Walter was glad he apologised to Lachie's parents, despite how nerve wracking and painful the experience proved to be. Walter remembered how Craig's neck had slowly reddened until it was the same shade as a tomato, and he wouldn't forget the fiery rage behind Craig's eyes when he explained how he and Sadie were in their house. He knew that Amanda was angry as well, but the cold mask she wore was even more frightening than Craig's visible anger. Walter had no idea how she was really reacting, her emotions were impossible to read. They seemed to forgive him; Craig had said he was grateful for the apology, which Walter presumed was a good start. During the conversation with the Mortlock's, he had been very careful with how he had chosen his words, as he was very aware of his less-than-clean record. He knew what it would mean if the Mortlocks decided to press charges. Maybe it would have been better if he just let Lachie run him over, he mused.
The sound of a throat being cleared broke him out of his reverie. He looked up to see a nurse holding a clip board, her frustrated face told Walter that she had probably been standing there for some time. He chanced a quick glance at Sadie. She was daydreaming and hadn't noticed the woman yet.
"Lachie is ready for visitors," she said in a stiff, practiced, cheery voice that Walter tried not to flinch at. She was still staring at him, "I presume that's why you two are here."
Sadie had finally noticed the nurse. She answered. "Sure" she said, her voice cracking a little. "I mean, yes, that would be great..." she trailed off.
Walter stood up out of the hard plastic chair, his back aching. He looked to Sadie, who was still seated, and offered her his hand, a reminder that he was there for her.
They made their way down the whitewashed corridor that smelt like bleach and sickness, reminding Walter of times he'd rather forget. He'd been visiting an injured friend then too... he hastily pushed the thought away. He was here to see Lachie, not to become tangled in memories. The woman stopped at a door with a room number 20 hammered into the white wood.
"Don't take too long, he needs to rest" the nurse said and turned back down the corridor. Sadie slowly reached for the doorknob.
The room was small and plain, the only colour a bunch of flowers sitting on the bedside table. Lachie sat, propped up on a pile of pillows, in bed. A torrent of memories flooded Walter's mind. Images flashed behind his eyelids. A hospital bed with a boy connected to a bunch of wires. Then the boy began to sit up and flashed Walter a sinister grin. Walter blinked.
Lachie was smiling at him, a friendly warm grin that was nothing like his memories. He relaxed slightly. "Hey" Walter said awkwardly. Sadie smiled shyly at him.
"Thanks for, you know, saving me back there," Lachie said. "You could have just left me there..." he said, like he couldn't believe it himself.
"We had to save you" Sadie said into the silence that was rapidly becoming awkward. Walter thought he imagined it, but he could have sworn that there was an emphasis on had.
"Well, thanks" Lachie said. The silence was becoming unbearable. At last, Walter spoke.
"How's your head?" he asked, trying to sound relaxed but concerned.
"Just got 12 stitches" he said proudly. "And four in my arm too" he added.
"They Hurt?" Sadie said. She seemed grateful for anything to talk about, Walter observed.
"Loads" Lachie grimaced. "But they reckon I'll be good to go soon, because I'm taking it so well." He smiled at Sadie.
"I've had a lot of time to think, in here" Lachie gestured to the room, suddenly serious. "Just saying, there are no hard feelings on my part. I don't want to end up like how our parents are with each other. I don't fancy being yelled at in the pub." He joked. "Are we good?" he said earnestly.
"Of course!" Sadie said quickly.
Lachie looked over at Walter for an answer.
Walter half-smiled in response. "Yeah, we're good," he said. Walter felt like a weight he didn't even know had been lifted off his chest. He slowly breathed out, he smiled without thinking about it.
"My parents aren't so happy though," he said, his eyes darting around the plain room. "I'm not sure if they're 'good' with everything. The hospital bills..." he trailed off.
"We brought you some biscuits!" Sadie said quickly, before silence could swallow them again. She reached into a cloth shopping bag she brought in. She grabbed a packet of supermarket biscuts, the kind you buy in packets and handed over to Lachie with a smile.
Walter was surprised when Lachie smiled a genuine smile and said, "Gee, I've been missing these. Hospital life sure is tough" he smiled at Walter, obviously trying to look careless, but Walter could see he was really nervous. Walter smiled back, just as tentatively.
They stood in the room a little longer, feeling slightly awkward, but there was a sense of resolution that wasn't there before.
"Sadie! Walter!" Walter nearly jumped out of his skin at Ellie's cheery voice. She popped her head into the room. "Hello Lachie." She greeted. "It's good to see the three of you together." Ellie's cheery tone was
almost cheesy, but Walter found it comforting. Sadie smiled apologetically at Lachie and Walter. "Oh, yes" she said, as if she just remembered something. "Sadie, Walter, we're going over to David's for a BBQ." Sadie looked at Walter. She knew that he wasn't really comfortable with visitors, but he smiled reassuringly at her. Walter supposed it was good that David wanted them around, but he was still nervous. Instead of letting Ellie or Sadie catch on to his train of thought, he smiled and followed Ellie out of the room. He waved a quick goodbye to Lachie and dashed out of the room before he could respond.