Making Jane Proud

Chapter 23 - It's Not Just Cricket

"You don't have to carry me, I hurt my head not my legs."

"Are you saying you're not enjoying me carrying you?"

"No, that is definitely not what I'm saying." Ellie tightened her grip around Tom's neck, snuggled her head deeper into his shoulder and wisely kept her mouth shut for the rest of the way from where the taxi had dropped them to the flat.

"Bed or couch?" he asked once they were inside, Maggie going ahead with Ellie's school bag and some paperwork from the hospital.

"Couch please."

Tom stopped walking and waited for her to raise her head to look at him. "Are you sure? You're supposed to rest as much as possible."

She gave him her owl blink and said in a quiet voice, "I will rest Tom, I promise."

His heart thudded; usually he would have expected some sass about fussing over her or being too motherly, but she had given a subdued response instead. It wasn't like Ellie at all. He placed her tenderly on the couch then went to fetch some pillows and a blanket from the bedroom; positioning them around her until he was satisfied she was as comfortable as possible. Just as he did so Maggie gave a huge yawn and he found himself tempted to do the same – there'd been very little sleep overnight at the hospital and it had to catch up with him at some point, he knew.

"I'm going to leave you in stalker boy's tender care, darl, and head home for some shut-eye, but I will come back to see you later, okay?"

Ellie opened her arms to invite her friend in for a hug. "Maggie, I can't thank you enough for all you've done."

"Nonsense! You'd have done the same for me – well, let's face it; you have done the same for me. So no thanks necessary, okay?" Ellie returned the smile Maggie gave her, albeit wanly. "Catch you later sport."

"Catch you later Mags."

"See you Tom."

Tom caught Maggie up in a hug too, murmuring, "Thanks for everything Maggie. I mean it."

Although she said, "No worries mate," she returned the hug and he caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes as she turned to leave. When he'd shut the door behind her he looked at Ellie, who patted the space beside her on the couch; he sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulder, kissing her hair as she leaned in and gave a heartfelt sigh.

"She calls me stalker boy?"

"The museum."

"Okay. Are you hungry?"

"No," she murmured and they just sat quietly for a few minutes before she asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost ten."

"Ten plus ten...no, twelve...ten plus twelve...or is it minus twelve?"

He placed a finger under her chin and ever so gently raised her head up. "What is it darling?"

She frowned. "Trying to work out what time it is at home...in Christchurch. I should probably call my parents."

"They're twelve hours ahead love, so it's ten o'clock Saturday evening." Her frown cleared. "Is your phone in your school bag?" When she said yes he got up and brought the bag over to her, sitting down again at her side and resting his head on the back of the couch, closing his eyes.

"Tom..." He heard tears in her voice and quickly opened his eyes again, seeing them streaming down her face as she looked at her phone's screen then up at him, "Twenty two missed calls from you..."

"I didn't know where you were or what had happened to you..."

"Tom, I'm so sorry." He gathered her close as she wept. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."