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“Of course I don’t. This means so much,” Christopher replied. She reached up and slowly kissed me on the lips. We were quickly disturbed when a cough and coo from the speaker broke us apart.
“Carry on, don’t mind me,” Lauren excitedly said. “I was wondering what’s new but I can see…” She wagged her finger from left to right between us as Lucie reached forward, grabbing it and pulling toward her mouth. “I’ve missed out on a lot.”
“Well…” Christopher began. “Look how big Lucie is. Where’s Thomas?”
“Where do you think he’d be? Work.” She chuckled. “Anyway, don’t you deflect the questions from me!” Lauren admonished him as I giggled. I cuddled into his side and watched his eyes sparkle, unable to tear away from little Lucie. I’d never seen something so sexy before. What was it about the way Christopher just gave that little girl his undivided attention that got me so hot and bothered? “Give me the gossip! Tell me everything. It’s been so quiet without you here.”
“Quiet with the princess? I don’t believe a word of it. I can’t believe she’s sitting now. I’ve missed so much.” Christopher reached for my fingers and entwined them with mine. “It’s like it’s flown by.”
“Christopher, is everything okay?” Lauren asked, concerned as I stroked his arm. “You know I’m here if you’d like to talk.”
“I’ll leave you two to talk for a minute. I’ll just grab us a drink,” I said. Christopher nodded and gently let go of my hand. “If you need me…”
“Thanks, baby,” he mumbled as Lauren’s eyebrows shot up towards her hairline and Lucie leaned forward in earnest toward the screen, reaching out for Christopher.
“You can’t get to him sweetie,” I heard her say as I plundered in the background.
“Isobel and I are together,” Christopher blurted out. My heart slammed harshly into my chest at the admitted words to his friend. “But you’re right, I’ve not been great. I hadn’t been taking my medication. I thought…”
“Christopher…. What were you thinking?” I turned to face him, seeing the grimace on his face as he caught me watching in his peripheral vision and he curled his finger, telling me to come back. He pulled me onto his lap and curled his face into my neck.
“We talked about it, Lauren. He knows…” I told Lauren as Christopher’s lips trailed down my neck and his fingers held my thigh. I was glad the laptop was angled to see just our faces. “I’m pleased he’s spoken up about it to you.”
“I had a talk and a scrap with Luke.”
“I wondered where that came from… I’m starting to understand what’s going on now.” Lauren frowned and it seemed like she was thinking, contemplating what she could do to help.
“I need to finally start to accept that I can’t fight this alone. PTSD is a part of me. It’s never going to disappear, just like my disability isn’t and I’m going to need all the people I care about around me to help me through this until I can find my way.” Christopher smiled. “That means to start retaking my medication and when my supply starts dwindling, heading back across to London and getting my supply topped up.”
I felt my body freeze up at that point. He’d go back to London? Would that mean goodbye?
“I’m glad you can see what you need to do Christopher but you know we’re always here…” Lauren pushed the words out just as Lucie started to cry and get unsettled. “I think a little princess is getting hungry. I’ll speak to you both soon, yeah?”
“Absolutely,” we replied together before cutting the call.
The moment I shut the laptop lid, I braced myself to stand up. I needed a moment to think but Christopher halted me.
“What’s going on? I saw that reaction…”
“That was nothing. Just a shiver,” I lied as Christopher pulled me closer.
“The moment I return to London,” he whispered, “I won’t be on that plane alone, Isobel. I’ll have you right by my side, remember?”
“I…” I stuttered on my words, unable to comprehend what to say. “Christopher… I don’t…”
“You’remypretty girl. You’remyworld and you’ll bemyside. Does that make it clearer?” Christopher growled into my ear as I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“Yes. Yes, it does,” I whispered.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
CHRISTOPHER
Did she seriously think I would just jet off to another country and leave her here? Didn’t she know how special she was to me?
Luke clicked his fingers in my face as I sat at the bar munching on a half-eaten sandwich. “What’s going on? A mute is more vocal than you are right now.” He nodded his head to the football game on the various screens placed around the bar. “Not interested?”
“Isobel and I spoke to Lauren yesterday on Skype.” I smiled. “Baby Lucie was on her lap. She’s getting big, Luke.”
