BITTER - Michael Gray.

TWENTY SIX.

♛

Olivia was in a deep sleep, her head on Michael's pillow next to his face. He wasn't asleep, just happily resting next to her. Little snores emitted from Liv right in his ear, causing him to chuckle once in a while.

"Be quiet." He nudged her leg with his hand, careful not to unhook the IV cable. She pushed his face away in her sleep, not knowing what she'd done.

Polly observed from outside. She had a plan for her and her son. She quickly got rid of the still sleeping guards in Michael's room and sat down on the opposite side of his bed.

"Hello mum." He mumbled in his daze.

"They said you'd be out cold." She held a cold cloth to his face. "How long's she been here?"

"Dunno. A few hours? She fell asleep pretty quickly." Michael shifted in his seat slightly.

"No don't move." Polly whispered as more snores came from Olivia. "The doctor said they'd sewn you up like a football."

"What else did he say?" Michael winced as pain shot through his body.

"He said you took four bullets. Only one was live. One was a ricochet, two were already spent." Polly stopped dabbing at him.

"Two has passed through John. The last thing I remember was his face. I watched him go." Michael's stomach churned as he pictured John getting fired at. He squeezed Olivia's hand gently to stop the tears from falling. "Where's Tommy?"

"Don't worry about Tommy, just get better." Pol clasped his other hand.

"Where is he?"

"Tommy's back. We're all back. The Garrison, Watery Lane, Charlie's." Polly rifled through her bag.

"I need a cigarette." Michael sighed. Polly quickly shut him down, arguing they were in a hospital.

"I've made a decision." Polly pulled out a crushed leaflet.

"Give me a cigarette mum." Michael pushed on.

"No. There's a girl asleep on your shoulder she won't want that in her face when she wakes up. It's not allowed." Pol was firm with him.

Olivia wasn't fully awake yet, her ears were but she couldn't open her eyes. She was picking up bits of conversation as she cosied up into the pillow.

"It's not allowed?" Michael mocked and leant his head on Liv's. Polly sighed and shiftly lit up a cigarette, sharing it with Michael.

"I've decided we're going to get away." Pol handed the cigarette to Michael. "Just me and you. Australia."

Olivia was fully awake now, however she pretended to sleep so that she could spy on their chat.

"And I've been to the Cunard office and I got a magazine. America's no good cause that's where they are but there's no Italians in Australia." Polly flicked through the magazine, filled with pictures of sun and beaches.

"I think there are mum." Michael struggled to connect the cigarette and his lips. Polly intercepted it before he could get anywhere.