An Unexpected Reunion Ch. 04

My head whips round to see who the intruder is and I feel a little flustered when I see Alice walk in, her eyes go wide almost as though she's as shocked to see me awake as I am to see her up. "I didn't wake you did I?" I ask in a small voice that I barely recognise to be my own.

"No, not at all. I just couldn't sleep." She hovers in the doorway as she speaks, and I get the impression that she's waiting for me to invite her in. I gesture to the sofa silently and she makes her way to sit at the other end. "What are you reading?" She nods to the book in my lap and I hold it up for her to inspect the cover "I remember reading that at school."

I can't help the grin that forms on my lips as I toss the book onto the coffee table across from the sofa "it's strange, you'd think that with all the crap I have to read that falls on my desk day in day out I'd get sick of reading. But here I am, after two in the morning and I'm sat reading voluntarily." Alice laughs quietly at my admission and an awkward silence settles over us for a moment, spreading out into what feels like an eternity before she speaks again

"Callie, I just want to say how sorry I am about what happened the last time we saw each other..." I wave her apology away with my hand and shake my head.

"I don't want to hear it Alice. It was a long time ago, you couldn't control it, you couldn't of done anything to stop it. I'm just glad you and Lex got out when you did." I crease my eyebrows and look down at the frayed edge of the blanket I have set across my lap before I speak again "I'm sorry I couldn't of done more for you both, I wanted to help. I knew what was happening and I did nothing..."

We sit in a heavy silence for a moment, I watch as she looks at me thoughtfully and opens her mouth to say something, only to snap it shut a second later. I can't count how often she does this before I roll my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh "oh for heaven's sake Alice, just say what you want to say already."

"I just..." she pauses and fidgets slightly before meeting my eyes "I just want to be sure you and Alexa know what you're getting yourselves into." She shakes her head when I begin to interrupt her, stopping me in my tracks "I have no doubts that you love each other, I see it every time you look at her, and I know you'll take care of her. But I need you to be sure that you're both ready for what comes with marriage."

I look at her sternly for a moment, my heart thumping heavily in my chest as I try and gather the words to say "did Lexie ever tell you anything about me, about what I was like when we first met?" I ask, Alice shakes her head to confirm a negative response and I smile wryly at her before running my hand through my hair and shift on the sofa to tuck my legs underneath me. "Ok, I'll start from the beginning. As a teenager I was... how do I word this?" I scratch my chin thoughtfully and reach out for my mug of tepid tea and take a sip "a worldly young lady. I knew I was gay from a young age, I always had a natural charm that drew people to me and as soon as I learnt how to use that to my advantage I never went short of bed partners." I watch as this revelation settles in before continuing "I didn't know what I was looking for when I went from girl to girl, fling to fling. Picking women up and dropping them the minute I saw someone else I wanted. This went on until I met your daughter. The way we met, Jesus. It's so cliché I find it hard to believe myself."

"How did you meet?"

I smile shyly at her, feeling a warm blush spread across my cheeks as I think back to that night "I was playing a gig one night, earning some extra cash to bring back to uni with me and as stupid as it sounds I literally saw her across a crowded room and it was like time stood still. I stalked her outside during the break and we spoke briefly, I convinced her to let me take her out on a date and that was all she wrote really. I fell in love with her there and then. Mainly because she took none of my bullshit. But, once I got to know her and the more time I spent with her it was like this part of me, this void if you will, suddenly didn't feel empty anymore? For the first time ever I was complete and I knew she was the one, my one. The person I was born to share my life with. Shit, I sound like the idiot protagonist of one of those stupid Rom-Coms she watches but it's true." I take another mouthful of tea and watch Alice's face change slightly as she takes in what I've said.

"Why did you break up?" That, I wasn't expecting. My eyes widen and I grit my teeth in frustration, why would Lexie not tell her mum about that?

