The Family He Needs

by Lucy Clark

  But that’s not what had happened. She had been married to an awful man and had become a stronger person because of it. She had a gorgeous son who was happy and healthy whilst Zac had married a woman who had died and then a few months later lost his baby girl as well. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair.

  Julia remembered Edward when he was born and to have him taken from her, either as a young infant or now…

  A fresh bout of tears erupted from her and she held Zac as close as possible. She was crying not only for him but for the pain any parent would have felt upon having their baby taken from them in death.

  Finally, she raised her head and looked up at him. She hiccuped and he smiled down at her.

  ‘Shall we go?’

  Julia looked over at the plaques once more, empathising with Cara for never being able to hold her little girl in her arms. Feeling for Zoe, who would have been so tiny and fragile. Then she returned her attention to the man in her arms. The man who was still alive and living with these memories every day of his life. Not only with the memories of his wife and daughter but also the horrific images from the war-torn country he’d worked in.

  The man she loved with all her heart.

  ‘Thank you,’ she whispered, and leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips. There was nothing romantic about it and neither of them pursued it. She nodded. ‘Let’s go.’

  Neither of them spoke much on the drive home but it was a comfortable silence, Zac holding her hand the entire way. When they arrived back at Vanessa’s, Edward greeted her enthusiastically at the door, giving his mother a big hug.

  Julia held onto him so tightly, so possessively. Her baby.

  ‘Mummy, you hurting me,’ he complained, and she loosened her grip, kissing him three times before letting go.

  ‘Are you OK?’ Vanessa asked with concern.

  Julia nodded. ‘Thanks for looking after him.’

  ‘You’re welcome. He was no trouble at all.’

  Zac excused himself and went upstairs, leaving Julia and Vanessa to stare after him. Julia was worried about him and wondered whether she should go after him.

  ‘Best leave him for a while,’ Vanessa said, and Julia looked at her friend. ‘I can see that you’re concerned—I am, too, but Zac just needs a little space. He’ll be fine.’

  Julia narrowed her gaze. ‘Does this happen often?’

  Vanessa nodded and walked through to the kitchen, leaving Julia to follow. ‘Kettle’s just boiled. Want some tea?’

  ‘Sure.’

  Both women were silent while the tea was made and it wasn’t until they were sitting outside on the deck that Vanessa said softly, ‘Every time he comes here and sees the children, the pain of what he’s lost is evident in his eyes. Only for a second,’ she added. ‘He loves our children and he’s very good with them—the perfect uncle.’

  Julia agreed. ‘He’s been great with Edward this weekend.’

  ‘That’s not hard. He’s adorable,’ her friend said sincerely.

  Julia smiled but slowly it faded as her thoughts turned once more to Zac’s daughter. ‘Even to think about having Edward taken from me…’ She choked, unable to continue, and Vanessa agreed.

  ‘But we can’t think like that. Zac has come to terms with his loss but that still doesn’t make the emotions any easier to deal with at times.’

  They settled into a melancholy silence before being interrupted by the twins. Vanessa went to settle the dispute and while she was gone Zac came out with his own cup of tea.

  ‘How are you doing?’ he asked quietly as he sat in the chair his sister had vacated.

  Julia smiled. ‘I’m more concerned about you.’

  ‘I’m fine.’ He smiled as though to prove it. The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  ‘Remember who you’re talking to, Zac. I can tell when you’re lying.’

  He nodded and dropped the pretence. ‘Listen, Julia,’ he said seriously, and she held her breath, knowing he was about to say something serious.

  ‘Mummy! Mummy!’ Edward wailed as he came tearing out of the house, headed in her direction. She quickly put her cup on the ground just as he threw himself at her.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.

  ‘Dare biting, Mum. Dare biting.’

  ‘Who’s fighting?’ she asked, but the moment the words were out of her mouth she heard the yells from the twins inside. Next came Vanessa’s voice, telling them both to go to their rooms.

  ‘He’s not used to other children, especially siblings and the way they…argue,’ she explained to Zac, who had a concerned look on his face. ‘It’s all right, darling.’ She cradled Edward in her arms and explained what was happening, not sure that he fully comprehended her words.

