With shaking hands she touched her hair, releasing a gasp when she realised it was shoulder length now. It had grown almost an inch.
“What the fuck is going on?” she whispered, bewildered tears rolling down her face. Where was she? Where was everyone?
This only fuelled her rage and she threw back the covers and attempted to slide off the bed but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. For one horrible moment she thought she was paralysed but then she realised she could feel her legs, they just seemed reluctant to respond to her commands.
“Fucking move,” she said in desperation. When they still wouldn’t move she turned onto her side, the movement knocking her dizzy, pain shooting through her stiff muscles. She grabbed onto the bedside cabinet and attempted to use it to drag herself off the bed but her arms lacked the strength.
How the hell was she supposed to kill Jared Slattery in this state? Because she was determined to eradicate the loony bastard, this was all his fault.
The door opened and a young nurse with weird eyebrows ran in. “You’re awake,” she said.
“You’re fucking sharp,” Jules snarled at her, causing her to retreat a few steps. “Well don’t stand there…help me…get up.”
“You can’t yet, you’re not strong enough.”
“Help me…down…up…I rip…” She growled with frustration. Why couldn’t she fucking talk properly? “Furry eye things off your face.”
Lauren’s eyes filled with hurt but she remained defiant. “I can’t. You need to take it easy, you’ve been in a coma…”
“How long?”
That hard grey gaze made the nurse swallow hard. “Almost two months.”
“Two?” she repeated in disbelief.
Lauren nodded.
Jules wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not. She had feared it had been much longer but two months was still a long time to be out for the count. “What happened?”
“I…I should get another nurse to tell you.”
“No…back come,” she yelled when the nurse scurried out of the room. Jesus, what was wrong with her? “Come back,” she repeated, glad when she managed to say it correctly this time.
Desperately she turned back to the bedside cabinet, putting everything she had into getting herself up off the bed but her stupid body refused to cooperate. This terrified Jules, she’d always been physically strong her entire life, had walked fearlessly knowing she could take on practically anyone and win. Now she couldn’t even get out of bed. What if her enemies decided now would be a good time for some revenge? There were plenty of people out there with a grudge against her.
The nurse with the weird eyebrows returned with a middle-aged nurse who looked kind and gentle but moved with an efficiency that told her she had experience of this sort of thing, which instantly made Jules feel slightly calmer. To Jules’s surprise, the nurse didn’t attempt to stop her from trying to drag herself out of bed.
“It’s good to see you awake,” said the nurse.
Her voice was soft and gentle and also familiar, although she’d never seen the woman before.
“Where are you going?” continued the nurse.
“Out,” she said, deciding to stick to one word answers, which seemed easier for her brain to cope with.
“I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere for a while, you’re going to need time to recover.”
“Months two…I mean two months…rest…enough.”
“You’ve been in a coma. That is a far cry from resting.”
“I fine.”
“Okay,” she said gently. “Why don’t you get up then if you’re fine?”
Jules gritted her teeth together. “Can’t.”
“Exactly, so please calm down so we can talk properly.”
Realising she was just making an idiot of herself, Jules gave up her attempt and sat upright, folding her arms across her chest.
“Now that’s better,” said the nurse. “I’m Nurse Callaghan but you can call me Catherine.” Catherine was Jules’s named nurse, the one who had looked after her most closely while she was in the coma, however she’d been away for Christmas and had only just returned. Overjoyed didn’t do justice to the elation she felt seeing her patient awake and interacting with the world.
Some memory stirred in Jules’s fuzzy mind. “I know you…voice.” Warmth and comfort filled her and she felt her thudding heart start to slow.
“I’ve been looking after you since you were brought in.”
“What happened?” whispered Jules, eyes filling with tears.
Catherine nodded at Lauren to leave, who was only too happy to go. When she’d gone Catherine pulled a chair up by Jules’s bedside, who appeared both defiant and afraid of what she was about to hear.
“You were stabbed,” began Catherine as gently as she could.
Jules nodded, recalling Tanya Slattery’s face floating before her, her hand still gripping the knife. “My baby…gone?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it is.”
“Jax said my….” She sighed, unable to think of the word, which scared the shit out of her. She had a degree in human biology. Instead she pointed at her stomach. “Gone?”
“You were given a hysterectomy at the hospital. You were bleeding too much. It was the only way to save your life.”
Jules sighed and shook her head, the pain in her eyes breaking Catherine’s heart.
“Cara?”
“She’s fine. Jackson brings her to see you regularly. Is there anyone you’d like me to call?”
Faces and names swirled through Jules’s head so fast she didn’t know who to pick. Finally she shook her head. “No. Me….be alone.”
“If you like but the doctor does need to take a look at you. I’ll go and page her.” Catherine got to her feet then hesitated. “You won’t try to escape while I’m gone?”
“Promise,” replied Jules in a faraway voice.
“Are you alright?” she said when she pressed a hand to her head.
“Dizzy,” she murmured.
