Never Again

Part Thirty-One

Jack felt as though he’d been sat waiting for something to happen for days, in reality it was less than twenty four hours. No one seemed concerned that as yet Erin still hadn’t opened her eyes. Her parents had looked exhausted, and after they’d seen her, spoken to the doctors, he gave Peter directions and a key to his home. Whilst they were reluctant to leave, Peter convinced them that they needed some rest, something to eat, then they could relieve Jack later.

They’d bought that, not that he had any intention of leaving her, he’d deal with that lie when he was forced to. But hours later he had presumed she’d wake, or there’d be some positive sign. The doctors and nurses couldn’t give him anymore information other than that she was going in the right direction.

So he sat and waited. It gave him time to think, and re-evaluate everything in his life. For years he’d had things just the way he’d wanted. He was successful, wealthy, and to everyone appeared happy. But now he knew how false that had become. He’d filled his life with instant gratification, he wanted for nothing whether that be shoes, top of the range TV’s, holidays or beautiful women, but ironically, as he sat there bereft of the baby he’d more than been excited about, Erin’s life in the balance, he realised that the one thing he hadn’t had was someone to share things with, and he now knew he’d found it in her. She’d been distant since she’d moved in, but then she’d been so reluctant to give up her independence, and he’d been so uncaring of that, railroading her into his life, his home.

He hung his head, her lifeless hand still clasped in hers, “if I could turn back the clock I would darling. I’ve been so awful to you...give me the chance to make up for it? Hey?”

It wasn’t the best compromise he’d ever made but it was wholehearted, he wished it was him lying there instead of her, but it wasn’t and he could only be there for when she needed him, prove in that way that he was worth it.

Erin was sore, every part of her ached, especially her head, and her eyes felt as though they were being held closed by ton weights. Voices wafted through the cotton wool that seemed to have replaced her brain.

A man spoke, “He fell asleep holding her hand, sat next to her, but he’s taking a break now, in the waiting room...finally. He’s not left her side since she came here.”

Another female voice sighed, “That’s so romantic! I’d love it if any man would do that for me...let alone a man like him!”

Even in her confused and fuzzy state, Erin wanted to roll her head, deny that it was romantic, fight this sentiment, but she couldn’t move. She couldn’t work out where she was, or what was happening. Her last thought was being at Jack’s, watching TV, he was staying out late, she was tired, and her back was sore. Erin managed to work out the voices were nurses, and the sick patient they were talking about was her. How was she in a hospital?

Suddenly she felt like she was suffocating, she needed to move, to breathe. Using all her energy she tried to move her arms, then with a grunt felt relief when she managed to lift the right one up to her face.

                “Hey Erin?” the female voice called to her and she could sense someone move close to her.

Fighting again she managed to peel open an eye and groan, it was so bright.

                “Do you know where you are?”

Barely able to focus on the face that swam in front of her, she let her eye close again, and instead bewildered, she managed a very faint shake of the head.

                “My name is Marie; I’m the nurse looking after you. You came to the University Hospital late last night.”

The voice was soft, kind, but the words sounded like a foreign language, hospital? Suddenly she remembered waking in that huge bed, pain, blood...