  Vanessa came out, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. ‘Everything’s settled,’ she told them, and checked that Edward was all right.

  That was the last time Julia had all day to be alone with Zac. He’d lost his serious air and was as happy and as charming as he always was. She watched him playing happily with Edward and hope started to grow within her.

  When it was time to leave, Julia started to feel a little nervous about being alone with Zac. Should she tell him that she wanted more than just friendship with him? That she was in love with him? She’d come full circle and was now back to wondering whether or not they would have a future together.

  They said goodbye to Vanessa and her family, promising to see each other again soon. The drive proceeded in silence and Zac seemed lost in his thoughts.

  ‘I had a fantastic time,’ she said, about half an hour into their trip.

  ‘Good.’

  Julia checked the back seat and, sure enough, Edward was sound asleep.

  ‘I really appreciate you doing the driving, Zac.’

  ‘No problem. I enjoy it and I really didn’t want you hurting your back again.’

  ‘Well, I appreciate that as well.’

  He nodded.

  ‘Zac, was there something you were going to say to me back at Vanessa’s? This afternoon, before we were interrupted?’

  He was silent again and Julia thought he meant to ignore her, but she wasn’t going to let this drop. She wanted whatever it was out in the open.

  ‘You’re right. There is something I want to say but not while I’m driving. I don’t want to risk having an accident.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ she said and once more gazed out the window at the passing traffic. ‘What do you think about Bianca Hayden?’ The silence was unbearable and she needed to talk about something. ‘Do you think she’ll concentrate more on her recovery now that Mona is helping her out?’

  ‘Hopefully.’

  They discussed patients and work until they arrived back at Julia’s house. Zac switched off the engine and climbed out, not looking at Julia. She followed suit and opened the front door of her house.

  ‘Mum? We’re home,’ she called, and when she received no reply, she realised there were no lights on in the house. ‘Mum?’ she called, a little more cautiously. It was just after eight o’clock. Not early enough for her mother to go to bed.

  ‘Do you want me to carry Edward in?’ Zac asked, but Julia held up her hand as she strained to listen for any sounds coming from within the house.

  ‘Mum?’ she called again and ran up the hallway, pushing open her mother’s bedroom door. No one was there.

  ‘Maybe she’s gone out?’ Zac reasoned.

  Julia shook her head as an overwhelming sense of dread gripped her. ‘No.’ She rushed into the kitchen and checked the board where she and her mother left notes for each other. Nothing was written there.

  ‘No,’ she said again. ‘It’s something else. Something has happened.’ She reached for the phone and pointed to the door. ‘Just keep an eye on Edward in the car, please.’

  ‘Who are you calling?’ he asked as he headed for the door. Julia followed him with the cordless phone.

  ‘Jeffrey.’ She waited impatiently for him to pick up the phone and t
hen received a message that her call was being redirected. ‘Come on,’ she said, and told Zac what was happening. Finally he answered. ‘Jeffrey, it’s Julia.’

  ‘Oh, thank goodness you’ve called. I’ve been trying to reach you on your mobile but kept getting your answering service. Zac’s phone must be off.’

  ‘Where’s Mum?’

  ‘She’s here. At the hospital.’

  ‘The hospital!’ Her eyes were wide with fright as she looked at Zac who was already walking towards the car. ‘We’re on our way,’ she said, and disconnected the call. Slamming her front door shut, Julia sprinted to the car. The instant she was in, Zac started reversing.

  ‘Did he say what was wrong?’ Zac asked as Julia pulled her mobile phone from her bag. Sure enough, the battery was flat.

  ‘No. He said that he’d been trying to call both our mobile phones but that neither one was answering. My battery’s flat. Where’s your phone?’

  Zac groaned. ‘It’s in my bag in the back. It’s an unconscious thing that on my weekend off I turn that thing off. I’m a slave to it at every other time of the day and night.’

  ‘You don’t need to explain to me,’ she snapped, and when he looked across at her she immediately apologised.

  ‘Understood,’ he replied, and just when she could have used some reassurance from him, a squeeze of her hand, one of his heart-warming smiles, she got nothing, except safe driving.

