Mikey went rigid when her eyes flickered. “Jules?” he said, getting to his feet.
He stared at her, willing it to happen again but her eyes remained shut.
“Wake up babe, please,” he said, eyes glued to her face.
Still nothing happened.
“Dammit,” he sighed. It must have been his imagination.
The family had gathered at Jez and Cathy’s house to say goodbye to Rachel and Ryan, who were returning to Devon. For once Amber was behaving herself, not wanting a repeat of the telling off she’d had from Mikey. Plus Jackson was here with Cara and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself in front of him.
Ethan and Aaron hugged all their cousins, except for Archie, who scowled back at them both.
Leah hung onto Alfie when she hugged him.
“Call me if you need me,” he whispered in her ear.
She nodded and straightened up. “Thanks,” she replied, equally quietly. “It’s a relief someone else knows.”
“Tell them,” he urged, looking towards Rachel and Ryan.
“I’ll think about it,” was all she was willing to reply.
“You finished saying your goodbyes sweetheart?” Rachel said to her. “The taxi’s here.”
Leah nodded and shuffled after them out the door. She loved her home but right then she didn’t want to go back, she wanted to stay in Manchester, far away from the huge mess she’d created.
Jules felt like she was drifting. It was a pleasant sensation, no cares, no worries. She’d known little of that in her chaotic, carnage-strewn life. But right now she was enjoying just floating in the warmth. The voices were gone for now but they would be back. She liked listening to the voices. They weren’t always clear but more often than not she could hear them and they reassured her that wherever she was, she wasn’t alone.
She jumped when an image flashed in her mind - a face, a woman’s face, contorted with rage and hate. Pain erupted in her stomach and then she was being pelted by icy rain and a child was screaming…
“Cara,” Jules tried to scream but something was wrong, her voice wouldn’t work properly, it was dry and her tongue was thick in her mouth, as though it had forgotten how to talk.
Heart thudding, her eyes flew open and she grimaced against the daylight streaming in through the window. She found herself in an unfamiliar place, on a bed, all alone, connected to bleeping machines and drips. Where was her daughter? She needed her.
“Cara,” she tried to scream again, frustration causing her anger to spike and she tore the wires stuck to her chest that were connected to the machine by her bedside, the bleeping turning into an angry whine. Next she ripped out the drip stuck into the top of her right hand. At least her arms seemed to be cooperating. However her legs didn’t want to know, responding to her frantic commands to get up with vague twitches, as though all the strength had been sucked out of them. This horrified her because she had always been very physically strong and the helplessness had her torn between tears and rage.
Determined to get up, she threw back the covers and gasped when she saw the ugly tube connected to her stomach. Jesus Christ, it was inside her.
“Cara,” she repeated, her voice slightly stronger, as though it was finally waking up.
From outside the door there was the sound of approaching footsteps and she prayed her daughter walked inside but instead it was a young nurse, black hair pulled back into a bun, thick painted-on eyebrows giving her a startled look.
“Where Cara?” rasped Jules.
“Your daughter?” replied the nurse. “She’s with her dad.”
“Which one?”
“Excuse me?”
“Which dad?” Jules snarled, feeling what little strength she possessed draining out of her with every word but she refused to give into it until she knew Cara was safe.
“With Jackson, your husband,” said the puzzled nurse.
“Thank God,” breathed Jules before falling back onto the bed, unconscious.
The nurse rushed to her bedside to check her pulse, relieved to find it strong, if fluttering a little.
“It’s alright,” she told the crash team when they charged through the door. “She’s fine, she pulled the wires out.”
“That’s a relief,” said the blond female doctor, nudging her glasses up her nose. None of them wanted to break bad news like that to her scary family. “So she woke up?”
Lauren nodded. “She was asking for her daughter.”
The doctor bent over to examine Jules, shining a light in her eyes, causing her to shift about on the bed, although she didn’t wake up. “Jules?” she said. In response Jules’s eyes flickered open and she murmured something inaudible before they slid shut. “Excellent. Looks like she’s finally coming out of it, she’s responding to stimuli. You’d better inform her next-of-kin.”
Lauren nodded and hurried to the nurses’ station, looking around to make sure no one was in earshot before taking a piece of paper out of her pocket and studying it before dialling. There was someone she had to inform before the husband.
Mikey stared seriously at the man opposite him. Ian Woolley’s crew wasn’t as strong as his own but he was still a man to be respected, a man he wanted to do business with. However Ian was an arrogant prick and he was getting on Mikey’s nerves. Ian could help him branch out into fuel smuggling, so Mikey needed his cooperation but the cheeky bastard was asking for more than he was entitled to and he had the smug look of someone who knew he was going to get it.
“Twelve percent and I’m being generous,” said Mikey, sick of the conversation. He wondered if it would be poor etiquette to punch the twat in the throat. On top of his annoying personality, Ian had an enormous spot on his chin with a plump white head, so ready to burst it made Mikey feel queasy and he couldn’t stop looking at it, for some macabre reason.
