I am switching the story from third to first person so there will be instances of the two points of view.  

I rushed through the emergency room doors of Cedar Heights Hospital. I looked frantically for any sign of my mother. I asked the clerk at the desk for my father's room and ran to the identified section at the end of the crowded hallway. My mother and Aunt Jaine were at the doorway. I hurried to give her mother a hug before hugging my aunt.

"Mom?" I queried worriedly. "Where is he? What happened? What has the doctor said?" My mother held my arms tightly.

"Will you stop fretting for one second so that I can answer you?" she looked at me squarely in the eyes and smiled as she spoke.

 I took a deep breath and fixed my coat standing back and tried to look dignified. My aunt was also smiling.

'Okay mom." My mother was very relaxed in fact she looked quite calm. What was going on here?

"Honey, your father just had his x- ray and the doctor will be back soon with the results." She said openly.

"What was he doing to get this injury?" I was dumbfounded.

My mother looked at my aunt and they started to chuckle.

"Your ever so young father was strutting his stuff on the golf course. He was showing Gary his special skill when he swung a little too extravagantly. He slipped of course and got a badly bruised ankle for his effort." My mother  and aunt giggled.

I smiled since my father only had a bruised ankle and probably a broken ego as well from embarrassment.

Thank God for that.

"So he will be okay right?" I asked after the two ladies had stopped their laughter.

"Yes he will but since he passed out the doctor wants to keep him overnight for observation." I hugged her mother in relief.

"I was so worried that I could not think straight." My mother patted my back comfortingly.

"I know dear, but he will be fine." She snickered. " He will feel embarrassed but he will be fine."

I loved my parents so much that I hoped they lived at least 30 more years or at least long enough to see their grandchildren. An image of Chris popped into my head. I shook my head mentally why was this awful guy even in my brain at a time like this.

" Oh my, I'm sure his ego is a little bruised as well, when can we see him?" I asked feeling much more relaxed knowing that all my dad needed was a few days off his feet.

"Shortly I hope, the nurse is just finishing bandaging his foot." Just then Gary came in after parking his car. He was a professional golfer and had come for a fly by visit.

'Hey what's the news on Uncle Simon?" he asked strutting his stuff. A nurse passing stopped to give him a smile. He was a notorious charmer so he gave her a dazzling one in return. He was tall with blond hair and grey eyes. He had the Eton look down and used it notoriously.

"Gary," his mother cautioned.

"Is a smile illegal now?" he said putting his hands around his mother's shoulders.

"Yes, especially since you caused this whole thing?" she accused him.

He looked hurt. "Me?" he said holding his heart then moving to hold his mother's hand and give her a kiss on her forehead. Gary was a natural flatterer.

"You scoundrel, Simon was trying to impress you." my mother added. We laughed knowing my dad had always tried to impress Gary on the golf course.

"Thanks for picking me up Gary," I added.

"Sure no problem, Aunt Leana knew that you would be a bit frantic so I just swung by the office to get you. All in a knight's duty." he said giving a small bow.

"You drama king!" I flung at him and he held his heart pretending to be hurt.

Soon the door to my father's room opened and a doctor exited. He gave the chart in his hands to a nurse who had followed him out of the room. His fingers were long and tailored. He had the most beautiful and sculptured pair of hands on a man just like Chris.

He removed his mask and revealed a very sexy mouth with sparkling white teeth. I was immediately impressed. His mouth reminded me of Chris' so sexy and sexual. He came toward our little group. Why was I seeing Chris in every man around me?

"Hello, I'm Dr. Tyler Collingwood. Mr. Perkins is in stable condition. He is nursing a type two sprained ankle." We sighed in relief.

"It will be okay, his foot is in a cast to ensure that any cartilage that was torn will heal properly. His foot will be cast for three weeks. After that time we will access the healing." Dr Collingwood finished and put his pen back into his coat pocket.

"Doctor?" I asked "Were there any other injuries incurred from his fall?"

His piercing blue eyes bore into me like Chris'. He smiled and I was indeed entranced. What was going on with me? All of a sudden every man I met made me feel horny. Had my drought been so extreme?

"He has a slight concussion, so he is a bit groggy; he will feel slightly sore for a couple of days but he is fine. The x-rays show no broken bones or internal injuries."

I held my mother's hand tightly as we both revelled in hearing the good news..

"Can we see him now?" my mother asked eagerly.

