One Last Chance (14 page)

“Well you are home now,” Ella replied. “And I will make sure you get some rest.”

She turned to Cole, who was unstrapping Ben from his car seat.

“Now let me meet my grandson,” Ella replied as she hurried to Cole’s side.

“Mom,” Cole said as he stepped back from the car, cradling Ben close to him. “
I would like you to meet Ben, your grandson.”

“Oh my goodness,” Ella gushed tearfully. “He is perfect.”

She held out her arms and Cole place a sleeping Ben in them. Ally watched as Ella cuddled the little boy into her, as Cole watched on with pride beaming from him.

Cole ushered them all into the house and straight into his parent’s living room. Ally sat on the sofa and continued to watch as Ella cooed over Ben.

“Where is Dad?” Cole asked looking around him.

“He just popped out to get a few bits and pieces,” Ella replied, not taking her eyes of the little boy asleep in her arms.

Suddenly, Ben started to wake and began to cry.

“I
don’t think he likes his grandma,” Ella said sounding a little disappointed.

“He is just hungry,” Ally said she said standing up from the sofa. She walked to the bag Nick had brought in from the car and left in the corner before he quietly slipped back out. “We picked up some formula
on the way but the nurse gave us some ready-made bottles for him before we left. I need to heat it slightly.”

Ally pulled the bottle
out, headed to the kitchen and switched on the kettle to boil the water. As she waited for it to boil, she stared out the window at the beautiful scenery that surrounds Cole’s parent’s home.

“Are you okay sweethea
rt?” Ella said from the doorway startling Ally just as she was pouring out hot water into a jug and dropping the bottle into heat it.

“I’
m great,” Ally replied with a big smile.

“I mean with all of this,” she said as she gesture
d towards the living room. “This is a lot to take on board. You are both just newlyweds and you’re pregnant. To take on someone else’s baby is no small thing.”

“It wasn’t that hard a choice,” Ally sighed, wiping the tiredness from her eyes. “Cole loves Ben, and I love Cole. Ben had no one else in this world. Ella, I have been that child. If it weren’t for Nan and
Pop, god knows where I would have ended up.”

“You are a remarkable you
ng woman Ally Thomas,” Ella beamed as she took Ally by the hands. “I just want you to know, if you need anything at all, even just someone to talk to. I am always just a phone call away.”

“I know Ella,” Ally smiled back. “And I am truly grateful for your support.”

“Cole seems very taken with him,” Ella said. “He is very hands on.”

“I know,” Ally sighed. “He is insisting on doing everything for him.”

“It’s still very new for him,” Ella said as she squeezed Ally’s hands. “He is trying to find his way.”

“I know,” Ally smiled sadly. “But this is very new for me too. Cole was already his dad, but now I am his mom and I don’t know him. I need to be given a chance to
get to know him.”

Before Ella could say another word, t
he front door opened and James’ voice filled the house.

“I’m back,” he announced and a lot of rustling and banging came from the hallway.

Ally lifted the bottle from the jug of water and followed Ella out into the hallway, where they found James surrounded by a lot of boxes and bags.

“Ally sweetheart,” he greeted Ally warmly when he saw her emerge from the kitchen
and hugged her tightly. “You are looking as beautiful as always my dear girl.”

“It’s lovely to see you again James,” Ally replied as James released her from his embrace.

“Did you get everything?” Ella asked as she quickly surveyed the bags and boxes in the hall.

“I did,” James replied with a big grin. “And one or two things extra.
”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Ella laughed and the
n, turning to Ally, she said. “Let’s move into the sitting room. We got one or two things for the baby.”

Ally was ushered into the living room to where Cole was pacing up and down with a crying Ben.

“I have his bottle,” Ally said as she walked up to a stressed looking Cole. “You need me to feed him?”

“No
, it’s okay,” Cole said with a smile. “I got this.”

Cole took the bottle, sat down and began to feed Ben.
Ally sighed once more and sat down on the sofa next to Cole. She glanced at Ella and she gave her a reassuring smile.

“Okay,”
James said looking at Ella as if asking for permission to continue and her smile gave him the answer he wanted. He turned back to Cole and Ally and gave them both a big grin. “We figured you were going to need a few things for the baby. And well we couldn’t resist, he is our first grandchild that we are getting to hold and spoil until the other little one gets here.”

Ally and Cole glanced at each other and smile
d before they turned back to Cole’s parents.

James began pulling stuff from the bags. He had bought clothes, sleep suits, bibs, vests, and nappies. There was a bottle sterilizer, a bottle warmer, a travel changing mat and baby monitors. And there was a ton of baby toys. Finally
, he pulled a baby chair out of a big box. It was brightly coloured and had a detachable mobile with it. It was beautiful.

“
Mom, Dad, you didn’t need to do all this,” Cole said completely taken back by his father and mother’s kindness. “This is too much.”

“It’
s nothing,” Ella waved her hand dismissively. “He is our grandson, the first of many I hope.”

Ally got up from the sofa and, walking up to James first
, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug. Then she turned and hugged Ella.

“Thank you both, so much,” she said gratefully.

“Nothing to thank us for,” Ella replied. “This is our job, and we are so happy to do it.”

“Now
, all this stuff is for Ben,” James said as he walked to the door. “But we can’t forget about the other little one that is still growing away.”

He disappear
ed back out into the hallway and returned carrying a big, soft plush giraffe with a big bow on its neck and a small gift bag.

