I apologise for the delay in updating I have had a bad case of writers block and have struggled to get my ideas to flow. If you are still interested in reading please let me know :)
Michelle closed the door to the flat and slowly slid down to the ground she was exhausted. The past week had been hell on earth and she honestly didn't understand how she was still functioning. The factory was still having problems; the cash flow was drying up once more and Michelle could barely think straight let alone organise potential client meetings or visit with suppliers. The girls had all tried to be helpful and knuckle down but they were worried about their jobs and Michelle knew that they just didn't buy her excuses for Carla not being there.
Thinking of an excuse for why Carla wasn't around hadn't been easy and Michelle had come close to cracking once or twice. The official lie was that she had gone to spend some time with her brother as he hadn't been well. Obviously as Carla barely mentioned her family people were suspicious. Better than them knowing the truth she would kill me if I told. Michelle could picture the affronted look on Carla's face if people dared to offer her sympathy. The thought of Carla trying to avoid people's niceties brought a smile to her face and a chuckle from somewhere deep within. Michelle felt like she hadn't laughed in weeks.
Michelle pulled herself up from the floor and made her way to the kitchen to start brewing some coffee at the moment it seemed to be the only thing she could stomach and she needed something before setting off to the hospital.
Carla had now been in a coma for four days and although the nurses were positive especially since yesterday when the ventilator had been removed Michelle just couldn't shake off the sense of dread that loomed over her. Until Carla was awake and giving her lip Michelle could not rest easy something that after four days was beginning to take its toll. God I miss her. Michelle was distracted from her musings by the kettle boiling. As she went to pour the hot water her mobile starting ringing loudly Oh for the love of God can't I just have one moment's peace Michelle grabbed her mobile out of her bag and paused. The display read Unknown caller. Michelle knew only one place that would call her with a withheld number. The Hospital.
Failure
Failure
FAILURE
How could she have failed again? She wasn't meant to wake up here she was meant to never wake again and be free from it all and now, now she was back in the one place she hated more than anywhere else. The nurses had told her she was lucky that she should be grateful that she obviously had a guardian fucking angel looking over her. Carla had snorted at this idea a guardian bloody angel if she did it had been doing a shit job for hmmm the past 37 years! Where was this angel when Liam died or when Tony took her hostage or let's see when Frank destroyed her. Angrily Carla slammed her fist into the side of the bars at the side of her bed and groaned loudly as tears stung her eyes. One of the more pleasant nurses had said she needed to thank Michelle bloody hospital couldn't even get her friends names right. Carla had plainly told the nurse that unless Michelle was her guardian angel and she had gained a 6th sense while sitting in an airport terminal and magically appeared at her flat then she was pretty sure that she meant Maria. Carla's stinging sarcasm didn't seem to affect this jovial nurse and she had just shrugged quietly, apologised and walked out whistling a tune.
As Dr Sweeney entered the room she noticed that her patient was still awake. "How are you feeling Carla?" noting that her patient had not even moved a muscle at her question she realised quickly that she wasn't going to receive an answer. "Carla I think that you'll be able to go home in a few days if you start eating and talking a bit more" Sighing Jane Sweeney made her way over to Carla's bedside and sat down gently beside her. "I've called your friend Michelle-"
Carla's head snapped round and her voice cracked with misuse "Its Maria, Michelle will be lapping up the sun on a Caribbean cruise right now miles away from the hellish problem which is me so it will be Maria" Her tone left no room for argument and Dr Sweeny sighed gently before continuing
"Well I've called your friend Maria and she's on her way. Carla? Carla what's wrong?" Carla was staring at her wide eyed and fearful.
"I don't want visitors" she whispered
Dr Sweeney leant her head forward frowning and made to take Carla's hand in hers. Carla jumped back violently and pulled her knees up to her chest.
"Don't touch me and I don't want any visitors"
Dr Sweeney shook her head and made her way slowly out of the room. Looking through the window she watched as Carla broke down into vicious sobs and she wished that she could fix the broken woman in front of her.
Michelle had never driven so fast in fact she was quite certain that she had been caught by a speed camera at least once. Pulling into the car park tyres squealing Michelle flung her car into a space hurriedly, paid for her ticket and set of running towards the hospital entrance. Arriving in the ward Michelle glanced towards the nurses' station smiled at Dr Sweeney who was checking a patient's file and began to make her way to Carla's room.
"Michelle!"
"Thank you so much for calling me thanks for all your help and-"
"Michelle" Dr Sweeney patiently tried to interrupt but Michelle was in full force.
"- I'm sure it won't be long until she's coming home I suppose I best get in there make sure she's ok -"
"Michelle Carla doesn't want any visitors"
"..."
The silence felt deafening and Dr Sweeney quickly led Michelle into her office. Sitting her gently into the chair in front of her desk Dr Sweeney busied herself with getting water. As she pressed a glass of water into her hand Michelle seemed to pull herself together.
"Why?"
"I'm sorry Michelle she probably feels embarrassed and ashamed and as it's her right as a patient I cannot let you in I'm sorry."
It didn't really surprise Michelle she knew how proud Carla was she just felt let down that she couldn't go in to see her more for her own sake than Carla's. What did surprise Michelle was how hurt she felt at being told that Carla didn't want her. This last week had highlighted how much Michelle had missed her and she just selfishly wanted a cuddle from her best friend. Somehow everything seemed that bit better when she was in Carla's embrace.
"Ok well it's her choice" Michelle bit her lip and tried to stop her voice from wavering "Now what can you tell me on her progress will there be any lasting side effects?"
Michelle stayed approximately forty minutes discussing with Dr Sweeney Carla's prognosis. Luckily there would be no lasting side effects but they had discussed the mental effects and how precarious Carla could be at the moment and even more so when she went home. Michelle stood and thanked Dr Sweeney for all her help and made her way slowly out of the office as she passed the door to Carla's room Michelle pressed her hand to the door and blinked back tears. Gathering herself together Michelle slowly stepped back from the door and rushed out, out of the ward and out of the hospital before she lost all control. Sat on a lone bench at the far end of the car park Michelle couldn't stop the tears from falling no matter how much she chastised herself. She knew she shouldn't be crying Carla was alive, well and by the sound of it back to her stubborn self so why she questioned herself why do I feel like I'm losing her now?