"My mum said she'll drop off some homemade food for your mum and siblings today. She's also offering to do a food shop for your mum so she doesn't need to think about having food in the house for Declan and Chloe to eat."
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Allison's lips moving but I can't really hear what it is she's saying to me. It's been like that since the moment we got in the car to go to work, neither of us opting to put the radio on this morning like we always do as soon as we get into the car for whatever reason.
Simply put, it's not a radio type of morning.
It hasn't been much in the way of music or television type of days since Saturday if I'm honest.
I spent the rest of yesterday afternoon with Luca then last night with Allison like I said I would. It worked out well seeing as Luca had an impromptu business meeting with Fredrick after he landed here with Jade, and Allison and I both had to prepare ourselves for starting back to work today. We couldn't have planned it any better and for all neither Allison nor myself – especially me – wanted to go back to work today, it's a welcomed distraction.
Minutes pass, traffic gets heavier, and buildings come and go as the car gets closer to my office on Grosvenor Street. I can't help all the yawning I've been doing every five minutes or so during the car ride. I didn't get much sleep last night, about three hours worth in total if I'm lucky.
I kept waking up and checking my phone for a message from someone in my family to give me some news about my dad. The last message I got was from Chloe telling me that my dad still hadn't woken up but that they were going to try and wake him up at some point today. They couldn't say when for sure, but it was going to happen for definite today.
If I wasn't doing that, I was having nightmares about my dad having to be rushed back in for surgery and dying on the table. Those dreams had me waking up with such a start that my breathing was erratic. I couldn't calm down and thought I was going to wake Allison up the way I was acting. Seeing as she can be a heavy sleeper at times, I know she would have come into my room and helped calm me down if she wasn't in a deep sleep.
The only thing that seemed to calm me down and help me to sleep was the texts I received from Luca as soon as I text him saying I couldn't sleep and was having nightmares. Each and every time I woke up, I would text him and then fall asleep after a few responses from him which had me forgetting for a small moment that everything else in my life wasn't as in check as what our relationship was.
"Kaylee," Allison says firmly.
I avert my eyes down to my red trouser covered legs and run a finger down the ironed creases running over my knees. I yawn once more and tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"I'll see you then," Allison finishes, bringing her car to a stop outside my office building.
I finally look at her and frown when I notice that we've come to a complete stop. I look out the window at my office building then back to Allison. "Are we here already?"
"We are," she confirms.
"I didn't notice."
"Did you even hear what I was saying to you?"
"Not really," I admit.
She flashes me a heartfelt smile and grasps one of my hands in hers, giving it a small squeeze. "I said I'll pick you up when you finish and take you to the hospital if you don't get a call before finishing time."
"Oh." I take my seatbelt off and prepare to get out the car. "That's fine. I'll let you know."
"Please do."
I get out the car and Allison drives away without another word being said. I look up at my office building and take a deep breath, forcing myself to take the steps I need to take that will take me into the white-bricked building that, with any luck, will have my mind on other things. I walk slowly, mentally preparing myself for work, and enter the building with an imitation smile plastered on my face.
"Good morning, Kaylee." Eric greets with a wide smile. He places his freshly made cup of coffee on the reception desk and takes my offered ID card to sign me in for the day. "Julia told me to tell you that you have an early meeting that starts in the next ten minutes. Your client is waiting for you in your office."
"It's not even nine o'clock," I point out. I glance down at the time on my watch. "It's only ten to nine."
"I don't make your schedule," he shrugs. "I'm just a messenger."
"Fine." I take my ID card from Eric and slip it into my bag. "Is Jackie in yet?"
"She should be. She is the boss after all."
"Thanks."
I turn and begin walking up the stairs towards my office.
"Kaylee," Eric calls after me. I turn on the step I'm at and look down at him. "Everything okay?"
I draw my lips in and bite down on them. "I'd rather not say or I'll start crying and I can't cry any more than what I already have over the past twenty-four hours. Thank you for your concern, though."
"If you need to talk, I'm here."
I smile lightly and continue my walk up to my office.
The glass door leading to the offices on the second floor is open wide and I walk towards Julia's desk for my printed weekly planner. Julia looks up from her desk and holds the planner out for me to take before I ask her what I'm wanting.
"Did Eric tell you about your meeting?" Julia queries.
"He did," I answer.
I peer into my office and shake my head at the sight of Jade Blackwell sitting in front of my desk waiting for me.
You've got to be kidding me.
I look back at Julia and rub my forehead with my free hand. Calm down, Kaylee. Not the time to lose the plot. "I need to contact Jackie about something personal that happened at the weekend. Can you email her saying that I need to talk to her at some point in the next day or two?"
"Of course."
"Thanks."
I walk into my office, catching Jade's attention as soon as she hears the door opening then closing. I walk to my desk and place my bag down on the floor next to my feet. I slip my trench coat off and place it on the back of my chair before sitting down and logging in to my computer. I roll the sleeves of my black loose-fit jumper up to my elbows and finally look at Jade.
"Good morning, Jade. How can I help you?" My voice is formal and it's all I want to be today.