"Of course, go in, he is waiting, remember he needs a few days of rest and to stay off his ankle as much as possible during the next three weeks."

"Thank you doctor," my mother added before quickly releasing my hand and stepping into the room.

I had one more question and stood alone with the doctor after everyone had dispersed.

"Is my father really okay?" I asked concerned.

"Yes," he checked his watch stuck to his coat pocket. "We are keeping him overnight just as a routine observation."

"Thanks Dr. Collingwood." I offered my hand and he took it. His eyes were still boring into me.

"My pleasure." his silky voice drawled, it sounded like Chris' voice when we had made love. I pulled away from him and rushed into my father's room. I needed to reboot.

My father was propped against the bed looking like a Cheshire cat as my aunt plumped his pillows and my mother was giving him water through a straw. My dad was indeed going to savour his days of pampering. I went over to him and gave him a huge hug and kiss.

"Hey dad," I smiled, " how are you feeling?"

"My little pumpkin," he responded, "sorry to worry you all but I'm okay."

"What in Jupiter's name were you trying to do?" I asked giving him a mock stare.

My dad looked over at Gary and we all laughed.

"I was just trying to polish my swing but the grass was too slippery, it messed up my swing and here I am." he said with flourish.

"The grass messed up or the person swinging?" my mother asked jokingly.

We continued to discuss my Dad's faux pas. My sister Ciane called from France and was relieved that Dad was fine.

I stayed for a few more minutes before leaving for Gelmshire.

The hour long train ride was uneventful and  the estate agent who met me at the train station with the hired car that I had requested was helpful but eager to escape the awful weather.

I was in Gelmshire and the sight around me was not pretty. 

It was cold, wet and the winds were gusty. This otherwise gentle community was experiencing a sudden summer storm. The rented car was not storm worthy and I had to be moving at 10 miles per hour to ensure that I did not get blown off the road. The area where I was headed was largely deserted. There were a few houses but a lot of lush vegetation and tall forested areas. I guessed this place looked beautiful on a spring morning. It was surely nature's hangout.

I had seen two properties already and now on my way to the third. They were all suitable and would need months of haggling to get boundary rights and ownership sorted. The last property was perfect it could certainly be altered to suit Chris' requirements. It was lavish and secluded and had acres of land around it. It was exactly what Chris wanted. As an added bonus it bordered with a nature trail and a flowing river which would mean a lot of council pedalling back and forth for rights. Plus the other owner adjacent had some boundary restriction on the driveway which would definitely need to be a worry since he was in a home for dementia sufferers and his next of kin was living in Australia. Good luck on moving in next week O'Connor!

The estate agent had wanted to postpone this viewing for tomorrow due to the weather but I knew it would be too much of a rush so I had gotten the key and decided to visit this place on my own.  The light had faded and driving was becoming even more difficult in the stormy weather.

Maybe I should have listened to the estate agent but then again I wanted to complete this viewing and get the report back to Chris tomorrow as planned. He was not going to win this round.

I passed a sign and stopped. It was hard to read anything in this downpour. I had to roll down my window to read the sign.

Yes I was on the right track. However now I was partially wet from the strong winds that blew the rain into the car and onto my clothes and hair. I drove for a few more feet and entered a wooden area. I hoped this was the place. The house was beautifully hidden from the road by a huge fence which was now laden with vines. The entrance was small and almost secretive. One could easily miss the turn if they were not careful.

The drive way was sleek and a bit narrow as I wheeled my way through the very curved road. The rain had lessened a little and I tried to manoeuvre my vehicle close enough to the entrance. I put all my papers into my bag, got out the key to the place and made a dash for the front door. To my chagrin the door was difficult to open. It was a heavy oak door that seemed to have been originally built with the cottage in the early 1940's.

After a few crusty turns I finally shoved it open. The place was dark and musty but I immediately fell in love with the huge archway that led into the spacious yet cosy living area. I walked in slowly admiring the huge glass doors that lined the back of the room. This was a beautiful cottage. It was a private hide away. I loved it and hoped that Chris would as well. I went into the larger of the two reception rooms and placed my stuff of the side table. The view from the window was immaculate. The low mountain ridge could be seen in the distance and I was sure it had a miraculous sunset. It was great but knowing Chris, he would be sure to find a fault.

The agent had said that the house had been vacant for about three years but was in good condition since the owner had a caretaker to oversee the place. I did not regret her choice. This place was beautiful.

