Raise The Price

by Mark Stanley

  "The air-conditioning dries one's eyes out doesn't it?"

  The hospital had been extremely accommodating, offering Victoria a small put-me-up bed in the corner of Mark's room, which she was just folding away when David Richards entered.

  "Good morning Victoria, how're you today?"

  "Good morning David, all's well, he seems to have had a better night and it's just a feeling but I think there's been a small improvement."

  "No seizures?"

  The seizures were one of the scariest things to have befallen Mark. When the first had happened, Victoria had been more scared than the heart failure episode, mainly because it wasn't really fixable.

  "No, nothing."

  "Excellent, as I said, they aren't unusual in the days after extensive surgery, but if they've retreated...well that's another positive so let's have a look at him."

  David turned away and spoke quietly to Moira the nurse who was Victoria's favourite. It was wrong to have favourites but Victoria really did feel a close empathy between the three of them, for she would never exclude Mark. David then looked through the chart listing all of the observations and checks that take place ever few minutes before he began examining the patient. Every so often, he would raise his eyes and look at a spot on the ceiling whilst he listened to something or felt something else. Never less than thorough, today he was taking an inordinate amount of time. He turned and walked the short distance back to Victoria.

  "You're instinct is right Victoria, he has improved. His vital signs are significantly stronger than yesterday so much so that I think it's time we started to reduce his medication and try and get him out of this medical coma."

  "Today?"

  "We'll start the process today but it'll take a few days to wean him off, as many days as his been on them, so there won't be any real discernible change for a week or so. I think we can change him from 'critical' to 'stable' which is a lovely word to use on New Year's Eve isn't it? Now I have a favour to ask of you?"

  Victoria looked expectantly at David. "Of course, what is it?"

  "I'm aware of all of the comings and goings, the interviews that you've had with the Police officers and the circumstances about Mark's arrival here, but what I don't know is, who Mark really is? I don't mean…let me explain? For the last few days, we've been swamped with calls from well-wishers, yes members of the public, Mark's friends but more than that. Honestly Victoria, in my thirty two years of being a surgeon I've never had to take a personal call from the President of The United States, nor the Prime Minister, Buckingham Palace, the list is endless, who is Mark?"

  "May we, please?" Was the question asked by all three children, for once agreeing.

  "I think that Matron will turn a blind eye to the proceedings, so long as you promise that they won't get out of hand and that I get the first piece of cake!" Smiled David Richards.

  "We promise!"

  Of course it would never be the celebration that Victoria had planned, but circumstances dictated that it would be so. She had made calls to her London home and everything had been arranged and transported to St Georges and now all was ready, the guest of honour was present, well he had no option, Mark's parents were here, naturally and best of all Mark’s siblings James and Holly still jet lagged from her journey from Australia. The children had made a banner that was now hanging across the bed and cards that stood on the bedside table, all emblazoned with 'Lord Mark Stanley'. The champagne was poured and glasses were in hand as Victoria pushed Margaret, figuratively, into giving a speech.

  "Today is the day that our darling son, brother, father and not least fiancée is ennobled. No one can be more proud than the people standing in this room and I ask you all to raise your glasses and the toast is 'Lord Mark Stanley!'

  "Lord Mark Stanley!"

  Followed by sipping of the champagne and then, instigated by the children there were three cheers, which everyone joined in with.

  "Hip, hip hooray!"

  "Hip, hip hooray!"

  "Hip, hip hooray!"

  And for the first time in almost a week, there were smiles on everyone's faces.

  Later the same evening, after the debris had been cleared and the guests had all returned to their homes, Victoria sat at Mark's bedside relating all that had happened today, then reading the messages that had been delivered to the hospital.

  "...I can't understand how you have been knighted before me! Get well soon, lunch is on you, Ludo.

  "Oh you have another from America. 'To a special friend who enhances the Special Relationship. We look forward to many more dinners with you and Victoria once you're well again. Well done on the Honour, it's difficult to imagine anyone more deserving. With our love and very best wishes, Barack & Michelle."

