Miranda ran out of the restaurant.
"Sorry Mike..." Gary added before running after her. "Miranda, wait!" he shouted.
she ran across the road carrying on into the park she had to get away, to hide, they'd find her in her flat.
Gary chased after her.
There was a sudden screech of brakes and screams.
The moment the car hit him, his body propelled into the ai. landing on the floor in a lump.
Miranda turned around at the commotion as everyone ran out of the restaurant to see what had happened...
"GARY!" Miranda screamed running back towards him.
His body was flopped on the floor; blood running from his head he was unconscious; and cold, very cold.
"Someone ring an ambulance!" Mike shouted running over to him. He pulled his jacket from his shoulders and wrapped him in it. "Don't move him..." Mike stood back up and went to the car; he opened the door and unfastened the guys seatbelt. "Are you ok?" Mike asked as he looked him over. "Keep still, an ambulance is coming"
"Is he dead?" the guy asked terrified.
Mike said nothing.
Miranda carried on crying hysterically, screaming out his name.
"Darling step away... come on" Penny said softly trying to pull her away from Gary's side.
Sirens roared in the distance.
"Gary... please... Gary!" Miranda cried hysterically.
"Poppet move away, let the ambulance in" Charles (her dad) was now pulling her, trying to lift her up away from him.
Police and paramedics were straight on the scene.
The police were moving people and taping off the area, the paramedics, straight to Gary's aid.
Miranda was with a young paramedic getting treated for shock and nausea; Penny by her side with Stevie comforting her.
"What's his name?"
Gary, Gary Preston" Charles replied.
"Right, Gary, can you hear me? I'm Jason, a paramedic, were just going to take a look at you and get you off to hospital"
A team of paramedics put his neck in a brace and strapped his head up. They then put his smashed up legs in cushioned protectors; they also put his arms in them.
They lifted him onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.
"Who's coming with him?"
"I'll go, you look after Miranda" Charles added to Penny before jumping into the ambulance before it shot off.
"GARY!" Miranda screamed again, watching the ambulance go out of sight.
"Come here" Stevie said softly wiping at her eyes before hugging Miranda.
"Get me to the hospital! Stevie please?!" Miranda cried.
"is that wise?" Penny added.
"I need him mum... Stevie please..." Miranda begged.
"I'll go get my bag" Stevie said quickly before running of to get her bag and keys.
Miranda carried on crying, desperate to see Gary move, or even give a little sign he was alive...
at the hospital;
Gary was rapidly getting forced through the doors on the trolley. Doctors and nurses joining and listening to the paramedics every word.
"This is Gary Preston, he was ran over about twenty minutes ago... he has serious neck and head injuries, possible fractures or breaks to the arms and legs. He was unconscious at the scene"
Charles was jogging behind them, trying to keep up.
"Get him into rhesus" The doctor added opening the doors.
Charles was forced to stand outside, watching as Gary was hooked up to loads of machines and drips.
The doctor came out.
"Is he going to be ok?" Charles asked desperately.
"Can I ask who you are first?"
"Oh, sure, I'm Charles, his, father in law, well, sort of, he was proposing to my daughter before the accident."
"DOC" the nurse came running out. "He's going into cardiac arrest!"
The doctor ran back into the room.
"DAD!" Miranda screamed running up the corridor crying. She tried pushing through.
Charles grabbed hold of her; stopping her from going through.
Miranda watched desperately.
"Shocking, remove oxygen"
Gary's body bounced as a large electrical surge powered through his body.
Miranda fell to the floor crying.
Charles lent to her side, bundling her into his side.
Stevie and Penny both joined them, trying to soothe Miranda.
Miranda, Stevie and her parents were in the waiting room.
Miranda was sat in the corner, away from them all, still sobbing to herself.
"I'm getting a coffee" Charles broke the silence, "Penny, Stevie?"
"Please" Stevie smiled.
Penny nodded.
"Miranda? Coffee?"
