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Chapter 14
"You ok?" He asked. Holding the phone close to his ear as he hurried down the corridors. Expecting the news.
"No. I'm bleeding not." She angrily puffed back at him. "This is so unfair."
"Molly." He laughed and regretted it. Now was not the time to make light of her feelings.
"Don't you dare 'Molly' me. You've no idea what it's like here." She felt close to tears... again. "I'm sharing a bay with a nutter who does anything but look after her baby, and another nutter who won't leave hers alone. I'm going mad."
It had been three days since their little girl had been born. Three days and due to the complications Molly had to stay in to ensure the caesarean wound was heeling. She wasn't expected to be in much longer, she'd be, they would be, mother and daughter, would be coming home soon.
Regarding her pregnancy everything had gone as planned, just not soon enough for Molly. Waiting out patiently was not something she was happy to do in this case. Molly however got slower as the days past her due date went by, desperate to give birth. She tried everything she could think of to bring baby on. Both were frustrated. She had taken to calling him six, seven times a day at work to complain about how unfair it all was. How she was fat, tired, sore, fed up, uncomfortable... she was everything but the one thing she wanted to be... a mother.
Then the day finally came.
Charles had gone to work with assurances from her, as he had done for the past ten days that if anything was to happen she'd call him. And she did. Initially her calls to him were just the routine moaning calls, but later on in the afternoon she called to merely ask him how he was.
He found it odd, she'd always been caring but for the past weeks all Molly had done was complain about herself. Others and their feelings, for once, hadn't got a look in. This caused him to stop, to consider. Puzzled by her change he slipped away from work early.
On arriving he found her on all fours in the downstairs toilet... cleaning it. Finding her loudly complaining that the floor was a disgrace and they needed to redecorate it too. Maybe even today. He looked at her horrified, as she bustled about with energy he hadn't seen for a long time from her.
It was only when she stood up in front of him, when he noticed her wince that he wondered.
She looked different. Not the angry pissed off with waiting Molly he'd grown used to over the past couple of days, but an almost calm Molly was now standing in front of him. That was until the first contraction hit her, and then she changed again.
Her labour moved at a fast pace. Contractions initially coming quickly and Molly announcing each and every arrival loudly. When they arrive at the hospital, both terrified, both excited they had expected things to progress quickly. That's what Molly had wanted. It's what she thought she deserved.
Yet it wasn't to be. Baby James had, it would appear, to have already inherited a bit of her mother's streak of stubbornness, and she wasn't for doing things any way but hers.
As the late afternoon wore on to the evening and then eventually the early morning, Mother Nature, it was decided, needed a hand.
Molly was exhausted. Charles was lost. He'd never been in this position before and was terrified. He was so used to being in control that he found it hard to simply watch. They were told that Baby James was big, Molly was tiny. So a caesarean was performed.
At last their beautiful baby girl came screaming into the world. Perfect, just like Charles always knew anything that came from Molly would be, just like Molly herself. Watching what Molly had gone through, watching for the first time one of his children being born, only made him love them both more.
The choice of name for their new, sweet, beautiful girl was never in doubt. Something they hadn't talked too much about before her arrival, but as soon as she came they knew it was meant to be.
And so with a happy heart as he left his new born daughter and exhausted wife napping Charles called their friends and his family to announce the arrival of Elizabeth Margaret James.
All was well. Molly had to heal and would be due home soon, but it wasn't soon enough for her. Hence the telephone call to Charles.
"Molly you've only been in there three days. You'll be home tomorrow." He closed the office door behind him. Lance Corporal Green still keen to pick up on any gossip she could about her favourite couple.
"Shitting hell Charles have you ever been in hospital before?" A brief silence loomed between them on the phone. She regretted instantly what she had said.
"Yes. I have." He calmly answered back. They were the times of his life he never wanted to remember. He rubbed his leg subconsciously.
She needed to move it on. She had crossed a line, a line of memories that caused pain.
"So you coming to see us today or what?" She lightly asked.
It was a stupid question. He was smitten with his two girls. Every day he was the first one through the doors and the last one to leave. He was desperate to get them home.
"I might do." He teased. Then hearing her chuckle, happy they were back into the good side of things, he continued.
"Bringing Dad in too. Sam will see us at home tomorrow when he's back from exercises."
"Good. Charles hurry up though. We hate it in here. Just this morning Lizzy was saying how she wanted to get home to be with her Daddy."
"Lizzy?" He raised his eyebrows at his new daughter's shortened name, as he paced around his office. "That's what we're calling her?" He liked it.
"It's cute." Molly answered. "Suits her, and she told me she likes it. You don't mind do you?"
"God no Molly, but I am a bit surprised she's talking already." He laughed.
"Takes after me, don't she."
