Part 38 (1/2)
”Rahul is at the hospital now, Padma didn't take the flight.” Arami cried happy tears. ”He's in stable condition, now. He'll recover from his infection. He'll live.”
”Thank G.o.d.” Jill felt a grat.i.tude and joy spreading through her very bloodstream, a sensation she couldn't medically explain.
”Yes, yes, Padma is with him, she just called me. My sister, her mother, is fine, too, in Mumbai.”
”What happened? Did Rahul's grandfather reach Padma?”
”No, no, no one could reach her, she had turned her phone off, for the plane.” Arami started to calm down, her words slowing and her tears subsiding. ”Padma boarded the plane with Rahul and the boys. They were going to take off!”
”Who stopped them?”
”Someone went to the airport, they drove there. They got pulled over for a speeding ticket, then they got a police escort. They got Padma and the baby off the plane, right before it left for Mumbai.”
”Who did that?”
”Your office manager, Sheryl.”
”Sheryl?” Jill asked, astounded.
”She's wonderful woman, that Sheryl. A wonderful woman.”
”She is?” Jill caught herself. ”I mean, yes, she is.”
”I must go, talk to you later. Thanks again, so much.”
”Thanks for calling, and please tell Padma to call me, if she wants.” Jill hung up just as there came a knock, on the door.
Chapter Sixty-eight.
”Honey, are you all right?” Sam gathered Jill in his arms, and she hugged him back, her eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g, her heart full of love.
”Yes, I'm fine.”
”Don't cry. I'm here now, it's okay now.” Sam held her close, and Steven stood behind him, looking like a mini-Sam, complete with thick hair, sharp blue eyes, tortoisesh.e.l.l gla.s.ses, and tan Dockers.
”Thanks for coming home.” Jill wiped her tears and got in control, and Sam released her, his pained gaze appraising her injuries.
”What did they do to my girl? My G.o.d, it looks like it hurts, so much.”
”No, it's not too bad.”
”I've got nothing left to kiss.”
”My lips are fine,” Jill blubbered, but the words weren't out before Sam gave her a soft, sweet kiss.
”I love you,” he said softly.
”I love you, too.” Jill realized suddenly that she hadn't introduced Victoria and Steven. ”Victoria, this is Steven Becker. Steven, Victoria Skyler.” She hesitated. ”Stepson, meet ex-stepdaughter. Oh, whatever. Kids, meet each other.”
Victoria smiled. ”I'm not an ex-stepdaughter, I'm a stepdaughter.”
Steven snorted. ”And we're hardly kids.”
Sam laughed. ”You're both kids, to us. Forever.” He turned to Jill, leaned over, and kissed her again. ”Let's go home.”
”Yes.” Jill thought they were the sweetest words ever. ”Let's.”
”Victoria?” Sam straightened up, turning to her. ”You're coming home with us, I hope. We can all have dinner and try to decompress. I'm sure Megan would love to see you again.”
Jill felt tears br.i.m.m.i.n.g again. She appreciated that Sam made the offer, but she was old enough to know they were still at an impa.s.se. Sam would feel the same way, and it remained to be seen if they could agree on how to make a new family. If they couldn't, there wasn't going to be a wedding. Jill had come to understand that love didn't answer the question of whether they should marry, but merely asked it. Love wasn't the end, but the beginning.
Victoria was beaming at Sam. ”Thanks, but what do I do about school? I have cla.s.s tomorrow.”
”I think we can get you a doctor's note,” Sam answered, with a crooked smile, then looked down at Jill.
”Done,” she said, smiling back. She felt an overwhelming yearning to see Megan again and get everybody safe under one roof, her roof.
On second thought, her greatest wish would be that someday, it would be their roof.
Chapter Sixty-nine.
Jill was cleaning up after take-out pizza, in the kitchen with Sam, Steven, and Victoria, all of them waiting for Katie to bring Megan home. It was raining hard outside, another spring storm, making Beef shudder on his bed. Victoria had showered and changed into an old T-s.h.i.+rt and sweatpants that belonged to Megan, and Jill had on a pink cotton sweater, jeans, and clogs. Except for the bruises, bandages, and pain meds, she felt like Mom again.
”Mom?” Megan called from the entrance hall, then entered the kitchen in her yellow sweats, gasping when she saw Jill's face. ”Mom! What happened to you? Your eye and forehead? Mom, oh my G.o.d!”
”Come here, I'm fine.” Jill smiled, opening her arms for Megan, who came running to her like when she was a little girl.
”Are you okay?” Megan hugged her tight. ”What happened? Katie said it wasn't that bad, but it is. You look like you got really hurt.”
”I'm fine, and so is Victoria. We had a long day, but now it's over.”
”Nice face, Jill,” Katie said with a smile, coming into the room. She met Jill's eye, and in one look, told her that she loved her.
”Back at you.” Jill smiled. She had already told Katie everything on the phone. Not even the FBI could come between best friends.
”h.e.l.lo and good-bye, all.” Katie waved to everyone. ”I gotta go. Much love!”
”Bye and thanks, honey.” Jill kissed the top of Megan's head as Katie left. ”Want some pizza? I can microwave it.”
”No, I ate.” Megan looked up, shaken. ”Nothing can ever happen to you, Mom.”
”It won't.” Jill knew what she meant. ”I love you.”
”I love you, too. So what happened? This is so weird! It's like everything's gone crazy all of a sudden.”