Forget Me Never (24 page)

“Grace?” Alec called over to me.

I took one look at him and melted. I returned to the bar and took his hand, leading him back to the table. Camilla hardly said another word all night. She may have won that battle, but I was going to win the war.



Six weeks later I stood at the door to the ceremony room and waited for my dad to join me. A last minute loo emergency meant that I had almost ran the Ninja Warrior’s obstacle course to get there. I glanced at the clock on the wall, two o’clock on the dot. My dad appeared at my side and smiled,

              “You look beautiful, love,” he said admiring my ivory, strapless, mermaid style dress with crystals and gems in light blue across the bust and waist.

              “Thank you, Dad,” I grinned, but it already felt like it was slipping down my boobs, I asked Saffron to hitch it up again before I took my bouquet of white roses dotted with forget-me-nots. Saffron looked incredible in her sky blue dress and sliver shoes. Her blonde hair bouncing with curls and studded with diamantes. Scarlett and Paige stood patiently in ivory dresses with sky blue sashes. Their hair had also been curled, their tiny tiaras made them look like beautiful princesses. Both of them had already began calling me Auntie and I loved my nieces very much.

The music started and my heart leapt into my mouth, the doors opened and everybody stood from their chairs turning to face us. Dad took my hand and wrapped it around his arm, with my heart pounding in my chest, I slowly walked in to John Legend singing
All of Me
.

              As my eyes found him, dressed in a dark blue morning suit standing beside Lance, his hair had been cut and looked lighter in the lights of the room and his lips were dry. But it was his eyes that stunned me the most, he had tears in them and as I got closer, he brushed an escaped tear from his cheek.

The closer I got, the more I noticed, his shaking hands, his white rose on his jacket, his small smile. Right then, it was as if everyone else had fallen away. All of our friends and family, faded into the background as my eyes stayed fixed on him. I could see more tears in his brown eyes as I joined him at the alter; he muttered that I looked beautiful, we both took deep breaths as the registrar began to speak.

The ceremony was short and sweet, we said what we needed to say. Alec’s voice cracked when he said ‘I do,’ gazing into my eyes. He slipped a gold, diamond encrusted band onto my finger and I pushed a plane gold band over his knuckle. We were married, the registrar pronounced us husband and wife and we sealed our vows with a tender kiss to an applause and cheers as everyone suddenly appeared back in the room.

Emily and Saffron were our witnesses and everyone watched as we signed the register ending our single lives. For the last time in my life, I signed Grace Matthews, she was gone, along with her fragile heart and broken dreams. Everything that had been undone and damaged was now repaired. I had the most important role to live up to in my life now, I was Alec’s wife, I was now Mrs Richards and all I wanted was to make him happy.

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, along with sending out a hundred invitations and trying on wedding dresses, we had also moved in together and managed to persuade my landlord to release me from my tenancy agreement. Starting a new life together, happy and contented and for the first time since we had met, I was no longer afraid, no more doubts or fears, we were meant to be.

My Hen party was amazing; it was just days before my birthday so we made it a double celebration. Saffron took us, that is a few girls from work, our old school friends Vanessa and Sabrina and a heavily pregnant Kim, to some clubs in Soho. Emily also came and Camilla, Amelie and Heidi put in an appearance, but it seemed we were having too much fun for them and they left before ten. I think Alec more or less forced Camilla to be there and to come to the wedding. She certainly looked like she would rather be somewhere else.

Almost everyone accepted out invitations, all except Elisa and Warren, they couldn’t make the wedding because they we already coming over a few weeks later for their own. It would have been nice to see them there, but we understood. Also Mike and Jenny weren’t able to come, Calvin had developed an infection, they sent us a lovely card with the apologies.

For Alec’s stag night stroke birthday, Lance had taken him out with his friends to some bars the other side of London, I think it included a strip bar, but none of them would tell me if this was true. It didn’t matter now, we were married, I was his and he was mine, that was all I wanted. All we had to do now was travel to Lowestoft and prepare for our big day.

