Page 20

Jack

I groaned as I slumped into my own bed, the cold sheets refreshing after sleeping in a hospital chair for five nights. At my age, my poor body couldn’t do that again, no matter how fit I was.

I helped wash Willow’s hair, which wasn’t as awkward as it sounded considering she was naked. The bubbles acted like a robe until I was finished with her hair, then she insisted she could soap herself elsewhere.

Understandably, Willow wasn’t really in the mood to make decisions on food. So, when I suggested takeaway pizzas, her eyes lit up, though limited herself to a small cheese and tomato. Eventually I managed to coax her into picking her ideal pizza – anchovies and Parma ham.

“The two toppings nobody wants, so it’s usually just for me,” she’d said with a flicker of sadness in her eyes despite the joke. Had he shamed her for her food choices?

We ate in silence whilst watching reruns of Frasier – a TV option I knew she’d be satisfied with, since we’d once bonded over nineties sitcoms during a late night meeting.

She was quick to clean up after herself, despite my insistence that she didn’t need to, and left for bed early.

After settling the dogs down for the night and making sure the house was secure, I stripped down to my boxers, deciding that with an extra house guest should come extra layers.

I peeled on a T-shirt and some comfy shorts, though I already knew I was going to be too hot.

I was finally, finally able to snuggle down in my own bed with the extra comfy pillows and drift off to sleep.

Frannie.

My eyes snapped open to a familiar noise to find the room shrouded in darkness, remaining quiet to be sure I was right in what I’d heard.

Silence.

Until it wasn’t.

Frantic screams came from the room directly above me and I crashed right back to reality.

It wasn’t Frannie waking from a nightmare as she had in her childhood. It was Willow .

I shot out of bed, thankful that I’d decided to wear something other than underwear and took the stairs two at a time.

I pushed open the door to find Willow thrashing in the bed, her arms and legs taut, her face scrunched and laced with anguish, tears streaming down her cheeks. She continued to shout and yell as she fought the visions in her mind.

Having a daughter who had been prone to nightmares throughout her childhood, I knew not to wake anyone suddenly. Frannie remained shaken for far longer if I shook her awake rather than gently rousing her.

Bending down by the bed, I took the hand closest to me, the uninjured one, and gently stroked the skin on the back.

“Willow, you’re safe. I promise you. You’re safe, sweetheart,” I continued to mutter calmly, hoping my words would get through.

Eventually, her movements and cries calmed until she stilled. Her eyes snapped open, and she frantically looked around before landing on me.

“Willow, it’s Jack. Remember? You’re in my house, you’re safe.”

She clamped her eyes shut, curled up and sobbed. Instinctively, I moved until I was beside her and carefully pulled her into my arms, running a hand down her back as she cried into my chest. She was broken and I had no idea how to help.

Gradually, her panicked sobs calmed, she shuffled away from my embrace, sat up against the pillows and pulled the head of Angus into her arms.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, avoiding eye contact. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I ignored her apology.

“How long have you been having nightmares?”

She scoffed. “How long’s a piece of string?” Her tone was laced with sarcasm, but when she eventually brought her attention away from Angus’ ear, she rolled her eyes, she relented. “For as long as I can remember.”

“Willow,” the pity in my voice clear as she winced. “That’s a long time for you to struggle with sleep.”

“I guess,” she mumbled before turning her body carefully towards mine, wincing at the twist around her ribs.

“I’ve suffered with them since my mum died.

Something to do with not having someone with me at night – I used to sleep in her bed.

They eased as I got older. It was even fine for the first eighteen months with Cain and then…

things just changed. Gradually. And the nightmares started again. ”

I watched her talk, glancing at the spacious bedroom, until she had no more words left.

“What would help your nightmares?”

“Oh, Jack. No, it’s okay, it’s just one of those things.”

That made me smile. I paused to consider my next statement. "If I take the selfish route and tell you there’s no way I’ll sleep if you have night terrors every single night, will you let me help?”

Her brown eyes twinkled in the dark.

“ Fine ,” she huffed. “This room… it’s big. It’s beautiful , but so big. Bigger than I’ve ever been in. And I’m alone up here.” She gave a quick awkward side glance to me.

I pushed up from the bed and held out my hand. She stared at it, confused.

“What— ”

“Come with me.”

She gave me her hand – the left, which I was careful with. Hands joined, I walked us out of her bedroom and down the stairs, stopping us at a door to a smaller bedroom. I took her by the shoulders and walked us further in.

“Does Fran own Architectural Digest ?” she asked in amazement, and I laughed.

“Stay in here, my room is just next door. The bathroom is shared and there’s a door each so if you need anything, you can shout, and I’ll be right here. Okay?”

“I… guess so? Thank you, Jack.”

I smiled before shutting the main door and heading to mine through the bathroom doors, making sure I left them open.

Just as I reached my own room, I heard my name and turned. Willow stood on the far side of the bed, fiddling with the corner of the bedding, staring at me with her doe-eyes.

“Willow?”

“Never mind.” She shook her head and pulled the duvet back. But I raised a needy daughter, ‘never mind’ didn’t actually mean not minding.

“ Willow ,” I said, sterner. Her nervous gaze returned to mine and she stuttered trying to speak. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

Her eyes widened. Bingo .

“Yes,” she breathed. “If you don’t mind?”

I worked to hide my smile, she was adorable when nervous, but when I didn’t move, she shook her head and muttered more ‘never minds’.

“Of course.”

I spoke against my better judgement. Sleeping in the same bed as my much younger assistant who had just stepped out of an abusive relationship wasn’t at all what Mike had warned against.

I stepped to the near side of the bed and peeled back the duvet, lying on my back and keeping the bedding at my waist to avoid overheating.

“Fine. Good. Thank you,” she rambled before curling up, facing away. “We’ll probably both sleep better for it.”

I breathed out a small laugh and let my eyes close.

“Jack?” a small whisper came from beside me before sleep took hold. Note to self – Willow was a chatty bed buddy.

“Willow?” I mumbled back, a small smile growing on my lips.

“Thank you.”