Chapter 2
…
Nelson arrived a little earlier the next morning to help Von move in, they managed to get most of her things in to the two cars which had helped a lot. When they arrived at Nelson's, they spent the next two hours hauling everything in to his front room. They both stood staring at the boxes, Von suddenly speaking.
"Are you sure about this, it's not too late to take it all back?"
"I'm sure Von, I know it will take time to get it all organised but we will, it'll be fine."
"Thank you…for doing all of this, you really didn't have too."
"Well it was either this or you ending up on the streets, and I wasn't having that. Why don't I make us some tea?"
"Tea would be good, thanks."
As Nelson went to make the tea, Von started to take some boxes to her room, looking around she couldn't believe it had actually came to this. Nelson appeared in the doorway, seeing Von standing in the room, her arms around herself as she stared in to space.
"Von…you okay?"
"I don't know where to go from here?"
"The front room?" He joked.
"I'm serious Nelson, how the hell do I come back from this mess."
She turned around to face him as he came closer to her, taking hold of her hand, as she tried to pull away.
"You will move past this, yeah it'll take time but you will get back on top, and your friends are here to help you."
Von was taken by surprise when Nelson took her in his arms, hugging her. He felt her tense in his arms, giving her a few moments before feeling her relax.
"Stop being so bloody strong all the time, you're allowed to fall apart now and again, we all are."
Nelson stood back, Von looking back at him, and nodding her head in agreement.
"Come on, lets get that tea and decide where everything is going." He smiled.
…
Terri was in her office, reading and re-reading the letter in her hand when the knock at the door brought her back to reality.
"Terri, Mrs Archer's ready to be discharged now."
"Oh, thanks Charlotte."
"You okay?"
"Sure."
Charlotte stepped in to the office and closed the door behind her before taking a seat opposite Terri.
"What's up, and don't say nothing?"
"It's official, they're closing Ward 17."
"Jesus, so what happens to everyone here?"
"They're all being moved to other wards, they'll all be getting this letter and informing them of their move."
"Well at least they have a job, that's the main thing, isn't it?"
"Von…they're sending her a redundancy package."
"They can't do that?"
"She has two choice, redundancy or she's being moved to the children's ward."
"She won't want that?"
"I doubt it."
"Where are you going?"
"Emergency, so is Nelson. Reg is getting another ward clark position. I'm not having this."
"Terri…."
"No, Von has been a hard worker in this hospital for twenty years, I'll be damned if she's going to the children's ward. She either comes with Nelson and I or…they're not getting me."
"What do you mean?"
"Either Von comes too, or I quit. I will not let Julia dictate to me who stays and goes."
…
Nelson's front room was beginning to look normal again, Von filling the bedroom fairly quickly. When he came to find her, she was just finishing off the last box.
"Hey, you nearly done?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Great, you hungry?"
"Oh I…"
"Von?" He warned.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Anything you want, takeaway, Chinese, Pizza, Indian…you're choice, I'm easy?"
"Chinese sounds good, let me get my purse."
"No, my treat."
"Nelson, you've already given me a roof over my head and I…"
"It's my treat, for moving in day."
"You sure?"
"Very."
"Thank you."
"Do you want a drink?"
"I'd kill for a glass of…oh, sorry I wasn't thinking."
"Von, it's fine. You can still drink."
"No, coffee's fine."
"Von I don't expect you to go teetotal for me, seriously, I can cope with alcohol on the house, I have before."
"No, I don't need it, really. Coffee's fine with me."
"Okay, won't be long. I'll order the food."
Von packed away the last box when she heard her phone, seeing the message from Terri to say she was coming over. She made her way through to the kitchen to see Nelson making the coffee.
"Nelson, I just had a message from Terri?"
"Yeah, she messaged me too. She said she needs to talk with us both?"
"Should we be worried?"
"It did sound ominous, just as well I ordered enough Chinese."
Nelson could see the worry in Von's face. Coming over to her, his hand going to her arm.
"Von, stop worrying. She probably just wants to make sure you settled in okay, that's all."
"Yeah, hopefully."
"Look at me."
She looked up, seeing the smile from Nelson.
"You're fine, come and have your coffee while we wait for Terri and dinner."
Von followed him through, taking a seat beside him on the couch, both exhausted from moving.
…
To Be Continued…