  Which wasn’t to be sneezed at, she reminded herself. She wouldn’t do her mother any good if they were involved in a car accident. No, he was right to concentrate on the roads, but still…a small sign of affection would have gone a long way.

  Julia glanced into the back of the car to check on Edward—still sound asleep. He’d probably wake when she took him out of the car but it couldn’t be helped.

  Zac pulled the car into the ambulance parking bay and hurried inside, tossing the car keys to an orderly who would re-park Julia’s car. She undid Edward’s seat belt, murmuring quiet words to him as she hauled him out and cradled him in her arms. He whimpered and she kissed him.

  ‘It’s all right, darling,’ she crooned as she headed inside. The big bright lights of A and E made her son blink several times before he finally opened his eyes and his mouth to start crying.

  ‘Shh, baby. It’s all right,’ she crooned again as she hurried towards the treatment rooms. Several of the staff looked at her with surprise. It was obvious they all had no idea whose child she was carrying.

  ‘Is he OK?’ Triage sister asked.

  ‘He’s fine. I just had to wake him up to take him out of the car. What’s going on?’

  Zac rounded the corner as she spoke. ‘Your mother’s in T1, Jules. Here. Give me Edward.’ He held out his hands for her son and Julia thought things couldn’t be too good if he didn’t want her to take Edward in when she saw her mother. ‘He’ll be fine.’

  Julia nodded and kissed her son. ‘You go with Zac, darling. Mummy will be back in a minute.’

  ‘Mummy?’ she heard the triage sister mumble, but Julia had no time for anyone else, except for the woman who was in treatment room one. Opening the door, she gasped in shock as she saw her mother lying on the bed, a bruise on her face, a cut above her eyebrow and her right shoulder in a sling.

  ‘Oh, Mum,’ she gasped softly as she crossed to her mother’s side. She kissed her and asked, ‘What happened?’

  ‘Read the notes,’ Cassandra mumbled, and closed her eyes.

  Julia quickly scanned the necessary forms that gave the history of the patient’s injuries and how they’d been sustained. ‘You were mugged?’ She couldn’t believe it. According to the hospital records, her mother had been leaving the shopping centre and waiting for the bus when a man had attacked her and stolen her handbag. The ambulance and police had been called and Cassandra had been brought to the hospital.

  ‘They’ve taken very good care of me,’ Cassandra said quietly. ‘They asked me if I was related to their new Dr Bolton and when I said I was your mother, they contacted Jeffrey immediately.’

  Julia nodded. ‘Hospital protocol. The head surgeon should be contacted and as Zac wasn’t here, Jeffrey is next in line.’ She reread her mother’s list of injuries. Facial lacerations and bruises and query fractured scapula. They were currently waiting for the radiographs to be processed.

  ‘Jeffrey said he’d get hold of you so I haven’t been worried. Where’s Edward?’

  ‘He’s with Zac.’

  ‘Go and check on him, dear, and put my mind at rest.’

  ‘All right,’ she said, and kissed her mother once more. ‘You’ll be fine.’

  ‘I have no doubt about it,’ Cassandra replied and closed her eyes to rest.

  Julia wasn’t sure where Zac might have taken Edward so she tried the tearoom first. They were in there all right. Zac had Edward firmly on his knee, his big arms around her son, and was playing This Little Piggy Went To Market with one of Edward’s feet. Both little shoes were on the floor and Edward was giggling as Zac tickled him.

  Julia’s heart turned over at the sight of both man and boy laughing, two sets of blue eyes twinkling happily. The two males she loved the most—and here they were, in front of her, enjoying each other’s company. Any awkwardness that Zac had initially felt upon learning of Edward’s existence two short weeks ago seemed to have vanished. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat just as Zac looked up. His smile didn’t disappear as she’d thought it would and instead he motioned her in.

  ‘Again. Again,’ Edward squealed, and Zac’s deep laughter rumbled, causing Julia to smile as well.

  ‘What are you two doing?’ she asked as she tickled Edward’s tummy. ‘And where have your shoes gone, cheeky monkey?’

  ‘Day on da floor,’ he told her with another giggle, and pointed downwards.

