AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ingrid bursts out laughing. “Like that’s stopped you,” she chimes, waving her hand up and down in front of herself.
I tilt my head in recognition because she’s right.
Age didn’t stop me where Ingrid was concerned.
“You’re different, and you know it. You’re my woman. You’re the only older woman I have ever been with or wanted. Don’t worry, angel. Rosie has nothing on you.”
She snorts out a laugh as I pull the car to a stop. Then I walk around to Ingrid’s door and open it for her. She steps out, and I place my hand on her lower back, ushering her toward the door. “And anyway, no one could look as sexy as you do right now,” I whisper against her ear.
She smirks, shaking her head. “Smooth talker.”
The door pulls back wide as Rose stands there, her short black hair with flecks of gray puffs out in a wave. Her tiny stature slams into me, and I wrap my arms around her tightly, holding her back. “Fuck! It’s good to see you, Rosie.”
She glances up at me. “Oh, it’s so good you’re here to support Bella. Romeo… she really has been struggling with the news.”
Furrowing my brows, I rest my hand on Rose’s shoulder. “What news, Rose?”
Her eyes widen, and she gasps. “She hasn’t told you yet? Oh,Dios mío!”
Tensing all over, I glance at Ingrid as Rose rushes inside. “Miss Bella… Romeo is here,”she calls out, then ducks off into the kitchen before I can even introduce her to my Old Lady.
“Well, that was interesting,” Ingrid states.
I close the door behind her, and we make our way through to the living room.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I don’t like—”
“Romeo, Ingrid… thank you so much for coming all the way here to see me,” Bella chimes, walking into the living room with the grace of a ballerina.
I give her the tightest squeeze I ever have in my life. “Bells, you have me worried. What the hell is going on?”
She pulls back, smirking at me. “Always so serious. We’ll get to that, but first, introduce me to your Old Lady properly. It’s been too long since we last met.”
Hesitantly, I pull back, taking Ingrid and pulling her toward Bella. “Bella, this is my Old Lady and the love of my life, Ingrid.”
Bella smiles wide as she rushes forward, taking Ingrid into her arms. “I am so happy for you two. Honestly, I am. Now, I have had Rose make us some afternoon tea. Shall we go into the—”
“Bella!” I grab her hands in mine. “Don’t do this to me. Tell me what’s wrong.Now!”
She exhales, her eyes glistening with tears as she gestures for the love seats for us to sit down. Bella and I sit on one, and Ingrid takes the other.
Bella and I continue to hold hands. “Okay, I think the best way is to just come out with it.”
“Yeah, tell me whatever it is. I will help you fix it.”
She shakes her head. “You can’t help me fix this, Rome. I have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.”
Ingrid lets out a heavy exhale, tears welling in her eyes as I sit here a little confused. “I… I don’t know what that is. W-what does that mean?”
“Basically, it’s a disease that affects the motor nerves, or motor neurons. When that happens, my muscles will become weaker and weaker. Which will eventually lead to paralysis, including the way I breathe.”
My ears begin to ring as a hot flash races over my body so intensely I feel sick. I begin to feel dizzy, and I don’t know whether to sit, stand, or just lay down in a ball on the floor. My heart races so fast it feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest as my legs finally make a decision, and I stand and begin pacing while running my hands through my hair as I try hard to wrap my head around this.
“Rome, do you understand what this means?” she asks, making my heart ache even more.
Tears well in my eyes as I turn to face her. “How long?” I ask. My bottom lip trembles as I try to hold my grief inside the best I can.
Bella exhales, glancing down at the floor. “The doctors say two to five years… give or take.”
