“None of us have found this easy, but he has to accept some responsibility, we all do,” replied Paul mysteriously.
Tasha shook her head, confused by his words, but even without knowing the facts she knew Jim couldn’t be held accountable for her accident, not even after their fight that led to her going out that night. “Gramps, I don't know what that means. Jim has said there’s some stuff I need to know and I trust him to tell me when the time is right, so please, for me if not him, be nice because I love him and he is going to be my husband and the father of my children eventually.”
“For you,” he replied and leaned in to land a single kiss to her forehead then left her with Rhona again.
The nurse smiled at her and simply said, “Let's go.”
Tasha felt slightly relieved to be back in her room and alone. She’d been for a scan on her head then a different scan on her abdomen before being brought back to her room where Rhona had removed some of the wires and tubes, including the less than glamorous catheter which meant she was allowed to get up to use the bathroom. She lay back against the fresh pillows and waited for Jim to return with real nightwear rather than the hospital gown she was currently wearing and wondered whether her grandparents, specifically her grandfather, would return too. Her eyes closed and she attempted to think of nothing, to empty her mind, but was determined not to fall asleep while she waited for Jim. The opposite of that is precisely what she did.
Voices around her got louder and louder and roused her slightly from her sound sleep, but not enough to open her eyes.
“Paul, will you please back off? I have no desire to fight with you and I feel guilty enough that Tasha was hurt without you trying to make this all my fault,” she heard Jim say.
“I'm not making this all your fault—it is all your fault. You and that bloody crazy woman. I told you to take care of my girl and you assured me that you would and yet here we are at the hospital thanking all things holy that she is still here. She almost died, Jim, and I do hold you responsible, you, the one that professes to love her.” Anger rolled off Paul in waves.
Tasha was still unable to open her eyes and felt sure she’d been given something whilst asleep.
“I accept that I have to take some responsibility in all of this, but if that's the case then so do you. You take a good, hard look at yourself and your family. Think about what went on, what happened to Tasha on your watch before you try to transfer all of the blame and I would imagine your own guilt onto me. Now, I have been really tolerant of the barbed comments and I have given you some time and space, not to mention the run of my house, but I should warn you that I am running out of patience here. You want to blame me, so be it, but do not try and call into question my feelings for Tasha,” warned Jim.
Tasha felt a sense of relief that her grandfather made no come back and although she didn't really understand the details of what had been said she trusted Jim would tell her in time and that this couldn't be his fault.
“You should know that when Nat has recovered I intend to take her home, to London, where she belongs,” said Paul who was not quite done yet.
“And you should know that Natasha is going nowhere other than home with me and that we will be getting married. This is where she belongs, with me,” replied Jim.
Tasha's eyes finally opened and were full of sadness as she looked at two of the most important men in her life, arguing with each other, apportioning blame and trying to compete for her. Her grandfather still looked as though he was ready to keep going, arguing and scoring points whereas Jim looked tired, almost resigned to more angry words and insinuations being hurled his way. His shoulders sagged slightly as Paul prepared to continue their battle of wills, not that Jim was feeling defeated by the other man, quite the opposite, but if he hoped to make and keep Tasha happy he needed there to be no rifts between him and her family.
“Hey, my two favourite men are back,” she said gruffly, wincing at the soreness in her throat that still surprised her every time she woke up causing them both to turn and look at her.
“Are you okay, Nat?” Paul looked guilty that she may have heard their conversation.
Jim picked up a glass of water and held the straw to her mouth.
“Did you bring me some pyjamas or something?” asked Tasha when she'd finished drinking and laughed as she saw the box that proved Jim had phoned a local store and had the nightwear couriered over meaning he had still not left the hospital. “Thank you.” She smiled, but refused his offer to help her change immediately.
Eventually, Jim left to use the bathroom and without wasting a second of their time alone Tasha took Paul to task.
“Gramps, you said you'd be nice to Jim and you and he were arguing, I heard you,” she told him before he could deny her accusation. “Please don't blame Jim for any of this. No matter what has happened I love him and he loves me more than anything in the world and would never deliberately endanger me. I won’t be coming back to London with you, I belong here, with Jim.” She stroked her grandfather's head as he rested it on the edge of the bed next to her.
“Sorry, Nat. I just need someone to blame and if you hadn't met him and come out here, met the people he knew, none of this would have happened, so it is his fault, but I will try not to be such a stupid fool and think more rationally because it's not like I kept you safe at home, is it? Your grandma is constantly telling me I'm being stupid by blaming Jim, but I can't help it and maybe when you know the details—” Jim’s return interrupted Paul. “I’m going to head back to the house, I think Dan is struggling with all of this and may need to talk.” Paul kissed Tasha and prepared to leave.
“Mike is downstairs,” Jim flatly called after him.
“Tell me what happened,” said Tasha.
“Not tonight. Tomorrow when you’ve had a good night's sleep.”
Tasha prepared to argue when the door burst open to reveal Juan, Philip and Lizzie squealing as they all enveloped her in enthusiastic embraces.
Several days passed and between the constant stream of visitors Jim managed to avoid discussing exactly what had happened on the night of Tasha's crash. He’d also somehow got her doctor to tell the police she wasn't up to seeing them to answer their questions. Jim was still insisting on staying with her at night and despite the staff's objections she managed to get him to snuggle beside her on the bed.
It was during one such moment that Tasha finally took the bull by the horns. “Did I cause the crash? Is that why the police want to see me? Am I in trouble?” She sounded panicked. “I don’t remember anything of that journey. I left the store car park and then I remember the fireman talking to me, nothing else.”
Jim sat up to allow her to roll over towards him, albeit a little gingerly as her ribs were still sore and caused her some discomfort and pain whenever she tried to move.
He looked down at her worried expression and reassuringly shook his head. “No, you didn't cause the crash and you are not in trouble. I think the police just want to see what you remember and to clarify a couple of points.”
“So, what did happen?”