It was a relief when his phone started to ring. When he saw who was calling he leapt to his feet and hurried into a corner of the room to answer it.
“Mikey Maguire,” he said.
“She’s woken up,” was all the voice on the other end said before hanging up.
The call ended and Mikey stared at his phone, hands shaking.
“Err, excuse me,” said Ian. “We were discussing something rather important.”
“Not now. I’ve got to go.”
“Whatever it is can’t be more important than business.”
“She is,” he said, already heading for the door.
“You leave and the deal is off the table.”
Mikey’s temper finally snapped. He grabbed the man by the throat and shoved him up against the wall. “Nine percent and I don’t tear out your spleen.”
“Sounds fair,” squeaked Ian, all arrogance evaporating.
“And pop that second head stuck to your face for Christ’s sake, it’s disgusting.”
Then he was gone, leaving behind a shaking Ian.
Mikey raced to the hospital, thinking it fortunate he had the local police in his pocket because he triggered two speed cameras and broke the speed limit the entire way, honking aggressively at anyone who got in his way. But he didn’t give a fuck. She was awake.
He ran inside the care home, wild eyed, his frantic expression startling the receptionist. When she took a step back from him he took a moment to calm himself down and straighten his tie. He wasn’t supposed to know Jules had woken up. “Just visiting,” he said with his best smile.
“Are you alright Mr Maguire?” said the receptionist. “You look…fraught.”
“I’m fine. I nearly got into an accident on the way here and it shook me up a bit.”
Her expression turned sympathetic. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you okay? Can I get you a glass of water?”
Mikey wanted her to shut up so he could see Jules but she was only being kind so he remained polite. “No thanks. I’ll just go and see Jules.”
She nodded without another word, to his relief and he hurried past her down the hall, passing room a
fter room containing poor bastards lost in their own worlds.
He walked into Jules’s room, his eager grin falling when he saw she was still unconscious on the bed, although a doctor was with her, as well as the nurse with the scary eyebrows. He didn’t know why she’d done that to herself, no doubt she’d been very pretty before she’d shaved them off and painted them back on in what looked like crayon. Now she resembled an angry bat.
“Mr Maguire,” said the doctor, whose name he recalled was Dr Leech. “You don’t usually visit at this time.”
“I’ve come early because I’ve got a meeting later.”
“I see,” she said slowly, casting a mistrustful glance at Lauren, who refused to look her way.
“Is something wrong with Jules?” said Mikey.
He sounded so scared and confused the doctor’s suspicions were allayed.
“I’ve got some good news for you Mr Maguire,” smiled the doctor. “Jules just woke up. Briefly.”
“She did?” he exclaimed with delight, rushing to her bedside. Despite what he’d already been told he wasn’t acting, reassuring the doctor even more.
He took Jules’s hand, his smile falling when she failed to respond. He’d expected her eyes to open and for her to greet him with a smile.
“She’s in a deep sleep now,” said the doctor. “These things don’t happen immediately, they take time with a gradual return to consciousness and she has been in a coma for seven weeks. She’s moved out of a coma into a minimally conscious state.”
“That’s wonderful news,” he beamed. “What made her wake up now?”
“To be honest, we don’t know. These things happen spontaneously. But you need to understand that there’s still a long way to go to a full recovery. Once she comes out of it fully she will need lots of rehabilitation and you need to be prepared for the fact that there might be some permanent damage. However, judging by Nurse Pennell’s description, Jules is pretty cognizant.”
Mikey’s gaze turned to Lauren. “What happened?
Lauren explained how she’d found Jules with her wires torn off, shouting for her daughter.
“I must say,” began the doctor. “That’s quite a remarkable feat for someone who’s been in a coma for seven weeks.”
“Jules is no ordinary woman,” said Mikey, smiling down at her. “She has strength you wouldn’t believe.”
“So it would seem. However we won’t know what we’re facing until she’s been properly assessed. But first, we’ll see how she gets on overnight.”
“Have you called her husband?”
“I’ve tried a few times,” said Lauren. “He’s not answering his mobile phone or the home phone. I called his parents but they’ve no idea where he is, they’re visiting family in Cheshire but they said they’d set off back tomorrow.”
“Jackson must be training,” said Mikey. “I’ll get someone to round him up.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Ryan and Rachel. I’ve got to get hold of them before they reach the airport.”
He took out his phone and frantically dialled. “Come on, come on, pick up.”
CHAPTER 5
Ryan sighed when his mobile phone started to ring, wondering if it was worth putting down all the baggage he carried to answer it. The dilemma was solved for him when it went silent. Besides, if more trouble had kicked off in Manchester he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. They had enough trouble of their own to sort out in Devon.
Rachel’s phone began to ring instead and she looked at her husband, both their expressions equally resigned.
“Someone really wants to get hold of us,” said Rachel.
“Ignore it. Let’s just go home.”
“What if something’s kicked off?”
Neither of them could ignore it if their family were in trouble, which was why Rachel answered.
