Camera flashes from people’s phones go off in my face, and I try to shield myself with my hands, but holding up the still glowing beacons only fascinates them more.
The old lady’s voice suddenly breaks through the racket the spectators are making. “Shoo, shoo, all of you. That’s right, back away and give the poor girl some space.” She becomes fierce with a strength she couldn’t obtain before and starts whacking them across the legs with her walking stick. Where were all these people before when a little old lady needed help with her groceries?
A news reporter shoves a microphone in my face and starts asking me questions. Jeez, they got here quick. How am I going to get out of this mess? I really didn’t think this through. Muscles throughout my body spasm, and I feel like I want to vomit.
“Help my little boy, please. He’s had this blasted cold for days.” A lady with dark circles around her eyes and a haggard looking face with stringy hair cries out. She pushes the boy in my direction, and I lift up my hands.
The pain throughout my body is already staggering, but I can push myself to do more, especially if I don’t have to move. I’m temporarily relieved of pain and filled with harmony as the energy returns. It doesn’t last long enough before my throat feels like razor blades are attacking it and my head weighs with congestion. Instant flu. Lovely. Even in the worst of times, my sarcasm is present. It keeps me going now while my body starts to shake from the shock of being gravely ill.
Wave after wave of dizzy spells assault me. My eyes and nose start to itch, and I sneeze. Something wet lands on my hand and even though I feel so awful, it doesn’t skip my attention that a news crew just filmed me sputtering snot all over myself for the world to see.
I look down to see just how much of the disgusting gunk they have caught on camera. Embarrassment quickly turns to concern when I find dots of blood decorating my hand. Oh, crap. That’s not good.
“Yes. No. Yes.” Carol shakes her head up and down and side to side as though the person on the other end of the phone can see her. She was finally able to track Ally’s father down, and we gather in the living room in nervous anticipation as to whether or not he will come and see her. These cryptic answers are giving nothing away, and the tension is building within me, causing a dull ache over my eyes. I raise my hand just above the bridge of my nose and rub the area, trying to relieve the stress.
Almost two hours have passed since I left Ally sleeping peacefully. I want this situation sorted out before she wakes up and catches wind of it. She is going to find out eventually, but I’d rather she didn’t know if her dad is only going to let her down.
“Okay, I will text you the address. When can we expect you?” Now we’re getting somewhere; it looks like he is coming. I’m not sure whether to feel relieved or worried. My hand stills and I listen carefully for further details.
Carol looks down at her lap, averting her eyes and drops her voice, but since I’m hanging on every word she says, I hear her anyway. “Are you coming alone or is there someone in your life you are bringing with you?” She fidgets with the material of her long floral skirt, and in that moment, I see her vulnerability shine through loud and clear. She still has feelings for this lowlife. I’m in a state of disbelief. I suddenly feel as though I’m listening in on a conversation that I have no business hearing.
I pace on the other side of the room where the rest of my family sits pretending they are not curious as to what is going on, but I can tell by the way they keep throwing glances Carol’s way that they are just as anxious as me.
Carol finally hangs up the phone and blows out a long steady breath. I am at her side in an instant. “He’s coming then?”
She nods her head. “Yes. He’s coming. He said he’s catching the next plane out, and he should be here by tonight.” Reluctantly, she glances down the hallway to Ally’s room, then back to me. “I’m going to go have a chat with Ally about it and make sure she’s comfortable with the idea. I didn’t tell her before now in case I couldn’t make it happen, but the bottom line is if she doesn’t want to meet him I’m not going to force her.”
Carol walks away to find Ally, and I pace in front of the fireplace waiting their conversation out. I want to be by her side and gauge her reaction, to make sure she is okay with everything, but I get the feeling this is something Carol wants to do with Ally on her own.
“Ally? Are you in the bathroom sweetie?” Carol’s voice drifts down the hallway causing me to freeze and pay attention. I hear her knock on the bathroom door, but I can’t hear the shower going or any reply from Ally. My heart starts to beat faster as I walk in that direction. She knocks again but still no answer. I double check the bedroom with my own eyes, then stride over to the bathroom and thump on the door with more force than necessary.
