How to Catch Butterflies (19 page)

It could have cost four million for all she cared, it was given with love, and at that time she had really wanted to marry him. She had taken it off when she had her shower like she did a thousand times over, but this day was different. She had not put it back on since.

That was the day she first slept with Jason. It had not been on her finger since that day. She had put it in her purse for safe keeping. She held the ring out to the man, “I would like to sell this please.” He took the ring from her.

He put his jewelers monocle that was hung around his neck dangling from a gold chain, to his eye and moved the ring around underneath it, before pulling out the eye glass and letting it fall to his chest. “I’ll give you two hundred pound,” he said.

Rebecca extended her hand replying “DONE!” She shook hands to confirm the deal.

The jeweler made his way to the cash register and pressed a few buttons before they heard the ping of the cash draw being opened. He counted out two hundred pounds in a mixture of notes, she held out her hand and he proceeded to count out the money into her hand.

Rebecca thanked him, putting the money in the back of her purse, and walked out he jewelers beaming like a Cheshire cat, telling Lucy, “I have two hundred pounds for the Ibiza kitty. Ibiza is SO ON.”

Rebecca found it a very long month without Jason, despite all the going out accompanied by the extremely hectic social calendar she had with Lucy. The month Jason and she had spent together, had been the happiest she had known. How sad, that she had wasted so many years, with David. And now she had pushed Jason away.

“Well if he doesn’t want me then I don’t want him,” she declared as she blocked Jason’s number on her phone and she dropped it into her bag.

Chapter 13

‘Time to say Goodbye’

Jason walked out Rebecca’s. He was hurt and it showed. The scene replayed over and over in his head. He couldn’t believe what she had said to him. He was unworried about the results of the pregnancy test. He would have been happy if she had been. He knew how he felt about her; he had known her as long as she had started dating David.

Jason stood by his car, deep in thought, contemplating whether he should just get in his car and drive to let her cool off or what to do. He knew how upset she was by what she had said to him. The scene replayed again in his head, she had made her point and then some.

He leaned against the car wondering, if he should just go back and take her in his arms. His phone rang startling him as it was inside his breast pocket shaking him back to reality it was the same business call from earlier on.

Lifting the phone to his ear he spoke, while looking at Rebecca’s place his face saddened. He reluctantly got into the car, connecting his hands free continuing his call. He drove off in the direction of home to gather another suitcase to troubleshoot a situation. He would be gone for a week.

He had no choice but to let Rebecca cool down in her own time hopefully within the week he thought. He knew her temper all too well; she should have been a red head, not a dirty blond. Time was what she needed, especially after everything she had been through.

Once finished at home, Jason locked up his house. Walking towards the car he clicked the button for the boot to open as it gracefully ascend up, he popped the case in pushing the boot down got into his car.

He looked at his phone wondering should he call her. That was put to rest as another call came in. It was Morgan Lee. Jason’s ever loyal P.A. informing him of his flight details. She was sending them now and to call her once he checked in.

**

A week later on the flight back his thoughts were only for Rebecca. Jason was delighted they touched down a little earlier than expected. Seeing as he had boarded with his cabin sized case as he intended to avoid the luggage retrieval, something he learned when he first started traveling. It meant he could hopefully beat the rush hour traffic from the airport to Rebecca’s work.

Unfortunately there had been an accident on the motorway.

Jason didn’t pull the car up outside Rebecca’s till close to 7pm. He jumped out of the car and walked to the gate he had jumped over not so long ago. He opened the gate and walked the familiar path to Rebecca’s front door.

He felt the familiar vibration of his phone against his chest. Jason’s hand swooped inside his jacket and swiftly placed it against his ear in one move. Jason’s other hand reaching for the button of Rebecca’s doorbell. The doorbell rang and in unison he turned, heading out the gate moving rapidly into his car.

Jason was visibly shocked; he finished the call pulling off, narrowly missing an approaching car which had squealed to a halt.

He took a deep breath and placed a call. “Morgan I need you to arrange a flight ASAP to the Canaries” he tried to control his voice as he spoke.

“What’s happened Jason?’ she asked concern in her voice.

“Jesus Morgan, just book the fucking ticket and arrange car hire for when I get there will you,” he snapped.

Alarmed as Jason never lost his cool, she knew there was something seriously wrong. Morgan knew that’s where Jason’s parents lived.

“Sure Jason, no problem. You head to the Airport; I’ll send you the details on route. If you need me

I’m here.”

He placed the phone back into his pocket next to his passport. He drove to the airport and parked up. Grabbing his case and made for the entrance looking for the appropriate checking in desk.

