“It was never my intention to be anybody’s boss when I came here,” she said genuinely.
“I know, but you’ve become it anyway.” He was up on his feet and holding the door open for her and although she was unsure whether the comment carried an undercurrent of anything, she said nothing, she just exited his office and headed back upstairs to her own space where she found Rosie sitting behind her assistant’s desk with Grant.
“Rosie!”
“Steph,” started Grant. “Rosie is now a permanent member of the Brooker team too and as long as you are happy she will beyour permanent assistant. Mr Brooker thought you might be a good fit.”
“Happy? I couldn’t be any happier. Rosie knows just how I take my tea and which are my favourite biscuits meaning Mr Brooker was absolutely right.” Wearing a huge grin, Steph hugged the other woman before returning to her office and gazing at the photo of her and Jon that was looking at her from her desktop wondered again where he expected her to keep it. Moreover, she wondered if there would ever be a time when she might have it on display for the world to see.
Steph was just enteringthe Mexican restaurant where Jon had chosen to take her for dinner to talk when her phone rang. She looked down and saw that the caller was her brother Eddie and as she saw a look of irritation on the restaurant staff and diner’s faces she rejected the call and told herself that she would call him back later. They had just been shown to their table when her phone began to vibrate in her bag having been put onto silent. It was Eddie and as she rejected the call again she made a mental note to excuse herself in a few minutes to call him back.
Drinks arrived with a selection of nibbles that Steph was unsure were considered to be a starter or not when Jon directed the conversation towards their reason for meeting, to talk.
“So, Steph,” started Jon nervously. “We should talk about us and my wife. I love you and the main thing is that I . . . bloody hell,” he cried as his phone rang now and interrupted him. “Hello!” he answered abruptly, oblivious to the other diners, but immediately softened as he heard the voice at the other end of the line. “She’s here with me now, yeah, okay, where? We’re on our way now, bye.” Immediately he got to his feet signalling to their waiter. “Steph, we have to go, darling, I’ll explain when we get out of here,” he said before the waiter appeared wearing aconfused expression as Jon pulled her to her feet. “Sorry we have to leave,” he said simply and threw some cash down onto the table before taking her hand and leading her to the car.
Once inside the car Steph said, “Please tell me what’s going on, you’re scaring me.”
“I don’t know the full details, but that was Eddie who called,” he said as he took her hand in his. “There’s been some kind of accident and your dad’s been taken to hospital.”
“What sort of accident? He’s okay though? My dad?” she asked barely pausing between questions. “He’s not going to die, is he?” She sounded desperate as Jon engulfed her in a warm embrace.
“I really don’t know, but Eddie said he is in a bad way, so let’s just get there.”
She let out a strange, strangled cry as she realised what he was saying.
Eight
Although the journey to the hospital was relatively traffic free, it was still almost an hour before they arrived. Jon held Steph’s hand tightly, leading her to the reception desk and as it appeared that the power of speech had left her, he acted as her voice.
“My girlfriend’s father is here somewhere, Roger Pryor. Her brother called us from here.” As they waited for the receptionist’s response, Steph could feel her grip on Jon’s hand tightening.
“Oh yes,” replied the young, pretty blonde who was gazing up and smiling at Jon with obvious attraction.
Steph quickly became frustrated and finding her voice said, “I’m sorry to interrupt your ogling of my boyfriend, but I would really like to see my father before he breathes his last breath if you don’t mind.”
Jon looked across at her and was shocked by her outburst whereas the receptionist was just embarrassed as she stammered a response.
“Sorry, he is on ICU neuro’, fifth floor,” she said and gestured to the lifts.
“Thank you,” Jon said with a slightly awkward smile.
They rode the lift to the fifth floor and once safely alone Jon wrapped his arms around Steph to hold her tightly. As they left the lift there was a large, open plan waiting area with coffee machine, comfy seating and what looked like the whole of the Pryor family which was a lot of people.
“Hey, sis,” called Eddie as he saw her and immediately she burst out crying leading to Jason appearing to hug her tightly.
“What happened?” Jon asked a stunned looking Eddie.
“Get Steph some coffee and sit her down,” ordered Eddie of Jason who immediately did as he was told. Then Eddie turned back to Jon and pointed to some chairs in the opposite corner of the waiting area to where the others were assembled.
He began to speak in a hushed tone as he explained what he knew. “It would seem that Dad and Janice had a few words yesterday so he went for a walk, which is his usual response to an argument and while he was out he was run over on a zebra crossing and literally left for dead.”
“Shit! And he was there all night?” asked Jon obviously shocked by the news but confused as to why they were only just hearing about it.
“No,” whispered Eddie. “He was found almost immediately by another motorist and brought here. The police found Janice at Dad’s and she came here last night but didn’t call any of us because she didn’t want to worry us.” That final fact causing obvious upset, anger and disbelief to Eddie.
“So how did you find out?”
“Jess went round to visit the old man tonight and one of the neighbours told her. She then phoned me in hysterics and here we all are.” He sighed.
