Letting Go Of The Past, Holding On To The Future.
Part Twenty-Five.
Wedding Plans Snatched away by Trauma
Karen sat in the lounge with Jess drinking tea and looking through wedding magazines, Rob had popped out with Isla and Harry was out with friends from college. Bella toddled around the house generally making lots of noise "belle's stop shouting", "nah", Bella's words were coming along, "Bella, stop!" Jess said sternly. Bella shook her head. Karen was giggling. "Mum! Don't encourage her!" She joked. "I'm sorry, she just reminds me of you when you were that age" jess managed to join with a little giggle. Jess got another bridal magazine off the table and pointed to a dress, pure white with a patter stitched along the bottom. "This One's beautiful Mum" "they all are, I don't know how I'm going to choose!" Bella toddled over, her hair in a cute little ponytail all curly, her hands snatching away the magazine "Bella, what have I told you about sharing" Jess picked up Bella placing her on her lap, "you going to give that back to nanny?", Bella apprehensively gave it back to Karen, "ta", they were all trying to encourage Bella's speech she was beginning to become a right little chatterbox. Karen flicked through a few pages,"that's the one" Karen said a smile fixed upon her face. "Wow. That's beautiful!" It was a simple yet elegant white dress, with a short train, and a pattern stitched in up the side, it would hug Karen's figure perfectly! "Mum it's beautiful", "it is isn't it", "what do you think Belle's do you think nanny with look beautiful", "pwetty", Bella replied, "oh you are getting clever Belle's", Karen replied proudly, "fancying a coffee jess", "yeah why not, where's Rob then?", "think he's taken Isla to his mum and dad's but he promised her a trip to the park afterwards, not that she really understands that promise", the pair of them shared a stifled laugh. Karen got up and made her way into the kitchen getting two mugs out of the cupboard. "Do you still have sugar Jess?" Karen called through to Jess in the lounge. "Yeah one pleases" she said back. Karen walked back in with two coffees and a chocolate bourbon biscuit for Bella to suck on.
"Oh mum you do spoil her", Karen passed jess her coffee after Jess had passed Bella the biscuit "what do you say belles" "ta", Karen smiled. Karen couldn't remember being this happy, she really was happy with her life. Despite Jess and Aiden's split things were great, they were splitting the time with Bella and being civil in the process. "We haven't decided yet", rob arrived home with Isla, "we're home", "hello gorgeous", Karen turned around, "why thank you", "hate to break it to you but I was talking to our daughter", jess laughed, "you bunch of hopeless romantics", "hey jess", "hiya", Karen took Isla into her arms, she'd missed her, "how are your mum and dad?", "they're good, they were pleased to see this little monkey" Karen smiled. Jess closed the magazines and slipped them behind the pillow folding the page the dress Karen liked was on. "We best get going mum, see you later" she hugged her mum whispering into her ear"the magazines are behind the pillow" Karen laughed. "Bye darling" with that the door closed and it was just Karen and rob. Karen took Isla's coat off and hung it up on the banister. "How's jess?" "She's great" Karen smiled. Rob taking her in his arms giving her a hug. "Did you have a good day", "yeah though by the size of Isla's yawning somebody was a tad bored", "oi I'm sure she just really enjoyed herself", Karen sat on the sofa having a cuddle whilst Rob went and began their dinner, "rob did you feed Isla", "yeah, she gobbled it all up!", "oh you are a good girl! Sounds like daddy spoiled you rotten", Isla gave her mummy her signature smile before snuggling up to her.
Karen led back on the couch enjoying a hug off her little girl. The phone rang,"I'll get it rob you carry on with tea" Karen said with a smile. "Hello?" Karen's smile was soon vanished left with a worried look with tears pricking from the corners of her eyes. "Okay I'll be right there" Karen slammed the phone down grabbed her's and Isla's coat's and put them on. "Karen! What's going on?" "Forget about tea, Harry's in hospital. He's had a car crash!" "How! When?" "Ill tell you on the way! Get your coat!"
Karen hurried to the car, Isla beginning to grizzle at the situation, "hey, I'll drive", Karen was so stressed out, frantic, panicked and teary. She threw rob the keys and got Isla strapped in, which was as tough as hell! She was crying and Karen didn't have time to calm her down, they had to get to the hospital!
