Innocence of Love (15 page)

Chapter Eight

He returned to the hospital standing outside her room and knocked gently on her door to let her know it was him. He waited a few seconds before she opened the door and caught her getting dressed, with one arm in her shirt and the other out. Quickly she pulled the garment down with her back facing him. She turned around to glance at him as he entered the room holding the bacon butty. He could see she’d placed a little eye make-up on. He gave a half smile, she really didn’t need to make an effort.

He handed her the butty. She took a bite while continuing to get ready. He made his way to the bed to sit down with the room not having any chairs. He watched her intently as she stopped a few times to take small mouthfuls of breakfast. She combed her long hair, shinning and fly-away,

He couldn’t help but admire her as she moved about the room getting ready. She looked like a woman on a mission, there really was no need. He loved her just the way she was. Sophie Richards was perfect in his eye, in every shape and form. It was the small things he’d miss while in London.

The thought of him heading back to London tomorrow sickened him wishing there was another solution, but there wasn’t. At the end of the day, he needed to talk to his father, and attempt to make plans for their future, once of course he had finally managed to gain the courage to tell her.

“I was thinking,” he reported, becoming hypnotised by her still combing her hair.

“What?” she acknowledged, not bothering to look in his direction, but continued combing her long strands.

“Are we able to go out for some lunch or tea, my treat? I’m heading back to London tomorrow and thought maybe we could get you out and have some fresh York air,” he mentioned, unsure if to duck down or run for his dear life after suggesting such a thing. He really needed her to be okay with the idea.

Sophie turned her head to gaze at him. “I would like that, but first I want to try and hold Kacey again and feed her,” she told him.

“Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything else. Great to lunch,” he sang, trying to hold back the gleaming smile he craved to show her. He longed to jump up and down and yell like some school boy who had finally got a kiss of a girl. “We can make it whatever time you wish,” he added not wishing to rush her, knowing how delicate it would be to leave her daughter.

Sophie stood up and left the room.

Calvin was beside himself, delighted she had agreed to go out with him, now it was time to think about the destination and how he was going to tell her he loved her. He had no choice but to tell her as otherwise he would go back to London, kicking himself and not concentrating.

He sucked in a deep, breath. The smile on his face gleamed. He glanced at the bacon butty she had left— only a few mouthfuls taken. He sighed. Hopefully she would eat something at dinner.

Calvin decided to call his father, as avoiding him was beginning to become a headache.

“Hello, son.”

“Hi, Dad…listen…I know you are going to kick my backside and call me a liar and I don’t blame you…but,” he quaked, standing up to walk to the window that overlooked the main hospital. He could see people mooching around going about their own business. “Do you remember when I told you I would never wish to leave London and I would settle? And I would dedicate my life to the branch?” he spoke in an anxious tone, scrunching up his nose, wondering if to move the phone from his ear before his father started yelling at him.

“I remember, you said ‘nothing would bring you back up north,’ were your exact words.” His father would remember word-for-word, that was why he was so successful. “I sense a but coming.”

“There is…look…you know how I feel about a certain woman, and well the distance is killing my heart,” he told him open and honest, his stomach flipping about.

“I do.”

“Well…” he paused, carefully thinking about how he was going to put it, without coming on too strong, however, his dad was no fool.

“Well? Are you suggesting you come back up north to be closer?”

His dad took the words out his mouth.

“Yes…well, kind of. I need to be here, Dad. I…” He had the words on the tip of his tongue
love,
but needed to rephrase that word, as it still needed to be declared. “I really want to try and well, build something with her.”

“Where are you now?”

“York at the hospital,” he answered aware he had forgotten to call his parents.

“Hospital?” his father said shocked.

“Yes, York hospital in the neonatal unit. I want to try and…well.”

His dad interrupted, “When the heck did you arrive back in York?”

“Last night, I came to see Sophie,” he explained.

“You’re with Sophie now?”

“Yes, in her flat at the hospital.”

“And please tell me what your intentions are.”

Calvin swallowed hard, not being all too sure how to answer the questions. “I don’t know. What I can tell you is I care about her greatly and wish to be with her.”

His dad interrupted, “Son, but you need to be stepping very carefully. The girl is mixed up and full of raging hormones.” His dad mentioned when he wondered if that was what had brought on her tears earlier, not thinking what it might be and that he’d upset her.

“I know that,” he remarked when really he had no idea, as he had never been around a woman expecting and after giving birth.

“Look take things slow.”

“Her father is helping with buying her a house, or at least in the process of purchasing one.”

“Not one of ours then,” his dad chuckled.

“No. I think we are slightly out his budget. It’s a cute three up, three down, house close to Monks Cross, so she can still be independent and has a decent school in proximity,” he informed him.

“Good, I’m pleased things are finally working out for Sophie. I have to ask, son, as you seem to do nothing but recently abandon your post in London.”

“I’m sorry, but I can activate everything from my laptop so I can keep in communication with everyone and what is going on. I haven’t just left them all in the lurch. The company means more to me than that.”

“Yes, but your being easily distracted these days, and I worry.”

“Honestly everything is fine and being taken care off. I’m not stupid.”

His father coughed.

“Okay maybe a little, but I really want to be with Sophie.”

“Have you told her how you’re feeling?” his dad inquired.

His heart sunk into the pit of his stomach. His throat filled with bile, “No.”

“Don’t you think you should?”

“I’m intending to today. Well mention it, not sure how she’s going to react.”

