“What will we do Irma?” cried Ingrid tearfully Irma shrugged her little shoulders “Maybe he needs the lips thing?” she cried out in panic
“What
lips thing?”
“You
know the way they kiss on ER”
Chris
had caught them watching the program once
“I
don’t know…maybe”
Irma
sat back on her heels “Well you to it” she said
“Me? But I don’t know how to”
“Chris
wake up!” Irma suddenly yelled in his ear
Ingrid threw open the door and rushed
along the path screaming at the top of her voice “Paaaul…it’s Chris he fell
down and won’t waken up” Paul crouched down “What?” he said calmly Ingrid took
deep gulps “Chris…fell…down…and…won’t…wake…up” Paul tore off along the pathway
leaving Ingrid standing on the sidewalk.
Irma looked relieved to see another
grown up “Chris! Chris buddy come on
wake up!” yelled Paul as he gentle shook him no response “Shit!” he cursed as
he reached for the phone pulling it from the small corner table and dialling
911.
Minutes later the paramedics arrived and
took over while Paul called Mark to come and get the twins “Will Chris be okay
Paul?” sobbed Irma as she watched the two men attend to her brother “Sure” Paul
replied as he placed a hand on each shoulder.
Chris’s mother arrived hours later to
find a reception committee waiting her “What the hell happened to him?” she
asked directing her question to Paul who had called her “I’m not sure…the girls
just said he fell down and wouldn’t wake up” his mother looked frantic “My
girls my God where are they?” she suddenly asked “They’re safe they’re with
Hayley” Mark cut in looking equally worried “This is all I need” he heard the
woman say before being called away.
Paul stood watching her the worry
evident on her pale complexioned face, “I wonder what they’re saying?” said
Mark coming to stand next to him “I don’t think it’s good news…do you?” Paul
sighed Mark glanced across to where the two women stood deep in conversation
“It could be nothing…It might even be exhaustion” he suggested Paul looked
hopeful “Really?”
“Sure…Paul
he wasn’t eating properly”
“Yeah
maybe”
Mark
looked down on him “Is there something you ain’t saying Maz?”
“We
fought”
“Fought? Like physically fought?”
“Yeah…we
argued and he punched me and I kinda punched him back”
“You
kinda punched him? Paul there ain’t no way
you could kind of punch him you either did or you didn’t?”
“Okay
I smacked him on the mouth and he err fell and hit his head”
Mark’s
eyes widened “What? He hit his
head? And you didn’t take him to the
emergency room?”
“He
didn’t want to go…he said he’d be fine!”
“Well
he obviously wasn’t was he?”
Paul
bowed his head as Mark made his way briskly across to where Chris’s mother
stood.
The doctor opened her mouth to speak and
send Mark away but his friend’s mother prevented her “Please this is Chris’s
best buddy” she said and the doctor smiled “How is he?” he inquired looking
straight into the doctor’s brown eyes “He’s not too good Mark” Mark swallowed
“Paul said he fell yesterday and hit his head” he announced “Yeah we gathered
that already…listen I better go…I’ll be back soon” the young woman said as she
tapped Chris’s mother’s arm “May I see him” she said the woman nodded “Of
Course but only for a second or two”
Mark placed both hands on the older
woman’s shoulders as she watched her son being taken to theatre “Oh God! Mark he’s so ill” she sniffed as she
collapsed her hand over her mouth “I should have been here” she added Mark gave
her shoulders a gentle squeeze “You weren’t to know” he consoled “Oh God Mark
he could die!” Mark caught his breath “He’s a fighter!” he assured “Yeah I
know…he’ll fight this” she reassured herself as she rushed along the corridor
after him “Chris Chris you’ll be okay…you hang on in there okay…please
sweetheart just hang on” she begged him Mark caught up with her once more his
arms encircling her “Oh God Mark…I can’t lose him…I just can’t!” Mark frowned
as he pulled her against him and held her close.
Paul watched the scene through
tear-filled eyes, this was all his fault if he’d only kept his temper but it
was hard to keep your temper in check when Chris was going off on one he knew
how to push his buttons “God please don’t let him die” he found himself praying
to a God he hadn’t believed in for years.
He sank dejectedly onto the chair and rested his hands on the back of
his head “Paul…is Chris okay?” Tara asked he looked up “I’m not sure” he said
quietly she stared down at him eyes full of concern for her best friend “I knew
we should have come here yesterday” Paul drew in a deep breath “Yeah well we didn’t
did we?” Tara run her hand through her long dark hair “He’ll be okay…I mean he
pulled through the last time” she spoke to herself Paul suddenly stood up “I’m
going to get some air” he announced then walked briskly away.
Tara eyed Mark when he returned to the
small waiting area then let out a deep sigh “He’ll be okay wont he?”
Mark
stared hard “What the hell do you care?” he snapped
“What? I care!”
“Really?”
“What’s
that suppose to mean?”
“Oh
come on…you knew Chris liked you and you just had to rub his face in it”
“What? Chris and I are friends that’s all!”
