"Mum, it's fine." I bat her hands away from my head where she's been brushing my hair to put it up in a ponytail for the past ten minutes. "I can do this myself, you know."
"Are you sure it's high enough?" She moves to look at my face before returning to fix my hair once again. "It doesn't look tight enough. Is it tight enough?"
"Mum, it's fine. Just sit down and talk to me like you're supposed to be doing."
"It doesn't look to be centred. Where's that other bauble I had?" She moves to the wash bag sitting on the window sill and rummages through it. "I had it a couple of minutes ago. Where did I put it?"
"Mum, please sit down. My hair is fine."
"I know it's in here somewhere. I just can't find it."
"Mum."
"Where is it?"
"Mum!"
"Ah, found it!" She moves to me and I quickly grip her wrists before she has a chance to go back to my hair.
"Mum, I love you and all, but you're turning into a crazy person."
"I'm only trying to help after you," she says softly.
"I know you are and I know you mean well by doing so, but you don't have to go overboard."
She presses her lips together and nods. "I know and I'm sorry." I let her wrists go and she sits down. "It's just . . . with everything that happened to your dad . . . the mere thought of losing you after all of that . . . it scares me and I can't help but go into the caring mode that I've developed since your dad's first heart attack."
"I know but you don't need to do that with me," I assure. "I have Luca to do that for me."
"And I know he'd do anything for you that you ask him to but I'm your mother. It's been built into my bones to take care of my kids regardless of their age. I know you're all growing up and living the lives you want but you can't stop me from wanting to take care you of you when you're not well."
"And I'm not asking you to. All I'm saying is that fussing over me isn't going to help either of us. You could help me by bringing me in some decent pyjamas to wear because Luca's taste is shite when it comes to this kind of thing." I pull at the bright pink nightdress that most definitely isn't my taste whatsoever. "I love him and all but these nightdresses are doing my head in. I could be doing with a shorts and t-shirt set or loose pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt."
She smiles. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
She slips her coat and scarf on. "Is there anything else you're needing? I could bring you in those cakes you like or I could get your gran to bake your favourite."
"Either will be fine."
"I'll bring them by tomorrow when I come back with your dad." She leans down and kisses my forehead. "Bye, darling."
"Bye, mum."
She leaves the room in silence and I pick up the iPad from the bed that Luca brought in for me. I open the Netflix app and start to catch up on the shows I haven't watched for a while to pass the time until Luca makes his reappearance.
The rhythmic knocking on the room door draws my attention away from the iPad and to the head peeking into the room. Even with the cuts and fading bruises over her face, I can still make my best friend out a mile away with her hair that's tied back into a ponytail that sways from side to side as she looks at me with a smile.
"Someone call for best friend intervention?" She jokes.
"No, but I wouldn't mind the change in company." I lock the iPad and watch Allison as she limps into the room and slowly sinks down into the soft chair to my right. "I'd say you look well but you really don't."
She grimaces while trying to straighten her injured leg out and holds up her right arm to show off the cast that's around her wrist. "I have badly torn muscles in my leg, a broken right wrist, a cracked rib, and numerous cuts and bruises all over my body." She waves a hand over her face and flashes me a small smile. "Hence, my gorgeous face looking perfect."
"How do you think I feel?" I gesture to my leg and the rest of my body. "I can barely get around without either a wheelchair or Luca being adamant that he's going to carry me."
"So there will be no wedding anytime soon, then? Can't really picture you hobbling your way down the aisle."
"It's been postponed, don't worry. You have time to get your face into a better condition."
"Good." Her gaze quickly falls to my nightdress and she reaches for the bottom of it, pulling at it as best as she can. Her face screws up. "Oh God, what on earth has Luca put you in? Doesn't that man know anything about nightwear for women?"
"Clearly not," I agree, looking at the nightdress with the same look she just had on her face seconds ago.
"Just as well I'm here, then. I can give you one of my nightdresses to wear until you get something decent to wear."
"Thank you." I smile softly. I rest back further in the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm getting there," she admits with a small nod. "I got home late on last night but I forgot to get my antibiotic from the hospital when I left, so I had to go back and get it."
"So you didn't come here to see me?" I turn my head away from looking at her and hold up a hand in disgust. "I don't want to know you then. Please leave."
"I'll always come to see you above and beyond anything and anyone else." She swats at my hand and we laugh. "Luca actually came to see me yesterday before I went home. He told me where I could find you if I wanted to see you."
"That was nice of him."
"My parents thought so, too. Everyone must know how much we need each other during times like these."
"We'll always need each other. Distance doesn't matter to us."
"I know. I told Luca those exact words."