Miranda ignored him, she just carried on sobbing.
Penny went to help Charles get the coffee's.
Stevie stood up and sat next to Miranda.
"How you doing?" She asked softly.
Miranda shrugged. "What if he dies, I can't live without him!"
"Don't think like that" Stevie added hugging her.
"Miranda?"
Miranda and Stevie both looked up, the doctor was back.
The doctor sat besides her. "The results of his MRI scan are back. I'm really sorry... but, there's a bleed on his brain... the team are prepping him for emergency surgery now... His skull, spine and neck are massively bruised. There are fractures to his shoulder and both ankles. He has three cracked ribs and a smashed knee cap..."
Miranda started to cry again. "Will he get better?"
"We can only hope..."
"This surgery, what is it?" Stevie added.
"Its to stop the bleed to his brain... but we wont know until he wakes up.. but there is a chance he could have brain damage..."
Charles and Penny had left a while back with Stevie.
Miranda refused to go with them.
Gary was still in surgery. it had been twelve hours since the accident.
"How are you doing?"
Miranda sleepily looked up. "How did it go?"
"We've had to put him in a coma.. it's just standard procedure... but the surgery it's self... not too bad."
"Not too bad?"
"Well, about as good as brain surgery can go"
"How long will he be in a coma?" Miranda added.
"No one knows. When his body repairs.. its now just a waiting game. See if he wakes up... He's got to make it through the night yet... he's not out of danger, not by the long run"
"You mentioned brain damage?"
The doctor sighed, "It's a possibility. He may, or may not, and if it does occur, no one knows to what extent"
Miranda nodded slowly, trying to take it all in.
"Go see him..."
Miranda looked at the doctor scared.
"He needs you right now... he needs you more than ever!" The doctor said softly. "but first let me get you a coffee, and get yourself some sleep. Doctors orders!" He smiled.
Miranda nodded. "What do I do in there?" she asked nervous.
"Talk to him, no one knows if he can hear you, but it's satisfying... my brother was in a coma and it helped, talking to him... which reminds me, is there any of his family we can contact? parents, siblings, anyone... a next of kin?"
Miranda thought for a moment, "His dad left when he was a kid, he was an only child, so he's got no siblings; His mum died of cancer a year back... I don't know about anyone else."
"Your all he's got aren't you?"
Miranda nodded.
"All the more reason to get in there... if you don't and anything happens to him, you'll regret it, as I said, he's not out of danger yet..." he paused for a moment, "I'll get you that coffee" he smiled.
Miranda drank her coffee and ate the sandwich he had brought her.
she stood up, her hands shaking she opened the door.
Wires were in every part of him, there was also a big tube from his mouth to a breathing machine. His head was all strapped up with a brace around his neck and head. His hair was shaved on the side from his operation; a massive scar down the side of his head.
"Oh Gary!" Miranda burst out into a fresh set of tears. The sight of him broke her heart. "I love you!" she sobbed sitting in the chair besides him.
Gary made no movements, non at all. Only his chest rose and fell as he struggled to breathe.
knowing that he had to be shocked to keep him alive made things worse. He had already nearly died, never mind the fact he wasn't out of danger.
"It's all my fault!" Miranda carried on crying... "if I didn't have run off... crossed the road.. this wouldn't have happened... I'm so sorry! I love you!" She took his hand. it was cold, his skin rough. she kissed it softly, this was only day one... he could be like this for weeks, months, years!
"Wake up and I'll marry you! if you meant it, we'll get married, you can get a new suit, pick the car, you can even pick our song, preferably the Spice Girls, but you can choose... you have a pretty good taste in music, it's all those LP's you have in your flat... I'd like that. For us to get married, even kids! I'm pretty sure our kids would have the best looks... they'd get it from you of course. They'd have great music taste, and they'd never be bored... seen as were such kids. we run about my shop with toys. Have tickle fights... everything... just think. A load of little Preston's running about! That would be epic!"
