TouchStone for ever (The Story of Us Trilogy) Read Free Page A

terrible liar, Ayden. I can imagine what I must look like. I can feel my lips
are swollen and my face is puffy. I remember what he did to me, and what he did
to you.”
    “Don’t
worry about me. Just a couple of cuts and bruises. It’s nothing to write home
about.”
    I
lift his left hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles. “There. All better.”
    Unable
to contain powerful emotions, his voice cracking, he wraps me in his arms.
“Beth, I love you so much.”
    I
bury my nose in his hair. “I love you more, Ayden.”
    The
door opens and a tall gentleman enters wearing a golfing sweater and slacks.
Unselfconsciously, Ayden releases me, wipes his eyes and turns to face him,
“Good evening, Mr. Roper. This is my wife, Elizabeth Stone. She’s wide awake
and looking lovely.” His face creases into an exaggerated smile.
    “And
so she is. Good evening, Elizabeth. I’m the consultant Gynecologist. How are
you feeling tonight?”
    I
shrug my shoulders. “Fine.”
    “I
do hope Ayden has been taking good care of you.” Ayden steps aside, allowing
him to take up his position by my side. He takes my hand in his, resting
experienced fingers on my wrist to feel my pulse, and checking the monitor
beeping to my left. “You have a good colour. Have you eaten anything?”
    “Yes,
we’ve had a picnic dinner,” I answer, glancing over at Ayden who, for some
reason is beginning to pace anxiously.
    “Very
nice.” He looks into my eyes and I sense some kind of announcement is coming.
“I assume Ayden has told you that we had to operate?”
    I
nod.
    “You’re
doing very well now, but the baby you had growing inside you is no longer
there. Thankfully it was early days, but I know that’s no consolation.”
    “We’ve
spoke about it. I understand. We have plenty of time to make babies.” I force a
smile and look over to Ayden who’s nodding in agreement.
    He
slides off the bed. “Good. Now I must continue with my rounds. If you need
anything or want to chat about anything at all, Ayden has my number. Goodnight,
Elizabeth.” He turns to Ayden, “Mr. Stone…”
    I
watch him leave and wonder why Ayden is so quick to follow him out. I feel
perfectly fine, a little sore but not in any pain or discomfort.
    When
Ayden returns, he has the weight of the world on his shoulders; he’s pacing,
rubbing his neck, looking across at me then turning away.
    “Ayden?
What’s wrong?”
    With
a thud he rests uncomfortably on the edge of the bed, contemplating his words.
He begins to speak then stops.
    I
can’t stand the waiting. “Tell me!”
    “They
analysed the results of the ultrasound scan this morning and it’s … it’s ...”
He looks at me through eyes that are swimming in tears. “ … it’s not good.”
    My
heart is racing. “What do you mean?”
    “There
was a lot of internal bleeding. They fear you may not be able to conceive again
after what he did to you … baby, I’m so, so sorry.”
    He
leans in to embrace me but I push him away. “What! You’re telling me I can’t
conceive. We may never be able to make another baby?” The seriousness of his
declaration causes tears to roll down my cheeks like a flood. Between sobs I’m
pleading, “That can’t be true. Please tell me that’s not true.”
    Ayden
lifts my hand to his mouth and his tears trickle over my fingers. He can’t speak.
He simply nods.
    “How
can this be happening? Ayden! How? That bastard has haunted me forever and even
in death he still tortures me.” I shake my hand free of Ayden and sob into my
palms until my cries fuse into a gut-wrenching howl.
    Forcefully,
Ayden pulls my hands from my tear soaked face and places his own inches in
front of me. “We’ll travel the world looking for a cure. There are things we
can do.” He’s trying to offer me a lifeline but, in my emotional state, his
words are lost in the whirlwind of realization. He can offer me no hope.
Nothing.
    “Beth,”
he whispers, this is another hurdle for us to get over, baby.