A little while later, a nurse came in to check my blood pressure and smiled when she saw my eyes open.
“Well, I have a waiting room packed full of hot guys who are going to be very happy to see that you’re awake,” she said, making me smile.
“Can you tell me how Tommy’s going? He was in the accident with me,” I told her croakily, realising how parched my throat was as I spoke. She walked over and poured a glass of water from a jug by my bed and gave me a small sip.
“Now, you just relax and I’ll see what I can find out. First things first, the doctor will want to take a look at you, and I have to let your family know what’s happening. That hot boyfriend of yours is going to pace a hole in the waiting room floor if I don’t give him some news soon.”
I smiled as I imagined how much shit Kieran was probably giving the hospital staff.
The nurse came back a few minutes later with a doctor. He looked me over, checked my heart rate and blood pressure, then asked me a few questions.
“Your temperature is a little high, and your heart rate is too accelerated for my liking, so I’m going to recommend keeping you in for a few days for observation. You took a nasty crack to the head, but it’s really how the trauma from the accident has affected your heart that we’re concerned about at the moment. I should have the results of your blood tests by the end of the afternoon, and if everything looks good over the next few days, we’ll think about letting you go home,” he told me. It was a huge relief. I knew from experience how doctors would talk between the lines when they suspected a problem. The fact that we were talking about my going home meant they were just being cautious at this point.
“Hello, baby girl,” Mum said from the doorway. By this stage, Mum had perfected the art of not crying by my bedside, no matter what condition I was in. I honestly didn’t know how much courage it took to pull that off, because I was welling up as soon as she popped her head around the corner.
“Mum,” I said in my scared little girl voice. She sat on the side of my bed and pulled me into her arms. Sometimes, when you have no idea what to say, a hug says it all for you. The nurse had given me a couple of pain killers, but I didn’t even care about the discomfort. Holding me was Mum’s way of checking I was okay, so I was content to let her.
“You certainly have a way of making your guardian angel work for her money,” she said with a chuckle as she tucked my hair behind my ear.
“It’s been a while since my last visit, so I figured the hospital staff might be missing me,” I joked.
“Yes, well, do your mum a favour and see if you can leave it a little longer before you visit again. You’re going to give me heart problems at the rate you’re going,” she retorted.
“How’s Kieran doing?”
“Ah, that boy has it bad for you. Of course, he’s been beating himself up that the accident is all his fault. I’m hoping that seeing you will calm him down a little bit,” she replied.
I was pissed off, but unsurprised that he was trying to shoulder blame where there was none. I knew how protective he was of me, but bad stuff happened to good people all the time. A person could go mad looking for the whys or the wherefores of it.
“I love him, Mum,” I admitted. “He’s it for me.”
“Your father would have loved him too.”
“You think so?” I asked, tears threatening again.
“Good Irish boy like that? Of course he would. Besides, Kieran worships the ground you walk on. What man wouldn’t want that for his daughter?” she replied, giving a little sniff of her own.
“Now, let’s get him in here before starts harassing anyone else for an update,” she said, refusing to let her sniffles turn to tears. She leant over to kiss my cheek before leaving the room. A few minutes later, my unusually pale and shaken boyfriend walked through the door.
He stood nervously at the foot of my bed as he catalogued each scrape and bruise.
“I’m all right,” I reassured him. “A little banged up, but I’m okay.”
He still didn’t say anything, and I could see he was struggling to keep it together. I opened my arms, and he dashed round the bed, falling into me.
“Oof, you weigh a ton,” I groaned as he jostled everything that still hurt. Pulling back immediately, he touched my face gently, as though I was made of porcelain.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
“I might be little, but I’m made of tough stuff. It will take more than that to keep me down.” I studied his face carefully. He looked far too pained for this to just be about me.
“How’s Tommy doing?”
He shook his head briefly as a tear slid down his cheek. My heart grew heavy at his expression and my own tears began to fall.
“He’s crashed twice, but they stabilised him long enough to get him into surgery. They’re trying to stop the internal bleeding, but his chances aren’t looking good,” he replied, croakily.
I pulled his hand down so that I could hold him, and we both cried together. I knew Kieran would never let anyone else see him like this. But in this private moment, we shared our fear and pain and grieved over the carefree life that had been our friend’s only hours ago.
When my tears dried, he explained what Tommy had done and how he’s likely saved my life.
Mum stepped in an hour later, and Kieran left to give us some time together. Quite possibly the sweetest man I’d ever met, he returned with a cup of tea for Mum and a takeaway carton from a lovely Italian bistro about a mile away.
“They wouldn’t let me get anything for Marie, but hospital food is rubbish, so I got you some hot lasagne with garlic bread. There should be a little pot of grated parmesan in their too,” he said, handing Mum the brown paper deli bag.
“Kieran, you shouldn’t have walked all that way for me. A sandwich would have been fine. But thank you. I won’t say that I won’t enjoy this. Hospital food is rubbish,” she agreed.
“Marie, love, I won’t tease you with the smell of this when the doctor has said you can’t have any, so I’m going to tease everyone in the waiting room instead and let you have some time together,” she said, standing up.
