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“Perfect, if it wasn’t for Millie, I don’t know what would have happened to us,” she says placing a hand on her tummy.
“Mate, I owe her everything, she…she saved Em’s life, and my baby’s life. She put herself in that position for us!” Dan says, sitting down pulling Em onto his lap.
“I don’t understand? What did she do?” Looking between them, “I thought Glen had just grabbed Millie, what are you on about?” Em takes a deep breath and motions for me to sit down next to her, then she takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. When I look at her I realise she’s been hurt, and I never even noticed.
“Oh my god, your face…did he?”
“A wave of morning sickness hit and I needed some air, so I went out. Glen found me there. He hit me with the gun and made me send a picture to Millie to get her to come outside, to trade places.”
“That must have been when she walked out of the ballroom, I just thought she was…” Em cuts me off.
“Well, she came out, but not before sending Dan a message telling him I was in trouble and he needed to get me to hospital,” she says looking at him lovingly.
“When I got out there he had Em, the gun in her back…mate, Millie switched places with her, she just did it, before I could wrap my head around what was happening.”
“She caught me when he pushed me away, I tried to get her to come with me, but I think she knew he would hurt us all, she said she was done running, so she stepped in my place. Then he grabbed her.” She closed her eyes at the memory.
“That’s when he drew the knife on her and did what he did, Owen had to hold me back, I tried but…” You can see the guilt he feels about it all, I don’t know what I would have done if our roles had been reversed.
“She saved my life Jack, even after everything she has been through, she held her own against him and protected us,” Em said, letting out a heavy sigh.
She did that for my family, she put herself in harm’s way for my family, knowing what he would likely do to her, she still did it. I don’t know if she is brave or stupid, but it certainly makes me love her more, if that’s even possible.
“When she left the ballroom, she was on the phone, who did she ring?” Dan and Em both frown at me, but then I remember my phone vibrating during the speech just before it all kicked off.
“She rang me, didn’t she…?” Taking my phone out of my pocket, I see it. One missed call and one voice mail. Placing it to my ear I listen to her voice. She sounds scared, but sure. “Jack…I want you to know just how much I love you, I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you six years ago. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to say those three words to you. I’m sorry Jack, I have to do this, I won’t let him hurt you, or your family. Thank you, for showing me I could have it all again, but I can’t let him do it. I’m sorry… I love you.” Her voice breaks as she ends the voice message.
“She knew what she was doing.” Em takes the phone from me and listens, “She didn’t ask for help, she never even went to Owen or Leon!” I say.
“She’s going to be okay Jack, I just know it, she can’t leave us now, not when everything is just starting between the two of you.”
“I think she knew she might die, that’s why she called me.” The last words she spoke to me were “I love you” —the first time she said them to me might be the last time I ever hear them. I don’t say that out loud, I don’t want to believe she might not make it, but the bullet wound was in her stomach, adding in the other injuries she got from him tonight, will only make it harder for her to recover.
A few hours later there’s a knock on the waiting room door; Leon, Charlie and Owen all come in.
“What’s the news?” Charlie asks.
“No news yet, she’s still in surgery,” I say glumly.
“She’s stronger than she looks Jack,” she says, squeezing my shoulder then sitting down with Dan and Em.
Owen sits next to me, and Leon on the other side. “We have news, he’s been arrested, at least six charges against him so far, and that’s not including the arson charge for the club, assault & battery, assault, attempted kidnapping, stalking, possession of an illegal firearm, possession of a deadly weapon with intent…. he’ll be going away for a very long time, with no hope of release any time soon.” He looks almost pleased.
“Well, it’s not long enough, for all the stuff he has done to her!” I say, anger seeping out, I can’t help it, none of this should have happened.
“We managed to give him a good kicking before the police arrived,” Leon said beside me, a smile coming across his face. I suppose that’s something.
“How did he manage to escape the police in Spain?” I ask Owen, wanting answers.
“They never had him, they had someone who looked a lot like him, he flew back to the UK after the arson attack, and has been camped out here ever since, watching her and messing with her head. He has even admitted getting someone to add something to her drink when she passed out in the bar with Charlie, and breaking into the cottage. That guy is fucked up!” he adds at the end.
An hour later we are all still waiting, Charlie has fallen asleep on Owen’s chest and Em on Dans. Leon has been on countless coffee and snack runs, just to keep himself occupied, I think.
There’s another knock at the door and the doctors walk in.
“Are you all Miss Monroe’s family?” she asks, looking at us all.
“Yes, I reply, how is she, is she okay? Can I…” I ask.
