"Right don't expect too much, and remember to lean on me" said Jill
Ash pulled the covers away and then pulled her legs up and around she was now sat upright, she tentatively put her feet on to the cool floor
"Right, sweetheart take your time" said Jill putting her hands out
Ash took Jill's hand
"Right, put your hands further up more towards my elbow" said Jill
Ash did as she was told
"That's right, now when you're ready" said Jill
Ash nodded, she then tested putting weight on her legs one at a time and then stood up
"Right, we will take it at your pace, and we are not going to push it" said Jill
"Okay" replied Ash
Ash took the few steps to the wheelchair and sat in it
"You did it, baby girl" said Jill beaming
"Mum" said Ash
"I, know" replied Jill placing a blanket over her legs, they had their books and they were just about to make their way out when there was another knock at the door
"You are miss popular today" said Jill
"Come in" said Ash
"Hello, I'm not interrupting anything am I" asked Matron
"No, we're just going to the conservatory, why don't you join us" said Ash
"I'm sure she's busy" said Jill, knowing Matron had been there a lot lately and she was behind with some of the paperwork she had asked for
"I could spare half an hour or so" replied Matron
"Well, I will get you settle and then get us some drinks" said Jill starting to wheel Ash along
They walked to the conservatory in silence, once Jill had gotten Ash settled she went off to make some drinks
"So how are you" asked Matron
"Fed up" said Ash truthfully
"It will take time" replied Matron
"I know, everyone keeps telling me but it doesn't make it any easier" replied Ash
"I promise it does get easier" replied Matron
Just then Jill came back with the drinks, she handed them their drinks and then sat down next to Ash
"Right let me know when you've had enough and want to go back" said Jill picking up her book
"Okay" replied Ash
Ash was quite happy just staring out of the window
"So, have you heard from Sister Brigid" asked Matron
"No, we haven't, have you seen her" asked Ash
"No, I thought she would have been in touch" said Matron
"She said she would be back at the weekend, and we haven't heard from her since" said Jill looking up from her book
"Where is the note" asked Ash before any more could be said
"What note" asked Matron but Jill already knew
"Ash, sweetheart" started Jill
"You, read it didn't you" said Ash
Jill nodded
"What did it say" said Ash before Jill had, had a chance to explain
Ash was not upset or angry that they had read the note in fact it was easier, she would have told them what was in it anyway and she would have had to have seen the upset on her parent's faces
"Look, we were worried, you were trapped and we couldn't get hold of her, the note was the only thing we had to go on" started Jill
"I don't care that you read it, really, you probably did me a favour, what did it say" replied Ash
"It was basically that she was going away to help some new nuns and she wanted you to go with her" said Jill
"I would never have gone" replied Ash getting upset
"Sweetheart we know" said Jill putting her book down and taking Ash's hand
"Did you find her" asked Ash
"Yes, we got there just in time, she helped find you" said Matron
"Of course, you did, she was in the ambulance" replied Ash
"You remember that" asked Jill
"Yes, it came back when I was talking to Rob, she was the one that said I wasn't being helpful, when dad asked me where it hurt" replied Ash
"That's what you were trying to apologise for" asked Jill
Ash nodded
"Sweetheart, you can talk to me" said Jill squeezing her hand
"I know, so where is she, why haven't I seen her" asked Ash
Jill looked at her and Ash could tell what she was trying to find the words to say
"She still went" said Ash getting angry
"Yes, she said it was too late to find someone else" said Matron
"No, it was more important to her, she finally made her choice" replied Ash
"Ash, it's not quite like that" said Jill trying to keep her calm
"No, well how come everyone else, managed to change their plans" replied Ash
"It's not like that" tried Jill
"Well it looks like it to me, that was more important than staying with me" said Ash
"Ash, it's not that easy, there were things going on while you were in surgery" said Jill
"What things" asked Ash
Before anything else could be said Jonathon, Tom and Katie joined them
