Dear Darling by Elle McKenzie Read Free Book Online Page B

I think this time would be any different?
    “But I don’t want to leave you. I’m staying until you get out of here at least.” He knew there was no arguing with me, so he dropped it. “I love you, Eli.” Afraid of hurting him, I bent to kiss him gently on his good cheek.
    “I love you too, Saff.”
    It was a waiting game now, and I was the worst at waiting for anything. It was hell, a real life living hell.
    Aaron and Jodie were great. They looked after Eli and me even though they had a new baby to take care of. I repaid them both for their hospitality by babysitting George when Jodie needed a rest or if they wanted to spend some time alone. It was the least I could do, and I found that I loved babysitting. George was adorable.
    The Friday before I was due to go back to London, Eli was moved from the high dependency unit into a regular room, and that night he started to regain some sensation in his legs. We were all relieved. Especially Eli. Even with all of his assurances that the feeling would come back, I could see the cracks in his resolve starting to form.
    “The swelling has started to subside. We will still need to do another MRI to make sure everything looks okay. However, the fact that there has been some sensation is a positive sign,” the doctor said as we all gathered around the hospital bed.
    Over the next few weeks, I split myself between London and Kent. I was totally exhausted, between working, studying, travelling, and looking after Eli, my life was put on hold. All my free time was used up, and I could feel the stress catching up to me. I was snappy and angry all the time, I wasn’t eating right, and more than once my mum called to check up on me. I didn’t complain, though. Eli was the one who was hurt and he needed me to be strong.
    “Are you okay, babe?” Eli had said one night during one of our many phone conversations. I wasn’t going to tell him that between the travelling and phone credit, I was running up a large credit card debt that I couldn’t afford to pay off. I had been cutting short my working hours to go to Kent so I wasn’t earning anywhere near the amount I had been previously.
    “I’m just tired. Don’t worry about me, how’re you?” I didn’t want him worrying. I wanted him back in London as soon as possible.
    “I always worry about you. I miss you,” he said, in a raspy voice that sent tingles through my body. The ache inside me drove me crazy, but I was stretched so thin already there was no way for me to see him more and not lose my job or fail my classes.
    “How’s the family?” Aaron and Jodie had been great, converting their dining room into a bedroom for Eli so he didn’t have to climb the stairs. It still shocked me that his parents and sister hadn’t been to visit him, though. Even if they were estranged, something like this wasn’t the run-of-the-mill accident. Eli was hurt and they didn’t even bother to show up. On my third night there, I tried to question Jodie about it, but she told me that it wasn’t her place to say. She said that when Eli was ready to tell me about it, he would.
    “They’re great, George misses his Auntie Saffy.” I laughed. I loved that little boy so much.
    “I miss him too.” My phone beeped, telling me that my credit was running low again. A trip to the shop to buy even more was needed. I sighed. “I’m sorry, darling, I have to go. My credit is low.”
    “It’s okay. You go. I’ll see you at the weekend?” he questioned.
    “I’ll be there, love you.” I hung up and threw myself on the bed, pulling the pillow over my head.
    “Hey,” Mel said from her spot on her bed. Reluctantly, I pulled the pillow away from my face and turned to look at her. “I forgot to tell you. Some bloke has been looking for you. I can’t remember his name, but he stopped me outside the hall when you were away.”
    “Do you know what he looked like?”
    “Um, he had on a hideous pair of tracky bottoms. That’s all I can