The Backbone

Chapter 22

TIMS POV

I scream out to Addy as I watch him walk onto the road in front of a car. He looks over me and just as he does the car hits him. I watch in shock as he falls, and he hits his head on the road. I scream out his name and run towards him. I kneel down beside and try to get him to look at me, but he won't as he has blacked out. I grab his hand in mine and say, "it's ok mate I'm here for you". I hear a voice say to me "watch out so we can get him on a stretcher and inside so he can be treated". I stand up and move away a bit but just as I do I hear someone call my name and I look up to see Anthony running towards and he stops and says "babe what happened I just heard the car horn then the bang and looked out to see Addy falling and you running"? I throw myself into his arms and I hug him and say "he wasn't watching and just stepped out. I couldn't stop him. I tried but he turned just as the car hit him. I think he hit his head". I feel Ant take my hand and he leads me back inside. I'm in shock at seeing my 2 best mates end up in the same hospital on the same day and I couldn't do anything to help them or stop them.

I sit there with Ant hugging me and my head in my hands until I hear someone say, "family of Tommy Joe Lambert". I feel Ant grab my hand and he helps me up and over to the doctor calling out. We go up and Ant says I am Anthony Callea, and I am Tommy Joe Lamberts brother, how is he"? The doctor looks at us and says, "follow me please". We follow him to where they have Tommy in the Intensive care ward and he stops by his bed and he says "I heard his husband came in with him can you tell me where he is please so we can speak to him first"? Ant says, "he was just hit by a car out the front and he is currently passed out in the emergency I think". He nods his and says, "ok suppose I can tell you first as you are his brother"? Ant says, "yes now please tell me how he is last time I heard that he has flat lined". He looks at us and says "he is ok he lost a lot of blood and will need transfusions for a few days. We managed to bring him back and to clear out his stomach contents and stop the bleeding but what we want to know is why he did it. Did he have a fight with someone like his husband? I was about to answer but fiery Ant beat me to it, and he said "no he didn't he lost his mother a few weeks ago. He sat by her bedside and watched her die". Then he didn't let his husband know until after we had all finished-on X factor. We flew over to America for her funeral and to comfort him in his time of need. We got back a few days ago and he spent the first 2 days in his bedroom with his husband then last night he wouldn't talk to anyone he closed himself off. He didn't even speak to his daughter. I found him when I went into see if I can talk to him. His husband and he have a good relationship. He finds it hard being away from his husband for an extended period like they did when his mother died". The doctor nods his head and says, "ok then well I suppose you can see him, and we are hoping he will wake up in the next few hours". We nod our head and watch as the doctor walks out after checking on Tommy again.

Ant leads me to a chair, and he says, "babe you need to sit down, I will see if anyone can bring us a coffee and I really think we need to tell Edna what happened". I nod my head and pull my phone out, but Ant takes it off me and says, "no way are you doing it in this state". I hear him talk to someone while sitting by Tommy's bedside. I grab his hand and say "Tommy its Tim, Ant and I are here for you. Please you have to pull through for Edna and Adam also your family".

I feel someone put their hand on my shoulder and I look up to Ant beside me and he hands me a coffee. After I have drunk the coffee, I feel do much better and say to Ant "thanks babe for that I needed that to get over the shock". He leans down and pecks my lips and says, "anything for you daddy". I can't help the smile that comes to my face and I pull Ant down to sit on my lap so I could hide my problem. The little shit knows what those words do to me, so he says them all the time especially when we are in public. I put my arms around him while he talks to Tommy and I say, "baby have you told Edna"? He shakes his head and says "I can't bring myself to do it as I know it will break her. Seeing both of her parents like this in hospital". I nod my head and say, "maybe we should call Andy and tell him what's happened and see if he thinks she should come and see them"? Ant thinks for a bit and says "yeah maybe. I will do it". I say to him "you sure babe I can do it". He shakes his head and says "no I will do it. I need to do something instead of just sitting here". I lean forward and kiss the back of his head and say, "ok then but stay sitting on daddy". He nods his head and pulls his phone out to dial Andy's number. I look over at Tommy while Ant is on the phone just think that I hope that Adam and Tommy make it through. Their daughter needs them.

We sit there for a bit after Ant gets off the phone and he says to me "Andy said he will bring her if we need her, but he doesn't really want to tell her yet as it will kill her". I nod my head knowing that's the truth.

After we have sat there for around 2 hours a nurse comes up and says, "is this Tommy Joe Lambert"? I nod my head and say "yes, it is can we help with anything"? She nods her head and says, "I just bought his husband's phone to him as we are preparing him for surgery, but I will just leave it in the safe". I turn to her and say, "leave it with me we are his housemates, and my husband is his brother in law". She nods her head and gives it to me. I look it over and luckily the screens not broken or anything.

After we have sat there all afternoon I look at my phone and see that is nearing 7 pm at night so I say to Ant "babe we need to go and get some dinner then go home and we will come back early in the morning to see how they are". He nods his head and gets up so I can get up.

After we have gotten in the car and I have started it I grab Ants hand in mine and say, "ok what do you feel like for dinner"? He shrugs his shoulders and says, "I don't care just grab some burgers as I really need a drink". I nod my head and make my way to get our burgers and get them to go.

After we have eaten our burgers, I take Ants hand and say, "come one daddy will run you a bath". He gets up and we walk up the stairs to the bathroom. We walk in and I lean over and run the bath. As I do that I stand back up and walk over to him, I lean down and kiss his lips then walk out to get some towels.

After I have the towels, I walk back into the bathroom to see him naked ready to get in the bath. I hold his so he can hop in and he looks at me and says, "can daddy get in with baby please"? I nod my head and start to get undressed. I hop in behind and pull him against my chest.

I put my hands on his hips and start to rub circles on his skin. I lean down and kiss the top of his head and say "you're so gorgeous baby. I am so lucky to have you in my life and I want to thank you for today for helping me overcome the shock and not turning little when you knew that I needed you. For that I am very grateful to have you in my life and I love so much". Ant turns around and kisses my lips. I go to pull away, but he deepens the kiss.

He pulls away and says, "let's go to bed babe and have some fun". I nod my head and help him out of the bath.

As we get out and I grab the towels so we can dry ourselves he comes up to me and leans up to kiss me again. I pull away from him and say, "come on baby get dried please". He turns away and puts the towel around his waist and walks out of the bathroom towards the bedroom.

When I get into the bedroom he is nowhere to be found. I walk out towards Addy's room in case he went in there for something. He isn't in there, but I do hear a noise downstairs and I walk down and hear him in the kitchen. I walk into the kitchen and see that he is making himself an expresso martini. I walk up behind him and put my arms around his waist. I pull him into me and say, "what are doing babe"? He turns to me and says, "getting a drink because I now you don't want to have fun with me so I will have my own". I turn him around and say "baby it's not that I don't want to have fun because I do, I don't want you to get sick. Please I couldn't handle you being sick. I need you by my side". He looks up at me and says, "I'm sorry daddy I thought you didn't want me anymore". I put my hands on either side of his face and say "baby I love you so much and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything ever happened to you. I would be like Adam and do what he did because he thought he lost his soulmate". I take his hand and say, "let daddy show you". He nods his head and I lead him towards the stairs.

When we get upstairs to the bedroom, I close the door and pin him against it and crash my lips with his. I gently move him up the door, so we are level. And pin him there with my body. I move my hands down and take his towel from around his waist and I say to him "you are so beautiful baby. Let me show you how beautiful you are"? He nods his head and I pick him and carry him over to the bed.