Chapter 5: Robbie
He had heard it all. Every word of it. He heard Joanie's tearful apology, Syd's regret and his father's sorrow. It was foggy in his mind, like someone was standing with their back to him and talking, but he still heard it.
If he had been able to, Robbie would have started to cry long before any other members of his family. But, instead, he had to lie there, showing no emotion, listening to every heartfelt word that each member of his family said to him.
When his mother had given him the choice of living and dying, he was seriously considering taking the latter option. In fact, he was sure that he would. During the time that he had been in the coma, before his family had arrived, he had taken the time to reflect upon his life. He had amounted to very little. Sure, he had a job going at O'Neill's, but that was about it. He had never done one single thing to make his family proud, or to even impress them. He had doubted that his family would miss him if he had gone; a reflection of the fight that morning. Listening to them talk to him there, he had been proved wrong.
As Robbie reflected on everything that had happened, hours could have passed. Or days. Or weeks. He thought about the life he had led up to that point. He had always found a way to get himself into trouble, and felt that he was a mark on the name of his family. But, he consoled himself; he had mostly managed to work his way out of things. A smooth talker. Remembering the show his father had put on at the Barkery not so long ago, he had not received that gift from his paternal side.
But, he was younger then. He had grown up over the past years, and his life was back on track. He had a home. He had a job. He had friends, and most importantly, family who were there for him. His family wanted him.
He had made his decision. He would go back to them. He would go back into the real world and face all.
Robbie began to concentrate on waking up. He tried to figure out where his hand was, so that he could focus on moving it. He kept the same message going through his hand. 'Move hand! Move hand! Move hand!'
Gradually, a new feeling filtered over Robbie. The tingling sensation started in the tips of his fingers, worked his way through his hand, up his arm and reached his shoulder. He dared to try and move his left hand.
As he did, he heard voices around him. 'Dad! Joanie! His hand's moving!'
Robbie recognised the voice as Syd's, and if he hadn't have been focusing so hard on getting the rest of him to move and wake up, he might have smiled.
After some time, he let go of the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. He was satisfied that everything would be able to move, so he slowly opened his eyes. He could see his entire family staring back down at him, their eyes filled with hope.
'Rob?' Jim finally asked after a moment of silence.
Robbie tried to speak, but realised how much pain it caused him. In fact, he realised how much pain breathing caused him. After building up the strength, he replied, 'Hi guys.'
Jim let out a sigh of relief, overjoyed to see that his son had finally awoken. A small squeal emitted from Joanie's mouth, sharing the same feeling as her father. Syd, who held her hand to cover her mouth, was beyond words.
'Hey, Robbie, you had us worried for a minute there,' Joanie told him, her smile filled with glee. 'Actually, a bit more than a minute, try four days.'
'It's all over now, though,' Jim cut in, not wanting to have Robbie upset, having just woken up.
Robbie had to shut his eyes for a moment, partly because he was in a fair amount of pain, but mostly because he knew he was going to cry. He took another deep breath, and opened his eyes.
'It's okay, Robbie,' Jim comforted, taking hold of his hand. Syd and Joanie stood, letting Jim help their brother. 'It's okay now. You're safe. It's okay.'
Robbie's dry throat swallowed. His eyes surveyed all that was around him. Surrounding him were endless rows of machines, webs of wires and numerous other frightening pieces of medical equipment. How badly had he been hurt?
'Dad,' Robbie began slowly, having trouble talking. His chest felt as though a two-tonne weight had been dropped on it.
'Yes, Robbie? Do you need something?'
No answer. The barriers broke and tears flowed down Robbie's scratched face, the salt water stinging. He choked as he cried, sending fire through his chest.
As best he could with the equipment around him, Jim embraced his son, and stroked his soft hair. Robbie buried his face in the front of his father's shirt, and his left hand gripped the back of it. Jim rubbed his son's back in a calming way, allowing him to settle.
'Dad,' he whispered in his father's ear. 'I was so scared.' He had never admitted to being scared before, but there was no other word to describe it. He was scared when he saw the car, when he was skidding along the road, when he had woken up on the stretcher, and all through hearing his family talk to him. And he was scared at that very moment. He rephrased it. 'I'm scared.'
'It's okay, Robbie,' Jim told him. 'We're all here. It's going to be okay.'