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

I scoff slightly and shift uncomfortably in my seat "she just stopped talking to me, it was as if she never existed. Turns out she came home from visiting me one weekend and saw you with fresh bruises, the guilt of hiding this just got to her I think. She's a good person your daughter. The day she walked out of my life... I can't even describe how broke I was. I went back to my old ways, drank my way through university. Got my job at the firm and worked my way up into the position I'm in now. But luckily, nine months ago your daughter stumbled into my office looking for a job and my life changed again. Alice, I more than understand what marriage means. I'm not marrying your daughter because I'm scared she'll walk out again, I know she won't. I know she'll never forgive herself completely for what happened and as stupid as it sounds I know now that it wasn't our time then. This is our time, now. I'm marrying your daughter because she's the person I want to share my future with, the person I want to wake up next to every day until I have no breath left in body. I want to share my best moments and my worst nightmares with her, she's the person that encourages me to follow my dreams and I'm going to try my best to be all that and more for her... does that make sense?"

It feels like an eternity passes before she talks again, her eyes just watch me carefully, almost as though she expects me to run away or grow an extra head. "My ex-husband is an awful man, he'd never forgive Lexie for marrying a woman. Me, I'm just glad she's found someone who loves her. I should've made her fight harder back then, she was an adult." I reach out and take her hand in mine and squeeze it tightly.

"There's a whole host of shoulda, woulda, couldas to be said about what happened back then. I don't want to dwell on the past, not when we have such a beautiful future on the horizon together." This seems to appease her because she reaches out across the sofa and wraps her arms awkwardly around my neck and places a soft kiss on my cheek.

We don't talk about anything deep or heavy after that, she asks about my family and offers condolences when I explain both my parents are dead. Eventually she excuses herself and goes back up to the guest room and leaves me alone for a while, sitting on the sofa I take stock of the room around me. Thinking about how it looks the same as it always has but for the first time ever, really taking in the changes that have taken place since Lexie moved in. This place never felt like a home until I started sharing it with her, all the broken picture frames were replaced and were now the new home of all the precious memories we have hanging on the walls.

I sit alone for a little while longer before heading back up to bed and climbing back in with Lex, she hasn't moved from where I left her so I spoon in behind her and wrap my arms around her to hold her close. She stirs slightly to push herself back against me but doesn't wake, placing a soft kiss below her ear I nuzzle into her smooth skin and close my eyes. Listening to her steady, even breathing. Letting the comfort and her warmth lull me into sleep.

November 2014 - Callie

The next few weeks pass in a blur of hectic work schedules, various wedding planning appointments and at least two arguments followed by incredible make up sex. Four days before the wedding my sister and her family arrive at my house to set up home until after the ceremony and to put it politely, it's complete and utter chaos.

Lexie is already on annual leave, we each have three weeks off for the wedding and our honeymoon where we're going on an all-inclusive cruise around the Mediterranean. Sitting in my office, I'm working through my last day before I'm officially off work mode and it's been a busy day. I have three manuscripts to sign off on, various contracts to read over and have faxed out to new authors, an editor's meeting, conference calls... the list is endless and it's safe to say that I'm feeling the pressure. My scalp tingles and I feel the skin at the back of my neck bristle in frustration as I glance at the clock on my desk and realise that despite it being almost five o'clock I'm nowhere near finished.

Lexie calls somewhere around six to ask where I am, when I tell her I'm still at the office that leads to another argument. "You said you'd be done on time. Why aren't you finished yet?" her constant barrage of questions and demands made me lose my shit a little and I shouted, she shouted and after a few minutes of us yelling at each other one of us hung up. By the time I'm happy everything is done and I'm in a good place to leave it's almost nine.

Walking through the office car park I get an overwhelming sense that I'm being followed, call it woman's intuition, a keen sense of hearing or a sixth sense. I just knew something bad was about to happen. Goosebumps formed on my skin as I looked around the empty lot, I thought I could see something shuffle in the shadows to my right. I stop in my tracks to peer in the direction of the movement and almost jump out of my skin when a common rat scurries out and run off in the opposite direction. Pausing for a moment to run my fingers through my hair and allow myself a short laugh at my skittishness I continue towards my car.

I'm around ten yards away from my vehicle when I'm struck from behind, the force of the blow causes me to topple to the ground and fall to my knees. I don't get chance to look back at my attacker when I'm struck again to my side, a boot clad foot kicking me directly in my ribs knocks the wind out of me and I lurch forward towards the concrete.

