by Ceri Bladen
He cursed when he realised he had squashed the cup, the coffee running down his black trousers onto his shoes. Eric, who was sitting on an uncomfortable hospital chair, handed him his cotton handkerchief from his suit pocket. Daniel looked at his friend, he looked tired too.
“Why don’t you head back to get some shut eye? I will call you if there is any news.”
Eric slowly shook his head. “No way am I leaving you here on your own. I care about Ella too, you know. I’ve grown to love her…” Daniel raised his eyebrows, Eric smiled, “… as a sister. I am well aware that you are in love with her and have been for a while.
Too be truthful, I wasn’t too happy at first when she was with Jeff, but…” Eric ran his hands over his face, his tiredness making thoughts slower. “I am really happy for you both. When, and I mean when, Ella recovers, I know that you will have a great life together.”
Daniel aimed and threw the broken cup into the rubbish bin, his lips thinned. “I wish I had your faith in her recovery.” He paused and turned back towards Eric. “But I do know that if she does recover, that is it, no more other women. Ella will be the only one for me. I intend to do it on a permanent basis too. I want her to become my wife.”
Tears popped into Eric’s eyes, he tried to wipe them away quickly before he got up to give his friend a hug. He squeezed him tight, just as the adjacent swinging doors swung open and a Doctor emerged. Eric nudged his friend around. “Looks like we might have some news.”
Daniel swivelled around quickly and all but leapt towards the Doctor. “Tell me, is Ella alright? Did the surgery go well?”
Daniel studied the Doctor’s drawn expression. He was tired too, having been in surgery for six hours. A small smile teetered on his lips. “Well, Miss Hender is still in a serious condition, but luckily the bullet missed any major organs. She lost a lot of blood, so we have had to give her a transfusion. The next 24 hours will be critical, so she will be closely monitored, but I am hoping we have done enough for her to pull through.”
Daniel felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He realised that she was still in danger, but there was hope. The doctor had just given him some, hadn’t he? “Can I see her?”
“Well, hospital policy is that only family can see her while she is in recovery.”
Daniel didn’t hesitate, “I’m her fiancé.” Eric looked at his friend while he tried to hide a smile.
“Well in that case, the nurse will show you in. She will not respond for a while. Her body is still pumped with drugs. But you can sit with her if you like.” The Doctor turned to nurse, who Daniel had failed to notice, he was so intent on the Doctor.
He followed her when she indicated for him too. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn’t notice people nudging each other and pointing as he passed.
Other than the beeping of the machines, Daniel entered a dimly lit, quiet room. He looked towards the bed. Christ, Ella was so still. He stood by the door for a moment, his feet wouldn’t move. Too many emotions were rushing through his system, fear, helplessness, anger, love.
He slowly moved towards her, picking up an uncomfortable looking chair on the way. He placed it down quietly not to disturb her, then realised with a jolt that it would take more than a scrapping chair to disturb her at the moment.
Tenderly, he placed her cold hand in between his, hoping by sandwiching hers between his, some warmth may creep back in.
He pushed a stray hair off her forehead. Come back to me, my Darling.
Somewhere during the night, tiredness finally got the better of Daniel. He put his head gently on the side of the bed, Ella’s hand still firmly in his.
Something disturbed him, his mind tried to drag itself from its slumber. Something was wrong. What was that annoying sound?
Daniel shook his head to get rid of some of the fog that was clouding his brain. Was it his alarm? He was disorientated and momentarily unaware of where he was. His stomach nearly retched as reality hit, alarms started to go off and nurses rushed in.
He was pushed aside, fog clouded him again. It was like watching from afar, just like before. Never in his life had he felt so useless.
“Come on, get the paddles, we’re losing her…”
~~~~
Calm had descended on the room once again, although there was no calm inside Daniel. He couldn’t remember ever feeling as scared as he had done in the last 24 hours. First, seeing Ella lying in a pool of blood, then, watching the Doctors and Nurses trying to get her heart started again. He thought his heart had stopped the same time too, it was being crushed so much.
He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
Hours came and went. Visitors came and went. Daniel had lost all sense of what was happening outside the hospital room, he didn’t want to know. His only priority was lying still in the middle of the bed.
He continued talking to her lifeless body. “Look, I even told Scarlett there was no chance of me and her hooking up. I told her I love you. She wasn’t happy at first, but she is a good woman, she understood in the end. Eric said…”
He stopped suddenly, he was sure she fluttered her eyes and slightly squeezed his hand. Christ, he got a reaction mentioning Scarlett - he wished he had mentioned her hours before! “Nurse, Nurse. She’s awake! She’s awake!”
A Nurse came rushing in, “Quieten down now, Mr Spittle. You will be waking everyone with that hollering,” she reprimanded with a smile on her lips.
