Chapter 94 You've Got This
"You need to go to the memorial."
He must be insane. There's no way I'm going to the memorial. I'm going to the hospital to stay by my grandma's side where I belong.
"I need to go to the hospital," I tell him.
"No, you don't. I'll look after your grandma but you need to go to the memorial," he says. "I know it's not what you want to hear but we need to do what your grandma would want."
"What grandma would want?"
I don't understand why it matters. We all know my grandma is a complete workaholic. No one would blame me for going to the hospital when my grandma is sick - only my grandma.
"If people hear that she's sick..." he begins but I don't hear anything after the word sick. I need to know what is wrong with my grandma, not go to the memorial.
"I'm going to the hospital," I say firmly. "We're wasting time."
He doesn't disagree with me this time, giving in.
"I'll drive you there."
"Thank you," I tell him as we lock grandma's front door behind us. The sound of the ambulance's siren is blaring as they make their way down the drive and out onto the main road. We're quiet for a moment as we get into the car to follow after them. It's only when we're on the road that Martin breaks the quiet.
"Eden, think for a second. If James Artie..."
"What does this have to do with James?"
I'm beginning to get frustrated. I don't understand why he seems to think the company is more important than my grandma's life.
"We can't afford for him or the the other directors to work out that Mrs Clancy is sick."
"Why?" It doesn't make sense.
"For one thing, he can't be trusted but more than anything, we can't risk the stock free falling."
"Why does that matter right now? I just want..." This is pointless. I'm not going to the memorial, not when my grandma's life hangs in the balance.
"I know what you want but you NEED to protect your family."
Protect my family? I don't understand. Grandma is my family.
"Your grandma has risked a lot recently," Martin says. "Supporting the company with her personal money."
"So?" What is his point? This is hardly news to me. I've heard it all before from Noah.
"So, if the stock drops, she'll lose everything."
"Surely, she's not..." Grandma isn't stupid. She'd never spend that much of her personal funds on the company. Enough to bankrupt us...
"Don't get me wrong," Martin says softly, "you wouldn't be on the poverty line but the company would be gone, your inheritance all gone."
If he'd have said those words several months ago, I'd have probably shrugged them off. The company meant nothing to me. But after working with Noah and the team... after sending so much time working on that Clancy house... I can't say the same. As much as I want to be with my grandma, as terrified as I feel, I also feel responsible for my grandma's employees.
That's what my dad used to say, that their lives were in our hands and so we had to always be careful.
"You'll call me as soon as..."
"As soon as I hear anything, I promise."
I still hesitate. What if the email is right? It doesn't seem possible but what if... What if I'm leaving my grandma with her son's killer? But I'm not... I'm leaving her with Martin. He's practically family. I almost ask him about it. Perhaps I'll be able to see it in his eyes... Except I'm scared that I will.
If I'm quick, I can deal with the memorial and still get to the hospital quickly. I'm not leaving grandma with Martin. I'm leaving her with the doctors or at least that's what I tell myself. I feel so uneasy but looking over to Martin I see nothing in his expression to suggest that he isn't still the person I've always trusted most.
"Where am I going, Eden?" he asks.
We're sitting at a junction, waiting for the lights to change from red to green. In one direction is the hospital but the other will take us to the venue for the memorial. I fiddle with the material at the hem of my dress. This is a decision I don't want to make.
"The venue." My voice is practically a whisper, fearful that I'm making the wrong decision.
"Alright," he says, turning left when the light changes.
I can do this, I tell myself as Martin pulls up outside the venue.
"You've got this," Martin tells me encouragingly, "and I promise I've got grandma."
He says it so sincerely that it's hard to believe that he doesn't mean it. It's hard not to trust him. Climbing out of the car, I straighten my shoulders, and begin to walk up the steps but pause when I realise I don't know what to tell people about grandma. How do I explain away the fact that she isn't here. I look back, thinking that I should ask Martin but he's already driven away and I'm all on my own.
I can do this, I tell myself again, forcing myself to at least appear confident even if I don't actually feel it. I try to smile. That's what people will expect, right? This whole thing is a disaster. I'm about to do exactly what I told my grandma I didn't want to have to do.
Letting myself into the building, I look about. There are people I recognise everywhere but none of them actually know who I am.
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