  Julia’s heart turned over again with love for Zac. He’d taken Edward, making him happy. That was more than any mother could have asked for, but this had just been one isolated occasion. After her marriage to Ian, Julia had always been sceptical of men and their motives, but with Zac she trusted him implicitly, especially when it came to her son. How could she not trust him when she loved him so completely?

  ‘All right, darling,’ she said as she took Edward off Zac’s knee. ‘We’d better get you sorted out.’ Her mind raced ahead, knowing she needed someone to look after Edward while she waited here at the hospital for her mother.

  ‘No. I wanna stay wif Zac,’ he said, and lunged for the man in question. Julia held her son firmly, which wasn’t easy as he kept wriggling. She pulled a chair out and sat down.

  ‘Listen, sweetheart,’ she said, ‘Grandma had a little accident and she’s a bit hurt.’

  Edward’s eyes grew wide with surprise. ‘Gr’ma hurt? Oh, no,’ he said, his gaze now displaying worry. Julia kissed his head with love.

  ‘Zac is going to make Grandma all better.’ Julia knew without even asking that Zac would be performing any surgery her mother might need to fix the scapula back into position, should it be required. It was against hospital protocol for her to operate or even assist with her mother’s treatment.

  ‘So we need to let Zac go and see how Grandma is and then tomorrow, when you’ve had a good sleep, you can come back and see her.’

  ‘And Zac?’ Edward asked, looking at the man beside her.

  Julia didn’t answer, not knowing whether Zac would want that. After all, they’d both be here tomorrow—Monday. Business as usual. Again her mind was racing. How was she going to care for Edward while her mother was in hospital?

  ‘Of course, mate,’ Zac said. ‘I’d better go,’ he said softly to Julia. ‘I’ll let you know what’s happening.’

  ‘I’d appreciate it,’ she replied. Zac turned and headed towards the door. As he did so, Jeffrey walked in.

  ‘Jeffwe,’ Edward said excitedly and scrambled off Julia’s knee, launching himself at Jeffrey.

  ‘Hello, mate,’ Jeffrey said, and picked him up. He look
ed at Zac. ‘You on your way to see Cassandra?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Keep me informed,’ he ordered, and Zac left. ‘Sorry,’ he said as he crossed to Julia’s side. ‘How are you, scallywag?’ He also tickled Edward’s tummy and the little boy giggled again. ‘I’ve been held up with the police report but everything seems to be in order now.’

  ‘Thanks, Jeffrey,’ Julia said, and kissed his cheek.

  ‘Hey, that’s what family’s for,’ he told her seriously.

  ‘Excuse me,’ Triage Sister said from the doorway. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but your wife is looking for you, Dr McArthur. Shall I bring her in?’

  ‘Please,’ he said with a nod. Moments later Mona came in and it was her turn to have the missile named Edward launched at her.

  ‘Hello, gorgeous,’ she said, and bent down to kiss him. She came over and pulled out a chair. Edward scrambled from one person’s knee to the next, wanting to tell Mona and Jeffrey everything that had happened on his ‘holiday’ in Bwisb’ne. They listened intently before Julia found a piece of paper and a pen so that he could do a special drawing for Grandma.

  ‘I don’t want you to worry about anything,’ Mona told Julia. ‘Jeffrey and I have worked everything out.’

  ‘We’ll sleep at your place this evening in the guest room. Mona can drive Edward home now, while you and I wait for some results on the operation. Tomorrow, Mona will spend some time with Edward in the morning before bringing him into the hospital so he can see Cassandra.’

  ‘What about Bianca Hayden?’ Julia asked.

  ‘I’ve arranged to spend an hour with her tomorrow,’ Mona said.

  Jeffrey cut in, ‘Right, so while she’s doing that, Edward can come up and play in my office.’

  Julia gave a grateful smile. ‘That’s kind of you but I feel terrible about letting him disrupt your routines like this.’ Julia didn’t usually like people taking charge of her life but for the moment she knew she had to accept the help both Mona and Jeffrey were offering. If it had been anyone else, she would have turned them down flat, but this was Jeffrey and Mona. People who had been there to help and support her from the moment she’d kicked Ian out.