After tests and rest, Daniel sat back on the uncomfortable chair, but he didn’t care. Ella was alive, weak, but alive.
He held her hand, kissing the palm. He used his other to tenderly brush her hair off her face. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t talk back to him yet. The Nurse said that she was to keep quiet for her throat to heal after the tubes. He didn’t think he had ever rambled as much.
“I’m so glad you are back with me, my Darling. No one is going to hurt you ever again. Actually, I don’t think I am going to let you out of my sight ever again.” He kissed her hand which was still squeezed between his fingers. “Of course, that is if you want to be with me.” He was joking, trying to keep it light. He hoped with all his heart that she wanted the same as him.
He watched her give him a shaky smile while she looked at him, her eyes misting with tears. He hoped they were tears because she was happy and wanted the same as him, not tears of regret.
On noticing a shadow, Daniel saw her look towards the door. A tear released and slid down her cheek.
Daniel swivelled in his chair towards the noise. Jeff was standing there…
Chapter 28
Months later…
Ella squeezed her eyes tight, she didn’t want to see. She twisted her head away so she wouldn’t be tempted to peek and witness what was happening.
Would it hurt too much to see Daniel with another woman? It was bad enough seeing him gaze at another woman with so much longing in his eyes. When he bended his head towards a kiss, passionate, no doubt, Ella knew she couldn’t look any longer. The stress was too much.
A hand covered her tightly screwed-up hand, the same time as she felt a kick. She jumped and heard Daniels throaty laugh next to her. She peeked sideward towards him.
Daniel bent his head down toward her and whispered. “Remember Mrs Spittle, it is on the screen, not real life.”
She wiggled down further into her cinema seat. She whispered back, not to disturb anyone watching the film. “I know! It’s just so weird watching my husband kissing another woman, beautiful Scarlett at that!” She looked back towards the screen, a pout forming on her lips.
“Her name is Ava in the film, remember.” Daniel leaned across and gave her a kiss on her pouting lips. He then bent and gave her large stomach a kiss too.
“Remember, my love. The only ones I will be kissing for real is you…” He leaned in, and as much as the cinema seats would allow, gave her a toe curling kiss, “…and in one month, those two babies you are carry
ing in there.” He ran a soothing hand over her protruding stomach.
Ella grabbed his hand and kissed the palm, a feeling of contentment waved through her.
How much had her life had changed in the last few months? She had met Daniel, now her wonderful husband, along with Eric, an amazing, wonderful friend. She smiled at Eric, who was sitting the other side of her.
She had been shot by Daniel’s stalker, but apart from the scars that went along with it, Ella tried not to think about that incident too much. They had seen Lindsey, at court, get the mental medical care that she needed.
She had given her blessing to Jeff, who was marrying Claire, the one he had been seeing behind her back. She was genuinely pleased for him.
She had seen her article, The Life of Daniel Spittle, skyrocket in sales, mainly due to the fact that the article contained first-hand experience of a stalker and a shooting!
And the icing on the cake was she had become pregnant with twins, something her mother now told her, ran in the family!
The cherry was that she was now sitting with various stars in the first screening, the Premiere, of Daniel and Scarlett’s film. Could I have packed anymore in? She laughed to herself.
She looked back towards the screen and suddenly gasped. “Daniel?”
“Yes, love?” He replied, his eyes averted towards the screen.
“Do you think we can go home?” She asked quietly.
This time he turned towards her. He bent to keep his voice down. “It is only half way through.” He noticed tears in her eyes. “But if you are finding it too difficult to watch me with Scarlett, even though you know I am acting, we will go.”
Ella turned towards him, which wasn’t too easy with her large stomach, she gave him a nervous smile. “It isn’t that darling. I think we have two babies that have decided they would like to see the film too!” Ella laughed as, even in the cinema’s darkness, she could see the colour drain out of his face.
A huge grin split his handsome face. “Hey, everyone!” He shouted, while he stood up.
Ella tried to quieten him with a Ssshhh!
“I’m about to become a Dad!”
A cheer went around the cinema.
Did you enjoy reading about Daniel Spittle and Ella Hender?
Find out what happens to their good friend, Eric Spalding, in Personae. Available in 2013.
Eric watched her make her way across the room, talking to each and every person. The anticipation that she was making her way over to him, made him forget why he was there in the first place.
He was able to study her, while she was unaware of his gaze. Her hair was cropped short and dyed red, bright red, which suited her little pixie shaped face. Little delicate star earrings adorned her lobes.
Eric, being an author, loved ‘people watching’ and found her fascinating to observe. To the outside world, she had a quick smile for everyone, but it was her eyes that gave something away. They were bright and alert, but something was hidden behind them.
Was it fear? What was she hiding? Or was she hiding from something?
Eric realised he craved to find out…
Table of Contents
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28