“I love you too. Thank God you’re okay. Don’t ever do anything like that to me again.” Between the words falling out of her mouth and her sobbing, she’s almost incoherent, but I hear her loud and clear.
And then we’re kissing and laughing with joy at the same time.
We’re interrupted by another round of poking and prodding by nurses and doctors. Lulu waits patiently out of the way until they all leave.
As though she can sense the throbbing behind my eyes, Lulu soaks a face washer in a bowl of water, wrings it out and places it across my forehead. The relief is immediate and not only physical. To have this woman taking such care of me after feeling like I might never get her back relaxes my mind and heart, as well as every tense and aching muscle in my body.
“What time is it?” I can see it’s dark outside, but I have no idea how long I was asleep.
“Just past six.”
The comfort is making it hard to stay awake, and Lulu looks as exhausted as I feel. I don’t want her to leave, but she needs to rest. For her and the baby.
“Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”
“No. I don’t want to leave you. I only just got you back. We have so much to say.” She clings to my hand, making no move to leave until the nurse comes in and gives her no option.
“Off you go. Visiting hours are over,” she says. “What he needs is rest. He’ll still be here in the morning and probably ready to go home.”
“Yes, but he might need something,” Lulu pleads.
“That’s what we’re here for,” the nurse says crisply. And with that she turns off the light and pushes Lulu out the door.
I wake up to a cold, hard hand gripping my fingers. Watery grey light seeps around the closed blinds, and I can hear the rain hitting the window.
“Nicholas? Nicholas, are you awake?” The voice is sharp and adds to the searing pain in my head. I’d recognise it anywhere. More squeezing. I want to go back to sleep. Where it was at least peaceful and nothing hurt. Where’s Lulu? And why is my mother here?
The doctor seems as annoyed as I am by the new arrival.
“I’m his mother,” Mum says. “I’m here to make sure he’s taken proper care of.”
“I can assure you, Mrs Pierce, Nick is receiving the best of care. Visiting hours start at ten. You can come back then.” And with that he ushers Mum out. I can hear her threatening and complaining all the way to the lift.
I don’t understand what my mother is doing here. She’s the last person I’d want to see. When the doctor returns, he explains they contacted her as my next of kin, but that doesn’t explain how she got here so quickly.
The next time I wake up, I’m more alert but no less uncomfortable, and Lulu is sitting by the bed, holding my hand.
“Good morning. How are you feeling?” She smiles. Is it my imagination or is the slight Scottish burr in her voice stronger?
“Alarmed. My mother was here earlier. I think. Or am I high on pain meds?”
Lulu looks startled, but before she has a chance to say anything, there’s a commotion in the hall. “How did she get here this fast?” I have no time to reply before Mum strides in.
“Who on earth are you and what are you doing in my son’s room?” my mother barks at Lulu. “He is in a very fragile condition. Kindly leave or I will call security. We don’t need a scene.”
I feel Lulu’s hand begin to pull away, so I grip it tighter.
“She’s not going anywhere, Mum. And you’re the one causing a scene.” I might be groggy, but I haven’t forgotten the stunt Mum pulled. Looks like the hellfire I promised is on the near horizon.
Mum stands by the door pointing, signalling Lulu should leave.
“We need to discuss how to salvage this appalling situation, and we don’t need your piece of fluff as an audience.”
Lulu stands to her full height beside me, holding my hand and looking my mother in the eye. A warrior prepared for battle.
“You will apologise to Lulu, right now.”
“I most certainly will not. It’s Eleanor who deserves an apology for the way you’ve been carrying on.”
