The Stone Page 25

  ‘My God what’s happening to me?’ She was still shaking. He couldn’t move, as she had her arms firmly around him.

  Slowly he released her grip and held her at arm’s length. It was a sacred moment for him.

  ‘My father, Clive, I can’t explain it, but something is telling me that he needs me. He’s in some sort of trouble. I don’t know where he is. Help me, please, if you can.’

  Clive looked into those eyes again, still holding her. What she had been through was breaking him up inside.

  ‘How would I feel if it was happening to me?’ He thought. ‘Look Ellie, I know you want me to find your dad for you, but you also know that if I do this, I could lose my job.’

  ‘S..Sorry Clive, I know I shouldn’t do this, but I feel my dad needs me. Don’t ask me how, but I just know.’ At that moment in her vulnerability he realised that he loved her. His heart was full of love for her, and damn the consequences!

  ‘Do you want to go and see him right now, Ellie?’ She ran to him, flung her arms around him, he responded and kissed her deeply, he just couldn’t stop himself any longer. He felt the whole of her body pushing against his. He had to stop. Now! She wrenched herself free and collected their coats. ‘Let’s go.’ Ellie said excitedly.

  In two minutes they were standing in the car park. He pointed to the car he came in, a Jaguar XF.

  ‘I don’t think that it will take us where you dad is Ellie.’ As they were looking at Ellie’s little Polo, suddenly a huge Range Rover pulled into the car park and stopped alongside.

  ‘You OK pal? You look like you’ve lost summn.’

  ‘Are you residents here?’ Ellie asked with a smile.

  ‘Well, not exactly, we’re here visiting my Mom in W2.’

  ‘You mean Mrs Cohen? You must be her son, she mentioned you when I spoke to her recently. My name is Ellie Monks.’

  ‘I’m Mrs Monks’ lawyer, and the reason we look a bit odd Mr Cohen, is that we have to get deep into the New Forest and neither of our cars can take that sort of terrain.’ Clive pointed to the Jag.

  Ben spoke to Vera for a few seconds. ‘Look buddy, we’ve only been to do a little shopping for mom, my wife here will take them up for her.’ Vera smiled and waved as she disappeared into the building. ‘Looks like we’re in a hurry so do you wanna drive son?’

  ‘I’m Clive.’ He said, shaking Ben’s hand.

  ‘I’m Ben, all the way from New York.’

  ‘Thank you Ben, this really means a lot.’ Ben slid across to the passenger seat; let Clive in the driver’s seat and Ellie happily in the back. As they were driving through Christchurch, Clive was getting used to the controls. Ben turned around to look at Ellie. ‘Forgive me ma’am, you look kinda familiar to me. You look like someone…’

  ‘You mean my mother, Ben. I have a photo of you and your wife at a party with my mother!’

  Ben turned around fully to Ellie. ‘You’d better believe this honey, Vera and me; we loved your mom, and your dad too. But somehow we just lost contact with your dad. I guess it’s just life. Do you know where he is?’

  Ellie softly touched his arm. ‘We’re on our way to see him now Ben.’

  ‘Jiminy Cricket! You mean we’re going to see him now? Hey Clive, is it alright to make a call?’ Clive nodded, concentrating on the road. ‘Honey you ain’t gonna believe this, were on our way to see Edmund, can you believe it? Me neither, talk to you soon. Yeah, I will try. OK bye.’

  ‘Look Ben this will be the first time I’ll see my dad, my very first time! And I don’t know what to expect!’ Tears were running down her face.

  Clive looked through the rear view mirror at her. ‘We’re both here for you Ellie. Don’t worry, everything will be OK.’

  ‘You betcha’ Clive, I’m with you all the way buddy!’

  Clive drove slowly through the last village, then slowed right down as he approached a dangerous bend. He stopped to check oncoming traffic, and then turned sharp right into a narrow track. The overhanging branches were scratching both sides of the new car noisily, as they drove down, as it was so narrow. Clive looked furtively at Ben.

