Page 78 of The Condemned (Echoes from the Past #6)

“By the time I graduated, Mum had died, and there was nothing to keep me from leaving. I moved in with my boyfriend Jesse. He was a photographer. He taught me everything he knew, and I found myself falling in love with photography. It became a passion.”

“And Jesse?”

“Jesse asked me to marry him,” Jo said softly.

“Perhaps I should have. He really loved me and would have probably made me happy, but I wasn’t ready to make a lifelong commitment.

I was too young. So, I took off and went to Paris.

I had a grand time there, and for the first time in my life I felt truly comfortable in my own skin.

I was no longer Quentin Crawford, unwanted brat.

I was a new person, one I could be proud of.

When I returned to England, I legally changed my name, since I wanted nothing more to do with the Crawford family.

My father set up a trust fund for me through his solicitor, but I’ve never touched it.

I wanted to make my own way in the world, and I have. ”

“I’m sorry, Jo. It must have been awful for you. Did you ever see Michael again? Has he even tried to make amends?”

“He tried to reach out to me while I still lived at home, but I refused to speak to him. What could he say that would make me hate him less? He was upset? He was drunk? He didn’t know what he was doing?

He knew. He heard me begging him to stop, telling him I was still a virgin.

He saw me crying. He wiped the blood off his cock after he was done with me.

He committed a crime for which he should have been prosecuted, but he had parents who loved him enough to sacrifice me for the good of his future.

They made a choice that night, all of them. ”

Quinn moved closer and wrapped Jo in a fierce hug.

All her life she’d felt incomplete because she was adopted.

There’d been a hole in her sense of self, a giant question mark.

It was only now that she understood how lucky she’d been, how blessed.

Her parents loved her fiercely and would have protected her no matter what.

Her father would have torn any man who tried to hurt her limb from limb, even if that man was his own son.

She had been cared for and adored, while her sister had spent her childhood in a gilded cage, surrounded by luxury, but never truly loved.

Quinn was suddenly glad she’d never met Michael Crawford.

She never wanted to see his face or hear his name mentioned again.

“Jo, is there no one waiting for you back home? Friends, a boyfriend? Surely, someone must be missing you.”

Jo shook her head. “I’ve spent the past decade traveling, focusing on my work. I’ve had encounters, but not relationships,” Jo confessed. “It wasn’t until I got your letter that I realized how lonely I was.”

“So, what now?” Quinn asked. At present, they were isolated in their little cocoon, but soon enough real life would intrude on their idyll.

They would return to London and resume their lives.

What would their future be? Would Jo cling to her once she was back on her feet, or would she hide behind her career and keep Quinn at arm’s length?

Jo seemed to misunderstand the question. “I will take on a new assignment once I’m well enough to travel,” she replied. “Maybe a local one to start with, but those rarely interest me as much as the foreign ones. I’ll probably return to the Middle East, or Africa.”

“Jo, what were you doing in those mountains? Didn’t you realize how dangerous that was?” Quinn exclaimed, stunned by Jo’s cavalier attitude.

“I did, but I thought I’d be all right with Ali. He knew those mountains like the back of his hand.”

“Were you looking for a Taliban hideout? ”

“I was looking for the opium farms. I wanted the world to see where the heroin comes from. Those drug lords supply death, and they are a lot more dangerous than the Taliban. With them, it’s not about religion or politics; it’s all about profit, and they don’t care who ingests their product, be it an adult or a child. Their only religion is profit.”

“You could have died,” Quinn admonished her.

“I’m glad I didn’t, and I’m relieved to know Ali survived the explosion. I will make sure his family is looked after,” Jo promised.

Quinn was about to ask something else when she heard a familiar voice from somewhere down the corridor. She grinned. “I think you have a visitor, sis.”

A moment later, Seth stepped into the room, a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand. He was smiling, but his posture was tense, and his dark eyes were wide with anxiety. “May I come in?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” Jo whispered. She was drinking him in, her eyes aglow with wonder as she took in the golden tan, the short dark hair, and the gleaming smile.

Seth set the bouquet on a chair and came closer. “Would it be all right to give you a hug?” he asked.

Jo nodded. Her eyes shimmered with tears and she opened her arms and welcomed Seth into them as she buried her face in his chest. “Dad,” she whispered.

Seth held her tight and kissed the top of her head. “Jo, my baby, this is such a happy day,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible to be happier than when I met your sister, but this is?—”

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

Jo finally let go of Seth and he turned his attention to Quinn. “And how is my other little girl?” He caught Quinn in a bear hug. “I’m so happy to see you. Both of you. I feel like the luckiest man in the world.”

Quinn’s phone vibrated in her pocket as Seth let her go. “Here, take my chair. I’ll give you two a few minutes to get acquainted. I think Gabe is trying to reach me.”

Quinn went out into the corridor and found a quiet place to sit.

She felt emotionally drained and physically unwell.

Her head ached, and there was that persistent cramping in her lower belly.

She felt queasy and tired, despite the early hour.

Quinn pulled out her mobile and checked her missed calls.

