Flowers In The Window

               

          start of   Flowers In The Window

💐Neil, and the staff of Rowan Lea  discussed her long haul back to normality in vast detail. They weren't wrong when they claimed to have the latest high-tech equipment. The anti-gravity treadmill and she were getting on famously. Since the day her mother more or less stopped giving a shit about her, her determination to bounce back to spite her was all the focus she needed. In only a few days her levels of impetus to her cause were astounding. 

  The beginnings of her restoration had taken a longer (hence the very early bed exercises to keep muscles and circulation going in preparation of the more challenging stuff) due to her broken tibia and head wound, but boy, was she forging ahead - like a late developing short kid, who all of a sudden sprout inches overnight. Neil was in awe of her turnabout, and relieved that she was no longer bedfast and now joining in all of the sub-specialty units: the hydrotherapy in particular, where your partner gets offered the chance to join you in the pool (which he declines) worked wonders.

   Her biggest thrill was when progress went well enough to introduce her to the centre's Thursday Therapy Dog - a charity that Rowan Lea supported - where owners brought in their pets to befriend and allowed patients to take out walks in the garden. Saskia was partnered with Millie, a five month old golden labrador, utterly beautiful and playful. Visit-clashing one Thursday, Saskia took devilish delight in watching Neil's hand jerk back from Millie like a big wuss when she encouraged him to pet her, and for the rest of Millie's visit he spent giving the dog side looks terrified to make eye contact with her. Most definitely, he was not and never had been an animal person. 

Check-out day was almost upon her. Neil sat on a bench by the wall in the well-equipped utility room. All other courses and caterings  - medical and mental - had been given the green light. The only one to go was the most important physical test. 

   The treadmill buzzed into life and her feet picked up a steady pace. A walk became a march, became a  trot, became a run. Neil rose and stood at the end of the machine, calling out encouragement, egging her on, his heart beating quicker with the pace of her feet. She'd done it. Passed the required score with flying colours, and just to be a show off, she notched up the speed dial and jumped straight from the moving belt and into Neil's quick-reacting arms, where he birled her around a few times in pride and jubilation. Tomorrow she would be discharged.  

                                  *                                         *                                 *

All her belongings had gathered on the bed. Now the day had come to be leaving what had been her home for a quarter of a year.  From time to time Neil wondered how she would react to fending for herself after being institutionalized for so long, but her Rowan Lea Personal After-care Brochure was designed purely for her (as it were for each individual paying around £600 per day), which they entrusted her to follow rigorously.  She had worked with the staff laboriously hard and intended to keep it up once she was home. From today, Neil took a full fortnight off work (to the delight of his staff) as a settling-in period for her, and to monitor where things go from there. No-one, though, let Beverly know of her homecoming. That she would have to find out for herself. Saskia did leave permission with Rowan Lea to disclose the fact that she had vacated rehab, but not to give a forwarding address.  It'd be pretty obvious to Beverly where she was, but Neil wanted her to sweat a little. One thing was for sure -  she'd want the numeric ball to start rolling sooner than later.

  

They were waiting impatiently for the presence of Dr. Harness and a prescription from the pharmacy before they could say their final farewell. For utmost comfort, Saskia chose a garishly multi-coloured but-ever-so-comfortable jogging suit to travel home in.

   Opening the wardrobe door for a view in the full length mirror, Saskia slowly raised her sweater to reveal how the damage the glass from her fall left her with was faring now. The cicatrix scarring from the wound had now begun to blend in with her skin tone, but the developing pull of new skin left a huge scoop just above her hipbone. Wearing tight tops would show the disproportionate waistline up even more - quite a hard thing to accept for a such a clothes queen.  Already she had decided that bikinis would always be a no-no.

   Repeating a question to Saskia with no answer, Neil caught her looking into the mirror, not listening to his trivial chatter for staring-out her reflection, her eyes focused on the traumatic reminder there for life.  

   'My God, look at it. It's deep. Raw. Ugly.' 

   Neil stopped what he was doing and came up behind her, his chin resting on her shoulder, arms around her, staring at the reflection of the two of them.

   'All I can see is a beautiful creature and one helluva lucky old raptor,' he told her.  His hand glided down past her waist, settling into the scoop of the missing flesh. Whispering, he said,  'Look at that... fits my hand perfectly.'   

   Saskia rested her own right hand on top of his, reaching up with her other to stroke his cheek; her empathetic tower of strength. At times, she couldn't believe that he'd stuck by her, often convincing herself that he only told her he loved her just to help make her well again to assuage any guilt. Yet here he was with her on her discharge day, taking her home. She'd taken root in him like no other soul had, and fully invested now. By fair means, not foul, he had made her whole again. The forgiveness had grown and eventually accepted.

   In one unexpected motion, he twisted her round to face him, the action making her gasp. Today was home day, no sorrow allowed. 

   'What are you doing!?' she lightly laughed. 

   Cupping her face in his hands, he landed a very much needed deep and desperate kiss upon her.   'I can't wait to get you home to test out that new hip!' he said cheekily grinning.

   'Ah. Ah. Ah!' She wiggled a windscreen-wiper finger at him, 'Not recommended right away, you'll have to wait a bit for that, Raptor!' she teased. In between daft nonsensical exchange, she continued sorting her belongings. 

   Their rackety dalliance flitted its way down the corridor and drew the attention of another patient Saskia had gotten fairly close to. A rather good looking dark-haired lad of around Saskia's age, knocked on the open door and quietly stepped in to find Neil sitting on the edge of her bed, arms around her waist pulling her to him as he swung  his feet back and forth like a bored schoolboy.  

   Saskia was playing with his hair, teasing him about needing a haircut while giving him severe side and middle partings with her comb; it really was all fawning giggles and love-sick puppy stuff. Feeling most uncomfortable Nigel tried to turn and sneak away, but caught both their eyes.

   'Nigel! Sorry, never heard you there - please come in,' Saskia invited, as the pair of them parted respectfully. She could only imagine how that must have looked to him, but she was glad it did. 

   'I was told you're going home today, just wanted to say goodbye and wish you luck.'

   'That's really sweet of you.'

   The lad's face was familiar to Neil, the boy was recovering from spine and brain trauma if he remembered correctly. He ruffled his overgrown waves into partial order and slid down from the bed giving them space for a private farewell. 'I'll go find out if the doctor's going to be much longer. Won't be long.' 

   They stood in a bit of a strained silence, until Neil's footsteps faded. Saskia spoke first.

   'It's sometimes easier letting people think he's my father, it's the automatic assumption anyhow.'

   'I see... makes what I walked in on a bit more... ' He wanted to say wanted to say 'acceptable' but stopped himself as he wasn't sure he agreed with that, and it showed rather awkwardly on his face.  

   'Hey - don't feel bad a bout it, we know there will be loads more raised eyebrows and disapproval to come, we'll have to get used to it.'

   'Fooled me,' he said, rather forlornly, 'but I kind of get it, umm... as I said, I just wanted to say goodbye and wish you well.'

   She moved closer and gave him a huge hug, and would never forget that bond they had. She understood how he felt when he described how the lining of his brain felt as if it had been branded by a hot iron after surgery. Lives akin.

   'Thank you, Nigel. I'll miss our subs and our overdosing on nightly Horlicks!'

   'Yeah, the ruddy stuff never worked for us, did it?

   'That it did not...!'

   Nigel's smile faded. 'I'll miss you.'

   'And me you.'

   And there, a tad crestfallen, he walked out of the room saying no more.

   There was only a very select and confidential few from Rowan Lea that knew of the actual relationship status of Neil and Saskia, and Nigel was one of the first to discover by chance the true nature of them.  There would be no reason now for them to shy away and protect themselves from public scrutiny, nor give any second thought to caution, but they still wouldn't be shouting their truth from any rooftops. Most will still assume they were father and daughter, and it would be hard for her to shake off that father-figure feeling. But people could judge them in all their age-gap glory, in whatever manner they chose. They weren't too fixated on decorum the time she was his daughter, and people can react how they please now she was merely his lover.  Overlooking ignominy he would, in a way, miss the little lift taboo brought along with it. Doesn't everyone sit at the intersection of what they shouldn't have in life and pick and risk chances?

   It was another twenty-five minutes before Dr. Harness appeared. Saskia had already said most of her farewells. Rowan Lea would be missed. It had been her settlement and haven, her new confidence and company where immediate attention was catered for by the flick of a switch or push of a button. Neil himself had gotten used to the journey there, enjoying the calming, scenic surroundings. He'd probably miss her room too, as he was always shuffling about in it and tidying her things. Her room's window had some view for this constant emptier of bins. But before she went there was one last pledge to undertake.

   Neil carefully removed the present-hanging canvas on the wall that was to be swapped with the one Saskia had delineated. At arms length, he studied the vision it held.

