Chapter 24
“I can’t believe it, people are being so kind!” William said, shaking his head in disbelief. He flipped shut his mobile and continued,
“That’s the forth gallery owner I don’t know offering me space to store my work!”
“Why shouldn’t people want to help you, this isn’t your fault that you lost your business” Buffy said
“I know, but, I’ve never met them before and they’ve offered me space for my work until I’m in such a position to have them back securely, isn’t that kind”
“You’d do the same for a fellow artist wouldn’t you?” Buffy said smiling, and William grinned at her, he
was touched by his fellow artist’s generosity. They entered the hospital and went to the ICU
Anya was nodding asleep by the bed. She had dark circles under her eyes and she’d lost weight, because basically she was living on vending machine drinks and the odd bite of sandwich which she didn’t really want.
Buffy sat outside on the bench while William went in to ask Anya if she minded Buffy being there………
“Anya…Anya?”
“Hmm – oh hi William” Anya yawned and stretched
“How is he today?”
“No change………I sit here listening to the beep-beep of the machines hoping something will happen – good happen I mean…but he hasn’t moved”
“Anya, you look so tired love, why don’t you go home and get some proper sleep – we’ll stay with him – I’ve got Buffy with me, I hope you don’t mind?”
“Where is she?”
“She’s waiting outside, I wanted to check with you first to see that you didn’t mind her coming”
“Of course not, bring her – no, tell you what, I’ll get her, you sit” Anya said and left the room
William smiled when they came in, Anya was holding Buffy’s hand and they were talking about Hailey.
“Will, Anya was just telling me Hailey’s friend, the one she’s staying with can’t look after her tomorrow, so I said we would, we could take her shopping and then for some lunch, she can see her daddy for a few minutes then she can come back to mine and stay, I’ll get some DVD’s and popcorn and stuff”
“Would you mind William?” Anya asked
“Of course not, we told you anything you wanted, we’ll help – now are you alright for money?”
“Yes, his wages go into our joint account I use my card when shopping. Oh god, what does he want now?”
Anya went to the door of the room and went out, William couldn’t see who it was, Buffy said
“It’s that detective Levinson”
oOo
“Mrs Harris through our on-going enquiries I’d just like to inform you that your husband is no longer under suspicion about the fire, and we’ve charged Angel Stebson with the act and also for the attempted murder of Mr Harris”
“Good. About time too”
“Um…is Mr Giles in there?” Levinson looked through the glass into the unit
“Yes, I’ll pass on the message”
“Would you, that’s very kind. How is he, by the way?”
“My husband?” Anya asked, and the detective just nodded
“There’s no change, he hasn’t moved an inch since they brought him in”
“I see, well I hope he –“
“Yeah, yeah…thanks I’ll pass on your message” Anya turned and quickly came back into the room. She’d never forgive them for suspecting her husband in the first place – William knew the truth straight away – and told them so too!”
ooOOoo
“Uncle William…”
“Yes love?”
“I really like Buffy, she’s really nice” William grinned
“She is isn’t she!” Just then the curtain swished back and Buffy came out of the changing room
“So…whaddya think Hailey – like it?” Buffy asked turning this way and that
“Hmm…but I like the green one better!” Hailey said and Buffy grinned
“You know what, me too! Right then, I’ll just get the green one, and then we can go for some lunch, okay?” Buffy had bent over to Hailey’s height.
“Yeah!”
Ten minutes later in the food court…
What are you going to have uncle Will?”
“Hmm…let me see…as it’s a special occasion, I think I’ll have a bacon double cheeseburger with fries and a Coke! – Buffy?”
“Well, sounds good…but I think I’ll have a chicken burger with crispy bacon…and a strawberry milkshake – what would you like Hailey?”
“Anything?”
“Anything you want pet”
“Can I have the same as Buffy – But no pickle!” the child asked
“Of course you can!” Hailey and Buffy grinned at each other.
William stood and said he’d fetch them.
“Uncle William, why did that man burn down your gallery, and why did he hurt my daddy?” Hailey asked when she’d eaten her lunch.
William cupped her face and said softly
“I don’t know princess…I think he was short of money, and thought he could get some insurance money if the place burned down.
“But why did he hurt my dad?”
Oh baby girl…I think he was frightened that your daddy found him and would tell the police – he didn’t want to get caught”
“But they did, they catched him didn’t they”
“Caught him, yes they did!”
“Will he go to jail?”
“I’m sure he will, it’s where bad people go” William said. Just then his phone rang, it was Anya
“William!”
“Anya – what is it – is everything okay - what’s wrong?”
“Nothing – it’s Xander, he’s woken up!”
“Really – oh that’s fantastic – Hailey, your daddy’s awake! Here talk to your mom” he passed her his phone
Buffy and William grinned at each other and after speaking to her mother Hailey handed the phone back to William
“We’ve just had lunch, we’ll be right over…what – an hour – okay, no that’s fine – okay then, see you in an hour, bye!”
“We’ve got to give them an hour so they can do some tests on your dad, then we can all go see him – isn’t that fantastic!”
Hailey smiled and said it was.
“Well I know a shop which we can spend a little time in!” Buffy said
“Where?” Hailey asked
“Well, this shop has some Hannah Montana jewellery and hair slides and stuff…and as you’ve been such a good girl, I think another treat is coming up, don’t you uncle Will?” Buffy said as they collected their stuff up and left the food court”
“Sure do!” Hailey giggled and held a hand of each of them.
ooOOoo
Cordelia sat at the computer in the office upstairs at Angel’s place. Downstairs loud rock music was playing, and intermittently there were girlish screams of laughter and the sound of breaking glass.
