Finally, I’m able to get this death trap of a cast off. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly fallen ass over tit because I’ve become off balance or the crutch did something stupid. Seth tells me it’s the operator. Now that, I find hard to believe.
“How much longer do I have to wait?” I lean over towards Seth, who is sitting beside me. It feels as if we’ve been sitting here forever, when in fact it’s only been ten minutes.
“Calm down.” He sighs. He’s sick of hearing me complain.
I’ve complained a lot during the last six weeks. I don’t feel guilty about it at all. He had his cast off three weeks ago; his break wasn’t as bad as mine. So yeah, I’ve been slightly jealous. He knows it. “Don’t tell me to calm down. I’m so over this smelly thing.”
It really does smell. What’s going to be worse is how hairy my damn leg is going to be. That’s just gross. I’ve worn a long red summer dress today for that reason. I want to cover up those hairs until I get home and can scrub the smell away and shave. I shudder at the thought of inch-long hair.
“Chloe Saunders,” the nurse calls my name.
“Finally,” I say under my breath. Seth shakes his head at my response.
“Let’s go make my girl happy,” he says, helping me up.
Forty-five minutes later, I’m hobbling out of the doctor’s office while I adjust to not having a lump of plaster weighing down my leg.
“Are you alright?” Seth laughs while he watches me struggle.
“Shut your pie hole or you’ll get no sex later.”
His mouth snaps shut instantly. Yeah, take that, sucker. I’ve never threatened no sex before, but I’ve got so much I need to do and this wobbling feeling doesn’t help. Thank goodness, it’s only short term.
“It’ll take a few days or maybe a week for it to feel somewhat normal again.”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard what the doctor said,” I say.
He holds his hands up in defence. “Sorry. Gee, you’re a feisty one today.”
He is right about that. I’m very anxious because Mum and Dad informed me about two weeks ago, they’re planning to move here to be closer to me. I’m excited and nervous. They’ve already found a place and bought it. They began planning this move after they came here when I had my accident. They put in an offer on a house back then, and they didn’t tell me because they wanted to surprise me. Well, I was surprised. It’s around the corner from Sherri’s.
“So, when are your parents arriving?” Seth questions, taking my mind off my annoyance. I’m not even entirely sure why I’m feeling like this. I’m annoyed, but I’m also anxious. Anger is how I deal with anxiety. I lash out at those I care about. Still, I can’t get this uneasiness that’s been sitting in the pit of my stomach for the past week, to disappear. Not even glorious sex with my devilishly handsome boyfriend clears it, which means it’s something bad.
Looking at my watch, it reads eleven fifty. “They’re due to get here late afternoon. They were loading the truck this morning.”
He already knows all this. He nods.
We arrive at the car, and he opens the door for me. Who says chivalry is dead? That’s just Seth. He’s amazing—always making sure I’m happy. I’m still living at his place, and it looks as if it could be a permanent thing although I’d like him to move into the cottage with me, but I can’t kick Janie out and Sherri’s house is big enough for the three of us. Janie has been looking after it and working at the café.
I can’t wait to get back to work and to be able to do more than just paperwork. I want to serve and get to know our customers. We have a new face in there every day. Tourist buses stop at the beachfront and people walk around and down our street which has gift shops, Seth’s garage, dress shops, a supermarket and now our Huggamug Café.
“I need to swing by the cottage and pick up a few things,” I tell Seth. He doesn’t respond, but turns the car in that direction. Pulling my phone out I send a quick message to Mum.
Chloe: Hey Mum, how’s the moving going? Has the removal truck been? Can’t wait to see you both.
Seth pulls up out the front and gets out, making his way around to open my door for me. He hates it when I open it myself, so I just let him do it now. He likes to make me feel special, and he really does. Everything about him sings to me, except when he teases me about walking strange.
I turn my key in the lock, and upon opening the door, I’m greeted with a sight I didn’t need to see.
“Oh my—” I step back, slamming the door.
“What?” Seth looks from me to the door. He reaches for the knob.
“You may want to hold off for a moment before you open that. There are bare bums in there.”
He screws his face up, his eyebrows raise in realisation. “Janie and Chance?” Shock is evident in his tone. I nod.
In a matter of seconds, the front door swings open. A flushed Janie stands there, now fully clothed. Chance is still pulling his shirt over his well-defined body.
“Sorry, we ahh—” Janie sputters.
“Yeah, don’t even go there,” I say, holding my hands up to stop her. Stepping around her, I walk to my room, not looking at the couch knowing what they were up to. I place my phone and keys on the table. “You’re cleaning that couch, too, and before I move back in!” I yell while I dig through the cupboard for some clothes. Now I can finally get shorts up my leg.
My phone rings, then stops. I hear Seth answer it.
“Hello, Mrs Saunders.” He laughs as he answers. My guess is he was teasing Chance. “Whoa, Mr Saunders, slow down. I’ll get her for you. Chloe!” he calls me, his voice panicked.
He hands the phone to me, his look strained. I take it, putting it to my ear. “Hello? Dad? What’s wrong?” My chest tightens. My anxiety level spikes to a new high.
On the other end of the line, I hear Dad’s heavy breathing, followed by what sounds like sobbing. “Dad, you’re scaring me. Where’s Mum?”
“Chloe, Mum—she collapsed while carrying a box.” The line falls silent, except for the hiccupping cries from the opposite end. My knees give away beneath me. I land in a heap on the floor of the bedroom. Seth’s by my side in a heartbeat. My throat tightens with fear.
“Ho—how is she?” I choke on the words. Tears fill my eyes. In my heart, I know it’s not going to be good news. Dad would never act like this if Mum was going to be all right.
But she needs to be all right. She needs to be here when I get married. To help me pick out my wedding dress. She needs to be at the hospital when I give birth to my first baby. To comfort me and encourage me on. She’s my mum. I need her.
Dad cries harder. “She—she didn’t make it. I’m so—so sorry, Chloe.” The world around me spins, but I’m not moving. My breaths come fast and short.
“Wh—no, that can’t be true.” My bottom lip trembles. The life I know shatters around me, like a crystal glass. Seth’s hands pull me into his firm chest, a safe, familiar place.
“Dad—please . . .” I cry. He cries. Seth holds me. My vision shifts, and I become very lightheaded.
“I’m sorry, honey.”
“What caused it?” I force my words out. I’m not sure I have the strength in me to be strong right now.
“We aren’t sure yet—we’ll find out though.” It’s the last thing he manages to say. I need to go to him.
“Dad, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Disconnecting the call, I look up at Seth’s face, trying to find the right words. The softness in his eyes tells me he knows what’s happened. Janie and Chance stand in the doorway; their faces mirror Seth’s.
A cascade of tears stream down my face. How do I form the words to tell him? “My mum is gone. What am I going to do?”