Read Online The Escape Clause by Bernadette Marie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bernadette Marie
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and their spouses seemed to stand frozen watching the commotion.
Kacey gave her a nod. “Thank you,” she said, sobbing now.
Avery looked toward Pete. “Go with them. Keep me informed.”
She still hadn’t broken. Fully in control she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “He needs you with him.”
He could feel his muscles begin to shake. On this evening of celebration, he and Avery had just saved his father’s life. Oh, who was he kidding? Her level head, her strong will, her preparedness had saved his father.
Now here she was taking care of what needed to be taken care of so he could be with his family.
Indeed, he loved this woman to the moon and back.
Pete moved to her, gathered her in his arms, and placed a kiss against her lips. “I love you. Thank you.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “Go. He needs you.”
He nodded and a moment later was piling into his car with his sister, brother, and their spouses as Avery stayed behind to care for his nieces and nephews.
Avery gathered the kids around the TV and found them a movie to watch. Luckily there had been a Frozen DVD. That seemed to capture their attention.
When they were all calmly watching the movie, she made them a snack, and then sat just out of earshot and called her mother.
The moment she heard her mother’s voice her strength crumbled.
“Avery, what is it, darling? What is wrong?” Her mother’s voice rose in pitch.
Avery gripped the phone trying to keep her hand from shaking.
“Mom, I need you. Can you please come over to the Grants’?”
“Is everything alright?”
Avery shook her head and closed her eyes trying to hold in the tears so they wouldn’t fall. She was losing the battle. “Pete’s father had a heart attack.”
She heard her mother gasp. “Oh, Avery.”
“Pete and I did CPR. They’re all at the hospital now, but, Mom,” the tears finally burst through. “I need you.”
“I will be there as quickly as I can,” she promised and then the phone went quiet.
Avery went to the bathroom and cleaned herself up. The kids didn’t seem to be shaken and she wasn’t going to rattle them by crying. Though the moment her mother walked through the door she couldn’t promise herself she wouldn’t break down.
~*~
Machines beeped and another machine pushed air into Pete’s father’s lungs. Even in a dimly lit, quiet room, it was noisy.
His mother sat holding his father’s hand and he sat at the foot of the bed trying to keep from falling asleep.
The doctor said that the chances of a full recovery were good since he and Avery had jumped so quickly to save his father’s life. Pete couldn’t take the praise though. It was all Avery.
Once again he was watching another morning arrive in a hospital. If his mother had wanted to go home, he’d have taken her. But she wanted to be by his father’s side.
In time, she’d have to go, but for now, he’d appease her and he’d stay with her.
He’d sent his sister home in his car. His brother was in the waiting room sleeping with his feet propped up on a chair.
Once his father had been admitted, he’d called Avery. Though her voice was as steady as she’d been when she’d sent him away, he knew she’d broken down. After all, she’d told him her mother was there with her.
Pete rested his head back against the wall. Things had changed when his father fell to the ground. Not only had Pete’s own life flashed before his eyes as he watched him, but all plans were off now. There was no way he could go to France. Avery was going to have to call her grandfather and let him know that she wouldn’t be moving.
Chapter Nine
Avery had her mother take her back to Pete’s when his sister had arrived to relieve her. She was exhausted and the moment she fell into the bed she was swiftly taken by sleep.
She woke to soft kisses on her cheek and sunlight beginning to peek through the curtains.
“Pete,” her voice was still full of sleep as
Kacey gave her a nod. “Thank you,” she said, sobbing now.
Avery looked toward Pete. “Go with them. Keep me informed.”
She still hadn’t broken. Fully in control she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “He needs you with him.”
He could feel his muscles begin to shake. On this evening of celebration, he and Avery had just saved his father’s life. Oh, who was he kidding? Her level head, her strong will, her preparedness had saved his father.
Now here she was taking care of what needed to be taken care of so he could be with his family.
Indeed, he loved this woman to the moon and back.
Pete moved to her, gathered her in his arms, and placed a kiss against her lips. “I love you. Thank you.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “Go. He needs you.”
He nodded and a moment later was piling into his car with his sister, brother, and their spouses as Avery stayed behind to care for his nieces and nephews.
Avery gathered the kids around the TV and found them a movie to watch. Luckily there had been a Frozen DVD. That seemed to capture their attention.
When they were all calmly watching the movie, she made them a snack, and then sat just out of earshot and called her mother.
The moment she heard her mother’s voice her strength crumbled.
“Avery, what is it, darling? What is wrong?” Her mother’s voice rose in pitch.
Avery gripped the phone trying to keep her hand from shaking.
“Mom, I need you. Can you please come over to the Grants’?”
“Is everything alright?”
Avery shook her head and closed her eyes trying to hold in the tears so they wouldn’t fall. She was losing the battle. “Pete’s father had a heart attack.”
She heard her mother gasp. “Oh, Avery.”
“Pete and I did CPR. They’re all at the hospital now, but, Mom,” the tears finally burst through. “I need you.”
“I will be there as quickly as I can,” she promised and then the phone went quiet.
Avery went to the bathroom and cleaned herself up. The kids didn’t seem to be shaken and she wasn’t going to rattle them by crying. Though the moment her mother walked through the door she couldn’t promise herself she wouldn’t break down.
~*~
Machines beeped and another machine pushed air into Pete’s father’s lungs. Even in a dimly lit, quiet room, it was noisy.
His mother sat holding his father’s hand and he sat at the foot of the bed trying to keep from falling asleep.
The doctor said that the chances of a full recovery were good since he and Avery had jumped so quickly to save his father’s life. Pete couldn’t take the praise though. It was all Avery.
Once again he was watching another morning arrive in a hospital. If his mother had wanted to go home, he’d have taken her. But she wanted to be by his father’s side.
In time, she’d have to go, but for now, he’d appease her and he’d stay with her.
He’d sent his sister home in his car. His brother was in the waiting room sleeping with his feet propped up on a chair.
Once his father had been admitted, he’d called Avery. Though her voice was as steady as she’d been when she’d sent him away, he knew she’d broken down. After all, she’d told him her mother was there with her.
Pete rested his head back against the wall. Things had changed when his father fell to the ground. Not only had Pete’s own life flashed before his eyes as he watched him, but all plans were off now. There was no way he could go to France. Avery was going to have to call her grandfather and let him know that she wouldn’t be moving.
Chapter Nine
Avery had her mother take her back to Pete’s when his sister had arrived to relieve her. She was exhausted and the moment she fell into the bed she was swiftly taken by sleep.
She woke to soft kisses on her cheek and sunlight beginning to peek through the curtains.
“Pete,” her voice was still full of sleep as
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