love without warning | Michael Gray

𝟏𝟑

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The next couple of days weren't much trouble for Alison, she was back to her midwifery duties as expected and she'd also earned the pleasure of meeting up with Michael and his family far more frequently. Luckily for her the Shelby's and the Gray's had taken quite the liking towards this particular girl allowing her to grow even more comfortable with the bunch than she was prior.

Though despite all of these so called 'positives', one thing was still there, lingering at the back of Alison's mind as if trying to break her little by little until she finally cracks — was Michael Gray truly worth it?

For what is attempting love with a Gray without pain? Without any suffering? Nothing. You see, that's the thing, when it comes to both the Shelby's and the Gray's, they both had one thing in common, they were both capable of inflicting the biggest damage on girls such as Alison. Girls who were almost too fragile to function, some would call it a weak heart, others would call it a weak girl, but most would just put a label on it such as vulnerability.

Five days had gone by as if it was nothing, she was more than enjoying the time she had been spending with Michael yet she couldn't help but feel blameable for those she's hurt along the way when pursuing this relationship with such a dangerous man. But sometimes you have to put yourself first no matter the cost — and in Alison's point of view, this was one of those cases. You see, she's gone through her entire life without a single touch of selfishness in her, she's always been the one to put others before herself so for once in her twenty years of living, this was her chance, her chance at freedom and her chance to finally have the ability to do what she wants to do for herself, no one else.

Thomas and Grace's wedding was set to take place in only a matter of weeks, and even though on the day of being asked Alison had happily accepted their offer of having a place at their special day, it seemed that now she was having second thoughts on whether it would be smart for her to make an appearance or not. What would the mothers think if their midwife was attending the wedding of such people? The only thing keeping her on the path of actually turning up was Michael — if he was attending so was she — he sort of had that impact on her, the impact in which she feels the want to stay by his side at every given moment.

Alison walked swiftly along the cobbled footpath taking trust in her steps to guide her to whom she longed the most when it came to needing advice — Cassie. Considering it had just gone by midday and Cassidy was still caught up in her midwifery duties, Alison had no choice but to await her release from the Jenkins residence by simply standing outside their door until the job had come to an end. Though, God knows when that will be.

Usually Theresa was who Allie would go to when in need of a serious type of talk. However, if Tessa heard Alison utter even one more word about Michael or that entire family, she for sure would be just one step closer to losing her marbles. So, just as any logical person such as Alison would do in that type of situation, she found it best suited if she found a second, more chilled out option when it came to conversations like these. Which is exactly why Cassidy was soon to come in handy.

It wasn't much of a long walk until Alison had eventually reached the front door of Mrs Jenkins house, five minutes to be exact. Anyways, she leaned against the brick wall of the residence for stability, but more so comfort as it was presumed she would be waiting for quite some time. She sighed and patted down her uniform — the dress still looking unflattering as ever — before pulling out a cigarette from the left pocket of her work jacket and lighting it up with a lighter she seemed to be carrying.