The boy that crawls (Peaky Blinders)

Waiting

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
It is dark and cold. The rain water slashses the streets as our urgent shoes crash through the forming puddles. We enter a different world. One that consist of suffering patients and aching bodies. Hurrying nurses and doctors in surgeon's aprons. The waiting room is where the unwell, sometimes chaperoned if they are fortunate enough, take their seats to have their patience honed. I frantically pace back and forth, Arthur doesn't find much interesting in last weeks newspaper, John counts the white tiles upon the floor. I look at my shaking hand and see the crimson blood stains. The red is a reminder of the bullets I couldn't catch. Of the bullets Theo couldn't dodge. I move my eyes away and continue walking. Waiting in the waiting room of a hospital revolves a person into anonther world. Everyone waiting is so serious, thinking to themselves. Why is the wait so long? The silence is so loud, a twitter or even a cough or a sneeze would bring relief. People sit and stare before them not wanting to catch anothers eye. That would mean a smile, a hello, and then asking "what brings you here?". Conversation is not wanted. Everyone is just anxiously waiting for their name to be called. To get on with the appointment, to know what they soon will be told. And I am in the same boat. The tension in the room rises when a bone chilling scream comes from the neighbouring room. My head snaps towards the door as I recognize it. Theo. Then all is quiet again. The wait continues to feel endless. My nerves begin to rise, my patience is on wane. I look up at the sudden stir, a door opens, a nurse appears to announce a name. "Mrs Richardson?". I sigh realising it was still not my turn. How long can this take? Time does not go fast enough. Slow, but steady is the way in which we wait. The called upon person stands and makes their way over to the nurse. They exit quickly though quietly, to wherever told to go. Then silence again. More waiting, another stir, a given name being called. "Mr Shelby?". The long wait is finally over. I give my brothers a quick look before turning to go to the nurse. "Mr Shelby?" She questioned as I arrive, "yes" I breathed out, "follow me, please" she replies and shoots me a warm smile. Trying to make me confortable. I follow the nurse through the corridor. At one of the doors that leads to a patient room, I see a doctor covered in blood as he converses with another nurse. The blond nurse who called me stops by the pair and introduces me to the doctor. After a short conversation with the doctor, I am allowed to see my son. I approach the bed and look over his features. Stains of blood still evident on his skin, bruises covered his face, cutts across his chest that now had been stitched. Theo doesn't speak or awknowledges me, he just sleeps, allthough not comfortably. "Let him rest", "don't disturb him" I was told, so nothing was spoken. I turn to look at the strange machines that surround the bed. Tubes from the ceiling and walls are connected to Theo. In the hallway I hear lively chattering and I wished that Theo and I could have that again. But I just sit in silence and wait for Theo to awake. I watch his chest cyclic rise and fall. His rasping breathing is a comforting sound to hear, I must admit. Because it meant that he was still fighting. Nurses in constant attendance don't even make Theodore stir, as the inject the regular drugs into his hand. He was poked and prodded like a guinneapig, yet he never even reacted. When I asked what they are doing, no one answered me. The only thing I was told, was the fact that Theo was balacing between life and death. But the doctor reassured me that he was holding on and fighting. I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder and look up to meet the doctor's eyes. He nodds for me to follow him. I turn to look at Theo and quickly move a tube that I feared could get caught on something if he did move suddenly. Before standing up to follow the doctor outside. I face the doctor who rubs his temple and sighs. "I need to ask you a few questions, Mr Shelby" he informed me. I nod for him to continue. "The other man, eh, Robin Lawry, that the ambulance workers found at the scene aswel, is he known with you?" He questioned me. I clenched my fist in anger. "Yes" I simply replied, trying to hold my emotion under control. "Okay, I am just asking because he is currently recovering in room 101. If you want to see him". I look up at him, the sudden tiredness has completely dissapeared. The doctor thinks I am friendly with Lawry and now has told me exactly where he was residing now.

Published: 24th of December 2023

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