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She was afraid to speak. She didn’t want to talk about Sarah. It was too much. No, Sarah just had to get better and wake up and be fine. There was no other option. None.

20

Pam Neelan walked into the hospital room where Mia and Adam were sitting, each holding one of Sarah’s hands. Charlie was seated in a chair at the foot of the bed; Olivia had gone to visit a friend who was in the hospital, recovering from a hip replacement. Adam jumped up when she entered. She was tall and athletic with an air of authority.

‘Mia?’ she said. ‘Good afternoon, I’m Dr Neelan.’

‘Well?’ Adam wanted answers.

‘Thanks so much for everything. We really appreciate it.’ Mia felt it was important to acknowledge her help. After all, neither of them knew her and it was very kind of her to take the time to do this.

‘Not at all,’ Pam replied. ‘Look, I’ll get straight to the point. I know you were hoping for good news. I’ve examined the procedures and measures carried out here and they really did everything they could. I agree with the team’s prognosis. I’m so sorry, but Sarah has no brain-stem activity, so there is no hope of recovery. I really wish I had better news.’

Mia gulped back tears. ‘Well, thank you for giving us your opinion. I know how busy you are.’

Pam reached out and touched her arm. ‘I’m so sorry. It’s a terrible and shocking thing to happen.’

Adam grabbed her hand. ‘What about the baby? We can save the baby, right? Can’t we? I know we can. We’ve spent hours trawling the internet. There are cases where babies survive. Aren’t there, Mia?’

Mia just wanted to lie on the floor and weep for her sister.She didn’t have the energy to hold up Adam and his hopes. She wanted someone to hold her up. She felt as if she was falling down a deep, dark tunnel.

‘Mia?’ Adam shook her arm.

Mia blinked and forced herself to concentrate. ‘Sorry, yes, I did find one case that said, with the advances in medicine and life-support technology, the age of the foetus didn’t matter so much. It was a case where a woman had been declared brain dead at sixteen weeks pregnant, but the baby was delivered 110 days later. I know it’s not, well, it’s not common, but there is hope?’

Pam chose her words carefully. ‘It’s not my area of expertise. You’ll have to discuss this with Ms Johnston. She is an expert in her field.’

‘But do you think the baby will make it?’ Adam begged.

Pam took a step back. ‘You really need to talk to Ms Johnston. I’m so sorry about your wife. I’ll leave you in peace.’

‘They can’t tell you what isn’t true,’ Charlie said quietly.

‘Don’t take their side,’ Adam said, jabbing a finger in Charlie’s direction. ‘My son is alive and well.’

Charlie shook his head. ‘Ah, Adam, I know how much this hurts, but you’ll have to face reality.’

‘The reality is that Ben is fighting to survive, and I’m going to do everything in my power to help him.’

‘OK, OK,’ Charlie said. ‘I understand. Let’s see what happens.’

‘We have to be strong for her,’ Adam said, his voice cracking with emotion. ‘For her and for Ben.’

The door opened and Angela stepped into the room. ‘Sorry to interrupt you, guys, but you have a visitor here. An important one. I’ve kitted him out in protective gear, so can he come in?’

‘Who is it?’ Mia said, thinking maybe it was Johnny.

Angela pushed the door wide open and stepped aside. A tall, well-built man walked into the room and his face dropped when he saw the scene before him. ‘Oh, my God,’ Adam cried. ‘Rob!’

Rob opened his arms and Adam walked straight into his embrace. He put his head on his brother’s shoulder and wept like a child. Mia felt awkward, witnessing such a private moment of grief, and she motioned to Charlie that they should leave.

Rob held up his hand. ‘No, please don’t go,’ he said. He was crying too, but he held his brother up firmly. ‘I’m glad to see you all. Please stay.’

Mia sat back in the chair and focused on Sarah. Rob whispered to Adam over and over, ‘It’s OK, I’m here,’ and slowly Adam’s sobs subsided.

‘Jesus, I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life,’ he said, wiping his eyes with his hand. ‘I can’t believe you flew over.’

‘I couldn’t let you go through this alone,’ Rob said. ‘I know you have Sarah’s family,’ he said, smiling at Charlie and Mia, ‘but it was killing me to talk to you on the phone and not be properly there for you.’