   Saskia had painted a rough stone wall with a Victorian post box embedded into it. In front stands a barefooted little girl in a blue dress, side on, as a strong wind blows her dress and hair forward, hiding her profile. A letter she was about to post gets whipped out of her hand before she has the chance to post it. In her other hand she's holding a stringed, lilac balloon that keeps perfectly upright and not affected by the force of the wind.  

   'This is pretty good,' Neil stated, not quite believing that she had any creative side to her other than woodwork and make-up. He figured her art therapy teacher guided her on colour, tones and shadows to bring the picture into being, but the concept was all hers. 'What does it say? Is it titled?'

   'I don't know, it's not mine, remember? It's for whomever resides in this room after me.' 

   Neil knew her well enough now to work out what the subject matter of her art was saying, and that he was there if she needed to use brushstrokes ever again. Taking one last look around her, Saskia then closed the door. From the car park she looked up at the room window she'd been occupying. Heaven knows how many bouquets had bloomed and shrivelled on its sill. It was strange to see it bare. 

             

The car felt warm and stuffy, but ever so joyous to be in, as the city centre was drawing them in magnetically with an almighty, welcoming pull. Saskia's eyes were flicking through the streets, from shop to shop, building to building, face to random face and it kind of felt alien to her. So they said very little on this journey home, but since approaching London from the motorway, Neil was bursting to speak.  

   'I've a little surprise back at the flat for you', he said, with an 'I've been up-to-something' grin on his face.       

   'Like what?' she replied, frowning. 

   'You'll see.'

   She hoped the place wasn't filled with balloons or worse still, flowers - she'd had enough fragrance and foliage to last her a lifetime.  A fleeting thought of even worse horror popped up. Surely he wouldn't have bought a puppy? As much as she loved and will miss Millie, there's no way she wanted to shovel shit into a bag up to four times a day. She berated herself for such a fret thought as, realistically, that wouldn't work for two simple reasons: They live in a flat; and he's a wuss when it comes to four legged friends. No. That wasn't it. But what she did know was an undisturbed cuddle would be appreciated more than some glittering box from Tiffany's, or hotel chocolat.  But whatever it was, nothing had more appeal than a vast city view and a familiar toilet pan.   

   Back at his complex he insisted they take the elevator to his apartment. Saskia waited with baited breath while he opened the door as she slid past him. She couldn't believe her eyes. Mouth open and dumbstruck. The place was a shambles!

   'Let me take you on the guided tour... ' 

   She gingerly followed him. What the hang...

   'We'll start in the kitchen; That bit spaghetti stuck to the tiles has been there for two days, the greasy outline round it may never come off.... those dishes have been in the sink for three days, and... ' he spun round an empty cardboard roll on its holder, '... we're out of kitchen roll.' 

   He prompted her along by the elbow. 'That wastepaper bin by the computer is chock-a-block, never realised what fun it is to see if your crunched paper ball's gonna roll off or not!'

   To the sitting area: 'Cushions are all to pot, in the wrong order, and think there's a coffee stain on that one.'  He then pointed to the floor by the couch. 'Oh, and I found a couple of your glossy magazine things under the couch seat and chucked them on the floor where they usually end up. Now you can slide on one and do-in your other hip!.' Pointing further up he said, 'Bed's not made, clothes still under the duvet at the bottom, some piled on the chair... och - you can see the rest for yourself!' 

   That proud-as-punch, ludicrous beam on his face was the best homecoming present she could have asked for. After all, she was at her happiest amidst disarray. It was a message to her that she didn't have to worry about him worrying about mess. All this perusing of perfection taught him that mess, ultimately, was nothing to be feared -  he can live with it if he has to. He wanted nothing more than her to focus on full recovery and not fret over her remiss house habits. She doubted it would be an everyday occurrence, but for now this domestic shrapnel scene equaled any chapel or gallery glorious to the eye.  

   Neil threw his coat over a chair and went to the kitchen to make drinks.

   'I got some of that caramel-coffee syrup stuff you like,' he told her,  'I'll see if that mug you chipped is somewhere at the back... Oi!'

   Saskia had crept up behind him, grabbed and twisted the neck of his jumper, forcing him to turn round to her.  Fingers still clenched, keeping him attached to her, she carefully backed herself round the settee and closer to the bed.

   'Woah, woah, what are you doing?'  he asked with a huge grin, knowing damn-well fine what was going on.  

   Feeling the edge of the mattress touch her calves, she stopped. 'I was told that I had to lead into this sort of a thing with a certain slowness and ease.'

   Neil shook his head with a mock serious expression. 'Nah... can't promise I'd stick to that.'

   Saskia let out a hot and heavy sigh. 'Stick to me instead, then?' 

She acted all shy and coy, then pulled him down on top of her, as the bed bounced with belated buoyancy. Looks like Raptor would be testing out that hip today after all.

             FLOWERS IN THE WINDOW end

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Rainy Day Feelings (ch42)

              start of  Rainy Day Feelings

☔ On not finding Saskia in her room, Neil (straight from work and still in his suit) was told he could locate her in a certain further-off day room with vending machine and entertainment options. This catered primarily for families who bring young kids to visit, to keep the noise and meddlesome minds a good bit from the central workings of Rowan Lea. 

   Unbeknown to him, Beverly had just - a few minutes ago - paid an unscheduled visit.  Avoiding each other was still part of the deal, and this arrangement was originally meant to help split up Saskia's day, so he made the quick decision to just say a brief hello ( so it wouldn't be an entirely wasted  journey), then leave them to their lady-chats. But on approaching  the room, he could tell merely by the tone - before making out the words - that something more in-depth was being exchanged. With the window by the door open at the top, he stopped to have a little listen and maybe pick up what was going on.

   '...and that's all that's needed... '

   'I'm sorry, mum, I'm really not up to this.'

   'Have I driven all the way here for nothing, then?' Beverly said stiffly.

   'Well, no, not if you kept it to a general, how are you doing sort of visit but...' Saskia made an insulting gesture.

   'Oh, you have to be smart-arsed about it, don't you? I've said work and trying to sort this stuff out is taking up most of my days.'

  Neil couldn't believe it. She really wasn't here on a casual, caring visit at all, just one to satisfy her own means. He kept out of view with his back against the wall next to the window; this should be interesting.

   'Mum... I'm not signing those papers till I'm sure of what I'm doing.'

   'Mmm... No guessing from where that kind of thinking comes from... '

   'Can't you just be patient for a few more weeks till I'm out of here?'

   'If you're out of here!' Beverly stabbed back. That was below the belt and beltingly low, feeling a burst of anger he had to swallow. This bitch ran on cold malice instead of any form of genuine concern. As much as Neil wanted to jump in and smack her, he remained undetected, biting his bottom lip, shaking his head.   

   Saskia laughed scornfully, stabbing a finger once at her.  'There she is! Doesn't take long for the real you to shine through, does it?'  

   'All this was to be sorted out ages ago.'

   'Well, excuse me for crippling myself instead.' 

   'We should be in Spain right now... '

   'No mum... I probably might still be in America with Brendan right now.' 

   Beverly leaned back in her chair, chin up and sighed to the ceiling. 'Not this again. You were only nineteen, far too young to venture that far on your own.'

   'But I wasn't on my own, was I?  His family was moving there too, even had a job lined up for me.' 

   'Your Grampa had just put up the money for our half of the cafe?  We were starting our own business here, never mind you moving half a world away. 

   Saskia swallowed, reflecting for a few moments on those formative years. 'He loved me, and it broke his heart. And they weren't strangers, I'd been with Brendan since we were fifteen.'

     On occasion Saskia would cast up Brendan to Beverly, but she always shouted her down, pressing the guilt button on misplaced loyalty; so Saskia basically gave up a chance of a spectacular future - with marriage even - to please her mother. There was no doubt that Saskia adored her grandfather, knowing he would most likely have supported her had she moved to America, but she didn't want to cause any upset.  All she could do was pick up her life and move on and do her best with what she had.

   This information intrigued Neil all the more. Saskia had spoken of Brendan before during the curiosity side of getting to know one another, but she never spoke of plans for America. So they had both, in different ways, lost previous love through work.

   'You know our life would have been far easier if Neil fucking Balfour and his father hadn't ripped your Grampa off, and robbed us of what was rightly ours.'  

   Neil felt like interjecting on hearing his name, and tensed at the silence surrounding it until Saskia spoke again.

   'You know, Mum... I can't believe all this stemmed from seeing Neil in that newspaper in Grampa's room!'

   'He died shortly after that.'

   'Yes, from a second stroke - not the last bloody page of some gazette!'

   Neil's heart beat picked up to a strong steady pace in his chest; he was never going to be forgiven for his parvenu father.

   Angrily, Beverly banged her fist off the table. 'It broke his heart telling me that there was no money to give and all we had was the house to our name!'

   Salt from the beads of sweat forming on his top lip started to taste stronger, the strain to hold his silence getting trickier.  As much as he was tempted to walk in on them, he decided to keep his ears surreptitiously peeled for just that bit longer.

