Them

Final chapter (46)

Back on the ward I stripped the checked bedding from my bed quickly, bundling it into a large bin bag housekeeping had left for me. I paused, taking in my room stripped bare, furniture bolted in place. Thank fuck I didn't have to stay here anymore.

"Dan? Snack." Lynn was hovering in the doorway, a wide grin on her face. "Bet you're getting excited now eh?"

"Yeah!" I replied, following her to the TV room.

Everyone was assembled there a card and a lemon drizzle cake resting on the coffee table, the usual trolley containing snacks was filled with cups of tea and coffee. I looked at Lynn, hoping that I was misunderstanding the situation.

"Its a little leaving party!" She said happily and I groaned internally.

I had planned on having my two digestive biscuits and half a Fortisip for snack like normal. They knew eating was tricky for me, who the hell thought it would be appropriate to get a giant freaking cake?! I plastered on a fake smile as Lynn guided me to sit in the centre of the room. Nurses began handing out cake and hot drinks to the residents as I made eye contact with Tom. He raised his eyebrows sympathetically at the large slab of cake Lynn had just plopped down in front of me, rolling his eyes in a 'ikr what were they thinking' way. He looked away as someone passed him a piece and I could tell he was trying to hide his anxiety, his legs tensed in a futile effort to stop them shaking.

"DanDanDan we made you a card you should open it I mean you can eat your cake first but the card is really cool and everyone signed it an-"

"Thankyou Benjie" Lynn said warmly interrupting his excited stream of words, "I'm sure Dan will open it soon."

Grateful to have a reason to avoid the cake I reached for the A4 envelope and opened it. It was a violently orange sheet of paper on which someone had written 'Good Luck!!!' in slightly messy bubble writing. Below that was a cut out of a sunflower perfectly shaded. I smiled. I opened it and saw several messages, some just names and smiley faces, others adourned with little phrases and kind words. In the bottom corner was a small note 'Keep fighting tube buddy. You got this. - Tom'. I smiled, the many kind words reminding me that this place wasn't all bad.

"Its great thankyou" I said quietly to everyone in the room, Benjie grinning in delight at my smile.

"Right, get on with your food now please" Paddy reminded us from the corner, most of the residents happily obliging.

I picked at the cake, trying to avoid the sticky-sweet icing plastered on the top, Lynn watching me wearily. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see Tom staring hard at my plate, his own cake untouched. I shuffled over earning a pointed cough from Paddy.

"Tube buddies right?" I said quietly to the nervous man in front of me.

He nodded

"Then as your parting gift to me you better fucking devour that lemon drizzle. I mean, you eat that thing like you're the next judge on bakeoff."

He laughed, the anxiety on his face melting away for a moment. "Deal! They only have like a bite of it anyway!!!"

"Awh c'monnn" I whined, spearing a large chunk and forcing it into my mouth in an attempt to encourage him.

The icing was so good probably rotting my teeth with each bite.

Reluctantly he took a bite.

"Yaaaaaaas" I yelled triumphantly, earning amused looks from a few of the other men in the room.

At that moment Craig popped his head around the door.

"Dan? Phil's here."

I looked around, excited and a little apprehensive now my freedom was truly here.

Stuffing the final bite of cake into my mouth I stood up, giving Tom a parting hug.

"See yah tube buddy" he whispered. "Good luck with all the normals"

Then I headed to the corridor where Paddy was standing with Phil and my bags.

"Hopefully I won't be seeing you again mate" he said warmly. "Keep safe yeah?"

"Will do" I mumbled as I turned to Phil, suddenly overwhelmed by the fact that the whole ordeal was truly over and I would be going home with him at long last.

He gripped me in a gigantic bear hug, squeezing me tightly and rocking slightly from side to side. I squeezed him back, entwining myself around is perfect, tall figure, his soothing warmth and smell intoxicating.

Gently he pulled away.

"Ready?" He murmured and I nodded, taking a bag and my card in one hand, firmly holding on to him with the other as we followed Paddy along the pristine corridors and out in to reception.

"Good Luck" he called to us as we made our way to the automatic doors.

"Thankyou...for everything" I said back and he gave an appreciative nod as he moved back down the dreaded corridor, Phil guiding me gently in to the carpark.

It had really happened.

Finally I was free from all of the watching, free from them. Now it was just us.

I paused, leaning softly in to Phil. As he turned to see what was wrong I smashed my lips in to his, a thousand apologies and thankyous held on our lips as we kissed. My cares melted away, as his gentle fingers pulled me closer. Nothing mattered anymore. In this moment all that mattered was us.

It was just us.