It was three days since the accident and Jim had showed no signs of improvement. Liz was getting scared. She thought he would have woken up by now.
There were more questions about it from Katie now too. Her daughter wasn't stupid. She knew some thing was up. Her families behavior had con firmed that, they were odd. Steve was hiding something, the child could tell in a way only children can.
Not only that but the gossips off the street weren't helping matters.
Thankfully though there was one good thing to come out of all this. Only one though…
The moment he had heard the state his father was in, Andy had flown straight home to help his family once again. He had come back at last.
Getting in to number eleven he had unpacked quickly before rushing up to the hospital. The house hadn't changed much in the past two years he was pleased to see. There were just a few more photos. Clearly his sister was growing up fast.
Sitting with his twin brother and mum by his father, he sighed. How had it come to this? How had he not seen it coming?
His mother when he had rang home had told him there had been trouble but this bad.
"How much have you told Katie?" he asked.
"Nothing. I can't face it." said a tired Liz. She had rarely left her ex husbands aide. Which didn't help. Katie knew she wasn't working all the time.
"Mum he might be in here for weeks yet. Katie has to know some thing." he said and she nodded.
"But what? The truth?" she asked. She didn't think so. The truth was too harsh.
"Maybe we can tell her that he has gone to Ireland." suggested Steve.
Andy cut in.
"Why not the truth. How is she going to feel if she thinks he has just gone away and not said good bye. Are they as close as they were when I left?" he asked.
Steve shook his head.
"He has had a lot on his mind with all the Fiona stuff and she has been with mum more and more." said Steve.
"That isn't going to matter to her when she learns he is -" Liz put her head in his hands. "You stupid git." she said to the motionless figure of Jim on the bed. "Why? Why?" she egged him to respond.
Nothing.
"I am going to go for a fag." she said as she picked up her coat.
"Ok. Which one of us is going to get Katie from school?" Steve asked.
"I will." volunteered Andy. He had missed her.
-
Katie left the class room with her school friends chattering happily.
She had had a good day. It improved even more when she got to the play ground.
When she saw her big brother for the first time in around two years she flew in to his arms which were open wide for her to do so.
"God I missed you so much." he said as he held on to her like a life line. Seeing her again was the only good thing about his return.
"Me to." she said as she was set back on the floor and he took her he and leading her home.
"I am so sorry … you know about not saying bye." he said to her seriously.
She shrugged. It was over now.
"Don't matter. You're home for good right?" she asked.
"I don't know about for good Katie. But for now yeah I am home and I am going to be hanging about for a bit." he nodded.
"Good cause I miss you when your away." she said to him shyly.
"I know." he nodded. She hadn't lost her innocent eyes yet clearly. She was so free in giving her affection and in speech. She was too young too care what they showed. "So what did you do at school today?" he asked.
"We did painting!" she said enthusiastically. "I can show you my picture when we get home." she said to him.
"Yeah?" he asked smiling.
"Yeah….and I want to go show daddy too," she said and his smiled faded.
"We are going to home… I mean daddy's home aren't we… not Mummy's. I spend all my time there now and I miss him. It has been three days since he took me to the park and he hasn't even said hello to me." she complained.
He felt uncomfortable. He should have known she'd ask questions.
"Well yeah we are going to be going to daddy's home," he smiled and she nodded. That was all she had wanted to hear, of course he felt guilty because he knew even if she wished it different, daddy's was not going to be there.
When they got home Andy got his sister fish and chips for supper. Her eyes were focused on the door though. All the time as she waited for Jim.
When finally the door opened when the two of them had settled in to watching the telly she turned expecting her dad. She got her mum.
Her eyes darted down.
Liz couldn't stand seeing the pain in her daughters eyes which she knew only the absence of her father could put in them. She had seen it when she had tried to keep Jim and Katie apart before.
It didn't work.
"Have you too had a good time?" asked Liz trying to keep her daughter calm and not upset.
She mutely nodded.
"You going to come home now then?" she asked.
Katie's eyes darted up wards this time. Did she have a choice? No…
"Can we wait till daddy's back to leave?" she asked.
"Sweet heart he might not be home till late, and we have to get you to bed soon, so your all ready for school in the morning."
Andy shook his head. How was it that lying was such a natural thing to his mum? Katie wasn't going to pick up on it like he could.
"Cant I go to bed here. Andy can take care of me for the night." she suggested smiling sweetly at her brother.
She missed it here. It had been weeks since she had been here with her father or any one.
"May be at the week end." said her mother.
Katie's frustration with not being told any thing though was beginning to show. Looking up furiously she shook he head.
"No mum, tonight!" she begged as she clung to her brother.
"Baby come on, Katie…" said Andy as he held her. "This weekend I promise." he whispered and she nodded, as a few tears fell down her cheeks.
"I just want my daddy!" she wailed in to him.
"I know you do. I know. So do I really."
Andy had no idea what was worse. Knowing about his father's condition or not. As next of kin was Andy, he knew should it come to it the choice to turn off his fathers life support would come to him… That silly git of a younger brother. If he and his dad had only got on none of this would have happened and his baby sister might not be crying in to him begging him to tell her of there father and where he was. And he had to admit he would be just as scared as she was. He didn't want to lose him…
-
"I think I am going to try and tell her tonight." said Liz to her sons as they kept watch over Jim.
"She has to know some thing. The state she got her self in to last night wasn't right mum. Not fair on her," Andy sighed.
She nodded.
"Nothing really is fair for this family right now. And if it is I can't see it." she said as she looked at her ex husband.