"Oh shitting hell then Molly, to coin your phrase, what type of life will I have? Two James women to talk constantly at me."
The laughter of them both down the line was good for them. Separation was hard, they felt the loss of the closeness of each other. Tomorrow and their discharge home couldn't come soon enough.
Molly and Lizzy's arrival home the next day allowed them to be together. Allowed Lizzy to meet her new step brother, and to settle in to her new home. Parenthood came easy to the pair. Something which surprised Charles, as the first time, something he constantly apologised for, he was hopeless. Molly took to everything easy and with the determined nature she applied everything to. Of course they lost sleep, were constantly tired in those first weeks. Lived like zombies, and talked about nothing but their daughter and her needs, but neither would have had it any other way. This new James family were blissfully happy with their lot.
"You really don't have to come you know." He said as he was slipping on his coat, and reaching down to pick up the beautiful bundle from the pram.
"I know. But I want to". She replied, her head stuck inside Lizzy's changing bag.
"Georgie be will definitely be there. You do know that don't you." He checked when he had her full attention.
She pulled her head out of the bag and answered him with raised eyebrows.
"Course I bloody do. You've told me enough. What's the matter? Don't you trust me to behave?"
He laughed at her question.
"It's not you who I don't trust… but Georgie. She's not exactly known for leaving things alone now is she?"
"Don't worry. It will be fine. This do is important to you so it's important to me."
She turned to run upstairs, to get some last minute things, as she left him all he could do was marvel at his beautiful wife. It was four months since Lizzy had been born, and this was one of their first grown up outings with her.
Elvis' Dad was 80. He was having a big party in a fancy hotel somewhere in London and the three of them were invited. Of course Charles wanted to go. Elvis' family had been like his second family over the years, but it did mean sharing space and time with Georgie. He could just about handle it, but he had his doubts about Molly and her fiery temper.
Lost in thought his attention was caught as she walked down the stairs toward him.
"Doesn't Mummy look beautiful." He cooed into Lizzy's ear, even though his daughter was half asleep.
He was as always so proud of her, but tonight more so. Her figure was slowly coming back, not that it mattered to him, and perfectly fitted into a black hugging dress. High heels helping her carry off the outfit perfectly. He noticed she was startling to glow again, the drawn tired look of new mothers disappearing, being replace by the confident Molly he'd always known.
"You don't look to shabby yourself." She replied and their eyes locked, memories of another time filling their heads
He bent down to lovingly kiss her.
"I love you Mrs James." He sighed onto her lips.
"I love you to Mr James. Now stop stalling and let's get to the party before madam needs feeding or changing again."
The party was in full swing as they arrived. Loud noises, lots of people, bright lights, all welcoming, but causing Lizzy to wake up as soon as they arrived. The drive to the hotel had been awful and they were both regretting declining Elvis' parents offer to accommodate them at the hotel for the night. As Molly wasn't drinking due to breast feeding they thought it was a waste and intended to drive back home. However the weather outside was horrid and they both felt a degree of concern, promising themselves they wouldn't stay too long. The snow was still falling hard and the wind was increasing. Most of the roads in the area were still open but only just, driving was treacherous, slow and would need lots of concentration. Charles knew he'd stay sober too.
They stayed as long as they could, unable to ignore the weather that made its presence known on the hotel windows. They chatted to those they needed to, offered their birthday congratulations, and avoided being anywhere near Georgie for the next two hours. However eventually they politely made their excuses, and their escape. Charles and Molly both noticed that they weren't the only ones leaving early.
Charles drove slowly and sensible, all too aware of his precious cargo. The weather making visibility increasingly difficult. However as soon as they rounded the corner they saw the crash.
"Shit." Charles shouted as he tried to bring the car to a safe stop. He failed and the car went crashing off the road into the ditch.
They were dazed, but thankfully unhurt.
"Stay in the car. I'll go look." He said pointing with his head to the over turned car in the fields ahead of them.
Molly began to protest but knew someone had to stay with Lizzy. The car engine had stalled and the car's temperature was starting to drop. She cover her sleeping little girl over in more blankets.
What seemed like a life time Charles came back.
"I've called for help. They are still on the line…. there will be a delay because of the snow." In the dark light Molly could see he looked shaken, she heard it in his voice too.
"Is anyone hurt? How bad is it?" She asked, and started to unbuckle herself.
He walked over to her side of the car, surprising her when he opened it.
"It's Georgie. She's in a bad way. Think you need to help her." He said.
Within seconds Molly was out of the car and running down the long bank to where the crashed car was. She could see straight away that Georgie was hurt. The car had crashed off the road and rolled, hitting a tree on the way. Georgie was lying in an unnatural angle having been pitched from the car somehow.
