Through the Glass

by Lisa J. Hobman

  Jim stared across the table at Flick. She looked stunning, his fiancée. She was letting her hair grow and had stopped attacking it with the straightening irons. It looked golden in the amber glow of the roaring fire, the natural waves falling just past her shoulders.

  He couldn’t help but stare.

  Valentine’s Day hadn’t exactly been filled with good memories for them. But this one was going to be different. Jim was determined about that. He arched his mouth up into a smile without realising it.

  “What are you smiling about?” She tilted her head to one side and looked at him through long lashes.

  “You,” he replied simply.

  “What about me?” She placed her knife and fork down and rested her chin on her hands.

  “Just that…you’re so beautiful, Flick. More beautiful right now than I’ve ever seen you look.”

  Although the lighting in the pub was low, Jim could see her cheeks colour slightly. “Oh Jim, that’s so sweet.” She reached across the table and squeezed his forearm.

  “Aye, well it’s the truth. I want this Valentine’s Day to be special, Flick. I want the memory of this one to replace all the others. We’ve wasted so much time. All I want to do is take you home and make love to you all night.” He reached for her hand and trailed circles around the back of her arm.

  “That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the evening.” She flicked her hair back exposing her long neck. Jim loved to kiss her neck. It was a particularly erogenous zone of hers. She tilted her head so he had an amazing view from her bare shoulder where the top she wore had slipped down, all the way up to her pretty jaw line. A flush of colour rose from her chest up her neck to her cheeks. Definite signs of arousal.

  His mouth went dry.

  He cleared his throat and pulled at the collar of his shirt. “So…was your meal good?” He changed the subject before pouncing on her in public.

  She giggled as if fully aware of what he was doing. “Mmm. It was delicious. The combination of spices was amazing… I’m so glad we have this place on our doorstep… Having said that…what I would really like would be to skip dessert and have that at home.”

  “I couldn’t agree more, sweetheart. I’ll go pay the bill.”

  He walked over to the bar where he briefly chatted with the owner. Once he had paid, he came back over to her. Gazing down at her, he caught himself staring again. Wow…she really is stunning. He had been filled with trepidation about giving things with Felicity another go, but up to now everything had been amazing.

  Her attitude to life had completely changed. She was so enthusiastic about painting again. Her passion shone through when she stood at her easel. He could sit, pretending to read a book and secretly watch her for hours, her paint spattered face begging for him to kiss her. Every so often she would catch him and a smile would play on her lips. Sometimes she would just continue with her work but sometimes—the times he loved the most—she would walk over and remove her paint covered clothing seductively and straddle him where he sat. He’d never really fallen out of love with her, but giving in to what his heart really wanted had been difficult. And she was what his heart truly desired.

  Would she walk out on him again? He honestly no longer thought she would. He trusted her again. And it felt good to be in that place.

  Snapping himself from his thoughts, he stood beside her. “C’mon, lassie. I’m taking you home.” He held out his hand, and she slipped hers into it, intertwining her fingers in his.

  As she stood, she stopped smiling and leaned on the table. “Oooh. Went a bit dizzy.” She smiled.

  “You okay?” he couldn’t hide his concern.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I think I just stood up too quickly. Head rush.” She giggled.

  “Well at least we can’t blame the wine. You hardly touched yours.”

  “No, I didn’t fancy it. And anyway, I wanted to keep a clear head for later.” She raised her eyebrows at him, and he groaned, rolling his head back.

  “Och, you’re killing me. C’mon, lassie. I want you at home and naked…now!” He squeezed her bottom and helped her on with her jacket and scarf. They didn’t have far to walk, but the bitter chill in the air demanded appropriate winter clothing.

  As they walked on the icy pavement back to the cottage, she began taking deep breaths. He looked to her and again concern washed over him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Do you know what, Jim? I have an awful feeling that I’m coming down with something. I keep going dizzy.”

  “Oh, no. I hope the food hasn’t disagreed with you, sweetheart. That’s all we need, eh?” He rubbed her back.

  “No, it wasn’t the food at all. It was cooked to perfection as always… I…I think maybe I’m getting the flu or…something. My immune system isn’t quite as it should be yet after the…well you know.” He watched as she lifted her hand to her head. They walked as fast as they could in the icy conditions.

  Bloody typical. The one Valentine’s Day that we actually get to spend together properly, and my woman’s starting to feel bloody ill. Damn that idiot for drugging her. I wish I could get my bloody hands on the bastard. He felt selfish at his thoughts then. He was worried about her.

  When they arrived home, she rushed up to the bathroom. He heard unpleasant noises coming from up there. This wasn’t ordinary flu. This was turning out to be something like stomach flu. He followed her up and sat on their bed, feeling helpless, running his hands through his hair in a bid to keep them occupied. The urge to ring for a doctor was overwhelming, but he had to try to stop panicking every time she sneezed, coughed, or threw up. She never did like him to be there if she got sick. He’d offer to hold her hair, but she would shout at him and tell him to get out. So this time he sat. Waiting. The sickness started again.

  This is so bloody unfair. The poor wee girl. All I want to do is hold her, but I know she’ll shout at me if I even attempt to go in. Oh shit…what if it’s her liver? I’m going to have to ring the bloody hospital. I can’t just sit here and bloody do nothing. No…I’ll wait awhile… If things don’t calm down, then I am ringing a doctor…and she can complain as much as she bloody likes about me being over bloody protective. Tough. I love her, and I won’t sit by and watch her being ill. I can’t stand it. Yet another bloody Valentine’s Day ruined.