“Hi Mikey,” she said. “We’re about to get on the plane…” Her eyes widened. “We’ll be right there,” she said before hanging up.
“For God’s sake,” said Ryan. “Who’s attacked them now?”
“No one. Jules woke up.” She smiled when his eyes shone with joy. “Leah, boys,” she called. “We’re staying.”
“But I need to go home,” whined Leah. “I’m supposed to be going out with Britney and Sarah tonight.”
“Your Aunty Jules woke up.”
“Let’s go,” cried Leah, Britney and Sarah already forgotten as she broke into a sprint for the exit, leaving the rest of them hurrying to catch up.
After calling Rachel, Jez and Beth, Mikey pondered the Jackson problem. There was no way he was going to leave Jules alone to hunt him down. Fortunately he knew someone who had sod all to do all day who could help, if she could be persuaded.
“Hi babe, it’s me,” he said when his call was answered.
“Oh yes?” said Amber disinterestedly.
Mikey was far too hyped-up to care about her dismissive attitude. “Jules woke up. Hello?” he said when there was nothing but silence on the other end.
“I’m here. Sorry, the phone cut out there. You said she’s awake?”
“Well, she was. She’s asleep again but she’s coming out of the coma. Trouble is we can’t get hold of Jackson.”
“You want me to find him?”
“If you don’t mind babe?”
“Not at all. I’ll do it.”
“Thanks,” he said, pleasantly surprised. Usually she whinged about being asked to do anything. Maybe this was the start of her turning over a new leaf? He hoped so, he missed the sweet woman he married.
“What did he want?” glowered Declan.
“Jules is waking up,” replied Amber. They were in bed together at Declan’s flat.
“What do you mean, waking up? Has she or hasn’t she?”
“Apparently she woke up and went back to sleep but she’s coming out of the coma.”
“God forgive me for saying it but it would be better if she just died. Now you’re going to be tormented all over again. Mikey won’t want to leave her side.”
“With any luck she’ll wake up a fucking vegetable,” she hissed. “He won’t be so keen to hang around her all the time if she keeps pissing herself and drooling.”
“Maybe. She has been under a while. Who knows what damage has been done?”
“I have to go,” she said, flinging aside the duvet and leaping up to dress.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to see her?”
“Mikey asked me to find Jackson. They can’t get hold of him. He needs to be told about Jules.”
“Let Mikey find him. You’re not his skivvy.”
“I have to do as he says or he’ll be angry with me.”
“Then you refer him to me,” he glowered.
Amber forced herself not to laugh. Mikey would tear Declan into strips. “Please don’t make waves,” she said. “It’s best if I just do it. Plus it’s only fair to Jackson, the poor sod’s been so miserable.”
“I suppose,” he muttered.
She finished dressing and leaned over the bed to kiss him. “See you later.”
“When?” he said, trying to pull her back down on the bed.
Amber resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes he really got on her nerves. “Soon,” was all she said before prising herself free of his grip.
She picked up her bag and coat and was out the door without so much as a backwards glance at Declan. She had a real man to see.
Amber wasn’t sure why she kept seeing Declan. He wasn’t very good in bed, his pathetic neediness got on her nerves and his sheer gullibility was just embarrassing. Mikey was his own cousin but he’d never once questioned whether she was telling the truth about his mistreatment of her, he’d just swallowed it. She wondered if he was so willing to believe it just so he wouldn’t have to feel bad about their affair. She supposed the only reason she kept it going was because it felt good to get one over Mikey. And now his bit on the side might be waking up. Amber prayed Jules didn’t remember all the nasty things she’d s
aid to her when she first went into the coma. After learning that coma patients could hear the voices of those around her she’d been very careful not to do it again but she feared the damage had already been done. However there was still time to get Jackson under her spell before Jules recovered.
First Amber tried the gym where Jackson trained, revelling in the sight of all the muscular men working out, enjoying the admiring looks she drew from them. With her petite, lithe body, long curly red hair and dazzling green eyes she knew she was a stunner and she played on that. But none of the men here compared to Jackson.
Benson - Jackson’s best friend and main competitor in the cage - was a huge, impressive black man with bulging muscles, his beautiful ebony skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat, his masculine scent of testosterone and physical prowess knocking her dizzy. He told her Jackson hadn’t been to the gym all day and that he thought he might have gone out walking to clear his head. From his expression she could tell he was lying and her curiosity was roused. What was Jackson up to?
Next she decided to try Jackson’s home, despite what Benson had said because instinct told her that was where he would be and as Mikey always said, it was important to trust your instinct.
She pulled up outside the house Jackson was renting. He’d sold the home he’d shared with Jules, unable to stand being there after she’d been attacked in it and his baby in her belly had been destroyed. His car was on the drive, as was a smaller red one.
Getting the feeling something strange was going on, she got out of her car and walked up to the house. The mischief in her reared its head and she walked inside without bothering to knock to find Jackson in the hallway with his arms locked around the waist of a thin blond woman. They jumped apart when she entered, both flushing guiltily.
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