"Not so fucking clever now are you bitch?" A woman sneers at me before striking out at me again. A laugh, different from the voice that sounds comes out of the darkness and I see a mess of blonde hair before everything goes dark.

November 2014 -- Lexie

Where the fuck is she? I'm sat at the kitchen table alone and fuming as I glare at the wall clock in front of me. Despising it's existence with every second that passes, it's almost midnight and there's still no sign of Callie. I've tried calling her and it goes straight to voicemail, I'm confident she's stayed out to spite me. She promised me she'd be home on time, I know that woman's lives for her job but Christ, we're meant to be getting married on Saturday and there's a thousand things left to do and she decides now is the perfect time to do a disappearing act.

"Still no sign?" Lana asks from the doorway of the kitchen, I turn my glare from the clock to her and shake my head silently "I'm sure there's a reason for her to be working so late..." she tries to reason but I shoot her a look that stops her in her tracks.

"She promised she'd be home on time..." I say weakly before draining my whisky glass "I know her workload, I know how busy it can get but... she promised?" I sound so pathetic but at this point I don't care. Lana moves into the kitchen and slouches into the chair next to me and takes my hand in one of hers before gesturing to my glass, I nod and she quickly moves to get herself a glass and pours us both a drink.

We sit in silence for a few seconds as we drink, the slow burn of the liquid in my throat is a small comfort as I seethe quietly "you know, when she was younger she had shitty time keeping too. It's nice to see old habits die hard." I take no comfort in her words, instead I scowl down at the counter and pick at my fingernails. "She's different you know" her words catch my attention and I look up at her questioningly.

"How so?" Lana reaches out for the crumpled cigarette packet on the table and pulls one out and rests it between her lips, I hand her my lighter and she sparks up and takes a long drag.

"Well," she starts as she exhales a plume of smoke which circles the room "she's happy. She actually calls me because she wants to see how I'm doing instead of calling because she feels she has too." I watch as she takes another drag and exhales it out of her nose before speaking again "the last time I saw her this... alive was when she first met you. She really does love you Lex, so... don't be too mad at her."

"I'll try not to. It's just" I take a moment to take a steady breath, unfallen tears threatening to fall from the corners of my eyes "it's stupid, but sometimes I feel Callie puts her job before anything else." Lana smiles weakly at me and shrugs her shoulders.

"I know how it seems, but Clarissa has always had her priorities in the wrong order. But, when it comes to family and those she loves, she always puts them first." Her words are almost soothing, a small part of my anger is distinguished as I think about what she's said. It's true Callie can be unreliable and she works too hard but whenever I've needed her she's been there.

A small smile plays on my lips "fine, but it doesn't mean I'm letting her off lightly." Lana laughs loudly and winks at me.

"Oh god no. Making up is always half the fun." I open my mouth to reply but before I can speak the landline ringing stops me. My stomach drops, I look at the offending phone startled for a moment before exchanging a nervous glance with Lana. Nothing good ever comes from a phone ringing this late at night.

I almost don't want to answer, but my instincts tell me better "hello?"

"Am I speaking to Clarissa Jenkins next of kin?" my mouth goes dry and my stomach roils with nervous trepidation.

"I'm her partner, can I ask who's calling?" I look at Lana who's mouthing 'who is it?' at me. I hold my finger up to stop her and turn away so I'm facing the wall.

"My name is Nurse Celia, I'm at the Royal London Hospital. You're partner has been in an accident. I suggest you get here as soon as possible." My blood turns to ice in my veins as he words make circles in my head, my first thought is to call her out and tell her to stop being so bloody stupid. A part of me wants to vomit, another part wants to collapse on the ground and curl in a ball. But the part that reacts is a part of me I don't think I've ever seen before, out of nowhere a sense of calm surrounds me and I begin reacting.

"What do you mean she's been in an accident? What's wrong with her? Is she ok?" The questions tumble out of me quickly, I feel Lana standing beside me but I pay her no attention. The nurse on the other end of the phone sighs deeply, as though she's already grown tired of this conversation.

"She was found unconscious, she's suffered massive trauma and is in surgery as we speak. The doctor will be able to tell you more when you get here."