Rob managed to get her to sit still; he shut the door and got in the car, quickly getting to the hospital. They got out of the car, Karen unstrapping Isla quickly and slamming the door shut holding Isla on her hip her hand joined with robs and a tear trickling down her cheek. They went up to the desk,"can you tell me where Harry Fisher is please?" Rob asked. Karen could barely talk. She knew if she did, she would break down crying. "Right this way" "Here you are", the nurse tried to be as friendly as possible, "listen to me Karen I'm here with you, we'll support Harry together", Karen couldn't relax, she couldn't calm down, Isla could sense something was wrong she began to get more worked up. "Aye, come here munchkin", rob took Isla into his arms, Karen didn't need a grizzling baby to deal with right now when she didn't know what was happening to Harry. "You ready to go in", rob asked taking her hand, "no", Karen bluntly replied a teary sense of vulnerability, "Come one", and he whispered squeezing her hand a little tighter. "Rob I can't see him hurt!" "Karen I'm with you, we'll do this together" rob held Karen in his arms before walking into the room, Karen's eyes began to flood with tears, she started to tug at rob's shirt sleeve,"rob what's happened!" Rob was in just as much shock as Karen was. He held Karen's hand tight in his. He had cut's all over his face. The nurse walked in. "What's happened nobody's telling us anything", Karen was devastated, she didn't know what to expect but it definitely wasn't this! "We have had to place your son in an induced coma, seems your son was in the passenger seat not wearing a seatbelt his heads taken the full brunt of the force".
"Oh god!" Karen said through the tears, she broke down in rob's arms. "Is he going to be alright?" Rob asked. "Its touch and go, but we will know for certain in a couple of hours" the nurse said leaving the room. Karen walked round sitting on the chair next to Harry's bed. She held his hand in hers. "My poor baby" she said kissing his hand. "I'm not going to leave your side, not once. I'm going to be here until you are awake. I love you harry" rob came and stood next to Karen putting his free hand on Karen's shoulder Isla in his other Arm. "Shh come on Isla you have to be really good, for me, for mummy", this was hard on all of them, it hurt Rob to see Karen so distraught, to see Harry in the state he was and have his baby girl on his hip in tears because she simply didn't understand the situation. Rob felt useless, all the comfort in the world wasn't going to help her now. He just wanted to give her a big hug, tell her everything was going to be alright. He stood there not knowing what to do or say. Karen sat in silence tears rolling down her face. Rob knelt down beside Karen,"he's going to be okay you know" rob said trying to reassure Karen everything was going to be okay. "I hope so," Karen picked Harry's hand up and kissed it. "He will be" Karen managed a smile. She knew this was just as hard on rob as it was herself, Rob thought of harry as a son, and she knew he hated seeing her so upset. She stood up and gave rob a hug, kissing him on the cheek before sitting back down next to harry once again. "Karen I'm just going to go and get her buggy out the car, she can sleep then. Is that okay?", "yeah its fine" Karen wiped her tears away as she took Isla into her arms, "thank you", she needed to say those words to Rob show him that she was grateful for staying strong. "Come here sleepy head", rob kissed her forehead before heading down quickly to the car. "Your brothers had a bit of an accident, but he's going to be okay", Karen felt she needed to explain everything to Isla not that she understood, Isla kept reaching her arms out to Harry which pierced Karen's heart. Isla knew who it was lying there, tubes coming out of them, blood and cuts smothered all over there body.
Karen couldn't help but feel useless. Her son was led in front of her, in a coma and there was nothing she could do about it. Rob re entered the room with the buggy, wheeling it over to Karen. He took Isla off Karen placing her in the pram and covering her over with her blanket and putting in her elephant to comfort her. Rob kissed her forehead as her tiny eye lids began to close shut. Rob sat down next to Karen and scooped her hand up in his as he kissed it gently. He looked in Karen's eyes, they were full of hurt and sadness, and a tear began to fall from her eye. "Ay don't cry, he needs you to be strong for him. Now more than ever" he took Karen in his arms and gave her a hug to try and calm her down. Karen looked over at Isla, "she's been so good", Karen wiped away her tears she was feeling stronger with Rob by her side, "she always is", Rob commented, it was true! "What do we do Rob", "we can't do anything we just have to sit and wait, he'll be fine though Karen. Harry's always been a fighter always been the one we can all depend on", "I mean this was his own fault, he took the risk", "Karen we all make mistakes, and we have to learn from them", "hope he really has learnt his lesson after all this", "aye, don't have a go at him or start blaming yourself, we can deal with all that when we cross that bridge. I've called Jess and Aiden and Bex and her boyfriend are coming down, she said they could watch Isla for us. A hospital isn't a place for her", "thanks Rob". Karen rested her head on Rob's shoulder, "he looks so vulnerble","he's been through a lot, but he's going to come round, he'll be stronger than ever be for", Karen didn't know what to say she didn't really know what to do, she was beside herself and the next visitor really didn't help the situation. "Oh my god! Harry! What the hell happened!", Charlie barged through the doors, "he had an accident", "I can bloody well see that", Rob scooped up Isla had had been rudely awaken, "a car accident Charlie, our son was in a car accident", "what happened?","they were mucking around...harry was sat in the front...his heads taken the full blow", Karen broke down Charlie attempted to calm her, Karen moved back, "what are you doing", "Karen we can't be at each other's throats forever, we need to be civil for the kids and right now Harry needs us", "since when did you care!", Rob left the room before Isla became even more restless but he didn't just want to leave Karen or Harry who wasn't looking much better. "He's my son, I care about all my kids thanks!", "you are joking, Charlie runs away you make him feel unwelcome despite everything with Bex, your always showing how disgusted you are at Jess for falling pregnant and Bex... Have you even properly spoken to her since she went to uni. You would be so proud! But no you never focus on the positives, your too busy in your new relationship to care, it's one thing Maria trying to make an effort, it's more common for new partners to try and replace parents but Charlie your trying to replace your own kids with hers and it's not right! It's affecting the kids, Harry's slowly heading back to the place he was at when he was bulimic, and he's being led away. He's still our Harry but things are getting on top of him, where have you been aye! Where have you been to help at all since the divorce", "I've been there,", "Charlie we've been split up for over a year, you've barely been there!"?
