtered across his face. It was a look that almost broke Ally’s heart.
But as quick as it was there it was gone. And the smile returned to his face as he looked up from the photograph and his eyes met Ally’s.
“Are you okay?” She asked as she squeezed his hand a little tighter.
“Couldn’t be better,” he said with a broad smile leaning in and pressing his lips to hers.
“You sure?” Ally asked. “It’s just you looked a little sad just then. If there is something on your mind, please don’t shut me out. I think we have both had enough secrets to last a life time.”
“I was just thinking of Ben,” he admitted sadly and Ally smiled, grateful for his honesty. She knew he still missed Ben and worried about him. And she loved him more for it. “I was wondering how he was. If she had managed to off load him yet.”
The disgust and contempt in his voice was clear and it made Ally sad that he was still so broken up about Ben. And if she was honest, she worried about Ben too.
Even though she had only seen the little boy once, all she could remember was how Cole looked at him. And havingmet the charming Steph, she worried about what sort of life this little boy would have. She knew what Ben had meant to Cole and she knew it wasn’t so easy to shut off your emotions.
She had been trying for the past six weeks to do the very same but she couldn’t. She couldn’t keep Gus out of her mind. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she missed him.
She had gone to the garage a few times to talk to him but each time she had chickened out. She was afraid to open herself up to being hurt again.
But she missed him more and more as the time passed, and was only realising just how important he really was to her. But the fear was crippling and nothing Pop, Sid or even Cole had said, and they had all said a lot, changed that. She knew she needed to do this in her own time. When she felt strong enough to face him.
She looked down at the picture in Cole’s hand and thought about what Gus would think about his first grandchild. She quickly pushed those thoughts out of her mind and turned back to Cole.
She smiled at him and he gave her a sad smile that pulled at her heart.
“Why don’t you call her?” Ally said, squeezing his hand tighter. “Ask her to let you see him.”
“I can’t do that gorgeous girl,” he said with a sad smile and he kissed her once again. “I need to let him go. I have you and this little one to think about now.”
He released Ally’s hand and pressed his hand against her stomach.
“Cole, if you did,” Ally replied with a sad sigh. “It doesn’t mean you love us any less. It just means a little boy stole a tiny piece of your heart.”
Before he could reply, the car came to a stop outside Nan and Pop’s house. Cole looked out the window and immediately saw Nan appear at the door.
“We can talk about it when we get home,” Cole said with a smile. “But right now I want to go and show our baby off to its great-grandparents. And it looks like they are very excited to see it.”
Ally turned and looked towards the door and saw that Pop had joined Nan at the front door, the excitement written clearly across both their faces. Ally smiled before she turned back to Cole.
“Okay,” she agreed. “But we need to talk about this when we get home.
Ally’s car door opened and she turned to get out of the car. She smiled at Nick as she stepped out. She liked having him here and they had become friends.
Cole had made arrangements for Nick to move over and work from Dublin instead of London a few days after the story broke that Cole was in fact not Ben’s father. The paparazzi were relentless. And Cole was now worried for Ally and the baby’s safety. So he asked Nick to come over and he did so without a moment’s hesitation.
Cole still had Liam drive him during the week when he was at work, leaving Nick to watch over Ally, but he was the one who drove Cole and Ally when they were together. Cole trusted him with his life, and his life was now Ally and the baby.
“Thanks, Nick,” Ally said as she beamed up at Nick. “I will make sure I bring you some of Nan’s apple pie when I am leaving.”
“Thank you, that would be very welcomed,” he said with his usual half smile before his face returned to the usual serious expression that was on it whenever Cole was around.
“We will be leaving at about four,” Cole informed Nick as he stepped out of the car and straightened his suit jacket.
“Yes, Sir.” Nick replied with a nod before he closed the door behind Cole and returned to the driver’s seat.
“Okay,” Cole said, turning to Ally and giving her one of his usual breathtaking smiles. “Let’s go and let Nan and Pop see their new Great-grandchild.”
“Can’t wait,” Ally smiled back before she kissed him quickly then followed him up the pathway to her grandparents’ house.
Ally pushed Ben to the back of her mind for now, but not out of it. This needed to be addressed and she was the one who was going to fix it for once and for all.
Chapter 2
“Isn’t that just marvellous,” Pop said as he pressed play on the DVD player for the fourth time. He watched with amazement the grainy black and white picture on the screen.
“So August 15th is when you are due?” Nan asked as she stared down at th
e photo in her hand.
“Yes,” Ally nodded with a huge grin, “Two days after Cole’s birthday.” She turned to Cole and he smiled at her brightly. He looked so happy and contented. But Ally knew he was still thinking about Ben and this made her sad.
“So,” Pop said as the DVD ended once again and he switched off the TV. “Everything all set for the wedding?”
“It is,” Cole nodded and his face lit up. The night Ally backed out of her flight to London, Cole insisted on setting a date for the wedding. He said it needed it to be soon, before the baby was born. Ally was a little overwhelmed but she agreed. “Two weeks from tomorrow, my girl will become Mrs. Thomas and I will be the happiest man alive.”
“You sure everything will be ready,” Nan asked looking at Ally.
“Everything will be perfect,” Ally reassured her grandmother. “Isabelle, the wedding planner Cole hired, is fab. She has everything sorted. Just one more fitting for the dress and we will be all set.”
“Well, I wouldn’t quite say everything was perfect,” Pop grumbled and Ally sighed. She knew exactly where this was going.
“Pop, please,” Ally begged. “I don’t want to have this argument again.”
“I’m sorry Ally,” Pop said in his “I am gonna say it and you will listen” tone of voice. “But Gus is your father, rightly or wrongly, he should be at the wedding. You need to stop this nonsense and talk to the man. He made a mistake, but he doesn’t deserve for you to keep punishing him like this.”
“I am not having this argument again,” Ally snapped angrily as she was quickly on her feet. But before she could say another word. The door bell sounded and Pop instantly looked nervous. “What did you do?”
“I am doing what I should have done weeks ago,” Pop replied as he stood up from his chair and went to answer the front door. Ally turned and looked at her grandmother as she could feel the panic rise inside her.
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