Game of Patience

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

"I can walk."

"I'm never letting you walk again." He laughed as he carried her up the garden path. "Or running. You're only allowed to be carried everywhere."

The door swung open and everyone cheered as Phillips entered, carrying Brooke in his arms. Least she now knew how he had managed to get her into bed on the day of her parent's funeral.

There was a huge banner on the wall with 'Welcome Home Brooke' handwritten in bold letters. She smiled as she was placed on the sofa.

The last couple of weeks had been busy. She had slowly regained the ability to walk after her work with the physiotherapy team and her throat finally felt back to normal. Her shoulder was still weak, but the doctors had said that would take some time to heal. She had exercises to do, but as long as she made no sudden movements, everything should be okay.

She still had the cast on her right arm that everyone had signed. But she would get that off soon. She couldn't wait to have a long soak in the bath, or just to scratch her arm with ease when it was itchy.

The afternoon passed with games and music. The team had put together a small party for her. It was weird seeing everyone out of their usual clothes. The only person who didn't look much different was Knox, who was wearing a rainbow striped jumper with tiny bats over it.

She walked over to Brooke and handed her a present wrapped in outrageously colourful, shiny and glittery paper.

"You didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Brooke unwrapped it and laughed. "I love it. Thank you."

"Welcome to the world of crazy jumpers."

Brooke held up a knitted jumper for everyone to see. It was navy with rainbow dinosaurs covering it. Some of them were glittery. It was bold, it was loud and it was perfect. With Phillips' help she put it on. It was a little too big, but she preferred things to be baggy.

"I have something to show you." Phillips said. He helped Brooke to her feet and supported her as they walked upstairs.

On her bedroom door was a sign that said her name, with a red dinosaur sitting at the end. She smiled.

Phillips pushed open the door and led Brooke inside.

She looked around her room. It was painted space blue and had constellations painted on the walls.

"Jak and Howell helped me to paint it. Jak added some glow in the dark paint so they will light up at night."

"It's beautiful." She turned to Phillips and hugged him. "Thank you." She sat on the bed and looked around. She noticed a photo frame on her shelf.

"Roger found it, he thought you'd appreciate it."

She looked at it and smiled, it was the photo from her fifteenth birthday.

"Won't you miss the pink?" She asked quietly.

Phillips sat on the bed and pulled Brooke close to him. "It's time to move on. I can't hold onto her like that. It's been twenty years. I have all of my memories of her and a collection of her things. Plus, this room is needed to house someone else." He turned to Brooke and kissed her forehead. "She was six when Spencer took her and my wife from me. She'd be close to Jak's age now." He smiled. "I was afraid that if I painted the room, that I'd forget her. But the people we lose never really leave us."

"I'm sorry about what I said on the day I got taken."

"It's okay. You were hurting, you were still grieving. You still are."

"I think I understand why they placed me with you. I saw them when I was unconscious in the hospital bed. They told me that you would understand what I needed. Maybe they put us together because we both lost family. Maybe they thought we could help each other."

"Maybe so. They were good people, your parents. They gave me this ring, a couple of years after I lost my family."

He showed Brooke the ring on his finger. It was silver with a purple and red square gem sitting on the top.

"Purple and red." Brooke looked at Phillips and smiled widely.

"What?"

"You said Spencer was convinced my parents gave you the microchip."

"Yeah?" He paused. "Oh... OH!"

He looked at the ring and slid it off his finger. He inspected the ring closely and smiled. He pushed the gem in, and slid it away from him. It took some force, but the gem moved. Underneath sat a small black chip.

"I always said they were clever."

He showed Brooke then slid the gem back, it clicked into place. They looked at each other and smiled.