A porter brings her back after around half an hour. "Hey, have they said anything?"
"There's a problem with my spine.." she says, immediately my mind goes back to my actions. Did I do something wrong? But I know that I need to reassure her before anything else. "They're gonna come to put everything else back soon."
"That's okay. We'll take it all as it comes. Is the pain still okay?"
"It's never going to go away Chap." She smiles halfheartedly, "You can go if you can't cope."
"What? You know I'm here for you. Why would I leave? And how would I not be able to cope if you can?" She shakes her head slightly.
"My parents couldn't... Today reminded me of them.. They left me.." I feel bad because I can't hug her but I stroke her hand softly.
"But I can. And I will. For as long as you want me to." She laughs softly as the doctor comes in.
"Okay so your spine seems to be out as well so we'll probably have to sedate you for that. Are we okay to start manipulation for what we can?" She nods and turns her head to face me.
"We never did get round to finishing you telling me about the lifeguard extraordinaire."
"Ah, well.." I watch as they pull her knee back into place and she barely flinches. "Nowhere near as strong as you are."
"You've got to do better than that." She teases.
"Okay.. So Chappo the lifeguard extraordinaire can paddle at the speed of light. He rescues people before they've even realised they're drowning. He fights the angel of death every day and has never lost a match."
"We'll put the hip back when we work out what to do about your spine if that's okay? It'll probably need surgery." the doctor interrupts.
"I can put it in now." Brooke protests, trying to move. I hold her still.
"Stop. Your spine is damaged, do you know what that can do? You need to lay still." She laughs.
"What's the betting I've managed to dislocate that too?"
"Brooke.. that's not good." She smiles.
"I might need to get to know lifeguard extraordinaire. He sounds cool." He eyes drift shut again and I watch as her heart slows.
"Brooke. Please stay awake. I don't know what's going on. Please." She smiles.
"Here," she whispers as her heart goes back to normal. "Heart doesn't like working."
"Okay.. The doctor is here now." I say as he arrives with the anaesthetist.
"We've got you a place in urgent surgery for your spine."
"General?" she asks.
"The anaesthetic, yes, you'll be asleep for a while. We'll relocate your hip and it looks like we'll be doing the same with the spine."
"Good." she mutters.
"Her heart isn't doing great right now. Is it still safe?"
"Yes, we have experience with heart problems." the doctor says, sounding annoyed.
"Night darling. Sleep well." I whisper resting her hand back on the bed. She smiles as they take her away.
"She'll go back to the recovery room in an hour or so. Are you family?" I nod knowing she'll not let me in if I'm not, "You can wait in the room there." A nurse says as she sees me looking lost. I thank her but head outside. I sit on the edge of a bench in a magical garden, waiting for someone to come to grant all my wishes. My phone rings and I find Whippet's number "I heard." he says as soon as I pick up, "Are you coping okay?"
