Page 103 of Prove You Wrong

When she catches her breath, she says, ‘Take Helena. You can’t make my mum ride pillion.’

‘Okay.’ She hands me the key. ‘I’ll start at the nursing home and go from there. Call me if you need me.’

Ella nods and pulls away. I’m reluctant to let her go but the sooner I get her mum here, the sooner I can hold her again. The way she clung to me. It was like she was already broken and I was holding her together. Whatever it takes to help her, I will do it. I will be her fucking glue.

I wait until she’s sat with Josie before I leave, tapping out a message to my brother as I walk back to the bike. I need to return it to the storage unit and then track down Rusty.

Nate: Job done. I won’t be back tonight. Ella’s sister was in the accident. Ella camped out at A&E.

Scott: Shit. The one with all the teenagers on the news? You staying with Ella?

Nate: No. I have to find her mum but her friend Josie is with her, although I think her family might be involved somehow too. It’s a nightmare in there.

Scott: Is someone covering the rest of your on call?

Nate: Fuck

The word repeats through my head as I type it out to my brother and hit send. How had I entirely forgotten I was on call tonight?

Shit, shit, shit. In my agitation, I fumble with the screen, taking a while to find Tony’s details.

While the phone rings, I pace the pavement, waiting for him to answer.

‘Everything okay, Nate?’ Tony’s voice is cautious as he answers.

‘Sorry to disturb you so late.’ I rub my temple, praying my hastily thought-out plan works. ‘And sorry to ask, but any chance you can cover my on call tonight? Please?’

‘Something happened?’

‘Yeah, I — ’

‘No need to explain,’ he cuts me off. ‘Of course. Fill me in another time.’

‘Thanks, man.’ I exhale in relief. ‘So much.’

‘You get doing what you need to do. I’ll tell Control to divert calls to me from now on.’

Chapter 31

Ella

Time seems to have lost all meaning and now I’m not sure if Nate was here a minute ago, an hour ago, or if my stressed-out mind imagined the whole thing. A fresh tear leaks from my eyes and I swipe it away angrily. It feels so fucking useless being stuck here doing nothing.

I get up and pace, preferring to keep active while Josie has taken the catatonic route. She’s resting back on her mum, eyes glazed. I don’t think she’s moved for half an hour, not even a sniff. I can’t begin to imagine how the Clarke family are feeling. It’s like history repeating itself.

The waiting area is emptying of families as, one by one, the teens involved are patched up and discharged or admitted for observation. There’s many a relieved gasp and, while I’m happy for them, I’m gutted Chloe’s and Jamie’s names aren’t on the doctors’ lips.

Soon it’s just me, Josie and her parents left. Sitting on the uncomfortable plastic chairs, I feel an eerie sense of stillness, almost like I’m suspended in another dimension that can see through to this one.

Josie’s taken to pacing now and I feel frozen in place.

Janet’s holding a dog-eared magazine open but not turning the pages. They occasionally swap small talk but it’s all so contrived. David has propped his elbow on his knee while pinching the bridge of his nose, lost in his thoughts. They both look exhausted. I look around for Nate, but there’s no sign of him or my mum. Maybe I did dream he was here.

The thud of doors opening and closing gets my attention. Again. Every single time I give myself whiplash hoping for an update.

A familiar figure walks through the door but it’s not Nate. It’s not even my mum.

It’s Nate’s brother.

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