Page 21 of Never Leave Me
“What about riding a unicorn?” Josie’s features brightened with eagerness.
Ellen laughed and tousled the girl’s hair. “You’ll have to wait and see.” She exchanged a look with the girl’s parents. Josie’s wish to ride a unicorn had proven more difficult to fulfill than some of the wishes Ellen had received from other children who’d come to Serenity House. But the Serenity Foundation manager had finally found an animal therapy centre in Scotland that had realistic unicorn costumes, and they were driving a horse and costume down next week.
With more hugs and kisses, Ellen tore herself away to the black Bentley parked out front. As she climbed into the back next to Harrison and waited for Drake to stow her bags, she stared at the four-storied terraced home her dad had purchased when he’d moved to Canterbury. At the time, the white brick Regency house with seven bedrooms had seemed extravagant for one man with daughters who no longer lived with him. Even if being in the home reminded Ellen of how much she missed her dad and sister, shewas grateful now for the rare piece of real estate in the old part of the city that she could utilize for families like Josie’s.
“You’re quiet.” Harrison spoke after they started toward the airport.
Ellen pressed a hand against her chest to ward off a swell of emotions. On the one hand, her heart hadn’t stopped racing with joy and thankfulness for the health coursing through her body. She’d alternated between ecstatic and disbelieving for the past few hours since watching the sunrise with Harrison.
But another emotion had needled her since she’d awoken. Guilt. Why her? She didn’t deserve to be healed more than anyone else. Now, after visiting Josie, the guilt prickled her more painfully.
Josie was so young and innocent and didn’t deserve to experience the suffering. Neither did her parents.
Harrison’s fingers covered hers on the leather seat between them. She clasped his in return, his warmth and solidness like an anchor amidst the confusion.
“I wish Josie could have the ultimate cure,” she said.
“I wish so too.”
If only they had more holy water. “Do you think we could communicate with Marian somehow? And tell her to put more in the vault?” Ellen could no longer deny the possibility that Marian was alive in the past. The vision she’d had of her sister had been too realistic to dismiss as a mere hallucination. And the appearance of the two vials had been too miraculous.
“You could try ingesting any droplets left in the ampullae.” Harrison rubbed a thumb over her knuckles as though to soothe her, but all it did was make her insides tighten with strange longing. “In order to overlap, you’d both need to be in the same location at the same point of time.”
“Night would likely be the best.”
“We could give it a go when we get back from our holiday.”
Ellen relaxed into the seat, watching as the historic section of Canterbury changed into the suburbs. “If we’ve been given renewed health, it’s too good not to share. Don’t you agree, Harrison?”
“You’re quite right.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Marian could supply us with holy water on a regular basis? Water we could use for all the children who come to Serenity House?”
“Yes.” Harrison hesitated, but then rubbed her knuckles again. “Maybe that’s what your father planned to do all along. Supply Marian with holy water in the crypt for as long as he could.”
“If so, now the job of carrying on his work to provide the ultimate cure belongs to us.” Excitement coursed through Ellen at the prospect of delivering the cure to Josie and others like her. Was this how her dad had felt?
“When we return, we’ll put our thoughts in order and get on with the work.” Harrison squeezed her hand. “For now, promise no worries about anything but enjoying the gift we’ve been given?” His eyes implored her.
“Of course. Let’s celebrate.” For the weekend, she would lock away any traces of guilt and instead bask in the present and the new chance at life.
6
“WHENAREYOUGOINGTOTELLMEwhere we’re going?” Ellen peered out the jet’s window.
“We’re almost there.” Harrison reclined in the plush seat, relishing something as simple as being able to sit directly across from her. Even though he’d always used his family’s private jet for traveling, he’d never sat in the seats, had always preferred his wheelchair, which allowed him to maintain some mobility but kept him at a distance from other passengers.
He stretched his legs, tempted to jump up and walk around, just because he could. Instead, he glanced out the window to the glistening green-blue water and the white sandy beaches of the secluded island below.
He forced himself to continue looking out the window so he wouldn’t be tempted to stare at Ellen again. In a daisy-yellow sundress, with her hair pulled up on the top of her head in a ponytail, she looked like she was a supermodel on her way to a photo shoot. Even though she was casually attired, she was more beautiful than should be permissible for any one woman.
Yes, she was too thin and had grown pale over the past months of living in Canterbury during her treatments. But this weekend trip would hopefully change that. She would be surrounded by food too delicious to resist, and she’d be able to bask in the warm sunshine. Although this trip was a dream holiday filled with all sorts of activities he’d never been able to do, he’d planned it for her, to help her regain her strength.
As she crossed her legs and kicked her top sandaled foot with unconcealed eagerness, his attention shifted to her again, and he couldn’t keep from admiring the stretch of slender flesh and her shapely knees.
Lord help him. He closed his eyes to block out the sight and to block out the same disappointment he’d felt that morning while watching the sunrise, when she’d made clear she only considered him a friend.
Although his feelings went much deeper, he wasn’t about to spurn the friendship they had. He’d already had plenty of practice in the past masking his attraction, and he could continue doing so ...
