Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

me, gently moving the hair out ofmy eyes. “You had a panic attack. Your blood pressure dropped andyou fainted.”

I tried to situp.

Janette movedcloser. “Stay there, with your feet up. At least until your bloodpressure returns to normal, it is still a little low. I will takeit again shortly.”

I closed myeyes again, briefly remembering what happened downstairs. “Everyonewas staring at me, I didn’t like it.”

Bryce draggedhis knuckle along my jaw and my eyes re-opened. “No, Hunny, theyweren’t.” He smiled at me. “Then again, you are incrediblybeautiful, so you could be right.”

I returned thesmile, but only with a minor one. “I thought they were all judgingme,” I explained.

“Why wouldanyone judge you?” Abigail asked.

“I don’tknow.” I brushed off her question. I didn’t want to honestly answerit in front of anyone.

The doorbuzzer sounded.

“I’ll be rightback.” Bryce kissed my forehead before he stood up and went to thedoor.

I tilted myhead and watched him leave when Janette stepped into my line ofsight. “Okay, let’s take your blood pressure again.”

She placed thestethoscope in the crook of my arm and began to pump the pressurecuff that was still attached to my bicep. The cuff tightened thenslowly relaxed and loosened back out again. “Good, it’s going backup again. You can sit now, but do it slowly. No fast movements oractions, okay?”

I sat up justas Bryce entered the room, opening the door for Jessica. Oh,fuck no. Why not invite, Chelsea, Gareth and the bitchy mum fromschool. We’ll have a ‘we hate Alexis convention’. She better behere to see Bryce.

They madetheir way toward me and it was quite obvious, she was not here tosee Bryce.

My eyeswidened and pierced Bryce’s. “No, Bryce!” I said sternly.“Definitely not.”

“Alexis, youneed to speak to someone, clearly.”

“Okay, I will,but someone else. No offense Jessica.” Actually, yes offense.Plenty of offense for you.

“Alexis,please let me help you,” she said kindly. Oh my God. She is likea mix of Glenda the Good Witch of the North and CruellaDeVille.

“I don’t needany help. I’m fine!” I snapped.

I hadn’tnoticed in that short space of time that Abigail and Janette hadbeen escorted out of the room by Bryce.

“You areblaming yourself for the miscarriage, are you not?” she asked, ormore accurately stated. Her tone was still kind though.

“Not,” Ianswered quickly, while looking around for my crutches. Wherethe fuck are my crutches? I’m going to fucking kill my Mr.I’m-Carrying-You Clark.

“You feelguilty.”

“No.”

“You’rescared.”

“No.”

“You think youdeserve punishment.”

“Yes.” Ianswered this not realising what I’d said. Shit! “No, I meanno. Bryce, where are my crutches?”

He shruggedhis shoulders.

“Don’t fuckingplay this game with me. I want my crutches, now!”

He looked downat his hands.

“Bryce,please,” I begged him.

“I’m sorry,Alexis. I love you and want you to talk, to heal. Jessica canhelp.”

“No, shecan’t.”

“Yes, shecan.”

“No,” Iscreamed at him.

“Give her afucking chance, Alexis,” he shouted back. “I don’t want to see youlying unconscious anymore. I can’t handle that, it fucking killsme. Please just talk to her. Fuck!” He got up and stormed to theelevator then turned back to face us. “Jessica, make her talk toyou. Do what you have to. I don’t fucking care what it takes.” Heslammed his hand on the button. “Alexis, I fucking love you.” Hestepped into the lift and left the room.

I sat therestunned for God knows how long then moved my gaze to Jessica. Shewas staring at the elevator doors, smiling fondly. I’m guessing herfondness was for the man who just angrily left the room. It pissedme off even more. Get that look off your face now before I hopover there and wipe it off.

I’d had justabout enough.

“I’m so proudof him,” she said in awe. What?

I didn’tanswer, but she continued to talk.

“He has comeso far since the death of his parents and his brother. At one pointI thought I would never again see the bright, intelligent, youngman my best friend gave birth to and raised.” She turned to me andsmiled. Best friend?

“Stephanieadored Bryce. She was always doting over him. He was her pride andjoy. She loved all three of her kids equally, but Bryce had aspecial connection with his mother.”

I wasspeechless, so I sat there and continued to listen.

“Stephanie andI went to college together. She was a Social Sciences graduate andher philosophy on life was truly unique. We hit it off instantly.After she married Lindsay and gave birth to Bryce, her prioritiesin life changed, but her outlook never did. She was a fantasticmother, and Bryce was a real mummy’s boy.”

I smiled.Yeah, I can actually imagine that.

“She broughtBryce up to be passionate, outgoing, ambitious, and charming. Allthe qualities a young man would require to go far in life; she wasso proud of him. But when she died, something in Bryce died too.His passion diminished, he was no longer outgoing, his ambitionturned to determination, and his charm faded considerably,” shesaid sadly as she stood up.

She walkedacross to the grand piano and ran her finger along it. “Has heplayed the piano for you?”

“No, I’venever seen him go near it. He has always played the guitar forme.”

She raised hereyebrows at me, knowingly. “He’s very good, isn’t he? This mightbreak doctor-patient confidentiality, but he did just say ‘do whatyou have to, I don’t fucking care what it takes’, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Iagreed.

“Well, heloves that you love watching him play the guitar. When he told meabout the first time he played for you, he was beyond happy, he wasboasting.” Oh! My! God! He told her about that. I’ll killhim.

I blushed.

“Oh, don’tworry. He didn’t give me the details.” Thank fuck. “Alexis,Bryce has come a long way over the years. But it wasn’t until hemet you that he got that spark back. Whatever had died in him, youmanaged to resurrect. I have never seen a person so devoted, so inawe, so in love before. At first I thought it might be unhealthy,but over the past eight months I’ve come to realise that heabsolutely adores you and wants nothing more than yourhappiness.”

Tears began tofall down my cheeks. “I know,” I admitted.

“If you’re nothappy, he is not happy.”

“I know, Ifeel the same way.” I was sobbing again.

She came backto the couch and sat next to me, handing me a tissue.

“He isabsolutely terrified