The Mess Love makes

ALTERNATIVE ENDING - Chapter Thirteen: Baby Be Mine

Chapter thirteen


         Hayley was welcomed back into the world of work by her colleagues with open arms. The excuse she’d given was that she had been very ill, accounting for almost a month of missed work. It was painfully obvious, though, that everyone knew of the reason she had been away. It filled her with shame – ‘They must think I’m so weak; taking to my bed because I can’t make someone love me,’ she thought bitterly. Once at her desk, she stared mournfully at the over flowing in tray. Taking a deep breath, she began to work her way through them. Halfway through the pile, she found a large stack of information. Thumbing through it, she realised that she had been placed in charge of the defence in the crown court, for a woman who had been accused of murdering her husband. Guilt flooded her. She had been so wrapped up in her own trivial problems that she was now two weeks late on starting the case, and someone’s innocence and life could be judged wrongly for her self pity.

Quickly, she immersed herself in the case; studying every particle of information she had been given. It felt good to wrap herself up in someone else’s problems instead of crying over her own. It was an interesting situation, and everything pointed towards her client being ‘guilty’ after all. Yet Hayley was convinced that she was innocent. Not only was it her job to believe and prove it, but certain statements the accused had given under pressure made her believe that the woman was more distraught about losing her husband than of being accused of killing the man she loved. That sounded like love to her. Surely when you love someone you could never hurt them?

The phone rang. Hayley picked up her headset and clamped it quickly over her ears, pressing the flashing red button that alerted her to a call.
         “Miss Cherél, you have a visitor.”          
         “Who is it?” Hayley said into her headset absently as she pored over a document.
         “He won’t let me have his name, I’m afraid, although he assures me that he knows you.”
‘It’s probably Leo hiding from Laura again,’ thought Hayley irritably. ‘Of course, he won’t leave his name in case she checks to see if he drops by. Ever since her pregnancy, she seems to nag him an awful lot; he’s forever hiding out in mine or Rene’s office…’
         “Well, send him in then.” She said dismissively, hearing the buzz that said her visitor had been let through the foyer door and into the office. “Oh, and Shirley, whilst you’re at it, could you get Eric to set me up an appointment with Carly Barquel – I think she’s being held at the normal…”          
         “Mr. Litham is out today, but I can leave a message for him to pick up first thing tomorrow?”
         “That’s fine. Thanks.”
         “Carly Barquel, you said?”
         “Yes.”
A faint scratching of a pen found its way over the phone line.
         “Have a good day, Miss Cherél.”
         “And you Shirley. Thanks again.”

         The knock at the door signalled Hayley to look up finally from her paper work, and take off her head set.
         “Come in!” she called, a brave but cheeky smile on her face as she waited to see who her mystery visitor would be.
The door swung open, and the grin melted off her face. Alex stood there, a grim smile on his face, a bulge around his upper chest under his T-shirt suggesting bandages still residing there, and the top of his head also wrapped in white with his muddy blonde curls spilling over the top.
         “Alex…” Hayley began after her initial shock, standing up slowly from behind her desk. “You’re ok.” She wanted to cry from relief.
         “Just.” croaked the invalid from the doorway. His gaze swept across her hungrily before turning away from her. “It was a close call, but they managed to clear the blood from where it shouldn’t be before anything… fatal… malfunctioned.”
         “It was that serious?” she asked quietly, moving out from behind her desk and starting towards him.
         “Yes.” He replied. “That was why…” he coughed suddenly. “Why I couldn’t tell you again that I love you.”
Hayley froze.
         “What?” she breathed softly, wishing that it had not sounded so… vulgar.
Alex walked a few steps forward, towards her.
         “I love you.” He said again, his eyes caressing her every feature.
         “But… but… but you said…”
Her brain refused to realise it. But somewhere in her, her heart was cheering and turning somersaults, and waving pompoms in happiness.
         “I know what I said,” He told her urgently, “but you have to understand that I thought I was going to die. How could I put you through all that, after everything you’ve been through?”
         “How could you…” she repeated disbelievingly. “Alex, have you got any idea what you’ve put me through because of what you said to me?”
         “I’m sorry.” He offered tentatively. “I did what I did out of love, you know.”
Hayley was pacing angrily now, ignoring what he said.
         “How could you love me; and then hurt me like that?”
         “Hayley, I thought I was going to die!” Alex protested again, letting go of the door and practically chasing her around the desk.
         “The worry I went through, the pain… the unbearable knowledge that I’d missed everything we could have had… Alexander Dean-Smith, how could you do that to me?” she continued.
He smiled lazily.
         “I love it when you say my full name.” he whispered softly.

She stopped still, and looked at him, their eyes locking.
         
         “I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered back.
         “Never.” He replied instantly. “You will always have my heart.”
Tears flooded her eyes.
         “And you have mine.”

Suddenly they were together; wrapped around each other, kissing like they would never part. Hayley could feel his arms wrapped around her waist, his hands pressing her body to his bruised ribs; he could feel the tears on her cheeks add moisture to his own as he pressed his lips to hers. The strength in his body held her safe, whilst the electricity that ran up and down her arms at his touch made her gasp. Cheers from outside the small office caused them to part and look round, laughing. Rene and the rest of the department were gathered round Hayley’s office door, clapping and cheering at the love scene they had just witnessed.
         “Alright people,” Rene called quickly, seeing the blush rushing over Hayley’s cheeks, “Let’s leave them to it.”
She came forward, and smiling gently, closed the door, discreetly winking at Hayley, who blushed even more.

         “Hayley,” began Alex as the door clicked close, “let me ask you this, and please, what ever you do, please answer me honestly.” He was so serious, his olive hued eyes burning brightly with emotion into hers. Hayley thought she had never seen him so adorable. “Do you really love me?”
         “Yes.” She replied, her hands cupping his face again. “Yes, I love you, Alexander Dean-Smith.”
His face lit up, true happiness shining through his smile.
         “You are my fairy princess.” He professed, his eyes looking earnestly into hers.
         “And you are my prince.” She said, caressing his cheeks with her fingers, before correcting herself, smiling with the helpless love shining through her eyes. “No. You are my fairytale.”

Alex’s lips met hers again, as if to seal the promise of their love. And somewhere in the back of Hayley’s mind, she was thinking how perfect – how completely right everything suddenly seemed. She knew without a doubt that this was her happy ever after ending; and it would never end any other way.