“Ally open up or I’m coming in.” Silence. Images of Ally collapsed on the tiled floor flash through my mind and I start to panic. “I mean it Ally. You have until the count of three. One. Two. Three. Time’s up.” The door opens easily and reveals an empty bathroom. Where the hell is she?
I whirl around and start running frantically through the house checking all the rooms. My heavy breaths are harsh in my own ears. Carol is hot on my heels and my family has gotten up from their posts in the living room to help out, as well. Their shouts sound throughout the entire house. They all yell the same thing, “Not in here.”
What is she up to? This girl makes me crazy with worry. Why did I leave her side? Maybe she heard her mum on the phone, and became upset by what she heard. I grab my phone and dial her number, only to hear it ringing in the bedroom. Damn it. I jam it in my pocket, and head out the door on foot to find her. She couldn’t have gotten far.
Alex is following me and I hear someone grabbing car keys off the side table in the hall. “Let’s split up,” I suggest without looking back. “We will find her faster.”
“I’ll stay here in case she comes back,” Mum calls from behind me somewhere.
I have no idea which direction they are heading, and I don’t stick around long enough to find out. My feet propel me forward so fast that it feels as though I’m flying, but it’s still not fast enough. I tear through the park desperate to find her, leaves that cover the ground crunch and scatter as I pound over them.
“Ally!” The vast space absorbs my scream; but it is loud enough in the immediate vicinity to cause a flock of birds in a nearby tree to fly away. Their squawks carry into the distance. A search around all the trees has me coming up empty and I race over to the playground. There is no sign of her here either. I’m scared out of my mind. The sound of my fist smashing into a metal sheet pierces the air as I punch the wall of a children’s play fort in frustration. “Ally!”
Having no luck here, I take off as fast as my feet will take me. My surroundings blur together, forming a tunnel vision towards my destination, Ally’s house. I arrive in time to see Carol and my father’s backs as they enter the house. I bound up the steps as lavender assaults my senses, the smell of Ally. But there is no Ally here, just a bunch of potted plants. Footsteps sound down the hall near the bedrooms so I check the living room and kitchen. Empty.
“It’s okay. We will find her,” Dad reassures Carol. “Where else could she have gone?”
Carol laughs with absolutely no humour, “Knowing Ally, probably the hospital, to give a helping hand in her own special way.” My heart feels like it just leapt out of my chest and up my throat, and the contents of my stomach aren’t far behind it. I brace myself against the granite counter top in the kitchen for support before my weak legs fail me. She wouldn’t would she? That is going way too far. Damn it. She totally would.
“Keys,” I demand, holding up my hand as I run towards my father. He doesn’t even question me he just rips them out of his pocket and throws them over. They are in Ally’s room, and I notice the giant teddy bear I won her at the fair. It’s sitting in the centre of her bed. I grab it; I want it back in my room so that it is there for Ally when she gets back, then I take
off towards the driveway.
As soon as I’m in the car, I speed in the direction of the hospital. I don’t make it very far before I see my mum in the rear view mirror standing in our front yard and waving me down like a maniac. What on earth is she doing? I slam on the breaks, and then roll down the window while reversing back to her.
“What is it? Is she home, please tell me she’s home?” My spirits lift sky high in the hope that she is back safely, but plummet to the ground just as quickly when my mother shakes her head. I should have known it was too good to be true. I’ve only been gone fifteen minutes after all.
“Theo, you need to come inside. There’s something you have to see.” I don’t have time for this. If Ally’s not here, I shouldn’t be either.
“Is this really necessary Mum? Ally needs me. I have to go.” What is all this about? Surely, she understands Ally is the most important thing to worry about right now.
“Oh, it’s necessary son,” she insists, practically dragging me out of the car before I have had the chance to pull over.