  ‘It’s only a car buddy. Let’s not worry about that, these cars are built for such things ain’t they?’ Ben chortled.

  Through the twists and turns of the lane they went, and it finally opened into a clearing, revealing a small brick built cottage. Clive noticed that there was no smoke coming from the chimney. That increased his worry somewhat, but he didn’t want to alarm the others. As they rounded the back of the cottage he stopped and they all got out. They could hear the bark of a dog, not a vicious bark, more of a yap.

  Clive looked through the kitchen window. ‘I can see him; he’s sitting in an easy chair.’ He banged on the window. The dog barked but there was no movement from Edmund. ‘We will have to break in!’ he shouted.

  ‘Please God, that we’re not too late’ Ellie said. One shoulder charge from Ben burst the door open! Clive rushed inside first and sat alongside the seated man. He felt for a pulse on his neck. It was faint but still there.

  ‘He’s unconscious, but he’s still with us. It looks like he’s been there for quite some time. Ben, we’ve got to get him to hospital and the only A & E is in Bournemouth.’

  The two men gently eased him out of the leather chair and carried him towards the car. Ellie ran outside and opened the car door for them. She then rushed inside again and up the tiny stairs, found a heavy blanket and gave it to Clive.

  With it being such a large vehicle, she was able to slide in on the other side of the car and cradle her dad’s head on her lap.

  ‘Don’t die, daddy, please don’t die, I love you!’ She remembered the dog, where was it? ‘Clive, where’s Zowie?’ Ellie remembered that Ursula had told her the dog’s name when they met on the beach.

  Ben had seen her dive into the undergrowth a few minutes ago whilst they were carrying him into the car. He shouted her name with his booming voice, whilst opening the tailgate. In a flash she was in and looked over the back seat at her prostrate master, and then lay on the floor quietly. ‘Call of nature, I guess.’ Ben smiled to himself. He looked for Clive and watched as he tried to pull the back door to. It was somewhat bent by now.

  The three of them sat together in the A & E waiting room for about two hours. Ben got up to stretch his legs. ‘I guess I’d better check on the dog, Ellie.’ She didn’t look up, too scared to. As he looked at her, she had one arm around Clive and the other holding a thin chain of some kind. The doors slid open, but he didn’t go through them, as a nurse came into the room with a clipboard in her hand.

  Clive and Ellie jumped up together, as she was standing over them.

  ‘He’s out of danger. We’ve managed to stabilise him, and he’s sleeping right now. We need to do some more tests on him, so we’ll keep him overnight. When he comes out, will he have somewhere warm to stay, and someone to look after him?’ The nurse asked.

  ‘YES!’ The three of them shouted in unison. Ellie gave her a contact number and she took the number of the hospital, ii case she wanted to contact them.

  On the way back home, Zowie jumped into the back seat with Ellie, who hugged her and told her all about her master in hospital, and said that tomorrow she was going to see her master, no matter what. Ben smiled at Clive and said.

  ‘That was a job well done, son.’

  ‘I couldn’t have done anything without your help Ben, thank you very much.’ Ben rang forward to let Vera know that they were on their way, and as they arrived, she was waiting in the car park for them. Ellie ran straight to Vera’s arms as she got out of the car.

  ‘I know how you feel hun.’ Ellie was sobbing in her arms. ‘Let it all out, you’ve had one heck of a lot to put up with, haven’t you?’ Ellie nodded, still buried in Vera’s arms, and then she held her hand as they walked back to the doorway.

  Clive looked at Ben as this was happening, but Ben was looking away. Zowie was following the two women close behind.

  ‘Sorry
about the mess on the car Ben, are you alright?’

  ‘Sure I’m OK, I don’t often see Vera like that, if you know what I mean. Anyway, shucks if I’m bothered about some damn hire car, eh?’ They both laughed.

