I hope you're all enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it, it's my first writing effort for a while. From now on I will try and post an update at least every Saturday night, if not more frequently :) Thanks for reading and please review, any feedback at all is appreciated :) Thanks x
"She was drunk" Dylan stated clearly, standing to address his assembled colleagues; all of whom had witnessed his ex-wife's irrational behaviour last night. "This isn't unusual for her when she's drunk." Dylan paused uncomfortably, swallowing hard and trying to avoid the over-curious gazes of the crowd in front of him who were clearly hanging on his every word. "I know Sam seems… unbothered by her time in the army, but let me tell you, this isn't the case." Dylan concluded, looking around them, trying to gauge by the looks on their faces whether they had understood what it was that he was trying to tell them. The blank look on the faces of Linda, Lloyd and Scarlett instantly told him that they didn't have the faintest idea, whereas he noticed that Mr Jordan was looking concerned and Big Mike was staring at him with a strange expression on his face. Dylan thought back, recalling Neil the receptionist mentioning something about him being ex-army too, so he hoped that he at least could understand what Sam was going through. As he stood there in the silence, he realised that he would need to expand, if only for the dim-witted few who didn't understand his method of communication, "Sam has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She drinks to forget it all, hence why she was out with you all last night, but it only brings it back worse, which is why she thought Mr Jordan was shooting at her when his car backfired." Without pausing to answer the questions that were being fired at him from all directions, he turned and quickly exited the room.
Dylan was walking down the corridor to the staff room, still reeling from being forced into telling his colleagues about Sam's Post Traumatic Stress. However, he felt confident that he'd told them enough for them to understand her sometimes less than rational behaviour without informing the whole hospital about what had triggered Sam's condition. The thought of the silent empty room, and being left with just his thoughts was highly appealing. Although Dylan also knew that he wanted to be the one to greet Sam when she came into work this morning, most likely exhausted, incredibly hung-over and in need of support after her flashback last night. He would never admit it to her or to anyone else, including himself, it broke his heart to see her so distressed; it made him just want to hold her close to him and never let her go.
Sam looked up as Dylan entered the room, smiling weakly at the look of surprise on his face. "So there is life in this hospital then..?" He nodded, the faintest sparkle of shock in his eyes at seeing his wife up and in work so early, especially considering the sheer amount of alcohol that she had consumed the previous night. Busying himself with making coffee, he threw questions over his shoulder at her small form. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"A bit better, thank you..." Sam mumbled, rubbing her sleepy eyes and hauling her heavy, exhausted body off the sofa in order to join him by the kettle. "Look, Dylan..."
"Sam, don't speak. I understand you and how you work; I don't need you to say anything by way of thanks." Brushing off her grateful comments, he put another mug of strong, steaming coffee down in front of her. "Just drink it Sam, take some painkillers, have a nap or something..." He trailed off as he sat down beside her, not knowing what else to say, and the pair fell into a comfortable silence, with Sam leaning lightly into his shoulder. They remained seated together for a good half an hour or so, before Dylan noticed Sam's eyes starting to droop. Gently taking the empty mug from her hands, he placed it on the table and lifted her up onto the sofa so that she could stretch out as she slept, her beautiful long blonde hair fanning out over his lap. Unable to resist her beauty as she slept, Dylan leant down and placed a tentative kiss on her pale forehead. "Sleep well Samantha..."