12
Martina marched through the corridors of the district general hospital as she tried to make her way to the ITU. Having told the receptionist a few white lies she knew roughly where she was heading. Her heels clipped on the floor as she hurried along.
"Ello." She looked up to see Jack and Amber walking towards her.
"Hiya. Look, Shifty told me what happened. That Joey is in ITU." She explained. Amber rolled her eyes at the mention of her father. She had already settled into Boswell life and loved her Auntie Nellie and the others. She just didn't know how Shifty had ended up as he had. Jack nodded.
"Yeah. It's a long story. Why are you here? Isn't it normally us visiting you? Didn't know the DSS did home visits." Jack watched as Martina blushed.
"I."
"Look," Amber interrupted. "I'm not a baby. My sperm donor is a scumbag. Joey got hurt trying to sort his mess out. Me and Jack found him."
"Oh."
"And my guess is that somehow you've been dragged into this. Along with Grandad and no doubt Julie and the baby." Jack continued. Martina nodded.
"None Of you showed up at work. It's a Wednesday. But this woman did. Warned me that the debt collection hasn't finished. So I pulled a sickie and went to see Shifty. Now I'm here." Her voice remained low, almost monotone as she looked away.
"Joey isn't a crook." Amber stated firmly.
"I know love. What have the police said?"
"Dunno." Jack paused. "Ma called them. Think they're talking to Shifty now. I'm giving my statement later. So's our kid." He nodded to Amber. "Did you really want to see Joey?"
"Yeah. Yeah I did." She blushed. "If that's ok? I mean. Well, I'm not family. I just dated his cousin. I."
Amber smiled, linking arms with the older woman.
"Auntie Nellie and our Aveline are with him now. But it's more than ok. I think the more people he has that love him now the better." Jack smiled as Amber spoke. It was rare that Martina showed any emotion but she was blushing and looking away at Amber's word.
"Touched a nerve there." Jack spoke kindly. "How about I use what little giro I've got left to buy us a coffee?"
"Good idea." Martina smiled as the Boswell cousins ushered her to the hospital canteen.
Xxxxxxx
Shifty pulled the net curtain aside as he saw the police car park in the space normally occupied by Billy's van. He swore as both officers left the car before heading towards the house he shared with Grandad.
"No, no no." He stepped back from the window as if he had been shot. The doorbell rang as Grandad yelled for him to answer it. He looked up the stairs before heading out of the back door.
Xxxxxxx
Aveline watched her brother as he laid attached to the life support machine. Nellie sighed.
"Mam, I don't think I've ever seen our Joey so quiet."
Nellie smiled slightly.
"Whirlwinds the lot of you. Billy and his shenanigans, Adrian and his artistic streak, you and your modelling. Jack and his doe eyed look on the world and our Joey. All style and worry."
"He looks after us all." Aveline sighed. "I never realised how much until Amber pointed it out."
"I know." Nellie sighed.
"What if?"
"Spit it out."
"What if he doesn't get better? I mean what if he is brain damaged? Who looks after him? I mean, we've all relied on him so much. It's not fair. He's my brother not me dad." She wiped her tears away as Nellie sighed.
"I dunno luv. I don't think I know anything any more." She squeezed her daughter's hand silently praying Joey would be the same boy she had raised. Neither Aveline nor Nellie noticed the slight movement of his hand as Joey began to wake.
Xxxxxx
