Back to normal

ITU

"Darwin" Frieda answered the phone
"Oh yes I see" her face more deathly white than normal "thank you"
"Shit" she said quietly as she put the phone down
She headed straight for Jac's office
"Come in"
"Ms Naylor. Fletch is on ITU"
Jac let out an exasperated sigh "I don't know how you think we communicate but I don't need regular updates as to his whereabouts Petrenko"
"No Jac, I mean he's in intensive care as a patient. There was an incident in the ED"
"What?! Shit. Cancel my list" she ran past Frieda and raced down the stairs to ITU. It was the most exercise she'd done since getting out of hospital. She crashed through the double doors trying to catch her breath
She choked back a sob as she spotted Fletch.
An ITU consultant approached her, she recognised him vaguely
"Ms Naylor, staff on the ED said that you and Mr Fletcher are erm 'involved'"
Jac couldn't even muster a raised eyebrow
"Let's step into my office for a moment"
Jac sat nervously "what happened and what treatment is he getting "
He gave her a brief summary of what had happened.
"We gave him a scan which shows he has a small subdural bleed and a broken nose. We have placed him in an induced coma to give his brain a chance to recover"
"Does  he need surgery?"
"Well we've fitted an intracranial bolt to keep an eye on the pressure and so far it's ok. We hope that the bleed is so small that it will resolve without surgical intervention"
"Can I sit with him"
"Of course"
She sat next to him and held his hand
"Well this is a role reversal Fletcher " she said in a wobbly voice
His nose was swollen and he had two black eyes. "Oh god please be alright Fletch" she allowed her tears to fall onto the hand she was holding, kissing his knuckles.
She was aware of an older woman entering the room
"You must be Jac" she said quietly
Jac looked up. There was no mistaking that the woman standing in front of her was Fletch's mum
"Mrs Fletcher?"
"Oh darling call me Julia please. How is he?"
Jac choked back a sob "not good I'm afraid"
Julia put her arm round Jac's shoulder. What was it with this family and their easy, open affection. She loved it deep down
"I'm pleased to meet you at last. You're all I hear about Jac" Fletch's mum said taking a seat next to Jac. After a couple of hours where the two women talked in hushed tones Jac realised that the Fletchlings and Emma would need sorting out
"I'm going make some phone calls to get the children looked after"
She walked into the ITU office and quickly phoned Sacha and although they didn't exactly have a mutual fan club she also called Serena. Between them they were able to pick everyone up and take them back to Fletch's. She called schools and the crèche and explained the situation.
Sacha appeared at the office door within minutes and wrapped Jac in his arms as she again started crying . She told him where to find the keys for Fletch's house in her bag in her office
"Come on hun. He'll be fine"
"You don't know that Sacha. He's got a subdural"
"Which they are not rushing to operate on"
Jac gave a small hiccupy laugh "he asked me to marry him this morning"
"Jac that's huge. You said yes? "
She nodded "I said yes"
"There you go then , he has to get better"
Sacha left to get organised. Jac looked out onto the ward and Fletch's mum sitting by his bedside.
Please let him be ok she thought. I can't lose him now that's just too cruel.