“Really?”
“Yeah
Mark Really! Chris always knew we’d
never be anything other than friends”
“Sure!”
there was sarcasm in his tone now
“Yeah
Mark”
“Did
you know you were the cause of Paul and Chris’s fight yesterday?”
“No!”
“Well
you were”
“That’s
hardly my fault!”
“Don’t
you care at all?”
“Course
I do I wouldn’t be here otherwise would I?”
“You
tell me?”
“Oh
Mark get off my Goddamn case!”
“What’s
going on with you guys…come on chill…Chris’s mom’s just down the hall” said
Louise as she sat down next to Mark
Tara
stood up “I need some air” she said suddenly then left
“So…what
was all that about?” Louise asked
“Oh
just something in nothing”
“Are
you sure…you looked as if you were about to throttle each other”
“Yeah…everything’s
cool…so how did the test go?”
“Straight
out the goddamn window…I couldn’t concentrate…nether could Hay”
“Well
I’ll get the first F of my entire life!” Mark announced
“Oh
poor baby”
“Yeah
well I suppose I’ll survive”
“Yeah
you’re a survivor Mark Read”
They
kissed impulsively and jumped apart when Louise caught site of Chris’s mom
approaching them “It’s okay…I were young once” she laughed through her tears
“How is he?” asked Mark looking at his watch “It’s been seven hours Mark…do you
think there’s a complication or something?” he shrugged “I think they’d come
and tell you if there were” said Louise the woman fixed hope filled eyes on her
“D’you think so?” they both nodded “Yeah…just give it a few more minutes” Mark
advised but even he was getting a little anxious.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Hayley wanted so much to call Ben but
declined if Jen had answered she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it together
and she wanted so much to be strong for Chris’s little sisters who were now watching
television “D’you know what Hayley?” Ingrid said as she came into the kitchen.
“When
Chris comes home tonight I’m gonna let him have wrinkles…D’you think
he’d like that Hayley…he could talk to it and tell it things coz that’s what I
do…I tell him all about how mad Irma makes me sometimes…so Chris could tell him
how bad he feels and how his head hurts and he would listen to coz he always
listens” Hayley frowned “Oh I think maybe you should keep wrinkles safe until
Chris feels a little better then I think Chris would like him”
Ingrid
looked thoughtful “Yeah…but not to keep though coz wrinkles would miss me so
much”
“Yeah
I bet he would” Hayley fought back tears as she watched her stroll to the door
her long pony-tail swinging as she walked “Hayley” she suddenly said as she
hovered by the door “Chris wont like…die will he?” she closed her eyes
“No! He’s gonna be just fine” Ingrid
smiled and it was at that point that Hayley saw the resemblance same little
dimples same eyes same hair colour and same nature Ingrid was just a little
female version of Chris whereas Irma was like Trina both could be quite selfish
and demanded rather a lot of attention “Oh My God Lyl” she said aloud as she
reached for the phone….
~*~*~*~*~*
Ben glanced at his mother then followed
her into the lounge room “But you could find out…please mom” he said anxiously
his mother stared at him then continued pushing papers into her brief-case
“Why’s this so important to you hon?” Ben swallowed “Because he took care of me
the night I got beaten up by those thugs…I just wanna make sure he’s
okay…please mom?” she looked at those eyes which were full of anguish
“Okay…I’ll call Don Berry…but I’m not promising anything okay…they may not tell
me anything” Ben brightened and watched her lift the receiver “Hello Don Berry
please…yes I’ll hold” Ben looked at her “He’s just out of theatre” she said
with a sigh as she rested the phone against her shoulder Ben stood willing the
man to the phone “Hello Don…Anita here I’m calling about one of you patients”
Ben continued to watch as she gave Chris’s name “Oh…oh really…wow…it’s my
son…he asked me to check…yeah yeah I’ll tell him” Ben moved closer “What? What? Mom” he said when she’d replaced the
receiver “Ben honey sit down” he shook his head “No just tell me please” he
begged and prepared himself for the worse “Chris is very ill…and might not make
it…I’m so sorry” he bowed his head then sighed “He will! Chris is a fighter!” he said quietly.
~*~*~*~*~*
Jen stood by her bedroom window watching
her friends enjoying themselves in her pool.
Summer was on it’s way only a few more weeks of school left, suddenly
she grabbed her keys and purse then rushed downstairs and out into the summer sun
“Jen Jen were are you going?” her friends called “I have to see someone…I’ll be
back soon” she cried anxiously as she jumped into her car and sped off. She had
to see him she had to unburden herself before it was too late.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Trina turned to her attorney then embraced
him “Told you I’d get you released…now go and enjoy life” she beamed at him “I
will…I can’t wait to see my little sisters faces and oh I so can’t wait to hug
my brother…thanks again” she said joyfully before bouncing away towards the bus
stop “I’m going home” she told herself “Wow freedom at last” she thought but
with freedom came scores to settle….
The End