Molly screamed to Charles, hoping he could hear her, the wind was whipping up around her, blowing debris from the road and snow across her path. She could hardly hear her own voice, only hoping it carried to him.
"Charles. I'll stay with her." She shouted at the top of her lungs. "Get Lizzy and take her up on the hill. It's too dangerous in the car." All the time she was commanding Charles she kept moving in the deep snow towards Georgie.
"I'm coming Georgie. Can you hear me? I'm coming to help."
She eventually, after falling several times in the deep snow, inappropriately dressed for the weather and trekking across snow deep fields, reached her.
Her legs were broken, and she had deep cuts to arms and legs. All of these Molly saw were pumping out blood. Molly took off her scarf and tried to stem the major of the bleeds, but it was the lack of response from Georgie and her odd angle of lying that concerned her most. She knew a noisy soldier was always less frightening that a silent one. Silence meant big trouble in her experience.
"Can you hear me Georgie? It's Molly. I've come to help." There was no reply, not even moans.
Molly could see she was breathing, and assessing her more found another break to her forearm, and a huge bump to her forehead. Molly knew all these were serious, now some of the bleeding had been stopped, but it was Georgie's neck she was now more concerned about. She was certain it was broken, but if not she was in a dangerous position for it to break, so she couldn't be moved until help arrived. Molly had to stay with her, immobilise it and if Georgie did wake up stop her from moving.
She heard Charles, he'd reached the top of the bank. Clutching a screaming Lizzy in his arms.
"What can I do? I can't get the car out. Ambulance will be here in twenty minutes or so." He screamed above the howling wind. Pulling Lizzy into him as twigs and snow flew around him
"She can't be moved. I have to keep her neck still. Think it's broken. Get to top of hill. Look out for ambulance. Point them to us. Look after my baby." She barked the words out to him, she was very much in control and Charles knew it.
It was pointless him becoming all chauvinistic and trying to take charge, he knew this was Molly's area of expertise, the CMT training in her coming into its own. It was drilled into her never forgotten, and so he accepted his role in this dreadful scene. His job was to look after their child and point the emergency services to his brave wife's aid.
The lights of the upside down car's headlight were all Molly had to go by, in the distance she could see Charles clinging on to Lizzy, trying to calm her. Over the wind she could just make out her cries and her breasts responded painfully.
Molly squatted in the snow, freezing but hardly noticing. Her knees either side of Georgie's, immobilising it. While pressing down hard on the most severe leg wound to slow the bleeding down. It looked as though she was in a macabre game of Twister, the angles she had her body at in an attempt to help her former friend.
The minutes past. Still she had sight of Charles and her daughter, suffering in the elements just as much as she was. Her frozen toes hurt in the fashionable heels she wore, her hair soaked and blowing around ruining her vision of Georgie. In the poor lighting she could see Georgie looked grey and clammy, her abdomen swollen, her pulse was weak and rapid. Molly prayed the emergency services would arrive soon
After what seemed a life time Molly heard Georgie groan and her eyes fluttered open and closed .
"Georgie. It's me Molly. You've been in an accident. You're hurt you need to stay still. You got that? Stay still."
Georgie only groaned and tried to move then stopped as the pain hit her.
"Stay still mate. I've gotcha. We were gonna get you out of here. Just stay with me." Molly reassured.
This time Georgie opened her eyes and stayed still.
"Molly? Molly? What happened? Forgot the cake. A fox... swerved... that's all I know."
"Don't worry mate. You'll be fine. Ambulance will be here soon. I'm here I won't let you go." She quietly reassured her friend.
Molly gently stroked Georgie's cheek as she smiled at her. Georgie smile back, trying so hard to be brave.
"I'm sorry Molly. For everything. Me and Charlie... it was wrong. It wasn't him. It was me. I'm sorry." A single tear trickled down her face.
Molly brushed it away. Not sure if she herself was crying, but the snow and ice that was hitting her face made it hard to tell.
"Shhhh. It's ok Georgie…. we'll talk when we're safer. Don't worry." Then seeing her friend close her eyes she shouted. "Stay with me Georgie. Stay with me."
Georgie never woke again for Molly, however within five minute Molly heard the sound of the Ambulance arriving. It's blue lights and sirens lighting up the winter night.
Charles watched in relief as he saw the crews struggle to reach Moly and finally take over. He waved at her as he started to be led way by the Fire brigade, offering him and Lizzy a warmer place of safety in their cab.
Molly was moved away from Georgie, the crew worried about her exposure and wrapped her up in a foil blanket and walked her towards one of the Paramedic vehicles, and that was when it happened.
That was when, on that snowy windy, God forsaken night that everything changed.