“I did a food run for everyone, so you’ll have plenty of company. I couldn’t find Mary and John to ask them if they wanted anything, but I can always go back out for them,” Kier said sadly.
“I don’t suppose either of them will be hungry for anything until Tommy is out of surgery. We’re better off taking care of ourselves now, so that we can take care of them when they need us,” Mum replied pragmatically. Kieran nodded, and she patted him gently on the back before she left.
“What have you got there?” I asked, nodding towards the other bag he’d been carrying.
“Hospital stuff,” he replied and carefully unpacked the bag. Holding each item up as he unpacked them, he explained. “Every fashion magazine I could find. A notebook and some fineliner pens, because you always carry them in your bag in case inspiration strikes. Fresh donuts, your favourite kind with the apple inside, in case you get hungry later and the doctor says it’s okay. A packaged sandwich, soft drink, and some chocolate bars for the same reason. Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, slippers, and some clean pyjamas. I’ll get your stuff from home later, but at least you can freshen up now if you want to,” he said, putting the last of the items down.
“Kier,” I sighed softly. “You didn’t have to do all of this. Thank you so much. This is so thoughtful.” I picked up the soft, cute pyjamas, made of white brushed cotton with pink polka dots, and imagined him going from store to store and searching out all of these things and food my mum would like just to make us both happy.
“I love you, you know that?” I asked him.
“Say that again,” he pleaded, resting his forehead against mine.
“I love you.”
“You know, the last eighteen hours have been the worst of my life. When I got that phone call, I didn’t think I’d ever get to hear you say those words again. And,
as long as Tommy is fighting for his life, I don’t feel like I deserve them, but I needed to hear ’em so fuckin’ bad. When I’m alone, it feels like the world is falling apart, but as long as I can smell you and touch you and feel that you’re safe here with me, it’s easier to convince myself that everything’s going to be okay.”
“Everything will be okay,” I reassured him. “Have faith.”
“I’m trying, Irish. I promise. I’m trying.”
***
Although I was out of intensive care, the hospital had placed me in a small, private room on the ward. Around eight o’clock, when visiting ended, a scary nurse came and turfed Mum and Kieran out. Mum, well used to hospital practice, left quietly after giving me a gentle kiss on the forehead.
“I’ll be in the waiting room if you need me,” she whispered.
“Mum, no!” I protested. “I’m just going to sleep for the rest of the evening. You’ve been here since last night. Go home and get some rest. They’ll have visiting again in the morning.”
“She nearly died yesterday. I’m not fuckin’ leaving!” Kier argued with the nurse.
“I’ve tried being nice…,” the nurse spluttered frostily.
“When?” Kier asked.
“When, what?” the nurse replied, confused.
“When did you try being nice? ’Cause I must have missed it. I know you’re just doin’ your job, but you can’t watch over her all the time, but I can. She’s in a private room so I won’t disturb anyone,” he argued.
“You’re disturbing me!” the nurse ranted. “And you’re disturbing my other patients, and if you don’t leave now, I will call security and you will be banned from returning to this hospital on the grounds of your abusive behaviour.”
“Kieran,” I said gently, calling over my angry boyfriend. He sat down next to me, and I whispered so that only he could hear me. “Take Mum home, please,” I pleaded. “She’s absolutely exhausted and she needs to rest. I don’t want her travelling around London at night on her own. I’ll be fine here, I promise, but I’d feel better if you made sure she got back safely. After that, I want you to get some rest. Everything will be better in the morning.”
He grabbed my hand as I stroked his face, and he kissed my palm.
“All right, Irish. I can make sure she gets home safe,” he agreed. “Try and get some rest.” He kissed me gently on the forehead. Then, giving the nurse a nasty look, he gave Mum his arm to take. She held back a grin at his overly protective behaviour, but sent me a conspiratorial wink on the way out.
Soon after, lights on the ward flickered out and everything went quiet. I flipped through a magazine or two, but I was exhausted. Finally, a nurse helped me to the bathroom where I had a quick, painful wash and brushed my teeth. Putting on my new pyjamas depleted the last of my energy, but it was worth it. After the last round of examinations for the day, I fell back against my pillows and was almost instantly asleep.
The ward was dark when I stirred. A delicious warmth pressed itself up against my cold body, and the subtle scent of soap and aftershave, which I knew so well, filled my nose with every breath.
“You are going to get in so much trouble,” I whispered, burrowing in closer to his body, which rested on top of my blanket.
“The old trout has to catch me first,” he replied. It was the last thing I heard before drifting back into a dreamless sleep.
***
The next morning, we were tucking into breakfast tea and toast when Con’s text came through.
An altogether more cheerful nurse than we’d met last night rolled her eyes when she came to do morning obs to find Kieran sat in a chair by my bed, and I suspected that his stealthy midnight visit hadn’t been quite as stealthy as he thought. I loved her all the more for not saying anything though. It was all too much to cope with, and having Kieran holding me all night had grounded me.
“Thank fuck for that,” he mumbled to himself as he read a text.
