Another Chance (18 page)

“I know,” she whispered.

Patrick took the prescription. “I’ll go and get this filled first thing. Will he be all right for the night?”

“He won’t be comfortable, but he’s sleeping for the moment so he’ll be all right for a while yet.”

Cassie nodded. “How much longer?”

“It’s hard to say. I would estimate a few more days, but that man is so stubborn I can’t tell.”

“Thank you doctor.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

She nodded again, and felt Patrick’s hand on her back as if he would catch her if she fell. “Good night, Cassie. Doctor Cross.”

Cassie sat down while Patrick walked the doctor to the door. “Do you want a coffee, Cassie?” Patrick asked. She nodded and he bustled about the kitchen preparing the drinks before coming back out.

“You know your way around my house pretty well now.”

“I’ve been here enough times.”

“Patrick, we had our bad times in the past, but I’m really glad we’re friends now. I don’t know how I could have gotten through all this without you.”

He looked into her eyes, those green eyes that he’d loved so much. The pain in them was permanent now. She was hurting and needing him to be her friend, all earlier thoughts about her had to be set aside.

“I’m glad too, Cassie, and I will be here any time you need me. I swear.”

Patrick reached for her hand. “Those bad times in the past, I never did find out why…”

“Cassie,” Mark called from the bedroom.

Cassie pulled herself away from Patrick and ran. He watched as she entered the bedroom, unsure of following her. “Mark?”

“Can you help me sit up a bit love? Doctor Robinson thought I was sleeping, but I just wanted him to leave me alone.”

She rolled her eyes and moved to help him up. “You are a shocker, Mark Burrows. He only wanted to help you.”

“He can stick his help. I have all I need here. As long as you’re with me, I’ll be fine.”

“You really are such a stubborn bastard aren’t you?”

He grinned. “Always. You should know that by now.”

Cassie shook her head and sat on the bed beside him. “How are you feeling?”

“As well as can be expected. Isn’t that what all the doctors say?”

“It’s not what this doctor says,” said Patrick from the door.

“So she called you, did she? Good to see you mate.”

“You too. Although, I did think you’d be up and running around by now.”

“I’m a bit too tired for that. You’re here late.”

Patrick sat on the end of the bed. “I’m going to stay for a few days, make sure you behave and Cassie has everything she needs.”

“I can tell you what she needs, but I’m a bit too tired to give it to her.”

Cassie blushed, causing Mark and Patrick to burst out laughing. “This is not fair. You two were not supposed to pick on me.” She pouted.

“You’ll miss it when I’m gone love. Though I’m pretty sure Patrick will give you a run for your money.”

“Well Patrick is now telling the two of you to get some sleep. Mark do you need anything for the pain? We have a prescription, and I’m happy to drive around to find a 24 hour pharmacy if need be,” Patrick said.

“I’ll be fine. All I need is my girl with me, and I’ll be good for the night.”

“Cass, I’ll grab my bag and move it into your spare room. I’ll get my schedule cleared, and I’ll be all yours for the next few days.”

“Thanks, Patrick.”

“Good night you two.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Can you get me something while you’re out?” Cassie asked Lauren. It had been a couple of days since any of them had left the house for supplies and they needed groceries.

“Sure, what is it?” Lauren asked.

Cassie handed her a piece of paper and Lauren raised an eyebrow when she saw what was written on it. “Are you sure?” She asked.

“No, that’s why I need you to pick one up.”

Patrick watched the exchange curiously but hung back. Cassie was on a knife edge as it was and he wasn’t sure whether she welcomed his presence or was irritated by it, even though she had asked him here. It was best to observe and help if needed.

She went back to the bedroom to sit with Mark while they waited for Lauren to get back.

His breathing was slow, and he murmured when she lay back on the bed beside him. “Is everything all right love?”

“You know it’s not,” she whispered. Just talking to him brought tears to her eyes, it wouldn’t be much longer until he was gone.

“Oh Cassie, you will be okay. Don’t you dare stay alone. Be good to yourself and fall in love again, it’s the least you can do.”

“How can you talk about something like that at a time like this?” she whispered, trying hard not to cry.

“Because I love you and you’re the strongest person I know. Look at everything you’ve been through Cassandra. Your mum and dad, Sophie, putting up with me.”

She laughed at the last one and sniffed as the tears rolled slowly down her cheeks and her nose ran.

“That’s better. Nothing like the sound of my girl laughing.” Talking was a big effort for him now and Cassie stroked his forehead with her hand, kissing it.

“The easy part was putting up with you,” she whispered between sobs, “I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go either, but I’m leaving you in good hands. Patrick will take good care of you Cass, maybe he should have been doing that all this time, and I was lucky to get just a little time with you.”

“I love you.” This was almost too much to bear, and a part of her wanted to run and get out before the inevitable happened but she couldn’t. This was her love, her life.

“I love you too,” he replied breathlessly, “and Patrick loves you. You don’t need to take my advice, Cassie, but he is Sophie’s father. It’s time he learned that.”

“You are driving me crazy to the end.”

“I intend to haunt you, Cassie Warren, you’ll not get rid of me that easily.”

She laughed again, and guilt washed over her. “Stop making me laugh, Mark, this is so hard.”

“I don’t want it to be. We’ve had some good years. I should have put a damn ring on your finger. I knew it would make you happy, but I was stubborn. Instead, I’ll make do with having the love of the most beautiful woman I could have met. Inside and out, Cass, you’ve been perfect.”

“You were pretty amazing yourself,” she whispered. She let out a loud sob before clapping her hand over her mouth.

