“It is okay, if I had known what Henry was going to do I would have stopped him. I wanted you to get on with your life without reminders of me,” He laughed softly.
“There was no fear of reminders, I couldn’t get you out of my head anyway. I would have come sooner or later with or without Henry,” He said.
“Does he know you are here?” I ask.
“I don’t think so, Rose let me in. Did you know she has been sending me updates about you, she must have taken my number from your phone.” He said.
“No I didn’t know that. I told you she likes you, she wouldn’t do that for just anyone,” I said as he laughed, “I have missed you so much.” I said.
“I missed you too,” he said kissing the top of my head.
“It will be worse for you in the end.” I whispered.
“I will deal with that when I have to, don’t worry about me. I know what I am getting myself into now; you’re not the only one whose life has changed. If I only get to have you for a short while it will still be the best decision I ever made.” He replied.
I began to cry again, cry for all the times we wouldn’t share together.
“Shh shh, I am here now and I am not letting you go. Go to sleep and I will be here when you wake up.” He soothed.
I closed my eyes praying to a god I hoped existed that I woke up in the morning so I could have at least one day with him.
I knew I had completely lost it and dreamt last night had happened when I woke alone. I looked for any sign that he had been here at all; there was no watch on the stand where he used to keep it and no clothes on the floor. I didn’t have him back, and he wasn’t coming back either. Another day in bed for me then, the tears that normally followed never came. I remembered I had the lawyers and Jenna coming to change ownership of Jasmine Enterprises upon my death today, if they were lucky I might meet them in my home office if not, I pictured them standing around my bed like in a film where people congregated around the dying. The thought made me laugh out loud.
“What is so funny?” I shut up immediately.
He was still here and apparently had made me breakfast.
“Your still here?” I asked.
I hadn’t dreamt him, I knew my imagination wasn’t that good,
“Of course, I told you I am not going anywhere apart from to get you your breakfast. Rose said you might feel like eating today, anything you want to tell me?”
“I haven’t been hungry lately and that is a lot of food you have there.”
“I noticed you have lost weight and I am going to help you eat it,” He said laughing.
“What else did Rose say?” I asked intrigued once again by their friendship.
“She is glad I am back and now maybe you will have a bath,” He said chuckling, she so did not say that.
“Are you trying to say I smell Mr Jenson?” I say pretending to be hurt.
“Definitely.”
“Well it is your lucky day, I have a meeting with my lawyers so I will have to shower. I am signing my company over to Jenna.” I told him, no more secrets now.
“Why?” he asked.
“You know why. She can carry it on for me, I can’t take it with me and I trust her.” I said, he didn’t question me anymore.
“This is new,” He said picking up a small box with a button on it.
“We had it installed when I got out of the hospital, Rose and Henry take turns to check on me in the night. If there is a problem they push it and it alerts the other that I need help. I will get Henry to show you how it all works.” I said.
His face fell again realising how real my situation is.
“Makes it all real, doesn’t it?” I said squeezing his hand for some sort of comfort. He nodded.
We ate the breakfast he brought up, I had my shower and we made our way to my home office ready for when the lawyers arrived.
I never thought I would feel this okay about handing my company over to someone else but with Christopher with me I knew I only wanted to spend time with him. I didn’t want to spend my time working when it could be spent together, then I remembered he had a job too.
“Don’t you have to go to work?” I ask as we sat on one of the small sofas in my office.
“I spoke with Joe and took some time off. I didn’t tell him why, I haven’t been much use myself so he will think it has something to do with that.” I knew what he meant; I had been pretty useless myself.
“Are you sure about this?” He asked making sure I wanted it.
Before I could answer him Henry walked in with Jenna and the lawyers, we all shook hands after introductions were made and sat down, Christopher stood to the side next to Henry and when Rose bought refreshments in she joined them too.
“What has changed your mind Miss Collins? This isn’t like you to do something like this.” Mr Jones asked seriously.
“Don’t question me Mr Jones, I have told you what I wanted done now have us sign what needs to be signed.” I snapped.
This was harder than I thought it would be, but it was still the right decision.
“Very well, here are the documents you asked for.” He said laying them on my desk. “You have your witnesses here so you sign where I have marked,” He said taking his seat again.
Within two minutes it was complete, both Jenna and I had signed everything.
“Upon your death Miss Collins Miss Jenna Cassidy will become CEO of Jasmine Enterprises on the condition that she never changes the company name.” Mr Jones said collecting all the paperwork again.
“I don’t want this fact known while I am alive, on the day of my death release a statement about the takeover.” I said to them all.
As everyone was leaving I asked Mr Jones to stay behind so I could talk to him in private and for Jenna to wait for me downstairs, I wanted to speak to her before she left. I had arranged for champagne to be waiting on ice for after this.
“I have never had one person change their will so many times as you Miss Collins,” He said as I walked him down to the kitchen.
“I am glad I have kept you busy,” I said smiling, “Now that is all attended to would you like to join us for some champagne?” I asked him.