"Good to see you out of bed, lazy bones" said Jonathon jokingly
"Right, I had better be getting on, I will see you later" said Matron getting up
Everyone said bye
Ash just kept looking at Jill
"Did we interrupt something" asked Katie feeling the tension
"No" said Jill
"Yes" said Ash at the same time
"We could always come back later" said Katie
"No, stay, we can talk about this later" said Jill happy for the interruption
Before anything else could be said they were interrupted again
"Sorry, doctor there's an emergency, doctor Ormerod asked if I could get you" said the nurse
"Okay, I'll be right there" said Jill
"Right, let's get you back to your room" said Jill
"No, I want to stay here" replied Ash
"No, what if you get tired" replied Jill
"I will tell Katie, and she can take me back" said Ash defiantly
"It's fine mum, we will look after her" said Tom
"I know you will" replied Jill clearly worried
"Right well take it easy" said Jill putting one hand on Ash's head
"Okay" said Ash
"Sweetheart, don't be like that, I promise I will tell you everything later" said Jill
Ash didn't reply, Jill knew she needed time to come to terms with everything she had learned so far, this morning
"I'll be back as soon as I can" said Jill as she left the room
Jill made her way down to casualty it was already full of people, which was a good thing otherwise she would have been brooding what had just gone on.
Meanwhile back in the conservatory Ash just wanted to be on her own but she knew the others wouldn't leave her
"So, what was that all about" asked Tom
"Nothing" replied Ash
"Well it didn't look like nothing" replied Tom
"Just drop it, you're just like them" replied Ash
"Am not" replied Tom
"Hey Tom, why don't we go and make some drinks" said Jonathon trying to stop an argument from happening
"Hey that's a good idea, and maybe bring a game as well" added Katie
The Boy's left them
"Thanks" said Ash
"Hey no problem, you're right about one thing, but he's worse than them" replied Katie with a giggle
Ash laughed too
"Yeah, I forgot you two had fallen out because he had to know everything" replied Ash
"Do you want to talk" asked Katie
"No, you'll alright mum said she'll explain everything anyway" replied Ash just as the Jonathon came back
"This is all I could find" said Jonathon holding up a rather battered looking box of snakes and ladders
"Where's Tom" asked Ash
"He'll be back in a bit" replied Jonathon
"He's sulking isn't he" replied Katie
Jonathon nodded
"He's so pathetic, I would have thought he would have learnt from last time" added Katie
"Hey, at least it's one less person for me to beat" said Ash trying to put a positive spin on it
"Who, said you are going to win" replied Jonathon setting up the board
They had been sat there playing for half an hour
"Right, I'm going to make us those drinks" said Katie after she had lost for the third time in a row
"Are you scared you'll lose again" asked Jonathon
"No" replied Katie
"I could really do with a drink" said Ash
"See, set it up I'll be back in a minute" added Katie
Katie got up and left
"So how are Mum and Dad, really" asked Ash
"They're okay, worried I guess about how you are" replied Jonathon
Ash and Jonathon had always had a close relationship, probably because they were close in age and because they both were really, protective of their parents
"What about me" asked Ash
"Well, we were all really worried about whether you would walk and what you would remember and then there was" started Jonathon but he stopped as they heard someone walking past once they had gone
"What" asked Ash
"Well there was all that trouble with sister, and how you would cope with her having gone" said Jonathon
Before anymore could be said Katie came back in with the drinks
"So are you ready to lose" said Katie as she handed Jonathon his drink
"If you are" replied Jonathon
"Thanks" said Ash as she took her drink, but she was looking at Jonathon as she said it so he would know it was meant for him as well, he nodded
"Right, shall we be nice and let the loser go first" said Jonathon jokingly
"Yeah, it's only right to give her a chance" replied Ash
"Hey, you're lucky, I can't do this to you as well" replied Katie getting up and playfully hitting Jonathon on the arm
"That's not fair, for that you can miss a go" replied Jonathon
Ash was sat there laughing at them, they were glad to see her a little happier
It was another hour before Jill came along