Haunting Past

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Jacob panicked as he saw Grace falling to the floor and had just managed to reach her before she hit her head on the stone steps that she had been walking down.  Luke had followed behind and already had his mobile phone out requesting an ambulance.  Due to the fire alarms being sounded the arrival of the paramedics was swift, they assessed Grace before lifting her onto a stretcher and taking her to the hospital, Jacob escorted her while her friends followed behind.  The paramedics had reassured them that the hospital visit was precautionary, but it did not stop them from worrying.  Grace did not regain consciousness in the ambulance or during her wait in the accident and emergency department.  After 2 hours of waiting, a bed became available and Grace was transferred so that she could be monitored until she woke.    Jacob stayed at her side throughout; he blamed himself for putting too much pressure on her to attend the gallery and wanted to make sure that she was okay.

Grace opened her eyes and closed them again several times before she felt that she could keep them open.  She panicked initially as she was unable to move her left arm, she couldn’t quite remember what had happened or how she had ended up in hospital.  She looked around the room and saw her dress from the gallery draped over one of the chairs, and realised that she must have been wearing a hospital gown.  Her eyes travelled around the room and finally landed on the thing that was preventing her from moving her arm.  Grace noted the head of dark brown hair that was resting on her arm and knew it was Jacob.  She smiled to herself, and debated on whether or not to wake him.  She had decided to leave him to sleep.  She did not know how long she had been in the hospital and she thought he must have needed the rest, Grace had just settled herself back against her pillows when the door to her side room was opened which caused Jacob to wake with a start.  He didn’t look to her he looked to the door where one of the staff nurses had just entered.  “Ah, Miss Harris, I see you are awake, how are you feeling?”  Jacob looked at the nurse confused before turning to Grace; he did a second take before he accepted that she was awake.  “How long have you been awake?”  The nurse was looking at her charts that were at the end of the bed and then began taking her blood pressure and temperature.

“I’ve only just woken.  What happened?”  Grace’s memory was very hazy.  She remembered being at the gallery and being surprised at how nice a time she’d had, she even remembered the fire alarms going but that was all.  The nurse told her that she had fainted, and she had been unconscious for over 3 hours.   She also told Grace that now that she was awake, there was no reason for her to remain in hospital, so she left to inform the doctor to prepare her for discharge.  Once the nurse left, Grace turned and looked at Jacob, who still hadn’t lost the look of confusion, though it was slowly fading.  “Hi,” Grace said shyly.  “I’m sorry I ruined the night.  I really did have a great time.”  Grace went quiet as she waited for Jacob’s reaction.  Jacob got up from his chair and walked closer to the bed where Grace had sat herself up against her pillows.  He sat on the side of the bed facing her, and brought his hand up to gently caress the side of her face.  Grace leaned into him enjoying the tenderness he was showing her.

“Grace Harris, you scared me.”  With his free hand he entwined his fingers with hers and then brought them to his lips with a gentle kiss.  “We didn’t know what happened, do you remember anything?”  Jacob questioned.  Grace shook her head and felt her eyes start tearing, though she wasn’t sure as to why she would be almost crying.  “Hey, don’t cry, everything is okay now.  We’ll get you home and its bed rest for you.”  Jacob had moved position and sat beside her so he could wrap his arms around her in comfort, for which Grace was thankful.  Jacob telephoned Luke and asked him to bring down some fresh clothes and a bag for Grace’s dress, as they would be leaving soon.  After waiting only 15 minutes, the doctor came into the room and after a quick examination, he told her she could leave, but needed to take things easy for the next couple of days.  “Looks like no work Monday, good job you have a decent boss!”  Jacob giggled just as Hannah entered the room.  She handed Grace some fresh clothes, and after giving her a hug she let Grace go into the bathroom to change.  While he was waiting, Jacob took the garment bag that Hannah had brought and put Graces dress into it along with her shoes.  Grace didn’t take long to change and they were soon on their way home.

Jacob helped Grace out of the car and carried her bag up to her bedroom.  Hannah and Luke had gone to their room to bed after Grace had managed to convince them that she was fine.  Grace stood by her bed as she watched Jacob lay the garment bag over the chair in the corner of her bedroom, she felt nervous.  Jacob walked up to her and gave her a small peck on the cheek.  “I should probably go.  Will you be okay?”  Grace nodded in response to his question, but inside her heart was screaming at her to tell him to stay.  Jacob slid his hands down her arms until they met her hands, “Will I see you tomorrow?”  Jacob looked away from Grace, fearful that she would say no.  Grace looked at him until his gaze returned to her.  She could see the indecision, and the insecurity in his eyes, and she knew that she had been the cause.  They had been closer than ever over the past month, but she knew she was still keeping him at a distance from her.  Grace bit her lip, which was a habit she had when she was nervous, and decided she wasn’t going to be a coward anymore.

“Jake, will you stay with me?  I could do with a hug.”  Grace managed to hold his gaze and was glad she did when she saw the smile appear on his face.  He didn’t say anything; he just pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.  “I’ll take that as a yes then.”  She could feel him nodding his head as she enjoyed being in his arms.  “Do you need me to ask Luke if you can borrow some of his pyjamas?”  Grace felt a little awkward asking, but she didn’t think that he would have had an overnight bag with him.  Jacob pulled back away from her a little and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Well, I usually just sleep in my boxers, but if that’s a problem…”  Grace brought her hand to his mouth to silence him.

“If that’s what you usually do, then that’s okay with me.”  Grace stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his, she wanted to lengthen the kiss but felt tired and really wanted to climb into bed.  “I’ll just go and get changed, make yourself comfortable,” Grace took some pyjama bottoms and a vest top from her drawers and made her way to the bathroom to change.  When she returned to her room, Jacob was laid on her bed with the duvet covering up to his waist and his hands behind his head.  He hadn’t noticed that Grace had returned, and she found her eyes wandering down his body admiring the toned muscles of his abdomen

“Like what you see?”  Jacob teased and he giggled as he watched her face flush red.  He pulled the duvet back and patted the bed for her to join him.  “Come on, I think you need some sleep, it’s been a tough day.”  Grace nodded in agreement and gladly climbed in beside him.  She turned to face him and he pulled her towards him so she could nestle against his chest.  It was a matter of minutes before Grace had fallen to sleep, and smiling, Jacob soon joined her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grace looked around the crowded gallery and could see Jacob stood with Luke laughing, she smiled to herself she was glad that Jacob was liked by her friends, they were her family.  She heard someone shouting, as she turned the people around her disappeared and she was left alone, then she seen him, stood in the doorway.  She froze as he started to walk towards her with a disapproving look on his face.  “Well now pumpkin, what should I do with you.  You know I don’t like it when you run from me,” Grace found herself, apologising for running away, she was pleading with him not to hurt her.  “Now, why would you think that?  I love you Lily, always will.”  He reached her and stroked his hand down the side of her face, following her jaw line till he reached her neck.  Grace braced herself for what she knew was going to happen, he brought his hand round to the front of her neck then began to tighten his hold, pushing her back until she could go no further.  She could feel the tears running down her face as she begged him to stop, he laughed as she struggled to breathe.  “I’ll never let you go Lily, remember that.”  He released her neck and started to slide his hands over her body, pulling her head towards him as he motioned to kiss her.  She furiously shook her head and hoped her voice would work as she started to scream.