He hadn't expected Sibella to get in the motorcar. As far as he knew, Sibella never went in Lionel's car. She hadn't been in there since their courtship, why in the world was she suddenly in it now?
He watched, horrified, as Sibella's slim figure entered the motorcar on the passenger's side. His eyes were memorized as he watched her body disappear into the car, the red fabric of her dress glimmering in the night air, her blonde hair shining brightly. Soon there would be nothing but red.
Monty's chest tightened. His stomach dropped.
He came to a dead stop in his tracks. He felt himself grow dizzy at the prospect of what was to happen. It was only a matter of minutes now. Soon, Lionel would start up the car… they'd try to drive… and then…. Monty nearly vomited at the thought all over his new dark suit.
Phoebe glanced at him after saying goodnight to another couple. Her face dropped and she looked concerned, seeing how he had gone pale. She clutched him closer to her. Her dark eyes searched his face. Her fingers reached up to touch his cheek and bring him back to reality.
"Darling, what is it?" she asked softly, worried for him. She turned his face towards her. Phoebe knew that Monty was not happy that Sibella was still involved with Lionel, and truth be told, neither was she, but seeing Sibella and Lionel together was nothing new. Seeing them shouldn't make Monty look absolutely horrified. Something was wrong. She felt it in her bones.
"She's not supposed to be in the car," Monty whispered, terrified.
Phoebe felt like something had knocked the wind out of her as she pondered over his words, trying to come up with some other meaning besides the obvious one. God, how could he have been so stupid? She had half a mind to yell at him, but then the reality of it hit and she, too, found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the car.
She gripped Monty's arm tightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Oh, Monty… what have you done?" she asked, horrified.
Monty knew exactly what was about to happen, he knew exactly what he had done. He knew, because while the gala had been going on, he had tampered with the breaks and the wheels of Lionel's car. It was time for the old codger to die. It was past time, if Monty was being brutally honest. He should have died long ago. The opportunity had arisen tonight, and Monty had taken it.
He cursed himself for not being more careful, for not making sure that Sibella had other means of transportation. Why hadn't he offered to take her home? Why had he just assumed?
Hadn't she told Monty that she had come here in her own carriage or something? He could have sworn that she had said that. He couldn't remember now. Everything was a blur.
His palms started to sweat and his heart beat increased rapidly.
Monty's feet wanted to run towards the car, and yell at Sibella to get out. He wanted to shout at her, but she had already shut the door and Lionel was already slipping into the driver's seat.
Everything was moving so slowly and yet so quickly. Time did not matter anymore. There was not enough time to save her, nor was there enough time to get it over with it quickly.
Time had a funny way of slowing down when you least wanted it. Time could make anything take an eternity.
Monty just wanted the moment to be over, he wanted to skip to the part where he found out whether Sibella was alright or not. He wanted to know whether the woman he loved was going to be dead and he was going to have to bury her. He suspected that Phoebe wanted the same. She loved Sibella too. They both did.
People passed by Monty and Phoebe on either side, all of them unaware as to what was to occur in a few moments. None of them knew. They were all blissfully in their own worlds, whereas Monty and Phoebe were glued to their spots on the marble steps of the museum, unable to move or breathe in fear of what was to come.
The sound of tires screeching and a crash filled their ears. Soon, flames engulfed their view of the car. The motorcar was crushed, having slammed into the building adjacent from it. Blocks of cement were scattered across the top of the vehicle.
"Someone call the police"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
Voices yelled all around them, but Phoebe and Monty paid them no mind.
Phoebe curled into Monty's chest, sobbing silently. Monty numbly put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. He didn't know what else to do.
Seconds felt like hours, minutes felt like eternities.
He watched in silence as a police car drove up the scene, then an ambulance. People crowded around the accident, all dressed in their finest. They moved away after they had had their fill, and had said their proper condolences.
"What a shame, wonder if he was drunk?"
"I do hope they're both alright."
"Looks like a nasty accident, it does. Hope they pull through."
They all left soon after, and then it was just Monty, Phoebe, the police, and the ambulance.
Monty wanted to run to the scene, to find Sibella in the rubble and pull her out. He wanted to hold her in his arms, to promise her everything would be alright, but his feet wouldn't move. They wouldn't budge.
Phoebe looked up from his chest towards the accident, only to dissolve into tears once more. He held her tighter.
"M-Monty-" she sniffled, "M-mMonty what if she's dead?" Phoebe whimpered.
"Don't say that," he automatically responded harshly. "Don't even think it, darling. She's not dead." He held her closer.
She looked up at him. "Monty, the car is ruined," she stated, her eyes filled with tears, "they crashed into a wall."
