Sixteen
‘Any news?’ Bel asked the next evening when Emma rang to say goodnight to the kids.
‘They took out his feeding tube and he’s awake a lot more often now. He’s not able to speak yet, but he can squeeze the doctor’s hand in response to stimulus, which they’ve said is a big thing.’ Bel knew Emma was trying to stay positive, but there was a hint of hopelessness underlying her friend’s voice.
Bel felt a heaviness in her stomach. None of this seemed real. ‘Well, that sounds positive.’ She tried for an optimistic tone, but how on earth did you deal with the fact that your once fully functional husband was in an almost vegetative state, unable to do the most basic of things?
‘It’s … it’s so hard, seeing him so …’ Emma let out a small, tortured sound. ‘He can’t talk, Bel. He can’t eat onhis own. He cries,’ she said, and stopped abruptly to gather herself. Bel heard her take some shaky breaths. ‘The nurses say it’s all normal for his condition, but it’s so damn hard to watch. Everything is just so … shit,’ she finished.
‘I wish I could be down there for you,’ Bel said, feeling helpless.
‘No, I’m fine. Honestly. Craig’s family have been amazing. I have someone with me all the time. It’s just … I’m so tired. I want this to all be over so we can come home. But even then, they keep saying it’s going to take a really long time before—if,’ she corrected and gave a sniff, ‘he ever gets back to normal again.’
‘And when that time comes, you know that you’ll have all the support you’ll need. I’ll stay for however long it takes.’
‘But you have your own life to get back to.’
‘I don’t have to be anywhere except where I’m needed. I’m not going anywhere.’
‘Thanks, Bel. I can’t thank you enough, for being there for the kids.’
‘You don’t need to thank me. God, Em, you’ve got enough to worry about without having to stress over the kids as well.’
‘They sounded a lot happier tonight. The poor things have been passed around from one person to the next since it happened. I barely had time to explain anything before I had to leave. I feel so bad, abandoning them like that.’
‘You didn’t abandon them. It’s a horrible position for you to be in. They are worried about Craig, which is completelyunderstandable, but we think we’ve managed to come up with a distraction of sorts, so hopefully it’ll take their minds off things for a bit.’
‘Oh yes, they told me they had a big surprise for when we come home. Something to do with building. Should I be worried?’ Emma sounded a little more like her old self and Bel breathed a silent sigh of relief.
‘Absolutely not,’ Bel reassured her blithely.
‘They also told me Dean was involved, so at least there’s adult supervision.’
‘Gee, thanks a lot for the vote of confidence. I can YouTube as well as the next home handyman, you know,’ Bel said with an exaggerated sniff.
‘But seriously, it’s great the two of you can help each other out. I think the kids will be thrilled. So, how’s things going with Dean?’
‘What do you mean?’ Bel asked, a little too quickly. Rookie mistake. Emma’s curiosity radar would pick up on that instantly.
The slight pause on the other end of the line confirmed it. ‘You two had a weird vibe going on once. Is it still there?’
‘There’s no vibe. He’s great with the kids and he’s helping out because he’s your good friend. End of story.’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘Would you stop trying to play matchmaker?’
‘I always said you two would be perfect together,’ Emma reminded her.
‘Not happening.’
‘Why? He’s a perfectly nice guy.’
‘Because I’m not looking for a boyfriend right now. I don’t even know where I want to live. The last thing I need is to add a complication.’
‘Would it be so bad to move back to Wessex?’
‘I don’t know if I can. I mean … I’m sure everyone knows I left here like some lovesick puppy with a guy I barely knew and it didn’t work out. When I see people now, I know that’s what they’re thinking.’
