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It scared me that Callum was so angry, I didn't think he was capable of so much fury as he grabbed Jeff by the collar of his hoodie. I had no affection for my ex-tenant, and if it weren’t for Callum coming to my rescue, I’m not sure how far Jeff would have gone before he let me tell him where his belongings were. He always was a nasty drunk, but at five feet six, his frame was overshadowed by Callum’s six feet two height.
Adaline
He kissed me goodbye after he'd made sure I was ok. He said he would come back up in an hour to make me coffee. I could get used to this kind of treatment.
“Scottie didn’t lay a finger on him,” Callum said just before he left.
“Good,” I said. “Jeff is a dick, but I don’t like the thought of anyone fighting.”
He left me to go downstairs to make progress on the counter. Jeff’s surprise visit had left no lasting damage on my throat or my mental state. It meant that I would be extra vigilant about locking up my doors. Not that it mattered this time around. Jeff had snuck in when Callum and Scottie’s backs were turned.
I spent the time crossed legged, wrapped in a blanket, working on my laptop when I felt my stomach rumble in protest. Looking at the digital clock on the computer screen it said three o’clock. I’d been working for three hours straight. Callum was nowhere to be seen.
I went in search of Callum. It was ridiculous that I was reliant on his company when I was at home. Padding barefoot down the hallway to the top of the stairs, I remembered that there was no flooring down in the shop. Scottie and Callum had ripped up the lino covering, and the bare floorboards were exposed. I didn’t want to risk getting splinters.
I couldn’t hear Callum working at the best of times, but it seemed eerily quiet down there. I dashed back to get my shoes. Taking the stairs to the shop, I stopped for a moment and then flew down the last few and ran to Callum’s body lying on the floor.
He lay on his back with his eyes closed. I had no idea how long he had been in this state. I tried to shake him awake. His body moved, but he didn’t respond. Lifting his head, I then saw the gash and blood seeping out. He felt cold to the touch, and I panicked about what to do.
I sent a text to Steph and Scottie. In the meantime I ran out of the shop and grabbed the nearest passing person, dragging him into the shop. I told them to call for an ambulance. He looked at Callum and then at me. It took a moment for them to whip out the phone and dial for an ambulance. Thankfully, he didn’t question why I wasn’t calling for the emergency services myself.
I crouched back down next to him, kissing his face and holding his hand. He was still alive. The man I had dragged in shook my shoulder and spoke, but he had a scarf covering his face.
“I’m deaf, you need to take your scarf away,” I said, standing to face him. I could have sobbed my heart out at saying the words aloud. My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it.
The man took his scarf off and held the phone to his ear.
“How old is he? They want to know,” the man said.
“Thirty.”
“Any known problems?”
“I’ve not known him long, I don’t know anything about his health,” I said. I felt the shame of never asking him, then I remembered his bracelet he always wore. “Hold on,” I said and lifted his wrist. “Tell them about this logo.”
The man described Callum’s bracelet and then hung up the phone.
“An ambulance is on its way. I have to get going, or I’ll be late for work. They wouldn’t care that I was helping you. If I don’t go, I’ll get the sack. They said to press against the wound. Good luck lady,” he said and disappeared out of the main door. I ignored the simple words he used, and the slowed speech.
I pulled off my t-shirt and sat on the floor with his head in my lap pressing the material to the cut on his head. He wouldn’t stop bleeding, the t-shirt felt damp in my hand. I tried to stay calm but all I could think about was that I didn’t hear him fall, I should have gone down sooner to find out where he was. He could have been lying here for hours, and I could have found him sooner.
No sooner had the stranger left, I heard the ambulance siren as it pulled up outside the shop. Two men came in with their emergency bags and took over examining him.
“How long has he been bleeding?” the first paramedic asked.
“I don’t know, I found him ten minutes ago, and he was unconscious,” I stared at Callum willing him to wake up.
“It doesn’t look like he’s lost a lot of blood looking at your t-shirt. We need to get him to the hospital, are you coming with him?” He asked.
“Yes, of course,” I started for the door when he touched my arm.
“Go and get a top on. I can’t really take you in the ambulance topless.”
I didn't think when I took my top off. I hadn’t bothered with a bra after showering before. I backed away from the paramedic, covering my breasts.
“It will take a few minutes to get the trolley and put him in the ambulance. You’ve got time to get dressed and lock up.
I sprinted up the stairs as fast as I could. Grabbing the nearest bra and top out of my drawer, hoping it wasn’t a dark bra under a white top. I ran around, dressing as I locked the doors, picking up my handbag on the way out. By the time I had returned to the shop front door, Callum had just been lifted into the ambulance. He had a breathing mask on his mouth and a needle in his arm attached to a drip. Condensation formed on the plastic air mask, it was the small piece of evidence he would be ok.
