Roses For Sophie

by Alyssa J. Montgomery

  Reaching out, he took her hand. ‘Maybe you’re right, maybe not. It doesn’t matter. I’m glad we’re married, Sophie.’

  The slight furrow between her brows was sign enough that she wasn’t sure whether or not she believed him.

  ‘I don’t regret for a second that you’re my wife.’

  ‘Truly?’

  ‘What I said still goes; we’re going to make each other happy, sweetheart.’ He kissed each of her hands then pulled her closer so he could reassure her with a deep kiss. When he felt all the tension seep out of her, he said, ‘I can’t allay a feeling of apprehension as to whether my best efforts at parenting Charlotte will be completely what she needs.’

  Sophie placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a sympathetic smile. ‘You love her so much already, you’ll be great.’

  ‘No way I’d put her in anyone else’s care, but that doesn’t mean I’m completely confident about the situation and how well I’ll handle it now that push has come to shove. I don’t want to botch it.’

  ‘You won’t botch it.’ She gave him a sunny smile. ‘I won’t let you. If you’re still happy we’re married then I meant it when I said before that we’re in this together.’

  Oh man, that was good to know. Negotiator of multi-million dollar deals, tough campaigner for human rights, and not afraid to take on militia groups he may be, but the responsibility he faced for the future of a five-year-old girl was way outside his comfort zone.

  ‘I’ll get dressed straight away.’ Sophie brushed her lips against his and when she would’ve pulled away, he pulled her back down to the bed and enfolded her in a hug full of thanks.

  ‘I’m the luckiest man alive,’ he told her, and meant it.

  Although she smiled, he couldn’t help but feel she was disappointed — pleased with his response, but the shadow that flitted over her features hinted that she wanted more. He hoped she didn’t want more than he was capable of giving her.

  Chapter 17

  ‘Hey, Scamp.’ Logan tried hard to keep the relief from his voice as he strode straight into the hospital room to give Charlotte a hug. For the hundredth time since hearing of Charlotte’s plight, he cursed Thea Winston because his little goddaughter looked frail, and had dark shadows underneath her eyes.

  ‘Uncle Logan! I’ve been praying you’d come.’ There was an instant brightness in the blue eyes that reaffirmed to him that she needed him, and that he was doing the right thing applying for custody. ‘Mummy and Daddy always promised me you’d look after me.’

  He held her tight. ‘I’m here now, Charlotte.’

  ‘Someone’s awfully glad to see you.’

  He turned his head to see a young woman getting up out of a chair. ‘You must be Serena?’ He shifted Charlotte slightly so he could extend his hand to the case-worker.

  ‘How do you do, Mr Jackson.’

  ‘Please call me Logan. This is my wife, Sophie.’ It was the first time he’d introduced Sophie as his wife. Had his chest actually puffed out with pride when he’d said the words my wife? He pushed the thought aside.

  ‘You married Uncle Logan?’ Charlotte’s eyes were wide as she looked at Sophie.

  ‘I certainly did.’ Smiling, Sophie placed one hand on Charlotte’s shoulder and greeted the caseworker formally with the other. ‘Hi Serena. Thank you so much for letting us know about Charlotte. We’re both so grateful you rang.’

  Serena frowned at Logan. ‘I didn’t realise you were married.’

  ‘We were married last night,’ he supplied.

  ‘I know you, Sophie.’ Charlotte’s voice was all excitement. ‘You were at a party once, talking to Mummy.’

  ‘I remember. You were wearing a beautiful blue dress and you showed me your special Cinderella locket.’

  ‘You told me I looked just like Cinderella with my blonde hair and I told you that we could dress you up in a mermaid’s tail and you’d make a good Arial with your red hair.’

  Sophie, a mermaid? Over the top of Charlotte’s head, he caught his wife’s eye and gave her a wicked grin. ‘That I would love to see.’ The blush that spread up her neck and into her cheeks was an instant reward.

  ‘Do you remember my mummy had made my hair look just the same as Cinderella’s hair from the movie?’ Charlotte continued with genuine effervescence.

  ‘And you’re still a beautiful princess,’ Logan broke in. ‘Are you feeling okay?’

