Hi all, i think this is going to be the final chapter. I wasnt expecting this to go on this long. Hope you all really enjoyed it. I just want to finish off by revealing what happened to some of the characters.
Chapter 21:
It was about 2 hours later. Luc and Eddie were up in their bedroom enjoying their nap. They were cuddled up in bed together.
"We should really do this more often" said Eddie as she stroked Luc's bare chest.
"What? Have an afternoon sex session? I didnt think our sex life was that bad!" exclaimed Luc.
"No, I meant spend some time togther, just the two of us. Maybe we should start going out on date nights once or twice a month. I think we can safely leave the kids on their own for a few hours now. They're 16 and 17 now, you know" Eddie replied.
"Sounds like a plan to me. Are you sure we can trust them in the house on their own?" asked Luc.
"Yes, I think so. They're good kids. I know Lucas can be a bit wild at times but I dont think Emily would let him get up to any trouble. She's way too sensible, she takes after you like that" replied Eddie.
"Ok. Maybe we'll try it next week. There's a documentary film coming out that's based on one of Corey Eagles' books that I wouldn't mind going to see at the cinema. Do you want to go see it?" Luc asked.
"Yes, sounds good. Maybe we could go to dinner before hand?" asked Eddie.
"Ok, That's a plan then" replied Luc.
"God, can you believe our baby girl is 16 years old" Eddie said whistfully.
"It only seems like yesterday that you gave birth to her. What a night that was! I thought we'd never get to the hospital through that storm. The rain was mad that night. We were lucky we didnt end up crashing the car" Luc said shuddering.
They laid there together for a few minutes thinking about all that had happened to them in the intervening years.
"It makes me sad that Mum didnt get to see Emily and Lucas all grown up" said Eddie.
"Yes, it is sad but I know she was proud of them and of you. She told me so the day before she passed away as I was giving her her medication. She really loved looking after them after school those final years. She was happy in the end. She believed that she had finally made up for all of the bad things she had done to you and Liam" said Luc.
"I suppose she did. I hope Liam thinks that too" replied Eddie.
Luc pulled Eddie close and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She responded by moving up in the bed until her face was level with his. "Sometimes I think I am the luckiest woman in the world, I have two beautiful kids and the best husband in the world. I love you Luc" she said before kissing her husband passionately.
Before Luc could say anything there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Mum, Dad, are we going bowling or what?" asked Emily from the hallway.
"Yes, sweetheart. Do you want to stop off for burgers before it?" asked Luc.
"Yes dad, we're starving!" replied Emily.
"Ok, we'll be down in a few minutes" he replied.
Luc turned to Eddie and gave her a kiss. "I love you too. Come on, we'd better get up and keep our promise to our beloved children" he said before kissing Eddie one final time.
"oh, alright then!" replied Eddie reluctantly. "But I get to choose where we stop for burgers" continued Eddie with a smile. They both got dressed and went downstairs to the children.
Chapter 22:
About 2 hours later they arrived at the bowling alley after stopping off for food along the way. They paid for their lane and split up into teams. Luc and Emily on one team and Eddie and Lucas on the other. They began playing and Eddie and Lucas' team were soon winning.
"Dad, you have to stop being so scientific about this and just relax when you release the ball" Emily adivsed Luc as he went to take his turn. He hadn't been doing well, he'd only knocked down 3 pins out of 3 attempts so far.
"When did you become such an expert on bowling?" asked Luc.
"I have been here before a few times with Charlotte. I'm quite good at it you know" replied Emily. Luc reluctantly took Emily's advice and managed to knock down 8 pins.
"Yipee!" exclaimed Luc and Emily in unison as Emily ran over to hug Luc.
"Good work dad. You're only 25 pins behind now!" exclaimed Lucas slightly sarcastically.
"It's quite hard to concentrate in here with all the noise. Besides, It's the taking part that counts not the winning" replied Luc.
"Yeah, whatever you say dad" replied Lucas.
With that there was a commotion about 3 lanes down. A woman was screaming at the top of her voice "Please help him, he's collapsed". Luc and Eddie instinctively rushed up to the man.
"What happened to him?" Luc asked as he knelt down by the man.
"He was clutching his chest and he just fell to the floor" replied the man's panic-stricken wife.
"My husband's a doctor and I'm a nurse. Can everyone give us some space please?" said Eddie. Luc checked to see if the man was breathing and to see if he had a pulse.
