'Emily!' Ross ran on. He'd lost sight of her but he couldn't stop now. He had to explain that it wasn't what she had thought at all, as bad as it must have looked from her point of view. He wished he hadn't succumbed to temptation to go with Rachel, just for the comfort of having someone familiar to talk to. Rachel was his friend, saying her name instead of Emily's was just a mistake, but if he didn't catch up to Emily, she'd never believe that.
The trouble with airports was that it was so easy to get lost even though they all looked the same. He was beginning to think he'd lost her when he caught sight of her up ahead. Somehow he'd thought that being British she'd be able to get out of Heathrow faster but he could see that she was having as many difficulties as he was in getting away. Thank God for that, he thought.
'Emily!'
He followed her out the door. She was still running but he'd be able to catch up to her easily now that there was no-one in the way. Then he make her see, they'd talk this out and he would make her understand that he loved her. There were some truths that could not be conveyed to a distressed woman through a bathroom door... In horror he saw her dart over the road. She'd get herself killed. He stepped out after her.
Everything hurt. He didn't quite feel all there but he knew there was pain which was quite enough to have to deal with. But that wasn't all. There was constant noise. Why was everyone shouting? No-one was deaf but at the moment he wished he was. And what were all those beeping noises? His eyes struggled open and saw the ceiling. He didn't recognise it.
'Good morning Ross, how are you?' an English voice asked. Deciding not to say that that was a stupid question he turned to the speaker, a woman in a nurse's uniform. "Where am I" was not a question he needed to ask.
'I feel like I was hit by a bus.' His throat was yet another thing that felt sore and his voice had come out as a whisper.
'Close. I understand it was a minivan. It nearly killed you. A lot of foreigners don't realise we drive on the left and not the right and get hit by traffic coming out of Heathrow. You're lucky to be alive you know.'
'How long have I been here?'
'Nearly a week.' A week! He nearly struggled up and then found he couldn't.
'Shh,' the nurse said, 'We'll get you up later. Take it easy.'
'Take it easy!' he protested, but his voice had no power at all.
'Your wife is here,' the nurse soothed. My wife? He nearly asked who she was talking about. He knew he was having trouble orienting himself but surely he wouldn't forget a thing like that – then he remembered.
'Oh my God,' he said.
'She's very upset. She'll be glad to hear you're awake. Do you think you're up to seeing her? It's just if we let her in she might agree to go home and get some sleep. She really needs it.'
'She's alright?' Ross asked, suddenly remembering her disappearing into the traffic.
'She's not injured if that's what you mean but she saw you hit by a minivan and she's very upset. She keeps blaming herself.'
'Well it's not as though she pushed me,' Ross said, 'Please bring her in.'