  "Barack as in Barack Obama, President of the United States?"

  "And then there's this one."

  "Congratulations on your well deserved honour. We wish you a speedy recovery. Signed Elisabeth R"

  "Is that really from The Queen, Victoria?"

  Moira, had been standing listening intently at the messages and been agog at the names as it appeared that Mark knew everyone and they had all sent messages of love and support, but The President of the United States and The Queen...

  Victoria smiled across as Moira checked Mark's temperature. "It's not only me that thinks he's someone special, he has lots and lots of supporter let's hope that it has a positive..."

  But she stopped as Mark moved, spasming and then coughing.

  "It's alright Mark, don't panic, I'll get rid of the tube." Deftly, Moira removed the ventilator tube from Mark's throat and for the first time since the attack he began to breath, unaided.

  "I think he wants some of the champagne you've been drinking Victoria!"

  Chapter 3 - January 2015

  But of course it wasn't quite as simple as Mark coming off the ventilator, as Victoria found out as the next few days passed without any, at least to her mind, discernible change.

  "I can understand your frustration Victoria, but it's still only a week since I took the decision to reduce the thiopental and to try and wake him. Today is his first clean day so do try and stay positive."

  "I know, it's just when he came off the ventilator I thought he would wake."

  "It's a positive sign, but nothing more. He continues to improve; day to day his vital signs are positive, he has had no-more seizures and the wounds are healing beautifully. At some-stage I'll have to take him back into theatre to remove the intracranial pressure monitor and to fix the hole in his head, but I think I'll leave that for a few more days."

  "Is it a difficult procedure?"

  "No not difficult but if it's left too long the brain adheres to the skull and you're then required to peel it off which can be problematical, but cranioplasty will need to be done so that we can eventually remove the bandages although he'll have to wear a type of crash helmet for awhile, at least until the bone has fused and even afterwards for a time."

  "What joy, he'll love that."

  With the steady improvement in Mark's health and to assuage the security concerns, Mark was today being moved to a different room, one which was at the end of, rather than in the middle of a corridor. It had the added benefit that it had a small room that interconnected with it which had in a previous life been a storage cupboard, but now would serve as Victoria's bedroom. It had taken a fair bit of Victoria's persuasive powers to ensure that Moira would accompany them both and remain as Mark's lead nurse, she had wanted to but the hospital had other ideas, but eventually they had relented.

  The move had to be co-ordinated with various departments to ensure that all of the equipment deemed necessary left with them and Victoria awaited Mark's arrival, as one would an errant child, impatiently.

  "Here he is Victoria. Mark? Victoria's standing in the corner to make sure that we all behave!"

  It was now second nature to talk to Mark as though it were only his speech that was incapacitated. Victoria had found it difficult at th
e start but now she didn't give it a thought and smiled at Moira who had become the only person that seemed to really understand, which was hardly surprising given the nature of the issues.

  "Mark, it's a much nicer room. Over by the window, there are two comfortable chairs for visitors and because you're out of Intensive Care we can invite people to come and see you so that you get a break from my voice."

  "You love Victoria, don't you Mark and her voice isn't a trial is it?"

  Tom Wilson, the head of the security detail, had been fully involved and had been the instigator of the move to the new room, standing in the corner ever watchful. With the capture of the last attacker Victoria had expected some relaxation in the security measures but there had been none. There was still an armed uniformed officer in the corridor and no-one came into the room unless first vetted by Tom, that's just the way it had to be.