“I am sorry I can’t, I have a one o’clock appointment in Ely to get to.” He said.
We were in the kitchen now,
“Good luck with everything Miss Collins, it has been a pleasure working with you.” he surprised me further by leaning in and kissing me on the cheek, I had no idea he would be sad about my demise.
“No doubt Jenna will keep the same legal team as you know the company best.” I said looking over to where Jenna was agreeing that she would be.
“Goodbye Miss Collins.” He said as Henry showed him out.
“Sentimental old fool.” I muttered as Christopher wrapped his arms around me.
“I told you people cared about you.”
We all raised our glasses of champagne and toasted Jenna on her success for the future, before she left I told her to run the company as if she owned it now but to send me reports every few days so I wouldn’t feel completely left out. She cried and then agreed.
Once the door was shut I collapsed to the floor finally not having to keep the pretence of being happy up, I had just signed my life’s work over when I thought I never would. I couldn’t stop the shaking hands and heavy sobs that escaped my mouth. It wasn’t long before Christopher was beside me.
“Hey hey hey.” He tried soothing me.
“I can’t help it, I know it was the right thing to do. It makes me angry she was mine.”
“I understand.”
Somehow I don’t think he did.
Part Two…Christopher
Jasmine was still asleep when I awoke the next morning, hearing her call me Christopher last night I knew I had made the right decision to come here, her voice sounding like an angel – it was like sweet music to my ears after not hearing it for so long. In the light of day she looked thinner, I decided to bring her brea
kfast in bed. Rose was in her usual spot in the kitchen, joined by Henry eating his breakfast. They both looked up when I walked in, while Rose was happy and smiling Henry looked like he wanted to punch me again.
“Your still here then.” Henry said returning to his breakfast.
“Yes and I am not going anywhere.” I told him.
I didn’t feel the anger towards him as I once had, he was only looking out for Jas when there wasn’t anyone else to do the job but I am here now, that is my job.
“I swear to god if you run I will hunt you down boy.” He threatened.
Normally when someone called me ‘boy’ I took it as an insult but I wasn’t up for arguing with him. If I treated him as a father figure to Jas then it wasn’t so bad and if Jas had a father around I would have had to put up with it from him.
“I said I am not going anywhere.” I repeated to him. He didn’t reply just carried on eating.
“Can I get you anything Chris?” Rose asked.
“I wanted to take Jas breakfast in bed, she has lost weight hasn’t she?” I asked sitting at the breakfast bar knowing better than to try and help her.
The kitchen well the whole house was her domain and I wasn’t about to come between them.
“Yes, she hasn’t had much of an appetite lately but I think she will eat today. Let me fix you up a tray.” She said scuttling around preparing a mini feast.
The last item she put on the tray was a clear box with pills in it, she looked at me trying to gauge what I was thinking.
“Her medication, see that she takes them.” She said sliding the tray towards me.
“I swear you’re an angel Rose.” I said thanking her for the breakfast not letting myself look down at the pillbox.
As I got to the top of the stairs I heard Jas laughing, I walked into her bedroom to see what was so funny but I couldn’t see anything.
“What is so funny?” I asked.
She stopped laughing and looked straight at me, confused.
“Your still here?” She said sitting herself up and leaning against the headboard.
“Of course, I told you I am not going anywhere apart from to get your breakfast. Rose said she had a feeling you might eat today, anything you want to tell me?” I asked hoping she lost her appetite because of her illness not because of me.
“I haven’t been hungry lately and that is a lot of food you have there.” She said looking terrified that I was going to make her eat it all.
“I noticed you have lost weight and it isn’t all for you.” I said laughing. The thought of Jas eating all this was ridiculous.
“What else did Rose say?” She quizzed me.
She was always worried what I was going to find out about her but surely she didn’t have anything else to hide?
“She is glad I am back and now maybe you will have a bath.” I lied about the last part.
“Are you trying to say I smell Mr Jenson?” She asked pretending she had took offence.
“definitely.”
“Well it is your lucky day, I have a meeting with the lawyers so I will have to shower. I am signing the company over to Jenna,” She said.
Since when was she doing this?
“Why?”
“You know why. She can carry it on for me, I can’t take it with me and I trust her.” She said.
I didn’t ask any more questions about it, she wasn’t doing this for the fun of it and the pain on her face was radiating from her.
“This is new.” I said picking a small box up changing the conversation.
“We had it installed when I got out of hospital, Rose and Henry take turns to check on me in the night, if there is a problem they push it and it alerts the other I need help. I will get Henry to show you how it all works.” She explained.
There was no hiding the fear of hearing how real this situation is, up till now it had felt like one of those mushy movie storylines.
“Makes it all real, doesn’t it?” She said tightening her grip on my hand. I didn’t trust my voice so I nodded.
