Beauty from Pain(95)

I can’t answer so I nod to show my compliance and then I feel his fingers start to slide. In. Out. In. Out. I almost lose it, right then and there, but I hold it together by biting my bottom lip. His fingers speed and I feel it building. It’s coming. And so am I as Butterfly prepares for her wedding night.


38


Jack McLachlan


I’ve never enjoyed opera so much in my life.


Laurelyn and I leave the theatre a few moments before the curtain closes. She doesn’t want to face the couple sitting in front of us on the balcony. She’s pretty certain they heard her muffled squeal and knew exactly what was going on. I’m pretty sure she’s right.


We walk across the parking lot hand in hand and another photographer steps in front of us to take more pictures. Laurelyn puts her hand up. “I’m sorry, but there are plenty of other people for you to photograph. Find someone else.”


The photographer lowers his camera to look at Laurelyn. I think she amuses him. “It’s okay. I already have what I need.”


She really has no idea who I am.


When we’re in my car, I take my phone from my pocket to turn it back on and see almost a dozen missed calls from Mum, Evan, and Chloe. “Something’s going on because my family has been blowing up my phone for the past two hours.”


I call Mum first and don’t get an answer, so I try Evan next. He doesn’t even say hello when he answers. “Jack, it’s Dad. He’s been taken to the hospital. We don’t know anything for sure yet, but he could be having a heart attack.”


“What happened?”


“Mum said they were at home and he started complaining of chest pain. She tried to get him to go to the hospital, but you know Dad. He wanted to see if it would pass, but it got worse so she called an ambulance. They took him back about thirty minutes ago and said they’d give us an update when they know more. Where are you?”


“I’m in Sydney.”


“Good. We’re at St. Vincent’s. How long will it take you to get here?”


“Not long.”


“Okay. I’ll come down and meet you in the lobby.”


I end my call with my brother and I’m numb. This is my indestructible dad he’s talking about. He just retired so he could finally spend time with Mum. They were going to travel the world together.


“What’s happened?”


“It’s my dad. He’s been taken to the hospital. My brother says he might be having a heart attack.”


Laurelyn reaches for my hand. “Oh, I’m sorry, Lachlan. Will it take you long to get to him?”


“No. He’s at St. Vincent’s here in Sydney. It isn’t far.”


She grabs my hand and kisses it. “You need to go. Now. I’ll take a taxi back to the hotel.”


She pulls the handle on the door to get out and that’s when I realize I don’t want her to go. I need her, so I touch my hand to her arm. “Don’t leave. I want you to be with me.”


“You’ll have your family.”


I swallow before I say the words that will change this relationship forever. “You’re the one I need.”


“But that would mean meeting your family.”


It does, and I’m okay with that if it means she’s by my side. “I don’t care. I need you to be with me.”


She smiles and cradles my face with her hands. “Of course. I’ll come if it’s what you want, but this is going to change everything.”


“I know, but it’s what I want.”


I race toward the hospital and we’re there in five minutes. We enter the lobby and I see Evan waiting for us by the elevators. “Any news?”


He takes a look at Laurelyn. I know he’s putting it all together and remembering the photographs, but now isn’t the time to tell him to stop picturing her naked. “I walked down right after I talked to you, so I don’t know.”


“Do they know if it’s a bad one?”


“No. It could be something else, but the tests they’re doing now will tell us how extensive the damage is if it’s a heart attack. When he comes out, he might have to be in the intensive care unit.”