One Last Chance (25 page)

“Nan, I am doing everything I can to keep her s
afe,” Cole said sadly. “But I have no idea where he is.”

“I still think you should go to the police
,” Nan said as she filled the teapot with hot water. 

“Ally won’t go,” Cole replied. “She is afraid I will be in trouble.”

“Surely they would understand your anger,” Nan said looking up at Cole. “For a man to find the woman he loves in that state….”

She closed her eyes as she tried to keep control of her emotions. She tried so hard not to think about what Ally had gone through that night. Every time she did, she hated Jason
a little bit more.

“Sure any judge would understand what you did,” Nan said looking up at Cole.

“I honestly don’t know,” Cole admitted. “But Ally is too afraid to take the chance.”

They headed back into the living room to Ally and Pop. He was watching the DVD
once again with Ben sitting happily on his knee.

“How is Nathan doing
?” Nan asked Cole as they all took their seats. Ally’s stomach heaved as she thought of Nathan, knowing he was almost killed, trying to keep her safe. She didn’t agree with what they had tried to do but she was grateful none the less.

He had been released from hospital four days after the shooting. Caitlin insisted he came to stay with her for a while so she could look after him.

That was the only good thing about this whole mess that had made Ally happy, seeing her friends so loved up. And she did consider Nathan a friend now too. In some ways he was more like family.

“He’
s getting the pins taken out of his collar bone next week.” Cole replied as he sipped his tea. “Then they will begin his physio the following week. But they are pleased with his progress.”

“Shocking what this country is coming
to,” Pop growled as he dipped his biscuit into his tea. “That poor lad, just minding his own business and no doubt some drug addict.”

“They don’t know who it was,” Ally replied quickly. “Cole it’s time we were getting home. I promised Rosie I would help her with dinner today.”

Cole looked at Ally, he knew she was lying. He knew she wasn’t comfortable with talking about what happened to Nathan. She hated lying to her friends and her grandparents. So every time they brought up the subject she changed it as quickly as she could.

She stood up and took Ben from her grandfather and got him ready to leave for home.

“You don’t have to leave already do you?” Nan said sensing Ally was upset about something. “I don’t think Rosie would mind if…”

“Nan, I said we are going now,” Ally snapped as she grabbed her handbag from the end of the sofa and headed for the door. Ben, sensing Ally’s mood, began to howl in her arms. Cole grabbed the
nappy bag from the floor next to the door and hurried after Ally.

“I will take him,” Cole said reaching out for Ben.

“He’s fine!” Ally snapped back angrily and Ben cried louder.

“Ally,” Cole said trying to keep calm. “You are
scaring him. He can sense you are upset.”

“FINE!” She shouted as
she handed Ben to Cole and pulled the nappy bag from his hand, then hurried down the path towards the car. Nick and Adam where standing next to the car when she reached it but neither said a word. Nick just opened the door for Ally and she climbed inside.

When Cole reached the car
, he secured Ben into his car seat despite his protests. The whole time Ally stared out the window, ignoring everything that was happening around her.

Cole climbed into the car and waved back to Nan and Pop as they pulled away from the house. Then turned to look at Ally. But her eyes remained fixed to the road outside the window.

When they reached the house, Ally didn’t waste any time getting out of the car, climbing out before Nick had even switched off the engine. She headed straight up the steps towards the door.

“Ally,” Cole called a
s he jumped out of the car after her but she didn’t wait. Rosie opened the door as Ally reached the top of the steps.

“Is everything okay, Ally?” S
he asked as Ally walked straight past her and headed for the stairs.

“Just peachy.” Ally shot over her shoulder as she hurried straight up the stairs.

She reached the bedroom and made her way straight for the wardrobe. Once she walked inside the wardrobe a sudden sob shook through her body as she collapsed to the floor, buried her face in her hands and sobbed her heart out.

“Ally,” Cole said from the doorway of the wardrobe before he hurried to Ally’
s side and quickly wrapped her in his arms. “Sweetheart, please don’t cry.”

“Cole,” she sobbed. “I can’t do this anymore, I feel like everything
is closing in around me. Sometimes I can’t breathe. I just want this to be over. What have I done that is so bad? Why does it feel like I am being punished for something?”

“This is not your fault,” Cole replied. “You listen to me Ally Thomas,
you have to stop blaming yourself. You have done nothing wrong.”

“Why can’t he just leave me alone?” She sobbed harder. “I know we haven’t heard from him in weeks, but he is always there. In the unspoken silences, in the looks everyone gives me. And every time I look at Nathan. He nearly died because of me and I can’t take it anymore. I wish he would just come and finish the damn job.
Let him kill me and be done with it.”

“YOU STOP THIS NOW!” Cole shouted in anger as he blinked back the tears. “If he kills you
, he may as well kill me too. Because if I lost you I wouldn’t want to live without you. Don’t you see that? Ally you are my world, you are my life, I need you. And what about Ben and Little Bean. They need you too.”

He grabbed Ally’s hand and pressed it against her stomach and looked up into her eyes. As if on cue, the baby kick
ed Ally good and hard.

“Did you feel that?” Cole
asked looking Ally straight in the face. “She needs you more than anything. She wants to live and if you die, she will too. So you need to fight for her, fight for us Ally. Please, I can’t do this without you.”

“I don’t know if I am strong enough,” she whispered as the tears streamed down her face.
“I just don’t know if I can take much more.”

