AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Oh God, Kayla,’ she says. ‘What is it? What hurts? Is it your knee?’
I catch my breath and choke back some tears. ‘I’m okay,’ I lie. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Maybe we should go,’ Dad says, his voice even wobblier than he is as he stands up. ‘You should probably get some rest. It’s been quite a day.’
‘I agree with your dad.’ Mam starts ruffling the pillows behind me, actually making me super uncomfortable. ‘You really should get some rest.’
‘But I don’t want to go,’ Molly says. ‘I like it here with Kayla.’
‘C’mon, Molly,’ I say, patting the space Mam has left on the bed beside me. ‘You wanna sit up with me? I got a new game on my phone. I think you’ll like it.’
‘Sneaky sneak?’ Molly squeaks.
‘Sure.’ I nod, having no clue what that is; it’ll probably take me two hundred years to download on the crappy hospital broadband.
Molly hurries over to the bed and it’s hilarious to see her try her best to climb up. She grabs the sheets for grip but has as much luck as she would climbing Everest.
‘Dad,’ I say. ‘A little help, please?’
‘Oh, Kayla. I’m not sure…’
‘Dad. Please. Put those lifting skills to good use.’
‘Gavin,’ Mam says, looking at him unsure.
‘Guys,’ I say, firmly catching both my parents’ attention at once. ‘I’m fine. Molly is fine. We just want to sit together and play a game on my phone like normal. Can we please do that?’
Mam and Dad look at each other, both shaking their head and I actually want to scream. Molly continues to tug on the sheets and she’s either going to tumble back and burst her head open or drag me right off the bed while they hum and haw.
‘Okay, Molly,’ Dad says, sliding his hands underneath her arms and scooping her off the ground. ‘But you have to be very, very careful. Kayla has a very sore leg and you can’t hurt her,’ he warns.
‘Like my hurty bit.’ Molly points to her plaster again, and I smile.
‘Yes,’ Dad says as he sets her down on the bed next to me. Molly snuggles into me, and straight away tears burn in my eyes and if I blink, they’re going to come spilling down my cheeks and Mam and Dad are actually going to flip out with worry.
I pass Molly my phone and bury my face in her delicious, apple-smelling hair. Mam and Dad huddle in the corner whispering, as if when they keep their voices low and calm I won’t notice they’re talking about me.
‘You don’t have Sneaky Snake,’ Molly says.
‘Oh, sorry.’ I lift my head, ready to take my phone back and offer her a different game.
‘S’okay,’ she says. ‘It’s downloading now.’
‘Molly you’re my hero. Do you know that?’ I giggle.
‘Don’t be silly, Kayla,’ Molly says. ‘I can’t fly.’
TWENTY-THREE
KAYLA
The door creaks open and Charlotte comes into view.
‘Mammy!’ Molly yells, too loud for the small room and much too loud for right next to my ear. ‘I’m playing Sneaky Snake on Kayla’s phone. Do you want to see how long my snake is? He’s super big, isn’t he, Kayla?’
‘He is,’ I say.
‘In a minute,’ Charlotte says as she opens the door wider but doesn’t come in.
