Page 52 of The Cloud Catcher

With her arm now hooked into Zara’s, Suzanne nodded in agreement, her smile fragile yet filled with hope. ‘He’s stubborn, our Mark. He’ll pull through. He has to.’

‘Damn straight, he’s one tough cookie,’ Jay said determinedly. ‘Zara, how about you take Suzanne home with you and the girls, and I’ll call you when things improve.’

‘Oh, Jay, I …’ Suzanne went to defend her claim on the chair beside the bed.

‘Suz.’ Jay placed both his hands onto her shoulders. ‘You’ve been through a car wreck. You need rest, too. I’ll be right here, with him, and I’ll call you as soon as anything changes, okay.’ It was a statement rather than a question.

‘He’s right, Suz,’ Zara added. ‘Please, let me take you home for a little while.’

‘Okay.’ Suzanne eventually nodded. ‘But please, Jay, make sure you call me.’

‘I promise I will,’ Jay affirmed.

After their departure, the room fell into a sacred stillness, broken only by the rhythmic sound of the respirator. Hour after hour, Jay stood watch, his love for his friend an unspoken oath, while through the one window, his only portal to the outside world, the sky eventually began to lighten, heralding the arrival of dawn. The gift of a new day, to make the most of. And that was when Mark finally came to. While the nurse and doctor tended to Mark, checking his vitals, Jay took the time to quickly message Suzanne, then Zara. Then, once the medical staff left the room, Jay took back his seat and, leaning in, clasped Mark’s hand, feeling the tremor of his weakened grip. Right then and there the sterile scent of antiseptics mingled with his sure feeling that things would get better from here on in.

They had to, or they risked losing Mark forever.

He was certain of it.

The sound of machines beeping and whirring blended with his voice as he spoke low and steady. ‘Mark, buddy, I’ve watched you weather storms fiercer than this. But none that cut so deep.’ He paused, choosing his words with delicate care. ‘It’s not just about healing the physical wounds you endured, my friend, it’s about the big picture of yourself, and your life, and I think you know that.’

Mark’s eyes, now open and clouded with pain and medication, struggled to focus on Jay’s earnest face. His lips parted slightly, but no words found their way out.

‘Your spirit, it’s been bruised by more than what happened last night. I get it, I really do,’ Jay continued, each word infused with a hope that felt as fragile as sea foam. ‘But the bottle has been an escape in your life for too long.’

A single tear trailed down the side of Mark’s face, like an echo of rain against a windowpane. ‘I’m scared of losing everything again,’ he admitted, his voice hoarse. ‘Like I lost my little girl.’

‘I know, bud. And I also understand that every time you try to swim away from the pain of it, the current drags you back.’ Jay’s voice rose with conviction. ‘But you have to try and see that Suzanne, and Zara, the girls, and I, we’re all here. You’re not adrift in this alone, as long as you allow us in, that is.’ He tightened his hold on Mark’s hand. ‘We can find help, professional help. Rehab, therapy, whatever it takes.’

Mark’s gaze held onto Jay’s, a lifeline amid the uncertainty that roiled inside him. ‘But what if I’m not strong enough?’ Each of his words were husky, pain laced.

‘Strength isn’t about never falling,’ Jay said, his eyes intense with the truth of his words. ‘It’s about who you have to pick you up when you fall.’ He paused, letting this really sink into his mate’s good heart. ‘That’s us, Mark, we’re those people in your life. So please, lean on us, let us help you. I know it’s been tough, with your ex keeping your darling girl from you, but the courts will eventually see she’s doing the wrong thing, you’ll see.’

‘I hope you’re right.’ The vulnerability in Mark’s expression broke through the surface like a dolphin cresting waves. ‘Thank you,’ he breathed, the gratitude resonating deeply. ‘For believing there’s still a chance for me.’

‘Of course.’ Jay gave Mark’s arm a reassuring squeeze. ‘There’s always a chance, if you reach for it, mate.’

Outside, the sky unfolded in layers of vibrant orange and pink, painting a canvas of new beginnings. The colours reflected off the white walls of the hospital room, casting a warm glow on the two childhood friends sticking together through thick and thin. Jay reached for the pen snapped to the chart at the end of Mark’s bed, then placed it gently in Mark’s trembling hand, like a fragile leaf caught in the autumn breeze, yet held steady by the strength of the branch.

‘Let’s make it official,’ Jay urged, his voice soft but firm as he presented a paper adorned with the logo of the renowned recovery centre that he, Suzanne and Zara had chosen together the week before. They just hadn’t found the right time to coerce Mark into going.

Now was that time.

Mark didn’t need to say anything; his willing expression spoke loud and clear as the scratching of the pen against the document echoed through the room, each stroke evidence of their pact. Mark’s signature, though shaky, was the mark of a true captain ready to steer his life away from the siren call of addiction.

‘I’m going to be with you every step of the way,’ Jay affirmed, placing his own name beside Mark’s. ‘Day or night, whenever you need me, and also when you think you don’t.’ He looked at their signatures, lying side by side, and smiled at the symbol of unity and shared resolve.

‘Thank you, Maverick,’ Mark whispered, his voice gravelly. ‘For not giving up on me.’

‘Never,’ Jay replied, clasping Mark’s shoulder with a gentle brotherly touch. ‘You and me, we’re braving this together.’

Hurried footsteps sounded and Suzanne came rushing into the room, her face red and swollen from crying. Offering Jay a wobbly smile, she carefully sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hands on Mark’s chest. ‘I love you,’ was all she said before sobs broke.

‘I love you too, Suz.’ Mark’s voice broke and tears began to stream down his cheeks. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘I know you are.’ Placing a finger to his lips, she shook her head. ‘Let’s just focus on getting you better.’

Giving them a little space, Jay pulled up a seat on the other side of the room when a knock at the door sounded, then Zara entered, her presence a calming balm.