Bella (10 page)

  
“
Please just tell me if they are ok!
”
I screamed.

  
“
At this stage we can
’
t tell you their condition, we suggest you go
straight to the hospital.
”

I
quickly went upstairs and got myself dressed and followed the police to the
hospital. My head was spinning. I called Tammy and Roy and told them what had
happened and asked them to let Lizzie know. There was no point in them telling
Simon and Victoria at this stage.

When I
arrived at the hospital I went straight to the accident and emergency
department and asked them where my husband and daughter were. They told me to
wait in reception and that a doctor would be along shortly.

Not long
after Tammy and Roy arrived. They told me Lizzie was on her way.

Eventually
a doctor came over to us.

  
“
Mrs Antionini, your daughter has only suffered
minor cuts and bruises but we are going to keep her in over night for
observation. However, your husband has suffered multiple injuries and is in a
coma. His condition is critical at the moment, we
’
re carrying out more tests, but I
’
m afraid if he survives, he may be paralysed
from the waist down. The next twenty four hours will be critical.
”

We
followed him to see Violet who was fast asleep in a cot. Tammy gave me a hug
and told me everything would be alright. He then took me to a room where Marco
was; he had tubes everywhere and looked so pale and helpless.

  
Lizzie arrived and as soon as she saw me she burst into tears. I
’
d never seen her so emotional before and asked
her if anything else was wrong.

  
“
I
’
ve lost the baby.
”
She sobbed.

  
“
I
’
m so sorry Lizzie.
”
When did that happen?
”

  
“
This morning!
”
She said.
“
I suppose it wasn
’
t meant to be. At least it happened now and not
later. I don
’
t have to tell James
anything now.
”
I gave her a hug and
told her that there would be other times.

  
“
Anyway, enough of me, how about Violet and
Marco?

  
“
Violet
’
s ok, but unfortunately Marco
’
s in a critical state. The doctor told me the
next twenty-four hours will be critical.
”

   The
next morning Violet was allowed home, but we didn`t feel much like celebrating
Christmas under the circumstances and decided to put it on hold.

 Luckily
Marco pulled out of the coma later that day, but remained paralysed just as the
doctors had thought.

   Two
months later it was nearly springtime. And Marco was finally allowed home to
celebrate Christmas.

With
looking after my husband and daughter, I didn
’
t have much time for myself. Marco was
incredibly difficult, but under the circumstances I suppose I couldn
’
t blame him.He told me that the driver of the
car that had hit them had apparently passed out at the wheel, so no one was to
blame.

   
Later that week Tammy popped round to tell me she
’
d heard from Simon and that he would be coming
home for the wedding. I felt my heartbeat quicken just by hearing his name.

   Over
the next couple of months, I helped Tammy select her wedding dress and we found
a lovely Venue for the
reception.  The place looked like Cinderella
’
s castle perched on top of a hill.

   
Violet had a lovely nature and had just started to call me Mama. Marco
gradually started to improve with the help of
physiotherapy
and after further tests, was told he would eventually be able to walk again
after all.

    We
decided to should sell our home and move back to Lighthouse Cove, I was very
happy because I felt very lonely in the countryside.

Tammy
mentioned that there was a cheap guest house for sale by the beach, and with
Marco not being able to work this would be the perfect opportunity.

We
managed to find a buyer for our house and Roy kindly gave me enough money for a
deposit. We moved into it at the beginning of June, a month before Tammy and
Roy
’
s wedding.

   
Tammy told me know that Simon and Victoria would arrive about three weeks
before the wedding. I couldn
’
t wait to see Simon;
Two years had passed by and I missed him so much.

    With
the guest house really busy and looking after Violet I didn`t have time to
think.

Marco
had started walking short distances and was improving every day.

Looking
in the mirror one morning I noticed how tired I looked. My hair that was once
shiny and full of life looked dull and lifeless, my complexion was pale and my
eyes had huge bags underneath them. We
’
d bought the guest house in the middle of the season when
it was in full swing. I knew that running it would be hard, but I never thought
it would be this tiring.

   One
morning after making twenty breakfasts for the guests, I decided to go and have
my hair cut and styled.  I felt so much better afterwards and liked the new me.

I went
back to the guest house and unpacked most of our boxes from the move; we had
our own private quarters with
four bedrooms. Luckily Lizzie had Violet for the
day so I had some time to myself and could get some unpacking done. Feeling
content and positive I decided to go and see Tammy. She was really happy to see
me and excited about her pending wedding.

She
looked at me.