   Saskia reached for the drink sitting on the table parting them, taking a long swig, and wiping her lips on her sleeve. 'Yeah, and then what happens? In walks Neil Balfour - a name I hadn't even heard of until the crazy scheme you concocted. And look where it's gotten us, Mum... me in a wheelchair and him having been put through hell and still doing his best to help.'  It was true whether Beverly liked it or not; he'd become the anchor in the personal storm she'd created for her daughter.

    'He can afford it,' she shrugged, smirking nonchalantly. 'He insisted anyway.' 

    'My God,' Saskia could hardly believe what she was hearing. 'It's not just about the cost, mum, it's  about the support, too. He manages a visit every day, not just a call in the morning, and besides, I would be festering at home with you right now, my chances of getting better quicker remote - can't you even thank him for sparing me that?'

    'Just in case you're forgetting, I've got a café to to run until I can flog it for a decent price. I can't just up and visit every two minutes. I'm two pair of hands down at the moment and your replacement is a sodding joke, he's got a whole office-full to help him out, and if he wants to play Mr. Concerned that's his choice. And if you hadn't sneaked off to meet him that night you wouldn't even be here!'

   Saskia went quiet for a moment before speaking. 'What I did to him was despicable, maybe I deserve this... '

   'Oh, for God's sake! He was happy enough to be shagging his daughter, that wasn't part of the deal and nothing to do with me. But if it pleased you to lower yourself like that, why didn't you just fuck him from the start? Would have made things a lot easier, I could've used blackmail to take his money and run, instead of you getting idiotically giddy over an old streak of piss...'

    Neil's hands scrunched tighter, nails cutting into his palm as the thuds quickened wildly in his chest. Just how far would she go?

   'You nasty bitch, you know fuck all about him - he could have had us in a prison cell right now.'

   'Only because you didn't do the job properly.' 

   'No... it was because I loved him, and stupidly held on to him in the only way I felt I could! But I knew after just a few days that he wasn't the bastard you were portraying him as, despite convincing me he was just as bad as his father.'

   Beverly pulled a derisive face. 'Oh, don't be so naïve. Apples and trees, love, straight to the ground!'

   'How can you say that? You weren't a thing like your parents, you've hardly an ounce of compassion in you.  If only Grampa knew the half of it - and the emotional control you held me under.  At least Neil was proud of me and gave me a taste of what being an actual daughter was like..... without feeling that anything he ever gave or did for me was a debt.' 

   'Because to me you were a debt!' Beverly screamed at her. 'Your Grandfather begged me to raise you, remember, pass you off as my own, as your idiot 'auntie' didn't get an abortion quick enough... I had to take over the job your real mother didn't want! Stupid cow... ' Beverly's voice ran scratchy and raw, narrow veins swelling up at the sides of her forehead. 

   Hidden long enough, Neil's reserves of patience finally exhausted. Time to stop that caustic tongue and shield Saskia from anymore nastiness, he'd learnt a lot from it. 'That's plenty!' he said sonorously, barging into the room, both women startled at his unexpected intrusion. 'Don't you think she's been through enough?'

  'Well, well... if it isn't Daddy Bear.'  

   Saskia started to sob, relieved at his presence. She'd had this rejected-daughter recital (never once brought up in front of her Grampa) thrown in her face a million times before, yet it never ceased to pierce her heart. Dodging past Beverly to get to Saskia, he sat on his haunches by her chair. 

   'I'm here now, you'll be fine.'

   Beverly didn't know, or even care how much he'd heard. She stood abruptly, looking down on them both, their affection fuelling her contempt. 

   'Would you like me out of the way for a bit, I know just how fond of each other you always were!'  Said with a blatant dig at the incestuous road Neil thought they'd gone down, taking great joy in reminding him of that.

    Beverly could try the sex-with-your-daughter thing all she liked. He did what he did out of love, as impossible and ambiguous as that was for her (or anybody) to understand; his actions were a direct result of her own making. And in distinction to her greedy, selfish, soul-destroying mind, he felt his wrongs had been given a chance of redemption, she seemed to have totally lost the plot; he bettered after losing his bastard of a father, whereas she worsened after losing a decent one of her own.

  'You've a swinging brick instead of a heart, Beverly. I've been listening to you and you're directing all this hate at the wrong people, you really would have been better suited with my father.'

   'Yeah? Well maybe I figured out how to use the same scruples from the bastard who ripped my father off... there's bound to be bits of him in you yet, too '

   'Jesus Christ, how often are you going to keep banging on about that?'

   'As often as I like.... '

   'Will you just shut up, shut up, shut up!' Saskia bawled at her.

   Neil stood and took the handles of her chair, 'C'mon...let's get back to your room, and you... ' he stabbed a finger at Beverly, '... get out of here!'

   'No, Neil. We've listened to her warped shit for far too long, she needs to hear this....d'you want to know what's really wrong with her? She was always striving to be a daddy's girl, then seethed with jealousy when I come along and stole her thunder. Isn't that right, 'Mummy'? 

  Beverly stayed silent, staring unblinkingly at her.

 'I was far brighter than you ever were, good-natured, funnier, prettier and more academic, growing up just like my real mother.  But Grampa was gutted when his golden girl, Corrine, fucked off to Spain after Grandma died, but then it was her chance to shine, to have Daddy all to herself, and not be the second best daughter anymore. He loved her dearly, though, during the years she spent trying, but she wasn't quite the success he'd been hoping for. He'd never have bough the café for her on her own, not without me.'

   She'd been relatively smart-mouthed and cocky so far, holding her contentious nerve without physically lashing out, but that last comment seemed to do the trick. 

   'You little bitch!'

    Beverly flew for Saskia, but Neil swiftly grabbed her by the wrists, tussling then forcing her back down into her chair, and crouched to blanket Saskia as she broke into sobs, feeling bad about what was said, but felt enough was enough.   

  'Time you went, Beverly.' 

  Beverly sat until her heavy pants lessened and stood, looping her bag over her shoulder, then saying with biting sarcasm, 'Here's hoping she's able to walk again.'

  'Oh, my God,' Neil said aphoristically,  'it must take a certain self-confidence to care so little about what slides off that acid tongue of yours.'

  Dipping into her shoulder bag, Beverly said, 'I'm leaving a copy of the draughted paperwork, and I'll be back for it, signed, in a week's time.'  

   Saskia sat up and wiped her eyes, finding a calm now she was leaving. 'Okay,' she replied.

   'No!' Neil piped up, 'I'll be fucked if I'm letting that happen.' 

   'Why?' snapped Beverly. 'Are you going to buy me out or something? She wouldn't ever be going back to work there... and it wouldn't be anytime soon even if she did.'

   Neil bent over towards her and looked her dead in the eye, despite her beginning to cloud the very air he breathed. 'Tell you what then, Beverly, I'll go over it before she signs it, and you'll get it within the week. As soon as Saskia is well again - and she will be - I'll even pay you back for all the hardship you believe you're owed.'

   'What?' Beverly gave a mocking grimace. 'How do I know you mean that?'

    Neil drew his hands down his cheeks, still confounded at her gall. 'I'm doing it for her, I won't allow you to wreck her any more... there is one condition, though.'

    'Here we go...and what's that?' She crossed her arms, was all ears. 

    'You never visit here again.' He leaned over, getting right in her face -  a mere centimetre from their noses touching. 'You've had your fun, now fuck off out of here. I'll be in touch.'

   With a wry twist to her lips and a glance at the girl she raised, she considered it a done deal. 'Fine,' she said agreeably and stood, squeezing her way round the table to head for the door, 'then off I fuck. I'll still be posting the papers for you to sign here, though. And the sale of the house is going ahead, with or without you. I'll be moving soon as I can. Bye, Saskia... ' 

   'Mum?' Saskia said loudly, stopping her in her tracks, though she kept facing the door. 'Even if I don't walk again, I'd rather be a humane human facing heartache and pain, than a self-centered, unfeeling bitch... And that was also the last time I'll ever refer to you as a my mother.'

   Where did that come from? Neil felt proud at her punchy and impressive good-riddance comment.

   Beverly ignored her, and continued out the door. 'My number's still the same, Neil,' she called over her shoulder, satisfied that she at least had a part-result.  Right now she was happy with the fact that he seemed willing to expedite her desire to bugger off to Spain.  And with that, she made a heel-clicking echo back up the corridor.  Neither said a word to the other until the footsteps faded altogether.

   Grabbing the back of the seat that Beverly had used, he scraped it over and sat facing her, her head still bowed in gloomy dejection with misery raining down hard. 'Hey?' He upped her chin to make her look at him. 'Things will be fine, kiddo,' he said, hooking a strand of overgrown fringe behind her ear. '

   'Why did she turn out like this?'

