A Cornish Affair

That Wasn't Everything

Rosie could hear whispers. She listened.

"She'll be alright though won't she?"

"The doctor said she will be fine mum. She'll be up and about very soon, but she'll need rest. Those stitches are going to be painful for her."

Rosie could hear crying.

"Come on," the voice continued. "We need to be strong for her. She's had all this going on in her life and she's never said a word. I knew things weren't right with Lee, but none of the other stuff."

"She didn't know either," the other person said, through her tears. "Oh Rosie, why didn't you talk to us?"

Rosie wanted to answer, she just didn't have the energy. She'd worked out it was Megan and her mum. But what were they talking about? What didn't she know?

Unable to communicate, she carried on listening.

"I couldn't believe it when he said what he'd done," Megan sighed.

"Don't Megan. I don't want to think about it." Her mum's voice was sorrowful.

He? Who were they talking about.

Rosie drifted in and out of sleep. Images appeared to her. Hannah. She must have been back from her break with Mark. It would be good to see her again and tell her about... Clair. She'd have been on her other date by now. She hoped it had worked out for her. Rosie wanted her to be happy like she was with...

A knock at the door.

"Hi." A man's voice this time. Still in whispers. "How is she?"

"Still asleep," Megan said. She sounded nearer now. There was a shuffling noise. Someone being patted on the back.

"She didn't tell us. We knew nothing about it." Her mum was closer now too. She felt her hand being picked up.

"She's only just found out herself." The man's voice again. She recognised it. It couldn't be, could it? Her stomach twisted, nerves fluttered through her. She had to try to open her eyes.

Rosie let her head fall in the direction of his voice and fighting her drowsiness, she opened one eye and then the other.

With a sharp intake of breath, tears immediately welled up and slowly trickled down her cheek.

"Hey," Ricky smiled, "how are you feeling?"

Rosie raised her hand to his face, her finger tips stroking the bruised skin just below his left eye. Ricky reached up and held her hand.

"You should see the other bloke!" Ricky joked. He rested his elbows on the hospital bed that Rosie lay in and smiled at her, his eyes seemed glassy, but Rosie couldn't tell if it was the dampness in her own eyes or his.

Feeling her mum squeeze her hand, Rosie turned her head to face her, but feeling the pain at the bottom of the back of her head, she cried out. Ricky stood up, helplessly looking about for some way of easing her soreness.

"Rosie, my darling, lie still," her mum begged. Rosie stopped her planned movement and stared at the ceiling.

"What happened?" Rosie had tried hard to remember why she was lying in a bed in a hospital. She had recalled being at home, talking to Lee, arguing even, but try as she might, she couldn't think what it had been about.

Rosie's mum's face appeared above her. "Try not to move Sweetheart. Do you want something for the pain?" Rosie swallowed away her tears and managed a faint 'yes'.

Leaving her seat, and being followed by Rosie's sister, Megan and her mum left the room in search of pain relief. Rosie allowed herself to return her head to the position she had been in, facing Ricky. His smile was still there.