AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Oh, Jesus, my head hurts.’
Surprised by his own voice, George opened his eyes. He could speak, and he could see.
He was in a side ward, wired up to some machines. One of which was still beeping, proving he was alive. One chair with a blue plastic upholstered seat and back stood empty on the right side of his bed. On the left, her head resting against the blue plastic, her shoeless feet curled up beneath her, sat Millie. Her eyes were closed.
‘Millie,’ George croaked. He was so pleased to see her, he wanted to tell her, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was the stupidly obvious: ‘You’re here.’
She opened her eyes and smiled sleepily at him.
‘You’re here,’ he said again, unable to believe she was with him.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
‘No, I’m sorry,’ she said, shuffling forward on the chair and taking hold of his hand. ‘I should have realised you were more badly hurt than you were saying. Why didn’t you tell me? You could have died.’ Tears bubbled on the edge of her lashes.
‘I didn’t know. I thought I was all right.’
‘Well, you weren’t.’ She sounded cross again. ‘You’ve had bleeding on the brain. They had to operate to release the pressure.’
‘Jesus, God, Jesus. I am sorry.’ Whether it was from relief, pain or fear, George had an overwhelming desire to cry, and he couldn’t stop the tears. It was like a flood as they ran over his cheeks and into his hair, before dampening the pillow. What an idiot, blubbering like a small child. Millie could never love him now.
If only he could sit up, then at least the tears would run a normal route. Maybe sitting he’d be able to take control of himself. He tried to heave himself upright, but nothing happened. His brain was still not in touch with his muscles. Or was he paralysed? ‘Jesus, no. Millie… I can’t move. Nothing’s working.’
She stood up. ‘Shall I help you? What do you want?’
‘I want to sit up, but I can’t. I…’
‘I’ll fetch a nurse.’
‘No!’ He didn’t want her to go away, but she’d gone almost before the word no was out of his mouth, leaving George staring up at the ceiling again while tears drained into his ears.
‘Now then, George,’ a voice he thought he recognised spoke to him from the end of the bed. He tilted his head and saw owl-like eyes staring at him from behind heavy framed glasses.
‘Sharon?’
‘Yes, that’s me.’
She moved to the side of his bed and checked the beeping machine.
‘I thought you were going away for the weekend.’
‘Not until after my shift ends at nine this evening.’
‘You’re a nurse.’
‘Good to see your powers of deduction are unimpaired.’ She raised an eyebrow as she lifted his wrist and paused, concentrating on his pulse. ‘Right, not too bad, a little elevated perhaps but not abnormal. Now then, Millie says you want to sit up, but you say you can’t move.’
‘Yes, that’s right. Only my head.’
‘Hmm. Let’s see if we can get you upright. Ready?’
‘Yes.’ George nodded slowly, nervously wondering what Sharon might have planned.
He glanced helplessly at Millie, certain neither of her flatmates liked him. He’d always thought Martha was the dangerous one, because of her resemblance to the donkey that had bitten him when he was only ten years old, but at that moment, Sharon seemed far more terrifying, with her owl-like expression and her intimidating medical powers.
She moved closer to the bed, stared down at him for a moment before placing herself in a position that put her bust far too close to his face than he would have wanted. She slipped her arm between him and his pillow. Her right hand anchored itself in his armpit, too firmly to tickle, while her left wedged itself on the opposing side.
‘Right, up we come.’ She took a breath, heaved with surprising strength and George slid into an upright position, propped against the pillow, feeling lightheaded.
