Forked Roads Back

95 - TESSA

AS SOON AS WE, Archie pulls me across the tarmac, through the airport and into a car, setting off across London to Whipps Cross.

I am so grateful to him, even if I don't say so, because I would never have been able to do this by myself, knowing what might be waiting for me at the other end.

We barely say anything all the way. After what we talked about at the airport, especially with me saying what I had said, there isn't really much more to say. Mostly because he was right... We couldn't be anything, because I had Jamie.

My eyes widen as I sit forward.

"Jamie!" I shout, scrambling for my phone.

Archie turns his head. "Tess?"

He watches me fumble in my bag, muttering under my breath, asking myself where I'd put my phone.

"Jamie! I need to call him!"

His hand goes to my coat pocket and he pulls out my phone. I grab it from him, seeing there are loads of missed calls; three from the same number that had initially called me, four from Charlotte, but weirdly, none from Jamie.

"I need to ring him. I need to tell him what's happened!"

He puts his other hand over mine, stopping me as I go to dial his number.

"Slow down for a second, Tess. Yes you should call him, but maybe wait until we get there?" He smiles at me as he  cups my cheek, stroking his thumb across it. "Trust me, your dad will be fine, but let's wait until we get there.

I look at him for a second, trying to make sense of what he's saying with my scrambled brain.

He's right in a way, because if I ring now and he comes home whilst Dad is out of hospital tomorrow, I would have brought him home over a false alarm. But then, if he wasn't okay, then Jamie would still be mad I hadn't called him sooner.

Plus, maybe the best time to ring wasn't in the car with Archie sitting next to me, holding my hand.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, sliding closer to Archie as he puts his arm around me. He's right, Dad will be fine. Every few minutes, he kisses the top of my head and strokes his hand up my arm in long comforting strokes.

"We're nearly there. We'll be there in no time and you'll see for yourself that Andy's fine." I look up at him and he gives me a smile. "There's nothing to worry about, I promise."

I can't help but think he may be going a little overboard, but it really is helping. I had the tendency to think catastrophically in these situations, particularly after what's happened to me in the past, one could understand why my brain went there.

"It'll be okay," he says again. "Everything will be okay."

I repeated his words in my mind, chanting the mantra at myself to try and get myself to believe it, but thankfully we stop after twenty minutes and I recognise the building.

Letting go of his hand, I dash out the door, not waiting for him. I hear him running after me but all I can think is that I need to find Dad.

I head inside, running at full pelt, crashing into the reception desk at full pelt, breathing heavily.

"My gosh!" the receptionist gasps. "Can I help you, Sweetie?" he asks.

"Andrew Granger?" I say as Archie comes up behind me.

He repeats Dad's name and taps a few keys on the computer. "He's in room three-four-eight upstairs, but I have to ask, are you guys family?"

I frown, same as Archie.