I jam the car into park, kill the ignition right in the middle of the street, and follow Mum back through the door. She leads me to the TV, and I see Ally on the screen looking worse for the wear. Her hands glow over the top of a little boy coughing and sputtering. Don’t be stupid Ally. I hold my breath and watch as she does the most foolish thing possible; healing someone with a cold, while her white cell counts are already affected. This could kill her.
She is so bloody stubborn. I can’t watch this anymore. A split second before my fist connects with the screen I notice where she is and then the image shatters into a million pieces of tiny glass shards. I let out a mighty roar and Mum grabs at my arm to look at all the cuts covering my hand. It’s already swelling and bruised from punching that stupid play fort, so it doesn’t look very pretty. My hand can wait though, I shake her off, and head back to the car.
I storm past Alex on my way outside. The expression on my face is murderous. I’m positive my scowl is enough to make grown men shake in their boots. Alex isn’t fazed though, he runs up to the passenger side of the car and jumps in. He doesn’t talk; he can read me like a book and knows I need a minute to calm down. To him, it doesn’t matter where we are going, he doesn’t need to know, and he will come with me regardless. He always has my back.
I fume as the pictures of Ally’s frail face on the TV flash through my mind. The tyres squeal and smoke pours off them as I rev the engine and make my way the local grocery store. A large crowd is gathered in the parking lot, and I assume they are huddled around Ally. “Damn it. Bloody vultures.” My curse goes unnoticed, and I slam the car door in a rage.
“Don’t worry bro, I got this,” Alex assures me as he gets out of his side of the car. He cracks his knuckles as he walks around to me. “You ready?” Ready to kill someone? Yeah I’m definitely ready for that. He doesn’t wait for my answer though, he bulldozes through the crowd pushing anyone who won’t move out of his way.
We get to the centre to find a reporter hovering over Ally with a microphone and looking into a camera. “If you’ve just tuned in folks, we’re here live with Ally Chambers, the eighth wonder of the world. She is out in full force healing the masses today. Come on down to Smith’s fresh grocers, on the corner of Anne and Jones streets, in Saxton, to shop for your health needs.”
What the hell did he just say? All I see is red, and my blood starts to boil. I’m going to knock this bastard out. My right fist clenches by my side before I pull back and pound it straight in to his face. Tiny pieces of glass that are still embedded in my hand from the TV dig in deeper. The pain searing my hand only adds to my satisfaction as I realize the same glass that’s hurt me has torn up his face. So worth it, how’s that for news, jerk?
“Theo, get over here.” I whirl around to see Alex catching Ally as she sways backwards and her eyes roll to the back of her head. I swoop in and pick her up, pulling her close to my chest to provide her as much protection as possible.
“Get us out of here Alex.” When we reach the car, I throw the keys to him and keep Ally cradled in my arms in the back seat. I take off my cap and glasses that sit on her head and stroke her affectionately, trying to offer some sort of comfort.
“Sorry,” she whispers looking contrite. “I had to. It would be selfish of me not to bring others joy when I have the ability to do so. I’m not going to be around much longer, so while I had the chance…,” I cut off her thought with a finger pressed to her lips and try to taper down my anger. It won’t help her any to argue. What’s done is done. I don’t like it, but I can’t turn back time.
“Shh Ally. Save your energy. Rest. Close your eyes. I’m going to take you home to bed and get a doctor out to the house.” She willingly agrees, I don’t think her body is giving her a choice anyway. Within seconds, she drifts off to sleep as we make the rest of the journey home.
At the sound of the car pulling into the driveway, Mum, Dad and Carol rush out to meet us. “Ally,” Carol wails. “Ally what have you done?” Alex wraps an arm around Carol’s shoulders to help steady her and guide her inside.
“She’s just sleeping,” he assures her as I follow them through the door. I wish. If only this was just a nap and she was going to wake up refreshed and okay. But Alex and I both know how much damage the flu can do when you already have leukaemia and your immune system is almost non-existent. Why did she do this? She could have had a fighting chance. Now I’m not so sure.
