Erin woke up with a start. She had been crying in her dream.
Someone had died, she couldn't make who and she was crying.
She rubbed her face. Her cheeks were damp. She dried her eyes. She must have been crying in her sleep. That had never happened to her. It was like the panic and the sadness from the dream had followed her into reality.
She was still in the hospital waiting room. She looked around at the others who were all there and all still asleep.
It must have been morning as the sun had begun to pour in through the only window in the small waiting room.
James mumbled in his sleep. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder. His arm was still around her shoulder. It tightened around her as if he unconsciously felt her moving away.
She leaned back into his shoulder. Looking for comfort. Her movement must have woken James as he shifted in his chair and turned to face her.
The worry was plain on her face.
" ok?" he asked in a whisper.
"As much as I can be" she replied softly.
"Sorry I didn't mean to..." James went to move his arm from around her shoulder.
Although she had spent all night holding his hand, he didn't want to cross a line with her or make her uncomfortable.
"Don't!" said Erin as she snuggled back into him.
She didn't care if the others woke up and seen them. Even Michelle. She just wanted him to hold her and make her feel like everything would be okay.
"He will be ok Erin" whispered James.
"I dunno. It's been all night, and no one has told us anything" replied Erin.
"If anyone can survive something like this it's your granddad," said James.
"True" replied Erin with a sad smile. Granda Joe wouldn't go anywhere without a fight.
They both jumped as the door to the waiting room opened. It was Gerry.
The fright Gerry had given James and Erin seemed to wake up the others.
"You can go up and see him girls," said Gerry. He gave them a small smile which gave Erin hope.
"How is he daddy?" asked Erin.
"He had to have a small operation," said Gerry.
"On his heart?" asked Erin.
"Yeah, but it went well. He's doing well. You can see for yourself come on" said Gerry with a reassuring smile.
Erin had been afraid of seeing him. Seeing him in pain and not well.
She instinctively reached for James's hand as they followed Gerry up to the ward.
They all headed inside. Joe was in a room on his own and was partially propped up in the bed.
His face lit up with a smile as he saw them. Especially as they were still in their angel costumes from the night before.
"Have I died and gone to heaven?" remarked Joe.
"Don't say things like that Daddy. He's only flying on the drugs they're pumping into him," said a worried Mary.
"Granda?" said Orla quietly. She could be away with the fairies at times, but Joe's heart attack had really affected her. It had pulled her back in to the real world where really terrible things can happen.
"Come here to me weans" Erin and Orla ran and to give Joe a hug.
Even Clare, James and Michelle lined up after them for a hug.
"You gave us some fright so ya did Joe. Not gonna lie" said Michelle as she hugged him.
"I can't believe you ruined the weans's night and frightened the poor craters like that ya useless wee gobshite!" snapped Joe at Gerry.
"You had a heart attack Joe!" replied Gerry.
"It was nothing" said Joe as he rubbed Orla's cheek.
"They had to resuscitate you, Joe!" said Gerry.
"Who hasn't had to be resuscitated?! Maybe if you got off your hole once in a while, you'd need resuscitating!" replied Joe.
"That makes no sense!" argued Gerry.
Erin smiled to herself. Maybe everything would be ok. Granda was half back to normal already.
"You make no sense!" said Joe.
"Gerry just it. He's not meant to get stressed. He's just had heart surgery!" said Mary.
"But he's the one..."
Mary gave him a look that could have cut the tongue straight out of him.
"Ok fine" muttered Gerry.
"What's going on here?" yelled the nurse. "Where did all ye come from? There's far too many of you in here. There's meant to be only two visitors at a time"
"It's just our weans..." replied Sarah.
"I can see that but why is there so many of them in here at once?" asked the nurse.
"Well, they don't come separately sister," said Sarah.
"Ok, two minutes and I will have to ask them to leave. Of matron will have your and my guts for garters"
