Page 28 of Fierce Family

“Mixing sleeping pills and alcohol can be dangerous and potentially even fatal.” It’s hard but I feel I need to be honest with them. I gently pull Sheila into my arms when she doesn’t react.

“The kid who told us about the pills said that when nothing happened after one they all took more. Some took a lot. And drank bottles of cheap vodka another kid had brought along. The girl—” he stops himself as he tries toget his emotions under control. “The girl we performed CPR on didn’t make it.”

Sheila crumbles in my arms and it’s only because I had a strong grip on her that she doesn’t drop to the floor.

“No, no, no,” Nicholas mumbles.

“I thought you needed to know.” Tommy looks at me for reassurance that he did the right thing and I nod. It’s always difficult to make a call on how and when to tell people things and never more so than if you are personally invested.

“Thank you, Tommy. Do you… know anything about Gregory?” I ask tentatively which seems to bring both Sheila and Nicholas back to us.

“No, they’re still working on all the other kids.” Tommy gives Sheila a brief hug before leaving us alone.

“Don’t give up hope, Sheila.” I whisper whilst my own stomach is in a thousand knots.

She doesn’t seem to hear me and is lost in her thoughts, quietly crying. I guide her back to the waiting room. I’ve never felt so helpless.

Chapter 13

Sheila

Idon’t know howlong we have been sitting in that fucking room. It feels like an eternity, but dawn is only just breaking when we’re called by a nurse. The parents of two other children were called before us but didn’t return so we don’t know what happened. I wonder if any of them were the parents of the girl who didn’t make it.

“Mr and Mrs Whelan,” the doctor addresses Josh and me.

“No, this is Gregory’s father,” I pull Nicholas closer to us. Josh never lets go of me and I’m grateful for that. I don’t think I could have made it through the night without his strength.

“Sorry.” The doctor looks a bit sheepish and gives Josh a curious look. “My name is Dr Khan and I’ve been working on your son. Gregory was one of the more severe cases in the group but we managed to stabilise him. We are currently waiting for him to regain consciousness, but we hope that he will be okay and there won’t be any long-term damage.”

The relief I feel at his words hits me like a wave. All the tension in my body seems to evaporate and more tears trickle down my face. Josh squeezes me and presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

“Can we see him?” Nicholas asks.

“We’re going to move him to the AMU and then you can. A nurse will take you there.”

“What’s the AMU?” I stop the doctor from leaving.

“Acute Medical Unit. They will continue to monitor him and work with the toxicology department to assess if he needs further antidote.” He nods and leaves us.

“Let me call Peter and tell them Gee will be okay.” Nico wipes a tear from his face.

“Wait.” Josh lets go of me as I step up to Nicholas to give him a hug. There’s nothing I can say, I just felt like we both needed a hug. Our son is going to be okay.

“Right, let me call Peter,” Nicholas finally pulls away and walks down the corridor for some privacy.

“How are you?” Josh asks tentatively.

“Relieved. Worried. Sad. And would it be wrong to say I’m also a bit angry?”

“No.” He pulls me back into his embrace and the minute his warmth surrounds me I feel safe.

“I’m sorry if me being in your life has caused this.” His voice is neutral but his whole body is tense.

“Josh, this is not your fault. He was hanging out with those kids before you and I found each other,” I sigh.

Josh doesn’t say anything for a minute. “I’ll do anything you need me to do. We can go back to keeping it a secret, we can take it slow with me spending time with the boys; I’m open to everything, but I can’t let you walk away. If that makes me a selfish arsehole then so be it but pleasedon’t ask me to let you go.” The last few words are just a whisper. I take a step back and study him. His face is strained and there’s fear in his eyes again.

“Josh…” I cup his face. “I’m not walking away. And if it is anyone’s fault it’s mine.”

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