“Tommy?” I asked hopefully.
“He made it through surgery. His heart stopped again in the operation room, but they brought him back and the surgery was successful. He has to go back into theatre to have the broken bones reset and pinned, but they’ve stopped all the internal bleeding, so he’s stable.”
Kieran was still worried, we both were, but I could sense a little of the weight falling from his shoulders. Hope, which last night was nothing but a tiny slither in the darkness, had become a full-blown crack this morning.
“He’s one tough little bastard,” Kieran remarked.
“I can’t believe his heart stopped three times, and he’s still here.”
“He’s got a strong heart,” Kier replied. “He’s been training at Driscoll’s almost every day since we were kids. He doesn’t smoke, he’s never done drugs, and he’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. If anyone stood a chance of pulling through this, it’s him.”
“I should tell Mum.”
“I’ll call her now, see if any of the guys can pick her up. I should probably check in with them anyway. Will you be okay by yourself for a while? I want to see if Mary and John need anything as well,” he said. I could see he was torn about leaving me.
“Go. Honestly, I’m fine.”
Less than an hour later, he was back. Con had finally convinced Mary and John to go home and get some rest, promising to watch over Tommy and call if there was any change. Liam had taken Mum’s number in the waiting room yesterday and had already called to see if he could her bring her in. They were on their way.
“You need to get some rest today as well,” I warned Kieran.
“I can get plenty of rest by your bed, Irish. I brought my laptop in last night so we can watch a movie or something after your Ma visits. I want to check in on Tommy again as well. They still won’t let anyone in to see him, so the guys are taking turns in the waiting area in case there’s any news. I wanted to take over so they could go home for a while, but they told me they’ve got it covered and sent me back to look after you.”
“Your friends really are worth their weight in gold.”
“Our friends, baby,” he corrected.
“Hello, Miss Kelly. How are you feeling today?” the doctor said as he walked into the room. I recognised him as the cardiologist I’d spoken to yesterday, though I couldn’t remember his name.
“I’m a little sore, but I’m feeling much better, thank you.”
“That’s good news. And Mr Doherty, isn’t it?” the doctor asked, shaking Kieran’s hand.
“Kieran,” he corrected, before sitting back down, and the doctor nodded in acknowledgement.
“Would you mind if I had a few minutes alone with Miss Kelly?” he asked Kieran politely.
“Kieran’s my boyfriend,” I explained to the doctor. “If it’s all the same, I’d prefer him to stay. I’m going to tell him everything you say anyway.”
“Of course,” the doctor replied.
Kieran thread his fingers through mine and squeezed. I could feel the tension in him as he waited to hear what the doctor had to say. “So, what’s the verdict, Doc?” Kier asked.
“As far as the accident was concerned, you were very lucky. You have a number of cuts and bruises from skidding, though having the heavy bike jacket and gloves on certainly helped to minimise any damage. The crack to your head caused a mild concussion, but your obs overnight have improved. Your heart rate and blood pressure have settled back down and everything looks good. The repair to your aorta seems to be holding well, and although the accident has certainly put undue strain on your body, I can’t see that it will cause any lasting damage,” he replied.
Kieran let out a huge breath and gave me a broad smile of relief. That was until he looked back at the doctor’s face. “If everything’s golden, why the long face, Doc?” Kieran asked.
“As I said, the accident itself did not appear to cause any lasting damage. However, your blood tests have revealed something that does give rise to concern regarding your long-term healt
h,” he answered. My stomach churned, as my mind raced through all of the things they could possibly have discovered. Never in a million years would I have guessed the answer. “Miss Kelly, the blood test revealed that you’re pregnant.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kieran
“What the fuck?” were the first words out of my mouth. Probably not the best sentiment to express on finding out that your girlfriend was pregnant with your child, but what the fuck?
“How could this have happened?” Marie asked, looking as shell-shocked as I did.
“Are you on any kind of long-term birth control?” the doctor asked, rifling through Irish’s medical notes.
“No,” she answered. “I haven’t found anything that hasn’t caused side effects when taken with my other medication,” she answered.
“And, have you ever had unprotected sex?” the doctor asked her.
“No,” she replied quickly. “We use condoms.”
“The bathtub after the fight,” I corrected her. “And in front of the fire at the cottage.” Her face reddened with embarrassment, and I realised I’d probably given the doctor more information than he needed to know.
“But that’s only twice. Twice! In all the thousands of times we’ve done it,” she protested.
“I’m pretty sure it still counts if it’s in water,” I said with a chuckle.
“Mr Doherty is right. No form of contraceptive is 100 percent effective, and unprotected sex, even once, can lead to pregnancy,” the doctor explained.
Irish looked at me, probably trying to gauge my reaction as she figured this out in her own head. We were young and just starting out our lives together. Hell, we hadn’t even moved in together yet properly, but I knew that Irish was it for me. Adding a little one to our family would be chaotic, but we’d cope. And secretly, the thought of her round and pregnant with my child did something funny to my heart.
“I think we both know the reason is that I have super sperm,” I told Irish, wearing my most serious expression.
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