4 and a half weeks later;
"Hi Stevie" Miranda smiled.
"Any change?" Stevie asked sitting down handing Miranda the bag of goodies.
Miranda shook her head. "It's nearly five weeks now! surely he must be getting better or something! he's had countless scans... tests, everything!"
"Just give it time..."
"How much more time? I love him Stevie! I love him!"
Gary's hand tightened on Miranda's slightly.
"STEVIE HE SQUEAZED MY HAND!" Miranda squealed excitedly. "You can hear me cant you? squeeze my hand again, please I love you Gary!"
Gary squeezed her hand again slightly.
"STEVIE! HE DID IT AGAIN!" Miranda added stroking his long no longer stubble beard.
Stevie sat up and observed him closely. "I'll go tell the nurse!" she clapped running out.
"Come on Gary, wake up..." Miranda smiled kissing his hand.
"He's showing signs of movement?" The nurse smiled.
"He squeezed my hand!" Miranda smiled.
The nurse started to do some observations. "The doctor will be around shortly, but keep and eye on him"
"Will do" Miranda added stroking his face. All the casts from his neck and head had been removed so she could freely touch his face.
she turned to Stevie, "He's getting better!"
"What about the brain damage? will he have it?"
Miranda shrugged. "No one knows..."
a few hours later;
The doctor was talking to Miranda.
"There's a chance he could be paralyzed. No one knows what to expect of him until he wakes."
Gary's eyes clenched together in pain.
"Gary, can you hear me?" the doctor pulled out his torch and pulled up his eye lids, shining it into his pupils.
"He's squeezing my hand!" Miranda added.
"He's starting to wake!" The doctor smiled at her.
there was a sudden desperate gasp for breathe. a panicked gasp for breathe.
All eyes were transfixed on Gary.
His body started to shake frantically.
"Get the nurse, he's fitting!" The doctor shouted as he grappled Gary back to the bed.
The nurses ran in and helped to hold Gary whilst the doctor treated him.
Miranda was forced to stand outside.
she watched desperately as they treated him.
"He is out of his coma! But we gave him sedatives so now he's sleeping. We need to check his speech and reactions as well as carry out further tests when he wakes. but, were nearly there now..." The doctor added.
"Thank you so much doctor!" Miranda felt teary with happiness.
"Go back in now" The doctor smiled.
Miranda practically ran back in.
She kissed Gary's cheek.
"Back with us?" she kissed it again.
four hours later;
Gary gave an agonised moan as his eyes very slowly opened.
"Gary!" Miranda started to cry, seeing him look at her made her so happy. "Hello you!" she took his hand, rubbing her thumb over it.
Gary was terrified, his eyes darted around the best they could. Trying to focus.
Miranda stroked his hair softly, kissing his hand.
Gary started to panic, his breathing increasing rapidly.
"NURSE" Miranda screamed.
The nurse came running in. "I'll bleep the doctor" she pulled out a strange device that signals the doctor. "Gary, can you hear me, you're in hospital... let's get you a bit more comfortable shall we?" she moved Gary so he was sitting up.
Gary was trying to speak. His face confused. He couldn't form the words.
"it's ok; take your time..." Miranda smiled.
You could see the pain and confusion in his eyes. He tried to move his head, but the agonizing pain stopped him.
The nurse picked up a cast for his neck and put it on. "It'll help the pain" the nurse then left, returning with injections.
"Open your mouth"
Gary looked at her terrified.
"You bleeped" The doctor looked towards Gary, "Your' awake?" he smiled. "How are you? nice to have you back with us"
"He wont open his mouth, for pain relief..."
the doctor took the syringes from her. "Now Gary. This is just some pain relief. It'll help all your aches and pains, I need you to open your mouth.." the doctor opened his mouth to demonstrate.
Gary slowly opened his, following his lead.
"Good" the doctor squeezed the medicine in. "swallow"
Gary swallowed. His eyes looking at Miranda.
