Page 7 of One More Time

‘She’s alive, Dad.’ Hope’s hand came back to his as a nurse appeared at his side. ‘She’s on life-support, though.’ A sob escaped from his beautiful daughter, swiftly followed by another.

‘Oh no, please god no.’ He tried to shake his head, briefly closing his eyes against the pain, both physical and emotional. ‘This is all my fault.’

‘No, Charlie, it’s not.’ Kelvin’s voice was way too kind, way too gentle. ‘The truck swerved onto your side of the road. You had no hope of getting out of the way.’

‘But …’ Pausing, Charlie drew in a shaky breath.

‘How are you feeling, Mr Wilson?’ Fussing over him, the nurse shone a torch into each of his eyes.

‘I’m not sure.’ Charlie wanted to tell her to leave him alone. He deserved to be in pain. He deserved to die. But not before he got to see Grace, and tell her he was so deeply sorry. ‘I need to see her, please. Now.’

‘Soon, Dad. Just let the nurse check you over first, okay?’ Hope’s tear-stained face was now clear, as was Kelvin’s.

Thankfully, the nurse stopped prodding and poking him. ‘You’ve suffered a blow to the head, Mr Wilson, and we’ve had to give you quite a few stitches, so take it slow when you try and sit up, okay?’

‘Yes, will do,’ he said, telling the nurse what she wanted to hear.

The nurse turned to Hope. ‘I’ll be back to check in on your father again, and the doctor will be here as soon as he can be.’ She huffed. ‘Sorry for the delay, but we are very short-staffed at the moment.’

‘Okay, thank you,’ Hope replied.

The second she was gone, Charlie grabbed Hope’s hand. ‘Please, sweetheart, get me to your mother. I have to see her.’

‘All right, Dad. Just give me and Kelvin a few minutes to get you up and on your feet.’ Pulling the sheet down, she competently attached his prosthetic leg. ‘Maybe we should get you a wheelchair?’

‘I’m not getting in a wheelchair, Hope.’ Charlie paused, coughing. ‘I need to be strong for her. I will walk into your mother’s room, no matter how much pain I might be in.’

‘Your stubbornness is going to be the death of us, Charlie,’ Kelvin grumbled.

‘It’ll probably be the death of me, too, son.’ Charlie winced as Hope moved his legs over the edge of the bed where he then sat, wheezing, for a few lengthy moments, trying to catch his breath.

Working together, they slowly but surely got him standing. The wooziness made Charlie want to heave quite a few times as Hope and Kelvin helped him shuffle down the hallway to Grace’s room.

The shocking sight of the love of his life, the light of his world, so lifeless, almost brought him to his knees. Grace’s face was black and swollen, the top of her head bandaged, with tubes and machines hooked up to her. Overcome with raw soul-tearing grief, Charlie collapsed into the chair alongside her, blinking through a sudden onslaught of relentless tears.

‘Oh, my beautiful Grace.’ He took her limp hand in his and rubbed a thumb over the back of it. ‘Please, my darling, come back to us. We all love you so very much.’ Bringing her hand to his lips, he placed a lingering kiss. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Hope broke into wracking sobs beside him, and Kelvin comforted her as best as he could, taking her into his arms. ‘We’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wakes up, Hope, okay?’ Kelvin said as he tipped his head down a little to look her in the eyes, brushing wayward strands of hair from her forehead. ‘Your mum is a fighter, just like you. We all have to try and be strong for her.’

Hope nodded into Kelvin’s chest.

Charlie squeezed his eyes shut for a shaky breath, then another, as he prayed harder than he ever had before.

* * *

Seventy-two heartbreaking hours later, Charlie turned from Grace’s ghost-white face and ambled over to take in the third-storey views, her brooch clutched tightly in his hand. The large window was barred and locked shut; he was desperate to push it open, to let the pulse of the world rush in with the sea breeze, imagining it would somehow breathe the life back into Grace. He was beginning to lose faith he’d ever see the life in her sparkling green eyes again, but he wasn’t about to say that out loud. He wasn’t going to tempt fate by letting the words slip past his lips, nor did he want to add to the load on Hope’s already burdened heart.

Across the road in Seaside Park, the annual spring fair had rolled into town, and he watched as the Ferris wheel circled, the colourful lights bright against the dark of night. He imagined all the excited children, their faces painted, eyes wide and bellies filled with fairy floss and hot dogs, and their tiny hands clutched tightly by a protective parent. He and Grace had been there many times, all those years ago, surrounded by squeals and laughter, her smile as warm and encompassing as the sunshine as they made their way through sideshow alley and braved the topsy-turvy rides. They’d share spontaneous kisses, he’d try to win her stuffed toys, she’d wipe the remnants of tomato sauce from the corners of his lips when they ate dagwood dogs while sitting cross-legged on the ground. If only he could go back to such simple, precious times when they had been so alive, so free, and so very happy.

Footsteps sounded behind him and he turned to see Hope enter the room, a bunch of colourful gerberas in one hand and a paper-wrapped parcel in the other. ‘I picked these little beauties from Mum’s garden,’ she said as she tossed drooping sunflowers into the bin, replacing them with the gerberas. ‘And I grabbed you a toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich.’ She passed it to him. ‘On wholemeal bread, with extra butter, white pepper, hold the salt, and a little bit of onion and hot English mustard. Just how you like it.’

‘Thank you very much, sweetheart.’ Grateful for Hope’s kind, thoughtful heart, just like her mother’s, Charlie took the paper bag and kissed her cheek.

At his side, she pointed out the window to the bright lights of the fair. ‘It’s so odd, seeing life go on, while Mum is fighting for hers.’ Glancing toward Grace, she sniffled and straightened her shoulders. ‘It makes me feel guilty, wanting to take the girls there tomorrow, but they need something that’s going to help them smile.’ She sighed, shaking her head. ‘They’ve been so upset through all of this.’

Charlie smiled sadly. ‘There’s no need to feel guilty, Hope. You’re doing what a good mother should, and helping to take their mind off this.’ He placed a gentle hand on Hope’s back. ‘Your mother and I used to love going to the fair when it was in town.’ Grace rested her head on his shoulder as she listened. ‘She was always hopeful I’d win her a teddy bear, and afterwards she’d always want to eat some fairy floss.’

‘Mum does have a bit of a sweet tooth.’