"Karen, I've tried my best!" Karen looked down. "Can we not even just come together today? We need to be strong for Harry, Karen" Charlie walked over to the bedside and put his hand on Karen's shoulder,"he will be okay you know, he's our brave little boy" "I really hope so" rob walked back in with a sleeping Isla. "Any news?" "No same as before" Charlie added. Rob went and stood next to Karen with Isla in her pram. Jess walked in the door, Karen instantly getting up and hugging her daughter. "What's happening to him?" Jess said through the tears."He's in an induced coma, he was in a car accident and his head took full blow" rob added. "Oh god!" "Shh, listen to me. He's going to be okay Jess, he has to be", Karen hugged her daughter as tightly as was humanly possible! Karen still couldn't properly take in that that was the son on the bed in a coma, she knew it was harry and she felt devastated but the full effects of his accident hadn't hit her just yet. "I'm going to get a coffee anyone wants one?" Charlie asked, "No thanks", Karen replied, rob took her hand. "Ill have one please dad" jess replied. Jess followed Charlie out of the room. Rob took Karen in his arms, giving her a loving hug. She rested her head on rob's shoulder, "he will be okay, won't he?" Karen asked, with sadness in her voice. Rob couldn't say anything, he just sat and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. Charlie walked back in with Jess that sat back down sipping their coffees. Everyone looking at Harry just led there. So still. Karen fell asleep in Rob's arms he was pleased, all that worry shrieking through her body hurt him. Jess was sharing a hug with her dad; it's amazing how people came together in times of trouble. Isla was asleep in her buggy, all snuggled up after Charlie's outburst she'd been really good confused but good. Rob's phone vibrated in his pocket, it read, Hey I can be at the hospital in 10 minutes just got into Rochdale, send my love to mum, be strong for her Bex x . Rob felt relieved they all needed Bex. Rob simply replied, thanks Bex! Shall see you soon! Rob rubbed Karen's shoulder, her eye's slowly opening, he still in his arms. "Bex will be here in 10 minutes sweetheart, she sends her love" rob said softly, "thanks Rob" she kissed his cheek gently before lying her head back on his shoulder and looking at Harry, once again. She felt useless.
Bex had arrived her hand in her boyfriends, Max. "Bex you sure I should be here", "your with me now and we're both going to help my family out okay", they walked in Rob looking up a faint smile on his face, "hey Bex, whose this", Karen woke up she got up and held her daughter, "this is Max, but that's not important right now, how's Harry", Rob had been prepping her for what to expect on the phone and so had Jess she was always the best at staying strong, she was just as worried but she just wanted to help."Hey, I'm so sorry to hear about Harry", Karen smiled as did Rob and Charlie, jess had already met max. Karen felt something good shoot through her, Max was lovely, and Bex deserved him. "How's this little madam then?", "been good as gold, a little confused", "oh dear, come on then shall we take you home", "thanks Bex, your rooms how you left it, cleaner but you welcome to stay there", Karen found a bit of humour despite being a wreck. "Okay mum, you stay strong for Harry we'll be fine", Bex said goodbye to everyone as she left the room. "Max meets Isla", she was asleep so a full introduction couldn't be had but Max was pleased to see her. Karen scooped Harry's hand in her's, her other hand in robs. "I don't want to leave him tonight" Karen said looking at her son, "Karen we have to go at some point" rob said taking her in his arms. "But I don't want to leave him rob". "We'll stay here tonight then, ill ring Bex ask her to look after Isla tonight" he held her tight and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks Rob, I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing he was here without me. I just need to be here with him" "ay it's fine, I'm sure Bex will look after her" he wiped the tears away from her eyes. "Mum, me and belles better be getting home" "okay darling, see you tomorrow" Karen sniffled giving her daughter and granddaughter a hug. "Ring me if you hear anymore" "we will do" Karen managed a little smile. Charlie sat down, twiddling his thumbs as a couple of tears began to prick in the corners of his eyes. He hated seeing his son like this. Karen got up and headed over to Charlie, "he's our little fighter", Karen held her hand out for Charlie, Rob smiled and went to ring Bex, "I can't forgive myself for this","charlie this isn't your fault", "you have practically blamed me for everything bad that's happened in the last hour, now you're saying otherwise", "I'm sorry, what happened wasn't anyone's fault. We just have to be strong for him, he needs his dad with him", Karen and Charlie shared a friendly hug of support; this was hard they both felt so equally lost watching their son lying there. Karen went and sat back down, smiling at Charlie, rob walked back in, "everything's sorted, Bex and Max are looking after Isla tonight" he smiled. "Thanks again Rob, for everything" she felt she needed to say this, he'd been so good to her, and he would do anything for her. "I don't need thanking" he smiled sitting back down next to Karen; she kissed him on the cheek, and continued to look at Harry, led there. She just wanted to give him a hug.