I say no more to the nurse I simply end the call and move from the room, Lana is hot on my heels throwing a million questions at me "what the fuck Lexie? What's happened?" I turn on my heel abruptly and blink away hot tears.

"She's in surgery, I don't know what happened. Get your stuff together, we need to leave. Now." I don't hear anything else she says, everything that happened after that instance is a blur because the next cognitive memory I have is sitting in a plastic chair in a hospital waiting room being spoken at by a doctor.

"Clarissa has suffered extensive trauma, we're working on repairing her lung and reducing a bleed on her brain. At the moment her vitals are stable, we'll have to keep her sedated for the next 48 hours whilst we monitor her brain activity but we're optimistic." Lana's hands are tightly gripped around mine as I stare blankly at a wall and nod.

"What happened doctor? Do you know?" Her voice sounds a million miles away, the calm that surrounded me earlier has gone. Right now all I feel is a deep dread filling me, consuming my entire being. My Callie, my beautiful, perfect Callie. In surgery? With a brain bleed? What the fuck is going on?

"Well, all we know is she was found unconscious by a car park attendant. It's clear she was attacked, the attendant notified the police at the scene and they'll be by to take statements and give you more information then. I'm really sorry I can't tell you anything more."

"We're meant to be getting married in three days..." that's all I can say, I look up at the doctor who's looking at me with pity. I think Lana say's thank you to him or something else because he leaves moments later. I rest my head in my hands, and that's when the sobs come. Small at first but when I feel Lana's arm drape around my shoulder I stop holding back.

"My Callie..."

November 2014 -- Callie

I feel like I'm floating, my limbs feel disengaged from body as I lie floating in this grey area between being awake and being asleep. I will my eyes to open, to take in my surroundings but my lids won't budge. I can hear voices and noises around me. Hushed whispers and the quiet whirring of machines, somethings not quite right with this picture but I'm powerless to do anything about it.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Lexie? Lexie's here. I can feel her hand on mine, her voice sounds pained. Almost as though she's been crying, memories of our last conversation hit me full force and I want so bad to wake up and hold her. Tell her I'm sorry for being such an arse, tell her I love her and she'll always come before anything else.

"She will soon Lex, be patient." Lana? My baby sister sounds wise beyond her years as she reassures my fiancé.

I fight with my body to wake up, if I could just squeeze the hand that's holding mine to show her that I'm fighting whatever this is, I'm fighting to stay with her. To show her that everything will be ok.

"I'll kill them. She told me so many times she thought Torie was behind everything. But I didn't believe her, I didn't want to believe her." I can hear Lexie's voice break as she begins crying and I yearn to be able to comfort her, but my body is against me. "How could I be so fucking stupid?" Oh baby, don't think that. I can feel myself slip away from whatever warped version of consciousness I'm in and darkness surrounds me once again.

Lexie stands at the end of the aisle, a vision in white, beaming down at me. Flower petals fall around my feet as I glide down in her direction, she's so beautiful in a fitted white gown. The way she's looking at me can only be seen as pure adoration as I move closer to her. I'm standing in front of her, her glorious green eyes look deep into mine as I reach out with a trembling hand and brush my knuckles down her cheek "my Lexie..." I hear myself murmur.

I feel a hand tight in the back of my hair pulling me back, pulling me away from the woman standing in front of me. I reach out for Lexie but she's gone. Replaced by a faceless figure, the laugh that surrounds me makes my skin crawl.

In the distance I can hear a blood curdling scream, I'm running away from it. Away from the figure behind me with no face, I need to get away. I need to be safe.

I don't know how but I'm falling, spiraling down into a vast, deep hole of darkness. I see my Mum's face in the distance smiling at me, she holds out a hand and I can hear her voice clearer than I have in years "not yet Rissy."

"Ma?" I call out, she's fading away again and I'm still falling, tumbling into nothing.

When my eyes open I don't recognise my surroundings and panic sets in, I want to move but I'm aware of a dull throb in my chest, limbs and head and it's debilitating. I turn my head to my right and it's worth every second of discomfort I experience. Lexie has her head resting on her arms propped on the bed, her hair is fanned out around her as she sleeps and for a moment, just one moment I watch her sleep.