Chapter 4. Moving On with Life

After four years

Annabelle hurried inside the mansion on hearing about Gran's accidental fall. She had been so engrossed in giving dance lessons since morning at her studio; she did not have time to visit Gran earlier. They always enjoyed their first coffee together, early in the morning. It was their special time, and they looked forward to those bonding sessions. However, this morning Annabelle had some fresh admissions to deal with and she was too occupied since morning. In fact, she missed her morning coffee as well.

Guilt-stricken, she chided herself as she walked down the foyer. Had she taken out time and visited her, Gran would not have rushed out to meet her for coffee. She completely blamed herself for being so busy and completely forgetting about it.

"Is she in a lot of pain? How serious is she? Do we need to take her to the hospital?" she asked Martha apprehensively.

"Yes, Anna, it seems we need to take her to the hospital. She has lost consciousness after the fall." Anna panicked, as the worst possible thoughts crept into her mind. She crossed her fingers and said a silent prayer for Gran. After all, gran was all she had and she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if anything happened to her. Whatever she was today was because of Gran. She was her everything!

Annabelle ran down the corridor as fast as her legs could carry her. She opened the door to Gran's room and rushed inside. Her heart constricted at the sight of Gran's frail body lying on the floor, unconscious. Nurse Ellie knelt beside Gran, holding her in the crook of her arm, looking pale with fear.

"Ellie, has she gained consciousness yet?" asked Anna, as she knelt down beside her.

"No, Anna. I’m trying to revive her." 

"How did she fall?" 

"I had just gone to the kitchen to fetch hot water for Gran's water therapy. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left her alone. She was eager to see you and tried to climb out of her bed without my aid." 

"It's okay, Ellie, it's not your fault," consoled Annabelle.

Annabelle checked Gran's pulse and thought of calling Dr. Smith, Gran's orthopaedic surgeon, and asking for his advice. When after five calls she could not contact Dr. Smith, she thought of calling for an ambulance without further delay.

"Should we place her on the bed, Anna?" asked Martha, looking at Gran with a panic-stricken expression. She was at a loss too.

"No, she might have broken bones," advised Annabelle. Since there were no visible injuries on her body, Annabelle felt that she might have internal injuries due to which she had lost consciousness.

"Martha, please, can you hold Gran as we get ready? Ellie, you can collect all her medical reports and prescriptions and be prepared. I'm calling an ambulance to take Gran to Princeton Medical Centre," Annabelle said, searching for the number in her contacts. She had saved it on her phone when she had to take her Pops to the hospital. Within ten minutes, the pre-meds arrived with the ambulance. After an initial check-up, they carried Gran to the ambulance. Annabelle and Ellie accompanied her to the hospital.

Annabelle spoke to the doctor in charge, and they rushed Gran to the emergency unit. She stood pale with panic in the emergency department while the doctors conducted the tests and attempted to revive Gran. Nurse Ellie went inside to discuss Gran's precious reports with the doctor in charge.

Annabelle prayed for Gran as a teardrop escaped her eyes and trickled down her cheek. Gran had helped her in her time of need. After losing her Pops, she didn't like hospitals, but for Gran, she had to instil courage in herself and stand up strong. She had to help Gran now in her time of need. Annabelle knew she had to contact the Henderson family. 

She didn't wish to contact Stefan Henderson, the only person in the world whom she wished to avoid the most. She had last seen him four years ago. His harsh words rang in her ears every day. 

Heartbreak was something she experienced at a very tender age. Now she was more mature and had set her priorities too high. Now she would never allow such feelings to harbour in her heart. She knew what she felt for him wasn't any teenage crush, to be forgotten at the drop of a hat. She loved him truly, madly, and deeply. There was a void in her heart that pained her whenever she saw two people in love. Her rose-tinted views on true love and destiny did not fade away, though. She knew Stefan was her true love, although one-sided, and they were not destined to be together. Unrequited love really sucked.

However, Annabelle blamed only herself for her heartbroken condition. She should not have fallen for Stefan's charm. Although she was unaware of his marriage, she should not have carried her heart on her sleeve, ready to give it away to the first man she met. Stefan did not make any unwanted advances; he was just his charming self. She could have controlled herself and saved her heart. But love doesn't issue a warning. It just happens all suddenly, like a tornado, sweeping one off her feet. It knows no reason and can happen with whoever your soul connects to.

It was her problem and she would have to deal with it herself. She had no complaints about Stefan. He made no false promises to her or took advantage of her. As a married man, his true allegiance should be towards his family, and it was. She didn't have any right to him, actually, and she wasn't the type to break up a relationship for her personal gain. So, the best thing to do was to forget him.

She had avoided Stefan during his rare visits to the mansion. Stefan's family members, his twin, Claire, dad, Nathaniel Henderson and step-mom, Audrey Henderson, came to see Gran often. Annabelle had bonded with Claire, but they never brought up Stefan in their discussions. Claire, Stefan's twin, resembled him so much that every time she saw Claire, she missed Stefan even more. She believed he was happy with his wife and child. Nathaniel and Audrey were very caring and supportive of Annabelle and treated her just like their own children. She loved interacting with them every time they visited. They never let her feel different from their own children. Although they lived in New York, they tried to visit at least once a month.

Annabelle graduated from college, specializing in finance. She had been training in dance since the age of seven and had taught professionally at a few dance academies to keep herself busy. At Gran's insistence, she gave dance lessons to children, converting the spare garage into a dance studio. It kept her busy, and her mind remained occupied. She enjoyed her interactions with the little children. The studio gained popularity with each passing day, and more and more children from the neighbourhood started pouring in. Although she had gained success professionally, her soul wasn't happy. It wanted a mate, a soulmate and there was only one person for her. Stefan Henderson! The one who was forbidden to her.