Free Durability (The LockDown Series Book 3) by Shannon Dobson

table.
    “Now, tell me how this arm is, any sign of feeling returning?” I ask her and she tries to lift it with no movement. “You’ll get there babe, you always do. We’ll get there together.”
     



Abigail
     
    I can’t stop the gasp of happiness as Antonio walks through with Mel attached to his hip and Georgia on his hand. Clinging to Georgia’s hand sadly, Joe looks up at me. I smile sweetly at the pair of them. I am so glad he has found someone to shower in the love he once wanted to smother me in.
    Georgia is a tiny woman, just over five feet in height, and long dark blonde hair like her brother, big green eyes and a heart like gold. I can tell from the look she holds, that she is enthralled by Antonio and has been for a long time.
    The way she looks at her brother in utter adoration when she walks in the room says everything I need to know. She has missed him these past five years and is ecstatic to have him back. I can already tell how similar they are. I can see she has the spunk and charisma her eldest brother owns so well and I know just by looking at her that she doesn’t take shit from anyone. I know I shouldn’t let her tiny frame fool me.
    “Abbi, sweetheart,” Ant says as he walks to me placing my jiggling daughter in my arms, before kissing my forehead and giving me a cuddle. “How you feeling?” he asks me. I wonder if Leighton has told them about my temporarily paralysed arm.
    “As well as I can be, I’m just glad to be here now. Thanks for bringing her in for me,” I tell him. I am truly thankful that Leighton had found me when he had because I fear I wouldn’t have survived if he hadn’t. I lost a fuck load of blood yesterday and had to have two lots of surgery to repair the internal injuries I suffered when that bullet pierced my shoulder.
    The last thing I can remember from that evening is the gun aimed at my head, not my shoulder. Why he had changed the direction of his shot I’ll never know, especially now that he lies dead somewhere at the hands of my husband.
    “As are we baby girl. We would all be lost without you, especially this little one.” He strokes my little girl’s cheek and then returns to his girlfriend who is stood with her brother and nephew.
    “Mummy missed you baby girl,” I tell my daughter placing her on my knees and supporting her with my one good arm. It is a lot of strain with her, now five month little self, as she pushes and jumps around. “Getting strong aren’t you angel?” I want so badly to be able to wrap her tightly in my arms and feel her warmth and soft skin against me. To smell that scent only she has, the one that calms every erratic, nervous thought I have, in an instant.
    I beg my limply laying arm to do its job and move, but I get nothing back. I sigh sadly at the thought that it may never get better and I’ll have to learn to be a mum with only one good arm.
    What if Mel runs in the road when she is walking and I can’t grab her because my arms fail me? What if she were to fall from this bed now and I couldn’t catch her? What if one arm became numb from supporting her too long and I needed to switch but couldn’t?
    I am going to be a useless mother now.
    I can feel tears surfacing at the negative thoughts in my head. I sniffle as a few droplets break free and my nose already begins to block up. “Mummy.” My head snaps up, tears falling as I look to Joseph running to my bed. He clings to my arms sadly, “It’s going to be okay, Mummy. You’ll get better soon, I know you will. I'm so happy you’re here, I thought me and Daddy had lost you like I did my other mummy,” he tells me, but I’m clueless as to what he has said past ‘Mummy’. I cry harder, almost gut wrenching, but these tears are out of happiness and they help me fight a little harder.
    “Why are you crying, should I not call you that word?” Joe asks me sweetly, his big blue eyes looking at me.
    “Gosh, Joseph, you make me so happy.” I lean down and kiss