Semua Bab Only You: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Chapter 41: Fellsdello Home for ChildrenTwenty-Six Years Ago...The miserable February rain had not let up for a single second. Michelle Hadley gripped the steering wheel of her sensible estate car, her knuckles white as she navigated the flooded streets of Fellsdello. In the back seat, securely strapped into the bulky plastic carrier, little Benjamin slept soundly, entirely oblivious to the horrific tragedy he had just been pulled from, or the fact that his twin brother was currently fighting for his life in a hospital miles away.Michelle finally pulled up outside the Fellsdello Home for Children, a sprawling, slightly imposing Victorian brick building that had seen far better days. She grabbed the baby carrier and her clipboard, making a mad dash through the torrential downpour to the front entrance.She arrived just as the chaotic morning breakfast rush was coming to an end. Pushing open the heavy, reinforced wooden door, she was instantly hit by a wall of deafening noise and a d

Chapter 43: Bardeau ManorTwenty-Six Years Ago...The sleek, heavy estate car crunched softly against the pristine white gravel of the sweeping, tree-lined driveway. The towering oak trees that lined the perimeter stood bare against the winter chill, their branches reaching up towards the breaking sky. The bitter, relentless February storm that had raged across the county all morning was miraculously beginning to break. Weak, golden rays of winter sunlight were just starting to pierce through the heavy, bruised clouds, casting a warm, hopeful glow over the sprawling estate and reflecting off the grand, multi-paned windows of the house.Hillary didn't even wait for James to turn off the engine or pull the handbrake. She threw open her passenger door, jumping out into the crisp, rain-washed air, her heart fluttering like a trapped bird against her ribs. She practically ran around to the back door, pulling it open to reach her new son.With hands that trembled slightly from the sheer adr

Chapter 45: Carer's LeaveTwenty-Six Years Ago...The neonatal intensive care unit at Galencia Bay Hospital was a purgatory of grey linoleum and stuffy, recycled air. The ward was kept uncomfortably warm for the sake of the fragile infants, and the strong, aggressively chemical scent of industrial bleach and sharp antiseptic was entirely overwhelming, clinging thickly to the back of the throat.Sitting quietly next to a humming, clear plastic incubator in the corner of the room was a young paediatric nurse. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes soft as she watched the tiny chest of the infant inside rise and fall with a steady, independent rhythm. The terrifying maze of tubes and the ventilator mask had finally been removed earlier that morning."Poor little guy," she whispered softly to Bryce, her voice barely carrying over the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitors. She gently tapped her fingernail against the Perspex shell. "At least now you are a bit better, w

Chapter 47: Dinner and DNATwenty-Six Years Ago... The warm, flickering amber glow of three thick pillar candles lit the small upstairs bathroom, casting long, dancing shadows across the tiled walls. The sweet yet sharply pungent aroma of bergamot and geranium essential oils floated heavily through the air, carried upwards by the thick plumes of steam rising from the scalding hot bubble bath.Gemma sank lower into the water, taking a long, deep, shuddering breath in. She inhaled slowly, letting the fragrant steam open her tired lungs and the heat seep directly into her aching, tightly knotted muscles. The scent was incredibly calming, a stark contrast to the sharp smell of baby formula and cold-water sterilising fluid she had been living with for the past two weeks.It was absolute heaven to finally get some physical space to relax. Her mother, Connie, had arrived an hour ago, taken over from Matt with Laila, and practically ordered Gemma upstairs. Matt had remained in the lounge, ge

Chapter 49: See You Soon, Baby BoyTwenty-Six Years Ago...The modest, red-brick townhouse in Galencia Heights was finally, blissfully quiet. After an exhausting afternoon of juggling feeds, burping, and changing nappies, Gemma had somehow managed the impossible: she had successfully put both infants down for a nap at the exact same time. She was just tip-toeing into the kitchen to pour herself a much-needed, lukewarm cup of tea when the sudden, shrill chime of the front doorbell shattered the peaceful silence.Instantly, the fragile peace was broken. A sharp, offended wail erupted from the living room, immediately followed by a louder, high-pitched cry from the travel cot.Gemma let out a long, heavy groan of sheer frustration, her shoulders slumping. She set her empty mug down on the counter with a heavy clunk and marched down the short hallway, dragging her hands down her tired face. She pulled open the front door, fully prepared to scold whoever was standing on the other side for