"How was your mum and dad towards him?"
"Grateful. My dad more than my mum which is something I never expected."
Seems like Luca is getting praised from all angles this week. First, it was from my brother, then my whole family. Now he's getting praised from not only Allison but her family, too. It's incredible how far we've all come in such a short period of time.
"This week has been full of surprises, hasn't it?" Allison mutters, her gaze focused on her hands.
"That it has."
"I'm including my conversations with Jane in that surprise bundle, too."
"And how did that one go?"
"You know, for all I keep badmouthing her and I will never condone what she did to break you and Luca up years ago, she's actually good at her job. I can see why she has a good write-up online and why she gets paid what she does for a session. I will hold my hands up and admit that I jumped the gun about her but she's helped me and I think talking to her will continue to help me."
I nod.
That's a big turn for the books. Never did I think I would see the day where Allison Nash would willingly want to talk to Jane about her issues. I didn't think she'd want to give her money to the 'devil' as we have both been so used to calling her in the past. But, as she says, if it helps her get through everything that's happened so be it.
"So there was no slaps or foul language made?" I query with a raised brow.
"No slaps but maybe a little foul language," she laughs.
"Typical Allison behaviour, then."
"Hey, I don't care who you are but if you can't handle me and my nature, you can do one."
"Lucky for you that I've known you for years and can handle your attitude problems."
"I resent that."
"You would seeing as it's part of your human nature."
She opens her mouth to respond but closes it on a stiff nod. "Touché." She looks around the hospital room and mentions to the opened suitcase sitting on the chair to my left. "When are you going home?"
"I'm hoping in a day or two but Luca is adamant to have me stay for a little while longer to make sure everything is fine with me and-"
I cut myself off before I mention the baby. It's only because I haven't told Allison about it yet but there's no hiding it from her now that everyone else seems to know. In a different place and time, she'd have been the first person after Luca that I would have told. Unfortunately, any plans I have in my head for how I see things going just get thrown out the window.
"And what?" She presses.
"Please keep in mind that I wanted to tell you differently from how I am going to tell you," I defend quickly.
"Which is?"
I take a deep breath and hold her gaze. "I'm pregnant."
She doesn't blink, doesn't crack a smile. Does nothing but stare at me long and hard for a long time. Time seems to pass so slowly until she leans forward and slaps her right hand onto the bed and grips the arm of her chair with the other hand.
"No," she breathes, her face changing to being shocked. She pulls back and narrows her eyes at me. "No, you're not. Shut up."
"I am."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Seriously? With that-"
"Yes, Allison!"
Her shocked expression morphs into a happy one and she gingerly gets up to give me a hug. "Oh, I'm just teasing, Kaylee. Congratulations."
"Thank you."
She carefully lowers herself back into her chair. "How did your family take it?"
"Declan actually clocked on before anyone else did. Then Chloe, my dad and everyone else after that."
"How did Declan react?"
"Happy. Excited. Emotional. Every joyous emotion under the sun to be honest."
She frowns. "Are you sure you're talking about your brother Declan?"
"Pretty sure, yeah."
"I'm sorry but that doesn't sound like him at all."
"I know it doesn't and that's what surprised not only me but Luca. He willingly hugged him and it was like we were back nine years ago where the two of them acted like they were family."
"Are you sure he didn't threaten him but made it look like he was being nice so he could threaten him?"
"If he did, my mum would have scolded him for it right away."
"Which she didn't do."
"Correct."
"Damn." She slumps back and shakes her head. "That is a turn for the books. It wasn't that long ago that he was wanting to kill him and now he's acting like he used to."
I sigh heavily and look at Luca as he enters the room with lunch for the two of us. "Times are changing, Allison."
"And for the better by the looks of things," she agrees, nodding to Luca who us busy setting up lunch. She gets up again and hugs me. "Text me when you get home and we'll meet up. I need to go. My dad's waiting for me."
"He could have come in with you."
She pulls back and holds my hand in hers. "He said it was 'sister-only' time for a bit of gossip."
"If that's the case, I give you permission to share the news with him and mum."
She squeezes my hand and winks at me. "Means I call godmother first."
"I won't let Chloe know if you don't," I laugh and let go of her hand as she walks to the door.
"It's our secret." She opens the door and looks over her shoulder at Luca. "Later dickhead."
"Hello and goodbye to you, too, Allison." Luca responds.
The door closes and Luca carries a plate of food over to me. "Dare I even ask what the two of you spoke about?"
I shake my head and accept the plate he offers me. "You wouldn't want to know."
"Good enough for me." He places a kiss on the top of my head and sits at the bottom of the bed with his food. His smiles at me before beginning to eat.