Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Chapter 42

Allie's new physio Kevin came to collect her the following day and helping her into the chair said, "So, we'll take it really easy for today but we'll get you back on track tomorrow Allie. I'll work you hard but we'll make it fun. Let's try and get you home hey." Max had insisted on coming over the previous day despite Allie's reassurances that she was fine, but by the time he got there the combination of her difficult morning, the extra pain relief and the soothing coffee had sent her to sleep. Max sighed and flopped down next to Daniel, "Is she as okay as she made out Dan?" He threw an arm around his boss, "Yeah, she's actually fine I think. No damage." Max nodded, "Jesus Dan, I wish we could get her home to you and the kids." Daniel nodded, "You and me both Maxy. She is getting closer though. Mat says she just has to get to a point of being safe to move around because we can't risk her falling." Max laughed quietly, "I told Margie I want to wrap her in a giant inflatable bubble."

A few days later Allie was back in her room after her morning physical therapy session when Jeremy came in and perched on the bed, "I've got a favour to ask Allie." Looking puzzled, she said, "Of course, anything, although not sure what I can do from here?" He smiled, "I've got a patient called Tara, who's only eighteen. She came in a few days ago as an emergency with a really bad obstructed bowel caused by undiagnosed Crohns disease." Allie's face softened with empathy as he continued, "I had to remove a fairly big section of her intestine and create a stoma. We can reverse it hopefully in a few months when everything has calmed down and the gastro guys' medication has had a chance to work, but she's really struggling to accept it. Her parents are worried sick about her, and she looks at me like I'm the devil right now, so I wondered if you could talk to her?" Allie nodded, "Poor girl, that's such a lot to handle when you're young and self-conscious. I'm not sure she'll listen to me, though, since it's not something I've been through." Jeremy smiled, "Maybe not, but you have had your life changed after I had to remove something from you in the OR, and yet you're still speaking to me." He said it lightly, but Allie reached for his arm, "I send the universe silent thanks every day that it was you on call that day Jeremy. I never want to think of a life without you in it." She shuffled and put her arms around his neck, and he held her gratefully before pulling back when she said, "Want to take me to see her now?" He nodded and said, "I'll carry you. I know you hate that wheelchair." Allie sighed, "I do, makes me feel like an invalid, but I don't want to wreck your back." Jeremy burst out laughing, "Jesus Allie, no offense, but you're kinda flimsy right now. I think my back is safe." Allie giggled, "Fair enough, and I'm not going to complain about the chance to get waited on like a medieval princess." She looped an arm around his neck as he scooped under her knees and lifted her as she snuggled into his shoulder.

Tara's room was two floors above, and in the lift they encountered a sour faced elderly hospital visitor who looked disapprovingly at Jeremy. He turned and pulled a face at Allie, and they both dissolved into giggles to the woman's disgust. As they got out, she tutted, and Allie said, still shaking with laughter, "Her face! She'll probably complain to management." Jeremy bent and kissed her cheek, "Let her." They reached Tara's room, and Jeremy said, "Give it a knock for me Allie." They walked in, not waiting for a response, and Tara looked up in surprise at Allie. Spotting Jeremy, she scowled and turned away. Allie unconsciously rubbed her hand across his chest to comfort him, and he gently placed her on the chair at the side of the bed and said, "Tara, this is a friend of mine, Allie. I know you don't want to talk to me, but I'm going to leave Allie to talk with you for a little bit." Allie squeezed his hand, and he left as Tara glared at him coldly.

She turned her attention to Allie and said harshly, "What's he brought you here for? Did he butcher you too? Going to whip out your stoma and tell me we can be stoma buddies? Because if so you can leave." Allie bit her lip, "Sorry, no stoma to compare. And as for leaving, can't currently walk, hence why he was carrying me, so no can do." Tara looked up surprised, "You foreign?" Allie laughed, "I'm British, never really thought of that as foreign." Tara looked embarrassed, "Sorry, didn't mean to be rude." Allie shook her head, "You weren't at all. I just forget I sound different. How are you feeling?" Tara shrugged and asked, "How long have you been here?" Allie rolled her eyes, "Since just before Christmas." Tara sat up in shock, "What the hell did he do to you?" Allie grinned, "Nothing! I had an argument with a motor vehicle, and I lost, broke quite a lot of bones." Tara looked stunned, and Allie explained, "Jeremy, Dr Matthews I mean, operated on me a long time ago, and now he's married to my friend Robyn."

