Thanks for the views and reviews, would love some more though? Hope your all still enjoying it? Anyway here's the next chapter, enjoy and please review :-) x
Two days later, Peter, Michelle and Carla are back at the hospital. They'd spent most of their time there since the attack happened but Jaimee was yet to gain consciousness. Carla and Peter are stood outside Jaimee's room, waiting for Michelle to return; she'd left ten minutes before to answer a phone call. Soon Michelle returns and the look on her face tells Carla and Peter that she's not received good news.
'That was Matt on the phone.' Michelle said, making her way over to Carla and Peter.
'Where the hell is he?' Carla asked angrily.
'He's still in Australia.'
'What?'
'He wasn't able to get a flight until tonight. He's in pieces Carla.' Michelle said, trying to calm her friend down.
'Good.' Carla replied bluntly.
'Carla!' Peter said.
'Well he should be here at Jaimee's bedside.'
'He can't help it if the flights were all booked up.' Michelle said.
'He shouldn't even be over there in the first place. He got a job offer; Jaimee didn't wanna go so he should have stayed put.'
'Come on, I know this is a hard time but it must be terrible for him being thousands of miles away.' Peter said, feeling sympathetic towards Matt.
'And it's gonna be even more terrible for him when he finally gets here because believe me I will be having words.' Carla snapped.
'Car-.'
'No! Don't try and tell me I'm over-reacting ok? His wife, my daughter, is lying on what could be her death bed and he's still half way round the bloody world!'
'She's gonna be fine Carla.' Michelle reassured her, putting her arm round her friend.
'So everyone keeps saying.' Carla muttered.
'And they're right.'
'Then why has she been unconscious for two days?'
'Because she's lost a lot of blood. She was shot, she's not gonna recover within a couple of hours.'
'When I look at her in there, I don't see my daughter. I see a woman who's hanging onto life by a thread and that thread is about to snap at any moment.' Carla said, looking through the window into Jaimee's room.
'Hey don't talk like that. Jaimee needs us more than she ever has right now and she needs our positivity. She'll be ok, not only because we want her to be but because she has to be. Simon, Lila and Josh need their big sister and she knows that. She'll keep fighting for us all.' Peter said softly, feeling Carla's pain.
'Are the kids alright?' Carla asked.
'They're with the lads.' Peter replied.
'What would we do without them eh?'
'They said they'll look after them for as long as we need them to.'
'I feel awful. Josh is only a couple of months old and yet I've just spent a whole day away from him.' Carla moaned tearfully.
'I don't think he really knows what's going on.' Peter said.
'I still can't help but feel guilty.' Carla shook her head.
'So go home for a while then.'
'I can't leave Jaimee.'
'I'll stay here with her.' Peter said.
'And I will too.' Michelle added.
'What so it'd just be the two of you?' Carla asked suspiciously.
'What's that supposed to mean?' Peter asked, a little tired of Carla's lack of trust.
'I think its best I stay.' Carla said, her eyes flicking between Peter and Michelle.
'Why? I know we did something stupid and it hurt you but it really was a mistake. I wish you'd realise how much we both love you.' Michelle sighed.
'Go on, go home, have a shower, something to eat and spend a bit of time with the kids. I'll call you if there's any change.' Peter ordered.
'Ok well I'll be back in tonight. Make sure you tell Jaimee that.'
Carla kisses both Peter and Michelle on the cheek before looking at Jaimee sadly and leaving the hospital.
'You look shattered.' Michelle said, studying Peter's pained expression.
'I can't remember the last time I slept.' Peter sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.
'Why don't you go and grab a coffee? I'll keep Jaimee company.'
'I don't think that's a good idea.'
'Why?'
'Well you haven't been in to see her yet.'
'I've been here with you and Carla every day.'
'And we're so grateful to you for that but you haven't actually stepped foot in her hospital room.'
'It's a pretty scary sight.' Michelle said, a quiver in her voice.
'I know.' Peter said quietly.
'But it's time for me to face the music. I'll be fine Peter, go and get a coffee.' Michelle told Peter.
Peter walks down the corridor in the direction of the canteen. Michelle opens the door to Jaimee's room, inhaling quickly as if her breath has been taken away. Jaimee is lying on the bed, still unconscious with tubes and wires attached to her. Michelle sits down on the chair next to her bed, visibly shaken by Jaimee's condition.
'Jaimee, its Michelle. I wonder if you can hear me? I'd love it if you could because then we'd know you were on your way to recovering. I'm sorry I haven't sat with you yet. I should have been by your side all day, every day since it happened but the truth is, I was scared, so scared. Still am if I'm honest. Seeing you like this is one of the most horrible things I've ever had to do.' Michelle pauses and takes hold of Jaimee's hand, stroking it gently.
'Why did you do it sweetheart? Why did you feel like you had to take the bullet for me? When that bloke pointing the gun at me I was praying that I wouldn't get hurt, that he'd get cold feet about the whole thing and do a runner. But now seeing you like this, the image of you falling to the ground playing over and over in my mind, I know I'd happily take your place in that bed.' Michelle stops talking for a few moments, frantically trying to wipe the tears from her face.
'Hey, you've had so many visitors you know? Julie, Eileen and Sean popped in yesterday and the rest of the factory girls came in this morning. And of course your Uncle Rob has been here a lot too, and it's been a tough job trying to keep the lads away. Honestly they'd sit her every single second of the day if we let them, but we thought that after everything that happened with Warren it would be better for them to have a break and let us take over. Your mum and dad have been here the whole time too. Your mum's nipped home for a bit right now, she wants to see the kids, but she said to tell you she'll be back later.'
Over on Coronation Street, Carla knocks on the front door of Number 13. Danny answers it almost immediately.
'Carla, how are you? How's Jaimee?' Danny asked, letting Carla into the house.
'She's still the same, unfortunately.' Carla sighed.
'I still can't get my head round this. She left the house that morning so happy, so full of life, and now it feels like we're on the verge of losing another one of our best friends.' Danny said, clearly emotional.
'I feel awful that we're not with her.' Jake said, coming through from the kitchen.
'I'm sorry you've been burdened with the kids.' Carla apologised.
'Oh no I didn't mean it like that. It's just you know how it is, you feel so helpless.'
'That's exactly how I feel. I'm her mother. I should be able to make her better but I don't know how.'
'Do the police have any idea who did this?' Jake asked.
'Not a clue. No-one in the pub got a proper look at him, his face was completely covered. The only person that got close enough to possibly identify them was Jaimee and...' Carla explained.
'Our Jaimee's a fighter.' Jake said reassuringly.
'That's what people said about me but then Frank tore my world to pieces and I couldn't cope. Sometimes even the strongest person gets tired of fighting.' Carla replied, tears filling at the memories of what Frank did to her.
'She won't leave us Carla. I promise you she won't.' Danny said, pulling Carla into a tight hug.
'Right well you two can have the rest of the day to yourselves. I'm gonna take the kids home with me.' Carla said.
'You sure?'
'Yeah, I need to make the most of the time I have with them.'
Back at the hospital, Michelle is still sat with Jaime. She is unable to control her emotions anymore as Jaimee continues to make no improvement. She couldn't help but think it should be her lying there; if Jaimee were to die, she would never forgive herself...
'I'm so sorry for everything Jaimee. I feel awful seeing you lying here like this. You don't deserve the things that life has thrown at you. You deserve happiness and the best luck in the world. Please darlin', just wake up for us, we're worried sick. None of us want to have to imagine life without you so please, I'm begging you, don't leave us.' Michelle sobbed, gripping Jaimee's hand tighter and tighter with every word, desperate not to lose one of the best friend's she'd ever had.
