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Jonny Maconie lay beside his wife holding her hand as she slept fitfully. This had been as much physical contact she would allow him to have with her since the day of the will reading. Each time he'd tried to pull her into his arms, to hold her tight, she would stiffen unable to relax in his embrace. She hadn't left the bedroom for two days and only left the bed to go the bathroom or to stand in the shower, letting the warm water sooth her. Her behaviour frightened him. He hadn't seen her this closed off since they lost Amelia and even then that had seemed different somehow. He had called work and made excuses for their absence claiming Jac was sick and he needed to take care of her. To spare the child from seeing her Auntie Jac in this condition he arranged for Ava to stay with Michael. Ava still had a week of summer vacation to go before she had to return to school and being spoiled rotten by her god father seemed like the perfect end to her.
He let go of Jac's hand and carefully moved himself off the bed so as not to wake her. He felt exhausted. He hadn't slept properly for over forty eight hours watching over his wife like a hawk. He wouldn't admit it to himself but he was afraid of what Jac might do if he left her alone. He crept down the stairs to make some food, even though he knew she wouldn't eat it. He kept trying regardless racking his brains for her favourite comfort foods that he just might be able to tempt her with. The doorbell rang as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He answered it to find Michael Spence stood on his doorstep.
'Jeez Maconie you do not look good' Michael exclaimed as he took in the weary face of the Scotsman stood the open doorway in crumpled Jeans and t-shirt.
'Is everything ok? Where's Ava?' Jonnie spoke tiredly stepping back to let the man in.
'Everything is fine, you don't need to worry about Ava she's spending the day with that friend of hers, Isabelle.'
'That's good' Jonny nodded. 'Good to keep her occupied.'
'Jac's not really sick is she?' Michael crossed his arms as he followed Jonny to the kitchen.
'She's not right Michael' Jonny confessed sitting himself down at the table, exhaustion finally defeating him. 'I don't know what to do, I've never seen her like this.' He slumped his shoulders biting down on his bottom lip trying desperately not to cry in front of the other man.
'Ok, it's ok' Michael sighed resignedly as he patted Jonny on the shoulder. 'I'm sure I've seen her in a much worse state and she'll get through it, we always get her through it somehow'.
'She won't talk to me, she won't eat. I can barely get her to drink.' Jonny put his head in his hands. 'She won't even let me touch her and she keeps spending all this time stood under the spray of the shower, crying although she won't let me see that she is.' Jonny looked up at the man he was confiding to. 'I'm losing her Michael, it's like she's gone and left this shell, a shadow of herself.'
'I need to see her Jonny' Michael commanded.
'No' Jonny firmly shook his head. 'She won't let you, not like this.'
'Oh she'll let me' Michael spoke authoritatively 'I'm not giving her the option.'
'She won't want it Michael.' Jonny stood up quickly, intending to block Michael's exit from the kitchen. 'She wouldn't forgive me if I let you see her like this.'
'Come on out of the way Maconie' Michael spoke impatiently now, crossing his arms. 'I can assure you I've seen her at her worst, just let me…'
Michael didn't finish what he was saying as the two men heard the sound of a body hitting the floor coming from upstairs.
'Jac!' Jonny called desperately as he tore up the stairs and into the bedroom with Michael hot on his heels. 'Oh god, Michael ring for an ambulance!' he spoke panicked, forgetting all his experienced years of medical practice as he found his wife's lifeless body lying on the floor of the bedroom.
'Calm down, she's fainted that's all' Michael spoke sternly as he knelt down next to his friend, placing his fingers on her neck to check her pulse. He satisfied himself it was normal before placing his hand on her forehead. 'Jesus, she's burning up!' he glared at Jonny 'didn't you notice she was running a temperature?!'
'Like I said she hasn't let me touch her' Jonny clenched his hands in distress. 'I've haven't slept…' he let his panicked excuses trial off as he saw Jac's eyelids begin to flutter as she came round. 'Jac, sweetheart, its ok I'm here' he spoke reassuringly to her having finally come to his senses. He grabbed hold of her hand, pushing Michael out of the way. 'What were you doing sweetheart?'
'I went to the bathroom' Jac spoke groggily. 'What's Spence doing here?'
'Taking care of you' Michael answered her briskly. 'Now, are you hurting anywhere? Have you banged your head at all?'
'There was blood…' Jac started to faint again.
'Wait, Jac come on stay with us' Michael patted Jac's cheeks to get her to stay awake 'there was blood, in your pee, there was blood right?'
Jac nodded before her eyes rolled and she fainted once more.
'Jesus Maconie, I thought you said she wasn't sick!' Michael exclaimed angrily taking his phone out his pocket.
'She didn't say anything! I didn't know!' Jonny's voice was starting to sound panicked once more.
'Focus!' Michael snapped at him as he waited for his call to connect. 'Try and get her to come round.'
'Jac, come on Jac!' Jonny spoke urgently to his wife. 'Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.' He felt her lightly squeeze his hand as her eyelids fluttered once more.
'I'm sorry Jonny' she mumbled.
'Don't apologise you've got nothing to be sorry for ok?' Jonny spoke reassuringly to her whilst listening to Michael in the background barking orders down his phone to someone at the hospital. 'We're going to make you all better, you'll see.'
'Jac, I need you to answer me, are you in any pain?' Michael appeared in her vision one more.
She nodded her head as she indicated with her hand to her right hand side. 'It's in my back, really bad, it think it's my kidney'. Michael moved away once more leaving just Jonny in her field of sight. 'I don't want to go to the hospital' she whispered to her husband.
'I don't think you have a lot of choice' Jonny kissed her hand. 'You need to get well, for Ava's sake we need to get you better ok?' he watched as she nodded. 'I'm going to be with you the entire time.'
'Promise me, promise you won't leave me' Jac softly begged him, clutching tightly to his hand, the fear she was feeling evident in her eyes.
'Of course I promise, I'll be with you every second' Jonny forced himself to smile bravely for her. 'They'll have to force us apart if they need to.'
'Right let's go, I'll drive' Michael commanded having ended the call and picked up a blanket to keep Jac's frail body warm. Although it was a glorious Indian summer's day outside Jac was only dressed in pyjama bottoms and t-shirt and Michael doubted she had enough body fat on her stop her from feeling cold.
'I'm going to have to carry you, ok?' Jonny spoke softly to her, waiting for her to nod before he scooped her up into his arms.
'I'm sorry Jonny' Jac whispered letting a tear roll down her cheek as her husband carried her down the stairs.
'It's alright Jac, everything will be alright' Jonny spoke with far more confidence than he felt.