"m" he made a really quiet sound.
everyone looked at him.
"Take your time son, your ok.. but first, we need to do a few more tests..." the doctor smiled.
"m i"
Gary's eyes kept forcibly closing, clenching together.
"Somethings' not right..." The doctor said softly, trying not to panic either Gary or Miranda.
"What do you mean?" Miranda asked.
"His eyes. Watch... we need another MRI scan for him..."
"I'm on it" the nurse replied leaving the room.
"Look at Miranda..." The doctor added curiously.
Gary's eyes slowly looked at Miranda.
"And back to me..." he added.
Gary looked back to the doctor. Clenching together again.
"What's wrong with him" Miranda asked the doctor.
"I'm not too sure... hopefully the scan will help us" The doctor replied looking at him closely.
Gary looked to Miranda; his eyes were terrified and confused.
Miranda took his hand, smiling at him comfortingly.
Gary looked down at it and squeezed her hand. He looked back up to her, making eye contact.
Gary had arrived back from his scan, the results were on their way.
"Now Gary; were just going to do some tests on your lower body.." the doctor pulled a metal spatula type thing out of his pocket and pulled the blankets off of him, "Can you feel this?" the doctor ran it over the bottom of his foot.
Gary made no movement, just looked at the doctor confused.
"How about this?" he flicked it against his toe.
Gary again made no movement.
"How about up here" he scratched it up his leg.
Gary looked to Miranda desperately, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Can you sit up for me?" The doctor helped him sit up. He unfastened the back of his gown, looking at his spine.
Gary started to groan.
"Hold him up for me" The doctor smiled to Miranda.
Gary carried on moaning in agony.
"Its really badly bruised, as is the back of his neck..." he grabbed a spare cushion.
Gary carried on groaning.
the doctor put the cushion on the bed.
"Lets get you back down"
they laid him back on the cushion.
There was a knock at the door. A lovely looking woman looked in. "You sent for me?"
"Yes, hi, come in" the doctor smiled, "This is Clare, our speech therapist"
the next day;
"Miranda?"
Miranda span around to look at Gary, his head was back in the casts.
Miranda started to cry. "Gary" she smiled.
"Miranda" his voice was weak, very weak.
"I'm here" she smiled stroking his head through the casts.
"Miranda" he repeated smiling slightly.
"How are you feeling?"
He looked deep into her eyes. "Scared"
"What are you scared for?" She took his hand again and wiped her tears.
Gary didn't answer he just tried to shrug his shoulders. "Everything's just a... just a... just a blur" his voice was slow, he had to think the words as he said them.
"You had an accident... nearly five weeks ago; you nearly died" Miranda cried.
"What...?... how...?..." Gary didn't know what to say.
"I'll tell you another time...you need to rest!" Miranda smiled.
"Please?" Gary pleaded crying still.
"I don't know were to start..." Miranda paused. "Do you remember when I was going to the train station; and you came to get me, you didn't want me to leave?"
Gary desperately tried to remember. "Your flat..." He added slowly..."
"Yeah, we went back there and we kissed" Miranda laughed slightly, "A few times actually, although, it was a bit more than a kiss... and it was perfect"
Gary smiled; nodding the best he could, the neck brace stopping him. "Remote control" Gary added.
"YEAH!" Miranda laughed, wiping at her tears that were still falling. "But, then, we went around to the restaurant... it was mum and dads re newel day... remember?"
Gary thought, trying hard to remember. "Yes"
"Mike came back... he proposed..." Miranda added sadly. "And then you did"
Gary didn't know what to say.
"I ran... I needed to escape... you chased me..."
Gary carried on rattling through his brain.
"You ran across the road, and that's when the car hit you" Miranda burst out crying again.
"You nearly died Gary... you had to be electrocuted like on Casualty... "
Gary started to cry again. "How long?"
"Just short of five weeks... it's the third of March now..."
