Chim - Double Walker

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Sprinting through the hospital corridors, I am following the doctors and nurses who are racing Kimberley to the emergency room. Nicola still has Jacob, but I'm not sure whether the ambulance they were in have arrived yet, or if they are still on their way.

The doctors are shouting to each other, I can't pick up much on what they are saying, but I know they are talking about Kimberley because I hear her name, age and what happened. I hear them mention Jacob too: 'shot whilst pregnant, gave birth and the baby is in the second ambulance'

We reach double doors with 'INTENSIVE CARE' written in bold red letters above it. As the doctors open the doors and wheel Kimberley through on the bed, a nurse stops me from following.

'Sorry Mrs... you'll have to wait out here until she is stable.'

'But-'

'I'm sorry' she apologises again, genuinely, before closing the door and leaving me on my own, stood in the empty corridor.

'Kimberley...' I whisper to no one, before finally breaking down, sliding down the wall in hysterics.

I let my emotions take over as I curl into a ball, picking my knees up and crying into them, my arms wrapped around them. What if she doesn't make it? The nurse just said I can't see her until she is stable. That means that, right now, she isn't stable. What if they can't get her stable? I'll never be able to see her again... Never be able to say goodbye... Promise I'll look after Jacob... Tell her, for one last time, how much I love her.

'Cheryl?' my head springs up when I hear someone calling me.

A scouse accent laced with concern.

I look back down the corridor to see Nicola racing towards me, sliding onto her knees beside me and taking me into her arms.

'What's wrong? She's okay right?'

I manage to nod my head and she breathes a sigh of relief.

'They're trying to stabilise her' I explain bluntly, 'I'm scared Nic... what if she dies? I can't lose her'

I break into sobs again and her grip tightens around me, properly sitting beside me and letting me cry into her chest.

'Hey, don't think like that.' She whispers sympathetically, 'Kimberley needs us to be strong right now... she needs us to believe in her, she's strong and we know she will do her best to come through. For you and Jacob... right?' she encourages and I nod, looking up at her with a sad smile as I wipe my tears.

Once I look up at her, I realise something is missing and frown, my eyes stern and worried.

'Where's Jacob?!'

'They took him off me when we got here' she stiffens, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, 'told me to go with you while they check over him'

My blood boils as I rise to my feet, and she does the same, sensing my sudden mood swing as I spin to glare at her.

'You promised you would look after him!'

'I did, but-'

'No Nicola! Looking after him would be to stay by his side so he isn't surrounded by complete strangers!' I am almost screaming now, and poor Nicola doesn't know what to do with herself, until she speaks up.

'He's an hour old Cheryl. Right now, I'm a stranger. The woman he saw, sat beside the woman who had tried to kill his mother, the minute he was born.'

She has a point, and I have no argument, so instead I just let out an agitated scream. At that moment, a nurse comes walking down the corridor, after hearing our shouting.