Authors note: So here we are, the final installment of When the final string breaks, I hope you've 'enjoyed' it and thanks for reading. Sorry this chapters a bit short it just ties it all up.
That night I went home with something different about me. My only daughter was, is dead and that pain will never go away but it brought me one thing. Reconciliation. Grace's death broke down the barriers that I'd fought so hard to erect, the icy exterior. I always felt that forming friendships with people was a mistake. How do you hide your weaknesses? And friendships with colleagues are worse. How can you ever expect to have authority over your friends? That's what I used to believe anyway but I was wrong. They supported me and that was something I needed at the moment. They supported me after the way I treated them.
I used to think that when the final string breaks that's it, you muddle through life, barely living until at last you die. But I was wrong because its never too late to form new strings. First it was Rita and then the others followed suite, I wasn't their friend exactly but I wasn't an enemy either. Then I formed a bond with Dixie, we talked about Jeff and I eventually came to the realisation that it wasn't my fault, of course it wasn't, I organised the trip but Ethan drove, the other car smashed into us, Ash was stuck, Jeff wasn't quick enough. But it was no ones fault, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was only one thing that wasn't sorting itself...
Grace, she died, she died and I never got the chance to tell her how much I love her, she died hating me never wanting to see me again. I guess she got her wish. Or so I thought...
A month later Connie was finally getting round to clearing out Grace's room and it seemed Sam had the same idea because he arrived at her house with a pile of Grace's things that he didn't want. "Connie I brought some of Grace's stuff so you can see if you want to keep any or if we should get rid of it. Also I found this in her room, its addressed to you." He held out an envelope which she took, opening it she found a letter from Grace and Sam watched as she read it tears sliding down her cheek by the end.
"What..." She held it out to him but then took her hand back
"Before you read it be warned she wrote it on that day. I'm sorry" she said as she started to cry holding out the letter so he could read it.
'Mummy, This letter might come as a shock to you since we're not in America anymore, we're in Holby. I don't want to see you, not yet. I never wanted to leave England but you forced me and I guess I'm angry or I was. I thought you hated me and that's why you sent me away but I know now that's not true. You were struggling because of that crash and so you threw yourself into work, I understand, its all an act really isn't it. Anyway I didn't want to tell you we were back because you had too much going on, but today's your birthday so I think we might surprise you but sh Dad doesn't know yet. You'll have seen me before you get this but if he won't let me then I want you to know I love you so so much and I know you love me too. None of what happened was your fault and maybe now we could make it work? Lots of love Grace'