Famously Yours - Sequel to A Famous Affair

Famously Yours chapter 30

I run past the bunch of press vultures that are already gathering outside of the hospital. I just keep on running with terror nipping at my heels. Hauling my terrified self into the hospital corridors with Simon barely able to keep up with me. In confusion, I look up at the signs. I have no idea where I need to be and whom I need to see. Although I know I'm running as fast as I can, my trembling legs just aren't getting me to Jonny quick enough. Simon can see I'm drowning in my own fear. He rushes up behind me, taking hold of my arm. "It's okay, Jessica. Let me go and find out where he is."

I merely nod, still too upset to say a single word.

Clutching onto myself, I watch Simon approach a mature receptionist. They briefly talk. The prim woman glances over Simon's shoulder at me, giving me a sympathetic smile. Then she looks back at him as she points to where the lifts are located. With hurried steps, he's walking back towards me; grabbing my hand. "It's this way," he assertively tells me, leading the way with determined strides.

The smell of the hospital makes me shudder. It's a bitter reminder of the ectopic pregnancy: a reminder of my fight to survive. Is it now Jonny's turn for a fight to survive? My gut instinct tells me that it is. I've never heard Beef sound so afraid. I've never heard him cry. I know that Jonny must be in a really bad way for Beef to react like that. The creeping fear now sits solidly on my chest, making it painful to breathe. My feet continue to follow Simon, but I feel like I'm edging closer to the end of my life with Jonny.

As we round a corner, into yet another stark corridor, it is there that we find Beef and Jay, both pacing in different directions.

I take in the horrifying sight of a bloodied Beef before rushing towards him. "Where is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?" I fire my questions at him with a harried and wild appearance.

Beef looks pale and clammy. "He's in the operating theatre. It's bad, Jessica." He bows his head, crying without care.

I reach out to him, willing my numb body to offer a broken and despairing Beef some comfort. His huge arms, sweep themselves around me. I try to wrap my arms around his thick waist as we cry together. "It's okay." I soothe him like a terrified child, stroking his hard back with a shushing sound as I sob alongside him.

"I'm just so sorry. One minute this woman was smiling and waving at him, the next, she's screaming and lunging herself at him." Beef is full of guilt. It has him in its clutches, refusing to let go.

I glance at a worried Jay, who looks considerably calmer. "Where did this happen?" I gently ask Beef, still holding onto him.

Beef forces himself to look at me; his dull eyes now framed with wet lashes. Sighing heavily, he shakily answers. "We were outside the TV studios. There were a bunch of fans waiting for Jonny, so he decided to go and pose for some pictures with them. One of the women was much more persistent. She started pushing the other women out of the way. Jonny was laughing and joking, saying that he'd get to her in good time. He eventually did get to her. He signed her autograph book and posed for a picture. When he went to leave, she kept grabbing at him. She was saying weird things about him not replying to any of her letters or any of the letters that she'd sent to you. Jonny became really agitated. He told this woman that you and he are both busy people and that it would be impossible to reply to every single letter. Then she turned nasty. She began calling you names. Jonny started to walk away, then all the other fans started to get angry with her. In all of the commotion, she just suddenly ran after Jonny. I quickly tried to grab her but she slashed my arm. It was only then that I realised she had a knife. I called out to Jonny and he stopped to turn around. As soon as he did, she was there . . . she . . . she just stabbed him!" Again Beef cries, he hugs me tightly, just needing to let the traumatic experience all out of him.