Charles' instincts in a dangerous situation caused him involuntarily to turn, momentarily he was relieved, saw Molly standing there safe, and then he heard the crack. She fell in front of the Paramedic who instantly responded and screamed for help. No one had seen it coming, it was a hundred to one freak accident, but still it had happened, and it happened to his Molly.
A large branch from a nearby tree had broken off in the strong winds and had hit Molly completely on the back of her head. The full force of it cracking her skull. Stopping her world. Instantly she dropped and was knocked consciousness.
Charles was beside himself. It had been hours now and still there was no news. Sam and Edward had joined him at the hospital. As had Marco, and his parents. All waited. Waited for news of their girls.
As soon as Charles saw Molly fall and not get up again he knew. Activity rushed around her stilled body as much as it was rushing around Georgie's. He was unable to reach either of them, and could only watch with his screaming daughter in his arms. Her cries piercing the night just like he wished his could.
They were all taken by blue light ambulance to the hospital. Both him and Lizzy given a clean bill of health, now all waiting on news about Molly and Georgie.
Eventually it did.
Georgie was awake, badly broken legs and an arm. Multiple bruises and a slight concussion. Her neck injury was still in its early stages, but thanks to Molly's first aid the outcome was hopeful.
Then came his turn to hear about Molly. She was still unconscious. Her skull fractured, a trauma had been noted. They had placed her in a medical coma, and she was gravely ill. The next forty eight hours were crucial.
In less than a day Charles' world has been turned on his head. He was allowed to see her, Lizzy and his Dad stayed outside. Sam supported his broken father in the critical care unit.
Molly was as though she was sleeping. The only sign of an injury was the blood that had dried into her long hair. There were no marks to her face, she looked peaceful. No signs of pain.
The machines helped her breath and made a comforting noise, but still Charles broke down. Sam cried too as they both held on to either of Molly's hands telling her how much they loved her, and need her to come back to them.
Over the next couple of days Charles rarely left her side. Edward and Sam helped take care of Lizzy and brought her in everyday to see Molly and Charles.
Molly still hadn't woken up. The medical induced coma was reversed in the hope that she would wake up naturally, but she didn't. She remained in a coma, and responded to nothing. After nearly a week the medics stared to talk to Charles in hushed voices about complications and high risks of clots. The prognosis was poor.
It all went over Charles' head. All he knew was that Molly hadn't woken up. That dreadful night has destroyed his and Molly's life, but he believed that was only for now. He kept believing she'd wake up. She get better. She had to.
He took little other news in, heard snippets about Georgie and her repeated operations but paid no attention. All his energy was focused on Molly. He washed her hands and face every day, talked to her, helped the nurses in changing her and her sheets, but still she slept.
He lived the next weeks in a trance. Little got through to him.
The day they told him she had died, the words meant little to him. He was beyond feeling anything. Others around him supported him, cared for him. But despite their kindness it wasn't enough. All he wanted was his Molly back, and she wasn't here.
The day of the funeral came. Rebecca had agreed to look after Lizzy. Charles did not want her to be there. Sam and Edward supported him. He was lost, in a world without Molly. Living each day by day, hoping that it was all a dream and everything would be as it was.
The funeral service was long and complicated. He laughed to himself knowing Molly would have hated that. It had all been arranged by others, of course he'd had no input.
They talked about her bravery and role as an Army Medic. Something she would of loved to hear, that and how well others thought of her, Charles knew that. Everyone there mourned at the loss of such a young beautiful life. Told stores about her and remembered her. It was a good funeral.
It meant nothing to Charles though. It was a rite he had to go through. A temporary event in his life that marked only her passing. He wasn't strong. He wasn't brave. He was nothing, he was just lost without Molly by his side. His Molly who had always been there to support him, to love him, and now because of the sudden cruel fatal events of one night she wasn't.
As he left the church he didn't hear the condolences. He needed to leave. Break away. He had to go. He needed to see his daughter, his love, his life.
As he pulled up in front of the hospital he realised he'd done the entire journey on auto pilot. He had no recollection of driving there. He hadn't actually meant to come, but pleased that he had. He had gifts to give the staff, thanking them for the care of Molly.
He walked quickly to the unit. He knew the way. Too long too many days he'd spent here, and he was instantly recognised by the staff on the unit. They knew of his loss.
They approached him, offered him their sympathies and some of the older ones even gave him hugs. He felt content in their company. Maybe because they could help him make sense of it all.
They offered him a coffee, took him into their staff room, and left him to his thoughts.
He pulled his heavy black wool coat off and threw it down in grief and disgust. Today was a bad day, one of the many he had had in his life but today he yet again had to say good bye. Goodbye to a young life taken too soon.
Today he had attended her funeral. Had watched her family and friends cry over her passing, he however could shed no tears. He had none left to shed.
Today he had stood in the church and said goodbye.
Today they had buried Georgie Harte.