We ate our breakfast in silence, neither of us knowing what to say. I didn’t join her in the shower, she had a meeting with her lawyers and I didn’t want to make her late. I had every day with her until I didn’t for that business. She didn’t give me the chance to change my mind; she was out of the shower in record time.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Part One…Jasmine
“You have to leave the house sometime Jas, I need to go home and get some clothes. I will take you out for lunch after. The slave driver came good on our bonuses.” He said.
“You never cashed the check.” I reminded him.
“I have my own money Jas.” He said sounding offended.
“Fine, if you want you can bring whatever you want back, make yourself more comfortable if you like?”
“Sounds good, we will need a bigger car then the Aston Martin though.” He seemed upset at the thought of not driving it again.
I searched the kitchen for the car key draw getting frustrated when I couldn’t find it.
“I don’t know why it surprises me that you don’t know where your keys are kept,” He said leaning against the counter.
“Shut up.” I said playfully. Ta-da, I found them and chucked them at him.
“What do I have the pleasure of driving today Miss Collins?” He asked.
“The BMW, plenty of space for your things.” I said cheerfully.
I couldn’t believe how fast things were moving, I had gone from not allowing anyone in my house to having a man, a very good looking man to live with me.
When we arrived at his house it looked the same as the first time I came here, the only thing that had changed was the kitchen, it was now bare of a table and chairs and two of the kitchen cupboard door fronts were missing. Casualties of that terrible night, I didn’t ask him and he didn’t explain. I wondered back into the living room where he was packing his game system into a box.
“What happened here?” I asked pointing to the photographs were, some were missing or heads had been cut out.
“I didn’t want to see his face,” He said returning to his packing.
I laughed when I got to the photographs of us, they had all been laminated but still had a crumpled look underneath and you could see where some had been ripped in two. Obviously the kitchen table wasn’t the only thing he destroyed that night.
“Natalie did her best to save them, she had them laminated so I couldn’t do it again. She is a clever one, too clever for my brother.” He said when he looked up to see what I was laughing at.
“She is nice, I like her.” I said.
“I am glad you think so, I do too,” He said.
He wouldn’t let me help him carry his things to the car so I sat and waited for him in the passenger seat for him to finish and lock up.
“Ready for lunch?” he asked when he got in the driver’s seat.
I was beginning to get the feeling there was more to this lunch then he was letting on but I didn’t ask.
“Sure.”
He didn’t have to drive far. He took me to the Milton Arms. It was warm and friendly inside. Christopher was searching for something as he was leading me to the other side of the pub when I saw his brother and Natalie sitting at a table.
“What are you doing?” I asked him panicking holding him back, some lunch this was going to be with his brother hating me for wrecking his brothers life.
“I knew you wouldn’t agree if I told you my brother would be here. I thought you should see him so you would know he doesn’t hate you like you think he does.” He said urging me forward again.
Natalie saw us first and jumped up to say hello, she hugged me,
“I knew you would both work it out,” She whispered when she kissed my cheek and sat back down. Alex got up and hugged me too but there were no welcoming words from him.
“How have you been Jasmine?” Natalie asked when Christopher and I sat down opposite them.
“Okay.?
?? I answered forgetting to ask Christopher if she knew about me.
“They all know Jas.” Christopher said like he had read my thoughts, I knew Alex heard what happened that night but I didn’t know if they told anyone else.
“In that case I could have been better.” I said bluntly.
“We should clear the air.” Alex said looking at me I nodded in agreement.
“CJ tells me you think I hate you but I don’t. I already told you that CJ is a grown man and he will do what he wants to do, I just wish things could be different for you both. I see how happy he is with you and for now that is enough for me,” He said.
“I wish things were different too, I didn’t set out to hurt him.” I said sadly.
“I know you didn’t. It is a shame I could get used to having you around,” He said in a friendly way.
“Yeah, your starting to grow on me too.” I said laughing.
The tension evaporated instantly, our table took on a fresh atmosphere.
“Now that is over with, let’s order.” Christopher said picking up the menu.
We sat talking about how Natalie wanted to get her teaching degree, then she was fascinated to hear how I built Jasmine Enterprises and still couldn’t believe how she knew me, she thought I was like a celebrity. The conversation moved onto Christmas, I hadn’t noticed the tree in the corner and the decorations hung around the place, I had never bothered with Christmas, I usually worked straight through.
“How do you normally spend Christmas Jasmine?” Alex asked me. If he thought I had a lavish day he was very much mistaken.
“I normally go away for the holidays.” I lied not wanting to tell them I spend it on my own.
“Not this year I hope, Fiona lays on loads of food, everyone comes round and we have a right laugh.” Natalie said.
“We haven’t spoke about Christmas yet.” I said looking at Christopher for help but he was smiling.
Oh I get it! He knew they were going to bring this up in conversation.
Our food arrived, the amount of food on my plate looked enough to feed the whole table, there was no way I would be able to finish it all. I cut into the chicken and when I put the fork to my mouth, the smell of the chicken made me feel nauseous, I knew what was coming so I quickly excused myself from the table asking where the ladies were.