For His Little Girl

part…' His voice shook on the words, but her hand in his kept him safe.

Now it was Pippa's turn.

'I, Philippa, take thee, Luke, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold…to love and to cherish, till death do us part.'

When the vicar asked if he had the ring, Luke looked blank. In the agitation, he'd forgotten this part. But Elly was there, offering him her own ring. Then he was slipping it onto Pippa's ringer. 'With this ring, I thee wed…'

And she was his wife.

He looked down, hoping to meet her eyes, but Pippa had slipped into unconsciousness again.

'I want to stay with her all the time now,' Luke told the doctor. 'I won't disturb her, but I want to be with her.''

'All right. Perhaps it'll do her some good, especially if you talk to her.'

'Will she hear?'

'It's hard to tell, but we know that hearing is the last sense to go. There are cases of people in a deep coma who awoke and described everything they'd heard. It's not good that she's slipped back like this, and if you talk, it may make all the difference.''

More waiting. Just himself and Josie now, one each side of the bed as the night passed. They took it in turns, one to talk, one to doze, trusting each other for what would happen if Pippa stirred. But the night wore wearily on, and still she didn't come back to them.

In the early hours he leaned over and kissed her while Josie did the same from the other side, but Pippa didn't react. That was the hardest thing, to make no impression on her at all, she who had been as swiftly responsive as quicksilver. It made him want to howl and bang his head against something to cover the fear and despair that were rising in him. But Josie was there, needing him to be strong, so he just smiled and squeezed his daughter's hand.

'Dad, it's like she doesn't know we're here.'

'Of course she knows, honey. Remember what the doctor said. She can hear things, even when she's unconscious. Can't you, darling?' He gently brushed Pippa's face. 'You know we're here, and you know what we're saying, especially when we say that we love you.'

'But how does she know, Daddy?''

'I don't know. It's a mystery, just like love is a mystery. She knows how much we love her, and she can feel that love, wherever she is. And it's making her strong, so that she'll be able to find her way back to us.'

'But where is she now?' Josie's eyes were on him, confident that he, too, was strong and wise and could take care of her.

'I'm not sure exactly where she is,' he said carefully, 'but it's a place where she needs to be until she's well enough to awaken.'

'Like a sort of hospital inside?'

'Yes, just like that. She'll wake up when she's ready, and she'll be better. Then we can look after her-you and I, you'll see-' His voice broke.

'Yes, Daddy,' Josie said softly, taking his hand.

More hours passed, but nobody was counting them now. Still Pippa lay motionless. Josie's head was on the bed. She wasn't crying openly, but her cheeks were wet, and Luke made a desperate decision.

'Josie,' he said urgently, 'she moved.'

Her head came up. 'What?'

'Your mother moved. I felt her squeeze my hand.'

'Daddy-she's coming round?'

'Maybe not quite that,' he said cautiously. 'But she's closer.'

'She's not squeezing my hand,' Josie said anxiously.

'Be patient. She's there, darling. She's coming back to us.'

They took a break to allow the others in. Luke went to stretch his legs and drink some coffee. When he returned, Josie slipped out and he had a precious moment alone with Pippa. Settling himself as close to her as he could get, so that his face was near hers, he murmured, 'Darling, I told a terrible lie. I told Josie you squeezed my hand. She was thrilled. But it wasn't true. I didn't feel anything. I don't know if I did the right thing-maybe not-now she's longing for you to squeeze her hand, too, and what will she do if you don't? Please, darling, try. Try hard.'

He hunted around for something new to say, but his mind was tired and it fixed on the coffee.

'I've just been drinking some really horrible stuff, from a machine. Why don't the English learn to make coffee? When you're well, we'll teach them together. Then we'll leave for home. You're going to love living in Los Angeles. Josie, too. And think how the restaurants will flourish when the Greatest Cook in the World becomes my partner!

'I've got plans for us. We'll change the name to Luke & Pippa's Place, or Pippa & Luke's Place if you'd rather. Mind you, it's only a matter of time before one of them becomes Josie's Place. I expect she's planning it now. We'll do the show together, but I think we should restrict Josie to one show in six, otherwise the little scene- stealer will take over, and where will that leave us? Darling, it's going to be so marvelous, you and me together, for the rest of our lives. Whatever you want, that's what I want to give you. Always.'

His throat was getting dry. He'd already talked so much without getting the feeling she was drawing any nearer to him.

'Please, darling,' he begged. 'Please.'

Pictures and words began to run together in his exhausted mind. Their wedding, Frank giving her away, Elly lending him her ring, Elly reading Pippa's letter with its plea for peace between them for Josie's sake.

Luke sat up straight, calling himself a fool. Six words from the letter stood out in his head: if it should come to that… She'd meant, if she should die.

Pippa hadn't been thinking of what would become of her, but beyond that to the welfare of the one who most needed her protection. Not himself, but

Josie. Everything she'd done had been for Josie. Even, perhaps, marrying him. And she was right.

Now she cared about only one thing, to know that her child would be safe when she was no longer there. Then she could be at peace.

He'd told her how much he longed to give her, but all she wanted was this: to die in peace.

'No!' he said with soft vehemence. 'Ask me anything else.'

But she had nothing else to ask him.

Whatever you want, that's what I want to give you. His own words seemed to mock him. How easy they had been to say, before he knew the price that would be asked.

'If you-if I-if we lose each other,'' he began haltingly, and stopped. He didn't know how to go on. But suddenly the words came. 'I won't ever let you down again. Josie will have a real father, I promise. A good father. As good as I know how to be.

'Fine words, right? And you're thinking, does this idiot really know what he's promising? Of course I don't. But I'll pick it up day by day, with Josie to help me. And you'll help me, too, because I'll have all my memories of you. If I try to raise her to be half the woman her mother is, I won't go far wrong. Neither of us will ever forget you, and I'll never stop loving you, as long as I live.'

He looked down at her lying on the pillow and bent to kiss her softly.

'Goodbye, my darling,' he whispered.

Josie slipped inside the room. 'Has it happened yet, Daddy?' she asked urgently. 'Has she squeezed your hand again?'

Dismayed, he realized that he'd forgotten his rash promise. Josie took one of her mother's hands in hers. 'Mommy,' she appealed, 'Daddy said you were coming back.'

'Josie,' Luke reached for her, 'there's something-'

'Daddy!' Josie's shriek was deafening.

'What is it?'

'She did it. She squeezed my hand.'

And in the same moment he felt the pressure of Pippa's fingers on his, incredibly strong, like someone who'd been saving her strength for this moment.