The property sat on fifteen acres of lush vegetation. It bordered a huge stream that run around the northern part of the land. It had bordered a forest with gentle slopes. I was eager to see it but that would have to wait for tomorrow after the storm. Inside I walked around the four bedroom building which kept true to the cottage theme. The rooms had been updated although the original furnishings were kept and used in the new decorations. 

The ground floor housed the master bedroom which had a walk in closet and a very 20's themed bathroom.   The double reception rooms boasted massive fireplaces and were full of natural light. Chris would probably use this as his quarters and the new additions could be guest quarters. I could see the design forming in my head as I surveyed the area. One of the large reception rooms opened out to a dining area and a modern kitchen. The conservatory off the kitchen had potential to be a nice semi outdoor space perfect for afternoon reading. I could relax here on a lazy afternoon just reading and sipping some iced tea. 

What was I thinking? This was in no way going to be my home.

The property had a huge expanse of unused land which could build the extensions that Chris had identified. This cottage was definitely at the top of the list now. 

The three bedrooms upstairs were all huge and all had en suite bathrooms. The bonus was the view from the balcony of one of the rooms. It was absolutely breath taking! The entire property could be viewed from it.

  I would love waking up to such a sight.

"What am I thinking?" I say to myself. This is Chris' house. I tried to clear my mind as I surveyed the rest of the property.

The rain was pouring down. It was as if someone was tipping over a drum full of  never ending water. I would wait it out before I left. Visibility was very poor and I could only see a few feet away from me. About thirty minutes later I attempted to make a dash to my rental car. The car refused to start.

"Come on!" I shouted.

I turned the key again not even a squeak.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I yelled in frustration.

After five attempts I gave up. I pulled out my mobile but there was no signal.

"Oh my days!" I put my head on the steering wheel, what was I going to do? No one to call and I knew absolutely nothing about cars so I would not even try looking under the bonnet.

"Chris O'Connor!" I shouted, once again he had messed up my plans. "When I get my hands on you I will rip you apart! I hate you! You hear me Chris, I hate you!"

After my screaming rant, I was out of breath but surprisingly I felt better. I had to focus. I was stranded with a broken down car in an unoccupied house in a storm. I stopped short. Then I smiled, it was a beautiful house and it was empty. The wood and stone interiors made the place homely and cosy.

So I made a decision to wait it out until the next day.

I made sure the windows and doors were bolted and secured throughout the house. It was never wrong to be too safe as I prepared to enjoy one night in this perfect retreat. I would explain the situation to the estate agent the next day and pay whatever charges they wanted me to pay. There was no way I would walk in this storm to find a mechanic.

"It was meant to be." An idea came to me. I smiled and went to get my travel case from the car. It was a good thing I had not checked into the B&B before I came here. The house was clean and well stocked with basic necessities so I did not have to worry about food.

I took off my wet clothes and stepped into the bathroom of the master bedroom.  It was a dream. The sun tiled roof gave the room a special glow which added to the garden style of the tiles running along the walls. The huge brass crusted tub had a 1700s feel to it, in addition the flow of water from the wall into the huge basin felt like a waterfall. I languished in the lukewarm water as I let my senses be renewed by the sensuous flow of water on my body. I was happy that I would at least have a calm night as the heating system was working properly. 

At least I had a taste of the luxury of this beautiful cottage.

I changed into my onesie which would keep me nice and warm. I looked through the cupboards and found some noodles and tins of soup. I heated the minestrone soup and ate it with a flourish. Then I made some instant hot chocolate.

While drinking the refreshing cup of hot chocolate, I settled on the sofa and tried to call my mother but the signal was weak and I could not connect the call. I tried sending a text but it failed to be delivered. Either the storm was wreaking havoc with the mobile coverage or this place was too far from a signal mast.

I decided to do some work on my laptop. Since there was no internet connection, I started to write my report for that pig head O'Connor.

I heard a sound outside and looked toward the patio doors. It was really dark outside now. I looked at the laptop screen it was almost 9pm. Time had flown by. No one lived nearby and it would be mad for anyone to be here in this weather.

I went to the door, the dark night made it difficult to see anything. After scanning the area I saw a low branch from the tree next to the porch swinging in the wind and since it was so close to the house it would probably hit the glass when the wind blows.

 I did not hear the noise again so I bundled myself in a warm blanket with another cup of hot chocolate as I finished the report.