Page 92 of Samuel

He looked back up at Yvetta. “I am hungry.”

“Good boy.” She gave him a warm smile and led him from the room.

Once they’d gone, James let out a breath. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry Maisie. That was just heart breaking.”

I hugged him. “James, it’s fine. He wanted to come and nothing would have stopped him. I thought it would help too.” My eyes went to the bed. “Is he going to be okay?”

“The doctor thinks so. He’ll know more when he gets the scan results back, but all his vitals are fine, he just doesn’t seem to want to stay awake.”

“I hope he does soon,” I whispered. “I …”

My words tailed off, not knowing what to say or whether I had the right to say it.

“I know,” James said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You love him.”

I opened my mouth to protest his words, but I didn’t, there was no point because he was right, I did love him and the thought of losing him already was making my heart break open into a huge yawning chasm which I wasn’t sure would ever mend.

Sam

the present

“Will someone tell those fucking men to stop drilling,” I groaned with a grimace. “They’re giving me headache.”

“Sam,” Mum’s voice cried. “You’re awake.”

I slowly opened one eye and turned my head toward her voice, wincing with the pain. “You look like shit, Mum.”

She laughed through tears and reached for my hand. “Because I’ve been here all night and all day, waiting for you to wake up and I think you’ll find that drilling is in your head, love.”

“You could be right. I could do with a drink.”

My throat felt like sandpaper and my lips dry.

“Here you go son.” Dad appeared, holding a cup with a straw in it. “Just little sips while you’re lying down. Yvetta love, call for the nurse.”

As I drank, Mum’s chair scraped on the floor and I then heard the door open and close.

“You had us bloody worried there,” Dad said, pulling the straw from my mouth. “Do you remember what happened?”

I groaned and reached to the back of my head, feeling thick wadding. “Yeah, I mopped the floor and I slipped, after that I can vaguely remember lights above my head and someone asking me questions, but not much else.” Then something occurred to me. “Did I dream it or have you and Mum been on a cruise.”

Dad laughed. “No, you definitely dreamt it. Imagine me getting your mother on a cruise.”

“Well when I come to think of it, no. Unless it was to sail out and stop the tuna fisherman killing dolphins.”

I moaned as the pain in my head intensified.

“Okay,” a voice I didn’t recognise said. “If you give us a few minutes, thedoctor would like to examine Sam.”

Dad gave my shoulder a pat and moved away, leaving me with a nurse and a doctor, who prodded and poked me, asked me a load of questions about feeling nauseous or dizzy and took my blood pressure and temperature. Finally, he gave me a smile and hung his stethoscope back around his neck.

“Everything seems fine, Mr. Cooper. Your scan came back clear of any haematomas, but it appears you’ve had a severe concussion. It must have been a heavy bang of the head.”

“I did have quite a way to fall, doc,” I replied, closing my eyes against the pain.

“Quite.” He gave me a placating smile. “We’ll keep you in another night, just to keep you under observation on a normal ward, but I think you’ll be okay to go home tomorrow. Kerry, if you could give Mr. Cooper some pain relief. The usual dosage.”

“Yes, Dr. Shelton.”