‘Tell them to phone back,’ he said curtly, not taking his eyes off the monitor screen that was displaying the baby’s heartbeat, oxygen levels and blood pressure, all vital pieces of information.
‘I’m sorry, sir, but the caller was very insistent.’ Grace hesitated, obviously wary of the fallout that could follow from interrupting him. She rushed on. ‘She said something about your son going missing.’
Elliot felt his stomach go into freefall. He had to make a concerted effort to hold himself together. ‘Put her on the speaker phone,’ he snapped.
Grace nodded to another nurse who was standing behind the glass viewing screen and a moment later Mrs Danton’s voice could be heard. Elliot felt his stomach sink even more when he heard the panic in her voice. ‘It’s Joseph, Dr Grey. He’s gone missing. He’s supposed to stay at school for chess club on a Thursday but the head teacher has just rung to say there’s no sign of him.’
‘Have they checked everywhere?’ he demanded. ‘Maybe he’s in the toilets or gone back to his classroom—’
‘No, they’ve looked and there’s no sign of him anywhere,’ Mrs Danton said, cutting him off. ‘I didn’t know what to do, whether I should call the police, which is why I phoned you.’
‘I want you to phone the police immediately and explain what’s happened. Then speak to the head again and let her know what you’ve done. The police will need to speak to her and we don’t want to waste time tracking her down if she’s gone home.’ Elliot felt as though his head was going to burst as he tried to think what else needed to be done but all he could think about was Joseph being out on his own... He blanked out the thought because he couldn’t deal with it. ‘I’ll be home as soon as I can. In the meantime, I want you to stay there in case he comes back. Understand?’
Silence filled the room when the line went dead. Elliot took a deep breath to steady himself. Although the only thing he wanted to do was to find Joseph, he couldn’t leave. Not yet. This baby would die if the operation didn’t go ahead and then there would be another family grieving. It was the starkest of choices: his son or someone else’s son, yet he knew what he had to do, knew that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if the baby died because he had failed him.
In that moment, he realised that the transformation was complete. He could never go back to the way he had been and he didn’t want to either. Maybe it did hurt to allow his emotions free rein but it was better than living in an emotional wasteland. Sadness, joy, happiness and grief all had their place. So had fear. And love. Could one counteract the other? he wondered as he gave the signal to start the machine. He hoped so. If love could conquer his fear then maybe he could have Polly back in his life. He needed her more than ever at this moment!
* * *
Polly was making herself a sandwich when she heard a knock on the front door. Wiping her hands on a tea towel, she went to answer it and was shocked to find Elliot standing outside. ‘What are you doing here?’ she exclaimed.
‘Joseph’s gone missing,’ he said tersely.
‘Missing?’
‘Yes. He was supposed to stay behind at school for chess club but he didn’t turn up and nobody seems to know where he’s gone.’ He dragged his hand through his hair and she could see that he was trembling. ‘He’s been acting strangely for a while and now this—’
‘Come in,’ Polly said as his voice broke. She led him into the sitting room and made him sit down. ‘What do you mean by acting strangely? In which way?’
‘He’s been disruptive in class and even got into a fight with another boy. And when he’s at home, he keeps ignoring Mrs Danton when she asks him to do anything.’ His eyes were filled with fear when he looked at her. ‘It’s not like him, Polly. Oh, I know he can be difficult at times—all kids can, I expect. But he’s never behaved like this before.’
‘Something’s obviously upset him. Do you have any idea what it might be?’ she asked, her heart aching at the thought of what Joseph might be going through.
‘No, none at all. He’s been asking about you and when we’ll see you again so it might be that, although it seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?’
‘It does.’ She bit her lip but the idea needed to be considered. ‘You don’t think he’s heard those rumours, do you?’
‘About us?’ He shrugged. ‘I doubt it. Anyway, it’s far more likely that he’d be pleased at the thought of you and me rather than upset. He’s very fond of you, Polly.’
