minute of every hour, despite the fact she doesn’t even know I’m here.”
“It’s natural to feel like that, Tom,” Brandon said quietly, “but you’ve been here most of the day and it’s now going on for ten. You need to take a break.” He looked at Tom’s kids who’d returned to their seats, looking without interest toward the TV.
“It’s late. Why don’t you take your kids home and get a good night’s rest? You won’t do Lily any good if you crash in a heap. When Mom and Dad arrive, I’ll send them over to your place. That way, they can take over and you can come back here first thing in the morning.”
Tom grimaced. A moment later, he did his best to hide a yawn. “You’re right, Bran, but I can’t leave her on her own. I just can’t.”
“I’ve arranged to have a few days’ leave. I’m happy to stay tonight.”
Tom looked at Brandon in surprise. “Really? You’d do that for me?”
“Will you go home if I don’t?”
Tom shook his head. “Nope.”
“That’s why I’ve offered to stay. I rested up this afternoon especially, in preparation for the night shift.”
Tom choked up and hugged his brother hard. When he spoke, his voice was gruff with emotion.
“Thanks, Bran. I really appreciate it.” He sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Chanel called me earlier. She also urged me to get some rest. She said it’s unlikely Lily will regain consciousness tonight. She also explained a bit about comas. I’d heard some of it before, of course, when Dad was sick, but with her medical background, it was nice to have someone to explain it in plain English.”
“I know what you mean. Now, how about you take these kids to visit their mom and then go home? I have everything under control.”
“Call me if anything changes?”
“I will. I promise.”
“I don’t care what time of night it is. If something happens, if Lily wakes up…or deteriorates…I want to know.”
Brandon nodded, his expression solemn. “Of course. I’ll call if anything happens. I swear.”
Tom felt a rush of affection for his brother. With a hug good-bye and another one for Alex, he put his arms around his children and with measured footsteps, led them in the direction of the ICU.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Seventeen years earlier
It took Tom over a week to find the courage to phone Lily Strickland. After calling Charlie the day after the party to apologize for his unseemly behavior, he’d casually enquired about the blond angel who went by the name of Lily. Charlie ribbed him about his interest and told him she was way out of his league.
Lily Strickland was the stepdaughter of Tony Gibbons, a very successful, prestigious car dealer on Sydney’s lower north shore. She’d been educated in the city’s most exclusive girls’ school and was now attending Sydney University, not far from the city. Tony, it seemed, had done very well in the car business and his stepdaughter wanted for nothing.
It explained the posh accent and cultured ways that had immediately drawn him. Tom might not have come from a privileged background, but his father’s job as a criminal defense lawyer and later, a District Court judge, had given him a comfortable life. He’d attended public school, lacked nothing and there had always been an abundance of love—that for him, was far more important than money.
He didn’t know how his angel felt about the material advantages she enjoyed, but he was intrigued enough to find out. While Charlie didn’t have her phone number, he did know how to contact her roommate. Tom was relieved to discover the man she’d arrived with at the party was no more than a friend and immediately his heart leaped with hope.
Could it be that she was between relationships? Could he really be that lucky?
It took Charlie more than a week to come back to him and having found the courage to call her, Tom chafed at the enforced delay. They were the longest days of his life. Finally, he received the news
“It’s natural to feel like that, Tom,” Brandon said quietly, “but you’ve been here most of the day and it’s now going on for ten. You need to take a break.” He looked at Tom’s kids who’d returned to their seats, looking without interest toward the TV.
“It’s late. Why don’t you take your kids home and get a good night’s rest? You won’t do Lily any good if you crash in a heap. When Mom and Dad arrive, I’ll send them over to your place. That way, they can take over and you can come back here first thing in the morning.”
Tom grimaced. A moment later, he did his best to hide a yawn. “You’re right, Bran, but I can’t leave her on her own. I just can’t.”
“I’ve arranged to have a few days’ leave. I’m happy to stay tonight.”
Tom looked at Brandon in surprise. “Really? You’d do that for me?”
“Will you go home if I don’t?”
Tom shook his head. “Nope.”
“That’s why I’ve offered to stay. I rested up this afternoon especially, in preparation for the night shift.”
Tom choked up and hugged his brother hard. When he spoke, his voice was gruff with emotion.
“Thanks, Bran. I really appreciate it.” He sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Chanel called me earlier. She also urged me to get some rest. She said it’s unlikely Lily will regain consciousness tonight. She also explained a bit about comas. I’d heard some of it before, of course, when Dad was sick, but with her medical background, it was nice to have someone to explain it in plain English.”
“I know what you mean. Now, how about you take these kids to visit their mom and then go home? I have everything under control.”
“Call me if anything changes?”
“I will. I promise.”
“I don’t care what time of night it is. If something happens, if Lily wakes up…or deteriorates…I want to know.”
Brandon nodded, his expression solemn. “Of course. I’ll call if anything happens. I swear.”
Tom felt a rush of affection for his brother. With a hug good-bye and another one for Alex, he put his arms around his children and with measured footsteps, led them in the direction of the ICU.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Seventeen years earlier
It took Tom over a week to find the courage to phone Lily Strickland. After calling Charlie the day after the party to apologize for his unseemly behavior, he’d casually enquired about the blond angel who went by the name of Lily. Charlie ribbed him about his interest and told him she was way out of his league.
Lily Strickland was the stepdaughter of Tony Gibbons, a very successful, prestigious car dealer on Sydney’s lower north shore. She’d been educated in the city’s most exclusive girls’ school and was now attending Sydney University, not far from the city. Tony, it seemed, had done very well in the car business and his stepdaughter wanted for nothing.
It explained the posh accent and cultured ways that had immediately drawn him. Tom might not have come from a privileged background, but his father’s job as a criminal defense lawyer and later, a District Court judge, had given him a comfortable life. He’d attended public school, lacked nothing and there had always been an abundance of love—that for him, was far more important than money.
He didn’t know how his angel felt about the material advantages she enjoyed, but he was intrigued enough to find out. While Charlie didn’t have her phone number, he did know how to contact her roommate. Tom was relieved to discover the man she’d arrived with at the party was no more than a friend and immediately his heart leaped with hope.
Could it be that she was between relationships? Could he really be that lucky?
It took Charlie more than a week to come back to him and having found the courage to call her, Tom chafed at the enforced delay. They were the longest days of his life. Finally, he received the news
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