  
“
I can
’
t believe I
’
ll be getting married
in a few days.
”
Then her face
dropped.
“
I am so afraid Bella.
”

  
“
Why?
”
  I asked.

  
“
Look what happened on my wedding day to your
father Bella, he died before we even had a chance to get married.
”

  
“
You have more chance of winning the lottery than
that happening again. Your day will be perfect, and I
’
m sure father will be watching over you
”
I gave her a hug and we sat drinking coffee
while I told her how difficult it was running a guest house and looking after
Violet and Marco. Tammy told me that Ben was coming back later from university,
and he
’
d have one week off
for the wedding.

  
“
I
’
m so happy I found my son again, he
’
s such a lovely young man.
”

Tammy
looked at me and asked,

  
“
Did you ever find the letter from your father? I
didn
’
t answer her
immediately. She took a breath and added.

  
“
I don
’
t know everything that he wrote in it, but what I do know
is that your father isn
’
t Lizzie and Simon
’
s father.

   
“
I did find the letter Tammy.
”
I told her,
“
But if what you have told me is true, which is
what I
’
d guessed anyway,
then there is no need to read it, and I
’
m so busy with my life right now, that no other
news is going to change it; unless he had a lot of money stashed away.
”
We both laughed.

   
Later that day, back at the guest house, after preparing evening meals and
looking after Violet, I felt absolutely shattered.
I must advertise for some
help.
I thought;
I can
’
t do this on my own.

Marco
was now working back at the restaurant and when he arrived home he was very
tired. We never seemed to talk anymore and we had become complete strangers. He
also never gave me any money; It seemed to me that I was the one looking after
the finances.

    Next
morning Lizzie stopped by and offered to take Violet again for the day. She
still hadn
’
t returned to work
after the miscarriage and had a lot of time on her hands.

 Lizzie
sat and had a coffee with me after the guests had left.

  
“
I have an idea Bella, I
’
m supposed to be going back to work next week
but I was thinking that maybe you could do with the help here?
”

  
“
Lizzie
I
’
d love that, I could really do with the help and having
someone else to talk to would be great.
”

  
“
Well, that is what I
shall do then, I
’
ll give my notice in
at the beauty shop and work here, and why don
’
t I use the spare room on the first floor and
offer my services to the guests?
”

   
“
That is a
brilliant idea sis!
”

We then started talking about Tammy`s wedding.

    
“
What time does
Simon`s plane land?
”
I asked Lizzie, as I
knew that she had offered to go and pick them up from the airport.

She looked at her watch.

"
Oh dear
! I
’
d better get a move on, they will be landing
soon.
”

 After she left I did some cleaning and managed to have a
soak in the bath, put on a nice skirt and top and sprayed myself with my
favourite perfume.

 
We didn`t have any guests booked in over the
next five days, so everything had worked out right because I wanted to give the
guest house a lick of paint and have carpets fitted everywhere. I was also
planning to buy new curtains and bedding for the guest rooms because the place
was looking a bit drab and old-fashioned for my liking.

 I
’
d given the painters
and decorators a key to make things easier and went to stay with Tammy and Roy
’
s for a few days with Violet. Marco told me he
’
d continue to stay at the guest house and keep a
eye on things.

   
When I
arrived at Tammy`s she told me that Lizzie had called to say that Simon and
Victoria`s plane had just landed. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

An hour later I could hear voices outside. Lizzie had just
arrived.  I went to open the door to greet them; I certainly wasn
’
t prepared for the shock of seeing Victoria
heavily pregnant. Simon hadn
’
t said anything on
the phone or in his letters. I tried to hide my feelings as I greeted them both
with a hug.

Simon looked really
 
pleased to see me, we both hugged and he gave me
a kiss on the cheek, my heart was pounding, I hadn
’
t
 
had those tingles down my spine for such a long time.

I made everyone some tea, and asked Victoria when her baby
was due. She said.

  
“
Another four months
yet, I know I look bigger for my weeks.
”
  I noticed she wasn't her bubbly self and
seemed rather hostile towards me, or was I imagining it.

Simon looked rather awkward as Victoria threw him some
dirty looks.

Tammy had made food for everyone, lamb chops, mashed potato
and mushy peas and there was lots of wine to wash it all down. We  sat there
for ages and talked about what we had done over the past two years.

Marco had decided to spend a few hours with Violet and had
taken her to the zoo. I couldn
’
t wait for him to
bring her back so she could meet Simon. When Marco`s car pulled up, Simon went
to great him outside and took Violet out of her car seat. She gave a big smile
and asked in a sweet voice.