"I don't get it!" Gary cried.
"It'll be better soon"
"I don't get it" he started to wind up.
"Ssh"
"I DONT GET IT!" he shouted. "I DONT GET IT, I DONT GET IT, I DONT GET IT, I DONT GET IT!" Gary screamed.
The nurse came in, "Is he ok?"
I DONT GET IT!" He carried on screaming.
"I'll get the doctor" the nurse added running out to get him.
"I DONT GET IT!" Gary screamed. "I DONT GET IT! I DONT GET IT! I DONT GET IT!"
The doctor came running into the room. "Gary? What happened?"
"He asked about the accident, begged me, so I told him.."
"I DONT GET IT!"
"He's having a panic attack, right, lets get you some medicine ey?" the doctor smiled to him. He gave him an injection. "Lets get you sat up" the doctor made the bed sit up.
"I'm trapped" Gary complained.
The doctor and Miranda looked at each other confused.
"What do you mean, tell me Gary"
"I'm trapped" he repeated, he lifted his 'good hand' up and started tugging at the neck and head casts.
"Lets get you out of them..." the doctor started to unclip them, taking them off gently, still holding his head. he put them aside. "tilt your head back for me"
Gary did so.
"Now to the left and right"
Gary did so, but it hurt.
"Good man. Does that feel better?"
Gary nodded.
"Can I have a word?" The doctor signalled to Miranda.
they went outside.
"What's happening to him?"
"It's pretty normal... a lot of people do that once there out of a coma... panic attacks.."
"But he's not normally like this though... he was never, grumpy, ratty... never..." Miranda added.
"it'll take time... but, now he's more stable in his mind... were going to re test his legs... the scans say different to his body... which, could be a case of many things..."
"how about that?" the doctor ran his spatula type tool along his feet like he has done for the past few days.
Gary's toe wiggled slightly.
Gary nodded. "I felt it!"
Miranda clapped excitedly.
"I don't think your going to be paralysed after all!" The doctor smiled.
"We'll have to start doing some more tests and set you up for thysio... but it's what's going on in your brain that's puzzling me"
Gary looked to Miranda and smiled. A smile she hadn't seen for five weeks.
"What do you mean his brain?" Miranda added.
"It's his eyes... there still acting weird... I'm going to get an optician to see him. And Book a few more tests..."
2 weeks later;
"Hi Gary!"
Gary looked up, "Hi!" he smiled slowly pulling himself to sit up.
Miranda walked over to him and kissed his head. "How are you feeling today?"
"Sore"
"I bought you this" Miranda smiled handing him a bag.
"What is it?" Gary asked suspiciously.
"Open it" Miranda smiled.
Gary struggled with the bag; Opening it up. "Oh wow!"
"Do you want me to help you put it on?"
Gary nodded.
Miranda took the fluffy dressing gown from him as he sat up. She helped him put his arms in it and wrapped it over his shoulders.
"It's so fluffy" Gary smiled snuggling into it as he lay back into the bed. "Thanks"
"No problem" Miranda smiled.
Gary took her t shirt in his hand and pulled her closer, kissing her.
Miranda was taken a back, but kissed him back.
Gary pulled away for air, his eyes fluttering open behind his new glasses.
What was that for?" Miranda smiled.
"Because I love you you nut!" Gary smiled, his had softly stroking her face.
"I love you too"
this time when there lips collided it was more passionate.
"Am I interrupting?"
Miranda and Gary slowly pulled apart, looking towards the doctor.
"you sealed the deal so to speak?" he added perching on the side of Gary's bed.
"You could say that" Miranda smiled.
"How are you this morning?" the doctor added to Gary grabbing and flicking through his notes.
"Achey"
"He's always complaining this one" The doctor teased to Miranda. "I'm kidding; were abouts?"
"My back"
"Sit forward then." The doctor smiled standing up. He lifted up the dressing gown, "God that's fluffy" he smiled stroking it.
