by C. J. Lau
Chapter 31
I hear the beeping of a heart rate monitor. This before I open my eyes.
You’re in hospital.
Cold air rushes in from an oxygen mask. My neck and throat throbbing with lashing pain, building into an intense wave that makes me push back against my pillow.
The squeeze of a blood pressure cuff on my arm and the pinch of a needle. My neck struggles down, spots a port taped to the top of my hand. A thin clear line running from it to somewhere behind me. They haven’t taken any chances.
I stare at the ceiling. Swallowing out of reflex. The resulting pain clenches my eyes shut. Then back at the ceiling again.
How long have I been out for? My brain kicks into gear. What time is it? What day is it?
Have I missed the bus?
My mind presents a picture of the bruised face of Francis. Is he here being treated?
Why me?
The last question hangs in the air as my right hand goes for the mask. Thinking better of removing it.
So I go back to pondering questions I can’t answer.
“Good morning, Maggie.” A nurse appears, turns off the oxygen and reaches to pull the mask away. “Did you have a nice little sleep?”
Her voice sounds familiar, and I turn to confirm my vague suspicion. Her name tag reads Crystal, and I know her surname is Berkeley. Martina’s mum.
“Good morning, Mrs Berkeley,” I rasp. Voice coming out in a low growling tone, distorted and weird. “What time? What day?”
I cough. Wince at the needles of pain that shoot through my dry throat.
“Try not to cough, Maggie. A lot of capillaries have burst around your neck and it’s going to be bruised and swollen for a few days.” A gentle hand on my shoulder eases me back into bed. “It’s nice you recognise me. How are you feeling?”
“Okay.” I try moving around. Bad idea. “How long…”
Crystal seems to understand my urgency. “You were out for about five hours and it’s ten past six now,” she explains. “Let me take all this gear off you and then the Doctor wants to see you quickly before you go.”
I keep my eyes on the ceiling as she carefully pulls the cannula from my hand; a small Band-Aid over the puncture.
“Someone will need to come and get you from the hospital.” Crystal’s calmness soothes the burning. “You were unconscious when you came in so we didn’t get to complete the usual paperwork. Is there anyone I can call?”
“Cat,” I answer instantly as Crystal helps me sit. “Game today—”
But I can’t add more, it hurts too much.
Crystal smiles. “Martina was very excited when I left for work last night. I hope she got a good night’s rest. I’ll be too tired to travel up. But good luck, Maggie. Try to take it easy.”
I sit on the side of the bed, legs dangling. No doubt Cat will react frantically when the hospital calls.
I hope at least Martina got a good night’s sleep. I think to myself. Waiting.
The Doctor comes a few minutes later to check me over. I try to hide my discomfort as he looks down my throat and feels my neck’s tender parts. Paranoid that if I wince too much he’ll keep me here.
“Take it easy the next few days. No shouting or screaming, now,” he says. No idea where I’m headed once I leave this place.
Cat’s the next visitor, pushing aside the curtain and rushing to my side.
“Maggie! What happened?” she asks, then stops, seeing my neck. “Oh my God!”
“Francis—” My voice struggles with words just as my mind struggles forming them. “I fought him off.”
I shake my head, let it drop into my hands. No amount of logic or emotion able to figure out why my colleague wants me dead.
Cat’s arm is around me. “It’s okay. Don’t talk any more. Let’s get you out of here and you can decide if you’re up to travelling with the girls to Sydney.”
“Try— and stop me,” my voice croaks. But thoughts of today’s battle are all that keep me moving.
We both sign forms before saying good-bye to Martina’s mum and walking towards the exits.
“Had you heard anything—” I wince, “—before they called you?” I ask Cat, drag my tired body into her car.
“No. It was a shock. Crystal called saying you were in hospital,” Cat answers. “She wouldn’t tell me anything more. Just that you were okay and I needed to come get you. Got here as fast as I could.”
“Thanks,” I croak, wince again.
“Anything for you, Maggie. Let’s crash at my place.”
I shake my head, no. “My place.”
“Stubborn,” Cat sighs, bringing out a smile in me. “Fine, I’ll grab my bag, and we can crash at your place until we leave.” Cat pulls out onto the deserted road.
A quick call to Detective Garry, with Cat doing all the talking, informs us my house is safe to re-enter. He meets me at my front door with my keys.
I only have one question for him. “Why’d he do it?”
“We don’t know.” At least his answer is honest. “He is still unconscious in hospital under police guard. That blow caused some bleeding on his brain. A team went to his house to try and find motive.” I shift uncomfortably at the thought, pull Cat’s jacket tighter around me. “There’s evidence he sent those emails to Nancy. We’ve got questions when he wakes up. But we’ll get to the bottom of this. I’ll call you if we have any news.”
Then Cat and I go inside my house.
“You okay, Maggie? You’re shaking,” Cat asks.
I stare at my bedroom door, slightly ajar, and head towards it. The shaking in my arms felt all the way to my fingertips.
“You sure you want to go back in there?”
I nod. Still moving.
“Let’s take it easy then. I’ll be with you all the way.”
I push the door open all the way and step inside. The life-saving Maglite gone. A small bloodstain on the carpet, all that’s left of Francis. My sheets a mess from where I kicked him away. They will need to go.
The shaking gets worse.
