A Famous Affair

A Famous Affair chapter 15

Lydia tried again to talk to Shawn since her last attempt at a conversation with him, but he's not answering any of her calls now. If I manage to summon up the courage, I may try to talk to him tomorrow. To say what exactly? I really don't know. Sorry won't save your ass this time, Jessica!

"I think I'll try to contact him tomorrow, Lydia, if only to try to speak to the girls," I tell her.

"Good, you need to rest at the moment, darling. The situation is shit anyway, it's not going to miraculously get better overnight." Lydia busily tucks me into my hospital bed. After noticing I have goose bumps all up my arms; she's now doing her best Florence Nightingale. Who would have thought Lydia Mason would be so capable of nursing type duties?

I'm seeing a side to Lydia that I've never seen before, a more compassionate, selfless and thoughtful side. I'm liking this side of her.

"I really appreciate you being here with me, Lydia."

"Well, someone has to keep you out of mischief, don't they?" She strokes my cheek with her manicured nail. We clutch onto our brief chuckle because we both know I have little else to smile about.

"I don't know how I'm going to face Shawn or even what to say to him." I say.

"I think Shawn is hurting too much to care right now, Jessica."

"Do you think he'll ever forgive me, Lydia?"

"In time, maybe?" Her expression tells me what I already know. Hell will freeze over first! Just as I'm about to wallow some more in self-pity I hear voices, voices I recognise immediately. My girls!

I hear my girls coming down the corridor. I can't believe it; my babies are here! I try to sit up a little more, so I look less incapacitated than I actually am, but I'm struggling to move. Lydia puts her arm around my back. "Let me help you before you do more harm than good."

"Mum . . . Mum!" Both my darling girls rush up to me. Their beautiful, innocent faces beam from ear-to-ear as they over-zealously embrace me.

"Ow . . . ow . . . easy, girls. Oh, it's so good to see you both." I pull their faces into me so I can kiss their beautiful cheeks.

"Your mum has had an operation, girls. Don't squeeze too tight, okay?" Lydia strokes both the girls on their backs. She's elated that they're here too. "I think I'll leave you ladies alone for a bit." She warmly smiles, stroking my hand before quietly leaving the room.

"What's happened, Mum? Dad is really upset, but won't tell us why," Lottie asks, her voice quivering with fright. She looks at me with her loving, yet relieved, blue eyes.

"We were so scared Mum, I thought you died when you collapsed at home." Lissy's tear filled eyes are also a combination of unease and relief. She grabs hold of my hand, now too afraid to let me go.

"I'm okay, that's all that matters. Is your dad here? Who brought you to the hospital?"

"Nan brought us. What's going on, Mum? There's something wrong with Dad, but no one is telling us anything." Lissy searches my face. What words can I say without shattering her world?

"Where's your nan, Lissy?" I ask.

"Outside, she says she will come and see you in a bit," Lissy says. I nervously smile. Great, that's all I bloody need. The wrath of the mother-in-law!

"Girls, I need to talk to you about something, but before I do, you need to understand your dad and I love you both very, very much." They nod in unison, hanging off my every word.

Be strong Jessica! Tell the truth. Part of me wants to lie to them. I wish I could keep them forever inside their protected, safe and ignorant bubbles, but lying to them now is something I cannot bring myself to do. As their mother, I need to be the one to explain to them what has happened. It would break my heart if they heard it from someone else in a less than diplomatic manner. Even though I hate having to tell them at all, they deserve to know. I just pray they don't hate me.