After the pictures were taken with the beach as the perfect back-drop, we cut the cake so that the photographers could make a start on developing the pictures ready for Monday’s print. In exchange for the exclusivity of our wedding, Kim agreed to a ten-day honeymoon in Europe courtesy of the magazine. How could I say no? Alec had paid for everything except my dress, which my dad paid for, I felt that I had to contribute something, so I organized the honeymoon.

The reception hall was beautiful with huge chandeliers and decorated with blue and white flowers, swags of different shades of blue silk everywhere we looked. The food and speeches were perfect and in the evening we danced our first dance to Alec’s favourite song from Coldplay, Yellow, he said it was our song and as we danced with our family and friends around us, I understood why. Scarlett and Paige joined us on the dance floor with my mum and dad and Emily and Mark, shortly followed by everyone, it was perfect, simply perfect and I honestly couldn’t have dreamed of a better wedding.  

The following morning, we left the hotel and headed back to Gatwick to take a flight to Rome. We had to visit four major cities in ten days, starting in Rome, then Paris, followed by Berlin and finally Copenhagen. To be honest, I could have stayed in any of the cities for the entire holiday. But Alec was insistent that we complete the trip.

              We ate pasta in Rome and visited the Colosseum, ate ice cream while walking hand in hand in the sunshine and of course the Vatican. We drank fine champagne in Paris and danced along the banks of the River Seine, we ate Bratwurst in Berlin and visited the famous Brandenburg Gates and in Copenhagen we got to see Hans Christian Anderson’s memorial, it was amazing and considering how bad the year had begun, we were only in July and it was already the best year of my life.

Returning to London after ten blissful days with my husband was a bitter pill to swallow. We both had to return to work the day after and just because we had got married, the world hadn’t stopped, bills had to be paid and wages had to be earned. Life had to return to normal and when the alarm went off at six the morning after our return, it was a stark reminder that our honeymoon was well and truly over.

Nineteen

Alec had to go away to New York two weeks after our wedding. He would be there for a week and would be returning in time for Elisa and Warren’s wedding which was only weeks away. I hated the thought that he would travel thousands of miles away from me, but he had no choice. Some American banks were trying to make an insurance claim against his company so he had to go and sort it out.

              Kim kept me busy at work with long days and late nights, but I suppose it made the week go faster. Anything to pass the time until my husband returned to me. Jason had really worked hard on the setting up the next run and as Kim prepared to make an earlier than planned exit, he showed just what he was capable of. We had become a team and Kim could go on her career break knowing the magazine would be looked after.

Alec returned home and slept for a whole day, I am not sure what happened in New York, but it almost wiped him out. I was also exhausted from all of the extra work Kim had given me and the Saturday after he returned; we spent the day in bed. He had returned brandishing gifts for his wife and I’ll be honest, I liked being spoiled.

The second weekend in August we had an extremely prestigious affair to attend, Elisa and Warren’s wedding. I put on my new lemon coloured dress and waited for Alec to finish in the bathroom so that I could use the loo before we left. I had no idea why, but I seemed to pee so much, it was very annoying. Alec suggested I go to the doctor and get it checked out.

              We arrived at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the sun was shining and the day was perfect. We were shown to our seats and waited for the ceremony to begin. Warren looked terrified, I really did feel for him. When she entered to gasps, I knew Elisa could only look like a film star in a white gown encrusted with diamonds, she literally sparkled. Alec and I held hands as they made their vows smiling as it bought back beautiful memories and made my heart tingle.

              The reception was everything you would expect at an A-list wedding; I think they even had a couple of movie stars there. We drank expensive wine, ate far too much food and danced until my feet hurt.

Monday morning, I had booked the morning off work and Alec dropped me off at the doctors to get this supposed water infection sorted out. I thought it would be a pee in the cup and let’s test it thing, but no, he sent me to the hospital for an ultrasound scan, I almost laughed when they booked me in.

              The nurse squeezed some warm gel onto my tummy and began to rub the receiver, that looked like a computer mouse, over it.

              “When was your last period, Mrs Richards?” she asked.

              “I don’t have them because I have an implant and it stops them… Oh, I was meant to get that changed last month.” I said looking at the mark on my arm where it was. With the wedding and work, I forgotten to book an appointment to have it replaced. “Is there something wrong?” I asked.