   Neil took a measured breath. He could remember Beverly being moody when they were engaged, but nothing as off the scale as this. But somewhere along the line she'd turned into a skilled abuser and manipulator.  

   'I'm not sure,' he gave a pitying smile. 'An incomplete soul, maybe? They were seasoned liars, your mum and my dad, I guess it was probable it would eventually affect us in some way, but we've come out of it okay.'

   'How can you say that after what I helped do to you?' 

   'Look, Saskia,' he sighed, hoping she wasn't about to blubber again,  'your mum toyed with you as much as she did me, she just took it far too far. Please don't waste ant more tears on her.'

   'And I made it last far too long in my desperation to keep seeing you. Weird thing is I think she suspected us really early on, but didn't push things along any quicker, yet she was desperate to move.'

   'Maybe part of her game plan.'  

   'To see how far we would go, you mean?'

   'Who knows.' 

   Both remained silent for a reflective short while. It didn't seem to matter now what past memories the other's mind supplied. It was the future that mattered now.  Then she came out with something unexpected. 'I stood on my own this morning for twenty seconds - hands free.'  

    'Really?' A huge smile spread across his face. Now he understood her rather excited 'something to tell you' text, from earlier on. This must have been a big deal for her and he inwardly cursed that Beverly may have taken such positivity away.

   'And I made it across my room with a walker. Felt like something from a nursing home, but I was well relieved.'  

   At this unexpected news he grabbed her hands in his and kissed the backs of them.  'Oh, sweetheart, that is amazing!' He mentally punched Beverly in the face. 'Did you tell your... her, this?'

   Saskia shook her head. 'She didn't give me time to, she was more focused on a signature than an update.'

   He rubbed a finger down the side of her face, leaned forward to gently kiss her on the lips. An unheralded move which flipped her stomach. He'd just gone for hello and goodbye kisses on the cheek since her admittance here. Now the taste was back. 'Don't let that sort of thing bother you. I'll sort it out, it is my forte after all.'  

ui     'Could she really throw me out - just like that?'  

   'No,' he assured her, appalled that Beverly even threatened her in that manner,  'doesn't work like that.'  He stood up and went over to the drinks machine, filling himself a fizzy something or other. 'Anyhow, while we're kind of the subject. I've been, ah, thinking of taking in a lodger.'

   Saskia narrowed her eyes, knowing where he was going with this, but wondering if he was serious. 'You what?'

   'Well', he sighed. 'I'm kind of struggling financially at the moment and need help with rent and bills and stuff.  Know anyone who might want to move in with me? I'm a reasonable bloke to get on with.'

   Leg pulling aside, Saskia was delighted. He really was the sweetest and most absolving geezer she'd ever known. After all this. 

   'I dunno... I'll ask around for you,' she said with a nervous laugh. Wiping a runny one from her eye, (happy-wet ones allowed) she thought she wouldn't ever see that hideous spare room wallpaper - the kind you can make faces out of the pattern - again.  'You really don't have to do this, Neil.'

   'Och, you were virtually living there at one time anyhow. Been kind of quiet, but extremely tidy, without you. I was just waiting to see how you were doing first before putting it to you. I'd prefer to be around when you're out of here.'

   'When, though?  I sometimes doubt it.'

   'The thing is, ' he gave an exasperated sigh, and put down his paper cup. 'I'd have that annoying, messy, funny, gullible girl back again. I think you owe me that, young lady, don't you?' She smiled at the manner of his levity. 'It'll be hard work, but we'll get there.' 

   'What if this morning was just a fluke and my hip gives way or something? How would you cope if I don't get better?'

   'You will. It'll be hard work, but we'll get there. Whatever happens, I'll be around.  Part of me doesn't work properly if you're not there, too. It takes bravery and you got that.'

   A huge smile spread across her face. 'Living with you permanently, huh?'

  'Yup....all that moaning, snoring - that I don't believe I do - late night meals, endless coffee, big words you don't know, Scottish ones ye dinnae ken, bathroom hogging... all my charms and delights and stuff.'

  She loved the way his voice hung heavy with his accent when he sparkled with nonsense and intentional immaturity. 'I never stopped loving you, Neil.'

   'Then fight for me. Fight with all your strength and get those legs working again.'

    She saw the determination and sincerity in him. All she had to do was find the same. 

         end of  Rainy Day Feelings

Fallen Angel (ch41)

                            start of  FALLEN  ANGEL

👰 Since leaving NHS care after two more surgeries, this was the first day of being coherent enough at her new facility to remember where she was on waking. Her painkillers and sedation had been on the heavy side, but levelled reduction was refreshing her memory bit by bit.

   Breakfast over, she was pillow-plumped and angled as close to upright as was comfortably possible.  Her room was of the highest standard with modern decor and homely necessities; side screen plasma on wall with cable TV, hi-fi and Wi-Fi, spacious en suite, midi fridge - all the requisites any luxury hotel may offer.  But as soon as a doctor or nurse enters the room starkly reminded one that this was no holiday break, no matter how efficient and pleasant the surroundings. A regular stream of having digital numbers squished from your arm, catheter changes and needles rammed into the back of your hand were but a few to put paid to that.  As beautiful a retreat as Rowan Lea is, taking just one step from a room puts one in clinical overdrive. Still, having ones own space (albeit with interruptions) was better than being in a ward with others.

Neil showed up for this morning's consultation over Saskia's impending therapies (he was funding her stay after all) and it sounded as if she was in for one laboriously hard time. Prior to him attending, he was informed that she had not been her bright and breezy self.  Since visiting times were far more permissible here, her assigned nurse, Lawrence, suggested that Neil took her outside for a short while; the day was beautiful and she hadn't as yet taken in any fresh air. It might even help lighten her mood. 

   It was harrowing to watch her being hoisted into an modified wheelchair. The cast on her right leg needing careful management, and extreme wariness washed over her face during the process, but she was safely ensconced in no time. And since Neil had never moved any chair with wheels apart from an office one, Lawrence thought it best to accompany them. Directions and sensor doors were well signposted, but her particular chair was more awkward to to maneuver, so the extra guidance wouldn't go amiss.

   General chit-chat arose from the two men as they walked, with Lawrence pointing out some of the rooms her recovery would take place in. Neil was, however, more relieved to have gotten her to the Phase 1 Boundary destination - a distance with a quick returning time if a need were to arise - without bashing her leg into anything. The male nurse left after settling them at a courtyard table all ensconced under a huge marquis shelter-roof. 

 Curiosity had Neil walking over to the enclosing fence for a better view, and was struck with wonder. With Rowan Lea situated fairly high up, the panoramic view was grandiose and astounding. Storm-beaten statues, nude and proud, watched over ponds with hissing fountains, while riots of colour threw themselves around. Vast ranges of flowers and intricate topiary shapings dominated the north view, and to the left, an original 18th century orchard was yet fructiferous, with stage-planted saplings helping to hang on to tradition. To his far right - though too far for a proper view - families of swans claimed space in a man made lake. The online gallery pictures of Rowan Lea were persuading enough - being here was on another level. This was viewed from the north side only, there were other radial delights to discover. It was a shame she couldn't appreciate the full view until on her feet again. He sauntered back over to her, mentally noting to bring binoculars at his next visit. 

   'Are you okay, there?'

   'Yes, but I feel I'm insulting the surroundings by wearing this bright yellow track suit, less one of its legs.' 

   He took that as a good sign, at first; to be caring about her appearance. Beverly still hadn't brought in clothes for her, so it was just as well there were boxes of donated attire from ex-patients. The thought of her choosing what clothes of her own would be for the chop felt daunting enough for him, never mind her!

  'Why don't we order some stuff  online once we're back in your room? Shorts and baggy bottoms wouldn't go amiss, would they?

   'Yeah, that would be great, I've not much else apart from nightgowns and this ruddy....' She pulled at her chest '... canary abomination.' 

   'Well, we can't have that, can we?'

   'I'd appreciate, it. Thanks, Da—'

   Neil smiled and looked away, diverting the awkwardness as she cut the last word short. ' That's okay, I saw the physio and occupational therapist this morning, they mentioned they'd come in handy.'

   'Sure would. Mum's in no hurry to see me okay for clothes, she seems to think this place is a hospital. So why couldn't she make the review with you, this morning?'

   'Couldn't get cover at work,' he made up as an excuse, not sure if that was the case or not. Saskia had no idea that they preferred to avoid each other. 

   'What about later on?'  

   'I'm not sure, sweetheart.'  

   'Okay,' she replied, trying to appear impassive about it.

   Thence onwards, as they sipped away from their mugs, Neil struggled conversing with her. When she wasn't in a world of her own, she was apathetic; impervious to general chatter that usually carried her opinionated girly blabbing. She hardly locked eyes with him, and he sensed everything was going to be gloom and doom; he doubted she'd even attempt to put on a front. 

   It was tough she needed to be here for such a long time, and he knew she was terrified by all the changes she had to acquire to, but he had to try to keep up a positive view of where she was, despite her  wanting nothing more than to be walking out the door with him. 

