Tuesday 4th August 2020, 2am

It was the early hours of the morning – and the second night without Jac – and Jonny was fast asleep. He was laid on his side of the bed, with his arms wrapped around a pillow because he wasn't used to sleeping in a large empty bed. He had Honey curled up at the end of the bed but the puppy took up so little room that it was like it wasn't even there. His chest slowly rose and fell in a steady rhythm when he suddenly stirred. He frowned as he was sure he felt something behind him, but he merely closed his eyes once more and attempted to get to sleep. He then felt a tap on his shoulder and he rolled over to see a short, dark shadow there.

"Daddy? Are you awake?" Emma whispered.

"Yeah, I am sweetheart. What's wrong?" Jonny asked softly as he switched on the bedside lamp but he squeezed his eyes shut as they adjusted to the bright light.

"I… I…"

"Emma what is it?"

"I wet the bed." She murmured and Jonny then noticed her wet pyjama bottoms. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, darlin' don't cry. I'm sure it was an accident." Jonny said as he quickly sat up. "Come on, you go to your bathroom, take your pyjama bottoms off and I'll get you a clean pair and change your bed sheets."


"Right, your duvet is wet so you'll have to come and sleep in my bed tonight." Jonny stated after he had taken all of the sheets off and left the protective mattress bare when his daughter walked out of her ensuite in clean pyjamas. "You go and get comfy and I'll just go and put these in the washing machine."

"I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"I know you are, don't worry about it."

"Can you not tell mummy, please?" She asked shyly.

"No, of course not." Jonny replied reassuringly.


Wednesday 5th August 2020, 9am

Jonny was stood in the linen cupboard on Darwin as he rung his wife. He knew in Melbourne, it would be 8pm there and so it was one of the best times for him to ring as one of them wouldn't be asleep.

"Hello?"

"Hi, how're you getting on?" Jonny asked.

"Yeah, I've just gotten back from a meal with the other consultants. It's a great hospital and the equipment they have here is incredible." Jac replied.

"Listen, I haven't been 100% honest with you – well I just didn't tell you because she was embarrassed but I'm stuck for ideas now."

"What is it?" Jac asked worriedly.

"Emma… I promised her I wouldn't tell you, but she's wet the bed the last three nights in a row." He said slowly. "But she hasn't wet the bed in months so I don't get why this is happening. And on Sunday night – the first night without you - they both had to sleep in my bed because they were upset."

"Thanks. Now you're making me think I shouldn't have come." Jac complained.

"No, no sorry I'm not saying it's your fault. I just wanted to ask you if you had any ideas of how to stop it. I make sure that she goes to the toilet right before bed, she doesn't drink at least an hour or two before bed but it still happens and then because her sheets get wet, she has to come and sleep in our room." He explained. "What else can I do?"

"Well, maybe she does it on purpose so that she can sleep in our bed." Jac suggested. "The first night could've been a genuine accident but once she realised she got to sleep with you, she thought it was something that sounded appealing."

"No, I don't think she's doing it on purpose. She feels awful and she's really shy and ashamed after it's happened and we both know that isn't what she's normally like."

"Well, I suppose she's just got to get used to me not being there." Jac sighed. "If it happens for more than a week then I'll come home." Jac stated.

"Okay." Jonny nodded – he couldn't protest even though he wanted her to enjoy herself because clearly one of his daughters was distressed.

"What about Anna? Has she had any problems? Jac asked.

"She has been a little bit more difficult to get off to sleep but she hasn't wet the bed." Jonny replied. "Anyway, enough about here. How's Australia?"


Friday 7th August 2020, 2am

Jonny rolled over in his sleep and instinctively woke up as he had done for the past four nights in a row. It was the fifth night without Jac and he was expecting to roll over and find Emma standing beside the bed, however he was met with darkness. He frowned and he decided to go and check on her so he silently let go of the pillow he had been hugging and crept out of his bedroom. He tiptoed to the doorway of Emma's bedroom and then peered through the darkness, only he was sure he could see the duvet on the floor. He flicked the light on and found that the duvet was on the floor, and the bed was empty. He patted the mattress and found it to be dry but it left him confused as to where his daughter was.

He left the room, and walked to Anna's room where he saw a shadow bigger than expected on the single bed up against the wall. He moved in closer so that he could see things better, and he found that both girls were asleep in Anna's bed. It might not've been a permanent fix, but at least Emma hadn't wet the bed and as long as Anna wasn't bothered – and she didn't appear to be – he was happy for them to share the same bed if it kept Emma from feeling bad every night after having an accident. He smiled at the sight before he quietly walked back to his bedroom and got back into bed. Jac could stay in Australia because he, Emma and Anna could manage without her and he couldn't wait to tell her in the morning what their daughters had gotten up to.