  As they were entering the lift, Clive called to Ellie to stop. ‘I don’t think that Zowie would take kindly to going in the lift. I’ll take her up the back stairs, and you open the door when you’re up there, OK?’ She smiled while he gave her a little peck on the cheek.

  Before Vera and Ben got out of the lift, Ellie just held on to Vera’s arm. ‘Vera, if dad’s still in hospital tomorrow, will you come with me and Zowie to visit him?’

  She gave Ellie her phone number, ‘Gimmie a call when you know, and wild horses won’t stop me.’

  Ellie rushed to the service door and let them in. Clive took Zowie on the veranda, and he could tell that she could smell the sea, and the crashing of the waves calmed her down, as if it had evoked some sort of memory in her. Clive told her to stay and she lay down looking at him with those silvery eyes.

  He looked in the fridge, found a tin of chicken and chopped it up for her. She wolfed that down whilst he found some strong cord, waited for her to finish the food, then tied the cord through her collar. With plenty of slack he tied it to the upright on the corner of the veranda. Before she settled down, he washed her feet, as she had been in the woods earlier.

  ‘I’m doing it to protect your carpet, Ellie.’ He said.

  Ellie was watching him do all that. ‘Not bad for a city boy.’

  ‘Well, my mum’s got a dog, so I instinctively know what to do.’ His face dropped. ‘Oh no, I’ve forgot to tell mum what time I was arriving at her house, she’ll be frantic.’ He dialled his mobile ‘Hi mum it’s me sorry about not ringing you’.

  At the same time, Ellie had gently come up very close to his chest, sliding her arms around his waist and was looking up at him with her dark green eyes. She was pulling at his shirt button with her teeth now. He started to get really hot and red around his neck! ‘S..Sorry mum something has come up, I ring you tomorrow, Bye.’

  He peeled her off of him and reached for his coat.

  ‘Where are you going?’ She frowned, but then followed him to the veranda where Zowie was sitting up straight and wagging her tail at him.

  ‘I think we need a little walk girl, to cool down a little, if you know what I mean. Lend me your keys, Ellie, so I can get back in will you.’ Clive looked at her sheepishly.

  The next morning, having had the best night for a long while, with not too much sleep however, she turned over to find the duvet thrown back. She walked into the living room and looked at the veranda. There he was, bent over, tying Zowie to the pillar. She could hear him talking to her. He turned around to see her completely naked, without any inhibitions walking towards him.

  ‘Have I died and gone to heaven?’ he thought to himself.

  As she wrapped herself around him, he struggled to tell her what he had been doing whilst she slept.

  ‘I’ve rung the hospital, Ellie.’ She was stripping his clothes off now. ‘He’s improved and he’s asking for Zowie. So I told the nurse that Zowie was a dog, and could she come to visit today. She agreed for a short time and about two would be best for them. Phew!’

  ‘So we’ve got some time until then have we?’ Ellie smiled mischievously.

  ‘Er, yes darling’. He followed her into the bedroom and closed the door.

  She woke up, and the bed was a mess. She walked into the living room. He had left a note ‘Sorry darling I do have to get back to London. I’ll be back tonight, that is if you want me to. I’ll call you before I start back. Love to your dad. Keep safe. Love Clive X’

  By two o’clock, Vera, Ellie and Zowie were getting out of the Polo and making their way to the ward that her dad was in. No one had said anything about Zowie being with them, and if they had, Ellie was going to say she was a petting dog for the ill people. They approached his bedside. Although he did still look very weak, they could see his face light up as they came near. Zowie sat at the side of the bed tail wagging furiously. Edmund let his hand out of the bed. She licked it, and then let him rest his hand on her head.

  Vera was next. She just leaned over to him and kissed him gently then whispered something in his ear. He smiled and she stepped back. He raised his head. ‘My darling daughter. My darling daughter!’

  Ellie leaned over gently. ‘Daddy, I thought I’d lost you, your stone told me you were in trouble.’