    'I was shown around the exercise and recovery rooms...' he started with. 'Some amazing equipment there - treadmills and all sorts.'

  'Won't be using those for weeks yet, though,' she said, with a weak smile, twirling her cotton hanky round her fingers, 'I've to start with gentle bed exercises first.'

  'I know...' he replied, trying his best to use caution and sympathy sagaciously,  'once your cast's off, it must be a pain. How do you manage sleep with it?'

   'I'm usually staring at the wall or the ceiling. They cut off  TV and music by midnight so you're in with a shout, but I don't always get a full night's sleep despite it being so deathly quiet.' 

    'Couldn't they give you a mild sedative?'

   'They already do, but it doesn't always work. Besides, I'm on medication reduction now.'

   It seemed the reduced medication had opened up and invited reality in, he thought. 

   'But at least you're able to get around in you chair now. Laurence was telling me there's a tropical butterfly house at the top end of the grounds.' It was something open to the public to help fund the running of Rowan Lea. 'We could visit that sometime, bring your mum along,' he was willing to try.

   She didn't answer; this positive view wasn't quite hitting any mark he hoped it might.

   'There's always the flower nursery and the topiary gar—'

   'Neil!' she interrupted, loudly. He was way ahead of himself, desperately throwing his guilt-ridden future at her. 'It's okay. You don't have to pretend that things will be fine. I'm more gathered in my thoughts now, I've pretty-much had things spelled out for me. I know there's no guarantee I can clutch on to that'll bring back the normal me. This might be it, as good as it gets.'

   He sat, close to tears, seeing the dull fear in those once sparkling eyes, feeling the pain he'd inflicted upon her, gutted that he couldn't buy some magical remedy. His insides felt as tight as the hankie she was twisting; unsure what to do, uncertain what to say.

   'This place is beautiful, luxurious, but it's promise-free. That's how it is. I've got to learn to adjust, but I still feel so weak.' Right now, her head felt as if it was made of delicate grass, and her whole body, never mind one damned leg, felt like concrete. There would have to be enormous effort to deal with such fearsome prognosis - a long, sorry slog with no assured result and the guilt was tearing him apart. 

   'I'm so sorry, Saskia. You wouldn't be here if I hadn't arranged for us to meet that night.'  

   'No,' she said, as she slowly shook her head, 'I wouldn't be here if I hadn't fucked you over to begin with.'

   'But I was never angry enough to see you like this.' 

   Eyes cast downwards, she told him, 'I'm not going to lie, I'm terrified I'll never walk again...  I don't know if I can muster optimism for anything.'

   'You've got to try, kiddo.'

   'But I'm struggling, Neil. I still can't come to terms with what I've put you through. All this... ' she lightly tapped her plaster cast, '... doesn't compare to how I felt when I knew I'd lost you.' 

    This would have to be put to bed pronto. He wasn't fully sure of how his own thoughts and feelings lay right now, but a guilt trip on her would only zap her strength even more, and she needed every bit of energy for recovery, he couldn't allow this to dominate her thoughts - even if he had to lie.

   'Hey... hey, look at me.... people can find again, Saskia.'

   'I know, you should, you probably will.'

   'Fuck, sake...' he closed his eyes and tilted his head to the heavens, shook it for two seconds and and locked eyes with her again. 'Let me try and find you again now we can do that with a clean slate. Did you think I was gonna piss off the second you are back on your feet?' 

   Saskia squirmed awkwardly in her chair, trying to sit more forward but failing. 'No, please don't say that, I'm a different version now, might even be like this forever. You can't commit to a burden like this, and why would you want to after what you were put thr—' 

   'I was hurt, Saskia,' he said aloud, shutting her up, adamant she listened. Sod any lies, he was going to be brutally honest with her, it was as well coming out to be put to bed, and maybe then she'd concentrate on the physical fight ahead.

   'I never felt pain or shame like it before. I meant what I said that night of your accident, I really was  getting rid of you. I'd convinced myself hurt would ease with time, and anger would eradicate the good memories. I was resolutely assured that was it, as I made my way back home.

   That lasted an hour, one fucking hour. From telling you face on, that I never wanted to see you again, I was making my way back to see if you were okay. I couldn't cope with the fact that I'd struck you. But  seeing that ambulance there terrified me. I thought I'd lost you... for good, and in that moment of fear I didn't give a shit about anything else - past or present.'

   Listening intently to words that she felt  unworthy of, she'd closed her eyes, trying to envision the scene, but he grasped her hanky-scrunching hand on the table and wiggled it to regain her attention. 'Saskia... I was never going to win over what I was fighting, you're too... persistent...remediless and unending... '

   She bit down on her bottom lip, giving her head a mini shake. 'I've no bloody idea what you mean...'

   He smiled and made a simplified conclusion. 'Young lady... I believe I'm very much stuck with you, like a bogie that doesn't ping!' He fake-picked his nose, flicked his finger again and again in demonstration, making her snigger.

   'Haven't been likened to a bogie before, but it's kind of sweet.'   

Over forgiveness or begrudging, death or survival, he would have missed her pale face, wily heart, funny quips, imperfections and impulsions. The yearning would have grown even though she'd torn his mind, ruptured his heart and tortured his soul. 'We'll do one day at a time, kiddo, till you're sick at the sight of me....' She believed that promise by the tone of his voice.

   'I don't deserve you,' she said, wiping the wet from her cheek the sleeve cuff, despite the holding her tissue. 'I couldn't imagine getting to this point without you. I'm still so fucking scared, Neil.' she added in a whisper.

   'I know, I am too... ' he told her honestly, reaching across, removing and discarding the well-twisted man-sized from her to grasp her bare hand, '... so let's shit ourselves together then, aye?'

   She gave a meek smile, to accompany her meek nod.

  'Good.' he said, sealing the deal by tapping her hand and leaning back on his chair. 'So no more tears, let's just sit here and enjoy this view that I'm paying an arm and... ' he jokingly pointed at her cast, '... that leg for!'

    She picked up the gruesome energy bar he'd bought them both, and washed it down with very tepid coffee. Ten minutes later, she complained of backache and without calling Lawrence to help walk them back, he wheeled her himself. As much as it aggrieved him to be doing what he was doing, he was as well trying to build his confidence in steering this contraption while 'if-need-be help' was around. It would be her means of mobility for a good while. God forbid it to be permanent. 

 

By the time Neil had popped out to call Beverly with a progress report on her daughter, the nurses had changed her and hoisted her back into bed. Almost immediately afterwards, she was out for the count and had asked them to say goodbye for her. He was pleased she was beginning catching up on natural sleep while her body adjusted to the shock of what it had endured; he didn't like the thought of the chemical cocktails she had previously required going on much longer. The mind and soul needed natural balance and routine, and ample preparation for it's comeback.

  He picked a flower from the accumulating vases on her sill, placed one in her hand, and at fifteen hundred hours, kissed her goodnight.  'See you tomorrow, kiddo.' he whispered. 'We'll do our shopping then.'

*********************************************************************************

For the most part, she was adapting to her stay in Rowan Lea.  The planned treatment had included holistic therapies, which had the advantage of going ahead even if confined to a chair.  At one time Neil would have scoffed at such regimen, and her talking about such things as aroma and colour therapies never quite piqued his interest, but they were instrumental in keeping her emotional  - and spiritual - chin up, and for that he was grateful. And once her physical self got stronger, she would take part in more physical curatives.

   Seven weeks had passed since her surgery, and the time for Saskia to try to stand had come. Her cast had been removed a week prior and a high calcium food range had been executed by a dietitian throughout her stay to hopefully give her bones a boost.  That wasn't to say it would have major benefit, but she agreed to the said menu regardless. 

   Her overnight pattern of disturbances had improved vastly since pain was easing, and she was now sleeping through the majority of the night and felt rested on waking. Today she felt chipper, quietly confident she would stand, as she kept to her bed physio religiously. 

  Neil arrived to support her through this vital attempt, and it was hard to see what jacket he was wearing for yet another vast floral bouquet in his hands. 

   'My good God... we're running out of vases and window sills, Mr. Balfour... the place has an overpowering scent of pollen with flowers everywhere... '

   Orlagh - both a trained nurse and allocated companion of the Rowan Trust appointed for Saskia - was in the room playing a game of cards with her. The older Irish woman - with a wicked sense of humour and a no nonsense approach - had bonded with her patient from the start. Saskia had lost count of the amount of 'feckings' she'd heard since befriending her. Orlagh put her cards down on the bed face up, cutting short their game now that Neil had arrived, and told Saskia, in no uncertain terms, that she'd lost that one anyhow.

   'Right,' the rather titch and stout Irishwoman said aloud, standing to take the flowers from him, 'best get these in some water. It's not the fecking law to bring bunches in on every visit you know, you can come in without them!' she called as she exited the room. What Orlagh lacked in height, she made up for in oomph.