"I did say that I would take any event planner when I called last week," she starts. "They said your calendar was clearer than the rest and my event would fit in nicely. I can always ask-"
"It's fine," I brush off like it doesn't matter. It doesn't but I don't care right now. "I kind of knew that they would . . . assign, I would say, your event to me giving the fact that your surname is connected to Luca."
"You don't need to take this on if you don't want to."
"To be honest, I'd prefer working for you than anyone else right now." I sit back in my chair. "You'll be more understanding and forthcoming with my current situation than anyone else would be."
She smiles on a small nod. "I heard. How is your dad?"
"Still not awake," I answer truthfully. "He made it through the surgery but he's not yet woken up. They're going to try and wake him today."
"Neither Fredrick nor I heard what happened until we landed. I didn't want to contact you to make you upset more than you already were."
"It's fine. Really. Everyone has been treading lightly around me the past few days so today is the day I've been waiting for to help take my mind off things. I want to throw myself into work and not think about what's happened or what's currently happening away from here until I leave."
"That's one way of getting through your day," Jades finishes.
I reach for the notebook that's sitting to my left, flipping it open to a fresh page. I pick up the pen that's sitting in my desk tidy and get ready to write. "So, where should we start?"
I've just finished eating my lunch when Jackie, my boss, comes into my office. She doesn't sit down like I'd like her to do but I know she'll sit down when I tell her what I need to tell her. I throw the empty plastic tub my chicken salad was in into the bin, and dab my mouth with a paper napkin.
"Good afternoon, Jackie." I address.
"Julia said you wanted to speak to me at some point either today or tomorrow," she starts. "I had the free time the now so here I am."
She folds her arms over her chest and waits for me to speak. I go against leaning back in my chair and speaking like I'd normally do when Jackie comes into my office to speak to me about something. But seeing as I've asked for her to be here, I lean forward until my elbows are resting on my desk, and clasp my hands together.
I clear my throat and begin explaining what happened this weekend, my eyes never leaving the strap of my watch.
"On Saturday, my dad had a major heart attack and was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery that was life or death. He isn't out of the woods yet and has yet to wake up. My whole family have been taking it in turns to be by his side and I was going to ask if it would be okay to adjust my work calendar for the next couple of weeks to be there for him. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't required but I don't want to do my part to help my family out."
I don't dare look up at my boss considering how intimidating she can be with the way she stands with her arms folded. I can hear a chair move and I know she's now taken a seat like I knew she would after my revelation.
"I thought there was something off when Julia sent me that email this morning," Jackie says softly. I look over at her and draw my arms in so my clasped hands sit on my lap. "I'm sorry to hear that."
I don't respond to her, but go on like she never spoke. "He was fine when I saw him that morning, showing no signs of anything, unlike the last time. My family are almost turning on each other because none of us knows what to do."
"I . . ." Jackie clears her throat. "I'll get Oscar to take some of your workload and dish the rest out to the others for the next month. Hopefully, everything will have calmed down by then."
"Thank you, Jackie."
"I'll let you keep Mrs. Blackwell's event on, though. She's looking to branch out here in Britain and if this event goes well, she said she's wanting us to plan more events for various things for her."
"That's what she told me during our meeting this morning," I nod.
Jackie gets to her feet. "I'm also doing that because I know she's connected to Mr. Madden and she'll give you the leeway for the event like I'm doing for your workload in general."
"Thank you, Jackie."
"Keep me notified on your dad's progress and we'll gradually increase your workload."
She leaves my office as my mobile begins ringing from where I sat it on my desk. I groan loudly and reach for my phone. I don't look at the caller ID and just answer it.
"Hello," I screech before clearing my throat.
"Kaylee," my gran says with a sigh of relief. "He's wakening up. Your dad is wakening up."
I sit up straight at the words my gran says, my attention on her and nothing else. "He is?"
"Yeah," she breathes. "Dom and Vincent were in seeing him after Dr. Watts and Dr. Kim decided to wake him and he woke up."
I cover my mouth with my hand to hold back a sob of happiness.
My dad is awake.
The weight that was hanging on my shoulders is lifted and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's an end in sight and it won't be long before my dad is out of the hospital and at home making everyone's life a misery like the old days.
"They were no doubt telling him they'll take him into the gym when he wakes and make him work hard to keep healthy," I joke, unable to contain the genuine smile that's now on my face.
"That's what's probably done it." She falls silent then takes a deep breath. "I'm just so happy he's awake. Your mum is coming back with your sister and brother to see him in a little bit. I know he'd like to see you today, too."
"I'll come down after work. Tonight, maybe, when I get home and changed. I don't want to crowd him as everyone will want to see him now he's awake."
"I'll let him know. He's still in ICU so you know where to go. If you wish, you can bring Luca with you."
"I'll ask him but his business partner is here so I don't know if he'll be able to come or not. It may just be me and Allison."
"Whoever you want to bring with you, it doesn't matter. As long as you come to see him, he'll be over the moon to see his oldest little girl."
The phone ends there and I'm left grinning like a loony. It's the best kind of news I've heard all day and it will continue to be the best type of news I can ever hear. Just knowing that my dad is awake and okay, that's all I need to be happy after the heartache I've felt thus far.