The phone chirped with enthusiasm, “You have reached your destination,” as they pulled into the driveway of Hannah’s childhood home. As they approached the front door, the smell of fresh-cooked sausage assaulted his senses. Hannah didn’t knock, she just opened the front door. The inside of the home was as lovely as the outside. There were quilts and throws on every couch. And a random and eclectic assortment of decor that spoke of family trips and cherished memories. He felt himself relax from any stress he harbored. This place felt like home.

Hannah wasn’t even paying attention to him. She was wandering towards the middle of the house. Probably looking for her mother. Simon kept pace with her, however, and soon found himself in the kitchen. He reached over and grabbed her hand. He told himself it was because of the charade— he was really just finding reasons to touch her. Her small hand slipped into his. She looked back at him and a small hint of a smile played across her features. Hopefully her family liked him.

“I’m here.” Hannah dropped her bags just next to the table and looked around.

Dropping his bags, he looked around the kitchen. It was bright and warm. The sausage he smelled lay on a plate on the counter. A woman with thin whispy hair and a sly grin walked into the kitchen and threw her arms around Hannah.

“Hannah! I missed you, sweet girl.” She hugged her a moment longer before turning to address him. “You must be Simon.”

He stuck his hand out to shake hers, but she ignored his gesture and grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug as well. She was stronger than she looked. With his armed pinned to his sides, he tried to breath, but the air was being squeezed out of his body. All he could do was grunt.

“I’ve heard so much about you,” she said.

“I have heard so much about you, as well,” Simon replied.

Hannah's mother giggled. “You didn’t tell me about the accent. Or how handsome he is.”

Hannah sighed and pretended to fidget with something on the counter. It was apparent that this blunt behavior from her mother was not abnormal.

Paige rushed out of the room and yelled, “They’re here!”

Simon and Hannah followed her from the kitchen into the adjoining room where a beautiful, petite woman sat next to a very tall man. His flaming red hair stood in stark contrast to his pale blonde wife.

The blonde woman jumped off the couch and ran past Simon and Paige to Hannah. Squeals, laughter and a whole lot of chatter followed. The red-haired man stood up and offered Simon a hand. “I’m Joshua.”

“Simon,” he replied curtly.

They both stood there waiting for the women to rejoin them without saying a word. Hannah's mom had gone into the kitchen to talk to the girls. Simon turned toward Joshua. “So your wife—her name is Annie, right? Hannah told me about both of you.”

“Yeah, she told us about you too. Annie has been talking about it nonstop since Hannah told us she had a boyfriend.”

They both stood there uncomfortably for a moment. Simon saw sports out of the corner of his eye playing on the telly. The Aggies were up, but just barely. Joshua was already distracted by it, so Simon hopped over to the couch and lounged, putting his feet up on the ottoman. Joshua joined him a moment later, handing him a beer and shouting when the ref made a bad call.

“I thought Brits didn’t watch American Football,” Joshua said while staring at the screen.

Simon shrugged. “It is enjoyable. I had a host family when I first came to the States and they were Aggie fans. I became a fan of the game and tailgating as well.”

Twenty minutes later the girls returned. Annie hopped onto the edge of the couch, her legs draped over Joshua’s lap. He put his arm around her and pulled her in close, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle.

The look Hannah gave them made it clear that their public display of affection was not appreciated. She sat next to Simon. Her small frame pressed up against his side, and he was suddenly very aware of the heat from her body. Simon leaned back and casually put his arm around her shoulder.

“Oh, that just warms my heart,” Hannah's mom said with a smile as she came into the room and sat on the couch opposite the couples.

Hannah smiled. It was a genuine smile unlike any Simon had seen so far. Uninhibited. He squeezed her shoulder lightly and pulled her in closer to his side. Her smile faltered briefly and she peered up through her eyelashes at him. He saw vulnerability and innocence. It took his breath away.

