Page 44 of Arden and the Girl Downstairs

I don’t reply to his statement. I don’t need to. He knows what I’m thinking—it’s why we’ve been best friends since we were five.

“I’m going to call Ralph and then head to the hospital. I’ll see you later tonight. Text me if there are any problems.”

“Will do. Good luck today . . . I hope for both your sakes it's good news.”

I head back into the main house and fill Shamus in on the change of plans before I call Ralph. He answers on the first ring.

“What’s wrong? What did the doctor say?”

I laugh at him while pulling out one of the bar stools in the kitchen.

“Appointment isn’t for another forty-five minutes.”

“Then why are you calling me?”

“Can’t I miss you?”

“No. What do you want?”

I laugh again. Ralph knows me better than anyone else.

“I need a favour. Yasmin got some shitty news from the doctor. Nothing serious, but she just needs some time to process it. I was planning on taking Ella to the beach house for the weekend, but instead of some much-needed alone time with my wife, I’ve decided we all need some time together. Can you bring everyone up from there?”

“Of course, but there is a problem.”

“What is it?”

“Your dad is home to spend the weekend with Julia.”

“Is he alone?”

“Yes, he’s solo this time.”

I don’t mind spending time with Dad—it’s the stepmunster I have an issue with.

“That’s fine. Fill him in and ask him to come. It’shisbeach house, after all.”

“Are you sure?” Ralph is cautious.

“Yep, it’s fine. Can you tell Mumma Nat and GW to come as well, and maybe check with Nat to see if she thinks it is a good idea for David to come? I don’t want to upset Yasmin further, but I also don’t want him to miss out if he really is improving.”

“On it. We’ll see you there. Martha will be so excited. She’s been bitching all week about only cooking for Julia and I.”

“Tell her we’ll all be going to Lumière’s tomorrow night, and can you ask Dad to call Giselle and book her for the girls tomorrow? I want them to get some pampering and then we’ll all go out tomorrow night. You and Martha as well. You two are as much a part of this family as everyone.”

“Of course, leave it with me.”

“Thanks, Ralph.”

While taking a deep breath, I hang up and pocket my phone. I really hope this appointment goes okay. I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. Ella tempts me more and more every day.

Ella

I’m kind of freaking out. There really isn’t much more that Dr Jay can tell me . . . I just can’t help but worry. I’m still a little shaken at how things went down, and how quickly it all escalated. Arden made the right choice when he told them to do the hysterectomy and as he’s my husband, they weren’t in a position to argue with him.

He didn’t know what they would find, but I’m grateful that he remembered all our late-night conversations at the bar.

It’s still too early to determine if my pain will be gone completely—I have a feeling it won’t be—but all I can hope for is that it is a little more manageable. Anything is better than what I had been living with, right?

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