Page 126 of Perfect Three

Jack agreed.“I’d say you’re right.”

Neither spoke after that.Too much had happened, too many emotions had been roused.Jack had an inner numbness, as if his mind simply shut down now that the initial drama was over.His relief mixed with his fear and anger—anger at Allison, yet relief she’d found her mother.At some point, Jack rested his head on Sebastian’s shoulder and fell asleep.

Some time later, Sebastian shook him awake.

“I think I heard the toilet flush.We both fell asleep.It’s almost one-thirty.”

Jack became immediately alert as they heard someone coming down the back stairs and both got to their feet.

They watched as Lucy walked very gingerly down the stairs, one hand on the railing and the other on her forehead.She was still dressed in just her t-shirt and panties.“Oh, my head,” she groaned softly as she came down the stairs carefully.

She didn’t see the men standing at the foot of the stairs.

Sebastian grinned at Jack.

In an instant, their sadness flew out the door as they both watched the woman they loved trying to manage the stairs and not hurt her obviously pounding head.

She reached the bottom and lifted her head.

She screamed—loudly.

“Lucy.”Sebastian laughed and grabbed her as she almost fell over.

She stared from him to Jack and back again in wonder.“How?”

“You don’t remember?”

She rubbed her forehead again.“It’s all so blurry.I thought I’d dreamt you.What are you doing here?”

“Allison rang us.”

“Allison?”She looked puzzled.Then it was as if someone had switched on a light.“Oh shit!Allison.I remember her being here.I ...I told her to fuck off, I think.”

Sebastian roared with laughter, his whole frame shaking.It seemed like he was shedding his pain with his laughter.

Jack grinned at them both.

“Still doesn’t explain what you’re both doing here.”

“We’re here to look after you, Lou.We’re never going to leave you again.”

Lucy started crying.“She’ll take my grandkids.”

“No, she won’t.We won’t let her.Anyway, she’s apologized, said she was wrong.”

“My daughter apologized?”she asked in total amazement.

“Yep.Left a message on our machine too, so we have it forever.”

Jack took her hand and led her to the kitchen and over to a chair, while Sebastian rummaged in the pantry.“How do you feel?”

“Don’t ask.There are ten koalas in tap shoes River-dancing in my head.”She lowered her head to her hands again.“I can’t believe I was drinking!Oh god, I feel so bad.”

“Here, take these.”

Sebastian held out a couple of paracetamols and a glass of water.

Lucy took them.She took a sip of the water and tried giving it back.

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