Charles froze, he didn't know if Sam was well enough to know that Rebecca had died, He tried not to give anything away and excused himself saying he needed to go and have a word with the nurse, taking Molly with him. Sam followed Charles with his eyes as he walked out of the room sensing there was something his Dad wasn't telling him, he then looked at his grandmother who swung into action herself by swiftly changing the subject, which alarmed him even more. Then it all came flooding back to him, they were in the car on the way back from shopping in Bath, his Mum had bought him a really cool t shirt and a DVD that he had been nagging about for ages, the traffic lights changed and their car had set off across the junction, he turned sideways to look across at his mum and had screamed as he saw the lorry, then nothing.
Charles and Molly came back into the room with a nurse, before anyone could say anything Sam looked at Charles "She's dead isn't she...?" Charles sat beside him and grabbed his hand, tears coming "Yes Sam, she is, I am so sorry" he then took his son in his arms and despite the tubes and monitors held him as tight as he could trying to absorb the desperate, sobbing and howling that had consumed Sam, he had never felt more helpless ever, he was his Dad, he adored him but he couldn't make this better, no one could.
Annabelle took hold of Molly's hand and whispered "I need you to look after them both for me now Molly Dawes, he has never needed you more than he does now" Molly nodded "I will, don't worry" both women looked at each other intently as though mentally sealing the verbal pact they had just made.
Sam had gone to sleep after the nurse had administered a sedative to help calm him down, all of his scans had been clear but they were continuing to monitor him because he had lost consciousness and stopped breathing after the accident and the doctor didn't want him under more stress than was necessary. Charles had used the time to go and freshen up, he was grateful that Molly had thought to pack a bag for him, when he came back Molly was in the seating area having a coffee he sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulder "I am glad you are here" then it occurred to him "wait a minute,where's Charlie?" "I went back to Guildford last night he's with Nan, I am going to need to go back tonight really he is going to be wondering what's going on" she felt bad as she didn't want to leave, especially as she had promised Annabelle to be there. Charles went quiet for a few minutes..."I need to make a call back in a minute" he disappeared back into Sam's room to get his phone and reappeared in the doorway five minutes later "you coming back in?"
Sam eventually woke up, he was understandably quiet but calmer, Charles was trying to chat to him, comforting him each time he became teary again. Molly was thinking about making a move it was late afternoon and if she left soon she could make it back for Charlie's bedtime. Charles' parents had gone home to freshen up, she would wait for them to come back and then leave.
Charles phone vibrated on the side table, he picked it up and looked at the screen "back in a minute" Molly looked at him a bit worried at being left alone with Sam in case he got upset again
"where are you going?" She was glaring at him and then looking back at Sam he reassured her "it's ok two minutes, that's all"
The next thing Molly heard was his Parents coming back into the room, Charles was stood in the doorway "you got a minute" he gestured for her to come outside she got to the doorway and had started to tell him "I am going to need to get back now that your parents...are...back" Nan and Charlie were sat waiting in the visitors area "Nan...how did..." Nan looked across at Charles as Charlie ran toward his Mummy, as she scooped him up and he rested in his usual position on her hip. Charles thought he better explain "I called your Nan, she got a taxi here, you are all going to be staying with us for a little while" Annabelle had appeared at the door by now "that's ok isn't it Molly? I would like to get to know this little man a bit better" looking at Charlie and then back at Molly with that same look they had exchanged earlier. "Yes ok, thank you...both of you" looking at Charles and then smiling at his mother.
Charles took Molly to one side "I am going to stay here again tonight, you guys go back to the house with Mum and Dad and I will see you tomorrow, I will need to speak to Rebecca's parents and see what arrangements need to be made, the police also want to speak to Sam but I don't think he is up to that just yet. I am going to speak to the family liaison officer later and try and find out more about what happened" he gave her a kiss "I will give you a call later when he goes to sleep" and with that he went back into the room, she saw him hug his parents goodbye and then he resumed his seat by the bed with Sam. At least she could be here for the next few days and not have to worry about splitting herself in two. He was a good man but this was going to be a long road for both Charles and Sam, she couldn't stay in Bath forever,she would cross that bridge when she came to it.