AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Damn it," I whispered to myself. "Get a grip."
Now, my thoughts turned to Daniel and Ryder and how they had finally found love and were happier than ever. It sometimes hurt to see how happy they were. Even Chase had mentioned he felt the same twinge of jealousy once or twice.
That was the problem. I had never really loved anyone unconditionally. Not in the way Daniel loved Sicily or Ryder loved Amber. They would do anything for the women they loved and their families. And that's what I wanted. I wanted to love someone so deeply that nothing else mattered, and I realized that person was Ariel.
I crumpled my napkin and threw it on my plate. I wanted to stand up, needing to move. I was ready to get off this plane. I wanted to hold Ariel in my arms and tell her how I felt. I wanted to tell her things would be alright with Meagan — the case would be solved, and we could live happily ever after. But I had no guarantees. All I had was hope.
Then I realized I had forgotten one thing. What would Ariel think? How did she feel about me? Maybe Ariel was happy with her life now that she was back in London. Was she seeing her ex again? I shook my head. Nope! Ariel told me she wanted to go home, back to San Diego. But where did I fit in that scenario?
When the flight attendant walked by to collect my dinner plate, I noticed the woman and her baby were gone. Had I fallen asleep and just dreamed the whole thing? My hands were starting to sweat, and my heart was pounding. I had to get off this plane. Was I going insane?
That's when the restroom door opened, and the woman with the baby walked out carrying a bag. She looked over at me and smiled before settling in her seat. After that, I relaxed a bit, now reassured assured I still had my wits about me. It wasn't long before we were on the final approach to Heathrow. As we were gathering our things and preparing to disembark, I noticed the woman was struggling to retrieve her carry-on from the overhead bin, so I stepped up and freed her luggage. "Ma'am! If you don't mind me asking. What's your baby's name?"
"Jonathan. I named him after his father."
"Oh, that's a nice name..."
"He has his father's eyes."
I picked up her bag and followed her off the plane. At the end of the walkway, I gave her the suitcase and watched as she disappeared into the crowd with Jonathan in the baby carrier.
Outside, I breathed in the crisp air and was slapped by reality. It was definitely winter in London. I hailed a cab and gave him the address of the hospital. As he began chatting about the weather and pointing out London landmarks, I noticed the holiday decorations and how the city was lit up. I found myself laughing again, enjoying the ride and the visit with the old man. "Some parts of the city honestly look like something out of a Dickens novel, especially with the fog rolling in," I mentioned.
"Parts of London also remind us of fairy tales, especially during the holidays. I hope you enjoy your trip," the cabbie said, pointing ahead toward the hospital. When we arrived, I paid the guy who helped me with my luggage, telling him to keep the change.
As I walked into the hospital lobby and spotted the gift shop, I discovered roses were the only fresh flowers available. When the lady at the counter noticed me eyeing them, she asked if I'd like a dozen and gestured toward various vases. "Roses aren't appropriate in this case," I answered, hoping I'd filtered my thoughts and didn't come off as harsh or mean — remembering Ariel's recent experience with roses she thought were from me.
"We just got some tulips in… special order from Holland." She pointed at the cooler.
I quirked an eyebrow. "Holland? In the middle of winter?"
"Yes, they grow them inside." She smiled.
"Give me the pinkish ones, please," I said, remembering Ariel's favorite color was pink. Then I spotted a small teddy bear. "I'd like that too."
Noticing how I couldn't manage the flowers, bear, and suitcase all at once, the clerk offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. "You can check your suitcase with me." She nodded toward a small closet behind the counter. "It'll be safely locked up in there. You will have until nine o'clock this evening to get it, or you'll have to wait until we open in the morning."
"Can you tell me what room my friend is in, or do I have to ask somewhere else?"
"It's against the policy, but I'll make an exception for you." She winked and turned to her computer. "What's her name?"
"Ariel... Ariel McMasters."
"Okay, she's in room 214. Second floor, take a right when you get off the elevator."
I thanked her and headed toward Ariel's room. As I walked, I couldn't help but think about how everything had changed so much in such a short amount of time. And now here I was, alone in a foreign country, carrying flowers and a teddy bear to visit Ariel in the hospital.
I knocked on the door, waiting for an answer that never came. Tentatively, I pushed open the door.
Ariel was sitting in a chair near the window, gazing outside, while a woman I assumed was Marcie sat at a desk near the door, working on her laptop.
"Ariel?" I said softly, not wanting to startle her.
She turned toward me, a smile touching the corners of her lips. "Guy!"
I tossed the flowers and bear on her bed and ran toward her with outstretched arms. "Ariel! Ariel, are you alright?"
She stood and buried her face in my chest, sobbing. I stroked her hair, trying to comfort her as best I could. "Guy, I'm so glad you're here. It's been.... it's been awful."
