Linda woke to someone fiddling with her left arm. Her eyes shot open, and instinctively pulled away. She knew the self harm scars were there, and she asn't going to let anyone see them.
"Sorry." Lenny said, seeing her awake. "I saw that you were bleeding..."
"Its fine." Linda said, pulling her cardigan over her wrists.
"You know, i'm here if you want to talk about it.."
"I said, i'm fine." Linda said coldly, stood up, and walked out of the room to get her scrubs on since she was working today. She always wore a long top under neath to cover up the scars.
She didn't know how she was going to cope today, knowing her sister was gone. Her eyes teared up at just the thought of it. But she kept telling herself; Maybe Denise would be be better off now. No more drugs, no more pain. But it gave Linda pain, knowing Denise was gone. She threw her patient notes down on to the bed in frustration, making Tess jumo next to her.
"Sorry." Linda muttered, and walked to the ladies loos.
She shut herself in a cubicle and sat on the lid, hoping she would get some peace and be able to think.
So, what was she going to do now that Denise was gone? Would her parents come crying back to her? No. She wasn't going to let them. They gave her a bad child hood, and she didn't want them risking her adult life too. But what was going to happen to Denise's two kids? Put into care?
The trouble that Denise had caused was huge. She caused herself more trouble than she was worth. Her kids would have loved her, and now they must be wrecks like Linda while they try to find something to do until someone could care for them. It must be horrible, sat in a care home, feeling like no one wants you...
Lindas heart began to beat harder and faster, and it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest and on to the floor. She missed her sister so much, even though she knew Denise didn't treat her like a sister. They were still related, and Linda would always try to look after her. She did try to hide the drugs for Denise, but it was unlucky that her parents found them. She remembered Denise shouting at her again, and then Linda found herself sobbing again.
"Linda, are you alright?" It was Tess. She had probably followed her in there, because its obvious that someone is wrong.
"Yeah... yeah. Im fine." Linda said, flushing the toilet even though she didn't use it. She wanted to make it look like she had used it.
She wiped her eyes, and tried to make herself more presentable which was hard because there was no mirror. She opened the door and stepped out to see Tess still there.
"Why don't you take the day off?" Tess said, but Linda thought this was a bad idea. It would give her too much free time to think about her life, when she really wanted not to.
"No, Tess. Id like to stay." Linda sniffed.
"Are you sure?" Tess put her hand on Lindas shoulder, making Linda flinch. "Sorry." Tess said, feeling her flinch. Linda didn't reply to her, as she was trying to concentrate on keeping the tears back. "You know where I am, if you ever need to talk."
"Thanks." Linda said, but she knew that she wasn't going to go and seek help from her.
She turned her head to see Tess walk out and take one last look at her, and Linda put leaned on the sink and splashed water on her face. She loved the cold feeling on her face, but she dried her face and waited until her face had gone back to its original colour, and the red rings around her eyes had gone. It took a while though, and she was still there after ten minutes. It looked like the rings would be staying there for a while.
She reluctantly stepped out of the toilets, and went to try and get on with her Job.
Meanwhile, Lenny was still wondering why Linda's behavior had dramatically changed. She was fine until that patient came is. What was it about that patient that was making her so upset, paranoid, and cranky? He was going to find out, some way or another, because he wanted to help her. He liked Linda, more than a friend, and he was determined to find out if she liked him too. He was going to get to the bottom of this.
And what was up with the blood on her cardigan? Did she do that? No, Linda wouldn't. She was so lovely, she wouldn't self harm without a reason...
He walked into the room that had the patient in, and he picked up her notes, looking for anything that Linda might recognise...
Drug addict... No. Linda wasn't a drug addict.
Two kids... The poor kids!
Name. Denise Andrews.
Andrews? Did he read that right? Denise Andrews? She must have been related to Linda... Why else would she get so upset? He carried on reading, and he found the list of relatives.
Polly Andrews: Mother.
James Andrew: Father.
Linda Andrews: Sister.
Lenny's face fell. So this was Linda's sister? Why didn't she tell him? No wonder she was so upset. He would have to talk to her, or try and get her to talk at least. She didn't want anything to do with him earlier. They were such good friends, but today she was just blocking him out. He decided he would get her on her own in a cubicle, and ask her why she didn't tell him. Now looking at Denise's body, he could definitley see the resemblance between them.
He walked out, leaving the patient notes behind, and found Linda in cubicles.
Linda saw him looking in at her and her patient, and she sighed with frustration. Why wouldn't he leave her alone? She wanted to be alone, and not have people trying to run after her.
"Staff nurse Andrews. A word please?" He said, and pulled Linda out of the cubicle, pulling on her left arm and she cried out in pain. "Sorry. Just please, come in here."
He pulled her into an empty cubicle, and Linda's eyes stang with tears. She was rubbing her arm to try and sooth it.
"What?" Linda wanted to know.
"Please, tell me whats wrong." She head the begging in Lenny's voice. Maybe he really was worried about her.
"Nothing is wrong." Linda said, but her voice faded. She wasn't fooling anyone anymore.
"Okay. Then tell me. When were you going to tell me thatyou had a sister?"
He saw Lindas face scrunch up with pain from hearing her name, and he instantly regretted bringing up the subject.