The thought of him dying was unbearable. But that was the harsh reality that was facing her and her sons. And soon her daughter also.
-
Liz wrapped her arm round her young daughter. Katie was in bed and Liz had just read her a story for the first time since the accident.
"Baby, you know what happened in the story, when the brother bear got sick so he had to go in to hospital for a few days," she asked her,
Katherine nodded in to her mother sleepily.
"What happened?" Liz asked.
"The bear doctors got him all better again." she said.
"Yeah. Because that's what people do when they go in to hospital. They get better." she said as she held her.
"Mummy, does this have some thing do with why daddy isn't coming home. Is dad sick?" said Katie catching on.
Slowly Liz nodded.
"Yes, but what you have to remember now Katie is that daddy is inn hospital where he is going to get better." she said to her.
"Just like I was in hospital when I was born?" she asked.
"Yeah. Yeah darling just like that. And you came home, and so will dad." she reassured her. "So I don't want it to play on mind. He is coming back. "
To Katie it was some what of a relief to know what was going on at last. She had begun to worry it was some thing which she had done which h had made her daddy go.
"Mum?"
"Yes sweetheart," she said still clinging to her daughter. She knew she had done wrong making Katie believe her dad would return when he might not but what else could she tell the six year old. That daddy might die?
"When I get home tomorrow can I go see dad?" she asked.
Liz had known that on was coming.
"I don't think that is a very good idea. Dad doesn't look himself right now. I think it'd upset you seeing him in there and he isn't a lot like your dad right now?" she asked.
"Daddy doesn't like it when I cry, does he?" she asked.
"No, none of us do. You're only small Katie. You should be having fun. Not worrying like us adults." she said to her.
"But I do mummy." she said to her.. "Please."
-
"Maybe you should being her in." agreed Andy.
"Why?" asked Liz. Only to see her upset…no. She couldn't do it to her.
"It might help him." said Steve to his mum. "To know she is here" he suggested.
Well she hadn't thought of that.
Looking at the twins Liz sighed. She didn't know what to do for the best and she was so tired. She hadn't been so tired since her daughter had been very young.
"But she couldn't cope seeing him like this, I don't think…" Liz shook her head.
"What she cant cope with is not seeing him at all." said Andy in respond and she knew it was true.
"Mum, if you don't want to be here when she does see him for the first time, then me and Steve will come in with her but she does have too."
"I know. I know she does. But its so hard for us… for a six year old girl it'd be… I mean she worships him," she sighed. She was only trying to protect her.
"I know. I know she is going to get upset. But you know, he is going to get better mum. " said Andy as he watched his brother looking at there father. He was as worried as the rest of them. But Andy got the feeling there was some thing else. Some thing that he wasn't telling the truth about: the accident?
"I can not lay it on you too bring her in your own. No I'll do it." said Liz. But if she was doing the right thing she didn't know.
One day later
"All the wires and leads are a bit scary but you have to think Katie they are helping daddy get better ok?" said liz to her daughter.
It was just the two female McDonalds going in at that moment. Liz had sent her sons home. They had seen there sister upset enough lately. Neither needed it.
"You don't have to do this," said Liz but Katie nodded. She wanted to do this.
Liz knew if nothing else then her girl needed it. This wasn't for Jim.
Opening the door on to the side room were her unconscious husband lay, liz waited for Katherine to go forward which she did quiet willingly before following in herself.
The first thing that struck Katie was the scariest. How weak and helpless her daddy looked. He had never appears to her like that before. It shocked here.
Moving forward she came to the very side of his bed. She didn't know what to do, and Liz saw her struggling to know what to do next.
"Why don't you hold dads hand Katie?" she asked.
"Can he hear me?" she asked.
"We don't know. Maybe. You can talk to him, if that's what you want to do."
Doing as her mother had said Katherine took her daddies hand gently and gave it a kiss before just letting it lay back down but she kept hold of it lightly.
"Hey dad." said Katherine quietly.
Liz had been so caught up in her own feelings that she had quite forgotten how brave her daughter could be. She had though tshe'd be crying by now. But she wasn't.
"I've really missed you." Katie admitted. "When you coming home?" she asked, whispering to him tenderly. No response.
"Dad has to sleep to get better." explained her moth4er.
"Will he wake up while I'm here." she asked.
"Not today baby." said Liz to her daughter.
Katie looked sadder but she was unnerved.
"When is hew going to wake up?" she asked.
Liz shook her head. How long was a piece of string?
"We don't quite know yet." admitted Liz. "But soon." she nodded.
Katie nodded. "He is going to en' he mum? Daddy will wake up?" that was the moment when Katie bit her kip to stop it from shaking.
Liz nodded. "Of course he is. He's your dad, and he wouldn't leave you for the entire world." Liz promised.
"Then I want to come and see him every day till he does." said Katie. "!Because that's what he did for me when I was sick in hospital. He kept watch over me, and now I am going to over him, 'cause he said I was his little angel. And that's what angels do."
Elizabeth couldn't match her daughter's bravery. The little one had moved her.
"I know." she said with watery eyes as she rose from, her chair. "Mummy is just going to go see the doctor, and see how he is ok?" she asked as she flowed the room, to find the toilets were she could cry.
If Katherine had wept it'd be easier for her to shed tears, she wouldn't fell as bad. But she hadn't. She had been so strong ever since she had enter the room. Katie never stopped surprising her mother…
In the mean time the youngest member of her family sat in the edge of her fathers bed and talked to him, not sure how much he was taking in or if he was even listening. All she knew was he was going to get better. He had too… there was no other option.