linda's christmas hell

part 18

The kids were back at the pub but no one could sleep, tina and shirley and stan could sleep through a storm so they left the kids. They all went to their rooms but one by one lee, johnny and nancy went into the lounge as they couldn't sleep they all sat on the sofa together they just wanted to be close to each other it made them feel safe. They always had a close bond but this last year had made them closer. Nancy spoke first explaining how she just had this bad feeling. Johhny reasured her telling her that their parents are so strong and that they can get through anything. Their mum has always been the strong one amd she has been through worse. This made lee angry. He hated it whenever they mentioned the rape as it just reminded him of how much linda his mum had been through, and the fact that she had been through it by herself. He interupted johnny and began to ask them if their mum had told them anything else. Lee explained that he felt like he had a right to know what happened no matter how painful. Johnny and nancy told lee that they knew the same as he and that it was up to their mum to explain what happened and that she doesn't want to and that they have to respect that as she wants to protect them. Johnny continued to say that he felt responsible as before he left their mum was acting really strange and that he shouldn't have left. She said to him that he should go as there would be other years and maybe it would be easy then. Now he understood what she meant. He began to cry and nancy tried to comfort him once he calmed down lee brought in some tea. All three of them sat on the sofa and fell asleep together.

Back at the hospital mick too couldn't sleep as everytime he began to drift off one of the many machines which linda was attached to would begin to beep keeping him awake. Not only was the noice annoying but also very worrying for mick as linda still had woken. He ended up just lying there checking that she was still breathing every now and again. It was about half six in the morning and mick had fallen asleep for about an hour when he could hear voices from outside. He knew he wasn't allowed in untill nine so he had to move fast so that the nurses who were doing their rounds wouldn't see him. In the end as he didn't want to leave linda alone he ended up hiding under the bed while the nurses came in and carried out their checks. Mick wanted to move so he knew what they were doing as they had a concerned tone to their voices so he did there was no ome would could stop him from being their. When he got up they questioned how he got in there and he told them that he knew he shouldn't have stayed but he had to be here for linda as in the last 25 years they have hardly spent 2 nights without each other. The nurses were understanding and allowed him to stay as long as he was quiet and respectful of the other patients. Mick agreed he asked about how linda was doing and why she hadn't woken up yet. They explained that there was no simple answer and that she should have woken by now they explained that her immune system had beern severly damaged and weakened so that could be to blame. They also explained that sometimes the patients don't want to wake as they don't want to face reality and thats why it sometimes takes longer. Mick began to believe this as linda had so much to face when she would finally wake. Not only would she have to face his questioning but also that rat and shir. The nurses left after explainig that the doctor would be doing his rounds in and hour.

Back at the pub the kids were still awake as none of them really got any sleep. Tina and shirley met the kids in the kitchen as they wanted to keep busy they said that if they had some breakfast that they would take them to see their mum as soon as visiting hours opened. Tina tried to reasure the kids reminding them of how much linda had already faced this year and how much she had already overcome. She explained that her kids are her world and that she would never leave them behind and that she just needed sometime and then she would be back. As much as the kids knew tina was right it didn't stop them worrying.

Once the nurses had left mick got himself a coffee he needed it to stay awake as he had been up all night just watching linda. He moved his chair closer to the bed so that he was able to hold her hand. He just couldn't stop looking at her pale face, but he knew that he had to be strong for her and his family. He put down his coffee and with his other hand began to stroke linda face moving fallen pieces of hair back behind her ears. All he could thing about was how beautiful she was and how he really truly did love her, like he did when they first met. While he was lost in his day dream linda began to wake. Slowly she opened her eyes to see mick sitting with tears in his eyes. She moved her other hand close to his face to wipe away his tears. With that he turned his head face linda to see that her eyes were open and she was finally awake.
"L. Omg I thought.."." Mick ". With that he leaned in to kiss linda something good for once that would actually comfort both of them. " I'm so sorry I wasn't there. That's the last time I will let you down I promise"." Mick you have never let me down you are always there no matter what I'm going through and that makes all the difference, I love you Mr carter"." Good because I will always love you too". They kissed again but linda flinched in pain. " sorry let me get someone"." Mick stop it's fine I'm fine I promise I just need you"." And you've got me. I'm not going anywhere!". Mick climbs in the bed next to linda allowing linda to rest her head on his shoulders, he was always too tall for her.