‘I’m very fond of him too,’ she said, feeling a lump come to her throat.
‘I know you are.’ He covered her hand with his and she had the feeling that he wanted to say something more before he thought better of it. He stood up abruptly. ‘I’d better go. I’m going to drive around and see if I can find him. He can’t have gone that far.’
‘I’ll have a look as well,’ she said immediately. ‘I know the area better than you do so I can check any places you might miss.’
‘Thank you. I appreciate it, especially after what’s happened.’ Capturing her hands, he drew her to him. ‘I know this isn’t the right time, but once this is over then we need to talk, Polly.’
‘I’m not sure if we have anything to talk about,’ she said, her voice catching.
‘Oh, I think we do.’ Bending, he kissed her softly on the mouth then left.
Polly put her fingers to her lips, shuddering when she felt the warmth of his mouth imprinted on hers. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions but there had been something in his voice that filled her with a sudden sense of hope. Was Elliot ready to put the past behind him at last? The idea was just too immense to deal with right then. She had something more pressing to worry about now, namely finding Joseph. However, once he was safely back home then she would think about it, not only think but ask questions too. She sighed. There was still a long way to go. She needed to be sure that Elliot was ready to make a lifetime’s commitment. Nothing less would do.
* * *
By eight o’clock Elliot was frantic with worry. There was still no sign of Joseph. The police had interviewed his classmates but they had been unable to shed any light on his whereabouts either. In another hour it would be dark and the thought of his son being out on his own at night terrified the life out of him. Joseph had to be somewhere! He couldn’t just disappear. It was finding him that was proving so difficult.
In the end, Elliot went home to check if Joseph had made his way back there. If he thought he was in trouble for going missing then he might have hidden in one of the outbuildings. Elliot checked the shed and the disused stables even though the police had already searched them. He also searched the garden, looking behind the bushes and calling Joseph’s name, but there was no sign of him there. The police had taken away one of his sweaters as they were bringing in the sniffer dogs in the hope they might be able to track him down. They had also alerted the local search and rescue team and they were out on the hills, looking for him, although it was unlikely he could have got very far in his wheelchair.
Elliot knew that everything possible was being done but it still wasn’t enough. He couldn’t bear to imagine what his life would be like if they never found him. He loved him so much and if—when!—he got him home again he would tell him that, just as he intended to tell Polly how much he loved her. One thing was certain after this: he was going to make sure the people he loved knew how he felt!
* * *
Polly scoured the town, checking all the nooks and crannies where a child might hide, but there was no sign of Joseph anywhere. She drew up outside the store and hurried inside to buy a bottle of water before she continued her search. It was a warm, dry evening and her only consolation was that at least Joseph wasn’t out in bad weather. Maureen Bishop was serving behind the counter and she raised her eyes when she saw Polly come in.
‘Are you looking for that little lad that’s gone missing?’
She carried on when Polly nodded. ‘I thought you were, you being such a good friend of his father and all. He must have got lost on the way to your place. I gave him directions but it’s a long way, especially in a wheelchair.’
‘I’m sorry, but are you saying that you gave Joseph directions to Dr Andrews’ house?’ Polly queried.
‘No, of course not!’ Maureen said indignantly. ‘I sent him to Primrose Cottage. That’s where you’ve been living since you and Martin split up, isn’t it?’
Polly didn’t wait to hear anything else as she raced out of the shop. Was it possible that Joseph had gone all the way to the cottage to look for her? She sped through the town, praying that she wouldn’t meet any traffic on the way. It was getting dark when she drew up and she switched on the headlights, using the light from them to search the front garden as well as the lane. She could hear the river flowing past in the background and paused, remembering how Joseph had loved the sight of the water when they’d been at the waterfall that day. Was it possible that he had gone to look at the river?
She raced around the side of the cottage, her heart leaping into her throat when she saw his wheelchair on the riverbank. There was no sign of Joseph, however, and her fear intensified as she made her way to the edge of the bank and peered down into the water, gasping in dismay when she spotted him clinging hold of some bulrushes. The lower half of his body was in the water and it was clear that he hadn’t been able to pull himself out.
