Author's space:

Hi all, sorry I was away for so long. Life took over. Please let me know what you think of my story and encourage me to continue if it's worth it! I'm in uncharted territory here, this is my first fanfiction, I hope to be doing a good job!
- Guest - whoever you are, thank you so much for your review, it's the main reason I've posted a new chapter!

4 (ALMOST) CONFESSION

"Mum, Dad, we have something we want to tell you" Said Jess, walking in the room. She was holding Joe's hand, to get strength. Her parents noticed that and assumed a quizzical look on their face. Why is she holding her coach's hand? "What is it Jessy dear?" Her mother asked. Jess took a deep breath and started saying "Joe and I are in lo.." but a cry interrupted her before she could finish the word. Tony run in the room and looked so upset, he was crying and they all immediately focused their attention on him. "Tony what is it?" Baba asked his nephew, very worried about his state. Tony was a mess and took him a few attempts to utter: "It's my mum, they just told me, she is at the hospital, she had a heart attack". At that Jess flew by his side to give him a big hug and show him all her support. The whole family came together, Jess and Joe's attempt to speak out completely forgotten, for now. "Oh, Babaji, please save her" Sukhi was quietly praying. "I'm so sorry Tony" Jess was whispering between tears, holding Tony. Mohaan was standing still, shocked by the news. Joe and Pinkie looked at each other and a tacit understanding was reached. They were going to talk about it later, now it was time to help the family in such tragic time. "What hospital is she at Tony?" Pinkie enquired gently. "West Middlesex" he said, in between tears. "Let's go, Joe'll take you and Jess and I'll take mum and dad". With that they all got in the two cars and started driving away.

**Pinkie's car**

Mr and Mrs Bhamra were silently crying, holding each other. Tony's mum was Mohaan's sister-in-law and she had always been very present in the Bhamra's life, she felt more like a real sister to the both of them. She was quite old but had always been in great health and the heart attack came as a real shock to everyone. Pinkie was trying to reassure them and eventually she managed to calm them down a little. She was very sad and worried too but she couldn't help feel relived for the interruption. If Joe and Jess had managed to finish their sentence she wasn't sure she still would have had a little sister. In all probability Jess' parents would have thrown her out of the house. They would have thrown Joe out first and then tried to get Jess to renegade him, which she wouldn't have, so she would have been out of the door and screamed at and cried upon for all the shame she had brought on the family. Dating a goreh boy behind her parents back…that was never going to go down well! Oh God, what had her sister gotten herself into? Why couldn't she just pick an Indian boy, there were so many good looking one and they weren't as useless as they used to be. She decided she was going to try and change her sister's mind as soon as she had a chance. That decided, her thoughts went back to Tony's mum and she started praying for her.

Mohaan Bhamra's thoughts were all jumbled up. He was in tears for his sister-in-law heart attack. She had always been very close to the Bhamra's and she was more like a real sister. Her son, Tony, was such a sweet boy, and Jess' best friend since forever. His thoughts went to the two of them and he wished he could hug them now. But they weren't there with him. They were in Joe's car. Joe, a goreh, had been standing in front of the Bhamras just minutes ago and he had been holding Jess' hand. They had something to tell them, they had said. He knew/dreaded what it was. He had seen their kiss at the airport over 4 months ago. He hadn't said anything then. He secretly hoped that the distance and the time apart would eliminate the problem. Yes, he had invited Joe over for dinner that night, but only because he was Jess' coach. Yes, he had seen him several times since and he had to admit to himself that he had gotten quite fond of this goreh man, they had had plenty of good conversations and cricket matches. He was very well mannered and polite, Mrs Bhamra really enjoyed having him over for dinner too. He is pretty brave too, Mohaan had to admit to himself, he came to face me twice in order to make Jess' football dreams come true. That couldn't have been easy. Furthermore, it was somehow all of Joe's doing if Jess was now thousands of miles away for at least 3 years. He had to admit that Joe really seemed to have his daughter's best interest at heart…But he is white! Sukhi is never going to accept him, nor is the community. He would bring so much shame on them.
He had no idea what he would have done if Joe and Jess had gotten through with their announcement. He loved his daughter dearly and he liked Joe but could he really give them his blessing? He had no answer to that question. I need to keep this from Sukhi for now, she can't know. He vowed to himself. His thoughts returned to Tony's mum. Let her live, please Babaji, please. He silently pleaded while hugging his wife.

**Joe's car**

Tony was a mess, Jess was holding him tight and whispering a continuous stream of encouraging and loving words in his hears. Eventually he stopped crying and just clung to her. Joe was a mess too, he wasn't showing it because he had a mission: to hold it together for Jess so that she could help Tony through this. He had come to be good friend with Tony, chatting often about football and Jess. He had been a god send with all his tips on Indian culture and had really helped him make a good impression on Jess' parents. He was really upset about Tony's mother but he was also barely holding it together after the emotional high of (almost) telling Jess' parents about them. His heart had been in his throat and didn't seem to have dislodged from there. Now he was also grieved about Tony's situation. What a mess, what a mess. If Tony's mother died his newly found friend would be a mess. And Jess and Joe could most definitely not approach her parents on a time like that, which meant they were gonna have to lie, and lie, and lie. He hated that prospect but he knew he was never going to be able to stay away from Jess… He focused on driving to the airport as quickly as possible and hoped and prayed for Tony's mother.