“You are stronger than you think, Ally Thomas,” Cole said softly. “You are the strongest person I know. Please
, my gorgeous girl. Fight. Fight for me.”

Ally
looked up into Cole eyes. She smiled and nodded through her tears. “I’ll fight, I promise.”

“That’s my girl,” Cole smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. “Now
, how about we go down stairs to our little man?”

“Give me a few minutes,” Ally said with a sad smile. “I want to wash my face and change into something a little more comfy. I promise I won’t be long.”

“Okay,” he said with a broad smile, as he kissed her once again before he helped her up off the floor. “I will wait downstairs for you.”

He walked to the door and stopped, then turned back and gave Ally a funny kind of look.
Almost like a child who felt insecure and it almost broke Ally’s heart.

“You know I really do love you Ally Thomas,” he said before he disappear
ed out the door and left Ally standing alone in the middle of the walk in wardrobe.

She took a deep steadying breath before she followed him out but then headed into the bathroom.

She ran the water and splashed it up into her face a few times, washing away the tears and the running make-up. She reached for a towel and pressed it to her face, drying it thoroughly.

She looked up into the mirror and was shocked to see her reflection. She barely recognised herself anymore. Despite the ever expanding bump, she had lost weight. She was pale and had dark circle
s under her eyes that were now also puffy and red from crying.

“You are a mess
, girl,” she said to her reflection. “You are letting him win.”

She thought of Jason. She thought
about when they went out together, of how he made her feel stupid and worthless every chance he could get. She thought of the night she caught him with the girl in his office. How he pleaded with her for another chance. But she had found the strength to stand her ground. She had not been the girl he once made feel pathetic and small.

She had been stronger. But bit by bit he had chipped away at that strength until there was nothing left.

Do I really want to let him win?
She thought to herself.

“Hell no,” she said to her reflection. From now on she was going to be the strong, happy and better Ally she had
become. He was never going to win.

When Ally got back down the stairs, she found Cole in the kitchen with Ben and Rosie. She walked over to Ben, scooped him up, kissed and hugged him tightly.

“Mommy is sorry for making you cry,” she whispered to him as she rocked him back and forth
. She could feel Cole’s hand on her back and she turned to him and smiled.

“You feeling a little better?” H
e asked, taking in every inch of her beautiful face.

“Much,” she nodded and smiled.

“Good,” he replied as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “As it’s such a beautiful evening out, I thought we could sit out on the patio for dinner?”

“Sounds fab,” Ally replied happily. She carried Ben out to the patio where the big glass garden table was already set for dinner. She slipped
Ben into his highchair and kissed the top of his head once more. She took a seat as Rosie and Cole emerged from the house carrying their evening meal.

“Aren’t you joining us?” Ally asked Rosie when she saw only her and Cole’s dinner and a small bowl of food for Ben.

“I think tonight, you need to spend some time as a family,” Rosie said with a grateful smile, as she placed a scan picture on the table in front of Ally. “Just the four of you.”

Then she turned and headed back into the house.

Cole and Ally sat on the patio, enjoying the evening sun Talking about what ever came into their minds, but neither one mentioned Jason, though both knew the other was thinking about him.

“I think I will give this little man a bath before bedtime,” Ally said standing up.

“Let me,” Cole said beating her to Ben. “You need to rest, stay here and enjoy the last of the evening sun.”

“Thank you,
” Ally said gratefully. She watched Cole disappear into the house with Ben in his arms and felt content for the first time in weeks. She sat staring over their beautifully manicured back garden. Their world was perfect. They had a beautiful home, a gorgeous little boy and their little girl was on the way. They should have been happy.

But the ugly, dark cloud in the shape of Jason hung over them like an unspoken sadness between them.
However, Ally was determined she would no longer let him destroy their happiness.

She grew up in an unhappy home and s
he didn’t want that for Ben or Little Bean.

She rubbed her stomach as her little girl kicked, as if giving her a gentle reminder she needed to be strong and fight for her family.

“Ally,” a voice from behind her made her jump pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned and she smile
d when she saw Nathan standing at the doorway to the kitchen. But inside her heart hurt when she remembered he nearly died because he was trying to keep her safe.

“Hey,” she said as he walked out on to the patio
and took a seat next to her.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said looking at Ally oddly. He looked nervous and very unlike the Nathan she was used to.

“I just wasn’t expecting anyone,” she replied as she began to stand up. “Can I get you a drink or something?”

“No,” he shook his head and Ally dropped back into her seat. “I am good thanks
.”

“How’s the shoulder?” Ally asked and she cring
ed once more knowing why he was hurt.

“It’s healing well,” he replied and dropped his eyes to the floor. “That’s kind of why I am here.”

“Oh,” Ally said, feeling suddenly a little sick.

“I spoke to Cole,” Nathan began cautiously. “He is worried about you. He said you are blaming yourself for what happened to me.”

Ally’s heart was thumping hard in her chest as Nathan looked up and his eyes met hers. She could feel hot salty tears sting her eyes. She tried to blink them back but they broke free and trickled down her face.

“It is my fault,” she replied in a tiny voice. “You would have never heard of Jason if it weren’t for me. I brought him in to everyone’s life. People are getting hurt because of me. And it was the last thing I ever wanted to happen.”

“Ally, let me tell you a little story,” Nathan said and took a deep breath before he continued. “I met Cole when I was nineteen. My parent’s and younger sister Abby were killed in a car crash when I was eighteen. They were killed by a drunk driver and I was left with no one.”