“Mum, can you call Dr. Stevens’ direct line and have him come straight over please?” I’m not a religious man, but I pray now. If God exists, surely he can’t let anything bad happen to such a beautiful soul. Please let there be a suitable donor.
“I’m already on it,” she replies with her phone to her ear. In the bedroom, I lay Ally down and place a kiss on her forehead. Intense heat penetrates through my lips and I suck in a breath. Her temperature is through the roof.
I feel Carol’s presence behind me and turn around trying to keep my features schooled. “She’s a bit hot I’m just going to get a cool wash cloth. Can you take off her sneakers and put her in a tank top?” She is biting down hard on her lower lip to stop it from trembling, and silent tears fall from the corners of her eyes. “You can do this Carol. The doctor will be here any minute, in the meantime, Ally needs us.” I squeeze her shoulder, and she nods back at me. “I’ll be right back.”
Before I get the washcloth, I grab the old sippy cup I used to keep my fluids up when I was too sick to hold a normal cup. Anything I can use to lower Ally’s temperature will help. I grab a wet cloth, and Mum follows me back to the room pausing by the door. I have no idea where Dad and Alex are, I assume the front door waiting for the doctor.
By the time I reach Ally’s side again, Carol has done what I asked, but is a sobbing mess. I look up at Mum for some help.
“Come on Carol, come sit down a moment. Theo can take care of her until the doctor gets here.” I’m glad one of us thinks so because I’m barely holding it together myself. She takes Carol out of the room, and I wipe the washcloth over Ally’s face and down her arms until the doctor arrives.
When Dr. Stevens arrives he is able to get Ally’s temperature back down, and she wakes up and becomes more coherent. He gives her an injection of antibiotics to fight off any infection she may have received from the flu. It also appears she has gotten a sprained wrist somehow and has aches all over her body. He gives her pain relief and leaves more with me to administer through the night.
He tells us his concerns for her platelet count. The results from her tests at the hospital were already dangerously low. Combine that with the bleeding he found on her gums while observing her and everything indicates the platelet levels have dropped even lower. He informs us that he would like Ally to go into the hospital tomorrow for a transfusion, although, if her temperature rises again we are to bring her in immediately. With nothing more to do, he says good-bye and is on his way.
As I gaze down at Al
ly, I lightly run my fingers over the bandage on her wrist, wondering what happened. I hate seeing her like this and not being able to fix it. I’m emotionally and physically drained, a complete wreck. I wish I could express how much it kills me that she has to endure this pain instead of me, but really, what good would that do? We can’t change it now.
“Thought you’d be mad.” She is barely able to speak through dry lips and her words come out scratchy. I press the sippy cup to her lips, remembering how demoralized it used to make me feel back when I had to use one. The plastic contraption made a mockery of my dignity. I’ll always be there to help her, but that doesn’t mean that pain won’t lace my actions when I have to aid her at this level. I breathe out a heavy sigh, resigned that things will only get worse.
“I’m more than mad, I’m furious. But what is that going to achieve now? Every second that you have left, I want to concentrate on showing you the difference you made to my life.” A lump is forming in my throat, and I push it down. My best efforts are used to hold back tears, and my dry eyes strain in the battle. These words are important; I need to get them out before I break down. “The impact you have made on my world, will forever leave a mark. No matter how hard I try, even if I had eternity, it still wouldn’t be enough time to show you just how much you mean to me.” As the first tear starts sliding down my face, I crawl in to bed beside her and hold her tight.
“If it’s even half the impact you have made on my life then I understand entirely just how impossible it is. I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too,” I reply, before we fall asleep, completely exhausted in each other’s arms.
A sharp elbow jabs into my side jerking me awake. I blink my gritty eyes a few times, and it takes me a moment to realise where I am. I’m in my bed with Ally, whose body spasms awkwardly in her sleep. I untangle our intertwined legs, and then rewrap myself around her, trying to soothe her.
Angel of Mine Page 18