Carpet needs to go, new sheets, and a long time before I’ll ever sleep soundly in that bed again.
“Let’s go to my place and wait,” Cat tries to argue, but I shake my head firmly.
“Maybe I’ll crash on the couch.” I relent, turn away.
Once again, Cat’s beside me every step of the way like the loyal friend she is.
“Want me to make coffee?” she offers, and I feel bad about not telling her the full story of my night with Solo. And now there’s too much pain.
I shake my head. My mind in pieces and spinning. Needing to rest.
She settles me on the couch, tries to calm my shaking.
The skies are ominously grey by the time I board the bus. A few hours better rested, a light scarf hiding the bruises, but Cat still at my side like a protective terrier.
The teacher’s parking lot is full. Principal Ripley calling an emergency staff meeting. I wish I had time to attend and get the official line so I know what to tell my girls.
At the front of the bus I stand, bracing my throat for talking. All eyes on me. Time is not a luxury I have.
With the strongest voice I can muster, I tell them, “Mr Cole’s not coming today.”
Cat grabs my line and runs with it. Stands up to take over before the collective nods have finished. “Maggie is very tired. So if you’re all okay with it, I’d like us all to be nice and quiet on the ride up so she can relax. Let’s focus on the game.”
We pull away, storm clouds darkening the familiar roads ahead. Who would benefit if today’s match is wet?
I feel Cat’s weight beside me. A strange shaped pillow in her hands. “Recognise this? Put it on and relax.”
I nod. The moulded ice pack for the neck is a relic from our University days. I wonder whether the ice pack’s story has been as beautiful, as tragic as Cat’s in the years since.
Tiredness pounds me into submission before we’ve even made the highwa
y. The cool soothing around my neck the last thing I feel.
I wake with a jolt a moment later. Rain thudding onto the windows of the bus, sheets of water pouring down. My eyes focus on a passing road sign. I’ve been asleep for nearly an hour, but progress has been slow.
My hand goes to my neck, almost pulling off the scarf. The ice pack gone. I strain my ears to listen in on the conversation happening behind me.
“Team-work and speed are their real strengths. They don’t have a standout player, but they are still beating the best teams in the state. That’s how good they are at playing for each other.” Cat, doing her best coach impersonation. “Rely on your instinct, this is going to be a close one, and it might come down to a moment of brilliance…”
I wonder where Kathy had been last night when I called. Though Cat seems to be making a good fist of coaching.
Cat keeps on. “…Our running game needs to go the distance today. I need all of you to be on the field and still playing your best in the final minutes, even though you’ll be on your last ounce of energy.”
I close my eyes again. Things under control.
“Maggie, we’re here. Wake up.”
I open my eyes to see Cat’s smile. The girls busy gathering their luggage and waiting at the entrance to the hotel. The storm giving way to innocuous drizzle.
“Sorry.” I stand up gingerly. “Had a big weekend.”
My joke falls flat.
A few minutes later the girls are once again cramped together in mine and Cat’s hotel room. My voice more energetic than before. The sleep and ice working miracles.
“We’re one win away from playing in the state final,” I test out my voice. “Newcastle is Goulburn’s oldest rivalry and there’s something special every time we play. They like to attack, and we mustn’t be forced onto the defensive early or else we’ll be chasing them all afternoon.”
My eyes scan through the faces of Sarah, Angela, and Danielle. So many of my girls have never played Newcastle. But the key ones have.
“We’re going to start with our most mobile players. Set the pace of the game and try to dominate. Although we don’t have their level of experience, we do have the energy to start fast, and the fitness to finish over the top of them. Are you all willing to give it a shot?”
Eighteen heads nod.
“Great!” I continue, painful needles telling me my time is up. “We’re going down at one, so you have a few hours to relax and get something to eat. Does anyone want to watch the first semi?”
No one does.
“Alright, I’ll see you in a few hours.” I dismiss the girls.
I only remove my scarf once all the girls have gone. Feel Cat’s stare with the pain building again. I lie down, focus at the ceiling for a few moments. Today I need to coach in bursts.
Cat’s hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”
“Better.” It doesn’t hurt as much to talk. I feel bruised, it’s stiff and numb. “Beats shooting pain any day.”
“Glad you’re feeling better.” Cat’s voice is close. “Turn off that mind of yours and save your voice for the match. Relax.”
I smile at Cat’s words. Remember where I am. The black dress still in the closet.
I fetch it, hand it back to her. “Thank you, Cat. For everything. It was… mind blowing.”
Her cheeky smile brings out my own grin. “You’re welcome, Maggie. Now rest up.”
I hear her open the closet and return the dress. “Carol and I can take the girls to lunch. Ice pack’s in the freezer if you need it.”
“Okay. Thank you, Cat.” I close my eyes. Absent-mindedly add, “You’ll be a great maid of honour.”
She laughs, a happy contented giggle. “Thanks, Maggie. By the way, I want to borrow your notebook if that’s okay. Want to know as much as I can about the girls so I can help.” Cat’s voice moves close again.
“That’s fine. It’s in my backpack. Just don’t show the girls.”
That book contains all my observations during the year. Some that aren’t complimentary to the team.
“Okay. Rest up. We’ll be back.”
I nod gently. Lie back and relax as instructed. Trust Cat more than anyone.
I don’t feel it yet. But life is wonderful.