Page 7 of Conflict

Reaching down, I grasped Pat’s hand. “Give them some room, yeah?” Gently, I pulled her up and to my side, wrapping my arms tightly around her. “He’s gonna be ok, he has to be. He wouldn’t leave us, not like this.” I wanted to believe that with all my heart but the situation seemed to be proving otherwise.

“Now Jamie, I’m just going to do your obs and then we can get you in the ambulance and off to hospital, alright mate? You just hang in there for me,” the paramedic strapped a cuff around Jamie’s arm and I watched intently as it began to tighten and the numbers on the machine rose. “You’re doing great mate,” he continued to chat to Jamie as he slid a cannula into his arm and connected a bag of fluid to it. “Right, we’re all set. Let’s get you down the Infirmary, shall we?” Pat and I watched as they loaded him onto a gurney and begin wheeling him out of the flat. “Mum, I’m guessing you’re coming in the ambulance with us?” One of the technician’s asked Pat.

“Yes, Scarlett will follow us down there,” Pat turned to look at me. “That’s alright with you, isn’t it love?”

“Of course, you stay with him. I’ll be right behind you, if he wakes tell him I’m on my way, though.” I sniffed back the tears as I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. Time to pull myself together, Jamie needed me and Tom would want me to look after his best mate. As the lift doors closed Pat and I headed for the stairs, there was no way we’d all fit in there. It was a tight squeeze with the stretcher and both paramedics.

Once they’d loaded Jamie and got Pat settled in the seat in the back of the ambulance next to him, they closed the doors. “We’re taking him to the Infirmary, he’ll go straight into A&E, so you can head straight in there. Someone on the desk will point you in the right direction,” the driver smiled gently at me. “Drive carefully, I don’t want to have to come sort you out too.”

My mouth lifted a little as I nodded, “I will, just don’t let him die. Please.” Turning on my heel, I headed to my car. As I fastened the seat belt and started the engine, I drew in a large breath. Calmness was required now, I’d done all that I could by calling the ambulance, it was up to Jamie now.

The journey to A&E took longer than I’d like. Unsure where all the traffic had come from at this time of night, but it neededto fuck off. As I pulled around the corner into the carpark I almost cried. It was rammed. After driving up and down a few rows, looking for a space the tears I’d tried so hard to hold back began to roll and I slammed my hands down hard on the steering wheel in frustration. The light tap on the car window made me jump, I ran the cuffs of my sweater across my cheeks before I pressed the button to lower the glass.

“I’m just leaving,” the old guy nodded in the direction of his parked car. “If you back up a little, you’ll be able to swing into my space,” he reminded me of my grandpa. The wrinkles around his bright eyes were soft but deep, and he smiled gently. “There’s also a little time left on my ticket; I’ll get it for you. Might as well use it up.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind.” I pushed the gear stick into reverse and began to inch backwards while he opened his car to retrieve the parking ticket. As he waddled back towards me, I noticed he was wearing a three-piece suit. My grandpa wore a suit every Sunday, even though they never went to church. He said it made him feel like he had a purpose still. As I smiled at the memory the old guy reached into my car and stuck the ticket on my windscreen.

“There you go, you’re all set. I hope whatever has you here at this time of the night isn’t too bad and you’re on your way soon enough.” He patted the side of my car before he turned back to his own, pulling his car out of the space and allowing me to pull in. There were still good people on this earth. As I locked my car, I glanced at the ticket to check the remaining time; it was good for another four hours. Well, at least I didn’t need to worry about that for a while.

I sprinted across the carpark and hit the crossing light button, too impatient to wait for the little green man to appear, I dived between the oncoming traffic and made my way to the other side. With the A&E entrance and the ambulance bay insight, I ran as fast as my legs would go. Bursting through the doors, I headed towards the reception desk.

“Name,” the woman behind the desk asked without looking up from her computer screen.

“My friend Jamie Kasper was brought in by ambulance a few minutes ago,” I guessed he’d arrived before me.

“How are you spelling his name?” Again, she made no eye contact but I spelled out Jamie’s name slowly for her. “Alright, it looks like they’re just checking him in on the acute side.” Finally, she looked up and smiled, it was kind of forced, but a smile nonetheless. “You need to follow the blue line on the floor all the way to the end, it’ll bring you to the waiting area. Give someone there your friends name and they’ll point you in the right direction.”