  Tom Wilson, at thirty six, was considered to be young to hold such a position within the close protection ranks. He had made Captain in the Blues and Royals, a division of the Household Cavalry, before he had resigned his Commission to move to MI5. He had been initially surprised when his boss had assigned him to someone that he had never heard of and couldn't understand why, but as the days had passed he had come to realise that this critically injured man and his very beautiful girlfriend were not run of the mill far from it. When the Home Secretary had telephoned him personally to reiterate that 'nothing further, must befall these people', it just confirmed what he had already suspected, that they were not normal. His duties consisted of anything and everything, even down to inspecting flowers and gifts sent in, nothing could or would be left to chance. When he had spoken with Victoria, about the flowers and gifts, she had been stunned and had asked to see them and so he had taken her down to the basement where they were being stored and she had wandered through for a few minutes, collecting all of the cards, before asking him to have them all distributed throughout the hospital and local care homes, he realised that he was dealing with real quality. She had asked him to ensure that if more arrived then they should be sent without delay to the Wards but before doing so, the cards should be removed and delivered to her. Of course he was nurse-maiding that was part and parcel of his job, but when a PA had arrived and taken over this task, he had felt...disappointed, ridiculous really as it was a pretty menial task but it gave him additional access to Victoria and the opportunity to speak with her, something that even in this short period of time, he craved.

  "Tom?"

  "Yes Miss Brompton?"

  "Is this going to be alright for you and your men? I've arranged that they can use the Staff Room two doors along to make themselves drinks when they need them and to give them chance to sit down."

  "It's very thoughtful Miss Brompton and much appreciated." To which she smiled and he felt a glow. Even in the darkest days, she never stopped thinking about others, to the detriment of herself and he felt that he had no option but to speak privately to Mister Stanley's Mother and to ask her if she could intervene and get Victoria to take more care of herself.

  "Why don't you take a seat by the window, it'll be much more comfortable."

  "Thank you but I'm fine."

  "I know you are but you'll be able to keep an eye on us all and I can talk to you so much easier if I'm not forced to turn around to do so."

  "Thank you Miss Brompton."

  "Victoria."

  "Yes, Miss Brompton.

  "So Victoria, this is a lot more comfortable?"

  "It is thank you David."

  "Nothing to do with me, all down to young Tom over there."

  "Thank you Tom."

  Tom nodded and smiled.

  "So, I think that we need to start thinking of doing some more tests? Mark's latest MRI scan was very good and I really can't see what is preventing him waking? I think that we'll give him a short course of ‘Amantidine’, to see if that might give him a kick-start."

  "What if that doesn't work?"

  David held up his hands. "One step at a time. It's not like the dark ages, ten years ago even, we have various options available now for when people are struggling to wake from a coma, most are in there infancy but some have already shown encouraging results. Let's start with the ‘Amantidine’ and we'll see how we go."

  "...and so we started dating and I fell in love with him, really quickly. Not only does he have all of the physical attributes that most women want, tall, dark and incredibly handsome, he's just so funny."

  "In what way, telling jokes?" Moira was smiling along as Victoria gushed, for there was no other way in describing how she talks about Mark, she just gushes.

  "No, he doesn't tell jokes, per se. That's one of his favourites, per se...Anyway he doesn't really tell jokes, but he has this irreverent humour and sees life completely differently, picking out the absurd and ridiculous. He's the only man that has made me laugh, until it almost hurts. But it's more than that. I have the best of times with him; he's so romantic and compassionate. He took me to see La bohème and when Mimi died he unashamedly cried...then he behaves like fucking Rambo!"

  Moira laughed at the expletive as Victoria's whole facial expression changed and she thought for a moment that she'd punch Mark, coma or no coma.

  Christmas was long over, the children had returned, armed escorts and all to school, returning to Daphne's in the evenings. Daphne, who had been a rock right from the start and even with a new baby didn't let her older babies down. Then, with the stabilisation of Mark, Margaret and Gerry had returned to the farm, they'd been away for such a length of time and Margaret was stressing over the additional workload that their absence was causing. Victoria had assured them that it was fine and that she would ring them every evening after David Richards or Martin James had been to do their checks on him. This afternoon was to be the first of his friends, outside of the family. Victoria had drawn up a rota for there were just so many people that wanted to come. She had deemed that VVIP's would take the morning slots and the friends, the afternoon. The VVIP's, were mainly politicians with the odd Royal thrown in for good measure. This morning it had been "Thick Jim" or more commonly known as Sir James Edwards, Secretary of Defence. Even Victoria smiled at the "Thick Jim" label, apparently given by Mark's best friend Ludo de Groote when they were all at Eton College. Ludo was to be this afternoon's visitor.