   'She's right, you know, Neil.'  

   'Just feel you've got to really, don't you? I promise I'll stop.' He leaned down to land a gentle kiss on her cheek, and parked himself on the bed. 'How are you, anyhow?'

   She shrugged. 'Bit nervous. Mr. Harness says if I can hold my weight unaided for ten seconds they might try me on taking a few steps, too.'

   Neil felt dubious about this. The orthopedic update he was given yesterday didn't mention taking any steps. 'Think you're up to that, so soon?'

   'It's all about attitude. See that painting that's been hanging there?' 

   'What, the abstract one?' 

   'What does it say to you?'

   Neil thought for a moment. 'Too many askew lines and the symmetry on the face is all to pot. Shit artist,' he concluded bluntly.

   'Well...wasn't an artist, per se, but the last person to occupy my room. I've to take that one home and create one for the person who'll be here after me. We never know who painted them, obviously, but it's meant to help psychologically with your recovery.'

   'Really?'  Neil frowned, it seemed a bit absurd to him. 

   'It's part of some mental health art-initiative the centre uses under occupational therapy.'

   He was just about as confused, as he was unimpressed. 'So, what does it say to you?'

   'That's just it, it's not really saying anything. Neither positive nor negative. I felt a bit of a void until I realised it's not about the artwork but the fact that it's there at all. That speaks more to me, getting over a critical stage enough to create. And if I manage a few steps today, it'll be one step closer to making the way, by myself, to the art room - whenever I want, really.' 

   'So... any thoughts on what you'd like to paint?'

   'Not a scooby! But I've time to think yet.  I can mostly draw tech design, something involving rulers and a lot of lines, maybe, so that should talk to you.  It's not for a couple of weeks yet, but it'll be nice standing at an easel.'

   It thrilled him to see her this optimistic. Last week had been a nightmare where she was fretful, abstracted and snippy. It didn't help with Beverly cutting down her visits even more, combining work and distance as the cause, and waiving that level of importance that Saskia was to her. The buck had been passed onto Neil. He was her only visitor despite him offering to bring any friend along, but life was too complex now to allow that. She had built up a few here at least.

 A big voice boomed its way through the doors - Dr. Harness with his crew of white overalls tagging behind.  'Good afternoon, good afternoon!' His thunderous approach amused Saskia. His was a face greatly welcomed, he was always a harbinger of good news.  'Are we ready to get this car back on the road, then?'

   'Yup... let's rev her up!' She chirped back, giving her abstract canvas a glance for good luck. Whomever that artist was, she hoped his or her interpretation was one for success.

   Neil backed away to let the staff move in. The bed had been stripped bare apart from its sheet.  As practiced, Saskia kept her leg perfectly straight with the aid of a gait belt and hooked the loop of elastic round her foot, swinging round till her body sat on the edge.

   'Right, young lady, ' Dr. Harness smiled, 'we'll get you to stand and hold onto this frame. Don't worry, we got you either side. Ready?'

   A nod.

 Everyone's heart was beating with hope at this progressive stage. Neil could see her neck and face muscles tense, but pain gripped and shot up from her groin and thigh, forcing her to sit again. 'It's too sore.'

   'Okay, Saskia, let's try getting you to hold onto the frame first.'

   Not too perturbed, she was willing to give it another go. This time, bad stability accompanied the pain and her leg visibly shook. This hip-and-bone kid was not complying. Professionals all exchanged glances; not a healthy sign. Another attempt failed. Seeing how much she wanted to stand, while her legs simply gave way to gravity, frightened Neil.

   'Ah,' the usually jovial Harness gave a sigh. 'My dear... it's not going to be today. I'm afraid you'll need your parking space a bit longer.'  No sense of humour could lighten the disappointment and uselessness she felt.

   'No!' Saskia said loudly. 'One more try.'

   'Not possible young lady. Might do more harm than good.'

   'But I've done all the exercises, all the preparations and stuff - why can't I stand?'

   'It affects others differently, we talkedabout this, remember? Your healing process is just a little farther down the line. It'll make up for itself, I'm sure, when it's ready?'

   'Ready? Ready? It's been two months!'  Frustration cut through her. The initial first weeks she had felt cocooned in her bed, weighed down by plaster cast and stupidity. Patience was becoming worn, and Neil sensed a wobble coming on, so tried to nip it in the bud. 

   'C'mon, Saskia, just a few more days, kiddo.'  Oh, dear. Wrong thing to say. 

   'A few more days? Have you any idea how bloody long even one single day in here is!!'  She shouted, strong enough to echo down corridors. The two therapists left the room after a whisper from Dr. Harness, closing the doors behind them.  

   'I know,' the poor man tried to sympathise, nodding with closed eyes,  'I know it must... '

   'No you, don't! No you bloody don't!'

   She blew - no warning - into roiled, loud unexpected frenzy. Reaching over, in one fell swoop she crashed the bottles and belongings on her bedside cabinet to the ground, splashing water and glass all over Dr. Harness's shoes.

   'Not one of you know how this really feels!' 

   Neil anticipated her next move, but was unable in time to stop her leaning over and plummet her laptop, magazines and the mini ceramic pots of her favourite violets, to the floor from her over-bed table. Now soil, metal and plastic also spattered the pristine floors. One agonizing howl emanated round the room. Instantly went to her, cradling her to keep her arms still, and she and yielded to the comfort he was offering, muffling her cries into his chest. 

   'It's okay, kiddo, it's okay. You'll get there, I promise you. You're tougher than you think.'

   The sentiment only made her worse, and and the sound of her loud, struggling-to-breathe sobs hurt those around her.

   Rocking her gently, he used every ounce of his body and soul to demonstrate he was there for her. His hunch that hopes for her were to some degree a little premature, proved right. Perhaps all the positive attitude and holistic teachings she'd focused on were far too much for her, despite working for others.  She'd tried, but deep inside she was lost. How long this setback would effect her was anyone's guess. In this room rich with flowers, she was by far the wilted one.

Nothing of value could be said. There was no reassurance, no reaction, words now replaced by a deep hush. Dr. Harness mouthed to him that she should be sedated and Neil threw a significant nod back to him. It was hard to agree with, but understood. Apart from helping her pass through this day of utter despair, they had the other residents to think about. Rowan Lea had experienced such blow outs before, but they were rare.

   The nitty-gritty fact had been reached that if her condition didn't strengthen erelong, it may not at all, and Saskia wasn't the only one who now feared her being immobilised forever; next week would be crucial to her future mobility and her mental health. Having just watched her go from hopeful to hindered was gutting enough, but this misery raining down hard as he held her, was almost impossible to bear.

  The injection took rapid effect, and he lay her limp-limbed frame back down on the pillow. A life without liveliness would be no life at all. Would this annoying, pain-in-the-arse, can't-sit-still rocket ever return to earth? Dr. Harness said she would be out cold for hours, and nothing else before leaving the room.

 He sat by her side with fearsome thoughts for almost an hour until Orlagh returned and convinced him that the best place for him now was home.

          end of  FALLEN  ANGEL

Waking Up Sideways

 

  start of  ***WAKING  UP  SIDEWAYS***

🐲 If ever any circumstance could relate to the things that you see on TV from films or drama's, here it was: quick marching it into casualty at the side of a wheeled stretcher, a team of surgical and medical staff awaiting the victim, spilling numbers and stats, while nurses sidelined to help deal with the turmoil, shock and confusion.  

   'Where is she going?' Neil said aloud, watching her being hurried on along a corridor and out of sight. He kept looking around him, twisting and muttering as if trying to convince himself he was actually here, this was happening now.  Immediately he turned at a touch to his shoulder.

   'Did you travel in the ambulance with her?'  

   'Yes' 

   The nurse gave a sorrowful nod and rubbed his shoulder. 'Just follow us into the family room, bit more private in there. We'll get you a tea or coffee.'  People waiting in casualty had automatically clapped eyes onto the dramatic entrance, and he felt engulfed in this nightmare. 

   'Aye, aye. Thanks.'

   The old, greying nurse waited until he sat down and did likewise across from him, clipboard in hand, awaiting information. She had long since abandoned the comforting clichés of 'being in good hands,' knowing they do little to alleviate concern.  A junior nurse entered with his coffee and placed it on the low table in front of him, and it wasn't until he struggled to open the sugar sachet that he realised he was trembling.  

   'Here,' she whispered. 'I'll do that for you. Just the one?'

   'One, aye'.   

   They gave him a minute to try to compose himself, but for them it was another night of business as usual. Neil's head jerked up when he heard a pen clicking rapidly. 

   'I know this must be a shock, but we need to file some information, is that okay?'

   He nodded, a sickly feeling was accompanying every sip of the cheap coffee he took.

   'We've had some details from the hotel radioed in, could you just confirm them few for us?'

