Through the Glass

by Lisa J. Hobman

  “Hi, Norah. Any change?” His words were hopeful as always. But as always, Norah’s words did nothing to fan the flames of his hope.

  “Not yet, sweetie. But she’s a tough cookie. We haven’t given up and neither has she.” She patted his shoulder as she did every other time and left him.

  He clutched a piece of paper to his chest. It was a print out of an email that Julian had sent him. It showed the front page of The Glaswegian, the headline of which read, Mystery Artist Takes Glasgow By Storm. He intended to read it to Flick as he sat with her.

  “Hey, gorgeous. You’re looking brighter today.” He spoke softly, leaning in close to kiss her forehead. “I think you have a bit more colour to your cheeks.” He pulled up a chair and held her hand as he read the article to her. He watched for any response as he read but received none. “Anyway, it sounds like the exhibition is going down really well. People just love your work, Flick. I want to take you to see it soon, so you need to wake up…Flick? Wake up for me, eh? Please.”

  Nothing.

  Feeling lost and drained, he leaned his head on the bed beside her hand and eventually dozed off.

  He dreamed about Flick again. This time they were lying on a bed in a white room. She was stroking his hair as he looked lovingly into her eyes. He touched her cheek and covered her mouth with his own. He feathered her cheeks and eyes with kisses. “Please don’t leave me again, sweetheart. I couldn’t bear it,” he whispered. She didn’t speak. “I keep losing you. I don’t want to keep losing you.” She simply stared into his eyes and ran her hands through his hair over and over. “I love you,” he told her again.

  But no sooner had he said that than she started to drift away from him. Tears trailed down her beautiful face, and she held out her hands to reach for him. He grabbed for her and managed to pull her back. Her hands found his hair again and he leaned in to kiss her. “Don’t go…please don’t go, Flick…don’t go.” But she began to drift away again. He tried to call after her but his throat constricted trapping the words before they could be spoken.

  His eyes sprang open. His breath was huffing in and out in short, sharp spurts. It took a moment for him to realise he was still beside her in the hospital, lying with his face turned away from her. He could still feel her hand stroking his hair as if it had been real…wait a second…that is real. He sat bolt upright and turned toward her face.

  “Oh my God!” He jumped to his feet and leaned over her. “Flick, it’s me, Jim!” His voice was urgent and panicked. He stroked her cheek waiting for a response. Her eyes fluttered open weakly.

  Shakily, she reached her hand to his cheek. “Jim…please take me home.”

  His eyes stung with the tears that threatened to overspill. Okay, she knew who he was, but did she know what had happened? Did she know where she was? Did she know what she was saying?

  He took a deep calming breath. “And where’s home, Flick?”

  “Wherever you are, Jim.”

  Chapter 29

  Jim paced around the family room as he nervously chewed at the skin around his nails. Why had they rushed him out? It was a good thing that she had gained consciousness. This wasn’t one of those scenarios where she suddenly wakes up to say goodbye and then dies, was it? Fuck! No it can’t be like that. It just can’t.

  Penny burst into the room. “Jim! They won’t let me see her! What’s going on?” The anguish in her eyes tugged at his heart.

  He pulled her into him. “I don’t know, Penny. She woke up, and then when I called for the doctor they ushered me out and asked me to wait in here. It’s driving me mad.” They hugged, clinging onto to each other as they waited.

  After half an hour, Doctor Guzman finally came into the family room. He asked them to sit. Jim didn’t like that. It made him think the worst.

  Dr. Guzman smiled warmly. “Jim, you look terrified.”

  “I am terrified. Please…what’s going on?”

  “Okay, well she has regained full consciousness, which is marvellous. We have done the necessary tests, and we are very pleased to see that cognitive function appears to be unharmed. Felicity’s just speaking with Detective Rand and telling him what she remembers of the events leading up to her being discovered in the rest room. She’s a little upset as you can imagine, now that she’s aware of the implications of being in here. But all in all, she’s very fortunate to have escaped permanent damage. Now I know it’s tempting to go in there all guns blazing…talking to her, asking questions, etc. But I feel it would be best if you let her be for today.”

