Come on, honey, you shouldn’t be getting out of bed yet…’
‘Martha, I’m not a bloody invalid! I may be getting older but I’m not done yet, okay? And I’m sick of lying here, tired of having nothing to do all day but think… I need to talk to India.’
Martha stood up, pushing a hand through her hair. ‘What about Michael?’
Reece looked at her. ‘What about him?’
‘Are you going… are you still going to confront him?’
Reece continued to get dressed, ignoring the pain. ‘Do you even need to ask that question?’
‘Reece, honey… do you not think everyone’s had enough to deal with over the past few days? India included. She was so scared, baby. So scared for you, because she loves you so much…’
‘And I love her too, Martha. Which is why I need to do this. She needs to know I’m there for her.’
‘She already knows that, Reece. What she doesn’t need is the past bringing back up, what good would that do? And think of Ethan. India and Michael are getting on now, aren’t they? They’re talking to each other, they’re working together, things are okay…’
‘Martha, she’s sleeping with Michael’s son. A son he didn’t even know he had until a couple of weeks ago so how does that, in any way, go towards making this situation any better?’
‘Forget Dominic. He’s got nothing to do with India and Michael’s past.’
Reece pushed a hand through his grey-flecked hair. ‘No, maybe not… Look, Martha, I know this really isn’t the time to be doing this, but… Jesus, I just need to talk to her. Can you understand that?’
She walked over to him, smiling, quickly kissing his mouth as she gently stroked his cheek. ‘Of course I understand. And I know how much you’re struggling with everything – with what I told you, but… for that little boy’s sake, honey…’
‘Martha…’
‘For Ethan’s sake, let him have his mom and dad, okay? Let that little boy have both his parents, because he was far too long without that.’
‘For good reason,’ Reece whispered, feeling tears start to prick the back of his eyes and he stared up at the ceiling, blinking furiously, because he couldn’t cry. He had no time to be weak. ‘She forgave him, Martha. I don’t understand… How could she do that?’
Martha stroked his cheek again, making him look at her. ‘Because she needed to, baby. She needed to do that. For whatever reason. And maybe you need to do that too.’
‘How can I? What he did… She’d just had his baby; Ethan was seven months old, Martha. He was just seven months old, and his father...’
‘Okay, Reece, stop. Please. Listen to me. Listen. You have got to think about India here. She’s trying to make a new start…’
Reece pulled away from her, walking over to the mirror, staring at his tired and battered reflection, his face bruised and sore from the accident but those Irish Brogan eyes were still shining. Despite everything. ‘With Michael’s son, Martha.’ He turned round to look at her, leaning back against the sideboard. ‘How the hell could that ever be considered a new start?’
‘You can’t help who you fall in love with, Reece.’
‘Yes. You can. And she should have known better.’ He grabbed his jacket from the back of the door.
‘Reece… where are you going?’
He turned round once more as he opened the door, throwing her a small smile. ‘I’m going to get some fresh air, Martha. That’s all. I’m just going to get some fresh air.’
***
Vince stood back and stared at a scene that, only a couple of days ago, had resembled nothing but carnage. Yet now, looking at the usual everyday goings-on that surrounded a Vegas resort, it was hard to believe that anything had happened at all. Still, that was what he paid top dollar for, wasn’t it? To make sure that any shit that did happen was cleared up as quickly as possible.
Sticking his hands in his pockets he walked back towards the entrance of the hotel, smiling hellos at people he knew, and those he didn’t – Vince Maine was the perfect Vegas host. He could turn it on with the flick of a switch, whether he felt like it or not.
Thinking back to what had happened, how more people hadn’t been hurt Vince didn’t know. So far the police were coming up with no leads as to who was responsible, and Vince knew they never would. Because he knew exactly who was responsible. And so did Charley.