That moment seemed to stand still for Simon. He saw his life flashing before him. It was filled with Hannah. She was there with him through every moment and in every trial. He wanted to hold her close and never let go. Instead, he settled for kissing the top of her head. Her hair smelled like coconut and he breathed in her scent and closed his eyes, forgetting himself.

When he opened his eyes he realized her mother was staring at him with tears in her eyes. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“So, Hannah never actually told me your name,” he said. “She just always calls you Mom.”

“Oh, goodness, well it’s Paige. But you can call me Mom, too.”

Simon sighed. Hannah was too perfect. How could he not fall in love with her? This whole plan was going to hurt. He just knew it. Pain had become second nature to him, but he wasn’t sure if he could handle Hannah breaking his heart.

Breaking Simon from his reverie, a loud crash sounded from the screen door just outside the living room. Simon jumped up to open the door. Ginny rushed into the room with a large plastic container stuck around her head. She ran into the room like a panicked astronaut, bumping into walls and furniture. As she charged about, completely hysterical, Simon saw that the container was concaving in when she breathed and then releasing. The poor pup wasn’t getting any air.

He ran after her around the couch and tackled the massive puppy to the ground. She calmed as he slid his fingers under the lid of the container, breaking the seal. She gasped for breath, foaming slightly at her mouth.

By now everyone was up out of their seats, panicking and trying not to laugh. Paige had already gotten a cleaner to begin sanitizing the areas where the puppy had an accident.

“What the? How did she…?” Hannah couldn’t seem to finish her sentences.

“I don’t know,” Simon replied.

He tried to pry the jug off of Ginny’s head but it wasn’t budging.

“Do you need scissors or something?” Annie offered.

“Let me try to wiggle it off first so we don’t hurt her.”

He wiggled it back and forth, hoping it would come off. It took about thirty minutes, but he was finally able to remove the jug from her head. She fell on the ground, huffing and trying to catch her breath.

“Not the brightest crayon in the box, eh?” Joshua noted.

Hannah smacked the back of his head. “She’s just a puppy.”

He didn’t reply.

“Thank you, Simon. Thanks for fixing her.”

“Don’t mind me,” Paige interjected. “I’m just cleaning up your dog’s crap all over the house now.”

Simon sat with Ginny for a while, rubbing her belly and speaking calmly to her. She soon settled down and fell asleep, draped across his lap.

* * *

The entire week had been eye opening. Simon had won over her mother and sister in an instant. Joshua had taken to him the second day they spent together. Simon’s quick wit and charming sense of humor were infectious. Inside her head, Hannah was so pleased. She told herself it must be because her mom believed her trick, but she also felt something akin to pride. Like she had picked the right man. Too bad this was all a sham.

“It’s time for dinner,” her mom announced. Everyone gathered in the kitchen, finding seats at the table. Hannah felt Simon’s leg brush hers as he sat down.

“Let’s pray,” Paige announced.

They all linked their hands around the table while Paige said grace.

“I’ll get you a drink, love,” Simon said to Hannah, squeezing her hand after the prayer.

She tried to chalk up the tingle that passed up her arm to nerves, but she had a feeling it had something to do with the way Simon touched her.

“Now, Hannah, since Annie is twenty-one this year, I thought it would be nice to get us all a bottle of wine for dinner. Of course, you don’t have to have any, but it is here if you like.” Her mom had already brought out a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the kitchen and uncorked it. She passed it to Simon who had stood to serve it and he poured her a glass.

“Thanks, Mom,” Hannah said appreciatively. “Actually, Simon gave me a glass of wine the other day and I liked it, so it sounds good.”

“Hannah has always had this weird thing about not ever trying wine. Said she didn’t like it even though she had never tasted it,” Annie commented.

“It smelled gross to me,” Hannah defended.

“This looks amazing,” Joshua remarked, changing the subject to the meal.

Everyone dished up food and doled out compliments to Paige, who seemed to be enjoying herself.

“Tell us all about yourself, Simon,” Paige said over a mouthful of tri-tip steak.