  "My dearest Victoria, how splendid to see you!" Effused Ludo. Victoria was pretty sure this was the reason that she found Ludo so, so...difficult. He couldn't just speak, it had to be with swags and tails was how her Mother, Melissa described him.

  "Hello Ludo." As she exchanged kisses with him.

  It took a little while for even Ludo to take in the state that Mark was in. He went, first to one side and then the other, before standing at the bottom of the bed and looking directly at Mark, shaking his head and taking out a handkerchief before wiping his eyes and blowing his nose. Victoria had never seen anything like it from him before, for he was genuinely shocked and distressed. She stood up and put her arm around his shoulder, which was the catalyst for a complete breakdown. Tom helped guide him to one of the visitors chairs as the emotion shook him to his toes. Pouring him a glass of water, she passed it to him and he nodded his grateful thanks.

  "Fulsome apologies for my stupid reaction but I never..." As he started to cry again.

  "I know, it's a hell of a shock, but he'll be delighted you're here and if he could speak he'd give you a terrible ribbing!"

  Ludo laughed through the tears. "I know he would and rightly so. Dear Victoria how have you managed to bear this for nigh on two weeks? I feel dreadful that those security blighters’s wouldn't allow me anywhere close until they'd done a background check on me. I mean me! His best friend and a truer friend could never be found, I don't mind telling you Victoria, I'll give them a piece of my mind when I see them!"

  "Ludo, may I introduce Tom Wilson the security blighter in charge of Mark's safety?"

  Ludo looked up at Victoria and she raised her ey
ebrows and nodded. He took a moment to compose himself before. "Tom, what an absolute pleasure to make the acquaintance of the man charged with looking after this fine fellow and can I say what a fabulous job you're doing, first class my boy, first class!"

  That evening Victoria felt exhausted after the visitors. She had been amazed by Ludo's breakdown and laughed at his recovery when introduced to Tom. When he eventually left, far later than the time that he'd been allocated, she had been unexpectedly sorry to see him go. For the first time she could see what Mark loved so much about the man, the extravagant language, the sense of fun, the sharp brain, he had surprised her and she now needed to re-evaluate her opinion. Most evenings she read to Mark cards that had been delivered, but these had dwindled and now she had taken to reading Boris Johnson's 'The Churchill Factor: How one man made history'. Dear Boris, so alike to Ludo, she must ensure that they never visit on the same-day; it would all be too much!

  "Now where were we..." As she turned to Chapter eleven. "...Ah yes...MOIRA!" Victoria's scream, startled Tom, who was used to surprises but for Moira it was almost painful.

  "Whatever is the matter Victoria?"

  Victoria stared wide-eyed at Mark's hand as the index finger was slowly tapping on the sheets. "Look!"

  Moira came to Victoria's side of the bed with Tom in close attendance and even their arrival couldn't stop the tapping. Moira picked up Mark's hand and held it in hers. "Hello Mark, my name is Moira and I'm a nurse, Victoria is here. Can you squeeze my hand please?"

  Three sets of eyes starred at Mark's fingers, nothing.

  "Mark, can you squeeze my fingers please?"

  Nothing.

  "Mark, can you squeeze my fingers please?

  No one wanted to breathe, the tension was as high as anytime in the recent past but then, slowly, almost imperceptibly...

  "That's it Mark, harder...well done!"

  "This is all hugely encouraging." David was looking at another MRI scan and at other test results. "I think that we're going to see some major developments in the next few hours."