  ‘I was very, very thirsty and I had a really bad headache. See?’ She pointed to the drip. ‘They put this needle in my arm and that stuff in the bag is making me better. Just like magic.’

  Logan kissed her forehead. He’d talk to her later about what she’d faced and make certain she knew she must never run away again. Hopefully she’d be so happy with them she’d never feel the need. Anger pulsed through his veins when he thought of what Thea Winston had done, and he had to make a conscious effort to relax and banish the tension that was creeping along his shoulders.

  ‘Are you going to take me home and look after me, Uncle Logan?’

  ‘Yes.’ He ruffled her fringe gently with his fingertips. ‘Sophie and I are both going to look after you, and there’s another lady called Shirley who’ll also live with us, and she’ll take care of you whenever we have to go to work.’

  ‘I don’t want to go back to that lady who says she’s my mummy’s mother. She’s mean to me. I don’t think she’s my grandmother at all. I think she’s a wicked witch in disguise. I bet she’s got a house made of lollies somewhere and she’s going to try to trick me into going there so she can eat me.’

  Logan would’ve laughed at the gingerbread house analogy if he hadn’t been so horrified at what Charlotte had been through. He hoped the caseworker was taking notes. Charlotte’s grandmother’s actions would surely mean that she was never granted custody again. Still, that didn’t mean he was guaranteed to be able to look after his goddaughter permanently. This was temporary custody, and it was still up to him to prove himself a worthy guardian. There was still a court case to win.

  ‘The paperwork’s all done,’ Serena said cheerily from behind them. ‘I just need you to sign a couple of places, the drip has to be taken down from Charlotte’s arm and then the doctor’s given Charlotte clearance to be discharged.’

  ‘Yippee!’ Charlotte clapped her hands.

  ‘Will she be okay to travel with us to the Hunter Valley?’ Logan asked.

  He and Sophie had spoken on the trip down about returning to Rigby’s with Charlotte for the rest of the day, if the little girl was up to it. That would give the nanny he’d employed time to get settled into his home in Point Piper.

  ‘I spoke to the doctor about that,’ Serena said. ‘He said there’s no problem at all. Just keep her fluid intake as high as possible in the next twenty-four hours.’

  ‘We will,’ Sophie promised.

  Twenty minutes later, they were back in the more suitable ‘family’ car they’d borrowed from Rigby, and heading up the freeway with Charlotte strapped in the back in a special children’s booster seat that Serena had arranged. It wasn’t long before the little girl was sleeping peacefully.

  He looked across at Sophie and smiled because she seemed to be fixated upon his hands.

  ‘Are you okay, darling?’ he asked.

  ‘I certainly am. I’m still trying to get used to the idea that we’re married.’

  ‘For better or worse, you’re now officially stuck with me.’

  She smiled. ‘I’m looking at your strong, capable grip on the steering wheel and thinking how safe I feel in your hands. You’re here at the wheel, driving me along both physically and metaphorically, and apart from Rigby’s influence I’ve always tried to make my own way as much as possible. Now, a day into our married life and instinct tells me we’ll travel together as well through life as we’re journeying along this freeway.’ The laugh she gave was self-conscious. ‘That was pretty deep and poetic, wasn’t it?’

  He smiled in return. ‘I promise I won’t stee
r our path in life without consulting you.’

  ‘I can’t think of anyone else whose hands I’d rather be in.’ A dimple appeared in each of her cheeks and he realised her words held a double entendre.

  ‘Why don’t you put the seat back and close your eyes so you’re rested when we arrive?’ Logan suggested.

  ‘Good idea. If I start giving little sighs of pleasure, you’ll know exactly where my dreams have taken me!’

  Chapter 18

  Logan was aware of Sophie with every fibre of his being as she reclined the seat and

  shifted a little to get comfortable.

  This whole situation felt right. Driving with Sophie in the seat next to him, Charlotte strapped into her booster seat behind him…Not so long ago he would have been appalled at the domesticity of it all. Now, being in this position of trust, this position of personal responsibility for Charlotte sat well with him. He’d never fill the gap caused by Scott’s death, but he’d make sure he did the best he could. Looking after a little girl wasn’t completely new to him. Whenever he’d been home from boarding school he’d done his best to brighten Melissa’s life, to shield her from the procession of stepmothers that came and went through the Jackson household, and to provide the love that their father had never shown either of them.

