Family is Forever

Chapter 65 Thank God!

Dom arrived at Ollie and Zosia's at 8.30am knowing Ollie's shift started at 9. He'd brought some DVDs and snacks. Ollie was having a bowl of cereal in the kitchen and the girls were upstairs. "What happened?" Dom asked. Knowing something must have happened for Ollie to be worried to leave the girls. "Ali's still being sick, she's struggling without her day treatment, and Zosia cut herself yesterday. I'm sorry to ask you to keep an eye but I can't really take a day off with it being Boxing Day."
"Not a problem Ollie, I love my girlie days in. I've got pitch perfect, sound of music and mamma Mia!" Dom smiled.
"There's left over pierogi, turkey and veg in the fridge. Don't let Natalia go to the loo within an hour of lunch. I've hidden the knifes and scissors, and thrown all the razors. I'm not sure if..."
"Ollie," Dom soothed "they'll be fine. Chill!"
"I'll be back by 9.30."
"Ok now go, the Christmas drunks need you!"  Ollie smiled as he got into his car. Dom and Zosia are so close he'd feel threatened if it wasn't that Dom was gay.
Ali came downstairs showered, with her hair in a high ponytail in leggings and a baggy top. She  greeted Dom with a kiss on the cheek. He handed her a present. She looked upset "I'm sorry. I didn't get you a gift."
"No problem Ali, it's only a little thing." She opened it, it was a few nail varnishes. "Thanks Dom,"
"I remember you saying about painting your nails as a coping strategy. I thought I'd give you some cute new colours." She smiled at him.
Zosia came down the stairs. Still in her pyjamas and dressing gown, makeup still down her face from yesterday and hair a mess. Dom put mamma Mia on. He knew Zosia was in a bad way. She almost always took care of her appearance.

Ollie went to the on call room and shaved. As he changed into his scrubs he was meant to put his phone in his locker but he couldn't bring himself to. Incase of emergency. He went out on to the ward and saw Colette she smiled at him. "Good Christmas?" She asked "was my food up to your mother's standards?" Before Ollie had time to answer Jac Naylor shoved a file into his hand "Nurse Sheward, Valentine. Elizabeth Dickson, bed 4. She should be on peads, no beds surprise surprise." They walked in. Ollie was reading her notes while she was on her side. He looked at her and did a double take "Elsie?!"
"Oliver, well this is awkward."
"This is nurse Sheward," Ollie introduced her.
"Call me Colette, you two know each other?" Colette added. "Colette, Ali's spoken about you, Ela's mum right?"
"Right, who's Ali?" Colette looked to Ollie
"Natalia. This is her friend Elsie. They know each other from..." Ollie wasn't sure what to say.
"The anorexia clinic." Elsie said confidently then looked Ollie in the eye. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Of course it's not," Colette said smiling at her "shall I let Natalia, sorry Ali, know you're here?"
"No don't! It's just my asthma playing up."
"Well if you change your mind, let me know," Colette smiled. Ollie listened to her chest "bit brachycardic" as they went back to the nurses station Ollie looked at her. "Ollie what's up?"
"Oh Col, Christmas was awful, my mum turning up out of the blue wasn't even the worst, not by a long way. Zosh....Zosia...she cut herself." He blinked back tears in his bright blue eyes. "Blood was everywhere, Ali found her. I treated her cuts, antiseptic wipes and steristrips, bandaged up her leg." Colette put her hand on his arm "Ollie. You should have..." she started until Ollie interrupted her. "I went to check Ali was ok... she told me she'd been throwing up again."
"Ollie. Wait are they home together?"
"No Dom's babysitting."
"Ok, ok good. Ollie if you needed me I was just a text away. I could have come over!"
"It was Christmas. Ela's first with you!"
"I don't care, Ela barely spoke to me, she was running around with her cousins Sam and Harry all day, completely overexcited. And Ollie, I'm off tomorrow and they're both coming to mine, and you too if you're off. I know you're looking after the girls, but who's looking after you?" She smiled sadly at him.

Colette went to check on Elsie, she was okay, they were just keeping her in as a precaution. "Colette can I tell you something? Like in confidence?" Elsie asked, she was alone, her mum had popped home to get some things, pyjamas and her I pad. "Of course you can love, what is it?" The ward was pretty full but one person to the side of Elsie had big headphones on and the oh her was sleeping. "I'm worried about Ali...um Natalia," Elsie started "she's struggling, I can tell. I FaceTimed her yesterday, before my chest went bad."
"Thanks Elsie, she told us something yesterday.." she didn't want to betray Ali's trust or trigger Ali.
"About the purging, throwing up?"
"Yes."
"I think, it's more than that. She kept saying how Zosia would be better if she wasn't there and how she only brings bad things to people and how it would be easier if she didn't live with them and she didn't really see the point of life." Elsie bit her lip "it might just be a throw away comment but it still made me worried."
"Ok, ok." Colette answered calmly but she was worried.
"And then she sent me this text." Elsie passed her phone to Colette.
Els,
I want you to thank you for being the best, best friend a girl could ask for, you've been here for me so much this year. Whatever happens in the next few days and next year please know that you're amazing, beautiful and loved. It's not your fault.
Ali xxxxxxx
"I mean I might be overthinking it, it just made me worry a bit. I'm worried she's going to kill herself." Elsie looked at Colette.
"Ok, I'll sort it Elsie, don't you worry love," Colette smiled.

"Ollie, cover for me with Jac." Colette pulled her coat on.
"What, Colette it's Boxing Day and we're super busy."
"Ollie please, there's no time to explain, just trust me and cover for me."
"Is Ela ok?" Ollie asked. "Yes, this isn't about Ela, don't panic!" Colette grabbed her phone off the nurses station and called the lift.

Back at home Dom was watching Mamma Mia alone. Zosia was asleep on the sofa and Ali was in her room. Dom figured it was ok since they hadn't eaten yet. The doorbell rang "I'll get it." Dom said. He opened the door to Colette. "Where's Natalia?" She panicked. "In her room, why?" Dom answered. "Colette pushed passed him and ran up the stairs. She got to Ali's room and there was no sign of her. "Natalia?" Colette asked. No answer so she started to search the room. Chest of drawers. Nothing. Under her pillows. Nothing. Wardrobe. Nothing. She checked the desk draw. 5 packs of paracetamol and letters addressed to different people. Zosia, Ollie, mama, Babcia, Elsie, Dom, Uncle Guy, underneath was one with Colette's name on, then one which said Ela (Kotek.) Colette heard the toilet flush and so sat on Ali's bed with the pills and the suicide notes. Ali came in and looked shocked to see Colette there. "Natalia, love, what the hell is all this?" She asked with tears in her eyes. Ali was like family to her. She opened her arms and Ali fell into them crying and shaking her head. "Natalia listen to me, have you taken anything yet? Anything at all? Paracetamol?... Natalia?" Ali shook her head. "Thank God!"