His phone vibrated again as his hand dived into his breast pocket with urgency, it was Morgan Lee.

“Jason, I have you booked on the next flight out, which is at 22.15. I’ve arranged the car hire so once you’ve landed go to the Car hire desk. I’ve sent you your booking references, if you need me just call okay. I’m here if you need me,” trying to reassuring him.

“Thanks Morgan, don’t know what I’d do without you. And Morgan, I’m sorry for swearing at you.”

“No problems Jason, if I can do anything just ask. I’ll hold all your calls so don’t worry about a thing.”

He smiled with relief. He knew she could cover him while he was away. He placed the phone back into his pocket.

His flight was called to board 20 minutes later from the original departure time. Everyone took their seats and waited for the safety announcement/demo. A pretty young glamorous stewardess stood in front of him giving him the eye continuingly as she demonstrated the procedure moving in unison with her collogues conducting the same performance throughout the cabin.

He closed his eyes, he had heard this a million times and could probably do the demo himself. The flight was only three and a half hours and he knew he needed to sleep. He knew he had a long night ahead of him.

The plane taxied towards the runway, he heard the engines build, the noise increasing, the plane accelerated down the runway and took off.

When Jason stepped onto the tarmac, he could feel the blast of heat and it was only the night. He was surprised at how quick customs had got through the huge cue of people, and he made his way to the Car Hire to pick up his vehicle. He knew he was agitated; all he wanted to do was to get to the hospital.

Once he sat in the car, he took a deep breath and started to drive. He arrived at the hospital 45 minutes later rushing to the intensive care unit. Jason was met by his hysterical mum. She ran into Jason’s arms sobbing.

“Mum, what’s happening? How is he?”

“Oh Jason, they think it was a heart attack,” she spoke through the sobbing. “I was out with Magda shopping we came home and found him unconscious on the floor,” she sobbed uncontrollably.

They all stood outside his father’s glazed unit in the Cauterization Lab. His mum was tightly holding his hand. He could feel her damp tissue she held clutched in her hand. She had obviously been crying into it. His heart broke for her.

“Oh Jas, he has to be okay. What will I do without him?” She clung to him in despair.

He tried to comfort her, as she buried her head in her big strong boy’s chest. It brought tears to his eyes. There was his big strong dad, lying there, looking so helpless and tubes coming out of him. It was pitiful.

“Where are the doctors?” he asked hoping Magda their housekeeper could tell him more information.

“Señor Hallow, we find him on the floor, poor Señora Hallow
,
” and she too then started crying into her hand of tissues.

Thankfully a doctor approached them, “Señor Hallow?”

Jason nodded his head, patiently listening to every word he said. His mother taking her face out of her son’s chest, both were looking at the doctor for answers. They looked in through the wall of glass, shocked by all of the machines and tubes attached to his body. Beeping and hissing noises coming from his father’s room.

“We are awaiting the results from the chest x-ray and the cat scan. It’s to rule out a stroke. We are also awaiting the lab tests results.” His tone softer as he continued, “Being in the Cath Lab
does
indicate that he is very sick. I can't really tell how bad he is until we have all the results of the tests. As your father is unresponsive, we have placed him on a ventilator.” He looked directly at them.

“Now we
have
sedated him, as he was found unconscious, it could be a worst case scenario here but there a possibility there may be some brain damage. It could be due to a stroke.”

Jason’s mother howled,
“Stroke?”

“However, just give him some time to see how he evolves and don't lose your hope.” He smiled trying to reassure them. “I’ve seen people leave the hospital from a lot worst case situations. Never give up hope.” And with that, he was gone just as quick as he had arrived.

Jason comforted his mum, who had now collapsed to a heap, hysterical. He asked Magda if she would take her home. He didn’t want her upset anymore.

Jason entered his father’s glazed room and sat in the chair positioned beside the bed. He looked at his Dad and placed his hand on his, squeezing it gently. It was alarming to see him like this he had always been so strong. Jason was shocked by all of the machines and tubes attached to his body, it all just looked so hopeless. He was on a breathing ventilator; there were tubes everywhere, constant beeping and hissing. It felt and sounded so unnatural.

He pulled his chair closer to the bed and hung his head down, his forehead softly touching his father’s arm and there it stayed all night along with his hand. He could feel the tears leave his eyes, he felt so helpless. He eventually fell asleep, awaking when the nurses came into to check his Dad.

The night dragged on, Jason found the chair rather uncomfortable. He found all the machines a bit imposing and as the morning’s shift nurses had come in he took the opportunity to get some air.