Never Giving Up

Chapter 20

Red light – stop.

Green light – go.

Amber light – prepare to stop or prepare to go.

It doesn't matter which colour it is when we come to a set of traffic lights, it still feels like we are getting further and further away from the hospital instead of closer. Time is going by so slowly and for all Allison is a fast driver when she doesn't mean to be, her driving to the hospital doesn't seem to match her everyday driving. It seems slower to me which works as a disadvantage to me and the horrible thoughts that are clouding my mind even more with every passing second.

When we finally reach the hospital, Allison locates the nearest vacant space, just driving into it and leaving her car parked whichever way it stops. She doesn't care if one of the back wheels are parked on or over the line. She doesn't care that she has cut off fellow motorists in her pursuit of trying to get a space. She doesn't care that she has rattled her car door off the car next to her when she hurries to get out. It's not left a mark or a dent so it doesn't matter at this point in time.

We all rush across the car park to the A&E entrance of the Princess Royal University Hospital. From what my mum text me, we were to ask at the reception about where to go and we'd be shown to the right place where we'd meet the rest of the family.

"Stan Fletcher," Allison says to the young, light-haired female at the reception desk when we stop running. "Where can we find him?"

"Are you family?" The woman replies calmly.

"No, but-"

"Only family-"

"I'm his daughter," I butt in. "Where is he? He was brought in after having a heart attack."

"Give me one second and I'll check that for you."

I sigh heavily, my fingers drumming on the desk as we wait impatiently for her to tell us where to go.

"Someone will be out to take you to the waiting area for the Medical 8 ward. It's where all cardiac patients are taken to," the woman smiles.

"Do you seriously think someone having a heart attack is something to smile about?" Allison yells. The woman's smile drops instantly. "It's not something to smile about when someone may potentially lose their life!"

"Allison, don't." I push at my friend to move away and thank the woman for her help thus far. "Please try and hold it together."

"I'm sorry. I, uh . . . I haven't phoned my mum and dad yet to tell them what's happened. I better-"

"Miss. Fletcher?" A female nurse asks, keeping her distance from where we're standing. I look at her and nod. "This way."

I watch her as she turns on the spot and begins to walk down the corridor, her dark blue scrubs the only thing that makes her stand out from the basic coloured halls. I take a few deep breaths, almost not wanting to follow her, but the feeling of both Chloe and Allison's hands slipping into mine has me nodding away.

I can do this.

We follow the nurse to the Medical 8 ward, instantly seeing our relatives sitting spaced out here, there and everywhere in the waiting area we're taken to. My mum is sitting with my gran and grandpa on either side of her. Her face is red and puffy from crying so much, as is my grans. My grandpa is staring up at the ceiling, trying his best to be strong and not cry like he did the last time we went through this. My uncle Dom and uncle Vincent are both pacing the room as their other halves and kids sit on the other chairs. Declan is leaning back against the wall close to where uncle Dom is pacing, looking down at the floor.