“I’m not surprised, you haven’t expended so much energy in weeks. Lie back down and rest,” she said, helping her snuggle back down beneath the duvet.
Jules tried to turn on her side but lacked the strength so she remained lying on her back, gazing up at the magnolia ceiling, grieving for the child she’d lost as well as the ones she’d never have.
CHAPTER 7
Mikey woke with a start and freezing cold. Amber had nicked all the duvet again. Honestly, he was going to have to start wearing thermals to bed. He looked over at her, the only part of her visible a few curls of red hair springing out from under the duvet, the rest of her tucked beneath it like some greedy caterpillar.
The first thing he did every morning on waking was check his phone. He practically jumped when he saw the text message from the hospital. Jules was awake, properly this time it seemed.
Mikey leapt out of bed and rushed into the shower, washing in record time before racing back into the bedroom and dressing with such haste his clothes stuck to his still-damp skin.
Fortunately he managed to get out of the bedroom before Amber woke. He checked in on the boys, both of whom were still fast asleep. Quietly he sped downstairs, pulled on his shoes and coat and he was out the door.
He shivered against the cold, which felt to be intensified because his hair was still damp. He jumped into his car and started the engine, turning the heater up full blast and blowing on his hands.
Mikey was nervous on the drive there, wondering if their relationship would be changed, if she had changed. There was no telling what effect two months in a coma had on a person. Briefly he considered calling the others to let them know but he wanted her to himself, just for a little bit.
At first when he walked into her room he thought she was asleep again and he felt like yelling with frustration. Until her eyes flickered open.
“Mikey?” she said in a hoarse voice.
“Yes sweetheart, it’s me.”
She held he
r hand out to him and he rushed to take it, heartened by the strength of her grip. He bent over to kiss her cheek than sank into the chair by her bedside, feeling shaky. “Christ I’ve missed you,” he said, stroking her hair back off her face. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”
“Horrible.” Her voice was weak, talking an effort for her. “Legs no work properly.”
“What?” he said, horrified.
“I need rehab…to use again…like a baby.”
“You’ll soon be back on your feet, you’re so strong.”
“Don’t feel it,” she murmured, eyes starting to close. She forced them open but it seemed a losing battle. “Don’t want to sleep anymore…sleep much too.” Her eyes widened slightly when she realised what she’d said. “Sleep much too,” she said again.
“It’s okay, I know what you mean,” he said when she screwed her eyes up in frustration. Please don’t let her be brain damaged, he thought.
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Don’t be, I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She clung onto his hand, a tear sliding down her face. “Thank you.”
“I’m always here for you,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Jules soon drifted back off to sleep, still holding onto his hand and he let her, enjoying the contact. Even if she was left with any disabilities he knew his feelings for her would be unchanged. He would make sure she got all the care she needed, be with her every step of the difficult journey ahead and protect her from their enemies. Here she was safe, security was tight but once she was released she would be vulnerable to attack until she’d regained her strength. He sighed miserably. If she regained it.
Half an hour later Jackson walked into Jules’s room, scowling when he saw Mikey. “How the hell do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Manage to get here before me?”
“Good timing,” he shrugged.
“Bullshit. Who are you paying to slip you information before me?”
“No one. I told you it’s good timing and in case you’re interested, she’s awake properly.”
“Of course I’m interested,” he said, moving to Jules’s bedside. “She’s still asleep.”
“But it’s normal sleep now.”
The sound of her husband’s voice woke Jules. “Jax?” she murmured.
The sound of her voice and the sight of her eyes flickering open and actually fixating on him, not staring vacantly ahead caused a surge of emotion. “I’m here babe,” he said, gathering her in his arms and kissing her face. “God I’ve missed you.”
“Our baby gone,” she whispered. “I sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said, gently rocking her. “It’s okay.”
Mikey got to his feet and quietly left the room, deciding they needed some privacy.
“Fault my,” she said. “I mean fault my…fault. Oh Christ.”
“It’s okay,” said Jackson. “Take your time.”
“Cara?” she said instead, deciding to abandon that particular sentence.
“She’s good. Here, look,” he said, producing his phone. “I took this a couple of days ago. I got her a pet rabbit, she was going crazy for a rabbit.”
Jules beamed at the footage of her daughter running about a garden she didn’t recognise with a small ball of white fur. Was that her garden? She couldn’t be sure. “She walk good now,” she said, so entranced by the sight of her daughter that she failed to notice her poor grammar.
Jackson however picked up on it immediately and he was terrified his worst fears were coming true. He cleared his throat before speaking. “She is, I have to have eyes in the back of my head these days. She’s off the first chance she gets.”
“I see her?”
He just nodded, lacking the heart to tell her that her daughter was afraid of her. Instead he distracted her with the photos. He’d kept a careful record of Cara growing up while Jules was in the coma. He had feared she’d never get to see them so it made his heart swell that she was looking at them now.
“House not…” She grunted when the words wouldn’t come. Her command of the English language had always been second to none and now she was struggling to come up with even basic words, which turned her blood to ice.