              “Um, it depends on how you look at it,” she said and turned the monitor around to face me, I could just about make out a head and a flashing thing.

              “I’m pregnant?” I gasped. She smiled nodded. “I’m pregnant,” I said again.

              “Yes, it’s early days, I’d say about five weeks, but you are most definitely pregnant.”

              “I drank at a wedding Saturday,” I frowned.

              “I am sure the baby will be fine.” She assured.

              “The baby, yes, I am having a baby.” I nodded as it slowly sunk in. “I have to tell Alec, my husband.” I said and sat up. “Can you print me a picture please?”

              “Of course,” she smiled and printed off a small picture of our baby. She handed it to me and said she would let my doctor know.

I left the hospital with a spring in my step, excited to tell the world that our lives would now be complete, baby makes three. I dialled Alec’s number, he answered after only one ring,

              “Hello,” he said quietly.

              “It’s me,” I smiled.

              “Hi, uh, are you alright?” he sounded distracted.

              “I uh, I need to see you, are you busy?” I grinned.

              “No,” he snapped, “I mean, yes, don’t come into the office.”

              “Alec?”

              “I’ll phone you back,” he ended the call. Something was wrong and as pain and fear radiated through my body, all I wanted was to see that he was okay.

              I hailed a taxi and a black cab stopped almost immediately. I climbed in and waited for Alec to call me back. I gave up in the end and tried to call him again, but he didn’t answer so I called Jake.

              “Grace, please tell me you are not coming here,” he muttered. I could hear yelling and shouting, then women screaming.

              “Jake, what’s going on?” I demanded.

              “Gerald is here, he has gone crazy, he has Alec in his office and is threatening us all with a knife, if we try and get in there, he said he will stab Alec.”

              “Oh my God,” I screamed, “have you called the police?”

              “They are here, they are trying to coax him out,” he replied. “Grace, you need to stay away.”

              “No,” I frowned. I used my phone and took a picture of our baby and then texted it to Alec
,
‘You are going to be a Daddy,
’
I added and sent it. I heard screaming again and then a gun shot. “Jake, are you still there,” I yelled. “Jake!”

              “It’s alright, there was a struggle, Gerald has been shot, he is still alive, but the police have gone in there now. Phew, that was… uh, hang on a minute.” He said. The taxi turned into the road with Alec’s office on it, stopped outside and I threw a twenty pound note at the driver before running inside.        

              “Jake, speak to me,” I pleaded.

              “Alec’s been hurt, Grace.”

              “I’m in the building, I’ll be there in seconds,” I said, show him his phone, I sent him a picture and tell him I am coming,” I said frantically racing to the lift.

I pressed for his floor and paced the lift as it moved up through the building. The doors opened to pandemonium, people were everywhere, police officers in dark blue uniforms were trying to calm things down, taking statements and tending to cuts.

              I pushed my way through, I just had to see Alec, I had to check that he was alright. When I got to his office, some paramedics wheeled Gerald out on a stretcher and I watched as they pumped his body with an air bag. I turned to see Jake kneeling on the floor with Alec lying in a heap and two more paramedics,

              “Alec,” I screamed and fell to the floor beside him. His white shirt was stained with blood on his side, his mouth was also bleeding, his face looked pale and was covered with a shiny layer of sweat. “Alec,” I sniffed lifting his hand, He opened his eyes and smiled weakly. “What happened?”

              “He said he was coming for you,” he muttered, “I stopped him.”

              “You great ninny, I can handle myself,” I frowned.

“I saw the picture,” he said, “you’re pregnant?”

              “Yes, so you had better be okay,” I insisted and wiped my tears away.

              “I’m sorry, I made you a promise I can’t keep.” He frowned. “I promised to look after you, to grow old with you…”

              “Stop talking like that,” I cried, “you’ll be alright, they can sort you out.”

              “We need to get him to the hospital,” the male paramedic said. I nodded and moved back.

              “I’ll see you there,” I promised.

              “Okay,” he nodded. “I love you, you made me so happy, Grace.”

