Secrets and Lies (Sequel to Your Lying Eyes)

Secrets and Lies Chapter 5

Jason and Anna made good time, arriving at the hotel earlier than they thought they would.  

It was set in its own grounds, an old stately home which had been refurbished with everything needed for a self-contained spa holiday.  

Jason went to the back of the car and opened the boot, taking out their luggage and carrying it into the reception.  While they were signing in, they heard a familiar voice call out to them.

"Hey Jay mate!  Anna!  Fancy seeing you two here!"

They turned around to see Gary and Sandy walking over towards them across the large entrance hall.

"Hi Gary!" replied Anna as Gary enveloped her in one of his massive bear hugs, kissing her on the cheek at the same time.  "Hi Sandy!"

"Hello Gaz!  You alright?" Jason greeted him then kissed Sandy on the cheek.  "This is very nice," he said, nodding at their surroundings.  "Good choice Gaz!"

"Yeah, not bad is it?  Heard about it and thought it would be a good place for a bit of a get away.  The rooms are brilliant, wait till you see yours!" he told them.

"Anyone else got here yet?" asked Anna, looking around the hallway.  "Don't say we're the first after you?"

"Yep, Mark's been on to say that he and Chloe have got stuck in a traffic jam on the motorway.  Should be here in about an hour or so.  Not heard anything from Howard yet, so he must be arriving like we arranged earlier in the week."

Anna and Jason nodded in understanding.  Anna was glad that he hadn't changed her mind.  She hoped that she wasn't showing how nervous she felt at the prospect of seeing him again.  All the way down in the car, whenever she thought of him, her stomach had been doing somersaults and her heart skipped a beat.  She knew that Jason and Gary would be looking for any signs of how she felt.

"Well I think we'll go up and find our room.  Be down in half an hour," said Jason as he bent down to pick up their suitcase.

"Yeah ok.  Meet you outside on the veranda," said Gary, pointing over the hallway.  "Don't rush, we've got lots of time yet."

He watched the two of them walk up the stairs, Jason carrying the suitcase in one hand, his free arm stretched out protectively behind Anna's back, his head bent down as he listened to something she was saying to him.  

Gary thought how he seemed to hang onto her every word.  Obviously they were getting on better than they had.  Things had been uncertain between them for a while.  Sandy had had serious doubts about whether their relationship would survive given Anna's worries.  This weekend was going to prove to be a testing time for the pair of them.  

He thought back to when Anna had been in hospital after the accident.  They had all been worried about her for quite a while.

Jason had proved to be impossible to move from Anna's bedside. The first few days he stayed at the hospital, refusing to budge despite the pleas of the medical staff.

Gary, Mark, Sandy and Chris worried about him as he kept up his vigil.  They were concerned that his own health would begin to suffer if he didn't give himself a break.

"You've got to go home and have a proper sleep," Gary told him.  He looked at the dark circles under his eyes. He'd been there for four days without a break.  "You need to be strong for when Anna regains consciousness.  At least go and have a shower and get changed into some fresh clothes," he tried to persuade him.  "Chloe sent these up for you," he said holding out a bag with a change of clothes in.