"He doesnt have a pulse and he's not breathing. I think its a heart attack" said Luc. "Have we got a defibrillator here? And can someone call for an ambulance? Tell them that the man has had a heat attack" continued Luc.
"Eddie, you start doing compressions and I'll do the breathing" Luc instructed. Eddie did as Luc had asked and they began performing CPR on the man.
"The ambulance is on its way. Sorry, we dont have a defibrillator." replied the bowling alley manager.
"We'll have to keep him going with CPR then, we should swap over" said Luc looking at Eddie.
Eddie could hear Emily crying behind her."Lucas, can you bring you sister away from here?" she asked. Lucas grabbed Emily and brought her over to their lane, he put his arms around his sister hugging her as she was still crying.
About 5 minutes later they heard the ambulance pull up. Eddie and Luc were still working to keep the man alive. Liam ran over to them. "Hey sis, what have we got here? he asked Eddie.
"Paul here collapsed holding his chest about 7 minutes ago. We couldn't find a pulse and he wasnt breathing so we've been performing CPR on him" replied Eddie.
"Give me some adrenaline and charge the defibrillator" asked Luc as Liam put an oxygen mask on Paul. Luc grabbed the defibrillator paddles and shocked Paul.
"We've got a pulse, lets get him to the hospital. I'll come with you" said Luc. Luc, Liam and Liam's colleague picked up Paul and put him on the stretcher.
"We'll follow you to the hospital" Eddie said to Luc as they were leaving.
"Thank you" Paul's wife said to Eddie as she was leaving.
"It's nothing. It's our job" replied Eddie before Paul's wife gave her a quick hug and left for the hospital.
Eddie went over to Emily and Lucas and gave them both a big hug. "You and dad were amazing" said Lucas.
"It's all down to training" replied Eddie humbly.
"I think I'm going to become a doctor like dad" said Lucas.
"What's wrong with being a nurse like me?" asked Eddie.
"Nothing, but I think I'd quite like performing surgery though" replied Lucas.
Eddie just smiled. "You can be whatever you want Lucas. Come on lets go to the hospital" she replied while putting her arm around Emily.
"I've got all our coats and bags" said Emily as they walked out the door. "I think I'd like to be a vet when I get older. I love animals" she continued.
"Sounds like me and your dad are going to be broke in a few years after paying for these careers of yours" replied Eddie laughing.
Chapter 23:
Eddie and the children arrived at the hospital and found out that Paul had been rushed straight into surgery. They found Luc up on the cardiology ward talking to the nurses.
"How's Paul?" asked Eddie.
"He's been brought straight into surgery. You'll never guess who's performing it, only Oliver Valentine." said Luc.
"You mean Ollie who worked with us in Holby?" asked Eddie.
"Yes, the very same. Apparently, he's been working here for about 6 months" replied Luc.
"Paul's in very good hands then. We'll have to invite Ollie around for dinner some night" replied Eddie.
"Good idea. Come on lets go home, the kids are probably tired. I've left our number for Oliver so he can let us know how Paul gets on" replied Luc.
"Wasnt it funny that Liam was the ambulanceman who came to the scene. He's very good at his job, isnt he?" asked Eddie.
"Yes he is, he obviously loves his job. He thought that Paul was very lucky that we were at the bowling alley, Liam thought that Paul wouldn't have made it but for our quick intervention" replied Luc.
Luc, Eddie and the children went home to enjoy the last few hours of Emily's 16th birthday. A birthday she would never forget. Paul went on the make a full recovery as Ollie reported to them when he came around for dinner.
In the years that followed Lucas and Emily went off to university. Lucas to become a surgeon and Emily to become a vet. During Emily's first year at university Luc and Eddie took 6 month sabbaticals from their jobs and went on the round-the-world trip that Luc had promised Eddie on their first Christmas together. They visited all of the places Luc had been in his younger days and a few new places that neither of them had been but had always wanted to go.
After they had both retired they continued to travel extensively, enjoying seeing the world together. Lucas and Emily gave them 3 grandchildren who they adored and were very proud of.
Eddie passed away in her 85th year in her sleep one night leaving a heartbroken Luc behind. Luc passed away 2 weeks later, some say of a broken heart. Lucas and Emily knew that their parents had had a great life together, had loved them and their grandchildren dearly and were finally together forever. All of their friends and family remarked about what a pair of odd people they both were but that they had been a perfect match for each other.
The End! I hope you all liked it and the ending wasnt too sad for you. Emerl xx.