  Jim stood, holding his hands up. “Whoa…no way, mate. I’m not leaving her. Never again am I leaving her.”

  The doctor placed a firm hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Jim, believe me, I understand fully how hard it must be to hear this, but she’s been though quite a traumatic ordeal both physically and now emotionally, and from hereon in, it may be a bumpy ride as she’s learning about what’s happened to her. She needs time to process it all and to maybe let things sink in. She has a lot to come to terms with here.”

  Jim exhaled what felt like all of the air from his lungs as he sat down again. “Please, Doctor Guzman. Please, you don’t understand. I have to talk to her, even if it’s just for a few minutes. And her mum will want that, too. We won’t overcrowd her. I can promise you that. We’ll even go in separately if that’s better but please.” He pleaded and prayed that the doctor would understand.

  Doctor Guzman pursed his lips and for a moment it seemed like he was sticking to his guns. “Fine. Five minutes each and then you go and come back tomorrow. That’s my final say on the matter.”

  “Thank you, Doctor Guzman. Thank you.” Penny was wringing her handkerchief.

  “Aye, thanks for that.” Jim nodded. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help, doctor.”

  Back in the room, Felicity was slightly more elevated in her bed. Her face brightened as she saw Jim enter. He rushed to her bedside and leaned in to stroke her hair back and kiss her forehead.

  “Hi, gorgeous. How’re you feeling?” He caressed her face lovingly.

  “Jim…you came all the way to America for me?” Her lip trembled and a tear escaped the corner of her eye. He caught it with his thumb.

  “Of course I did. I couldn’t stay away. I…I couldn’t believe that you were alive when I was told. When that plane crash happened…I thought….that you were gone…that I’d lost you. I had to come and see for myself that you were still here.” He stroked her cheeks happy to be touching her again.

  “Thank you for coming, Jim.” More tears were set free. “It means such a lot to me that you came.”

  “Hey, hey…shhh. It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re going to be fine. You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you again. No one will get to you again. I promise.” He pulled her head into his chest as he smoothed her hair down and kissed the top of her head as she clung to his arms. “There are so many things we need to talk about, Felicity. So many things I need to explain.”

  Norah knocked on the door. “Jim, it’s time to go so that Penelope can come in and see her daughter.” She left again.

  He looked down into Flick’s eyes. “We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? Your Mum has been so worried.”

  “Wait, what? The two of you are here t-together? And you’re both still alive?” She smiled.

