Damaged Before Christmas

Chapter Nine

The last 24 hours must've caught up with me as I had fallen asleep in the blue plastic chair beside my dad's bedside as I woke with a start. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as they adjusted to the brightness of the room. I didn't realise where I was until I realised I was still in the hospital.

I straightened my back as I looked towards the bed and saw that my father was awake and sitting up in the bed. I couldn't stop the smile forming as I stared at him. " Dad, your awake. How are you feeling?" I asked standing and leaning towards him.

"I'm fine son, just a bit under the weather. I guess I scared your mother pretty badly huh," my dad said reaching for my hand.

"Yeah, you scared all of us dad," I said still smiling. I was feeling better that he was awake and talking. I felt relief and a huge weight lift from my shoulders. "You sure you're OK?"

"Tony, my boy, I'm fine. I had been feeling unwell for a while before this episode. The doctors haven't been around yet for their rounds but I'm guessing they couldn't find anything wrong," my dad saying looking sheepishly at me.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you were feeling unwell? We could've helped you more with the deliveries," I said shocked that this was not a sudden illness.

My dad grabbed my hand and slightly pulled me towards him. He didn't have his strength back but I moved as I felt that he wanted to tell me something. "Tony, this will be the last Christmas that I can do deliveries as I am not as young as I used to be and we both knew this day was coming. That was why I kept at you to take over the business. I know why I have been feeling unwell and there is nothing the doctors can do for me, but there is something that you can do for me."

I gulped knowing exactly what he was getting at. "Dad, we have been over this," I tried to explain that I wasn't ready to take over the business yet, but I looked at my father and knew that I couldn't put it off any longer. "I know that the delivery business is your life but I never imagined it as mine at this point in my life. I love you loads but I'm not ready."

My dad nodded his head slowly. "I know it will be terrifying to think about the future but as much as you are not ready I am running out of time," my dad stopped before taking a deep breath through his nose. " I used to be like you, not wanting to take over the business as, like you, I wanted to make my own way in the world. I even went as far as moving away from this town. The thing that brought me back to this town was the fact that your grandmother phoned me to say that I needed to come home as my father wasn't well."

I felt my mouth drop open when my father said he had left the town to forge his own path in the world. "Dad, did you get here in time to see grandpa?" I asked not really wanting to hear the answer. "I mean why didn't you tell me this before when you first suggested it?"

My dad hung his head before answering my questions. " Antonio I didn't make it back in time to talk to your grandfather. When I did eventually get home the business was mine and I was thrown in the deep end. I wanted to teach you everything that I could before the times comes that I can no longer teach you the things that you need to run the business."

I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. I knew that my grandparents were good people who strived on helping everyone that they met. "Dad, I want to help you but there's a big problem with me taking over this now. You're forgetting that I'm not married yet. I'm not even dating at the moment." I groaned.

My father smiled before leaning forward. " Son, I heard you when you said that you needed my help with getting your dream girl," he grinned and winked at me.

My eyes went as wide as saucers as I secretly hoped that he hadn't that bit. My father chuckled weakly as he sat back against his pillows. "Now tell me, who has caught your eye? I am guessing but could it be the sassy woman that your mum and sister adore who works in the bakery?"

I fidgeted in my chair and looked everywhere so I didn't have to look my dad in the eye. I felt my cheeks heat up under the unwavering gaze of my father. I felt like I was a teenager again trying to hide a secret girlfriend.

"As I told Holly and mum, yes she is attractive and if I seriously think about it I can imagine what it would be like to be with Iona," I closed my eyes as I heard my voice say her name and shivered as it felt so right on my tongue. "She has a spark that makes her look irresistible, she's got hair that looks so soft I just want to touch it, I get lost in her eyes every time I see her. Whenever I close my eyes she's all I can see..." I stopped describing Iona's effect on me when I felt like someone hit me in the chest with a punch.

My dad had just sat there and listened to me with a smile on his face. I hadn't meant to tell my father anything about Iona and what she does to me. " Dad I..."

I didn't get to finish before my dad put his hand on mine and looked me dead in the eye. " Son, if you feel like that about her why don't you do something about it?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know how, as since she arrived in town I've been a real jerk to her. I was in the bakery earlier and she was running the store and I told her I was only there to see if she had run the bakery into the ground or burnt it to the ground. She made this amazing coffee and I sniffed it and she thought that I thought she was poisoning me."

