Breathe

Betty gripped her mother in law's hand as the young doctor walked into the crowded family room on the edge of the A&E waiting room. A nurse appeared a second later. Maria swallowed hard. She knew the routine. Blinking she tried to keep her face neutral, there was no way she would cry. Not yet.

"Hello. Are you all Mark Brown's family?"

"We are Luv." Agnes answered. "I'm his mother. Betty is his wife, Dermot, Rory and Trevor are his brothers. Cathy is his sister and Maria his sister in law. Deano there and Buster well, they're family too." Buster smiled slightly. He loved all the Brown's but knew Mrs Brown always blamed him for the twins getting into trouble.

"He's a strong man. When Mark was brought into us he was badly injured. His lung had collapsed, he has a head wound, a break in his lower leg and a fracture to his pelvis." Betty closed her eyes silently sobbing as her blonde hair fell over her face. Agnes maintained eye contact with the doctor.

"His heart stopped beating."

"No. Oh good God." Agnes looked up at Cathy who was clinging onto Dermot's hand. "He's dead."

"No. As I said Mark is tough. We got his heart started again. The nurses are putting a cast on his leg and dressing the head wound. He's still very unwell - he's not out of the woods yet."

"He's alive." Agnes smiled.

"Yes, Mrs Brown."

"Can I see him?" Betty asked. The doctor nodded.

"I'll go check." The nurse vanished as quickly as she appeared. Cathy wiped her eyes, letting go of Dermot's hand. He smiled, he knew his sister thought he was an idiot. Rory hugged Deano as Trevor whispered a silent "thank you" only noticed by his mum who nodded.

"I'll call Grandad. He's worried." Agnes squeezed Betty's hand. "You go see your husband."

Xxxxxx

Cathy stepped outside the A&E entrance amazed that night had already fallen. The world had continued despite everything that happened to the Brown family. She sat on a metal bench that had seen better days as Trevor stepped towards her.

"I'm going to take Mammy home."

"Ok." She nodded.

"Cathy. I was a kid when you married that man."

"Divorce is a sin." Cathy looked at the floor. "I know my scriptures too. Not as well as you but I do know them." Trevor shook his head.

"Can you not see me as a priest for five minutes? Can't I just be Trevor? Your brother. I know I'm the youngest but I know you came back from London and something changed. You were different. Mark and Betty were secretive. You all were. None of us had a clue what was happening but we knew it was bad."

"Trevor."

"I was twelve years old. The age Bono is now almost. You were? What?"

"Old enough to know better. He wasn't going to let me walk away. He said he'd kill me."

"Cathy."

"I should have rode it out. Like Mammy did."

"No." Trevor turned. "No, I've one brother dead. I don't intend to lose my big sister. You had to leave."

"He said I killed our baby. It was a miscarriage. Probably caused by him, but he said he'd make sure I paid. I thought he meant he would come after me but it seems not. It seems he's coming after the people I love."

"You were pregnant?"

"Briefly. The day I lost the baby I walked away."

"Does Mammy know?"

"No. She's not to. Only Mark, Betty and you. Getting Mark better is the priority now. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"It was over a decade ago. Leave it there. Michael is my problem. Somehow I'll deal with it." She hugged her little brother.

"What can I do?"

"Pray. It looks like you're on good terms with the Big Man up there, put a good word in." She kissed his cheek before walking back to the hospital.

Xxxxxxxx

A/N filler chapter. Please review

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