“Do you love her?”

Calvin widened his eyes feeling his stomach full of butterflies. He closed his eyes tight every limb in his body ached.

“I need to see how today goes first,” he gulped, needing a little more time before answering the honest answer to the question.

“Okay, well let me know the outcome, but I think you’re moving too soon. She still has much to deal with and your mother would agree with me. I know you care about her and you have both been through hell, but you need to make sure you are walking into the relationship wide-eyed and not blinkered in love. You can very easily fall into that trap and find yourself buried before you come to your senses. I am not suggesting for one minute she is a bad woman, but think about what she had been through, and how much she is hurting.”

“I know that, and that is the reason I’m taking it easy. I don’t wish to confuse her any more than she already is. However, things are looking up for her, just a shame it’s years too late.”

“I hope that isn’t guilt coming back, son?”

Calvin lifted his brows. He inhaled a deep breath. “Just give me space, Dad…I need to try and tell her before jumping the gun.”

“Very well…”

His dad gave him much to think about, yet again wise words, but the truth and being close to the matter was he loved Sophie. He had every intention of telling her regardless, no matter what people think and presume. Yes, he admitted he had been riddled with guilt and ashamed of what she’d been going through, but all that had been pushed out the way he was looking at the overall relationship and how much he resented not being close to her.

After a few minutes thinking about his options, he hadn’t changed his mind, he had no intentions of doing so. Last night proved how much he loved her and how he would love to share more evenings and nights holding her in his arms and inhaling her sweet aroma. He walked through to Sophie where she sat holding her daughter. A smile glimmered across his face, if ever there was a beautiful sight, it would be Sophie gazing into her daughter’s eyes while talking to her.

He kept back, not wishing to ruin the perfect sight. Sophie’s hair had flopped forward covering her stunning face, but he would allow that to go, despite the fact it obstructed him from admiring her while talking and giving Kacey the all-important eye contact.

Calvin sat on another chair with the nurse coming and going. He watched another baby being brought into the unit and the baby that had been next to Kacey had gone. He wondered when that little boy had gone.

“Here you go, cup of tea,” a nurse said, standing before him holding a mug.

“Thank you,” he replied, reaching up to take the mug. He took a sip while watching the nurse working beside him on some equipment. “What happened to the little boy next to Kacey?” He asked curiously.

“He’s gone in the nursery,” she told him.

“Wow that is amazing. I bet the parents are so proud of him.”

“Of course and you’re little girl is following suite, I believe she’s feeding very well and now Mum is holding her and giving skin-to-skin which is always amazing to see.”

“Oh I’m very proud, it’s so special to see her mum holding her, brings a tear to my eyes,” he kept his voice low not wishing Sophie to hear him. Only Sophie lifted her head. He sensed she’d heard him and in honesty he didn’t care. He wanted her to know how he cared.

Sophie held Kacey in her arms, so proud, so at home and so beautiful. A tear fled his eye he quickly used his finger to remove it, not wanting Sophie to see his emotional state.

The nurse helped Sophie carefully place Kacey back into her incubator. They listened to the little bundle grunt and whimper, betting she wished to stay in her mum’s arms, who would blame her? He debated if now would be a good time to go out and get something to eat, or whether he should wait for Sophie to say something, but them going out together getting out the hospital had to happen so he could tell her how he felt was a state of emergency.

“Should we go and get something to eat?”

Sophie turned to gaze at him. He smiled needing to hide his ache he desired for her. “Should we?”

“Up to you,” he regretted longing to kick himself, knowing what her answer would be. Was he ever going to manage to say the right thing? But on the other hand leaving it for her to decide…Gosh his head was muddled!

“Go on,” the nurse hyped up. “It will do you both good to get some air and enjoy one another’s company. Kacey is fine and doing well. And not only that I’m pretty sure Kacey would want her mummy and daddy enjoying themselves and not remained cooped up in here,” she stated when they both glanced at one another, regarding her comment about mummy and daddy. “Go before I kick you both out.” She giggled.

Calvin saw there was no real choice being the possible kick up the ass they both needed.

“Promise to call me if anything happens,” Sophie begged her.

“Of course, but she’ll be fine,” the nurse responded encouraging Sophie to leave. However, Calvin could understand her concerns.

They manage to make it out the main door of the hospital. The sun beamed down, making temperatures soar. They jumped on a bus taking the journey into the city having Sophie sitting close to him sent his blood racing. He watched families with young children jumping on and off, and then there was older folk betting they were heading to the famous York market.

The journey didn’t take long, bouncing around needing to hold onto the bars. He longed to hold her hand feeling it might still too early to be making that move, even if they had spent the night together, cuddled and nuzzled. How he would give anything to reverse the night and keep her close without any fears or worries.

Once off the bus, Calvin and Sophie made their way to the Shambles. The fourteenth century narrow streets having overhanging timber-framed buildings. Calvin loved coming down here, with small boutiques, shops, and more importantly nice and cosy places to eat, including some cute little cafés including one of his favourites
Betty’s tea room,
where you will find the most sensational sandwiches, cakes, biscuits, and of course, tea in different blends.

They arrive to the tea rooms. He smiled delicately at Sophie, so perfect in every way. She grinned back at him while he opened the door for her. They enter the 1919 Tea shop. They were greeted by the small shop with antique dressers and cabinets, keeping its tradition having wooden panels and glass stands, old wood shelves and even the staff dressed in maids 1920’s outfits set back in the days.