  “Oh you’d be surprised what can happen whilst you’re in a coma for a couple of weeks.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I lo—” He stopped before the words escaped. “I’ll tell your mum to come in.” He turned to leave the room feeling relieved.

  ~~~~~

  Penelope squeezed Jim’s hand as she passed him in the doorway. A sob escaped her as she reached Felicity’s bedside.

  “Hey, Mum, don’t cry. I’m going to be fine. The doctor has said so. I’m so sorry for scaring you.”

  “Felicity, you’re lying in hospital thousands of miles away from home after someone tried to kill you and you’re apologising for scaring
me? My darling silly, silly girl.” She leaned forward and kissed Felicity’s head. “Felicity, sweetheart, it’s me who needs to apologise.”

  Her lip trembled again. “Mum…really…don’t—”

  “Felicity, please. I need to get some things off my chest and I only have five minutes. Please.” Penelope squeezed her hand. “They’re saying you need rest, and I promised to be brief. So I’ll just speak and I want you to listen.” Felicity simply nodded. Penelope took a deep breath. “I have brought all of this on.”

  “Mum—”

  “Felicity, please. If I’d just stopped being such a busybody you’d have had a long, happy marriage with that wonderful man out there, who adores every hair on your head by the way. You would have probably had children, and I would be a grandma. Your father would maybe have seen his grandchildren, too. This is my fault entirely. If not for me you’d never have been over here trying to be a high-flying executive in the art world.

  “You’d have stayed doing what you loved and what you were so good at. You would still be painting, darling. But above all else you would be happy. Jim has been wonderful, Felicity. Despite my disgusting treatment of him, he has been so gracious, and I don’t deserve that. He has been kind and warm. He has taught me what it means to really love someone. And that you don’t need flashy cars and big houses or lots of money. He’s been like a son to me over these past weeks when we thought we had lost you.” She let out a sob and Felicity squeezed her arm, her own tears now falling freely.

  “Sorry, love…I want you to realise that it was me who caused your divorce. I put so much pressure on you to be successful and to marry into wealth. I will understand if you want me out of your life. I had some misguided opinion of what life should entail. Which is stupid considering I adored your Father, and we had true love…hah…he must have really loved me because he put up with such a lot.”

  “Oh, Mum.”

  “I want you to know that you have my complete and utter blessing to be with Jim. You should have had it all along. You never really stopped loving him. And I have it on good authority that he feels the same. Once you’re well, tell him how you feel. Promise me?”

  Felicity sighed as she touched her mum’s cheek. “I promise…and, Mum?”

  Penny covered Felicity’s hand with her own. “Yes dear?”

  “Don’t ever say anything about me not wanting you in my life, okay? All I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me.”

  Penelope sobbed. “Oh Felicity…darling…I’ve always been proud of you, so very proud.”

  Norah opened the door and peeped her head in. “Mrs. Johnston-Hart? I’m sorry but it’s time to go.”

  “Okay, thank you, Norah dear…and please call me Penny.” Norah smiled, nodded and left the room.

  Felicity smiled. “Penny, eh?” She raised her eyebrows. “That’s what Jim and Dad always called you.”

  Penny looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes…I like the sound of it.” She kissed her daughter and left the room.

  ~~~~~

  The following morning when Jim and Penny arrived at the hospital, there was a buzz of activity outside Flick’s room. Detective Rand spotted them and came rushing over.

  “Jim, Penny, would you come with me please?”

  “Why? What’s happened? Is she okay?” Jim’s heart rate had increased, and Penny’s face had paled.

  “Sorry, yes Felicity is fine. We have news and need to update you on what’s happened.”

  The three of them walked into the family room and closed the door. They sat, and Jim and Penny waited expectantly.

  “Okay, we have arrested a young woman by the name of…” He glanced down at his notepad. “Lia Cole. She gave herself up late last night. She was in quite a state. It appears she was the one who added the drug to Felicity’s drink.”

  “But why? Who the hell is she? Did she know Felicity?” Jim frowned at the detective, trying to understand.

  “She was Felicity’s personal assistant at the New York gallery. It appears there was some art forgery going on at the gallery, and Felicity uncovered it.”

  “Shit…art forgery? But…but…to try to kill her? Isn’t that a bit extreme?”

  “It certainly is. But there was a lot of money at stake…millions… Apparently, the former gallery Manager, Chester Withers, was in a relationship with Miss Cole. He had gotten her involved. She insists that she didn’t want to do it and that she thought a lot of Ms Johnston-Hart, but her life was threatened if she didn’t cooperate. I guess it was a difficult situation for her…if what she says is true…but she should’ve come to the police before taking such drastic action. Obviously, a warrant is out for Withers’ arrest, and we’ll find out if what she says is true. It appears he may have fled, but my team are good at what they do, and I have no doubt they’ll find him. Miss Cole insists that the drugs were those belonging to Withers. He had a nervous break-down on account of all the stress of what he’d gotten himself into but had also been having other problems.”

  With widened eyes, Jim exhaled noisily and ran his hands through his hair, resting them on his head. This was a real blow.

  Penny sat, open mouthed at the news. “But…what if Felicity is still in danger?” she asked, her hands shaking in her lap.

  “Mrs. Johnston-Hart, I can assure you we have posted a guard on Felicity’s door, and we are investigating every single lead provided by Miss Cole. To say she was distraught is an understatement. She knows she will do time for this, yet she’s determined to squeal on those involved, which is very helpful indeed. We’ve interviewed Felicity and have all the details from her that she can remember.”

