"Miss Hall, hi." Ange smiled at the patient.
"Hello please call me Sophie."
"I'm Miss Goddard, I think you met my daughter Chloe earlier."
"Is she okay?" Sophie asked worriedly. "We were taking and then she just started struggling to breathe and she went really pale."
"She's okay, she's sat with her brother. She was just a bit panicked by some of what you said. She could see some similarities of what you told her and what Evan was doing to her. Isolating her. Have you spoken to the police?"
"No, and I can't!"
"Sophie they can help keep you safe."
"No, believe me I can't. I can't go through that again. I'm moving to Australia, it's all sorted. Me, Felix and my mum in 2 weeks. If I was to go to the police I'd have to stay until he went to court."
"You're running away?" Ange asked.
"No, I've always wanted to move to Australia, my brother lives there and it's just a bonus that it's away from him."
"I'm sorry to ask all these questions, I just want to help you and my Chloe. Do you know why he attacked you yesterday?"
"I tried to tell Chloe, I knew his new girlfriend worked at the hospital and her name was Chloe. I tired to Facebook message Chloe, but it was the wrong one. Chloe Dufour. I don't know how he found out, maybe he has access to my Facebook account. I wouldn't put it past him."
"Look Sophie. Evan is on shift later." Ange said.
"God no please no." Sophie started to panic.
"Hey, it's okay, we can transfer you to a different hospital. St James' but can I ask you something first. And it's okay to say no. Can I ask you to send me those photos of Evan and Felix? I feel like he will try and manipulate Chloe. But these pictures are proof he's been lying." Ange asked
They exchanged whattsapp and Sophie sent them over. "Look after Chloe, she'll need you." Sophie said. Ange smiled at her sadly "thank you Sophie, for telling Chloe. I know it must have been hard."
"Madani." Ange said to Kian at the nurses station. "Can we transfer Sophie Hall, bed 6. To St James'"
"Sure. Why?"
"Well I could tell you or you could just trust me. And please can I take Chloe home. Family issues. My mother is unwell, I hate to leave you in the lurch but my mum..." Ange lied.
"Yes, take Chloe go see your mom."
"Thank you. Don't forget Sophie Hall bed 6."
Chloe was sat on the sofa in the staff room. Both hands around her tea with Dom's arm around her. "Hey Darling." Ange said. "I've spoken to Kian and told him that your Grans ill. She's not but it means I can take you home. Do you want me and Fletch to go round to Evans, talk to him tell him it's over."
"No, I can fight my own battles." She pulled her phone out.
Evan,
Meet in the peace garden in 40 mins. Before your shift
Chlo
"I'm meeting him in the peace garden. In 40 mins."
She got a reply.
Chloe
Sure. Love you
E xxx
"Not by yourself your not." Dom said "after what he did to Sophie."
"Chloe. You don't have to do this." Ange said.
"Yes." Chloe said bravely. "I do. It has to be me, it has to be today. It has to be now. I'd like for you to be there. But round a corner or something."
"Okay," Ange said. "What are you going to say."
Chloe was sat on the bench in the peace garden. Breathing as slowly as she could. She was terrified but she knew she had to do this. Ange was just as terrified around the corner. "She'll be okay." Dom whispered. "We're right here, he can't hurt her. She's so brave."
"She always has been. She finds life harder to navigate than other people but still goes out and fights with her brain every day, I'm so proud of her." Ange said truthfully.
"Chlo hi." Evan said smiling at his girlfriend and Chloe stood up. "Hi." She replied he lent to kiss her but she stepped back. "Chloe. Are you okay, has something happened."
"I met Sophie." Chloe said.
"Sophie?" Evan asked.
"Don't you remember, your ex wife." Chloe asked scathingly.
"Oh Chloe, like I told you. She's spreading lies about me."
"You're the only one lying here. Felix is a child not a dog and I know you didn't go to the gym yesterday, you went to hurt Sophie."
"Chloe." He said grabbing her arm.
"Take. Your. Hands. Off. Me" Chloe said in a voice he'd never heard her used before so he did. "I'm sure you don't need me to tell you. It's over." She said.
"Chloe, you need me, you won't cope without me. You're ill, damaged, no one loves you except me, and no one will. Remember what you came from. You need me Chloe and I'll be waiting when you're ready." He walked off. As soon as he'd gone Chloe sat back down head in her hands. Ange went to her "I'm so proud of you darling. Let's get you home now."
Chloe's brave persona was still there. "No, we need to go to Evan's pick up some of my stuff. Please. I need some of my things, while I know he's not there."
"Okay, okay." Ange said.
"You are the bravest person i know." Dom added. "I can help you pack if you want?" He asked. She nodded.
By the time they got home to Ange's Chloe was exhausted physically and emotionally. She was being so strong but as soon as they got in she burst into tears. "It's okay," Ange smiled encouragingly "it's been a hard day today hasn't it. And you've been so incredibly brave."
"Do you think it's okay if I just go to bed?" It wasn't even 7pm but Chloe was so incredibly exhausted she didn't care. "Why don't you have a shower and I'll throw something together to eat?" Ange asked.
"I'm sorry I really can't face any dinner right now."
"Not even toast? Dom asked "I'm sure mums got some bread in."
"Fine." Chloe said and went to the bathroom but Ange followed her. "Chloe. I want you to be safe. Is there anything in the bathroom that you want to give me so you can keep yourself safe?" Chloe knew exactly what her mother was asking. She wanted Chloe to give her anything sharp she had hidden away. Chloe was happy to. She was so unstable right now she couldn't trust herself with razors.
After she'd showered and taken off her make up she nibbles at the toast Dom had placed in front of her. She barely ate any. Tears made her feel nauseous. She then announced she was going to bed. She looked sheepish and Dom realised she might want to say something without him there so he walked into the kitchen. "Mum," Chloe said quietly. "Will you get snow lamb and baby bear from the red suitcase from Evans?" "
Of course Would you like me to sit with you until you drop off?" Ange asked. It was something she used to do when Chloe had hard days as a teenager. Evening were hard for her and she used to sometimes end up having yet another panic attack or self harming if she was left alone. Chloe nodded. "Dom," Ange said quickly "I'm going to sit with Chloe until she's asleep. She's so exhausted it probably won't be any longer than 20 mins. If you want to stay that's fine but feel free to go. Thanks for all your help today, you've been invaluable." Ange grabbed the stuffed toys Chloe had asked for from the suitcase and followed her. "Why don't you sleep in my room" Ange asked. "I'd hate to think of you being alone tonight."
"Thanks" Chloe said. Ange tucked her in and placed her teddies in the bed beside her. Snow lamb had been the first ever gift given to Chloe when she was less than 24 hours old. From her darling Gran of course. A little stuffed sheep with a white face but the rest of the body covered in the softest pink material and it had been Chloe's companion ever since. Baby Bear has been bought at 'build a bear'. Or as it was know then ' the bear factory 'in Glasgow. Her great auntie Aileen had taken Chloe for her 6th birthday. Auntie Aileen's son Chris has always called Chloe baby bairn- a Scots word meaning child, which Aileen's youngest daughter Ellie once heard as baby bear which had stuck. Chloe had had a lovely time with her aunt and cousins at the bear factory but couldn't think of a name for her toy so it had just been baby bear like her.
"Chloe." Ange said back in the present. "Words can't describe how incredibly proud I am of you or how much I love you."
"To the moon and back." Chloe said sleepily.
"To the moon and back." Ange repeated. She sat with Chloe stroking her hand and her hair until her breathing had slowed and her eyes had drifted shut. She planted a kiss on her head "goodnight my beautiful, brave, baby girl"
