Page 5 of Take a Moment

I stand up quickly, feeling the protest in my aching thigh muscles as I do, and turn to face my boss. ‘Laura, hi. Didn’t see you there. Are you joining us?’

‘Thought I would today.’ She smiles supportively at me. ‘Get a feel for how things are coming along. That OK with you?’

‘Of course.’ I gesture to the only empty seat round the table. ‘Make yourself comfortable. Some great progress we can share with you. The team have been at it hard, and the results are really showing.’

I beam round the room at my fifteen-strong project team, who are mirroring my gesture, appreciative of the good press in front of the big boss.

‘Well, just carry on as normal. Pretend I’m not here.’ Laura makes for the back of the room.

I kick off the meeting and start to run through the weekly actions, seeking input from the team on their various tasks. As I do, I become aware that my concentration is not as sharp as it usually is. I’m dealing with the short responses all right, but for some reason I’m struggling to follow the more in-depth explanations being offered.

‘Sorry… so you’re saying the system user testing is not covering all required areas?’ I ask John, our business analyst on the project.

‘That’s notexactlywhat I’m saying, Alex.’ John shakes his head. ‘In theory, it is covering all areas. But I’m concerned about the level to which the testing is being done: the lack of detail in the test scripts, particularly for the new accounting processes.’

‘Right.’ I pause, giving my head a shake as if to throw off whatever is causing my brain to feel like cotton wool. ‘So… what are we going to do about this?’ I’m intentionally stalling to try to get my jumbled thoughts together.

‘I was hoping you would tell me.’ John cocks his head quizzically. ‘As I said, I’ve exhausted all options. Perhaps this now needs to be escalated to the project board?’

‘Right… yes, of course.’ I surreptitiously pinch my leg under the desk to try to jolt myself out of this odd, fatigued state. ‘I’ll escalate it. OK, what’s next?’

As the team member next to John starts sharing their update, I find I’m unable to take in a word they’re saying. I am not just below par; my inability to function properly is starting to make me anxious. What’s going on? Is it because Laura’s here? No, it can’t be. Laura and I get on great. She’s joined meetings before. Then a thought hits me. Maybe it’s my cold. Or worse, the flu. Please, I so don’t have time for the flu.

‘Alex? Do you agree?’

I snap back to the conversation. ‘Oh… sorry. Eh… yes. Definitely, Sandra.’

‘Really?’ Laura suddenly pipes up from the back of the room, making it clear my fifty-fifty gamble hasn’t paid off. ‘I’m not sure I agree with that, Alex. And I’m surprisedyoudo.’ She’s eyeing me curiously.

‘I… eh… gosh, no, you’re right, what am I thinking?’ I grab the project update in front of me, desperate for a clue as to what this conversation is about, but the words are blurred, and I realise I’m seeing double.

‘Alex, is everything OK?’ Laura asks. ‘You look a bit… hot and bothered. Maybe get some water from the cooler?’

I realise that must be it. I’m dehydrated from my run. And starving too. That on top of a cold isn’t going to help me at all.

‘Good idea. Just give me a moment.’

I get up and move quickly towards the meeting room door. As I do, the room swims in front of me, making it difficult to keep my balance. In an attempt to steady myself, I try to grab the door handle, but instead make contact with nothing but fresh air. This proves too much for my already struggling body and before I realise what’s happening, I’ve slipped on something and I’m falling sideways. The last thing I’m aware of as I claw at the air, trying frantically to rescue myself, is a collective gasp from behind me, followed by a sudden sharp, shooting burst of pain in my head.

Chapter 3

‘Alex? Lex, hon. Can you hear me?’ Sasha’s voice sounds distant, like it’s emanating from another world.

‘She’s starting to come round.’ Another faint voice enters my consciousness. ‘Alex? Alex, can you hear me, sweetheart?’

I open my eyes slowly, unable to communicate as my disoriented senses attempt to comprehend my environment: intermittent beeping, flashing lights in front of my eyes, blurry heads bobbing above me with muddled voices, the smell of well-worn carpet. Then throbbing pain.

‘Oh… oww…’ I whimper. ‘What’s… my head… so sore…’

I’m so groggy and dizzy, I can barely get the words out. I try instead to sit up but feel an immediate resistance on my shoulder.

‘Stay where you are, sweetheart,’ a caring but commanding female voice – the owner of the hand gently pressing against my body – instructs me. ‘Don’t try and get up. You’ve hit your head and we’re concerned about your neck because of the way you fell. You need to stay completely still until we put a neck brace on you and get you onto a spinal board. Just answer yes or no – do you understand what I’m telling you?’

‘I… yes… am I… hospital? Smells… hospital.’

‘You’re still in your office, Alex,’ the woman, who smells clinical, reassures me. ‘I’m Jill. I’m a paramedic and I’m here to look after you.’

‘Office…paramedic…’ I repeat, confusion clouding my mind until it all starts to come back to me, and I begin to panic. ‘Wait… oh, no… my team… the meeting… are they…’

---