My Future Stepbrother

Chapter 83

TARA’S P.O.V

I stand, shielded by the crowd, as I watch the man of my dreams walk away.

I have never felt such an instant connection with anyone, not even my first husband. The way our eyes met across the room, the way we danced without saying a word. I knew so little about him yet I knew.. I had fallen for him. If love at first sight truly existed then I know I had just experienced it in its most purest form.

There was something holding him back though, I could sense it. He was hesitant and he needed to go to whatever it was.

I saw him turn towards the other side of the hospital when it hit me. I didn’t even know his name.

I had to know, I ran after him but my damn heels kept falling off. I hate these things! I rip them from my feet and hold them in my hands, clutching at the hem of my dress as I follow in the direction I saw him go.

I get lost slightly, honestly he could be anywhere. I’ll never find him. I’m about to give up when I see the hospice the gala was fundraising for come into sight.

He said he was there from the hospital and he walked this way, it would make sense this would be where he went.

I walk up to the doors and am relieved when I see a familiar face at the front desk.

“Ms Thompson? Wow you look incredible! How was the gala? Still going on?”

I stand staring at the nurse I know I’ve met a few times at the gala before, oh for God’s sake- what is her name?

“Beverly!” I shout without meaning. Well done Tara, very smooth. “I’m sorry, yes it was wonderful, thank you. I just popped in because one of the guests left something behind when he left, he just came by here, still in his suit?”

She smiles up at me. “Tall, dark and ruggedly handsome? That’s Cole. He’ll be in room 316 or I can give it to him if you prefer?”

I shake my head. “It’s okay, I’ll just pop in quick.”

Cole - It suits him. I follow the long corridor counting down the numbers. I wonder who he’s here to see? Feels a bit late for a doctors visit, he must be a relative of a patient.

I step to the window of the room and peer in to see a woman laying on the bed watching the TV and fiddling with her bed positioning. She was beautiful, piercing blue eyes and plump lips. She didn’t look as poorly as a lot of people I’d visited here over the years but you could see she’d lost some weight recently.

I scan the room but see no sign of anyone else, my heart sinks. I go to leave when she spots me through the glass and smiles, I’m not sure what to do until she waves me to come inside.

“Wow, I’m not used to such glamorous visitors. That dress is unbelievable, you were either at the gala or the nurses uniforms here have dramatically improved.” She jokes.

I can’t help but stare at her smile. It lights up her whole face, I can feel one spreading across my face just looking at her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you. I was looking for.. Cole? I think I might be in the wrong-"

“I’m sorry, you just missed him. He had to take our daughter home, poor thing fell asleep on the couch.” She laughs but my heart shatters.

Their daughter? He took their daughter home? I look from the woman to the photographs on the table next to her. In the middle is a photo of the lady sitting in front of me, the man I danced with tonight and a gorgeous little girl with a head full of blonde ringlets.

As I look deeper at the image they all seem to start looking more familiar to me. This isn’t a huge town, if they’re local I must have seen them together at some point.

My heart starts beating erratically, my palms are moist and I can feel a lump in my throat.

I kissed a married man. I kissed a married man who’s beautiful wife is in the hospital. I’m no better than any of those women Nigel would traipse in and out of his office. I feel disgusted with myself. I didn’t ask and he didn’t tell me. I guess until I kissed him all we did was dance, if he didn’t feel the way I did there would have been no reason, it would have just been innocent to him.

How could I be so stupid? Only I could fall completely in love with a stranger, without even knowing his name, only to find out we had no hope of a future.

I clench my fists in an effort to hold my voice steady. “She’s lovely.” I state nodding towards the picture.

Her smile grows even wider as she begins to talk about her daughter. “Thank you, she’s amazing. She’s the best thing either of us have ever done. By far my greatest achievement, I’ve never been more proud of anything than I am of being her mum.”

She looks at the image of her daughter with total admiration, the resemblance between the two uncanny. “Do you have any children?”