  Casting another quick sideways glance at Sophie, Logan took a deep, satisfied breath. The vow he’d made never to let a woman into his heart was fast losing its conviction.

  His mobile phone began to ring. There was an off-road rest area just ahead, and Logan pulled off the freeway to take the call rather than using the blue-tooth function that may disturb his sleeping female passengers.

  Sophie stirred, gave him a smile, and shut her eyes again as he took the call.

  ‘Jackson.’

  ‘Logan, it’s Daphne. Rigby’s being flown by emergency helicopter to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.’ He could hear the panic in her voice over the chop of rotor blades in the background. ‘I’m with him, but I can’t reach Felix. He left for Sydney and he’s not answering his phone.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘He has severe abdominal pain.’ She began to sob.

  ‘Sit tight and let Rigby know we’re on our way.’

  ‘I’ll…’ Her voice broke. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

  Hell!

  A quick glance in the rear-vision mirror assured him Charlotte was still asleep.

  ‘Hey, Sophie?’ He put his hand on her shoulder and roused her gently.

  Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled. ‘Hey, what’s up?’

  ‘That was Daphne. Your grandfather’s in pain, and we’re meeting him at the hospital in Newcastle.’

  Her body knifed up. ‘Oh, no! Stomach pain?’

  Giving her shoulder a little squeeze of reassurance, he said, ‘Yes.’

  ‘Is Daphne driving him?’

  ‘No. He’s in the medical chopper and she’s with him.’ He started the car. ‘We’ll find out more when we get there.’

  Thankfully they hadn’t turned off the freeway for the vineyards, so were able to continue directly to the hospital. With each passing kilometre, Sophie seemed to withdraw into herself, her stress evident in the way her teeth bit into her bottom lip and her hands clenched into tight fists on her thighs.

  Logan made a quick phone call to Shirley, and told her that her nanny duty started immediately. He rang his PA so she could make the arrangements to get Shirley up to John Hunter Hospital as quickly as possible. Knowing Melissa had stayed at the Carlisle estate overnight, he phoned her as well and asked her to meet them at the hospital. Charlotte liked Melissa, and would be happy in her care. Logan needed to be at Sophie’s side.

  Enquiries at the hospital informed them Rigby had been admitted to intensive care. Once they reached the ward, they were told the doctors were running tests and that he may need immediate surgery.

  Logan stifled a curse. He wanted to be with Sophie but he couldn’t. He glanced down at Charlotte, who’d gone straight back to sleep in his arms when he’d lifted her out of the car seat. ‘I’ll have to stay out until Melissa arrives to take care of Charlotte.’

  ‘Of course,’ Sophie told him in a distracted voice. ‘Take her to the cafeteria. She’s bound to be hungry when she wakes up.’

  ‘I’ll be in there with you just as soon as I can,’ he vowed.

  Logan hated seeing Sophie walk into the intensive care room by herself, but it was simply no place to take Charlotte.

  Chapter 19

  ‘Grandfather.’ Despite trying to be brave, Sophie simply couldn’t stop the flood of tears that blurred her eyes as she saw her grandfather’s grey appearance, and took in all the machines and monitors he was hooked up to.

  He looked away slowly from Daphne, who was sitting by his bedside and holding his hand. ‘Soph. Glad you’re here.’

  Willing her legs to move forward and trying to school her features so that her inner panic and anxiety were hidden, Sophie sat on the other side of the hospital bed from Daphne and took Rigby’s other hand.

  ‘Need to talk.’ Every word seemed to take so much effort from him.

  ‘Maybe you should just rest for now,’ she suggested.

  ‘No time,’ he said.

  ‘This is important, Sophie,’ Daphne said. ‘I’m going to leave you two alone.’

  Rigby’s gaze flicked back to Daphne. ‘No. Stay.’ He sent her a weak smile. ‘Last night…should’ve been a double…wedding.’

  A huge sob wracked Daphne’s frame and the tears poured down her cheeks. ‘Then you’d better get out of here fast, old man, and make a proper proposal.’

