Controlling Vulnerable

Chapter 32

Joe opened the front door and guided Lara through, pulling her zip through hoodie closer around her slight frame to keep her warm against an unusually cool day for central Florida. Closing it behind them he smiled seeing her face relax with relief at being home. She sat carefully on the couch and reached out a hand to Joe. "It's so tidy. I can tell you've cleaned up. Thanks, you're a complete gem for everything you've done." Joe smiled, sat down and carefully placed his arm around her back so she could snuggle into him, "It's as much my job as yours." He sighed, "Welcome home Lara. I'll go and grab those coffees from the car." He left with a kiss and returned with two cups and passed her one. She took it gratefully and tucked her legs under her. "Joe, I'll be fine you know if you need to go into the office." Joe shook his head, "I told you, I've got the laptop. I can log on later, but today I want to be here with you."

Lara smiled and said, "Can we talk a bit about things?" Joe tensed slightly and said, "Sure." Lara sighed, "I suppose I've had a lot of time to think while I've been in the hospital. I didn't want Caroline to know what's happened because I know almost word for word what she'd come out with. But lying there I got thinking, and I have to admit there's some truth in what she'd say." Joe felt uneasy and said, "Like what truth is there in this imaginary Caroline reaction?" Lara gave a half smile and touched his arm, "She'd be right to point out that if anything happened to me over here, Charlotte and Grace would be left with no legal guardians in the US, and would have to be taken back to England. I hadn't even thought about that, but it petrifies me, not only because they'd be orphans, but also because living with Caroline would not be what I'd want for them." Lara sighed, "And she'd also be right in saying that if Scott had got his way and you'd fired me for misconduct I would lose my visa and have to go home."

Joe turned to face her and frowned, "So what are you saying?" Lara gave a sad smile, "I'm not saying anything really. I just wanted to explain all this has left me feeling exposed, insecure." Joe looked pained and she touched his arm again, "I want you to understand it's also because I've had time to think about how much I want us to be here, living and working with you, and how dreadful it would be if anything ruined that." Joe sighed, "Lara, nothing like this is ever going to happen again because I won't let it. I swear, if you broke it off between us, I'd never just expect you to leave Callex and go back to England." Lara nodded, "I know. I suppose I just wanted you to understand how I'm feeling. JJ at the hospital suggested I talk to someone about what's happened, a psychologist I suppose, but I'd rather you and I talk about what happened to both of us, and help one another." Joe bent to kiss her gently and said in a haunted voice, "I don't think I'm ready to talk about it Lara. I have never felt more desperate and powerless than I did in the moment I saw that video." Lara took his face in her hands and let tears overspill, "Oh Joe, I'm so sorry. I told the police officers, I can't help but think about whether I could have saved the baby if I'd told them I was pregnant." Joe gasped and gently lifted her onto his lap and rocked her. "This was not your fault. Those animals were going to do whatever it took no matter what you'd have told them." Lara sniffed, "That's what the police said, but I can't help feeling guilty." Joe let a tear of his own go and said, "You were right. We should talk, help one another. Lara I swear to you, I am going to keep you and the girls safe." They sat drawing comfort from one another for twenty minutes before Joe said, "There is something practical I've been thinking about Lara." She let her hand trace his neck and he said, "I'm going to sell my house because I want you, me and the girls to have a home of our own." Lara gasped, "Really Joe?" He smiled nervously searching her face and nodded, "Yeah. What d'you think?" Lara's face lit up, "I love the idea. To be honest this feels like ours already though." Joe smiled at her response, "I love being here with you, and we have the lease on this until July, so that'll give us time to organise a new place." He said, "I've got an idea, but I wasn't sure how you'd feel." Lara sat up and he continued nervously, "There's an outparcel, land that was never developed next to my place. The market dropped and Farrah's Dad's company sold it on as an individual parcel of land. I've found out who owns it and if I could buy it we could design a beautiful house to build there. It's close to Linda and Mark here, and Will and April will be virtually next door." Lara looked shocked, "Oh my God Joe that sounds amazing." He laughed, "Let me look into it and see if the guy is open to selling."