Hannah swallowed the mashed potatoes in her mouth. Suddenly, she felt nervous. She knew that this was all pretend and it didn’t really matter if they liked him or not, but for some reason she really wanted him to impress her mother. He began to tell them about growing up and getting into college.

He was so good at talking to people. His captivated audience hung on every word.

“Sounds like your mom is a saint,” Paige said to Simon.

“She is pretty amazing,” he replied. “She has always worked so hard for me. Although from what I hear, you have done just as much.”

Paige put her hand on Hannah’s arm in a swift movement, interrupting the story mid sentence. “Hey, sweetie, I really need to go lay down.”

Hannah noticed a thin film of sweat on her mother’s upper lip and her face was pale and ashy. She stood immediately and reached for Paige’s hand. “Let me help you.”

She led her mother out of the dining room towards her bedroom. Each step she took seemed laborious. She shuffled a few times and just before they reached the door she began to fall forwards. Hannah threw her arms around her mom, hoping to keep her upright. Suddenly, Simon was there, helping Hannah lower her mother to the carpet and checking her pulse. “Her pulse is weak, and she is all clammy. When was her last treatment?”

“I don’t know,” Hannah replied with panic in her voice. She felt clammy too. Her skin was cold and sweaty and her heart raced. “Call 911.”

“I got it,” Annie said loudly.

Simon reached down and scooped up Hannah's mother in his arms.

“I’ve got her. Let’s go. I could probably make it to the hospital more quickly.”

Hannah followed him out to her car where she helped buckle her mother in to the back seat. She jumped in next to her mom and put her arms around her. “Mom, it’s going to be okay.”

* * *

Her small frame was easy to carry as Simon lifted her up and walked quickly with her to the emergency room. Hannah trailed on his heels, stumbling over the curb and almost crashing into a trash can. Panic welled through her as she saw her mother’s head bob like a doll. As soon as they went through the doors, three nurses helped him put her in a room with a bed, rushing around taking vitals and checking on her. Hannah stood in the corner of the room with tears in her eyes.

Her mind reeled with impossible thoughts of death and fear. She couldn’t stand to lose her mother right now. Not ever. Her sweet, loving mother who had given her entire life to raising her two daughters. The strong, steadfast woman who put on a brave face after her father died as she continued to serve in their church. Oh, God, I plead with You. Spare her. Spare my sweet mother. She is all that I have. She deserves a long and full life. Don’t take her from me. Hannah’s heart felt like it was going to burst as she wrung her hands in her lap. How could she get through this?

Attendants wheeled Paige out of the triage room on a gurney and Hannah was suddenly wrapped up in a warm embrace. Simon’s arms felt like home and soon she was sobbing. Her body shook as she cried into his shirt and threw her arms around him too, pulling him in to her, tight. He didn’t say a word, he just held her there, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

“I’m so worried about her. I have never seen her like this. Not even after her chemo. She is usually just weak and nauseated.”

“It will be okay.” Simon’s deep voice reassured her.

She sniffed once and held him a bit tighter. The nurse walked in at that moment and both stepped away from each other. She approached Hannah, handing her forms and paperwork to fill out. Hannah felt like a deer in headlights. She couldn’t seem to focus on what the nurse was saying. The sounds were all garbled together in a string of consonants. She took the papers from the nurse though and nodded as if she understood.

Simon took her by the hand and led her out of the triage room into the waiting room. “Sit here,” he instructed her gently. After she sat, he knelt in front of her. He brushed the hair away from her face and looked her in the eyes. “Hannah, listen to me. Your mom will be okay. Have faith. God has a plan for her and for you. Right now you need to fill out these forms. So fill them out and I will get you a cup of tea.” The garbled string of consonants made sense and she was able to figure out what they meant.

She looked down at the documents resting on her lap and tried to read. But the task was just too much for her. Her mind spun in a million directions and a sense of doom and fear spread through her entire body. She felt herself shaking but knew that she should try and keep herself busy. She began to fill out the forms one by one, focusing intently on their questions. She had no idea what her mother’s social security number was and she didn’t have the insurance forms. Why did they care about insurance? Her mother could be dying! She needed to be with her.