I nod. “Two boys.”

She chuckles. “Brave woman.”

I laugh and turn to go back through the door when I hear her voice again.

“You’re her, aren’t you? The one Cole wanted to tell me about tonight.”

I freeze. I expect to turn and see her face contorted in anger or for her to be ready and waiting with something to throw at my head but she isn’t. Her face is passive and her tone calm.

I step closer to her and she gestures for me to sit in the seat at her bedside, which I do.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, I swear. I would never ever approach a man I knew was married, trust me. My husband, well ex-husband, was a serial cheat. I would never do that to another woman. Nothing happened from his part, I swear to you. He did nothing wrong, it was all me. I kissed him and that’s all that happened but I know that doesn’t make it better-"

She chuckles and lays her hand over mine. “Has anyone ever told you that you really ramble when your nervous?” She gives me a sympathetic smile and I take the breath I didn’t realise I desperately needed, my lungs refilling with oxygen. “What’s your name?”

I look at her blankly, how is she so calm? Shouldn’t she hit me? I’d hit me. “Sorry, it’s Tara.”

“Tara.. that’s pretty.” She sits up slightly so our eyes can meet.

“Tara I’m dying. I have a few weeks, maybe a few months if I’m lucky. I don’t have the time or the energy to be mad at you so please stop panicking sweetheart. You’ll get wrinkles.” She smiles at me and I can’t believe how, considering her circumstances, she is still able to hold herself with so much poise and grace.

“Cole is a good man. He’s a fantastic father and has been the most loyal and doting husband. His whole life has revolved around me and Aleah, he has given us everything we could ever dream of and I know if he could he would swap places with me right now in a heartbeat. He’s my soul mate... but what happens when he has to keep going without me? Its been my greatest fear throughout this whole process. He is a man made to love, I was terrified without me he wouldn’t be able to. I see you here tonight and I’m grateful. If he was able to let himself feel something, even something small for someone that wasn’t me then it shows that someday he will be ready to love again. That’s all I want for him.”

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone capable of loving another person so selflessly. He has been an incredibly lucky man to have had her.

“I can’t promise that person will be you darling but even if it isn’t, I want you to rest easy in the knowledge that you helped inch the door open enough to make it a possibility for him.”

I smile up at her. “You’re a very special woman.”

She beams. “I like to think so too. Now I may be understanding but given my limited time left in this world I think I’ve earned the right to be a little bit selfish so, if it’s okay with you, I think I’ll keep him to myself just a little while longer.”

I laugh, she’s funny too. This woman really is the whole package isn’t she? She holds on to my hand and I feel the tears begin to fall from my eyes.

"Thank you, I wish there was something I could do for you.” I would give this beautiful woman anything if I could keep her here with her husband and her daughter. 

She squeezes my hand tight. “We’ve done all we can lovely.”

I get up to leave but turn back when I get to the door.

“How did you know it was me?”

She smiles. “Channel number five, its my favourite too. Even champagne couldn’t cover it. Maybe we’re more alike than you realise.”

I can only hope.

**************

Tara’s p.o.v – 9 months later.

I swear that boy is trying to kill me. Why must he insist on telling me about these kinds of projects an hour before it’s time for him to go to bed? Being in a supermarket at 9pm scouring the aisles for glue and glitter is not my idea of Sunday night fun.

I swear Milo is lucky he’s so cute because otherwise I’d consider selling him off to a damn sweatshop!

I finally find what I’m looking for and pile it all into my arms. Of course in my hurry I forgot to grab a trolley.

I turn the corner sharply and plough straight into a wall. I drop the contents of my arms straight onto the floor and the walls shoes become covered in a mix of glue and glitter.

Wait. Walls don’t have shoe’s.

I look up and meet the mahogany eyes that have done nothing but fill every moment of my best dreams.

A boyish grin spreads across his face. “You just can’t stop spilling things on me, can you?”

Cole.

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