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My frantic packing is disturbed when the bag is taken from my hands and thrown to the floor My eer ‘You arsehole!’ I scream in his face, then proceed to bash the side of my fist into his shoulder He doesn’t move or reprimand me on it He’s impassive and cool ‘You arsehole, you arsehole, you arsehole!’ I strike hi at his unresponsive approach ‘You should have wokenhim in the chest I’ve lost control ofbody I just want to lash out and Miller is the only thing in my proximity ‘Why?’ I fall into his chest, exhausted and overcorief ‘Why didn’t you tellthe back ofcircles into my lower back I’m hushed repeatedly, kissed over and over on top ofsporadically into his shoulder

Taking my cheeks, he holds my contorted face in his hands ‘I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve betrayed you’ He pauses, watching oing to like his next words ‘We can’t go back to London, Olivia It’s not safe’

‘Don’t you dare, Miller!’ I try to locate so that’ll show him that it’s not up for discussion ‘Call Willia hoht face

I can’t find that fortitude ‘Just gettears ‘Please, take me to my nan’

I see defeatism crawl across his pained face as he nods faintly It’s a reluctant nod He hasn’t prepared hi pushed into a corner

Chapter 6

His palm on my nape has been a constant source of coh Heathrow, every available opportunity to hold me has been taken It has been needed and welcoetting myself worked up each tientle kneads of my nape, my mind has only allowed me to think about Nan

We had tio buy theht I would have onlyether, and I couldn’t help appreciating Miller’s attempts to try to distract me He asked my opinion on what colour, size, and style of suitcase we should buy, not thathie, I half listened to the reasons e should buy the graphite, leather Sae

Once we’ve collected our new suitcases froistered Miller’s annoyance at the few scuffs on the leather, we e air at Heathrow I spot Willia in the back after giving him a courteous nod He joins Miller at the back of the car to help load the bags

Then Miller slips in beside me and rests his hand on my knee ‘My place, Ted,’ he instructs

I lean forward ‘Thank you, Ted, but can you take ht to the hospital?’ I ask it as a question, but there’s no choice of answer, andinto my profile, yet I won’t allow ot off a six-hour flight The tih a clenched jaw, knowing‘I’ll find o ho betweeneyes Fond eyes

Miller , over-the-top sigh ‘The hospital, please, Ted’

‘Sir,’ Ted agrees on a nod He kneas never up for discussion

As we break the confines of the airport, h the rush-hour traffic on the M25 We find ourselves at a standstill on e to jump out and run the rest of the way

By the time Ted pulls up to the hospital, it’s dark and I’m beside noring Miller shouting after me I’m out of breath when I land at the main reception desk ‘Josephine Taylor,’ I splutter to the receptionist

She eyes hter’ I shift i the odd frown here and there at the screen ‘Is there a problem?’

‘She doesn’t appear to be on our system Don’t worry, we’ll try another way Her date of birth?’

‘Yes, it’s--’ I’m halted mid-sentence when my nape is claiet to your nan a lot faster if you listen to ot the details I knoard she’s on, the rooet us there’ His patience is clearly wearing thin

I re tunnel of white,with each step It’s eerie, the echoes of our footsteps lingering forever in the hollow space Miller is quiet, too, and I hateto ease his obvious concern forwill makesome spunk in my direction