A doctor approached Hannah, just as Simon got back with two cups of tea.

“What’s going on?” Simon asked the doctor as he handed Hannah her cup.

“I have news about your mother. She contracted the flu after her most recent round of chemotherapy. Her body seems to be going into septic shock. We are moving her to the ICU and giving her antibiotics to combat the secondary infections, along with an antiviral to try and help her fight the influenza viruses.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Hannah’s voice sounded hollow and distant. She wasn’t sure if she had really said anything at all.

Simon reached over and grabbed her hand. Hannah felt strength pouring into her from his hand. “Sir, is there any way that we can see her?”

“I can show you up to the waiting room near the ICU, and the nurses will come and get you when she is stable. Right now we are administering the antibiotics. She is also on a respirator after she stopped breathing on her own.”

“Why thank you,” Simon said, tugging lightly on Hannah's hand.

“Yes, I’m headed up there anyhow,” the doctor said sincerely.

Simon guided Hannah by the arm and led her behind the doctor. She thanked God silently that she had him with her. It wasn’t fair to use him this way, but right now he was her rock. She knew she would make it through this if she had his hand to hold onto.

* * *

Paige had finally stabilized. The doctor told Hannah she was allowed to see her mother, but only relatives were allowed in the ICU. Hannah's sister and her husband were already up in the ICU apparently, waiting for Hannah. But the doctor paused to question Simon’s presence in the room. Hannah alleviated his concern by promptly stating, “Oh, this is my husband.”

She didn’t even think twice about it. She needed Simon there with her. She needed help standing up and she knew she wasn’t strong enough on her own.

To his credit, Simon didn’t even flinch when Hannah lied to the doctor. He just nodded when the doctor showed them into the room and then left them alone. He led her in, allowing her to lean on him for support. She felt weak in the knees as she approached her mother’s bed. The machines in the room dinged and whirled. Paige’s heart rate beeped on the screen in a pulsating fashion, while her chest moved up in down in an unnatural syncopated rhythm.

“She’s not in pain,” a nurse said quietly from behind Hannah’s back. “She is being given pain medicine and also antibiotics.”

“I can’t stand to see her like this,” Hannah said with tears pouring out of her eyes.

Annie was huddled in a corner of the room with Joshua stroking her hair. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy.

“It’s going to be alright,” Simon assured Hannah.

She knew he couldn’t know how things would turn out, but the kindness in his voice helped alleviate her fears slightly. Having him in the room was wonderful, but he didn’t need this. It had to be stressful for him and definitely wasn’t something she had paid him for.

Her guilty conscience got the better of her and Hannah decided to talk to him out in the hall. She needed to clear things up so he didn’t feel like he had to be by her side. He leaned up against the wall in the hallway.

“You don’t have to stay here, you know,” Hannah told him hesitantly.

“Hey, you paid me for the whole weekend,” he said with a wink.

She couldn’t help the slight smile on her face. He was too mischievous for his own good and that wink spoke volumes.

“Yes, but this is above and beyond what I asked you to do.” Hannah swiped quickly at a tear that leaked out of the corner of her eye, betraying the deep emotions that lay just under the surface of her smile.

“Then let me stay as your friend,” Simon said quietly.

He held out his hand to her in a gesture of friendship and strength. She took it. If he was willing to stand by her side right now she would have the support she needed to make it through this tough time.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her heart rate had started to slow. His presence was so helpful. He led her back into the hospital room and over to where her mother lay in bed. Paige looked so small. Her pale skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. The tube that came out of her mouth was taped around her face. Hannah pulled a chair up close to the bed and sat near her. Simon followed suit. His presence felt reassuring, like a candle held in a darkened room.

She laid her head on the bed next to her mother’s still form and soon fell asleep.

