Almost Everything

Chapter 20 - In The Embers

Brad got us a private jet and we fly into New York around one in the morning to pick up Nate. The three of us continue to London in silence, Meeko is stretched out in his seat. The cabin lights are low, and the boys fall asleep, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Would my parents show up in London knowing my grandpa wasn't going to make it much longer?

On top of his disease, he acquired pneumonia and that is the reason he is hospitalized now. My grandma had called my brother and asked him to call me, we tried to make it over there four or five times a year. Nate and I were the only ones that used the house in Notting Hill because when my parents came over to visit, they would stay in a fancy hotel.

Grandma says they barely visit these days.

Making a mental note, I need to text Jackson and let him know where I am. I still care enough about his feelings. But the moment I think about him, I couldn't turn it off. It was bad enough that I had to live with Jackson, but now we were both signed on to the smut movie and I know that I need to tell him everything. He needs to know why I can't be in the movie with him.

Moving over to the empty seat next to Meeko, I wrap a blanket around me and convert the seat into a bed. He moves up and put his head right next to me. I kiss his snout goodnight.

We take two cabs over to the house, and Nate takes Meeko with him. Brad and I ride in the first car. "I love you." He tells me.

"I love you too. I'm sorry that you're coming to stay with me at another hospital." I say looking up at him.

"There is nowhere else I'd rather be." He says leaning in and kissing my forehead.

"Yes, there is, but thank you for coming with me." I give a little laugh.

Our car pulls up to the gate and rings the security camera. We have staff living at the house 24/7 and one of them will buzz us in. Brad's eyes are glued to the window, he has never been to the London house, but he has heard all about it. Notting Hill was my father's most expensive property.

It is a gorgeous three-story house and I always loved coming home to it. The reception room is slightly gody, but this house needs all the showpieces in the room. Giant statues, and large backed chairs with weird sculptures. The drawing room behind the hall was dark wood fixtures and deep purple couches. The sitting room to the left was all white couches with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the large backyard, plus it was the only room besides the study with a TV. The dining room was formal and stuffy, just as my mom liked her things. The kitchen was wide open and could sit a small army.

The first floor holds the master bedroom and two other spare bedrooms. Since my parents didn't come to the house anymore, I took over the master bedroom years ago. I placed their bedding in a closet in the spare bedroom and purchased a whole new bedroom set for myself. There was a huge his and her closet on opposite sides of the room. The master bathroom is through my mom's (now my) closet. Nate's bedroom is on the corner of the first floor and my old bedroom is now his sitting room with three TVs.

The second floor has four more bedrooms, a huge cinema, and a giant room that used to be the playroom growing up, but now it was just a wide-open room that I use for my yoga room. The basement had a pool, spa, and sauna. There were also staff bedrooms and their own private kitchen.

"Another poor house. I feel bad for your family." Brad teases.

We take naps before heading to the hospital. Brad is going to stay back with Meeko, if I was okay with that, which I was. On the way to the hospital, I text Jackson that I was in London with Nate and Brad. He knew and loved my grandparents; I would feel terrible not telling him that grandpa was sick.