Page 51 of The Cloud Catcher

Turning back to Zara, he searched for words that wouldn’t come, but one look at her face told him she already understood the gravity of the situation. His heart clenched as he quickly explained the situation to her and his daughters. And as the news sunk in, the girls’ faces transformed from showground excitement to confusion and fear, mirroring the emotions that he and Zara were feeling. And he totally understood their concern. Mark had always been their chosen uncle. Both girls loved his best mate dearly.

‘Okay, girls, we’ll have to leave now as we have to get there as soon as we can,’ Zara declared with a mixture of determination and compassion, the freckles dusting her cheeks stark against her suddenly pale complexion.

‘Yes, of course,’ Amy said in a voice almost too grown up for a twelve-year-old.

With her bottom lip trembling, all Lily could do was nod in agreement.

Quickly making their way from the showgrounds, they reached their parking spot in record time. As he climbed behind the wheel of the family sedan, Jay’s thoughts churned like a stormy ocean, dark and relentless. Memories of Mark’s struggles with alcoholism flooded his mind — the times he’d stood by him, hoping against hope for his recovery, now clashing with the harsh reality at hand. Poor Suzanne had her hands full, and then some.

The drive into the city was a tense and silent one. In the backseat, the girls huddled close together, each of them clearly sensing the gravity of the situation. Every so often, their small voices broke through the silence with questions that Jay and Zara answered with reassurances.

‘Will Uncle Mark be okay?’ Amy innocently asked.

‘I’m sure the doctors will be doing everything they can to help him,’ Zara replied softly, reaching back to squeeze her daughter’s hand. ‘And your dad and I will make sure he has everything he needs to get better, too.’

‘Could magic fix him?’ Lily’s question hung in the air, a painful reminder of life’s harsh realities. ‘I could try and wave my Harry Potter wand over him.’

‘That’s really sweet of you, Lily, but …’ Zara stopped short as Jay placed a hand on her leg.

‘Sometimes,’ Jay interjected gently, glancing at Zara before focusing on the road ahead, ‘the most powerful magic is having people who love you by your side. And we’re going to give Uncle Mark all the love and support we can.’

‘Okay,’ Lily said ever so seriously. ‘I’ll make sure to hug him very tight when we get there, just like you and Mum do when I’m hurt.’

It was all Jay could do not to burst into sobs as the highway stretched out before them, a ribbon winding through the landscape, leading them closer to Mark and the unknown ahead. Needing to remain calm, his mind drifted to the vastness of sky that he and his best mate had called their office for many years. It was a place that he no longer traversed, and one that Mark had been suspended from indefinitely, and like the tides guided by the moon, he felt the unbreakable pull of friendship propelling him forward. There had to be a way to get Mark back on the straight and narrow.

If not for himself, then for Suzanne. Zara’s best friend deserved the world.

‘Zara,’ Jay murmured softly, his quiet voice heavy with emotion, ‘I’m honestly afraid of what we’ll find when we get there.’

‘No matter what it is, we’ll be there for Suz, and we’ll all face it together,’ Zara replied in a firm but gentle tone. ‘Love is stronger than fear, Jay. Always. Hold onto that, okay.’

‘I’ll try to, my love.’ His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he fought back raw emotion.

While they were caught in heavy traffic on the outskirts of the city, the stars slowly emerged above, scattering across the sky. Their gentle light served as a silent reminder that there was always hope as Jay drove onwards, Zara at his side, and their daughters safe and secure in the back. From there, it took another frustrating twenty-five minutes to reach the hospital. He parked and then they hurried towards the front doors; the corridors were bustling, stretching on endlessly as Jay and Zara quickly led their daughters through the sterile maze. The row of fluorescent lights hummed, casting harsh shadows against the faded maritime prints that adorned the walls. Stopping at the nurses’ desk, they got directions and approached Mark’s room, where the door stood ajar, allowing snippets of conversation to filter into the hallway.

Suzanne was standing by his bedside, and her green eyes filled with tears as she turned to greet them. ‘Jay, Zara, beautiful girls, thank god you’re all here,’ she whispered as they paused at the doorway. ‘Thank you for coming so quickly.’ She sniffed and shook her head. ‘I’m so sorry to ruin your afternoon at the show.’

‘Don’t be silly, Suz.’ Zara grabbed Suzanne’s hands. ‘Other than emotionally, are you sure you’re okay?’

‘Yes, I’ve been given the all clear.’ With the girls standing off to the side, she looked from Zara to Jay, dropping her voice even lower. ‘It was absolute chaos, the blaring sirens, the sound of shattering glass.’ She shook her head, trying to dispel the memories. ‘I can’t believe I’m not in a hospital bed, too, or worse.’

Over her shoulder, the room bore the marks of urgency — machines beeping incessantly, IV lines snaking across surfaces. And there, lying in the centre of it all, was Mark. His once strong frame was now ravaged by injuries, swathed in bandages that crisscrossed his torso. Even in a drug-induced sleep, his face held an expression of pain and exhaustion.

‘His leg is broken in two places,’ Suzanne continued, gesturing helplessly with her hands. ‘And his ribs are cracked too. The doctors are worried about internal bleeding.’ Her anxiety hung heavy in the air, an invisible presence in the room.

Lost for words that would suffice in the situation, Jay felt his heart clench at the sight of his friend, so diminished, so lifeless. Frozen to the spot, he felt Zara’s hand tighten around his arm, her small frame leaning into him for support.

‘Let’s go and say hello, shall we?’ she whispered.

All he could do was nod in response.

‘Mark,’ Jay breathed out, stepping closer to the bedside. Seeing him so vulnerable stirred a tempest of emotions within him, but amid the turmoil, his resolve hardened. ‘Hey, buddy,’ he said, his voice low and steady. ‘We’re here now, okay? All four of us, and Suzanne. You’re not alone.’

Mark’s eyelids fluttered and a pained groan escaped his cracked lips. Jay reached out and placed a gentle hand over his mate’s, glad to feel a faint pulse beneath his skin. It was a reminder that the fight for life still burned strong within Mark.

‘Rest now, buddy,’ Jay urged, struggling to contain his own emotions. ‘Just rest.’

Zara’s eyes met his, and they shared a silent exchange of strength before she reached out to smooth a stray lock of hair from Mark’s forehead, her touch gentle yet unwavering. ‘Hey, Mark,’ she whispered. ‘We’re all here for you, just like you’ve always been there for us, too.’