The call had been from Logan. She stared at the screen, reluctant to ring him back.

Logan wouldn’t be calling her just to check in.

He was calling with news. Quinn braced herself and pressed the call back icon. Logan answered right away.

“How are you, Quinn?”

“I’m all right. I’m with Jo, and Seth just arrived. How are things on your end?”

“Not bad. Not bad at all,” Logan replied happily.

Quinn exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Tell me.”

“Jude woke up during the night. He feels weak and a little confused, but the prognosis is good. He’s been diagnosed with diffuse cerebral hypoxia.”

“In English, please,” Quinn said. The name sounded ominous, but Logan didn’t seem upset, so it couldn’t be too bad.

“Basically, it’s a minor impairment of the brain due to the lack of oxygen Jude suffered. It could have been so much worse, Quinn.”

“What will this mean for Jude long term?”

“Hopefully, nothing. Worst case scenario, he’ll need some rehabilitation therapy. He’s fully aware of everything that’s going on, and his motor skills appear to be intact. It will take him several weeks to get back to some sort of normalcy, but the worst is behind him.”

“Thank God,” Quinn breathed. “Sylvia must be relieved.”

“She is. I sent her home to get some rest.”

“Are you alone?”

“Colin is with me. He sends his regards. Wants to know if you got his email.”

“I did. Thank you,” Quinn replied, smiling. Colin could never put work aside, much like herself. “Tell him I’ll ring him later today. I’ve been a little preoccupied.”

“Colin says there’s no rush,” Logan replied. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“Logan, give Jude my love, and tell him I’ll see him very soon.”

“When are you coming back?” Logan asked.

“In a couple of days, I think. Jo is not ready to be released, but Seth is here now, and I need to get back. I miss my family.”

“And they miss you. Gabe is feeling so forlorn, he even called me,” Logan joked. “Have you told Jo about Jude and me?”

“Of course, I have. She can’t wait to meet you.”

“What about Mum? Will she meet her?” Logan asked carefully.

“That’s up to Jo.”

“I understand. One day at a time, eh?”

“With this family, that’s the only way to go,” Quinn replied, chuckling. “I’ll see you soon. ”

She finished the call and stowed her phone away. She was about to return to Jo’s room when she saw Dr. Stein walking down the corridor. She didn’t seem harried, for once.

“Dr. Allenby, good morning,” Dr. Stein called.

“Good morning. Dr. Stein, I was wondering when Jo might be released.”

Dr. Stein looked thoughtful for a moment.

“If we were in London, I’d release her in a few days, but given that she must travel home, I don’t feel she is ready.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable with her getting on a plane so soon after brain surgery.

The changes in cabin air pressure could result in a brain bleed, to put it simply. ”

“What if we were to drive?”

“What, to London?”

“Our dad’s arrived. He and I can take turns at the wheel. I know Jo wants to go home, and truthfully, I can’t stay much longer. I have a baby I need to get back to.”

Dr. Stein nodded. “As long as Jo gets plenty of rest on the drive, I don’t see a problem. I wouldn’t recommend driving straight through though. That would be too much for her to handle.”

“Let me discuss it with my father, and I’ll get back to you.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Dr. Stein replied. “I was actually on my way to see Jo.”

“Eh, Dr. Stein. May I ask you for a favor?” Quinn said. She felt embarrassed to ask, but simply couldn’t put this off any longer.

“Of course. How can I help?”

“I think I might be pregnant,” Quinn blurted out. “And I need to know for sure. ”

A knowing smile tugged at Dr. Stein’s lips.

“Don’t worry, I know the feeling. When you realize you might be pregnant, you can’t wait another minute to find out.

I’ll ask one of the nurses to get you a pregnancy test. I can refer you to an obstetrician here at the hospital, if you wish, or you can wait until you get home and can see your own doctor. ”

“Thank you. I’ll take you up on that.”

Less than five minutes later, Quinn found herself tensely watching the plastic stick.

She went to the public restroom instead of using the one in Jo’s room.

For this, she needed privacy, and a few moments to recover, whatever the result.

Quinn leaned against the wall of the stall and willed the test to work faster.

She couldn’t take the uncertainty any longer.

She held her breath as the symbol in the little screen began to materialize.

It was too soon to tell what it was, but in about a minute she’d know if her life was about to change once again.

A pink minus filled the tiny window, and Quinn breathed a sigh of intense relief.

Not pregnant. Perhaps her symptoms were caused by all the stress she’d been experiencing the past few weeks and weaning Alex off breastmilk.

Silent tears slid down her cheeks. She hadn’t realized just how frightened she’d been it would be positive.

She wanted to have another baby, sooner rather than later, but not in seven months’ time.

Alex and Emma needed her full attention, and she and Gabe were still figuring out how to maintain the delicate balance between being parents and partners.

Neither of them was ready for another high-risk pregnancy or a difficult post-natal period.

Quinn threw the test away, washed her hands and face, and let herself out of the bathroom. Now that she could think more clearly, she had a road trip to plan.