“You mean, it’s a different house?”
She nodded.
“I sold our old house. I’m sorry, I couldn’t stand to be there after what happened and I thought it would only bring back bad memories for Cara.”
Another devastation for Jules. That had been the first truly happy home she’d ever known, the home she’d thought she’d spend the rest of her life in and now that was gone too. But Jackson had done the right thing for him and Cara and that was what mattered. “It’s okay. Had to.”
He nodded sadly. “No choice.”
One by one the family arrived and Mikey greeted them all outside Jules’s room, intercepting them before they could go in, telling them all she needed some time alone with Jackson. He also took the opportunity to warn them about her struggle with her speech.
Eventually there were ten of them gathered in the corridor - Jez and Cathy, Ryan and Rachel and their children, Beth and Riley and Mikey himself.
“Surely he’s had long enough with her?” said Jez, the first to lose his patience. “We’re her family too.”
“They’ve the baby to discuss,” said Rachel. “As well as the hysterectomy.”
“Yeah, suppose,” said Jez.
Ten minutes later the door was opened by Jackson. His eyes were red and bloodshot from crying. “You can come in now.”
“You sure you’re both ready?” said Rachel.
He nodded before wandering back into the room, the rest of them following.
Jules was laid in bed, picking at her nails, the essence of misery, forcing a weak smile when they all walked in.
“Aunty Jules,” cried Leah, tearing across the room and throwing her arms around her neck.
Her niece’s warmth lifted her spirits a little. “Hello sweetheart.”
“I’m so glad you’re finally awake,” babbled Leah, pulling back to look her in the eyes. “I’ve missed you so much, it’s been so hard without you but now you’re back everything will be okay.” Leah wasn’t sure how true that was. She could feel how thin her aunt was, how limp she felt in her arms and the sparkle was gone from her eyes. A lump formed in her throat and furiously she swallowed it down. What did she expect, Jules leaping about the room singing and dancing?
The boys hugged her next, to Jules’s delight then one by one the rest of the family, even Riley, to her astonishment. After the biker gang she’d been a part of had killed his fiancée and their baby they’d been enemies, even though Jules had been nothing to do with the attack and had even condemned it. However, after he’d guarded her following the assault on her by the Slatterys, he’d softened towards her, even feeling protective over her. He just smiled at her startled expression before standing aside to let Beth hug her.
Jules’s eyes settled on Beth’s swollen stomach and filled with infinite sadness as she recalled a conversation they’d had together not long before she’d been stabbed. She’d been pregnant at the time and they’d been talking about their due dates. She couldn’t remember the conversation exactly but she was certain that was what it was about. Involuntarily her hand moved to her own flat, barren stomach where there was nothing but a scar.
“Oh honey,” said Beth, her eyes filling with tears. “Would it be easier for you if I left?”
Furiously Jules shook her head, holding onto her hand with both hands. She found she was getting afraid to speak, not wanting to sound foolish. All the kids in the room were better talkers than she was. Her entire life she’d bragged about her huge IQ and now it seemed that was turning round to bite her on the arse.
Catherine walked in and smiled when she saw them all gathered around Jules. People said terrible things about the Maguires and Laws but she’d never known a family like th
eirs for banding together in times of trouble and supporting each other. It was hard to believe they were criminals at all. “Hello everyone,” she said cheerily. “I’m glad to see you’re all here.”
“How’s she doing?” Ryan asked her.
“Very good considering.” Her eyes flicked to Jules. “Your family have been constantly telling me how strong you are and you’re proving them right. You’re making excellent progress Jules.”
Jules was grateful that Catherine spoke directly to her and not in the third person, like the child she felt she had regressed into.
“However I’m afraid you’ll all need to leave. The neurologist from the hospital has arrived to assess her.”
“Already?” said Ryan. “Surely she needs more time to come round.”
“She’s well enough to be assessed, she won’t even need to get out of bed and we need a rehabilitation plan in place.”
Jules was relieved, it meant she could ask about her speech without sounding like a moron.
“You can wait in the dayroom,” added Catherine. “The assessment will take about an hour, then we can discuss the results. Not you Mr Driscoll,” he said when Jackson moved to follow them out the door. “You can stay, you’re her next-of-kin.”
Jackson nodded, feeling sweat break out on his back, wondering if he had the stamina to face what was ahead. It wasn’t like in the movies when someone wakes from a coma and they’re back to normal. Jules could barely move, she was thin and weak and she couldn’t speak properly and sometimes she gazed around the room like she didn’t know where she was and it freaked him out. But he was determined not to let her down. He’d vowed to love her in sickness and in health and he would do that.
Jules huffed and puffed her way through the physical examination, becoming frustrated again when her legs refused to cooperate.
“Now don’t take this to heart,” said Mr Schmidt, the neurologist, a huge bear of a man in middle age with a thick German accent. “Your legs haven’t moved for two months. They need to get used to it again.”
“My…mouth,” she said, gesturing at her face when she was unable to come up with the right word.
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