Behind Closed Doors

Act of selflessness.

Chris

We slow danced a few numbers together and I was starting to feel more tired. "Can we sit down, please?" Jamie nodded her head, and we went to the table where I asked Jamie to dance earlier. I slowly sat down in the chair next to her, ensuring that she was on my left-hand side as my right side was beyond killing me.

"I cannot honestly believe you are here..." Jamie ran her fingers gently over my face as she looked into my eyes and I gave her a small smile. "I thought the worst, I really did. I was starting to wonder how the hell I was going to do what you asked." I knew she was talking about my goodbye video and I do want to talk about everything with her, but now really isn't the time or the place.

"Babe, I get it I really do, but please, we are at your sister's wedding, let's enjoy what's left of tonight and we will have the long overdue discussion about everything, and I will tell you all that I know, that I promise you."

"Can I get you ladies a drink?" I looked up from staring at Jamie to Jack smiling at us with Pat by his side.

"I will have my usual Dad. Chris?" I looked at Jamie then back to Jack and Pat.

"I'm not drinking. Maybe a non-alcoholic cider or something along those lines, I'm not fussy." Jack nodded and he and Pat wandered over to the bar and Jamie turned to face me more. "I can't drink Jamie, I'm on medication at the minute and it's not wise." Her eyes kept searching me and if I didn't know Jamie, I would start to feel a little self-conscious being under her watchful eye. When Jack and Pat returned with our drinks they joined us at the table and we were making small talk and they made it evidently clear that they were more than happy that I was here, alive.

Once that initial conversation was out the way and I advised that they could call me Chris from now on since I was no longer being protected, that I was free from harm, the chat at the table became more like banter and for the first time in a long time, I felt a genuine smile and happiness surge through my body. That was until some drunk guest managed to bump into me and catch me on my right-hand side. I swore I was going to bring up the contents of my stomach as the pain that was radiating through my body was surreal. I excused myself saying that I needed the bathroom and disappeared as quickly as I could. "Chris?" I heard my name being called out and I was breathing deeply in the toilet, trying not to pass out. "Chris, it's Pat, where are you love?"

"End cubicle. Doors open." I rasped and the door was gently pushed open.

"Oh love, you don't look too hot. What's wrong?" I looked up at Pat who was clearly concerned about me, which I've not had before, a mother figure giving a crap about me.

"I'm injured Pat and I'm pushing my limits by being here but when that drunk guy bumped into me at the table, I felt a pop. I'm..." I ran my hand under my shirt and as I thought, when I brought my fingers back out to show Pat, my blood evidently on them Pat's eyes went wide.

"Okay. Let me see that properly so I know what I'm dealing with." I stood up and braced the cubicle as Pat lifted my shirt up and she nodded. "Your stitches have popped out. You need to be stitched back up. Let me go and get my first aid kit."

"What?"

"I'm a former nurse, you should be impressed what I have in my kit. But we will need to keep an eye on this wound, make sure it doesn't get infected." I nodded my head. "Wait here, I will be right back." I whispered that I would and sat back down on the toilet seat, clutching my side to try and stem the flow of blood. Before I knew it, Pat was back and had me near the toilet sink. She said she had Jack on guard at the door, so no one came in whilst she was stitching me back up and she looked at me sympathetically. "Now, this is going to hurt my lovely, I don't have anything for you to bite down on."