“Hmm…now let me see…open banking………go to ‘Other’…type in ‘RainydayCaymen’………and let’s see what we’ve got…hmm, nice little nest egg there, nearly three million, okay what do I want to do, close account…transfer cash to account number 5679344231..AD Sunnydale………close that, now for account number two, back to Other…type Swisscheese………hmm, two million…close account, transfer cash to account as before, 5679344231 AD Sunnydale...wipe history.
“Delia! (hic…Cordy…CORDE(hic)LIA!”
“Oh fuck, what does he want now…” She got up and opened the office door to see a VERY drunk Angel wobbling half way up the stairs, he was holding a half-full bottle of Jack in his hand
“There (hic) there you are! Come an…(hic) comeand (hic) come an haveadrinkwithus”
“I can’t, I’m looking for a good lawyer for you!”
Angel sat down carefully and beckoned her over. Cordelia rolled her eyes, carefully closed the office door and went to Angel
“You (hic) you’re my bess-girl…gonna save me aren’t (hic) aren’t you!”
Cordelia just smiled as he pulled her into a sideways hug and then she screwed up her face when he planted a wet smacker on her cheek.
“Should never have (hic) never, ever (hic) never have let you get way (hic) from me…love you I do! (hic) want some?” he offered her the bottle and she politely declined and took his arm from around her.
“I’ll come and have a drink with you when everybody has gone, okay?”
“(hic – Promise? (hic)”
“I promise, now you join the party, go on!”
“Angel – where the fuck are ya – Angel – ANGEL – oh - there you are – come and look at what this daft fucker’s doing…” Angel sort of slid down the stairs and stood up unsteadily and lurched into the lounge. There was a terrific crash and more breaking glass and loads of loud laughter.
Cordelia quickly stood and went back into the office and opened the safe. She took out the title deeds to the house and she filled her own name in, and then signed it with Angel’s signature. She’d been doing it for years now, she could do it in her sleep. Even the bank thought that her signature was Angel’s…and the last thing she had to do was write a letter………
ooOOoo
Anya met William, Buffy and Hailey by the drinks machines. She was wringing her hands and pacing back and forward
“Mom look what Buffy bought me!” Hailey ran to her mother, but she could see she looked really worried and asked what was wrong
“Come and sit with me a minute and let your mom talk to your uncle Will” Buffy said gently, and Hailey did as she was told and sat next to Buffy on the bench
“What is it love?” William asked worriedly
“It’s Xander…he – oh god…he can’t feel his legs below the knees!” Anya crumpled into William’s embrace and Hailey stood and went to her mother
“Mom – what is it, what’s wrong?”
Anya quickly wiped her tears away and said
“Now Daddy’s very tired, so no jumping around him okay, you must be quiet and you mustn’t touch anything, he’s got lots of tubes and wires in him at the moment, they’re helping to make him better so don’t be frightened okay?”
Hailey nodded and went back and held Buffy’s hand
“Will you come in with me Buffy?” Buffy stood still holding her hand and said
“If your mom says it’s okay then of course!”
“Sure- you’re as good as family go on in, I won’t be long”
When they went in, William said
“Well what did the doc say, is it a temporary thing or…”
“They’re having another look at the X rays, they might have missed a broken vertebrae or something…oh here’s the doc now” Walking towards them was the consultant surgeon, Mr Ben Glory
“Mrs Harris – would you come this way please?”
Anya looked at William and he said he’d go and sit with Xander
Anya went with the doctor who took her into his office. He switched the light on a box on the wall and took an X ray out of a large envelope. It was of a skull and the first five vertebrae
“I don’t know if you can see here…between the second and third vertebra, (he pointed with a pen) there’s a hairline crack, we missed it but it should be too much trouble, we’ll put a cage around your husband’s head to restrict his movement, this numbness he’s feeling in the lower part of his legs should pass in a few days”
“And if it doesn’t?” Anya asked
“Well, there’s lots of other things we can do, don’t worry, let’s cross that bridge when we come to it shall we?”
They walked back to ICU. William had whispered to Buffy what Anya had told him while Hailey was showing her dad the necklace that Buffy had bought her.
“Are you going to be alright daddy?”
“Yes princess, I will be” he said croakily and he ran his hand down her silky blonde hair.
“Thank you for having her today”
“Don’t be daft, she’s a complete joy to have, and the day isn’t over yet is it poppet, were going to have DVD’s, popcorn and we’ll braid each others hair!” Buffy said. Xander smiled sleepily
ooOOoo
The letter was written and Cordelia left it in the draw and locked it. Outside she could hear motorbikes revving and the squeal of brakes
She looked out to see the lawns being churned up by bikers
She went downstairs and announced that ‘somebody – one of the neighbours’ had called the police. Everybody soon left. The lounge looked like a bomb had hit it; literally it was a sea of spilt drink, empty bottles, up-turned broken furniture and broken glass. One girl was passed out on the floor.
“Oi…you!” Cordelia called out, and the last band member looked at her
“Take that with you” she said pointing to the girl. He marched back in, picked the girl up, threw her over his shoulder and left.
Angel was passed out on the sofa. Quickly she donned some surgical rubber gloves on and scanning around she saw three lines of coke on a table. She carefully scraped it all into a clean ash-tray, then as luck would have it she found a baggie where that passed out girl had been lying…putting the merest dot on her tongue she knew it to be heroin – and low and behold there was another on the sofa – more than what she needed. She mixed the two baggies with the coke and cooked it up. She drew it up into the syringe and tapped it to get out any air-bubbles.
She took it upstairs and put it in Angel’s nightstand.
“Angel….Angel come on time for bed!”
After twenty minutes of pleading, cajoling, heaving and pulling, she’d got him upstairs and into bed.
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