Chasing the Browns

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

The first face I saw when I opened my eyes was Mum’s. I was still a bit groggy, and my head felt like a tonne of bricks, so I couldn’t really concentrate properly. Dad appeared behind her, saying something about him being discharged early. I tried to sit up, but Mum gently pushed me back down. She said something about me having whiplash, and that I was going to stay in overnight.

So much for staying away from cars, huh?

‘How long have I been here?’ I hated the way my voice sounded.

‘About eight hours. If you still don’t feel well enough to go home tomorrow, we can keep you in another day,’ Mum said, stroking my head.

The stroking was annoying, but I felt too tired to push her arm away. If I were to stay in here another day, that’d make me an easier target.

I tried to sit up again. ‘No, really, Mum, I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.’ I hoped my smile looked convincing.

Dad sat down at the end of my hospital bed. ‘I’m curious as to why your boyfriend was driving my secretary’s car, Lea.’

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. This happened twice before I actually processed what he’d said. Had Jack claimed to have been driving the car? If he had, why?

Because you would’ve been arrested for driving without a licence if they found out it was you who crashed it!

Oh. Oops. What happened to Jack?

Jack? Who cares about him, Lea? What happened to the car is what you should be asking!

I still didn’t have an answer for Dad’s question. ‘Oh. Um…I left school because I was sick, so Mum made me file some reports with Diane in the office. When it was around half six, I called Jack to come pick me up—’

‘Why didn’t he use his own car?’ Dad frowned in thought.

‘I-it ran out of fuel when he got here, so Diane offered to let us use hers.’ The end of the sentence came out as a squeak.

He nodded, but I wasn’t sure if he believed me or not. ‘Wh—’

‘Why don’t we leave her to rest for a moment?’ Mum suggested, placing a hand on Dad’s arm. She gave me a look, like she knew I was lying, but I couldn’t be sure if she’d seen through me. If she had, she wasn’t making it very obvious.

‘But, I—’ Dad began.

Mum raised her eyebrows, gesturing towards the door.

I sat up straighter, trying to ignore the shot of pain that went up my neck. ‘Mum, don’t leave me!’ Who knew what would happen if I was alone for even two minutes?

Lea, no one’s going to touch you inside a hospital.

‘You have a visitor,’ she said as she left, smiling.

‘No, wait! Dad, what happened to Damien?’

Dad stuck his head through the doorway. ‘Damien?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Who’s Damien?’

I tried to mask my shock. ‘Um…never mind.’

He frowned, starting towards me, but Mum tugged on his arm and pulled him away from the doorway. Another shape appeared at the door, smiling lightly, leaning against the doorframe.

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw him.

‘Hi.’

I stared at the clock. It read half past two. Half past two in the morning.