"She'll be fine," he got out in a tight voice.
Phoebe touched his face softly, and he flinched.
"M-" she started, but he stopped her and stepped back.
"Phoebe, please don't. I don't want to think of it."
Her face fell, she looked hurt. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her wrap. She sniffled again, and tried not to dissolve into tears again.
They stood there on the steps while the ambulance sped off. Monty didn't even know if Sibella was in the ambulance or not. He hadn't seen.
He vomited on the ground out of fear. Phoebe crouched next to him, and kissed his cheek lightly.
"We should go to the hospital… to see… if she's alright…" Phoebe whispered quietly once he had wiped his mouth. He nodded shakily.
Phoebe stood up, and she took his hand gently.
The drive to the ambulance was nothing but a blur to both of them. When they entered the waiting room, they sat still and tense. Phoebe gripped Monty's hand tightly. Monty bit his knuckles.
A doctor came in.
"Mr. Holland has passed away from his injuries," he informed them stoically. The news of his death didn't phased either of them. It was funny though, this is what they had wanted and now they wished it had never happened at all. They had wanted Lionel to be gone so that they could have Sibella all to themselves. They had wanted her to come and live with them, to eat with them, to sleep with them… and now they might lose her too.
The doctor went away soon after that, promising them that he would find out Mrs. Holland's condition.
They sat in silence.
"Why did she get in the car with him?" Monty suddenly broke the tension. "I don't understand."
His voice was wracked with guilt, with pain, with hurt, and Phoebe didn't know how to fix it. She kissed his head.
"Monty, we can't change it now. I don't know why she got in the car either, but what matters now is if she's okay or not," she replied in a murmur.
"She wasn't supposed to be in that car," Monty uttered. "Phoebe, she wasn't supposed to be there."
"Monty, stop," she urged him. She took his hands in her own, "Please stop. She got in the car, they crashed, Lionel's dead. You can't change any of this, so stop going over it, it'll drive you mad, darling."
"I'll never forgive myself if she dies," he whispered. "I won't."
"She won't die," Phoebe said uncertainly. "She can't. She loves us, and she'll pull through."
Monty looked unsure. His face paled suddenly and Phoebe turned to see that the doctor had returned. She reached for Monty's hand, trembling, and grasped it tightly.
"Mrs. Holland has sustained several serious injuries…"
Monty crushed Phoebe's hand. Phoebe felt herself grow faint.
"She's unconscious right now, but with rest and time, she should be able to make a full recovery."
They both remembered to breathe. The tension that they had been holding in their bodies was released. Monty started to cry, Phoebe hugged him joyously, and kissed his cheek.
"Can we see her?" Monty begged.
"Family only, for right now," said the doctor firmly. "But you can come back in a few days to visit once she's more recovered."
Phoebe saw Monty's face flinch. She knew he hated being reminded that he wasn't married to Sibella, that she wasn't his, that he couldn't protect her.
"Thank you, doctor," Phoebe spoke up. "We'll come back in a few days." She tugged on Monty's hand for him to stand up with her. He did so after a moment.
"Can you- can you just tell her that we're thinking of her?" He implored the doctor quietly. The man nodded, and then turned away.
A few days later, Monty and Phoebe returned. Sibella's parents had informed them via telegram that Sibella had gained consciousness, and that she was on the mend.
They walked to her room, with their arms linked together. Phoebe held a bouquet of flowers that she had freshly picked, specifically for Sibella, and Monty had brought her a box of her favorite chocolates.
Monty stepped inside and Phoebe followed.
Sibella sat in her hospital bed, in a plain simple white nightgown. Her eyes brightened when she saw them enter, a dazzling smile spread across her face.
"Monty, Phoebe, darlings!"
Monty came and sat on one side of her, Phoebe on the other. Monty caressed her cheek and kissed her lips lovingly.
"I'm so glad you're alright," he whispered, remorsefully. "We were so worried. We haven't slept for days."
"I'm quite alright, the doctors say I'm in tip top shape," she replied, but her eyes betrayed her. Phoebe pretended not to notice.
She handed Sibella the flowers, a bright bouquet of pink and red roses.
"They're beautiful," said Sibella softly, smiling at her, "Thank you my love." Phoebe put them in a vase near the window and then returned back to her place on the bed.
"I'd say that their beauty pales in comparison to yours, but I'm glad you like them," replied Phoebe with a grin. She chastely kissed the blonde's cheek.
"I don't look beautiful at all right now," Sibella's voice turned snobbish, "I look a fright. All covered in bruises and cuts." Her face paled, and she tried to keep her composure.
Phoebe glanced at her. It was true, she did have bruises on her face and arms, and Phoebe only guessed that there were more on the rest of her body.