Tara said, "So do you have Crohns?" Allie shook her head and looked Tara in the eye, "No, I was shot, and to save my life he had to take away my ability to have children. I know what's happened to you is totally different and really hard Tara, but there's every chance this is temporary, and in a few months, it can be reversed." Tara spat out bitterly, "It's disgusting, and as long as I have it, my life's over anyway. How can you even look at him when he took that from you?" Allie's face turned serious, "Tara, everything that happens to us and how we react to it makes us the people we become. I could focus my energy on being angry at the person who shot me, but I made a choice to look forward, and what I found was that in some ways what happened to me was a gift. I'm not saying it was easy because it absolutely wasn't, but it made my family super close. And Dr Matthews, he sat by me and held my hand through the really dark times when I was scared I'd never be myself again. I know you want someone to blame, but he did this to give you a future, and deep down, you know it's not his fault this happened to you. He's asked me to talk to you because he's a good guy and he wants to help you. Try owning this and move forward. It won't always be easy, but you'll be able to look back and be proud of how you handled yourself."

Tara looked slightly less angry and sadder. She picked at the bedclothes then looked up at Allie, "He just doesn't understand how much this is going to ruin my life, my last year of high school destroyed." Allie sighed, "Try telling yourself it won't ruin the next few months, it'll just be different. So my equivalent, I couldn't give birth, give my husband our child, but eventually we adopted the most perfect little girl." Tara looked shocked and didn't say anything for a minute. Eventually, she nodded and said, "I'll try."

She sighed, "Isn't it a bit weird, your friend's husband carrying you around the hospital?" Allie laughed, "What I didn't tell you was that just about the greatest gift of all to come out of what happened to me was Jeremy. We became really close friends after I was discharged. He's always there for me, and I love him very much." Tara pulled a face and said, "Still a bit weird." They laughed and listening outside by the door, Jeremy's heart swelled and he smiled. He knocked softly and came in hesitantly. Allie leaned on him as he tentatively sat next to her on the arm of the chair and she said, "Tara here was just saying she thinks you carrying me 'round the hospital is a bit weird." Jeremy smiled, "Did you explain you can't actually walk right now?" Tara laughed, and he chanced a look at her. She nodded, "She did. Can you get that stoma nurse to come and talk to me?" Jeremy nodded, and she quickly added, "I'm not saying I can touch it or look at it yet." Jeremy nodded, "It's okay. She can just come to talk if that's all you feel ready for." He turned to Allie, "I'd better get you back to your room before they send out a search party." Allie nodded and said, "Good luck Tara, and take care" as he gently lifted her up.

Once he got back to her room, Jeremy carefully put her on the bed, and she patted next to her to get him to join her. He put an arm around her and pulled her to his side, "Thanks for doing that Allie. I knew you could get through to her. She can sound like a brat, but she's just having a really hard time." Allie nodded, "Were you listening outside?" Jeremy just hummed, and Allie smiled, "I meant it." Jeremy kissed her head and said quietly, "I'd say exactly the same about you Allie. You've made me cry twice since that asshole drove a car at you." Allie sat up and looked directly at him as he sighed and said, "Once in the ER when they intubated you, and then when you were in ITU and I saw Michael. Allie's eyes filled with tears, and she whispered, "He was sitting with me when the pain was unbearable." Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, I saw him Allie. I'd been down to see Steph, let her know how you were. I came back in, and he was just sitting there. He smiled at me, and then he was gone. I freaked Allie. You were so sick, I thought he'd come to take you. I cried like a baby and begged him to let you stay." Allie had tears rolling down her face, and she threw herself around her friend's neck before whispering, "He said he was there to make sure I knew I wasn't alone. I'm glad you told me Jem." Allie moved back to lean on his shoulder, and he kissed her tear stained face as she wiped a tear from his cheek. Eventually he sighed and said, "I'd better go sort Tara's stoma nurse before she changes her mind. You okay?" Allie nodded, "You?" Jeremy took her face and kissed her on the forehead, "Yeah, I'll come back later."