What Goes Around...

Part Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five

Coop sat in the rental car and wanted to head butt the steering wheel. He closed his eyes instead and let his head fall back to the headrest. What a mess. And it was all his fault.

Storming out of the hotel hadn't been his greatest move, but the drive to the hospital hadn't made things any clearer. He had turned up at the ICU still engulfed with the unwanted sensations that the morning had created. All that had happened, all that he'd felt with Freya, and then the cold harsh reality of Michelle invading that. Her name had made him feel nauseous, and in the minutes that had passed since that moment he had started to wonder how she even knew the name. The thought that she had been investigating him, looking into the murky depths of his own history hurt him. It was so cloak and dagger, so cagey. Like you'd have answered her questions anyway? The realisation that the small glimpse of happiness he'd felt with her was fantasy, that the hint of normality was misguided just seemed to subdue him even more. There was no way he could get passed his past. And that was going to be his downfall.

As he entered the unit, his mother was sat in the waiting room.

                "They're just having some sort of doctor review. He's had a good night."

Nodding he sat beside her and placed an arm around her shoulders, she looked terrible and he wanted to offer her some support. He hadn't been a good son, not whilst he and his father were at loggerheads, but since he'd been back. He'd kept his distance, brooded. And his mother was broken, desperate. He could see that all too clearly. She sighed as she leaned into him, and they were still sat like that when his Aunt walked in.

                "Hi Coop, nice to see you here." She sat opposite him and smiled. "Great to see you here to help your mother, she's needed you the last few months."

He gave a half nod, "it's a lot more complex than that, as you know." Distractedly he looked at his watch, wondering how long he'd have to be there, stuck within the four walls of the waiting room. He wanted to see his father, then leave, escape, the lack of fresh air was choking him, along with the conflicting emotions that were confusing everything. He'd not been out of his comfort zone, this out of his control in years and it was terrifying him.

His aunt sighed and sat opposite them, and started to talk. He was too distracted to listen but she was nothing if not persistent, and he was unable to avoid the fact that she was directing her conversation at him.

                "What?"

Lucy smiled, "I was just asking where your girlfriend was?" She spat the word girlfriend out, then anxiously added, "I was just surprised she wasn't with you."

Suddenly things seemed to fall into place. Someone MUST have told Freya the name Michelle, who knew what else his aunt had told her. He couldn't contain the snarl that took over his voice, "you said something to her?" It was met with an embarrassed look. "What did you say?"

His mother tensed beside him, "Lucy?"

The other woman at least had the good grace to look guilty but it was too late for that, Coop had jumped to his feet wanting to strangle her. As he leaned over her, he felt his mother's hand on his elbow, calming him slightly.

Lucy's eyes were wide as she stared up at him defiantly, "I just don't want to see your mother hurt again...like after Michelle."

He felt as though he might explode, all that had happened, what was happening now...it was nothing to do with anyone but him. Why couldn't people see that?