"You're still beautiful to us," said Phoebe tenderly. "You always will be."
Sibella smiled softly. "You're too generous with your compliments."
"I only speak the truth, you know I'm a horrible liar," replied Phoebe with a small smile.
"She is," Monty spoke up.
Sibella glanced at him and was quiet for a moment. "Monty…there is something I want to ask you…. The car… and that night… did you-?" Sibella was speaking in riddles but both Monty and Phoebe knew what she was asking.
Their silence gave her the answer.
Sibella was as silent as the grave for a bit. Her face paled, her hands trembled slightly. Her eyes were locked on the blanket in front of her as she contemplated things.
"You weren't ever supposed to—I mean, I didn't know that you- Darling, I never meant for you to get hurt… had I known you were going to be-" Monty stumbled over his apology and explanation.
Sibella raised a hand to silence him. She swallowed hard.
"What's done is done, but next time you decided to do something as reckless as that, please leave me out of it. I quite like living and don't intend on dying prematurely because of your idiocy!"
Monty hung his head in shame.
"I promise I'll make it up to you. You won't ever come into harm's way ever again," he promised her. He leaned in close and kissed her lips, but she pulled away.
"You could have killed me too, do you realize that?" her voice was sharp, and angry. "I know I wished him dead, but I did not want to be part of it, Monty!"
Monty grew quiet.
"I'm so sorry."
"I would sure as hell hope so," she quipped back as she crossed her arms over her chest tightly.
The mood grew tense. The silence was maddening, so Phoebe decided to ease the atmosphere. She placed one hand on Sibella's shoulder.
"Darling, since Lionel is gone now, would you consider, when you've quite recovered, coming to live with us?"
Sibella's tense stance loosened at that. She brushed back a piece of stray hair from her face.
"I suppose that might be a pleasant arrangement, seeing as I, under no circumstances, want to live in my previous home by myself."
Phoebe's grin turned giddy and she kissed Sibella's lips childishly, and blushed when she pulled away. Phoebe's enthusiasm was infectious and soon Sibella and Monty were smiling as well. They spent the rest of their visit just being glad to see their Sibella alive and well.
Lionel's funeral came and went, and soon Sibella was well enough to come live at Highhurst as their permanent guest.
They spent their first night all together in Monty and Phoebe's room, entangled on the bed. Sibella was in the middle, with Phoebe and Monty on either side. Monty was kissing her lips while Phoebe was running her fingers through her hair.
"You two spoil me so much," murmured Sibella as she pulled away from Monty. He then started to rub circles into her shoulder gently.
"I'm just so happy that you can be here with us," whispered Monty, "We were so afraid that we were going to lose you."
"Well, I'm here," she replied. "And I'm happy here too. It's strange, finally being free of Lionel. But I am happy here with both of you."
Phoebe grinned and kissed her forehead.
"How are you feeling?" she inquired of Sibella softly. She placed one hand on her cheek.
"Alright. Still a bit sore. My stomach is still quite bruised," she replied.
Phoebe tentatively placed her fingers on Sibella's stomach. Sibella flinched harshly and sat up. Phoebe quickly drew her fingers away.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered.
"It's fine." Sibella's voice was tight.
"No, it's not, I know it's not. I'm so sorry, my love," Phoebe wanted to cry. She hated that she had hurt her. She had only wanted to help, to massage her stomach a bit.
"Darling, it's fine," Sibella wiped away her tears. She kissed her lips. "I'm alright."
Monty placed a hand on Phoebe's trembling shoulder.
"You promise?" she asked Sibella. The blonde nodded. "You know me, I'm also a terrible liar."
Phoebe laughed at that in spite of herself. "No, you're not. You're a wonderful liar. You and Monty both are so good at it."
Sibella looked to Monty and grinned wryly. Her eyes sparkled and she laughed.
"God, I missed your laugh," murmured Monty.
Sibella looked up. "Did you?"
He and Phoebe nodded at the same time, and she smiled. She kissed both of their lips gently.
"So… what shall we do now?" Sibella asked as she sat up.
"There's no more Lionel to share you with," teased Monty as he ran a hand through Sibella's hair. Phoebe grinned.
"That's true. Now you'll just have to fight for me amongst yourselves," Sibella laughed.
"No, we won't fight over you," said Phoebe. "We love you too much to fight."
"I think that we should just spend the rest of the night lying here, just enjoying each other's company," said Monty as he grabbed both of his girls close, and kissed both of their lips.
Neither Phoebe nor Sibella protested such an idea, and they all spent the rest of the night in utter bliss, cuddled up next to one another in the bedroom.