I got up fairly early the next morning. I’d already had a text from Itchy, he was already at work. I got myself dressed made a brew and sat out on the balcony watching the beach. Visiting hours were 10-2pm and then again at teatime 4-7pm. I’d decided I was going to go to both. I couldn’t help feeling it must be awful being in hospital with no visitors. Luckily I’d never had to stay overnight in hospital, a miracle as I was so accident-prone.
I walked over to the Tower and got the key from Itchy. He was in the middle of bluebottle central so he couldn’t talk to me for long. Both him & Chappo were on the frontline with the Stingose. I said I’d catch him when I brought the key back. He thanked me again, gave me a quick peck and off I went to the bus stop.
I arrived at the hospital and joined the rest of the relatives filing into the ward. Doris looked genuinely pleased to see me. I was surprised; yesterday she had no idea who I was until I showed up with Liam.
“Hi” I said passing her a big bunch of flowers I’d picked up on the way “Liam couldn’t make it. He’s sorry but he has to work”
“Oh I know dear, its fine. He’s already phoned me and told me” she smiled. She had such a warm smile.
I pulled up the chair to the side of the bed and we began to talk. We initially just chatted about Itchy and how we’d met but before I knew it she’d managed to drag half my life story out. She was so easy to talk to. She’d lived in Bronte all her life and had worked around the beach for most of her life. She’d known Itchy, or Liam as she called him since he was a nipper with his first surfboard. She made me laugh when I called him Itchy and she frowned
“Now I don’t see why these boys insist on calling each other such awful nicknames” she said “Why cant they just use their proper names?”
After visiting was over I had a text message from Itchy. He’d gone over to the Bucket List after pack up with some of the other guys for a couple of beers. He was waiting there for me so I could return the spare key to Doris’s apartment. As soon as I got there Itchy jumped up to pull out a seat for me. He gave me a peck on the cheek and went off to the bar to get me a drink. He was with Beardy, Reidy, Maxi & Hoppo. I took my seat and the guys all asked me how Doris was. They’d all met her before, she baked cookies and cakes for them and brought them to the Tower.
After an hour or so, the guys all started to head off home. Itchy had an early flight to Bali in the morning but said he’d walk me home. The walk over to my apartment building felt like it took seconds – it was only minutes anyway but knowing that this would be the last time I would see him for a month made it so much harder. I hadn’t known him long but my feelings for him had got so much stronger when I’d seen how he was with Doris. I was falling for him.
As we arrived at the door to the apartment building I asked if he wanted to come in. I wanted him to myself, even just for a short while.
“I better not or I won’t want to go tomorrow” he said and smiled.
I felt tears prick my eyes. I held them back.
“Ok” I croaked.
He pulled me close into his arms. I put my head against his chest. I didn’t want to let him go. He pulled back from me and put his forefinger and thumb on my chin to tilt my head up.
“Hey” he said sensing my dull mood “I’m coming back you know. It’ll go really quick you’ll see. I’ll be back before you know it”
“Ok” I managed a smile.
He pulled me in for a kiss, a lingering kiss that I didn’t want to end. I knew when it did he’d have to go.
I watched him from the doorway walk down the street. He looked back a couple of times to see if I was still watching. I watched until I couldn’t see him anymore.