* * *

Hannah was snoring lightly, which Simon thought was absolutely adorable. He took a few moments just to stare at her face. Her beautiful full lips, parted slightly. A strand of red hair fell down across her face and stood in stark contrast against her pale skin. There was a very slight smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She was gorgeous.

Simon tried to get comfortable in the plastic chair. Soon, he too nodded off. This didn’t last long, however, before a confused ruckus of beeping and alarms went off. He jumped to his feet, immediately awake. Hannah also jumped up, a look of panic sweeping across her features.

Paige was convulsing on the bed. Her hands were in fists and her skin as pale as the hospital sheets. The machines that read her vitals were screaming that something wasn’t right. Terror flooded through Simon before the nurses rushed in.

“Oh my God!” Hannah cried out. “Is she going to be okay?”

Before the nurses even had to ask, Simon had grabbed Hannah by the arm and was ushering her out of the room and away from the chaos and fear. Joshua followed suit, taking Annie out into the hall. The girls hugged each other in the hall, full of tears and sobs.

Hannah was a wreck. She sobbed and slouched against the wall. Simon was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what to say. He knew that in crisis situations it was best to just comfort. He went over and sat next to her on the floor. She leaned her head on his shoulder, tears still streaming down her face.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t know if her mom would be okay. He didn’t know if she would get better. Simon just knew that she needed him right there. Hannah needed him. So he put his arm around her again and held onto her. He held her through the panic, through the night of doctors, nurses and orderlies flitting in and out of the room. He held her while they told her that her mother may not make it.

“At least you have Simon,” Annie said next to Hannah.

Hannah looked startled for a moment, so Simon reached his hand over to hers and squeezed it lightly.

“Thank you, Annie,” Simon replied for Hannah.

“This sucks that you had to be here for such a rough time,” Annie said to Simon.

“I know, I already tried to send him home, but he wanted to stay,” Hannah defended.

“That’s what he is here for, sweetie,” Annie replied to her. She took Hannah's hand in hers and held it lightly, laying her head on Hannah's shoulder.

“I can’t do much,” Simon offered.

“You’re doing plenty,” Hannah told him.

A nurse came out of the room and approached the group. All four of them stood up, apprehensively. “I wanted to let you all know that your mother’s heart stopped.” When she said this both girls squeaked in fear. The nurse put her hands up to calm them. “We were able to restart her heart and she is now doing much better. Tonight will be touch and go, but I can tell you that generally if people make it through the night, they tend to get better. But obviously I can’t promise anything, and I also want you to understand that your mother is very sick. Right now, she will be under constant supervision. I am going to ask that you wait in our family waiting room until we have her more stable. Once we feel like she is out of the woods, we will come and get you and you can sit with her. For now, we need the space.”

Hannah began to cry again, silent tears falling down her cheeks. Simon reached over and wiped one of them away, but it was only replaced quickly by another. “It will be okay,” he muttered to her. He took her by the hand and led her to the family waiting room and sat down beside her in an uncomfortable chair.

The TV droned on with some news story, and the smell of the hospital was dreadful, to Simon. Memories surfaced every few minutes in that sick-infested place. But for Hannah's sake he just pressed them back and ignored the pain they pulled up.

The close time with Hannah was almost excruciating to Simon. He knew that he was helping her, but at the end of the day he was still just the guy she took to her dinner to convince her mother that she was okay. Every moment that he spent with her, he fell for her more. She was such a complex and sweet person. You would have to be crazy not to like her.

“Thank you,” Hannah said simply, after a few moments of silence.

“For what?” Simon asked.

“Just being here. You don’t realize how helpful that is. You have gone above and beyond, today— thank you.”

At that moment Simon really wanted to talk to Hannah about his feelings for her, but he was cut off when Annie walked across the room and sat next to her sister.

“It’s going to be okay, Hannah,” Annie said to her sweetly. Hannah laid her head on Annie’s shoulder and Simon stood up. He needed to take a break and catch his breath. This was a lot of stress on him, even if he seemed okay.