Chapter Eight- Too Late for Some

Dan tried in vain to calm down David, who was attempting to get out of bed to see Lucy. "I'm sorry, mate, but you have to lie back down. The doctors are doing the best they can for her."

David refused to listen. He protested and struggled against Dan, who was unsuccessfully trying to lie him down again. "You don't understand! You don't understand!" David said almost hysterically, trying with all his might to release himself from Dan's grip. Thinking it might be better if they talked about it, Dan slackened his grip slightly and asked:

"What don't I understand mate?"

David was nearly breathless. "You… don't… understand… about me… and Lucy…"

Sensing he was finally calming down, Dan let go and closed the curtains. When David gave one final desperate look in Lucy's direction, Dan said softly: "They're doing all they can for her. They're damn good doctors, I'll give you that. But you're not going to help Lucy by risking your own health."

Defeated and exhausted, David lay down. "She was the most perfect person I ever met, you know," he said softly to Dan. It seemed like he needed someone to tell this to, and so Dan sat down next to the bed.

"Would you like to tell me about her?" he prompted.

David nodded. "God, I've had to say this for such a long time. You wouldn't believe what a fool I've been. What a coward."

Dan felt himself open up to this man's cause, and thought sadly of Jess. "Believe me, mate, I've been such an idiot recently, I understand where you're coming from. You probably haven't done anything as stupid as I have."

"That would be disputable," chuckled David weakly. "Well, I suppose I better get on with it. I've known Lucy for years now- just like many other of my workmates. But she was always more than that to me. I always felt differently about her than I did about the others. She started out as just a good mate, we always had a good time together. It was like we understood each other perfectly. I loved everything about her; I loved her way of looking at life. She was someone I looked up to. But also, though I tried so hard to convince myself I wasn't, I was crazy about her. She meant the world to me."

"But I was always too much of a coward to tell her. Too afraid of what she would think, how she would react- too scared of how I'd feel if she rejected me. What I didn't realise was it was worse not telling her. It was killing me slowly, from the inside. I lived my life, and tried to satisfy myself by saying she was just a friend. But it was never enough."

Dan could feel his heart beating faster, as David looked up to him, his eyes sad and hollow.

"Why did I do that to myself, Dan? Why didn't I just tell her? I was too afraid of doing, saying anything- but by doing that I was hurting myself more. When that pole came crashing down on her today, I couldn't think straight. It was like my entire world was crumbling. I tried so hard to save her, Dan, I really did."

Dan didn't know what to say. He couldn't speak.

"And now she's fighting for her life, and I never told her how I felt about her. All those times and opportunities- wasted. My life won't be whole ever again. If only I had told her- perhaps she wouldn't have felt the same way, but at least I'd have known I tried."

Dan felt himself shaking. There was nothing he could say to comfort, console this guy. He was a stranger, but Dan felt as though he had known him all his life. There was nothing to be done for David- but there was for Dan. David looked up at Dan, somehow, miraculously understanding him in that one moment.

"Dan, I plead with you- don't make the same mistake I did."