"Miranda bought me it" Gary smiled proudly.
"Well aren't you lucky?" the doctor smiled lifting his t shirt up and examining his back. "It's still really badly bruised, but not as bad as it were... your back took the full impact of the landing after the accident. it's going to take time." the doctor returned his bed clothes. He sat back on the bed.
Gary sat back.
"How are your legs this morning?" the doctor smiled.
"Well; I can feel them, that's good right?" Gary replied smiling.
"Very good, have you walked about or moved this morning?" the doctor added.
"Meh, I went to the toilet, that's it"
"Well, at least your trying, your getting there... I reckon a few more days and you can go home"
"REALLY?" Gary smiled happily in disbelief.
"Yeah. your making great progress!"
1 week later;
miranda rather gidilly galloped down the hospital corridoor. she had a back pack over her shoulder.
"Morning"
"Morning" miranda smiled back to the nurse.
"Hes still in physio, he wont be long." The nurse smiled.
"Thanks"
"I have to ask, are you all prepared at home for him?!" The nursed asked politely.
"Were going to stay with my mum for a while. we both live in flats. Too many stairs. Ive been back there since the accident anyway, didnt want to be on my own." Miranda smiled.
"Right, theres also the matter of physio, its gonna be twice a week, the doctor will explain all before he discharges Gary"
Miranda nodded.
"Have i got visitors?"
Mitanda span around excitedly at the familiar voice.
Gary slowly made his way up to Miranda on crutches. His face was slightly crumpled with pain. But he was making excellent progress.
"Nearly home time" miranda smiled at him.
The man who wasvwith Gary grabbed him a wheel chair. "Sit yourself down"
Gary slowly sat down, catching his breathe. "Thanks"
The man wheeled Gary up to Miranda. "He's all yours. Its been a pleasure worki with you Gary"
Gary shook the mans hand. "Thanks for everything"
"I'll warn out patients about you, hes a right trouble causer is this one" he winked at Miranda. "I need to get back, but i wish you both luck for the future" he shook both of their hands before walking away.
Miranda wheeled Gary into his room.
"Need a hand?!" Miranda helped him out of the chair and onto the bed.
"Thanks" Gary smiled taking off his glasses and putting them on the side. He blinked a few times before rubbing the side of his head.
"i cant wait to get out of here" Gary smiled slowly laying back onto the bed. He was still half sitting up. "I still cant believe you've stuck by me so long, ive always been an arse toward you..."
"You haven't" miranda smiled taking his hand.
"I have.. and i'll make it up you. Promise." Gary smiled.
"I love you" miranda smiled.
"I love you too" gary laughed.
Miranda slowly leant in, kissing him.
Gary sat on his bead. He had a pair of grey jogging bottoms on and his hoodie. He put his glasses back on. "Time to go home" he smiled.
"You ready?!" Miranda opened the door.
Gary nodded.
Miranda helped him up and passed him his crutches. They slowly left the room.
The doctorand the team of nurses who had looked after him all stood there.
Gary looked at them all shyly.
"You leaving us then?!" The doctor laughed. "You'll make it. You've got a good future ahead of you. Just remember keep calm. If you keep calm, you'll be fine. And take your time with stuff. Dont fret"
Gary nodded. "Thanks for everything"
"Its been a pleasure. And may i also say; those glasses suit you a treat"
Gary laughed, pushing them back on his nose slightly.
"Good luck" the doctor held his hand out.
Gary slowly took it and shook it. "You've been amazing"
"You too"
Charles and penny pulled up in the car.
"You ready?!" Miranda smiled.
"Yep. Although, living with your parents. Thats gonna be an adventure" gary teased.
"Its the only option" miranda laughed kissing him. "Lets go"
Miranda put Garys bags in the boot and helped him into the car.
Miranda climbed in beside him.
She took his hand as the car set off into the distance.
It was time, to finally go home, with the love of his life...
The end.