Chapter 103 I Should Go Home

Martin thinks I should go home. It's dark outside now and it's getting late. Noah is silently sitting next to me, holding my hand. He knows better than to try and convince me to leave again. Unlike Martin... Martin should know better, but he's unrelenting.

"Eden, your grandma won't forgive me if you don't get some rest."

"I'll sleep here," I insist.

"Eden," his voice is gentle as he comes towards me, "your grandma needs you."

Finally he's speaking sense. He's right my grandma needs me here with her.

"But not here," he continues, frustrating me immensely. "She needs you at the company tomorrow."

What is he talking about? I'm just an assistant. I'm not going to work. There's no way in hell. The company needs Martin more than it needs me right now. I know hardly anything about the company except what I've learned in Noah's team. Hardly any of which actually relates to the running of the company. I guess, I might know more about the company's expenses than anyone other than Noah and whoever has been stealing from Clancy's Comforts but that's hardly helpful right now.

"She doesn't need me there."

"She does," Martin argues. "There will be gossip and questions. People will want to know why she didn't show up at the memorial and then the fact that you've both disappeared today..."

He's so frustrating. I hate it when he's right. I want to refuse again. I'm scared that if I leave, something awful might happen and I might lose her, the way I lost my parents. I'm not ready for that. I know I'll lose her one day. Everyone dies after all but not today... I need her.

"I'll call you if anything happens," Martin says softly, a hand squeezing my shoulder encouragingly.

Logically, I know he's right but I feel guilty even thinking about leaving. Will I even be able to sleep if I go? Noah is looking at me hopefully. I've got him all worried. There's tension in his shoulders and that makes me feel even more guilty.

Especially after our argument earlier...

Yup, I definitely feel awful about that. I know he's just worried about me and he doesn't know Martin like I do. It makes sense that he'd be a little less trusting. I really shouldn't have gone off on him like that.

Thinking about our argument brings my parents back to the forefront of my mind. I really do need to find out who killed them... If someone killed them at all. It's completely possible that James just said that to distract us from the company's expenses. It's so frustrating trying to work out someone else's motivations.

"Okay," I give in, getting to my feet.

Neither one of them move. I'm sure they can't believe their ears. I don't bother to look at them. Their mouths are probably hanging open, catching flies.

I lean over my grandma, kissing her forehead.

"I love you," I whisper before telling her that I'll see her tomorrow. Then I'm gathering my things and pulling my coat on.

"You'll call..."

"I'll call if anything happens," Martin says immediately.

"Okay..." I'm still unsure. I don't really want to leave but Noah takes my hand and guides me out of the hospital room.

As the door closes behind us, I feel almost panicked. I shouldn't be leaving. Not because I don't trust Martin with my grandma, although maybe Noah is right and I shouldn't, but because I feel a burden of responsibility. She's my grandma and it's my job to look after her, not Martin's...

Well, that's not strictly true. Martin is literally paid to care for my grandma but still.

"Let's get you home, Eden," Noah says, putting his arm around my shoulder, encouraging me to walk down the hallway.

He's talking pretty much non stop, about absolutely nothing important and his words seem to just wash over me as we make our way through the hospital. I'm surprised he's not annoyed with me after our argument earlier. One thing I've known about Noah since the first time I met him is that he has a bit of a hot headed stubborn streak. And yet, he's being surprisingly patient with me.

"I think I'll come back in the morning," I tell him.

I really don't think I can just go to work tomorrow and act like nothing has happened. What if people ask where she is? What am I supposed to say? Maybe, I should go back and ask Martin... I really don't want to go to the company tomorrow.

"We can worry about that once you've had a good night's sleep."

"I can't pretend... I don't want to lie..." I'm mumbling, barely making sense at all.

"It's alright," Noah says, pulling up short so he can pull me around to look at him. "We'll work all that out tomorrow but right now, all that matters is that your grandma is alive and getting better."

Getting better... I hope he's right. I feel tears prickling at my eyes but I really don't want to cry. I'm not really the biggest fan of making a public spectacle of myself. One thing I've learned as Elisa Clancy's granddaughter is that someone is always watching.

That thought puts me on edge though...

I can only imagine who might be watching. What if someone really did kill my parents? It doesn't seem believable but what if... What if that email was telling the truth? What if I've just left my grandma alone and vulnerable with their killer?

Everything inside me says Martin didn't do it but there is still a small part of me that wants to turn around and run back to my grandma's room to check on her. It's silly... Martin wouldn't kill my grandma! Would he?

Noah's POV:

Getting Eden out of the hospital is almost impossible. She keeps stopping as if she's about to rush back in but eventually I manage to get her into the car park.

I talk idly, asking her what she wants for dinner, not that I actually get an answer.

"She'll be alright, won't she?" she asks, just as I'm about to close her door.

It's hard because I don't want to make promises that I can't keep. I have no idea if Mrs Clancy will be okay. I'd like to believe she will but I'm no doctor.

"I hope so," I tell her, leaning down to kiss her.

I only intend the kiss to be a soft peck but she leans into it and I don't pull away, twisting my hand into her hair. I need to get her home so she can sleep but that doesn't stop me kissing her, even though it probably should.

Her hands go to my shirt, clutching at me, pulling me closer.

It takes a hell of a lot of self control but I manage to pull back, grinning down at her.

"Time to go home," I whisper. My tone suggests that I'll kiss her again when we get there, although I'm not sure I will. I definitely shouldn't. I should let her rest because no matter how much I try to put her mind at ease, tomorrow is going to be gruelling.

She sighs, her shoulders dropping as she pulls her seat belt on. Closing the door, I make my way around the car and climb in on the driver's side.

"What do you want for dinner?" I ask but I think I might have already asked her that.

"I don't mind," she answers distantly.

"Should I cook?" I offer.

"If you like..."

She's looking out the window, staring into space and we've not even gone anywhere yet.

"I'll come back to the hospital tomorrow," she mumbles to herself and I don't bother to discourage her. I think she should go to work or maybe even just stay in her bed until she's had a proper rest but I don't see that happening.