Page 26 of Alluring Adventure

Me

This is Keeley on Ols’ phone. I’m up. Let me know when you’re awake. I would love to take you up on the lift.

No rush though!

It’s only six in the morning, but Marisa will see the message when she wakes up. Until then I can… I’m not sure what I can do. The room is silent and my mind is racing. The images from yesterday keep flooding back. I need a distraction.

I hobble back to the bathroom and take another long hot shower. The warm water cascading over my skin feels like a dream and my tense muscles relax a little. I remember the last shower before the accident at Oliver’s. He snuck in and made love to me under the hot water stream.

Butterflies fill my tummy.Can you fall for someone so quickly?I’m usually a lot more in control of my feelings. And I’m leaving in a few days. That thought makes me frown.

I try to clear my head by turning the water to cold. I read once that doing this is very healthy.

“Fuck,” I shout when the water goes from hot to ice cold in an instant.Yup, that’s not for me.I turn off the shower and wrap one of the fluffy towels around me.

A message is waiting for me on the phone when I get back.

Marisa

Lucky for you my husband is a morning person. I’m up now and can pick you up in thirty?

My heart starts beating faster. Time to see Oliver.

Buckingham Palace is a breeze to get into, compared to the bloody orthopaedic ward at the hospital. We are sent from one desk to the other and each time I’m asked what my relationship to Oliver is. A friend. I’m not sure how else to define us.

Eventually Marisa has enough and makes me text Hannah. Jake finds us at a vending machine where Marisa is stocking up on some chocolate bar that she apparently loves and can’t get in the shops anywhere.

“Mark my words, my husband will be sent here on a regular basis from now on,” she says through a mouthful of chocolate.

“Keeley!” Hannah exclaims as we step into the room. There are four beds in total. Three are occupied. Ols’ bed is at the far end next to the window, where he’s lying flat with his head held in place by straps.

I’m frozen and Marisa has to gently guide me forward, otherwise I would have stood rooted to the spot for the whole day.

“Hey, O-Dog,” Marisa smiles as she leans over him and ruffles his hair.

“Hey, Mars,” Oliver grins.

“You’ve looked better,” she jokes but there is an unusual darkness hiding in her eyes. She’s normally so carefree.

“I’ve felt better,” he winks. His skin is ashen and there are dark circles under his eyes.

“Have you both had breakfast?” Marisa asks Hannah. Jake’s standing next to her with his arm around her shoulder. She is leaning into this embrace and I can see that he gives her strength.

“That’s a fab idea. Why don’t we go for breakfast? We’ll be back soon, Ols.” Hannah places a tender kiss on his cheek before giving me a hug and leaving us.

“I can’t see you Keeley,” Oliver calls out to me. I slowly step closer until I can bend over him.

“Hi.” His eyes light up when he sees me.

“Hi,” I reply, feeling those pesky tears threaten to spill again. “Sorry,” I whisper, trying to hold them back.

“Hey, we’re both okay,” he says, his voice soothing as he tries to calm me.

“You call this okay?” I ask.Not helping, Keeley!The last thing he needs is for me to remind him that he’s immobilised in a hospital bed.

“Yes, actually,” he insists with a small smile. “Sure, I have a broken back—or, to use the fancy medical term, a vertebral compression fracture. But my spinal cord’s intact, so my legs won’t be affected. I’ll need to wear a back brace for a few weeks, but I can go home tomorrow. Given everything, I’d say that’s pretty okay.”

He’s right; it could have been so much worse.

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