Read Online Perfection Is Just an Illusion (Swimming Upstream #1) by Rebecca Barber - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rebecca Barber
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Touching her forehead, she found a patch of gauze. Anna looked down at her other hand. James was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his head resting gently on the bed, his hand firmly clasping hers. He’d come.
She looked around the room. It was already filled with beautiful bouquets of flowers. Every type imaginable filled the room. There were roses and daisies; orchids and lilies; carnations and sunflowers; as well as Justin’s daffodils. The room was a mass of colours and scents, which wafted through the air invading everything they landed on. In the corner of the room there was a small rectangular window with apricot curtains, through which the sun peeked mischievously. On the other side of the curtain was an old man. He appeared so sad, so lost, or alone. Maybe it was a combination of all three, Anna couldn’t tell. He had no flowers surrounding him, no cards, no get well balloons, he just lay there sleeping soundly, trying to hang onto what was left of his life.
Soon enough Anna had managed to make herself feel nauseated. She was remembering everything she’d put James through in the past twenty-four hours. And despite that he was here, spending a night in what had to be the most uncomfortable chair in the hospital, holding her hand. Anna tried to move but her legs were stiff and heavy. She couldn’t remember being put into a plaster cast, but there it was, wrapped around her leg. She wanted to sit up, but she couldn’t. Anna thought about waking James but decided against it. He looked so peaceful and beautiful that she didn’t have the heart to wake her sleeping prince.
***
James
After a while he began to stir. James sat up and winced. It only took him a few seconds to realise that what had happened wasn’t a nightmare. It was real. He still had Anna’s hand in his own, she hadn’t moved. He looked up at her, she looked so pale and weak, but she managed to conjure enough energy from somewhere to smile at him and say, “I’m sorry.” Those very simple words had used up what was left of her energy. She flopped her head back against the pillows and squeezed her eyes shut. She had never felt so defeated in all of her life, but now Anna was weak, vulnerable and useless.
James began to cry. It wasn’t a cry of sadness. It wasn’t a cry of grief. It was the cry of relief. The cry of knowing that no matter what happened next, everything would be okay. The cry that proved that he loved her. James shot up and smiled as he squeezed her hand gently. His tears were flowing freely over his cheeks and off his face. He didn’t seem to care who was watching or what they would say. Anna was safe and sound and that was all that mattered.
Nancy appeared a short time later. After checking all the machines that Anna was hooked up to, she looked over at James. He looked worse than Anna. He’d had only a few hours of restless sleep in the chair next to the bed and it was obvious that he was exhausted. “There’s a coffee machine just down the hall. You look like you need one,” Nancy suggested, pointing the way. Although he was reluctant to leave Anna’s side, he knew he needed the caffeine if he was going to be any use to Anna at all. With a quick kiss on the forehead, he disappeared down the corridor.
***
Anna
Nancy turned to Anna, whose eyes were closed. “You really are a lucky girl. That boy is head over heels. Did he tell you how he found you?” Nancy saw a spark in Anna's eyes as they snapped open with her words.
“How did he…find me?” Anna asked, gasping for air through her painful sobs. She wanted to know. She needed to know. She felt so guilty for leaving him the way she did, but she hoped and prayed that he hadn’t done anything stupid.
“That incredible young man of yours went on national television and asked everyone for their help. He asked if anyone had seen you, if anyone had heard from you. When we saw his pleas I phoned the hotline. Within a few minutes in
She looked around the room. It was already filled with beautiful bouquets of flowers. Every type imaginable filled the room. There were roses and daisies; orchids and lilies; carnations and sunflowers; as well as Justin’s daffodils. The room was a mass of colours and scents, which wafted through the air invading everything they landed on. In the corner of the room there was a small rectangular window with apricot curtains, through which the sun peeked mischievously. On the other side of the curtain was an old man. He appeared so sad, so lost, or alone. Maybe it was a combination of all three, Anna couldn’t tell. He had no flowers surrounding him, no cards, no get well balloons, he just lay there sleeping soundly, trying to hang onto what was left of his life.
Soon enough Anna had managed to make herself feel nauseated. She was remembering everything she’d put James through in the past twenty-four hours. And despite that he was here, spending a night in what had to be the most uncomfortable chair in the hospital, holding her hand. Anna tried to move but her legs were stiff and heavy. She couldn’t remember being put into a plaster cast, but there it was, wrapped around her leg. She wanted to sit up, but she couldn’t. Anna thought about waking James but decided against it. He looked so peaceful and beautiful that she didn’t have the heart to wake her sleeping prince.
***
James
After a while he began to stir. James sat up and winced. It only took him a few seconds to realise that what had happened wasn’t a nightmare. It was real. He still had Anna’s hand in his own, she hadn’t moved. He looked up at her, she looked so pale and weak, but she managed to conjure enough energy from somewhere to smile at him and say, “I’m sorry.” Those very simple words had used up what was left of her energy. She flopped her head back against the pillows and squeezed her eyes shut. She had never felt so defeated in all of her life, but now Anna was weak, vulnerable and useless.
James began to cry. It wasn’t a cry of sadness. It wasn’t a cry of grief. It was the cry of relief. The cry of knowing that no matter what happened next, everything would be okay. The cry that proved that he loved her. James shot up and smiled as he squeezed her hand gently. His tears were flowing freely over his cheeks and off his face. He didn’t seem to care who was watching or what they would say. Anna was safe and sound and that was all that mattered.
Nancy appeared a short time later. After checking all the machines that Anna was hooked up to, she looked over at James. He looked worse than Anna. He’d had only a few hours of restless sleep in the chair next to the bed and it was obvious that he was exhausted. “There’s a coffee machine just down the hall. You look like you need one,” Nancy suggested, pointing the way. Although he was reluctant to leave Anna’s side, he knew he needed the caffeine if he was going to be any use to Anna at all. With a quick kiss on the forehead, he disappeared down the corridor.
***
Anna
Nancy turned to Anna, whose eyes were closed. “You really are a lucky girl. That boy is head over heels. Did he tell you how he found you?” Nancy saw a spark in Anna's eyes as they snapped open with her words.
“How did he…find me?” Anna asked, gasping for air through her painful sobs. She wanted to know. She needed to know. She felt so guilty for leaving him the way she did, but she hoped and prayed that he hadn’t done anything stupid.
“That incredible young man of yours went on national television and asked everyone for their help. He asked if anyone had seen you, if anyone had heard from you. When we saw his pleas I phoned the hotline. Within a few minutes in
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