  ‘Would you…accept this time?’

  ‘Yes,’ Daphne told him. ‘I was silly to refuse you, but at least we were still together.’

  Sophie’s heart felt like a football in her chest. Life was too short for regrets. Grandfather had to get better, and he and Daphne had to get married.

  Tears glistened from Rigby’s eyes. ‘You know I’ve loved you…for a long time, Daphne.’ He looked back at Sophie. ‘You take care of her.’

  ‘I would, Grandfather, but I’m not going to need to. You’re going to get better.’

  A slight shake of his head was his only acknowledgement. He closed his eyes briefly, and Daphne dabbed at hers with a handkerchief.

  It was a few moments before Grandfather’s eyelids parted again. ‘Soph. So proud of you. You’re so capable. You could run Carlisle, but…it’s not the life…I want for you. Time you started living…for yourself…not doing what…you think I want you…to do.’

  Everything in her grandfather’s expression told her that he didn’t think he was going to make it. All the fight seemed to have gone right out of him, and he appeared to clutch at life more tentatively with each second that passed.

  ‘Don’t want you to have a lonely life. Mining…too cut-throat for you. Love Jackson.’ Another weak smile. ‘Be happy.’

  ‘You need to be here, Rigby, to see them happy together,’ Daphne insisted in a desperate voice.

  Rigby’s lower lip wobbled, and a fresh pool of tears appeared. Regret was etched into each feature. Regret and resignation. ‘You’ve both…made…me happy.’

  His eyes closed.

  ‘Grandfather.’ They didn’t open. ‘Grandfather!’ A giant fist reached in and crushed her heart in its grip.

  ‘Rigby!’ Daphne cried.

  There was a terrible, ominous high-pitched beep.

  Looking up at the screen of the cardiac monitor, Sophie watched helplessly as the last peak trailed off the screen, replaced by an endless flat line.

  ‘No! Grandfather!’ she sobbed as she stood up. ‘No!’

  ‘Don’t leave me, Rigby. I love you,’ Daphne cried.

  ‘Help!’ Sophie shouted.

  Belatedly she realised an alarm was going off out in the corridor at the nurse’s station. She became aware of the rush of footsteps, then she was physically pushed aside as hospital staff surrounded the bed. For the n
ext few moments, everything was a blur before the harsh words registered.

  ‘Time of death — 1:17 pm.’

  ‘No!’ she cried frantically. ‘Do something. Bring him back.’

  ‘Your grandfather didn’t want to be resuscitated,’ a middle-aged doctor told her gently.

  More tears welled in her eyes as she looked at her grandfather. He lay there at peace, and he’d decided he didn’t want to be revived to face a drawn-out battle with bowel cancer. It was his wish, and as much as she railed against it, she had to respect it.

  Through her disbelief and utter shock, Sophie felt a terrible emptiness. There was a sense of surrealism about the whole event. Part of her brain must’ve shut down her emotional centre so she could look at everything as though she were disconnected from the scene. Daphne cried beside her.

  She’d promised her grandfather to look after Daphne.

  In those moments, she needed to look after Daphne. By supporting the older woman, Sophie would also have something else to focus on other than her own pain.

  ‘He’s gone!’ Daphne sobbed. ‘He had a bad pain. He told me it had started last night and he’d taken aspirin to try to get through it. I got help as soon as I knew about it.’

  ‘It’s not your fault,’ Sophie tried to reassure her.

  ‘Miss Hamilton?’ The middle-aged doctor approached.

  Mrs Jackson, Sophie corrected in her mind, but merely nodded. ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’m sorry for your loss.’

  ‘What happened, Doctor?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ve just got the test results back. You’re aware your grandfather had gastro-intestinal cancer?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘His bowel perforated, which is why he was suddenly in so much pain. The aspirin he took as a painkiller would only have made things worse.’

  ‘If I’d only got him here sooner,’ Daphne cried.

  The doctor sent her a sympathetic smile and shook his head. ‘It wouldn’t have helped. His cancer was advanced. It had spread to his liver and lungs, and this latest X-ray shows that it had advanced rapidly just in the last week.’