He handed the little bag to Ally and she smiled as she reached inside and pulled out what was inside. It was a tiny t-shirt with the words, ‘I love my Grandma and Grandpa’ on it.

“There is one in the bag there for Ben too,” James said with a big grin. “I saw them and I couldn’t resist.”

“They are perfect,” Ally said as she turned to Cole,
who was sitting with a content smile on his face feeding Ben and she added. “Just like my little family.”

It was a little after seven when they kissed Ella and James goodbye and head
ed to their London penthouse.

When they reached the
apartment building, there were photographers waiting outside. The car filled with bright flashing lights as they screamed and called Cole’s name, asking for his thoughts on Steph’s death.

Ben started howling with fright from the commotion and Cole quickly tried to soothe him.

When they came to a stop in the underground car park, Cole quickly unfastened him from his car seat and pulled him close to his chest.

Nick opened th
e car door and Cole climbed out, followed closely by Ally, and Nick led them both to the lift.

As they rode up in the lift, the only sound was the high pitched crying of the tiny little boy.

“You want me to take him?” Ally asked, reaching out her arms.

“I have him,” Cole replied quickly. Ally just dropped her arms and sighed softly. She glanced over at Nick who just gave her a half smile.

When they reach the penthouse, Cole headed straight for their bedroom with Ben.

Ally stood in the hallway staring blankly in the direction Cole just disappeared.

“I will go down and get the rest of the belongings from the car,” Nick said from behind Ally pulling her from her thoughts. Ally simply nodded.

When she was alone, she walked to the full length window
in the living room and looked out at Hyde Park, watching people coming and going about their business as the twilight for the late spring evening grew darker and darker.

After about 10 minutes
, she could hear Cole making his way back down the hallway.

Ally turned to see him
and her heart sank when she saw the thunderous expression on his face.

“Where is Nick,” he growled when he spotted Ally.

“He is getting the rest of the stuff from the car,” Ally said as she took a tentative step towards him. “Where’s Ben?”

“He is asleep in his crib,” Cole replied and seeing the look of confusion on Ally’s face he continued. “I had Nick go buy one today and told him to set it up in our room for now.”

“Oh I see,” was all Ally could say.

“I am not putting up with these paps any longer,” Cole growled as he paced up and down angrily. “They can’t be upsetting him every time we leave or come home. This is not acceptable.”

“Cole, you need to calm down,” Ally said trying to keep her own voice as calm as possible.

“Ally, they scared the life out of him,” Cole snapped angrily. “You didn’t feel how
fast his little heart was racing. I am not having him being upset by these vultures.”

“I know he was upset,” Ally replied as she pinched the bridge of her nose to relieve the sudden tension headache she had. “But getting mad at me isn’t going to make it better and neither is pushing me out.”

“Ally, I am not pushing you out at all,” Cole said completely taken back by what she said.

Before either could say another word, the sound of a hysterical Ben filled the apartment.

“I’ll go,” Ally said, making to walk towards the bedroom but Cole was already on his way.

“I have him,” Cole said as he headed in the direction of the bedroom.

“Oh my God,” Ally laughed out loud. “No, you are really not pushing me out at all, are you? Tell you what, how about I leave you to play happy family just the way you want it.”

Before Cole could respond, Ally grabbed her handbag and headed straight for the double doors to the hallway
, slamming the door behind her.

As she walked towards the lift
, it pinged open and Nick appeared before her fully loaded down with a load of bags.

“Are you okay Ally?” H
e asked as he stepped off the lift. Ally quickly stepped around him and pressed the button for the ground floor.

“I am just fine,” she replied and gave him a forced smile.

Suddenly Cole emerged from the double doors with a screaming Ben in his arms.

“Ally wait,” Cole called
out to her but the door began to close and Ally did nothing to stop them.

She slumped against the wall of the lift
, and it descended down into the building.

“What the hell just happened?” she asked herself.

Ally stepped out of the lift and thought for a moment.
Where the hell could she go? She knew no one in London. It was getting dark and she knew there was a bunch of paps outside the building that were just waiting to pounce. She really hadn’t thought this through at all.

Stupid, stupid girl,
she scolded herself.

She turned around and pre
ssed the button to call the lift again. After a couple of seconds, the doors pinged open. She stood for a moment and thought. She just wasn’t ready to go back up. She sighed as she stepped back and let the doors slide shut once again. She just stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do next. She turned and looked out through the glass doors of the building, but she knew going out there too would be a big mistake.

Then
she turned and saw the door man, who was sitting behind a highly polished, black marbled reception desk, watching Ally with a look of interest. He smiled at her when her eyes met his. Ally smiled back but she knew she was now blushing.

“Are you okay Mrs. Thomas,” the
elderly man asked getting up from his chair and walking towards Ally. He was dressed in a simple black suit, white shirt and grey tie. He had a name badge pinned to his jacket with the name Frank printed on it.

“I… um…” All
y said as, much to her horror, her eyes filled up with tears and quickly broke free. She quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. “Damn these pregnancy hormones.”

“Please
, won’t you come into my little office and sit down for a while,” he said taking Ally by the arm. “You don’t want to go out there to those gutter trash and you look like you could use a little alone time.”

He led her into his office where there was a small cosy
, navy coloured, armchair with a little table next to it. Across from the chair was a counter with a small sink, a microwave oven and an electric kettle with some mugs on it. Beneath the counter was a small fridge.