CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The shrill beeping of her alarm clock told her it was 6am and she groaned as she reached out a hand to silence the offending noise. She was lying sprawled on her stomach and as she moved she felt the soreness in her groin from the night before. 'Should have been a bit gentler Rose' she thought to herself but that hadn't been what she had wanted or needed last night.
"Shower." she had said the word aloud in an attempt to rouse herself but it was still several minutes before she sat up and placed her feet on the floor.
After availing herself of her en suite's facilities she rubbed more of the scented body oil in to her skin. She told herself it was to lock in moisture and prevent sore, dry skin but she knew better than that. The scent suited her and she knew it.
She dressed casually but carefully in clean faded blue jeans and a white camisole top with pretty picot edging and ties at the back that she pulled in to accentuate her narrow waist. She kept her make up light and natural and after brushing her hair out she left it loose. Finally she added platinum heart ear studs and a matching necklace. She looked at herself in the full length mirror and nodded at her reflection, she'd do.
She ran lightly down the stairs and heard Jackie in the kitchen with Tony.
"Hey Mum."
"Hello love you're up early." and on looking up, "You look nice."
"Thanks I just wanted to look a bit pretty."
"Well you do. When are you going to collect John?"
"I thought about now."
"Aren't you going to have some breakfast first?"
"I'll get some at the hospital with John."
"You do realise you'll need to take things slowly with him don't you?"
"That depends; maybe he doesn't want to take things slowly."
Jackie gave her daughter a look only a Mother can give before replying,
"Listen we don't really know what was going through his head the night he tried to leave but we do know enough to know he was serious. He had packed everything of value… he wasn't intending ever coming back and if it happens again… Well we won't ever see him again and I don't think you want that."
Rose turned to leave but added,
"I'll let him decide what he wants to tell me but I will ask."
"Don't forget to take him some clothes."
"Yes Mum I'm not stupid."
She turned to leave and stopped off in John's room and picked out some loose jeans and a t shirt with a cow and a red arrow on the front for him to come home in.
Jackie watched as her daughter turned her car around and drove off down the long, tree lined driveway. Sighing she got on with her morning rituals; Rose had always been a headstrong girl but if she hadn't been she would never have taken off with that big eared man who wore a leather jacket. All of this wouldn't be their problem now but they would just as likely be dead if they hadn't known the Doctor.
When Rose arrived at the hospital it was still early and John was sleeping. She seated herself on the camp bed that was still in the room and saw that her handwritten note was now being used as a marker in a magazine she had bought John. He had wanted to read but found it difficult to stay awake and concentrate long enough to read a book and a magazine had proved a good solution.
Her Mother's words still smarted. She knew she had hurt him horribly and that when he had packed he had never intended seeing her again but what had been going through his mind that night? Had he been in more than just emotional pain and unable to think clearly? Would he ever tell her? Would he even remember?
As she thought she watched him for signs of his waking and caught the first sigh as he slowly threw off the layers of sleep. As he stretched his legs Rose noticed a small grimace of pain but it was fleeting and left his face as quickly as it had appeared. Rose waited until he blinked himself awake before speaking,
"Hey sleepyhead are you ready to come home?"
"I missed you last night."
"I'm sorry I just really needed a night at home."
"Home."
Rose nodded,
"Yes it's your home too now."
"Maybe."
"It is but now we need to eat and get you out of here."
"I have to wait until my doctor has done his rounds."
"I know but if we are ready then I can whisk you out of here as soon as he is gone."
"You sound keen."
"I am! I'll be right back with breakfast for us both."
When Rose returned John hadn't moved.
"Are you alright?" she asked him.
"I'm always alright."
Rose looked at him askance but didn't comment; they'd already had that conversation and it was true he was bound to say things that he had and maybe still did.
"Well eat your breakfast and then I'll pack your bags for you."
"I don't have that much here do I?"
"No not really just what you needed."
"I don't have much of anything anywhere do I?"
"Well not yet but we can go shopping when you are fitter and in the meantime we can order you some stuff online. John what is it?"
He shrugged,
"Just it didn't take long to pack. Not long at all."
"You're talking about…?"
He nodded.
"Can we not do this here please? Let's just eat eh?"
He nodded a second time,
"Maybe we should do this at…"
"Home John, at home."
They ate is silence and even when Rose was packing his things up they barely spoke.
The doctor arrived and in short order John was discharged. Moments later he found himself in Rose's car. He fell asleep on the way home and woke to Rose gently shaking him and calling his name.
"Sorry I didn't want to leave you asleep in the car, that's what people do with babies."
"I'd have been OK so long as you'd remembered to leave a window rolled down for me."
"Like a dog?"
"Like a tin dog." He shook his head, "I'm sorry just memories coming back."
"It's fine, shall we go inside?"
"Yes I think I'd like that but I need to lie down."
"Of course, we can talk later when you have rested."
When they went through the front door Jackie was waiting but Rose waved her aside and hissed, "Not now." at her. Once inside John's room she helped him to lie down on the bed and put his crutches within easy reach for him.
"You were rude to your Mum."
"I know. I'll speak to her while you get some rest yeah?"
It was a question that Rose didn't really expect an answer to but she was grateful when he agreed and closed his eyes to sleep a little. Rose pressed her lips to his before saying,
"I'll speak to Mum and then I'll be back OK?"
John nodded sleepily and Rose slipped out of the room.