              “I love you too, but don’t you dare say your goodbyes, not now, not ever.” I sniffed and watched as they lifted him onto a stretcher. There was so much blood on his cream carpet, it had seeped through his body and poured out of his back.

              “I’ll bring Grace to the hospital, Alec, okay?” Jake said as they began to wheel him away.

              “Wait,” I called out and ran towards him, “I love you, okay? You have to be alright.” I kissed his lips and let them wheel him out.

              The police allowed Jake to take me to the hospital and said they would meet us there for statements. I felt so sick, I honestly couldn’t think straight.

David screeched to a stop outside of the office, he looked as worried as I felt. Jake and I sat in the back of the car as David did his best to get through all of the traffic. My heart was already hurting, I felt sure he would be all right, he spoke to us, so that had to be a good sign.   

              We arrived at the same hospital that I had been to earlier that day, where they told us we were going to be a family. I promised David I would call him as soon as I heard anything and Jake and I ran inside. We were directed to the Accident and Emergency Department and when we got there we were taken into a small room.

After an hour or so Jake left to find a drinks machine and my phone rang. It was Saffron,

              “Tell me it’s not true,” she said.

              “What?”

              “Alec was attacked by that creep, Gerald? It’s all over the news.”

              “He was,” I admitted, “Gerald stabbed him. I’m at the hospital now,” I explained.

              “Which one?”

              “Welbeck,” I replied.

              “I’m on my way.” She said and hung up. I couldn’t respond, she had gone.

Time ticked on painfully slow, I guessed they were stitching him up and giving him some fluids. I felt sure that they would come and get me and take me to his room where he would be drinking tea and smiling. We had a baby coming, he had to be okay, he just had to be. I couldn’t bear to think any other way.

Jake returned with some machine coffee and placed a cup on the table for me. I gazed out of the tinted window at the road outside and quietly prayed that he would be all right. The door opened and a nurse showed Saffron into the room. Without saying a word, she dived into my arms and held me. I felt it was in vein because Alec would pull through this, he was the strongest man I had ever known.

When the door opened again, a short, man wearing scrubs removed his surgical hat and frowned.

              “Mrs Richards, I am Dr Bidad.” He looked at Jake. “Alec had lost a lot of blood and during the ambulance ride here, he went into cardiac arrest. They managed to get him stable and bought him in, since he arrived we have been trying to stop the bleeding as it seems the knife had ruptured his liver and pierced his lung. Alec uh, Alec had another heart attack a few moments ago and I’m, I am very sorry to tell you this, but we weren’t able to bring him back.”

              “What?” I frowned.

              “Alec died about five minutes ago,” he replied.

              “No,” I shook my head as pain smashed through me, “No, no, no, no,” I tried to fight the tears and pain, a battle I couldn’t win. “He’s not dead, tell me he’s not dead. Please, oh God, please, no, tell me you made a mistake and he is alright, please… please.”

              “I am very sorry,” Dr Bidad said and left the room.

              “Jake,” I frowned, he turned to me, with tears streaming his face. “No,” I cried out, “No. Alec!”

              “Grace,” Saffron raced towards me and took me into her arms, my legs collapsed under us and I fell to the floor, “I’m so sorry, so sorry.” She cried as she cradled me in her arms.

              “What am I going to do?” I whaled, “I don’t know what to do…”

              “I’ll be back in a moment,” Jake muttered and left the room.

Saffron held me as I sobbed on the floor, I didn’t want to be there, I wanted to leave, but my body would not move. How would I get through this, how would I ever be able to live without Alec? It felt as though someone had cut me in half and taken away the best part of me, leaving an empty, useless shell.

              “Oh my God,” I looked up, “I have to call his sister.”

              “I am sure the hospital will do that for you,” she said calmly.

              “I want to see him,” I cried, “I need to see him.”

              “I’ll ask someone; will you be all right?” I nodded and she left me for a few moments.

When she returned my sobs had slowed to snivels, but the pain was as raw as when the doctor told me that the love of my life, that my soulmate had been taken away from me, ripped from my hands.

              “The nurse will come and get us in a moment,” Saffron said. “Why don’t you take a sip of that coffee?”

              “No,” I muttered and sat on the chair.