   'I'll try, but I don't really know what happened...there, there was a crowd gathered and someone said... ' He closed his eyes, took a few breaths, '... she'd jumped from a window—'

   ''Okay, okay. I know it's quite daunting, but it's just a few personal details we need for now, like her date of birth, address, next of kin, that sort of thing, so her name's Saskia Reymarr and she lives at.....

   Furtham Road?'

   'Aye'

   'Date of birth?'

   Neil brows furrowed. 'Ah, it's February 7th, 19... uh... sorry.'

   'And you're her father?'

   He swiped a nervous hand across his mouth and chin. 'Yes... no... sort of... ' 

   The nurses exchanged glances, often facing complexities in relationships, so they refrained from pressing further; he looked too visually traumatised to continue efficiently.

    'Is there a mother we could contact, or have you already—?'

    'Beverly... Christ!' He cradled his head in his hands - that would be a no, then.

    'Maybe best to let her know, we could be doing with her here. Is there a number for her?'

    'I may still have one listed, can I try to call her first?' 

    'Sure... but if there's no answer and no other point of contact we'll probably have to send the police to collect her.' They stood to leave, giving him some space. 

    Rendering his number private, he felt a mixture of relief and horror when she answered. 

    'Beverly, it's Neil...do not hang up. Saskia's had an accident, she's in St. Luke's, and it's not looking good. Get yourself here right away.'  With Beverly in instant panic mode, he cut her off. The stark reality that Saskia could die, hit him. God, what had he done? He felt it as good as having pushed her himself.

    

Arriving shortly after 10 p.m. Beverly, in great distress, gave the more important details (medical history and such) to the hospital staff.  Saskia had been taken straight to surgery after her CT scan to relieve swelling and a bleed on the brain. That was about as much update as they had to give.

   Neil was asked to remain in the building. With police involvement, this incident was classed as suspicious or untoward, and a full understanding of the night's events was imperative. 

   He had been waiting for Beverly's confrontation, but was still startled when she walked through the door; eyes bloodshot, complexion pale, all cried out. She sat down across from him and waited until the door clicked shut before speaking.

   'Well, this is the last place I thought I'd be tonight. I can't believe this... '

   'Have they said how's she's doing?'

   'Hardly anything. All they've said is that she's still in surgery before ushering me in here to wait for news, so I guess it falls upon you to share what you know... how bad is she, Neil?'

   'Really bad.' There was no point in lying. 'I only saw her for myself as she was taken into the ambulance unconscious. I don't know how severe the head injury is, but her hair was all covered in blood. She's got broken bones and deep lacerations in her side, possible ruptures and internal bleeding.'  He remembered the ambulance crew's judgement and update over the radio on the journey to hospital, and they were forthright enough to say things were looking grim. 'The paramedics weren't sure if she'd pull through when I asked them what her chances were.'

   'So, she could die?'

   Neil couldn't bear to affirm such a possibility aloud, so nodded lightly, and this instantly triggering her own fear as she stood then started to take a few paces back and forth.

   'Take a seat, Beverly, This is a lot to take in.'

   'You don't say... '

   'Look, the doctors will be coming at some point to give us a clearer picture. Please, just sit down.'

   'Sit down? I should be sitting my arse down at home right now, and not worried to fuck like this. Jesus Christ... why was Saskia with you tonight, anyway?' 

   Neil sighed, woeful. 'Because I asked her to meet me.' Had he not, then things wouldn't be like so.

   'Why, for God's sake? I thought she'd be the last person you'd want to see... '

   Neil smiled, then sneered sardonically; 'Maybe I should ask you why she was ever in my life to start with?' 

   That question held her to silence for a few moments, until her cold, don't give a toss nerve kicked in.  'You found out why... so what real need to you is she now?'

     Shaking a slow head at her arrogance. Beverly was never one to keep your cool with for long once bad feeling surfaced.  'Look... my head's been all over the place with this shit. I still needed answers -  ones I may not have gotten from you.'

  'Like what? What bloody else do you need to know, apart from it being an attempt to stiff you over.'

  'You've got a damned cheek talking to me like this, Beverly, I could have sued the fucking arse off you for attempted fraud!' Although knowing she was lucky he hadn't taken the legal route, she also had an advantage over him in that respect. The papers getting a whiff of such a story would have crippled him; a man's liaisons with someone whom he thought was his daughter was still sick enough.

   'Maybe you should have... ' Beverly stated, and sounding as if it had been said with conviction.

   Neil eyed her cautiously; he'd be curious to hear her version, what the original source had to say. 'I know we didn't know each other too long, but I never thought in a million years you would be clever enough to come up with something as elaborate as you did. I mean, what was it all about, really? My father and some thirty year old grudge!?'

    Beverly jutted her chin up, frowning. Not sure how much he knew.

    'Saskia told me all about it, Bev. My award, your father dying, all this pent up hatred over what you feel is owed to you.' It had been bad timing for the newspaper article covering his business award to find its way to the room her father died in, untimely and portentous indeed. But to come up with an assiduous plan, incited by her cancer-stricken friend, was evil genius. 'What a payback, you got me good and proper... both of you.... I wonder what your father would have made of it?'

  His voice started to sound peevish to her as thoughts travelled decades back. Staring downwards her eyes tightened into slits as angry tears threatened to spill.

 'You and your father stung my dad, hustled him over on that French deal and left us with hardly anything.'

   'That was my father's doing, not mine. He only made me aware of what he'd done years down the line, and I had I'd moved on with my own career by then.'

 'Yes... to a huge bloody empire. My father's money was your father's starting block - you used  us!  You never loved me. I was just another link, a safety catch, the supposed makings of some future family business. Funny how it all seemed to collapse at the same time.'

   'Not true, I did love you, but fell out of love with you in the same degree. And your father could be overbearing at times, too, Beverly, but us splitting up... had nothing to do with mine.'  Despite the vast passing of time, he still remembered his father's hey-ho attitude to the break up. He could also recall feeling smothered through overworking back then too.  'I'm sorry if I hurt you, Beverly, but that was nearly 30 years ago!'

   She needed help; that was his conclusion. If everything that had ensued was down to historic events that she  allowed to fetter her present life, then she needed help. Since her father had passed, she appeared to be coping, but although she carried a persona of happiness, she felt dead on the inside, lost in her own prison of hatred.

   'Don't you realise what your madcap idea's have led to, what kind of hellish payback you've caused? From the moment I saw that scarf round your head, and the back story you concocted, I fell for every word, didn't think for one second that Saskia wasn't mine... I mean, the lengths you went to to pretend you have cancer!' His face was contorting at this ridiculous ruse. 'What a sick fuck!'

   'A sick fuck,... sick fuck....?' Beverly repeated, tapping her chin with a finger and frowning. ' Oh, you mean like the first time you lay with her!' 

  Touche! It was a quick-witted, stabbing homonym that had them staring at each other, only hers with a ghost of a smile flickering on her lips.

    Neil bore his eyes deeper into hers, not commenting on that jibe, just making his fingertips into a steeple gesture and tapping them rapidly off each other. What a bitch. It seemed her best tact of defence was to abase.

   It had been hard for her to accept that her deplorable scheme had backfired in the most contemptible manner. Even now, with her daughter's life hanging in the balance, Neil could tell it was still all about her and this long awaited obsession of getting even, while the whole time since entering this small room he'd been silently trying to broker a deal with God for her to live. 

   'Why the fuck did you both have to come into my life,' he sighed, mentally crippled.  It was more a statement to himself than a question to her. The vision of her accident (even with not having seen the worst of it) would haunt him for life. 'D'you wanna know what's really ironic in all of this? As I said to Saskia... I'm not my bloody father, I'd have given you the money, all you needed to do was ask, and I would have helped.'

   Beverly raised both eyebrows, and wriggled her shoulders in a display of false modesty. 'Would you, now?' she said. But before a word passed from either's lips there was a tap on the door and a nurse peeked round. From over her shoulder, Neil saw a police constable peering at him. 

   'Mr. Balfour, the police would like a word with you now, if that's okay?'

   Neil stood up. 'Of course.' 

   As he shuffled past the low-sitting coffee table, he leaned over, peering right into Beverly's face, whispering an ultimate, stark truth. 'We better hope that convincing little actress pulls through, for, like it or not, if she doesn't, her death will be on both our hands.'

As painstakingly absurd as tonight's events turned out to be, retelling the absurdness of his connection to Saskia again to the police (for he knew him being questioned was coming at some point) was daunting.  He'd already been through hell with the incest and fraud inquest - he and Saskia had been inculpated in a story with enough bite to it to feed the thousands had it gone public. Heaven knows what they'd be asking him this time round. But he got a bit of a shock and a surprise at the same time. 

   The police weren't so interested in ongoing arguments from past relationships bursting back to life - they saw time and again that some people never learn - but were informing him of a crucial development.

