Always(Time for Love Book 4)(46)

“Do you know that if you lose your hope and zest for life, it would make him lose his?”

Patty’s eyes widened even more, seeming to see that particular truth for the first time.

“It was hard for me to watch you be ill and not want to fight, Mum,” Darren said.

“I don’t want to be a burden to you,” Patty whispered.

“If you died because you gave up, instead of dying because it couldn’t be helped, it would be a big burden that I would carry with me for the rest of my life. I’d think I’d failed you.”

“Oh, Darren, please do not ever think that!” Patty cried. “I’m much happier now though, am I not? Because I see you happy?”

“Do you know that being with Brenna doesn’t make me happy?” Darren asked gently. “And Brenna feels the same way about me. We care about each other, but we’re not in love with each other.”

Brenna held her breath for Patty’s response, her heart pounding. To her immense surprise and relief, Patty nodded, a resigned smile forming on her face.

“I guessed there was something amiss when the two of you refused to get an engagement ring,” Patty said.

“You’re okay with this, right, Mum?” Darren asked hopefully.

Patty smiled. “Darling, why would I want you—the two of you—to stick with each other if you don’t love each other? I’ve been worried about how you were coping with my illness so soon after your dad’s death. As long as you promise me that you won’t hold your life back for me, Darren, even though you want to look after me, then I won’t worry.”

Darren’s eyes misted. “I promise, Mum.”

Patty turned to Brenna. “How are you with all this, Brenna?”

Brenna smiled serenely, letting Patty see her relief. “I’m fine, Patty. Thank you.”

“There's something else, Mum,” Darren said.

Brenna and Darren told Patty the whole truth, both of them letting her know that their actions were born out of love and concern for her.

Patty’s expression was horrified. “Oh, my darlings. You shouldn’t have.”

“It’s all my fault, Mum,” Darren said.

“I’m so sorry,” Patty whispered.

“Oh, Patty, why are you sorry?” Brenna chastised. “Please see what we did for you as a gift to make you feel better. Please.”

“Okay,” Patty said, tears choking her. “Thank you.”

“Um, and there’s another thing, Mum,” Darren said.

“There’s more?” Patty asked. “Oh, Lord, I don’t know how many more surprises I can take tonight,” she said, looking up to the heavens.

Brenna grinned. She knew Patty would be okay.

“I want to introduce you to someone I’m going out with,” Darren said shyly, flushing a little.

Brenna almost laughed out loud. Darren blushing? This new girl must be someone really special.

“You have a girlfriend?” Patty asked with restrained glee. “A real one?”

Darren laughed. “Yes, a real one.”

“Oh, thank God,” Patty said, slumping back in her seat.

Darren’s face went alight, his relief obvious. He looked at Brenna and mouthed ‘thank you’.

She nodded, smiling.

“What about you, Brenna? Are you going out with someone?” Patty queried.

The smile faded from Brenna’s face.





CHAPTER SEVENTEEN


Ash was in the middle of reviewing a patient file when someone barged into his office. He looked up and his heart skipped, before galloping a thousand beats per minute. Brenna.

“I know you’re busy, Ash,” she said in a low voice, although the edge in her tone was hard to miss. “I’ll only take a few minutes of your precious time and then I’ll be gone.”

He stared at her, immobilised, except for the broken pieces of his heart that were jumping around madly in his chest, wanting to fly out to attach themselves to her.

“I am so mad at you,” she said, giving him a deadly glare. “I’ve been trying to contact you for the last few days, but you keep on ignoring me. You’re even avoiding your own sister so you can continue keeping your distance.”

He felt himself start to melt just because she was around—as was his tendency. But did she really not know how devastating it was for him to learn she’d gone back to her ‘great love’? He needed to stay away from her to keep his head together. If he didn’t have patients to see, he would even have gone overseas and disappeared for a while. In fact, he was working towards making that possible—

“How could you even think I was back with Darren, Ash?” she whispered furiously, halting the direction of his thoughts. “How could you even think I actually got engaged to him—for real?”

His jaw dropped. “But that’s what you told me. When I asked you,” he pointed out, finding his voice for the first time since she’d arrived.

“Everything I was doing with Darren was pretend, Ash,” Brenna said, her eyes filling up. “I didn’t see the need to keep on saying that word. I thought it was obvious.”

He stared at her. What was she saying? That she and Darren weren’t really engaged? That it was all part of the pretense?