Page 89 of Samuel
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I can’t go because of Bella, so it’s fine.”
“Oh god, what am I going to tell him, Amy? He’ll be devastated.”
The line was silent for a few seconds and then Amy said. “How about Sam’s car’s broken down, so you’re going to pick him up. That’ll do for now.”
Giving Amy my thanks, we quickly finished the call and I rushed to get dressed and then giving Frankie the cover story Amy and I had agreed on, got him wrapped up warm and into the car, trying to keep my tears at bay as I drove through the almost empty streets hoping that Sam was going to be okay.
Maisie
the present
I had been at the hospital for hours, my back was aching, my eyes were sore and my head was thumping due to the dry heat and the constant worry. There was no way I was leaving though, not until I had some good news for Frankie – not that he knew that anything was wrong. By the time I’d laid him into the spare bed at Amy and Elijah’s house, he was already fast asleep.
Every time the door to the waiting room had swung open, I’d hoped that it was someone with some news, but the hours had stretched on and on and before we knew it the sun was coming up. I’d told myself that I was waiting for Frankie’s sake, but I couldn’t stand the thought of not being there if Sam woke or…shit, I hadn’t wanted to think about the alternative.
All our nerves were on edge; mine, Elijah’s, and Mr. & Mrs. Cooper’s, but I had an extra worry throwing itself around my brain. I couldn’t help but think about Josh being out on bail and wondering whether he’d had any part in Sam’s accident. For a long time Sam’s parents and Elijah were too pre-occupied for me to bother them with it, so when the policeman who’d found Sam popped in to check on him, I’d mentioned it to him. He’d radioed it in and stayed for quite a while until he got a reply, but he heard back that Josh’s dad had vouched for him being in the house all night. I wasn’t so sure he was telling the truth, but the police seemed satisfied. Apart from which, the policeman said nothing looked particularly suspicious when he found Sam.
Having to accept what they were saying, I’d tried to get comfy as I’d continued waiting, hoping that I hadn’t risked Sam’s life by getting him involved in mine.
Giving up the idea of trying to get any sleep, I alternated between pacing the floor, watching through the first floor window, and sitting and staring at the wall. While I was flicking mindlessly through a magazine, Elijah came into the waiting room, rubbing at his eyes.
“You okay?” he asked with a tired sigh, flopping down onto the chair next to mine.
“I’m fine. Any change?”
He shook his head. “Nope. He’s back from his scan, but he’s still dead to -.” He clamped his mouth shut and inhaled deeply. “What a dick.”
“It’s just a phrase,” I replied, placing a comforting hand on his bicep. “He’d laugh if he knew what you’d said.”
Elijah looked up at me and smiled. “Yeah, yeah he would.”
“When will the results be back?”
He shrugged. “They didn’t say, but the doctor is hoping it’s not a clot, but just swelling, but he’s worried that he can’t seem to keep consciousness.”
“If it’s a clot?” I asked, a cold fear sweeping over me.
“They’ll need to operate.” He averted his eyes, looking through the window to grey light outside.
“What the hell could have happened, Elijah?”
I chewed on my bottom lip, wondering whether I should mention Josh.
“The copper thinks he just slipped and that maybe it was on a wet floor. There was a mop and bucket nearby and he only had one slider on, the other was near his body. Who wears those fucking stupid things anyway?”
As Elijah turned to me, I saw the utter torment in his eyes as he thought about what might happen to his brother.
“He’s always been there for me, you know,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “When Amy left, Sam was the one who held me together and when Amy came back, well Sam was the one who made me see I had to get her back.”
“He told me all about it,” I replied. “How you were with someone else, but he made you see sense.”
Elijah rumbled a low laugh. “Yeah, you could say that. I just wish he’d told me about that fucking sick bitch who was his swimming coach when it happened.” His head shot up and he looked at me with wide eyes. “Amy said you knew, you do know don’t you?”
“Yeah,” I said, nudging Elijah with my shoulder. “He told me. I think he thought it might explain why he’d wanted nothing to do with Frankie when he was born.”
“And did it?”
