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“You’re in no state to drive. Let me take you there.”
She shakes her head. “You’ve been drinking.”
“I’ve only had one. I’m under the legal limit.”
“Okay. Please will you take me to Ainsley.” She sniffles before wiping her tears on her shirt.
We get into my car and drive to the hospital. Grandpa and I stay in the A&E waiting room and Nellie follows staff into the bay area. I try to sit still, but I’m fidgeting. The vending machine coffee is disgusting, but it’s all they have. Hours pass before the ladies materialise.
“I’m okay,” Ainsley says when she sees us. I’m overwhelmed with the need to check her over. Since I started dating Nellie, I’ve become closer to her sister, and her safety is important to me.
I pull her into a hug, looking for any signs of injury. Relief fills my chest. “I’m glad to hear you’re not hurt. What happened?”
She pulls away so we can hold eye contact. “I’m not sure. The police are going to look into it.”
Nellie clears her throat. “Can I speak to you in private for a minute, Christopher?”
“Sure. Ainsley, this is my grandpa.” I gesture to him.
“Nice to meet you,” he says. They start chatting, and I take a walk with Nellie.
Once we’re alone, her worries spill out of her. “The police are asking questions about my mum. We have nowhere to live, and I just lost my job.” An ugly cry escapes her lips, making my heart bleed.
“I know you told me to keep boundaries, but I have a property you can stay in. I have empty houses, but what I’d really like is for you to stay in my apartment. You’re welcome in my home and I’ll give you as much space as you need.”
“We never discussed how bad the situation with my mum is. She’s been missing for a while now. She does this every so often, but it’s been a lot longer than usual. If the police start looking at our lives, Ainsley might be taken away from me.” Her bottom lip wobbles. All I want to do is reassure her.
“That’s not going to happen.” I’ll do everything in my power to keep them together with me.
“Did you miss the part where I have no house, job, or stability?”
“You have me. I’m your stability.”
“We’ve only been dating a few weeks.” She looks down at the floor, hiding her emotions.
Giving up isn’t in my nature. I need her to see me and what I’m truly offering. “I’m not going to turn my back on you.”
She pulls me into a hug and sobs into my chest. “I want to be strong, but I can’t do it if I lose her.”
“You are everything you think you are. It isn’t a weakness to accept help.” I rub my arm over her back.
“Thank you.” She hugs me tighter.
It takes a lot for her to accept my offer, but eventually, she does. By the time we go to find our family, she’s stopped crying and pulled herself together. Ainsley doesn’t seem fazed by the idea of staying with me.
Everyone is quiet on the drive home, and when we get in, I get Ainsley and Nellie settled. It’s been a rough day and I’m happy to give them time to comprehend what happened.
CHAPTER Eighteen
Nellie
“I like it here,” Ainsley says, patting the comfy bed.
I smile. “Good because we’re at the mercy of this nice family, and you might need to tell them how much you want to stay.”
“Christopher is your boyfriend. We can lean on him. That or he’s crazy. If I had a car like his, I wouldn’t let anyone else drive it, and he gave you it like it was nothing.”
I’ve been reluctant to let him fully into our lives, but now the doors are wide open. Ainsley and I are capable of getting back on our feet, but for the first time, I’m happy not to struggle. “Maybe you’re right.”