Polly scrambled down the bank and waded in, shivering as the cold water rose to the level of her thighs. Wrapping her arm around Joseph’s waist, she lifted him clear of the water. ‘I’m going to help you back up the bank, sweetheart,’ she explained, feeling him trembling with a combination of cold and fear. ‘Try to grab hold of the plants, will you? It will make it easier.’
Joseph nodded, too exhausted to speak. Polly took a firmer grip on him, knowing that it was vital that she got him out of the water as quickly as possible. Even in the middle of summer the water temperature in British rivers was barely above freezing point and she knew how quickly hypothermia could set in. The thought seemed to give her added strength so that she was able to boost Joseph up until he reached the top of the bank. Once she was sure he wouldn’t slip back down again, she hauled herself out. They were both soaking wet and covered in mud but it was Joseph she was concerned about. She needed to get him out of his wet clothes and into something dry.
She fetched the wheelchair over and helped him into it then hurried him back to her car. She had an assortment of spare clothes in the boot so once she had stripped him and rubbed him dry, she dressed him in those. Pulling the hood of her raincoat over his head, she bent down beside him. ‘Do you know how long you were in the water, sweetheart?’
‘No, but it felt like ages.’ Tears welled in his eyes and he started to cry. ‘I thought nobody would find me.’
‘It must have been very scary,’ Polly said, hugging him tight. ‘You’ve been very brave. Not many little boys could have held onto those bulrushes the way you did. Now, I’m going to take you home to your dad. He will be so pleased to see you.’
‘He won’t be cross, will he?’ Joseph looked beseechingly at her.
‘No, he’ll just be glad to have you back home,’ she assured him.
Opening the passenger door, she helped him into the car and fastened his seat belt. The wheelchair was much too heavy for her to lift so she left it outside the cottage for Elliot to collect later. It didn’t take long to drive to The Old Smithy. Polly pulled into the drive and sounded the horn. Joseph had fallen asleep on the way, worn out by his adventures, and there was no way she could lift him out and carry him inside. Elliot appeared almost immediately, the worry on his face changing to relief when he saw his son. He came rushing over to her.
‘Where did you find him?’
‘Primrose Cottage. He must have gone there to find me, although I’ve not asked him why.’ She got out of the car, grimacing when her shoes squelched. ‘He’d fallen into the river and couldn’t get out again so I had to go in after him. Fortunately, I had some dry clothes in the car and put them on him, but I don’t know how long he was in the water so you’ll have to keep an eye on him. He was very cold.’
‘I don’t know what to say.’ Elliot shook his head. ‘There aren’t enough words to thank you, Polly. If you hadn’t gone looking for him—’ He broke off and shuddered.
‘Don’t think about it.’ She touched his hand. ‘Just concentrate on making sure Joseph is all right.’
‘I will, but I shall be grateful to you for ever, Polly.’ His eyes filled with tears all of a sudden. ‘I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him.’ He paused then carried on and she couldn’t fail to hear the conviction in his voice. ‘I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you, either.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
POLLY PICKED UP a towel and started to rub herself dry. Elliot was in the bathroom with Joseph and she could hear the murmur of their voices coming along the landing. He had telephoned the police and informed them that Joseph had been found, safe and well. Although they would need to talk to Joseph to find out why he had gone missing, they had agreed to leave it until the following day. She had been going to drive straight back to Beth’s house to shower and change but Elliot had insisted that she used the en suite bathroom attached to his bedroom. It was obvious that he wanted her there, although there was no guarantee that it meant anything, even after what he had said earlier. He probably felt beholden to her for finding Joseph.
Disappointment rippled through her but she tried her best to ignore it. Taking the bathrobe off the hook on the back of the door, she slipped it on. It was far too big for her but her clothes were in the washing machine and they wouldn’t be ready for some time. She rolled up the sleeves and tied the belt tightly around her waist then made her way along the landing, smiling when she stopped outside the bathroom. It was good to see the two people who had come to mean so much to her laughing together.