He laid Robbie back on the bed. His eyes were closed, this time in a peaceful slumber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He had heard it all. Every word of it. He heard Joanie's tearful apology, Syd's regret and his father's sorrow. It was foggy in his mind, like someone was standing with their back to him and talking, but he still heard it.
If he had been able to, Robbie would have started to cry long before any other members of his family. But, instead, he had to lie there, showing no emotion, listening to every heartfelt word that each member of his family said to him.
When his mother had given him the choice of living and dying, he was seriously considering taking the latter option. In fact, he was sure that he would. During the time that he had been in the coma, before his family had arrived, he had taken the time to reflect upon his life. He had amounted to very little. Sure, he had a job going at O'Neill's, but that was about it. He had never done one single thing to make his family proud, or to even impress them. He had doubted that his family would miss him if he had gone; a reflection of the fight that morning. Listening to them talk to him there, he had been proved wrong.
As Robbie reflected on everything that had happened, hours could have passed. Or days. Or weeks. He thought about the life he had led up to that point. He had always found a way to get himself into trouble, and felt that he was a mark on the name of his family. But, he consoled himself; he had mostly managed to work his way out of things. A smooth talker. Remembering the show his father had put on at the Barkery not so long ago, he had not received that gift from his paternal side.
But, he was younger then. He had grown up over the past years, and his life was back on track. He had a home. He had a job. He had friends, and most importantly, family who were there for him. His family wanted him.
He had made his decision. He would go back to them. He would go back into the real world and face all.
Robbie began to concentrate on waking up. He tried to figure out where his hand was, so that he could focus on moving it. He kept the same message going through his hand. 'Move hand! Move hand! Move hand!'
Gradually, a new feeling filtered over Robbie. The tingling sensation started in the tips of his fingers, worked his way through his hand, up his arm and reached his shoulder. He dared to try and move his left hand.
As he did, he heard voices around him. 'Dad! Joanie! His hand's moving!'
Robbie recognised the voice as Syd's, and if he hadn't have been focusing so hard on getting the rest of him to move and wake up, he might have smiled.
After some time, he let go of the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. He was satisfied that everything would be able to move, so he slowly opened his eyes. He could see his entire family staring back down at him, their eyes filled with hope.
'Rob?' Jim finally asked after a moment of silence.
Robbie tried to speak, but realised how much pain it caused him. In fact, he realised how much pain breathing caused him. After building up the strength, he replied, 'Hi guys.'
Jim let out a sigh of relief, overjoyed to see that his son had finally awoken. A small squeal emitted from Joanie's mouth, sharing the same feeling as her father. Syd, who held her hand to cover her mouth, was beyond words.
'Hey, Robbie, you had us worried for a minute there,' Joanie told him, her smile filled with glee. 'Actually, a bit more than a minute, try four days.'
'It's all over now, though,' Jim cut in, not wanting to have Robbie upset, having just woken up.
Robbie had to shut his eyes for a moment, partly because he was in a fair amount of pain, but mostly because he knew he was going to cry. He took another deep breath, and opened his eyes.
'It's okay, Robbie,' Jim comforted, taking hold of his hand. Syd and Joanie stood, letting Jim help their brother. 'It's okay now. You're safe. It's okay.'
Robbie's dry throat swallowed. His eyes surveyed all that was around him. Surrounding him were endless rows of machines, webs of wires and numerous other frightening pieces of medical equipment. How badly had he been hurt?
'Dad,' Robbie began slowly, having trouble talking. His chest felt as though a two-tonne weight had been dropped on it.
'Yes, Robbie? Do you need something?'
No answer. The barriers broke and tears flowed down Robbie's scratched face, the salt water stinging. He choked as he cried, sending fire through his chest.
As best he could with the equipment around him, Jim embraced his son, and stroked his soft hair. Robbie buried his face in the front of his father's shirt, and his left hand gripped the back of it. Jim rubbed his son's back in a calming way, allowing him to settle.
'Dad,' he whispered in his father's ear. 'I was so scared.' He had never admitted to being scared before, but there was no other word to describe it. He was scared when he saw the car, when he was skidding along the road, when he had woken up on the stretcher, and all through hearing his family talk to him. And he was scared at that very moment. He rephrased it. 'I'm scared.'
'It's okay, Robbie,' Jim told him. 'We're all here. It's going to be okay.'
He laid Robbie back on the bed. His eyes were closed, this time in a peaceful slumber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~