   After some routine questions (times, whereabouts, connections, etc) had been tended with, footage from the young lad's phone had been viewed and the receptionist at the hotel questioned - the incident was effectively deemed an unfortunate, booze-soaked accident. Possible foul play or suicide attempt were highly likely to be ruled out once the case moved through the right channels. That didn't, however, take the sting out of Neil's guilt -  he stupidly went and dipped the brush in the paint again.

   He asked the constable if he'd accompany him back into the room to let Beverly know.  The information was about to be given to her anyway, but he wanted to be there when they told her. And just as the news was relayed to Beverly, yet another nurse entered the room to tell them that a consultant was on route with the results of Saskia's CAT scan.  

    

From the look on the consultant's face, bad news was about to hit with hurricane force. Dr. Rossiter assumed they were man and wife, not sworn enemies, but as detested to the other as they were, in a obscure way they needed not to hear such news alone. No one took a seat after the introductions and the doctor got down to serious business.

   'Your daughter has had her CAT scan and it looks like she had a linear fracture. The blood coming from her head was due to the skin being split open and it needed a few simple stitches. There is no compression of the brain or distortion to the bone of the skull but that could change overnight.' 

   'And if it does?' Neil asked.

   'There is no sign of any hematoma, bleeding or clots on the brain, but we'd have to perform a craniotomy, either open up or drill into the skull if that develops.'

    Beverly raised a hand to her mouth, eyes flitting side to side at the thought.  

    'So, she's not still in surgery, then?' asked Neil, in a mixture of relief and disbelief.

    'No, but she is badly concussed, still unconscious. I know it's a medical cliché we say all the time, and glad for it, but she really is lucky it wasn't worse. Had it been the back of the head... ' The tilt of his own head spoke the rest of the sentence for him - she was more or less one lucky pup. 'The fracture should heal itself in around a week or so, providing there are no follow on complications. We've given her something for the pain and a sedative to keep her comfortable through the night.' 

   The surgeon kept silent for a few moments to let them digest his words, gave an ominous sigh. 'Please... ' he gestured for them both to sit, 'there's more.'  Only the accompanying nurse stood rigid in her place.

    'I'm afraid her other injuries are intense. She's has an intertrochanteric region fracture of the hip, of the worst kind, and she has broken her right fibula. There is also damage done by the glass bottle she was holding during her fall. It somehow smashed on the rock and got embedded into the flesh just above her hip. It has torn muscles and taken quite a large scoop from her side. We have another blessing in that the glass didn't do any damage to innards or organs, but we can't assess any nerve damage yet.'

   An uncomfortable quiet settled in the room, the unspoken words hanging heavily above like a dark cloud, until Neil spoke. ' So, what happens now?' 

   'Now,' the doctor repeated, 'we wait till morning when all the alcohol is out of her system and give her another CAT scan and run more blood and other tests.  Ultimately, she will need major surgery to repair the vast damage. Because the break is bad we will need to incorporate, plates, rods and screws into the hip as it will require remodelling. Mr. Johnson, the orthopaedic surgeon will asses the extent of the damage and decide the best procedure for her.'

   'Jesus.' Neil ran a hand through his hair, knowing this would be one hell of a complex job to fix. 'When will this be done?'

   'As I said, we'll scan again tomorrow and as long as there are no complications with her skull fracture, we'll at best be looking within the week.'

   'And afterwards? How long will she take to recover?' Beverly queried. 

   'Please understand.... Saskia, isn't it? ' He double checked his notes; bad news always sounds better when personal first names are used. 'Saskia will need extensive physiotherapy afterwards if the operation goes well.'

   Neil loathed that word if  with its costly two letters, and went straight to the point.. 'But she will walk again?'

   Dr. Rossiter's gaze dropped to his lap for a few seconds, before exchanging a glance with the nurse. Information asked in this manner promised no happy ending, and it was always risky as to how people react when it's not the news they hoped for; doctors were not always miracle workers.  He tried to explain with as much humility as possible.  'I really can't answer that for sure as there are so many factors to consider. Nerve damage and paralysis, clotting even may be a danger... it all stems from how the surgery goes in accordance to her state of injury. I'm sorry you've had to hear this but we'll have a clearer understanding in a day or two. I'm sorry I can't help further.'

   'Can we see her?' Beverly asked quietly, the full force of worry kicking in.

   'There really is no point as she's heavily sedated... and it's getting late.'

   'I need to see her.'

   'She'll be monitored closely overnight.' The nurse added from behind Beverly's shoulder.

   'Not even for a... '

   'Beverly,' Neil cut in, and she drew him a disagreeable look, 'let's just leave it for tonight shall we?'

   The doctor stood, solidifying the end of the matter. 'I know it won't be easy, but try to get some sleep.   Goodnight.'

   The nurse didn't want to appear rude, but they were having a rather busy night and knew she'd be needed elsewhere.  'Would you like me do anything before you go?'

   'Yes,' Neil said, 'could you find me a local taxi phone number please?'

   'That's okay. I'll drive him home.' Beverly said out of the blue; an undeniably remarkable offer considering the circumstances.

   'No need, really.'

   'No point in an extra wait till one comes. You're not far away, are you?'

   'About 15 mins.'

   'Well, then?'

   'Okay.'

   The nurse showed them to the doors and bid them a sympathising goodnight and Beverly led him to her car.  They didn't converse at all, apart from Neil pointing out his directions home. It felt surreal to be sitting next to her, after the damage she'd done. But neither had the strength nor inclination to fight anymore. The sight of Saskia and the horror she was about to endure seemed to bury any meantime hatred. 

   Once they'd reached his building, Neil thanked her for the lift and reached for the door handle to vacate the car. but then pulled his hand back again.

   'Let me pay for Saskia to have private treatment.' 

   'What?' She was astounded with his offer. Surely he'd want to still distance himself from the woman who tried to rip him off for thousands, not throw more money her way. 'You can't be serious?'

   'I think I owe her that much. She wouldn't be in hospital right now if I hadn't arranged to meet her.'

   'Maybe, Neil,  but she's there because she was drunk and careless, too.'

   Whether her comment was to try and ease his guilt he wasn't sure. Even if it were, she still wouldn't hold her own hands up to any wrongdoing; Saskia had veered way-off the plan of her own accord, hadn't she? 'How would that work, though, she's already in hospital awaiting surgery.'

   'I mean afterwards, for when she needs rehabilitation and physio.' 

   Beverly looked ahead in thought, still fearing that Saskia might not have a chance at an afterwards, but then told him,

   'You're forgetting Neil... I'm not her mother. It'd be up to her to let you.'  

                *               *               *               *               *               *               *               * 

She still hadn't shown signs of total consciousness from both the painkillers and sedation although they had been reducing overnight meds. The past two times he had visited she had been asleep, but he sat there nonetheless, quietly talking to her in hushed tones. He was lucky, in a sense, that he was allowed to visit her out of hours ( the  ICU ward nurses used their discretion for him to do so since she was in a side-room). Beverly was sticking to regular visiting hours, and so far they hadn't crossed hospital paths;

he would remain polite enough if they did, but wouldn't want any form of civility misinterpreted as forgiveness. There wasn't an inkling of that in him for her.

   

As he walked into her room she was yet again asleep - laying there in a bed with perfectly tucked-in sheets; as if comfort mattered to someone who'd been lost in near-comatose. He did notice, however, a reduction in wires and tubing, although some patches remained to a monitor that bipped and beeped.  But her porcelain-skinned face was marred and scraped raw, though the purple bruising had faded on her right eye and cheekbone, it was still very much swollen. His insides twisted at the sight of the lost splendour that used to be his.  He pulled a chair over and sat by her bed, holding his cold clammy hand around her peachy warm one.

   'I'm sorry, kiddo.' he whispered, and raised her hand to give it a rough, chin-bristled kiss. Careful not to put weight upon any part of her, he folded his arms on the edge of the bed and settled his head on them. The lack of quality rest was catching up with him, and he felt too warm and serene for any nugatory babbling, so closed his eyes to the lack of white noise and slept within minutes.

The wriggling sensation from Saskia's movement roused him and his head lifting up sharply.  Her eyes were open, but she squinted from the light and pulsation in her head, taking a short dizzy moment to work out where she was.  

   'Hey, Saskia... ' He grinned and sat upright, dragging the chair to the top of the bed. 'Thank God you're back... '

   While smacking her lips from a dry mouth, she reached up trying to pull out her nasal cannula, to which Neil stopped her from doing.  'Uh... let's leave that there for now, shall we...?

   Looking towards him, managing only to raise her lips a little on her left side, she croaked,

          'You need a shave, Raptor.' 

          ' Aye, aye, I do...' he agreed, through light laughter and utter relief.

    He wiped misted tears away as the nursing team entered her room and shooed him away to let them get on with the necessary. In a day or two he hoped she'd be well enough to take him up on that rehabilitating offer. 

   end of  ***WAKING  UP  SIDEWAYS***