  The nurse appeared at the other side of the bed. ‘We mustn’t upset him too much, he’s still very weak.’

  ‘Will you come to see me tomorrow Ellie?’ Edmund whispered. She nodded but couldn’t speak. He looked at Vera, ’and bring that cowboy with you next time.’ He looked tired and his head dropped onto the pillow his eyes closing. Zowie lifted her paw and put it into his hand. He moved his fingers a little, and she knew!

  On the third day of Edmund’s hospital stay, it was Ben’s turn to take Ellie and Zowie to see him. As they were walking towards his ward, Ellie could sense there was something different ahead. She gripped Ben’s thick forearm in fear. Ben looked down at her reassuringly. As they approached the ward door she distinctly heard the loud laughing of women’s voices. ‘Sounds like a party going on, hun’, Ben said to her.

  They walked into the ward and looked in the direction of Edmund’s bed; the whole area was festooned in flowers. At least three nurses were surrounding her dad’s bedside. Everyone laughed again at a joke from a man, who was leaning over her dad. Ellie looked at Ben, who also started to laugh. Only Ellie and Zowie couldn’t get the joke! Zowie gave a sharp bark, and the man stood upright and turned to look at the visitors.

  As he turned to face them, she noticed he had a six-foot, athletic frame with a deep tanned face and a salt and pepper goatee beard. His light blue mohair suit fitted him well, and he smiled broadly at Ellie.

  She looked past the stranger at her dad. Tears were running down his face with laughter.

  ‘This is someone I really want you to meet, Ellie. This is Paul Arlington!’

  ‘Not the American actor, the one in......?’ Ellie blushed deeply. ‘But dad, tell me why has he come to visit you?’

  ‘I guess that’s my fault Ellie’ Ben put his big arm around her shoulders. ‘I rang him in New York the same day we found your dad, and he caught the next plane.’

  ‘But dad, why should he do that? I don’t understand.’

  Before anyone could say anymore, three more nurses appeared, autograph books in hand. Then giggling at each other, they quickly ran out of the ward again. Mission accomplished!

  ‘Look, Paul old mate, why don’t you go for a coffee in the hospital restaurant, let me see my visitors, and then they’ll catch up with you in about half an hour.’ Edmund said, waving him away. ‘I’m really sorry about this Ellie, but Paul and I go back a hundred years, well nearly anyway.’

  Paul kissed Ellie on the cheek, gave Ben a hug, patted Zowie and headed to the ward exit, led by two more giggling nurses.

  Ben shook Edmund’s hand warmly, passed on his mother’s best wishes and then stood back a little to let Ellie give her dad a hug. Zowie lifted both paws onto the bed, letting Edmund give her a hug too.

  Benn looked at Ellie and laughed. ‘Don’t worry about the dog’s feet on the bed Edmund, all the nurses are in the restaurant with Paul.’ They all laughed.

  After their visit they finally got Paul to themselves. Apparently he had secured the prestigious De Vere suite in the Royal Bath hotel in Bournemouth. They had moved some important Arabs out at short notice to accommodate him. He invited everyone to his suite for dinner that night.

  Ellie asked if Clive and his mother could join them, to which Paul responded with, ‘the more the merrier!’

  Ellie had a plan; she wanted to take this opportunity to get together with so many people who had known her dad over the years that she had missed. It was of course a great success, and the huge gaps in time were
well filled by all the tales, especially from Paul.

  Edmund needed a week to recover in hospital, but they had built him up sufficiently, to walk with the aid of a stick. He agreed to give up the cottage with little resistance. He realised that TLC was the order of the day and let Ellie take care of him.

  Ben and Vera stayed long enough to see Edmund settled in W3 before going back home. Mrs Cohen well advanced in years, was getting very frail, so they went home to consider their options. Vera was even talking about living in the UK, but that was one thing they had to discuss at home.