chapter 33

The next six months passed quickly, Kris joined Jess and Katie every other weekend in Majorca, they loved the time together, and although it was hard for them to be separated, they chatted nearly every day either by phone, text, email or private messaging on the net, and it made the long weekends together all the more special. It became a routine for Kris to catch a flight after his Friday night radio show straight to Majorca, and to stay until Monday afternoon, and he just made it home in time for his broadcast on the Monday evening. Kris and Jess would be the first to admit that it was not a usual family set up, but then again, they were not exactly a normal everyday couple.

Jess was sitting on the sofa in her apartment, flicking through a magazine, when suddenly her phone rang, noticing it was Kris, she was confused as she had only spoken to him a few hours earlier, and it was unusual for them to talk more than once a day (unless you count the odd saucy text message)

“Hey Baby, whats up?”
“Its… Its,” Jess could tell he was crying, but couldn’t get the words out
“Hey Kris, comeon, you can tell me”
“Its Nana Collins, Aunt Helen called, she is hospital, she is really ill, they don’t think she is going to pull through” Kris sobbed, Nana Collins was his mothers mom, she and Kris’ great Aunt Helen, were the only members of Kris’s family who had not cut him off and disowned him, they were his only relatives that were not ashamed or embarrassed by him.

Jess’s heart went out to Kris, as he knew what she meant to him. Not long after Jess and Kris got back together, he bought Nana Collins and Great Aunt Helen out to Spain for a holiday to meet Jess and Katie, They were dear old ladies who clearly doted on Kris. Helen had no children or grandchildren of her own, so she too treated Kris like a grandson. Jess was so glad that Helen had felt that way about Kris, as she knew without a doubt, that none of Kris other family would contact Kris with the news of his grandmothers illness.

“Jess, I need you both, please…” Kris did not have to finish the sentence, she knew that he wanted her and Katie with him, “I’ll arrange the next flight out of Majorca, Do you want me to meet you in Ireland or in Manchester?” “Ireland please, if that’s OK, Aunt Helen has said we can stay with her at the cottage, if that’s alright” Kris was trying hard not to breakdown on the phone
“Course it is silly, we will be there as soon as I can be, have you your plane booked to Belfast?”
“Yes, I should be there by 5 tonight, let me know what time your plane gets in, and I will meet you”
“You don’t have to Kris, go to the hospital, I will meet you there”
Kris gave the hospital details to Jess and headed to Manchester airport to get the plane, fearful of what was going to happen, he was upset at the thought that his grandmother may not even be alive by the time he gets to the hospital, and was nervous about seeing his family after all these years, he just hoped they could show Nana Collins some respect on her death bed not to start any arguments.


chapter 34

As soon as Kris arrived in Belfast, he got a taxi to the hospital, he was greeted with a warm and loving hug from his great aunt, both were tearful, but Kris was relieved to find out he was not too late to say goodbye to his beloved grandmother. Kris and Helen walked towards her car in the hospital car park to put his bags he had bought with him in the boot. During the entire flight, Kris’s head was filled with emotion, and questions, he was apprehensive about seeing his parents and brother and sister again, he was dreading saying goodbye to his Nan, and had no idea how his family would react when they saw Jess and Katie, he just hoped that they would get here soon, as he had never needed them more in his life than he did now.

When they walked back into the hospital Helen took him towards his grandmothers room, he took a deep breath before opening the door to her room, he had been trying to prepare himself on the plane, but he could not believe the sight of his Nan lying in the hospital bed, the woman who her despite age always had seemed to be full of life and energy, was now very pale, and frail looking, seeing her like this broke Kris heart. She was sleeping when he got there, but her breathing was not calm, her breath was laboured.

His father and brother refused to acknowledge his presence in the room, and his mother and sister looked as if they wanted to say or do something but he did not know what. Helen took a seat beside Kris, at his Nan’s bedside, and took his hand; well aware of the shock Kris was feeling at seeing her sister like this. They all sat like this in silence for hours, when Helen decided to get them all some drinks, the moment Helen left the room, Kris had never felt so alone in all his life, ironic considering everyone in the room was his family, yet they did not feel that way, and even over his Nan’s death bed, he could feel the looks of animosity coming from his father and brother, and the shame and embarrassment from his mother and sister. Kris did not dare to look in their direction; he could not handle seeing the looks in their eyes he knew was there.

Nana Collins started to stir from her sleep, she was confused at first them started to come to, “Kris?” she asked
“I’m here Nana,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion
Her eyes lit up for the first time since she had been in hospital, everyone else noticed this too, which caused more resentment and jealousy towards Kris, that he was getting the attention.
“Come closer, Kris, its hard to talk now, but I need to say something to you”
“Sure Nana, what is it”
“I need to remind you, you’re not alone, no matter what when I am gone …”
“Nana, please don’t” Kris cried, not wanting her to voice the fact that she was dying
“Please Kris, I need to say this, you have them Kris, take care of them, they are your true family now, don’t push them away in your grief”
Kris knew who his grandmother was referring to, but everyone else in the room was looking at each other with confusion in their eyes.
“I wont nana, they are coming tonight, as soon as they manage to get a flight over”
“That’s good, you deserve to be happy, the three of you” she smiled slightly.
“Thankyou Nana” and Kris placed a gentle kiss on his Nans cheek.