Gordon looked down at Jill, cradled in his arms. Over the previous few minutes, he'd felt her sag against him more, whilst her eyes drooped more and more. The tears had stopped some time ago, though they'd been content just to sit and hold each other. Nothing more of substance had been voiced, though both knew that the issues the day had thrown up were far from being resolved.
He manoeuvred Jill slightly, allowing him a glance at his watch. The time was not one he was happy to see; it was much later than he had thought. He had to get home, he needed to see the children before they went to bed. However, he was loath to leave Jill; the day had shaken both of them, though Jill, of course, refused to admit this. He let a couple more minutes pass before finally becoming resigned to the fact he could no longer delay his departure.
"Sweetheart." He began to rouse her. "I have to be going now."
She shifted, moving her head upon his shoulder a little to look up at him. He in turn placed a kiss into her soft black strands of hair. A smell of sea salt wafted from her hair, reminding them both starkly of the afternoon's events.
"I'll come and see you first thing in the morning."
She shook her head lazily. "You don't have to."
He smiled softly at the sleepiness of her murmur; he hoped it meant she would have a good night's sleep to recover from the day's ordeal. Gently, with one hand supporting her head and his arm around her back, he eased her to lay down. She groaned a little in protest when he slipped his hands out from under her. The sheets were drawn up over her sleeping form and tucked in underneath the mattress as best as he could, though of course not to the high standards of the nursing staff. He made a mental note to mention it to Sister Brigid on his way out; he didn't want her getting into trouble with Matron.
He bent over Jill once more, smoothing her hair tenderly from her face before brushing a kiss across her cheek. And then he stepped reluctantly away from the bed. He glanced back only once, at the ward doors. He shuddered; those few minutes on the boat were going to haunt him.
