Page 82 of Where She Is
Daniel’s mobile vibrates against the wooden cabinet. My skin is bereft of his warmth when he rolls away to lie on his back. A groan escapes his throat, and his arm covers his eyes with frustration. I roll on my side and admire his form while he removes his hands from his face.
“I’m sorry, baby. Someone really wants to talk to me.” He picks up his phone but his eyebrows pull together, “I have no idea who that was. No caller ID.” The moment is lost so I sit up and blow out a defeated sigh, although Daniel has other ideas.
“Err excuse me, I haven’t finished with you yet.”
He reaches over, dragging me on top of his firm body. God, I love my sexy, determined man with his sexy, swirly accent. Before we know it, our skin heats and re-connects. We’re back in the zone.
I’m barely awake when Daniel bolts up from the bed. The door has been buzzing continuously.
“Who the fuck can that be at this time of night?”
He stops being so mad when he picks up his phone and realises it has just gone nine in the evening. We haven’t managed to leave the house and grab any dinner yet. After we’d made love—again—our bodies entwined and sleep quickly drifted over our tired bones. Now we realise only an hour has passed by.
Daniel stumbles, still half a sleep and reaches for his tracksuit bottoms, slipping them over his tight behind. I sit up and watch him leave the bedroom. Even slightly moody, he is doing things to my lower regions. I slump back on the pillow and listen to mumbled voices. I can’t work out who’s here, but Daniel’s puzzled expression worries me as he re-enters our room.
“It’s Richard?”
“Really? What, my boss Richard?”
“Well, yeah. Do you know another one?” He smirks, so I sit up and throw my pillow at him.
“If he weren’t sitting in our lounge room, you’d be for it, Miss May. You better get dressed,” he says while slipping his sweatshirt over his lean body. “He wants a quick word with me before he speaks to you.”
“Oh… ok, well I’ll be out in a sec then.”
I’ve already finished a full day’s work. Sometimes Richard is never satisfied. I wonder what is so important that he has to visit our home, but this is a first so I let him off.
I’m still in the bedroom, trying to listen to Richard and Daniel talking in hushed tones. I can’t make out a single word they say and I worry about what it is they don’t want me to hear. My stomach takes a nervous nosedive as I slowly button up my shirt and draw my jeans over my legs, but it’s not until Daniel returns that my fears are realised. He doesn’t speak as he holds out his hand, our fingers link tightly and I glance into his worried eyes. Oh God. What the hell is it? I feel sick.
Richard is staring at his hands when we walk into the lounge. He stands to greet me and takes both my hands in his before taking a deep breath. “Come, sit down Hannah.”
The atmosphere in the room is dark, I don’t like it. “Just tell me, Richard. I know something’s up. What is it?”
He gestures for me to sit while his mouth purses and jumps from side to side in contemplation. Then our eyes make direct contact and his hand grips mine before he begins, “It’s your mum, Hannah. I’m afraid she’s had a stroke.”
My blood runs cold while my light head tries to take in his words. I’m confused. He must have got it wrong.
“What do you mean a stroke? She’s fit as a fiddle… she’s not old enough.”
As I look between them, Richard eyes Daniel with uncertainty, but Daniel gives a slight nod.
“It’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry, Hannah,” Richard says, his head bowed.
This cannot be happening. My mum is the life and soul. I don’t understand. “How?” The warmth of Daniel’s body is beside me as Richard continues, “She was out having lunch with your dad and… it just happened.”
“Oh God.” My head falls to my palms as it spins and my limbs crumble beneath me. I try hard to stop myself shaking and regain my composure, but my world is suddenly tumbling down around me and I have nothing to hold on to. “Tell me mum has recovered, that it was a warning to take it easier.”
“I wish I could, Hannah,” he sighs, “She’s not good I’m afraid… there may be some brain damage and it could affect her speech. They can’t be sure her body will function in the same way again.”
“What does that mean?”
“She may not walk or move her arms again. To be honest, the doctors don’t know the extent of her condition until she is conscious and…” He stalls for a moment, and my stomach knots. This is bad. Very, very bad. Richard would usually sugar-coat terrible news. Not this time. “… they’re unsure if she will make it at all. Hannah, I am so sorry.”
“No, no, no. You’re talking as if she’s already gone and I won’t believe it. Not my mum. This is not happening.”
Daniel brings my head to his body. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. We can get hold of someone at the hospital and find out everything we can.”