I took a deep breath before breathing it out again through my nose. I couldn't stop now even if I wanted to but continued talking. "I was standing behind her in the grocery store and I asked if she liked what she saw, which made her show me that spark that she had. She has never even seen me smile. I have given her the impression that I hate her and nothing could happen." I slumped back in my chair.

My dad sat for a moment going over everything that I had just blurted out to him. I felt guilty telling him as he sat in his hospital bed. "Sorry dad, you need a rest. I'll let mum and Holly know that you are awake and to come and see you as I sent mum home to get rest."

I went to stand up from the chair when my father grabbed on my arm and pulled me onto the bed before speaking. "Tony, what you have said about this young lady is the way I feel about your mother, well the first bit at least. My advice is to show her the real you and not this guy that just tolerates her. You can start by going to the bakery this morning when she opens and ask her to make your old man one of her coffees. Show her what she means to you even though it will be a challenge to get her to see past the way you have treated her so far."

I gave him a half-hearted smile and a small nod as his advice sank in. I stood from the bed and pulled my jacket on before bending down and kissing my dad on the head. "Thanks for the advice, I better go and tell the women that you're awake before they strangle me for not telling them." I waved as I left the room with one thought in mind. I needed to start to try and win Iona's heart before I do any more damage. I pulled out my mobile as I reached the automatic doors leading out of the hospital.

I hit my mum's number first as I lifted the phone to my ear. I heard the other phone ring twice before my mum answered.

"Tony, what's happened?" My mum panicked down the phone at me.

"Mum, calm down. I'm phoning to tell you that dad had woke up and is alert. He woke up not long ago and he wants to see you and Holly. Is she with you?" I knew that I wouldn't be happy if my sister had left my mother alone.

"That's great news, honey, Holly is here. Do you want to talk to her?" my mum sounded relieved before passing the phone to my sister.

"Is he really awake? Mum is already itching to get to the hospital to see him," Holly said down the phone. I heard my mum in the background frantically getting things ready to come to the hospital.

"Yeah, he's awake." I moved the phone away from my ear as Holly screamed her joy down the phone. I was going to regret the next thing that I had to talk to her about. "Holly, calm down will you as I need a favour. Well, two favours really."

Holly stopped screaming. "What are they?" she asked suddenly sounding serious.

I swallowed as my mouth had gone dry. "Well, the first one I need you to do is to bring back my car when you both come back to the hospital. The second one is if you can tell me if Iona is at the bakery today."

"The first one can be done no problem. Iona messaged me after I left the hospital last night asking about dad and if we needed her to open the bakery today. I asked if she was able to open it today but I can change her shift. Why are you asking?" Holly asked me.

Why was I asking? that was the million-dollar question. "I was just wondering as dad has asked if I could pick him up a coffee from the bakery." I tried to keep my voice sounding like it was a chore.

"Hmm, as long as you don't make her shift difficult for her," Holly said worried that I would make her life difficult when it was the complete opposite of what I wanted to do.

"I promise I won't cause any trouble," I said sincerely.

"Good well, we are just climbing into the car now. We should be there in about ten minutes as the traffic shouldn't be that bad at this time of the morning," Holly said as I heard my car door close and the engine starts.

"See you shortly," I ended the call before she could start driving.

I waited just inside of the hospital doors as the temperature had dropped during my visit with my dad and it was baltic. I sat in the waiting room as I waited on my sister and mum arriving. my hands felt like ice as I kept them in my pockets trying to get them to warm up so I could feel my fingers again. As I sat there I heard the Christmas songs playing on a loop so I had the same songs about three times before I finally saw my mum and sister walk through the doors into the hospital.

"Here's your keys Tony," Holly said handing the warm key over to me. " So how is dad?"

"Dad is saying he has felt unwell for a while now. That is why he has been pushing me to step up and take over the business. We had a good chat about everything and now I need a shower before I go and grab dad coffee from the bakery." I said to them before kissing their cheeks and walking into the cold.

I got to my car and opened the door. I felt the rush of heat as I climbed in and fastened my seatbelt. I sat there for a few minutes enjoying the silence and the comfortable heat that lingered from the drive over here. I leant my head back and closed my eyes. I needed a plan to start with before I announce that I was willing to take over the delivery business.

