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“Yeah, yeah.” I nod and rush in, looking for Holly’s name. I find it quickly and run through the ward. When I yank open the curtain, my legs wobble on impact. Choking out a plea, I staggerto her bedside and stumble into a chair. “Oh god, Holly.” Wires and monitors beep as she lies motionless in the big bed.
“Sir, you can’t be in he?—”
I cup Holly’s fragile hands in mine. “Baby, can you hear me, I'm here, okay. I'm home. I love you. Beau’s okay,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to the back of her hands. I scan her for any sign of injury, and burns but she looks unscathed.
“Sir, I need to ask you to leave,” the nurse says quietly.
“It’s okay; he’s her husband.” The voice of Holly’s mother has me twisting against my girl’s hands, and I smile my thanks. She looks as devastated and as pale as I feel. “Oh, Cameron.” She cups her mouth and picks up Holly’s other hand, careful to avoid the needle disappearing into her.
“I’ll just get the doctor.” The nurse leaves, and I meet her mother’s face with watery eyes.
“Where is Beau?”
“She’s okay. Dan is with her. I just arrived,” I tell her.
“Me too.” After a heavy silence, she speaks. “She was a different person after you left.” Her mother voices. “If it wasn’t for Beau...”
“I had to go. I didn't want to, but I had to, for them. I needed to get better.”
“Holly told me everything.” Sympathetic eyes look back at me.
I smile in thanks and sigh.
“I’d never cheat on your daughter. She’s the love of my life,” I say to her passionately. “Biology won't stop me either from bringing that little girl up as my own.”
She holds my determined stare. I don't back down. I want her to know nothing and no one, not even her, can get in the way of us. Holly and I did not come this far, become so lost to allow others to set restrictions on us now. “I know.” She looks down at Holly and sniffles. “Oh, my beautiful girl. Come on, wake up,sweetheart.” She strokes her hair, and I drop my head, clutching her lifeless hands and pray that she will be okay.
“Our story is only just beginning, Holly. You hear me. I'm home now,” I whisper emotionally. She smells heavily of smoke and the lightest shred of vanilla. I cling to that vanilla smell as if my life depends on it. “I love you, gorgeous.” As I brush my lips over her hand, her finger twitches.
“Hello, I'm Doctor Varni.” A tall and kind-looking man approaches us both, picks up Holly’s hospital notes and flips a page. “Holly has sustained some damage to her lungs and was found unconscious at the scene. Luckily, the fire was still in the lower part of the house, so any injuries are smoke related,” he informs us tenderly. A soft sob sounds from the other side of the bed. “She has come round, but her lungs are struggling and she was frantic with worry about her daughter. We have sedated her to ensure she gets the rest she needs.”
“She knows that Beau is okay, though?”
“Yes, we tried to reassure her, but she was adamant to see her daughter.” Of course she was. What do they expect? “She was putting increasing pressure on her lungs, so we felt it necessary to sedate her. Hopefully, seeing you both when she comes round will put her mind at ease.” I give a short laugh. They don't know my girl. “You don't think so?” he asks, looking at me in question.
“I know so. Is there any chance both can be moved to a private room?”
“I'm not sur?—”
“You said it yourself; the increased stress is putting added pressure on her. I know for a fact if you don't do this, Holly will get up and go find our daughter,” I tell him sternly. “Put them in the same room.” I finish abruptly.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“What do you expect recovery wise?” I murmur, staring down at her hoping for good news.
“A full one, hopefully. We’re administering fluids and steroids, and she is likely to feel out of breath for a while and become tired easily, your daughter too. I’ll imagine both will need inhalers and continued steroids due to the impact of the smoke on their lungs. Long term, Mrs Matthews may need additional medication, but we’re hoping to minimise that.” He offers us an empathetic smile.
“Do you hear that, Holly, you’re going to be okay, baby,” I say, placing her hand down and tucking her hair behind her ear. “When you wake up, we can all be together.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Holly
Aburning ache sits on my chest, adding what feels like an extra ton of weight, my head pounds with each beat of my heart and my throat is raw when I attempt to swallow. Ouch. Twisting, I whimper when the pain increases. “Holly, baby, it’s Cam, can you hear me?” Eyes closed, I nod and weakly clasp his hand back when he holds mine. Tears run hot paths along my cheeks. “Shush, it’s okay. Beau’s okay. She’s here too.” Lips press into my temple, and then little hands pat my hair.
“Hello. Mummy, are you okay?”
“H-hey, boo.”