The nurse popped in "the doctor is pleased with your sons progress, they're going to be taking him out of the coma in the morning", Karen cried with happiness "that's fantastic" Charlie blurted out with happiness, "he's out of any danger but we're still not entirely sure of the severity of his injuries". "When will you know?" Rob asked. "We'll know more tomorrow" the nurse said trying to reassure him. The nurse walked out and Karen breathed a sigh of relief. Rob kissed her forehead and she led her head on robs chest. Charlie was sat at the other side of the room, holding his coffee in his hands. Rob was brushing Karen's hair away from her face as her eyes began to slowly close. "I could never make her happy", Charlie muttered, times like this where you found yourself revaluating your life. "I'm sure that's not true", Rob was polite, "I never saw that smile she shows you, I was never there for her as such", "what do you mean?", "I guess we knew we weren't perfect but knew perfect wasn't realistic and got on with it, we just brushed over the cracks". Rob didn't quite know what to say, "I could never love Karen as much as you do, or make her as happy, I'm happy for you both you know" rob was quite shocked. "Were happy for you and Maria too." Rob smiled. "Thanks"
It was a conversation he hadn't been expecting, Charlie had never been perceived as the emotional type, well guess that's what hospitals do to you. "How's Isla?", Charlie was trying to lighten the mood, "she's great thanks, a bit of a monkey at the minute like they all are at this age", "oh I remember, wait till she's walking!", "oh I know, then the fun begins!", the pair of them laughed.
"Karen always wanted another child, but I felt we already had enough going on with the three we had". "We were falling apart; Karen thought another baby would fix us. I just thought it makes us even worse, we were trying to patch things up for the kids" "you both did a great job with them, they are all lovely and I love them all" rob smiled. Charlie managed a little smile. Karen's eyes opened,"you two having a chat?" "We are" rob smiled stroking her face with his finger.
"Should I be worried at the mention of my name?", "no", the men replied in sync, "you always were rubbish at lying, the pair of you!" rob smiled Karen sat up, "how's he doing", "no change, but no news is good news".
"Guess your right" she snuggled into Rob's arms him wrapping them around her. "So what were you two talking about then?" Karen asked with a hint of cheeky tone in her voice. "Nothing" they said in unison. Karen managed a little laugh. "So that obviously means something"
They all laughed. "Nothing you need to worry about" rob smiled. Karen looked up and Kissed Rob on the lips, before laying her head back on his shoulder, he kissed the top of her head, "you better get some rest, night sweetheart" rob wrapped his arms around her and Karen put her hands in his as she began to drift off to sleep. "She always did look beautiful asleep" Charlie said to Rob. "She does, doesn't she" he said stroking her face with his finger. Rob's phone vibrated in his pocket again. It was Bex. 'Isla's fast asleep, I and Max are fine. Say hi to mum for me, give her a hug too. Love, Bex x' he kissed Karen on the cheek. He was missing Isla. He got out his wallet, and pulled out a picture of Isla putting his wallet back in his back pocket. "Is that Isla?" Charlie said from the other side of the room. "Yeah, feel's weird not being with her" "I bet she'll be fast asleep" Charlie said with reassurance. Rob smiled. Charlie and Rob were getting on pretty well! Rob rested his head on Karen's. "Do you know anything about how they crashed?" Charlie asked. "No, all we know is he was in the passenger seat not wearing his seatbelt. One of his friends was driving" "What possessed him! How could he have been so stupid!", "kids will be kids, these things happen", "gosh your laid back", Charlie caught on "just had a lot of shock over the last few weeks, must be numbed", the room fell silent, Charlie just wanted his son to wake up but they had to wait till morning, which by now wasn't that long to wait anyway!