I drove home in record time. I jumped out of the car and ran up to the front door. I quickly unlocked the door before stepping into the warmth of my home. I shrugged my jacket off as I headed for the bathroom. I opened the shower door open and turned the shower on. I quickly stripped before stepping under the water. I shuddered when the water first hit me as it was still cold but I knew that it would be only a short shower as I had somewhere to be. I scrubbed my skin until it was pink before turning the shower off and wrapping a towel around my waist.

I wanted to go for the laid back look so I grabbed a pair of distressed jeans that I had only worn once before and a white t-shirt. I grabbed my thermal shirt and put that over the t-shirt I was wearing. Once I had got dressed I went back into the bathroom and grabbed my boots. I took my boots into the living room and sat on the grey leather couch I had as I put my boots on. I stood and went and stood in front of the silver mirror that hung over the couch. I ran my hands through my hair until it looked decent enough.

I walked over to the door and put my winter jacket on that I kept for special occasions. I thought I would go all in if I wanted my plan to work. I made sure I had my wallet and my keys before leaving my home and setting off towards the bakery.

Once I had managed to get parked I switched the engine off before climbing out. I wish I had remembered my scarf as the wind had a nasty bite to it today. I walked a couple of blocks towards the bakery. I was so nervous that she wouldn't accept my apology or agree with what I had planned to ask her. The closer I got the more nerves I seemed to collect. I was standing at the bakery door and as I reached for the door handle to open the door, it swung open making me grab it as a woman was leaving with her hands full of goodies.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the bakery. The delicious smells from the cakes and drinks that we sold were mingling in the air. I took a deep breath as the smells always seemed to calm me down. I did a quick sweep of the bakery and my eyes finally landed on the person I was wanting to see.

Iona was busy running back and forth the customers that were seated and standing at the counter waiting to be served. She hadn't noticed me but from the way she kept wiping her brow with the back of her arm, I could tell that she was stressed. My whole plan suddenly went out of the window as I watched her fill orders with a smile that she had which made my heart skip a beat.

I walked to the other end of the bakery where the coat racks were and removed my jacket. I hung it up beside the only other jacket that was hanging before going to the end of the counter and grabbing a pen and paper. I stood there hoping that she would have a minute to breathe and talk but no such luck.

"Iona?" I said a bit louder than what I was expecting it to be.

Iona stilled with her hands around the milk warmer as she heard my voice call her. She looked my way and I felt my breath stop. I ran my eyes over what she was wearing. She had on black jeans that clung to her legs and butt like a lover while her top was white with little candy canes all over it. The top clung to all the right places. I dragged my breath in through my teeth as I checked her out.

I hadn't noticed her walk over to me when she had served the latest customer. She was frowning which just made me find her cuter. "What are you doing here?" She asked places her hands on her hips. "Is your dad OK?"

I grinned before replying. "My dad woke up sometime this morning when I was visiting and my sister and mum are with him now. I came by to get him a coffee as Holly said that you make the best coffee in town now. Plus I think I owe you an apology for my behaviour towards you."

Iona smiled and threw her arms around my neck with complete abandon. I wrapped my arms around her and almost groaned with the way she felt in my arms. It felt like she was made for me as she fitted perfectly with my body. She must've come to her senses as she quickly let go of my neck and stepped back. "That's great news. I told Holly that he would be OK. I'm happy for your family."

I genuinely smiled instead of the fake one I had mastered to show people. Iona smiled back before a customer cleared their throat at the counter wanting to be served. "Iona..." I never got to finish what I was going to say as the customer started huffing and puffing about being kept waiting.

Iona's cheeks glowed red as she turned and went and served the grumpy customer. I saw more people coming into the bakery and sighed. Iona must've heard the sigh as she threw daggers my way before sighing herself. I pulled out my mobile and pulled the conversation that was saved under Holly's name. I decided to send a quick text to let her know that I would be in later and that dad would have to wait before he got to try the greatest coffee in town.

Holly replied straight away with a thumbs up. I hope that my dad had not told either Holly or my mum about my feelings for Iona. I looked over at Iona and saw a small bead of sweat start to trickle down her forehead. I put my phone back in my pocket before sticking the pen behind my ear.

I walked over to Iona and put my hand over hers. I felt her shiver when I touched her. She looked up at me frazzled and hot from being busy. I tucked a fallen piece of hair that had escaped from her ponytail and tucked it behind her ear.

"What do you want me to do? I'm sorry for my behaviour and I want to prove it to you. Now, where do you need me?"