  Jim’s train of thought stopped and he began to laugh. Shit, I think I must have spent too much bloody time with Charles. He shook his head.

  After pacing around the room awhile longer, he realised that everything had gone silent in the bathroom. She had been in there ages now. Had she fainted or something? Panic washed over him again, and he decided to go check on her. Just as he got to the bathroom door, he heard sobbing.

  He tapped on the bathroom door. “Flick, you’re really worrying me now, would you please open the door?” The sound of retching came loud again from within the bathroom. “Flick? Maybe I should call the doctor, eh?” He tapped again but the sobbing and sniffing continued. “Stomach flu can be serious, Flick. If that’s what it is, you should really see someone. You could be dehydrated, and I’m really worried.” He tried the door; she hadn’t locked it. She looked up as he walked in. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was so pale. He noticed she held something in her hand.

  “What’s that Flick?” Suddenly he realised what it was, looked back at the distraught expression on her face, and his heart broke. He shook his head. History was repeating itself right before his eyes. “No…no I don’t think I can go through this again.” He ran his hands through his hair, and he released a long breath.

  Shakily, she stood and walked over to him. He had covered his face with his hands and tears were threatening to escape, but he was trying to hold them back. This would be it. This would be the end of them. She took his hands and pulled them down so she looked into his eyes.

  Croakily she spoke. “Jim, I knew this morning but just presumed it was false, so I didn’t say anything. Then I started feeling sickly at the pub and put it d
own to the flu or the spices in the chicken—”

  “Just don’t, okay? What does it matter? Your face tells me everything I need to know.” He squeezed his jaw tight. “I remember that expression from the last time we thought we were in this position.”

  “Well tough, because I’m going to speak and you’re going to bloody listen… I came home and as you could probably tell I got sick. It happened yesterday, too, whilst you were out at the shack. I didn’t think anything of it after the overdose. I just presumed it was connected to that. But I’ve just worked out the dates and done another test.” Tears welled in her eyes and cascaded down her already damp, pale face.

  “Aye…well, I’ve already said I can’t go through this again. You broke my heart last time when you didn’t want this, and the look on your face tells me nothing has changed on that front. But I’m telling you, I can’t go through it, Flick… All the heartbreak of knowing it’s not what you want. I can’t handle you feeling this way.” His voice wavered and his throat tightened. “Not now. Not after everything that’s happened. I’ve lost you over and over again and now this? This is just fucking cruel, Flick. Why can’t things to go right, eh?” A sob escaped his throat. Her face was filled with unreadable emotions but none of them looked like the positive kind.

  She clenched her teeth. “Jim, will you just bloody shut up for one second?!” she shouted at him. More tears came.

  He was torn between asking her to leave and wrapping his arms around her. “Sorry. I’m guessing you have something you need to say then, eh? Some speech about how you’re not ready and how it’s too soon? How you’ve got decisions to make.” He watched her expression change to one of hurt.

  “Jim…I do have something to say. And I need you to listen, okay? Let go of the bitterness and just hear me out…please?” She placed her hands on his biceps.

  He folded his arms across his chest and braced himself for what was coming. His heart pounded against his ribcage. “Go on then,” was all he could force his quivering voice to say.

  Confusion surged through him as he saw a smile appear on her face. Her hands moved to his cheeks.

  “Jim…Happy Valentine’s Day… You’re going to be a daddy.”

  Meet the Author

  Lisa is a happily married Mum of one with two crazy dogs. She especially enjoys being creative; has worked as a singer and now writes full time. Lisa and her family recently relocated from Yorkshire, England to their beloved Scotland; a place of happy holidays and memories for them.

  Writing has always been something Lisa has enjoyed, although in the past it has centered on poetry and song lyrics. Her stories have been building in her mind for a long while but until the relocation, she never had the time to put them down in black and white; working full time as a High School Science Learning Mentor and studying swallowed up any spare time she had. Making the move north of the border has given Lisa the opportunity to spread her wings and fulfill her dream. Writing is now a deep passion and she has enjoyed every minute of working towards being published.

  https://www.facebook.com/#!/LisaJHobmanAuthor

  http://glipho.com/livingscottishd

  http://livingthescottishdream.wordpress.com/

  https://twitter.com/LivingScottishD

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  The Depot Carmen DeSousa

  Crisis of Identity Denise Moncrief

  Fatal Jealousy Christina OW

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  Soul Mind Doug Simpson

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  Secrets Revealed Erika M. Szaboo

  Center Stage Bernadette Marie

  Soul Rescue Doug Simpson

  Soul Awakening Doug Simpson

  Birthright Bestowed Erika M. Szabo

  The Pit Stop Carmen DeSousa

  First Kiss Bernadette Marie

  A Heart Not Easily Broken M.J. Kane

  Entangled Dreams Carmen DeSousa

  All for Love Ann Swann

  Opposite Attraction Bernadette Marie

  A Heart on Hold Sara Barnard

  Shades of Spring 1964 M.O. Kenyan

  Petals Rebekah Roberts

  Land of the Nooday Sun Carmen DeSousa

  A Second Chance Bernadette Marie

  Until Darkness Comes Melynda Price

  Star Bright Christina Ow

  Candy Kisses Bernadette Marie

  She Belongs to Me Carmen DeSousa

  Cart Before the Horse Bernadette Marie

  The Executive’s Decision Bernadette Marie

  Table of Contents

  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

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue