Chapter Twelve
"Email's been sent," Connie whispered, shutting the computer down, "I need to inform everyone about the news that we now released Lily and Iain's names to the press."
Sam and Charlie both nodded at Connie. It didn't feel real before, even when Iain and Lily were both announced to be dead. But knowing that the news of their deaths will now be announced, it's going to feel real. Not just to them, or to Iain and Lily's families, but to the whole of Holby.
What made things awful for Connie was that no one would know what caused the cars to crash. Only her and Grace.
And she knew, Grace would never do something that reckless ever again.
"Connie?" Charlie asked her, "Did something else happen?"
Connie looked at him, before turning to Sam. There had to be a way to break this to them gently.
"Lily's mother had told me," Connie whispered, "She's planning on burying Lily with her father."
Sam and Charlie looked at each other shocked. Lily had been in a relationship with Iain for five years, and Li-Na Chao never accepted him. Not once. When Iain was introduced to Li-Na, everyone noticed how cold she was with him. When Iain suggested taking Lily out to celebrate her becoming consultant, Li-Na was annoyed, explaining that they shouldn't celebrate the news that they were expecting of Lily to achieve. And when Lily announced to her mother, she was planning on moving in with Iain, Li-Na wasn't impressed.
"Hang on!" Sam announced, "What about Iain? Surely there's a way to stop this! Lily needs to be with Iain!"
"You're right," Charlie looked at Sam sadly, "If Iain had pulled through in the crash, then the responsibility for funeral would fall to him. Unfortunately, the responsibility of arranging the funeral normally goes to a close relative. In Lily's case, it would go to her mother."
"How is that fair?" Sam asked, trying to imagine how Iain would be feeling at that, "There has to be another way."
"The only way we could overturn this is if Lily had a valid will in place, then the Executor she had named would be in charge of arrangements," Connie mentioned, "Which I don't think she had set up."
"She must have," Sam mentioned, realising that there's still a way, "This was Lily Chao we're talking about. She was always organised."
"Sam we also need to consider, Lily was thirty-one years old," Charlie sighed, "She's still young. She must have thought she was going to live for a long time. Plus, she and Iain didn't have any kids."
Connie stayed silent at that part. There wouldn't be a right time for her to explain to everyone that Lily was pregnant when she died. It would only cause more heartbreak.
"Besides," Connie mentioned, "If she did have a will, who do you think would have been the named Executor of that will?"
Sam wiped her eyes, knowing Connie had a valid point. If Lily had set out a will in place, Iain would have been named Executor. But due to the unforeseen circumstances, it's impossible now.
Gem, Ruby and Rash walked along the Blacksmith street, trying to take in their surroundings. Taking in the sights of a young mother, walking her child to the play park, making silly faces over the stroller. The sight of an elderly couple, still holding hands as the gentleman kisses his beloved on the cheek. And the sight of a young woman pulling back from work in her carer's uniforms, watching as her boyfriend waited for her with a boutique of flowers in his hands, pulling her in for a hug.
Ruby and Rash rushed Gem through to the house of flats of the estate, knowing that anything could upset her or deter her from carrying on the journey to Iain and Lily's flat. Knowing that if it's not emptied out, then their belongings could end up anywhere.
They couldn't let her see the sights of the lives on the street where they lived. It would be too painful for Gem to see this.
The three used the spare key that Iain made for Gem to enter the main building of their flat. The inside of the hallway looked so bleak, so white. With a yellow armchair at the corner of the white hallway. One of the other doors opened, to which a young woman exited with her blonde hair.
"Hello," she smiled, recognising Gem, "You're Iain's sister, aren't you? I'm Sally, his next-door neighbour. I've been trying to get a hold of him and Lily, I know they went away for the weekend, but I haven't seen them since. They told me they'd be back Sunday. They'd usually let someone know by now that they're back."
Gem's tears finally started to fall. No one in the neighbourhood knew about Iain and Lily's tragic deaths. This poor young woman in front of her must have been confused, she didn't know why Gem was crying.
"I can't do this," Gem sobbed, looking at the door.
"Something's happened," Sally started to shake, "Hasn't it?"
Rash and Ruby looked at each other. Neither knew about the lives that Lily or Iain had at home, they never discussed their friendships with people outside of work. So, they didn't know if they had friends outside the hospital or if they were only limited to just their work colleagues.
Another thing about Iain and Lily that they didn't know about.
"I'll go with Gem," Ruby suggested to Rash, motioning to Sally, "She needs to be told."
Jan was about to grab a hold of the pen with the staff shifts, ready to cross Iain's shifts off the board. The pen started to shake when she was holding the pen. When taking the cap off, Jan noticed that both of her hands were shaking. Quickly, she placed the cap on the table, carefully holding the pen over the shifts.
Then Jan closed her eyes as the sound of the pen crashes down on the table.
She can't do it.
She can't take Iain's name off.
It's too soon.
Looking at the lockers, Jan sighed knowing that soon that will have to be cleared out as well. But she couldn't bring herself to do it, especially knowing that this meant she'll erasing him off the records. Forever.
It was unfair!
He was planning on proposing to Lily and they were going to have a baby!
Only they were cruelly taken away from everyone.
Jan thought about Iain and Lily, who lost their lives. About Gem, who lost her family. About Ethan and Sam, who both lost their best friends in that crash.
But looking out the window, Jan noticed that each one of her team were spending as much time together, especially Harry Elliott who was supposed to be going for a weekend away with his wife this weekend. Jan wasn't sure if he was still planning on going away on that weekend after what happened at Harrington Road.
Jan pinned the noticeboard back on the wall again. She knew that she would have to take Iain's name off one day, but she's not ready to do that yet. Jan realised that everyone in the station have all lost something as a result of the accident. Not just Iain and Sam, but everyone else as well.
They all lost a colleague.
And Jan. She's lost the closest paramedic she had as a friend.
Jan's eyes widened.
No one had told Dixie the news yet.
She needs to know.
Alicia had decided to let Ethan pick the film, wanting to help support him to take his mind off what has happened. He was signed off work for two months whilst his arm was healing. But Alicia knew deep down that he was lucky. It could have been worse.
"Have you picked a film?" Alicia asked him as she walked into the sitting room.
Ethan shook his head, not wanting to say a single word. Whatever he says terrified him now. He couldn't believe that he couldn't face being in a car. Not without hearing Iain and Lily screaming each other's names and grabbing each other's hand. All they were worried about was how scared the other was.
"Ethan," Alicia whispered to him, "Please don't keep things bottled up. It'll only make you ill."
"I should be relieved," Ethan whispered, "But all I can hear was the crash. Every time the car rolled onto its side. The worst part, I heard their screams."
"Please don't think about this," Alicia choked up, tears forming in her eyes, "I know you're still in shock. Please don't think about the crash."
"How could I?" Ethan whispered, "All I could remember was getting annoyed as I was third-wheeled a lot. The morning of the crash, Iain and Lily were loved up, every service stop, they couldn't keep their hands of each other as Iain kept lifting Lily up. I ended up wishing that you were with me. And then it happened."
"Ethan," Alicia told him, "No one could have seen this coming. You mustn't blame yourself. This wasn't your fault."
"Lily didn't even want to go to the convention," Ethan whispered, "It should have been me sitting in that seat."
Alicia sighed to herself. It will be a long time before she could do whatever it took to reassure him that it will be okay.
"What's wrong?" Sally asked Rash, "Where's Iain and Lily? Why haven't they've come back?"
Rash knew from being a doctor, that it's difficult to break bad news to people. But this is the first time he's breaking the news about two people he himself were closed to. Rash wasn't sure how close Iain and Lily were to this young woman.
"I'm sorry," Rash whispered to her, "But Iain and Lily were on their way back on Sunday. But I'm afraid, they were in a car accident."
"Please," Sally whispered, tears forming in her eyes, "They're okay? Please tell me they're okay!"
"I'm sorry," Rash choked up to her, "They didn't make it."
Rash closed his eyes, as Sally turned her head back and forward, trying to comprehend the news. He suddenly watched as Sally placed her hand over her mouth, before instinct took over, and he wrapped the poor girl in his arms. It soon dawned on him that Sally, although close to his age, was good friends with Iain and Lily. Seeing a stranger cry over mutual friends, it was painful to watch.
"I'm sorry too," Sally sobbed into Rash's shoulder.
Rash broke away from the hug, as he watched Sally wiping the tears forming in her eyes, noticing the smeared mascara from her eyes.
"Do you talk to the other neighbours?" Rash asked her.
"No," Sally shook her head, "Just Lily and Iain."
Alicia walked over to the door as soon as she heard knocking from the front door. Leaving Ethan on the sofa, she opened the door to see Charlie standing outside her door.
"Hi," Charlie whispered, "Is this a bad time?"
"Actually," Alicia whispered, "I think it's a good time."
Alicia led Charlie through the door, watching as Charlie settled himself down next to Ethan. All she could have done was watch as Ethan failed to acknowledge that Charlie had come into the house. Watching as he didn't respond as soon as Charlie greeted himself, or when he placed his hand on Ethan's shoulder, being careful not to hurt Ethan's broken arm.
"I'm not going to ask how you're feeling," Charlie whispered, "I know you're not doing okay now. I thought I'd come to see how you are."
Ethan didn't say anything. Alicia knew that he felt guilty about earlier, talking about his experience at the sight of the accident. Knowing fully well that the accident not only broken his arm but had also killed two of his closest friends as well.
"Listen," Charlie sighed, "I know how things seem now. But we can help you Ethan. But only if you'll let us."
Ethan still stared at the screen, he needed something to distract himself. Noticing the remote, he turned the television on, to come across the local news.
Charlie's eyes widened, knowing that now that the press have Lily and Iain's names, it'll be the first thing that will be shown.
"Charlie," Alicia noticed the fear, "What's going on?"
Charlie looked at Alicia with sadness, and it soon dawned on Alicia what the main headline will be.
"The identities of the two people killed in the accident at Harrington Road on Sunday, have been named as thirty-one-year-old Lily Chao and her partner, thirty-three-year-old Iain Dean. A third person who have been taken to hospital has recently been discharged from hospital."
Ethan suddenly saw the photo that was taken on the screen. He recognised that photo, all Iain and Lily were doing as they posed for the photo was laugh at the screen. Remembering that Lily posted it that very same day, before asking Iain to put her down as she was starting to feel sick.
That was taken Saturday night. Ethan remembered that photo well. After all, he was the one who took it.
He remembered Saturday well. Ethan just got off the phone with Lily, after working out exactly where she was when Iain pulled him up to the side. Ethan explained to Iain where Lily was before Iain asked Ethan if he could keep a secret.
"I'm going to ask Lily to marry me."
If it weren't for that accident, that stupid, spoiled, silly brat, that unfortunate accident, then Iain would have carried out his plan to go paddling in the sea with Lily, before they built a sandcastle together. Then Iain would mention that 'final finishing touch' before placing the ring on top. The thought would have amazed Lily, a chance for her have the fun childhood, that she sadly missed out on before sealing her future with Iain.
Forever.
"They were so happy," Ethan whispered, sadly as the image of Lily and Iain on the television, slowly faded away.
Sally provided Gem with the boxes that Iain and Lily once kindly helped her fold up before when she moved in. Silence filled the room as Gem, Rash and Ruby all worked together, deciding to clear one room at a time.
The guest bedroom was the easiest choice to make. No one had used it since Gem moved in with Ruby and Alicia. But Gem had mentioned that Iain and Lily had stored some important things in there. Plus, with no one using the bedroom, Iain and Lily had both treated it as a storage room.
Gem silently looked at the guest room, remembering that even after she moved out, Iain and Lily still called it her bedroom. Even when Gem knocked Lily down, Lily was still determined to let Gem set things right. Deep down, after hitting Lily with the car, Gem wanted to run away, leave Lily and all traces of her being at the scene behind.
But Gem knew that if Lily was left there too long, she would have died. And Iain? He wouldn't want to continue without her.
After hearing about Lily's fate after the crash, a part of Gem knew Iain didn't want to continue without Lily. She knew that a part of Iain had died, alongside Lily after the crash. If Iain had survived the crash, he would have still gone through the heartbreak of losing Lily. Gem suddenly become scared in case Iain would have gone through a huge range of emotions after losing Lily.
It was knowing how broken Iain would have been, that made Gem call for help after what happened that day. Plus, Lily had her back when no one else (Including Iain) wanted to know. Hitting her with the car was the worst thing she ever did. Nothing could ever make up to Iain and Lily for what she did.
Gem still couldn't believe that they've forgiven her for it.
Gem opened the wardrobe, when she noticed something hidden in the back. Taking the stuff to one side, she took out the heavy safe.
"Let me help," Rash called out to Gem as he noticed what she was carrying, taking the safe out of the wardrobe, "What is that?"
"I'm not sure," Gem whispered as they set it down on the bed, "But Lily and Iain had also used this room to store some important things in here. Things like mushy love letters, or I don't know."
Gem noticed that the key was still in place. Sighing to herself, she twisted the key as the door to it opened. Her heart was slowly pounding. She was prying into her brother's privacy.
"You're really nosy, you know that?"
Gem thought about to Iain, telling her to mind her own business. But she thought sadly. Her brother was no longer around. All because of some irresponsible idiot behind the wheel of that car who managed to pull through without a scratch. Gem thought about Ethan, he ended up injured as well.
"I can't look," Gem whispered, "This, this was my brother's."
"Gem," Rash whispered, "I know this is difficult. But think about it. In here are memories that your brother had shared with the love of his life."
"I can't," Gem whispered, "Iain always told me off for being nosy. He always told me to mind my own business."
"Gem," Ruby reassured her, "It may not just be love stories. There could be some legal documents in there as well."
"Mrs Beauchamp," Sam whispered, "I don't think I could go for the jog today. I need to head home, see if there's a way we can fight Mrs Chao's decision."
Connie knew sadly what Sam wanted to do; she couldn't blame the young woman either. Iain was planning on proposing to Lily and they were going to have a baby together. Unfortunately, fate plays in twisted ways. And now, without a known Executor (Or without knowledge if Lily had laid out a will in the first place), it looks as if Iain and Lily won't be laid to rest together.
But what could they do to fight the decision that Lily's mother had in place?
"It's understandable," Connie whispered.
Connie's eyes widened when her phone suddenly went off. Walking over to the phone, Connie quickly recognised the number on the screen.
"Hello, Connie Beauchamp," she greeted, as Sam and herself listened on, "What? Okay. I'm on my way."
Sam watched as Connie hung up the phone. Whatever it was, must have been urgent. She never would have pictured Mrs Beauchamp, getting her things together in a hurry.
"That was Grace's college," Connie explained, "Grace had been in a fight!"
"I know you walked it," Sam mentioned, "I'll give you a lift. Do you know what happened?"
"I'm going to find out," Connie announced to her, "Thank you Sam, I really appreciate your help."
Sally watched as Rash and Gem left the building. Unable to comprehend how things are going to be without Iain or Lily around, she wouldn't be able to go back to visit their door. In her eyes, it would always be Iain and Lily's flat.
They were the first people she met when she moved into her flat. Sally remembered inviting Lily for coffee, amazed to learn that like her, Lily was also a doctor. But Lily chose to remain working in a hospital, building up to be a consultant, whilst Sally herself, aimed to be a General Practitioner. The two became fast friends instantly, offering to help support each other during exams. Eventually (despite trying to hide it), they learned that they were both fans of Pokémon and even collected the cards. They even reserved Tuesday nights just to play the game weekly.
Sally remembered the last time she saw Lily. It was Thursday afternoon and Lily came into talk to her. Asking her if she knew anything about an engagement ring with a beautiful diamond with two topazes at either side. Sally shook her head, but Lily then informed her that she found it in the cutlery draw. And she even told her that Iain looked odd when she saw him quickly close the drawer.
When Lily told Sally, she thinks Iain's going to propose, Sally was excited for her friends.
"What are you planning on doing about it?" Sally asked Lily, "You know it's happening now!"
"We're going away this weekend," Lily explained, "I'm going to talk to him then. I feel bad. I've ruined his surprise!"
"Hey," Sally mentioned, "He's picked the worst hiding spot to put the ring in. He could have put it in the safe, but he's hidden it in the silverware. I hate to tell you this, but Iain can be an idiot at times."
"Hey, that's my soon-to-be-fiancé you're calling an idiot," Lily scolded her, "He's my idiot. Look, please don't tell him that I know. I don't want to ruin the surprise."
"Your secret is safe with me," Sally smiled tilting her head to one side, "So, should I call you Doctor Chao still? Or will I be needing to call your Doctor Dean?"
"I'm definitely up for Doctor Dean," Lily smiled fondly before holding her stomach, "I still feel a bit rough; I must be coming down with something."
Sally wiped her eyes. She was the only person who knew that Iain wasn't good at hiding his plans to propose to Lily in private. Lily never mentioned to her since that night if she ever did confront Iain. Taking her phone out, she looked at the last text message Lily sent to her.
Iain is planning on proposing! X
He's taking me to the seaside on Monday to do it! X
He still doesn't know I know! X
That was the last message Sally got off Lily.
Sally started to choke up once again.
Where was Lily and Iain's happy ending?
Connie walked into reception, knowing that Sam was still waiting at the car park opposite the college. She wanted to tell her to go home and get some rest, knowing that she'll be back at work the next day, but Sam offered to wait as she was more than willing to give Connie and Grace a lift back.
But Connie was still unsure how she could push Sam away and tell her not to. How was she going to be able to do that, without giving away that Grace was too terrified to go into a car? If Sam knew that knowledge, then surely, she would have a lot of questions. Questions that Connie couldn't answer. Not without giving away to her about Grace's role in her best friends' deaths.
Connie suddenly noticed Grace sitting in reception, staring at the table. Looking at her top, Connie noticed the tug marks made upon the it. Grace's hair was also messed up as well. She suddenly turned to see another teenage girl sitting opposite her.
This must have been the girl who started the fight.
"How dare you attack my daughter?" Connie growled at the girl.
"You're having a go at me?" she asked her, "She started the fight!"
"I know my daughter," Connie frowned, "She would never start a fight."
"She slapped me," the girl argued.
"Maybe if you looked at the road and not your phone, you wouldn't have nearly hit Maddie!" Grace snapped at her, "Someone needed to slap some sense into you! Your actions could have killed someone!"
Connie froze. She thought that Grace was being provoked at college by a bully. That this girl was the one who started the fight.
All this time, it was her own daughter who started the fight at school. All because of a phone call behind the wheel.
Was she really that blind?
Or did she not know her daughter at all?
Or is her daughter really not coping with her guilt?