As I followed the line down the corridor my phone rang, Pat’s name lit up my screen. “I’m here, I’m just trying to find the waiting area they’ve sent me to,” I picked up my pace as Pat replied.

“Okay, sweetheart. They’ve taken him into the resus unit and told me to wait here. I’ll watch out for you,” I heard the shaky breath Pat let out. “He doesn’t look good, Scarlett.” Her voice wobbled with emotion.

“Pat, stop it. We have to be positive,” I turned yet another corner and was faced with a small waiting area and a nurse’s station. Standing across the open space with her back facing me was Pat. I could see her shaking from across the room. “I’m right behind you,” I swiped my thumb across the screen to end the call as I darted over to where Pat stood. Wrapping my arms around her, she melted into me and allowed her tears to flow. “Hey, come on, let’s save those tears for now. What did they say?”

Pat sniffed as she patted her eyes dry. “Just to wait here and someone will be out as soon as they have more to tell us. They were shouting out lots of things but I couldn’t hear what theywere saying, and then the doors swung shut. The paramedics came out to say goodbye and said someone would update us soon.” Her gaze turned towards the doors to the resus room where they were currently treating Jamie. “I just want to be in there with him, I need to be in there, Scarlett.” I tightened my grip around her shoulders, afraid she might make a bolt for it and crash through the doors.

“I know you do, but let’s allow them to do whatever he needs first and then we can sit with him when they’ve got him sorted out, yeah?” I sounded way calmer than I actually felt. My heart was currently pounding so hard I feared my ribcage may break from the pressure. The tightness in my chest becoming unbearable as I tried to breathe through my anguish. Pat rubbed a hand up and down my back as she nodded in agreement. “Come on, let’s sit down. I think we might be here a while.” Once I’d made sure Pat was seated, I grabbed two cups of water from the cooling fountain and sat beside her as I fired off a text to my mum. She’d be worried after the way I left the house, and the last thing I needed now was an irate mother phoning to see what was going on.

It felt like we’d been waiting for hours when a doctor emerged from the resus room and called out Jamie’s name. Pat and I both shut out of our seats and dashed towards him. “How is he?” we asked simultaneously.

“Sorry, are you mum?” the doctor asked Pat.

“Yes, and this is Scarlett,” Pat replied. “Is he alive?” Pat gripped my hand tightly as she waited for his reply.

The doctor smiled as he nodded. “Yes, he’s alive. He will have one hell of a hangover tomorrow but he’s okay. We’ve run some bloods for a tox screen to see what we’re dealing with exactly, but currently he’s stable. We’re chasing a bed for him now but you can go sit with him for a little while. I’ll take you through but please don’t pressure him to talk yet.” The doctor lookedbetween us both before he carried on. “Has he done anything like this before? Do you know what might have triggered this episode?”

“He’s a soldier. My brother, his best mate was killed in action recently…” a strangled sob escaped my lips as I tried to explain. “It’s still raw, sorry.”

The doctor reached out to place his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t apologise, I can only imagine what you’re all going through right now, but I can tell you this, your brother is looking down on Jamie right now, sending him all the good vibes he needs. Come on, I’ll take you to him.” He stood back and pulled open the door to the unit and we followed him inside. “Soph, can you take these two ladies to bay eight, please? They’re Jamie Kasper’s mum and girlfriend,” he turned back to us. “Sophie will show you the way, and someone will be down soon to take him to the ward.”

I opened my mouth to correct his mistake, but weirdly, nothing came out. Pat squeezed my hand tightly, “Don’t worry, sweetie.”

CHAPTER 10

JAMIE

My head felt like there was a full brass band playing inside my brain. Every muscle in my body aches. My tongue darts out to wet my parched lips, my throat is drier than the Sahara Desert. I’ve not opened my eyes yet but I can feel the warmth from the sunlight on my face. It forces me to crack my eyes open and take in my surroundings. There are four beds in the bay, including mine. Some of the beds have the curtains drawn around them, but mine are open. I guessed it’s so the nurses can keep an eye on me. After pushing myself upwards to sit, I reach for the jug of water and plastic glass that sat on the bedside cabinet.

“Good morning, Jamie. I’m Emily, I’ll be looking after you today. How are you feeling this morning?” The nurse stood at the side of my bed dressed in scrubs, resting her arms on the portable machine she’d wheeled in with her. “How’s the hangover?” Emily gave me a small smile as she waited for me to answer.

---