‘Looks like you two are having fun,’ she said, going to join them.
‘Oh, we are.’ Elliot scooped up a handful of soap suds and deposited them on Joseph’s head. ‘What do you think of his new hairstyle, Polly? A definite improvement, wouldn’t you say?’
‘I would.’ Polly laughed when Joseph promptly retaliated, placing a handful of bubbles on Elliot’s chin. ‘Hmm, I rather like the white beard. Very appropriate for your age, I have to say.’
‘Careful, or you could end up with a few improvements of your own,’ Elliot warned her, his eyes gleaming with laughter. ‘What do you think, Joseph?’
‘Yes!’ Joseph grinned as he scooped up a handful of suds. He formed them into a ball and threw them at Polly, laughing when she was showered with soap suds. ‘You look as if you’ve been snowed on!’
‘Oh, you’ll be sorry you did that, young man!’ Polly retorted, dipping her hand into the foam. Elliot joined in as well so that very soon the bathroom was covered in soap suds.
‘Right, I think it’s time you came out of there, Joseph, before you turn into a prune,’ Elliot declared, pulling out the plug. He wrapped Joseph in a towel and picked him up.
‘I’ll clear up in here while you dry him,’ Polly offered.
‘Thanks. That will save me a job.’
Polly felt her heart lift when he smiled at her. Maybe she was in danger of reading more into it than it actually meant, but she didn’t think so. The thought stayed with her as she mopped up the mess. It took a while before everywhere was set to rights again and, by the time she had finished, Joseph was in bed. She went over and kissed him, feeling a lump come to her throat when he wound his arms around her neck and hugged her.
‘I love you, Polly,’ he declared.
‘And I love you too, sweetheart,’ she replied, praying that she wasn’t doing the wrong thing by saying th
at. After all, there was no guarantee that Elliot wanted her to play any part in Joseph’s life, was there?
‘And you don’t mind if my legs don’t work like other boys’ and girls’ legs do?’
‘Of course not!’ Polly exclaimed. ‘I think you are a very special little boy. No wonder your daddy is so proud of you. I am too.’
‘George said that you wouldn’t want me ’cos of my legs,’ Joseph told her guilelessly. ‘He heard his mummy talking and she said that she wouldn’t want a child who couldn’t walk and that you wouldn’t want me either.’
‘That isn’t true,’ Polly said firmly. She glanced at Elliot and went cold when she saw the expression on his face. It was obvious that he had retreated into himself again and she couldn’t help wondering if it might be permanent. She forced the thought aside because she needed to make sure that Joseph understood how wrong he was. ‘It doesn’t matter if your legs don’t work, sweetheart. You are still the bravest little boy I have ever met and I’d be very proud if you were mine.’
She kissed him again, aware that she had overstepped the mark by miles by saying that. Her heart was racing as she made her way downstairs while Elliot tucked Joseph up. Every word she’d said was true, but how would Elliot feel about it?
* * *
Elliot felt as though his head was about to burst. Had Polly meant what she’d said? Was she really willing to take on the responsibility of a child with a handicap like Joseph’s? It was a huge commitment for any woman and Polly wasn’t just any woman—she was the woman he loved. He longed for it to be true but he was afraid to let himself hope that it was. He knew that if Polly hadn’t meant it then it would be the end for them. He couldn’t and wouldn’t risk Joseph’s heart being broken by being let down again.
Polly was standing by the fireplace when Elliot went into the sitting room. Her head was bowed and the expression on her face made his stomach churn. It was obvious that she was having second thoughts and he knew what about too. Oh, maybe she had meant to be kind, but she should never have told Joseph that and led him to think that she wanted to be part of his life. Elliot felt a rush of anger seize him. She should never have led him to believe that she wanted to be part of his life either!
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