Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 37

When Allie woke she saw Max and smiled. Looking at Daniel and Jeremy she croaked, "Oh my god you two, you lied, I must be dying if you've got Max inside a hospital." They spluttered laughing while Max rolled his eyes at her, "Very funny Allie. You've taken at least five years off my life with your medical drama." He leaned over the edge of the bed and kissed her, "How you feeling?" She squeezed the hand he was holding, "I'm not going to lie I feel pretty bloody awful." Tom Reynolds knocked the door and smiling Jeremy stood up to let him through to the bed. He stuck out his hand and said, "Hi Allie, I'm Tom Reynolds, I did your surgery earlier. It's nice to meet you." Allie took his hand replying, "Hi, very strange to shake hands with someone who so recently had them in your abdominal cavity." Tom looked floored and the others spluttered laughing. "I didn't know you were British!" Allie shrugged, "I doubt you can tell from my insides." Jeremy nudged his colleague "Now you know what I meant earlier. When I did her original surgery I had weeks of this." Dan grinned at Allie and Tom recovered himself, "How's the pain Allie?" She nodded "Not too bad and a whole lot better than when I got here. Thanks for sorting it out, I just feel like I have the worst case of flu or something." Jeremy leaned over and felt her forehead, "Yeah, you're still spiking a fever." Tom looked at her chart and nodded, "I'm going to get you some ice packs to try and bring that down Allie. We've got you on an acetaminophen drip as well as the stronger painkillers. The antibiotics are in this other IV but it'll be a few hours before they kick in. You'll start to feel better once they start to work, just try and rest and I'll be in first thing in the morning to see how you're doing."

He left to give some instructions at the nurses' station and Max stood up, "Allie since you know I have no love for hospitals and I've satisfied myself I'm not going to be a lawyer down long term I'm going to go." He leaned down and kissed her whispering "Love you though okay." Allie smiled at him as he got up, then suddenly sucked in a breath, "What time is it? Who's getting Rose and Emmie?" Daniel took Max's place and sat on the edge of the bed "Calm down Allie. Holly's dropped them off with Margie." Jeremy said, "Why don't you go with Max and sort the girls out Dan and I'll stay for a while with Allie." Allie nodded, "Dan, take them to their own beds and kiss them from me yeah?" He stroked her clammy face, "I don't want to leave you sweetheart." Allie grabbed his hand and squeezed, "I know but I won't be alone. Jeremy's here for a while and I'll probably sleep." Reluctantly he left with Max, and Jeremy went out to message Robyn that he was going to stay with Allie until she was settled so Daniel could get the children to bed.

When he got back, a nurse had been with ice packs and placed them around Allie. Jeremy grabbed a facecloth, ran it under the faucet in the bathroom and wrapped it around an ice pack for a few minutes, then he folded the cloth and pressed it to her face to cool her down. Allie smiled, "Feels good thanks."

He lay on the bed next to her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "How bad do you feel Allie?" She sounded defeated, "Like ten out of ten bad to be honest" He leaned over and grabbed a cup of water. "Here, have a few sips of this. The cool water will help." She took it gratefully and then said, "Jeremy, I saw something while I was under the anaesthetic. I suppose as a doctor, a scientist you'll say it was caused by the drugs or oxygen starved brain or something, but it was so real." Jeremy put his arm gently around her so she could lean more comfortably on him, "What was it?" Allie sighed, "I saw Michael, well actually I didn't just see him, I smelt him, felt him. He said we didn't have long and told me he was happy Dan and I were together so we could take care of one another and the children. And he said he'd never left, but put his hand over my heart and said that's where he will always be. I heard you calling my name and it was like I was pulled from his arms. It wasn't like a dream, it was so incredibly real, he was as real to me as you are now." Jeremy turned the cloth over to use the cool side, "Allie I've heard so many things from patients over the years that I can't explain. I think it's just as plausible that it really was Michael, as saying it was to do with the drugs. At the very least maybe it was your subconscious telling you what Michael would say if he could? Either way it's a beautiful message. He used the now warm cloth to wipe a tear that was rolling down her face. "Shhhhh sweetheart, don't cry. I'm staying a while, just close your eyes and rest."