'Rosie- we think that you are ready to be discharged today.'
Rosie and Cal were desperate for Rosie to be discharged but didn't particularly want to go back to the flat. They were getting through the loss of Ethan together- that made it easier.
Rosie's leg was slowly recovering- it now hand six pins holding various bones in her leg and foot together. She had grown used to pulling her weight on crutches and wheeling herself around in the chair when when she tired. Cal was always gentlemanly- pushing her around the department and occasional day trips around the town- giving both of them a break a break from the little hospital side room. The original plan was to have moved Rosie up onto the wards but the only free room was the same one that Ethan had stayed in after the minibus crash- it was unbelievable bad luck. Zoe and Charlie made the decision to just keep her in one of the side rooms- after all Cal would be useful if any major incidents came in- even though he was still on compassionate leave.
Cal began to gather up all of Rosie's belonging- odd items of clothing, tonnes of cards and a variety of gifts, a mixture of sympathy, get well soon and congratulations on your engagement. The room was a mix of emotions- it was surreal and just felt wrong.
'An appointment has been made for you to check how you're healing and you can get it of Noel or Louise at reception. Right- I'll be back in a bit, see you soon. Take care guys- you know where we are if you need us.' Zoe left the room with yet another sad smile.
Cal wheeled Rosie out of her room and towards his car, he was followed by Lofty who had offered to carry their stuff.
'See you later mate.' Lofty hugged Cal before hurrying back to the ED.
Cal helped Rosie into the passenger's seat and packed up the wheelchair into the boot with their other belongings from the hospital room. The journey home was quiet- to break the deafening silence Rosie turned on the radio. It was a bad decision- the one song that they didn't want to hear began to play 'If I die young'. It echoed through the car, despite the fact that Cal immediately turned the radio off the song still ran through their heads. Silent tears tumbled down Rosie's face and Cal used all his strength to stop his doing the same thing.
Seconds passed- the couple continued staring at the front door. Minutes passed- they starred frozen to the spot, watching it. As they looked at the door they were both reminded of their sarcastic battle when Rosie had to be told exactly how to use a door. They both smiled at the memory until they remembered who was waiting on the other side of the door- he wasn't there now. The house was empty apart from their lifeless possessions. Everything inanimate was no longer inanimate but now lifeless- as if the life had been maliciously stolen from them- like Ethan's had been.
When they finally pushed open the door they felt a wage of relief wash over them- they were home at last. Cal was finally beginning to accept that he should be focusing that Rosie had been saved by Ethan and that he could now marry the love of his life. That night, for the first time in a long time, Cal slept soundly. There was no pain or suffering, no death or destruction, just a young Caleb and Ethan playing together as he relived his happy memories.