  “Is Felicity implicated in all of this? You know with the art forgeries?” Jim wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.

  “No. We have no reason to suspect her involvement. She was trying to compile evidence about the forgeries and was going to inform the gallery’s partner, Mr Nilsson, while she was in the UK. What she says is corroborated by Miss Cole. Felicity just needs to get well and go home.”

  Both Penny and Jim sighed with relief.

  “I’ll update you again once we have more.”

  “Great, thanks. Can we go see Felicity now?”

  Detective Rand nodded and gestured toward the door. Penny and Jim hurriedly made their way to Felicity’s room.

  She was sitting up, still pale but looking much improved. A smile spread across her face when her visitors walked past the burly looking guard on the door.

  “Hey, Felicity you’re looking great.” Jim’s grin felt a mile wide on his face. He wanted to rush over and kiss her but held back and allowed Penny to step forward. Felicity, however, didn’t move her gaze from Jim’s. Penny looked from her daughter to Jim and kissed her daughter’s head.

  “Darling, I’m going to go and get a coffee. I sense that there are things that you two need to discuss.” She patted Felicity’s arm and turned to Jim. “Hear her out, Jim dear,” she whispered.

  He pulled up the chair up to Felicity’s side and sat. His hands itched to hold hers, but now that she was fully conscious he felt awkward and had no clue what the limits were. As if she read his mind, she reached for his hand.

  “Jim…I need to… I want to…erm…” Her eyes dropped to her lap. “I think we need to talk.”

  “Felicity…I know all about the art forgeries. Don’t worry. They’re on the case. It’ll be fine. You’re not implicated and no one will get to you. I won’t let them.”

  “Jim, that’s not what I meant. I think we should talk about…about us.” She squeezed his hand. “There are things I need to say to you.”

  Jim sat up straight, suddenly realising he was about to find out where the limits were and whether or not there was a future for them. “Yes…yes, I suppose you’re right.”

  “I know this involves dragging up the past, but I want to apologise, Jim. I put you through a lot of awful stuff because I thought I was lacking in my life. It turns out I was only lacking in myself. It was nothing you
did.” She took a deep breath. “You were wonderful and supportive and stood by whilst I tried to achieve this amazing career that I was so sure I wanted. I lost you because I was trying to aspire to a lifestyle that my mother, at the time, convinced me was right, and I was stupid enough to listen. She admits it now. It doesn’t excuse my behaviour, I know.”

  Her words came out in a rush, and her chest moved up and down quickly. “Jim…the truth is…I…I never stopped loving you. I just convinced myself that I didn’t, but…seeing you in January was so hard. And then we made love, and I thought that maybe you felt the same.” She lowered her gaze, and Jim saw the tears that glistened in her eyes. “I realise now that you are over me and our relationship and that you care deeply for me as a friend, otherwise you wouldn’t have come all this way. And I’m so grateful for that,” her voice trembled. “And I will learn to get over the rest. Having you as a friend is so much better than not having you in my life at all. You were my best friend, Jim, and I miss that.” A sob escaped the confines of her throat. “I miss that so much. But I needed to say sorry and to tell you…I love you…that I’m still in love with you. I just…needed to say it and… I thought you should know.” More tears escaped the corners of her eyes. She pulled her hand away from Jim and wiped them away. Her lip quivered.

  His heart ached to see her like this and his own eyes stung. “I know Felicity. I’ve known since you left Scotland. That manuscript your dad sent me...there was a letter. Ed told me everything.”

  She nodded but avoided eye contact. “Oh…I see. Well, now you’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth, eh?” She smiled and laughed once but sadness clouded her eyes. “I’m still glad I said it. I think it was important that you heard it from me. And…well, now I can try to move on.” Her voice wavered as she spoke.

  Jim grasped her hand again. “Flick…what if I don’t want you to move on?” He rubbed his thumb back and forth over her knuckles.