“Let it out love, it’s only going to hold you back if you keep it in. You’ve never been afraid to show your emotions before. I need to get some sleep now.”

She nodded and sat with him until his breathing slowed even further. Cassie lowered her head to his chest and listened to his heart beating before Lauren appeared at the door.

“Did you get it?” she asked anxiously.

Lauren nodded. “Here.” She held out a bag, “you go check it out, and I’ll sit with him.”

“Thank you,” Cassie whispered.

Patrick watched as Cassie crossed the living room, heading for the bathroom. He had no idea what was going on, but there couldn’t be much time left for Mark and his heart ached for both of them. Being with Cassie again, even as a friend had been amazing and if Mark had been well he might have tried to compete for her heart.

Instead, he had watched Mark deteriorate and Cassie’s heart break as she watched the man she loved dying. He kept reminding himself that he had to stay strong for her, it had been tempting to get in the car and drive away rather than watch her fall apart, but he couldn’t do that to her. Either as a friend or as a man in love with her.

The wall clock ticked the seconds by, and a few minutes passed before Cassie's voice could be heard from the bathroom. “Shit, shit, shit,” she exclaimed.

Patrick knocked on the door. “Are you all right, Cassie?” he asked, concerned.

A sob let him know she wasn’t, and he tried the door handle. The door swung open, and there she sat on the lid of the toilet, a pregnancy test in her hand. “Oh sweetheart,” he said, kneeling beside her and taking it out of her hands. It was negative.

“I’m late, I thought…” her voice trailed off sadly and she stared at the test in his hand.

“It could be the stress love.”

“Don’t call me that.” She growled at him.

“What?”

“That’s what Mark calls me, don’t call me that.”

“I’m sorry, Cassie, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I thought he might find a way to stay with me if I were pregnant.”

“Oh, Cassie.” He pulled her down and into his arms.

She held tight while she sobbed before he gently pulled her upwards and out into the living room where he sat with her in his arms on the couch. “I don’t want Mark to hear me,” she whispered.

“Is he awake?”

Cassie shook her head. “He fell asleep when I was in there before, Lauren is sitting with him while he sleeps.”

“Cassie, it’s not going to be much longer.”

She nodded. “It’s not fair, but I know. I love him so much, Patrick, I hate this.”

“Remember I’m here for you too, I’m not going anywhere while you need me.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

A door closed in the distance and Sophie stood in front of the couch. “What’s going on, what’s happened?”

Cassie reached out to her, and Sophie went to her mother’s arms. “I’m just sad.”

Sophie eyed Patrick suspiciously. “Is Lauren in with Dad?”

“She is, I just needed a break and a cry. I don’t think he has long to go, Soph.”

Sophie’s bottom lip trembled, and Cassie held her tight. “We’ll get through this baby, somehow we’ll get through it together.”

“I don’t want him to die, Mum.”

“I don’t want that either love. I wish he could be with us forever, but it’s not going to be that way. He wants us to be strong, Soph, just like we were when Grandma died, and it was just the two of us.”

“Only this time it’s not just the two of you,” said Patrick over Cassie’s shoulder.

Sophie looked at him curiously.

“There’s Lauren too, she’ll need you. I’ll be there for whatever you all need.”

“I might not sound it at times, but I do appreciate it, Patrick. We need all the support we can get, and you have been wonderful to Mark.”

“It’s no problem,” he replied, “you’re all good people, this is the last thing you deserve.”

That satisfied Sophie and Patrick got a tiny little smile from her.

“How about I order something in for dinner and take care of that while you two can put your feet up,” he suggested.

Sophie grinned, and he laughed. “Would you like to choose what to get, Sophie?”

She nodded, and the two of them walked to the dining room table where his laptop sat to choose where to order dinner from.

Sophie was more like her father than Cassie had ever realised and seeing them together caused a whole new set of heartache. She felt more torn about telling him than she had in years. Now he was here taking care of everything, and she felt as if she had her old friend back from before it turned into something more.

She had been through so much since those days, and never thought she would see him again. There he was, large as life, poring over food websites with their daughter and there for her. At least she didn’t have to worry about Sophie being preoccupied, hearing her laughing and joking about the different takeaway options warmed her heart.

Mark picked up after a couple of days, and Patrick went home soon after. He had patients to take care of, and Cassie had perked up with Marks improvement. It was only temporary, but it was a reprieve for just a little while.

It was late when the phone rang and Patrick checked the caller ID before answering. “Cassie?”

“No. It’s Sophie,” the quiet voice said.

“Are you all right, Sophie?’

“Mum’s just gone to the hospital with Mark, she called an ambulance.”

“What was wrong?” He was already heading towards the door.

“He had these chest pains. It’s really bad, and Lauren’s here with me. She doesn’t know I’m calling you, but I’m scared, and no one will tell me what’s going on.” She sounded so much like her mother.

“Sit tight sweetheart. I’m on my way out the door now. I’ll head straight to the hospital and see what’s happening, and I will call you, okay?”

“Okay.” She sounded relieved.

“Is Lauren all right?”

“She’s upset, but someone had to stay with me, and it was too late to go and wake up Mrs O’Leary next door.”

“Tell her I’m on my way to the hospital and I’ll get an update when I get there if she hasn’t already had one.”

“Thanks, Patrick.”

“Whatever you need, Sophie, just call me.”

He ran through the hospital corridors after reaching Hamilton in record time. He used that cheesy smile on the nurses, explaining he was a visiting doctor. They quickly pointed him in the right direction.