"Gary Preston?" The doctor asked as he entered the room.
Gary nodded.
"Were putting you on a course of strength building exercises, just generally the basics, re-strengthen your legs, get you back into shape and put you on a course of high carbohydrate foods, lots of protein etc, this will also build you back up... it going to be difficult, but, with a lot of support..." he paused and nodded towards Miranda; "You'll be back on your feet soon... We've also bucked you in for a CT scan; just to check you're head, see if the swellings gone down any"
Gary nodded. "Thanks" he mumbled.
"it is a good idea to get someone to fetch you some clean clothes and toiletries" the doctor added.
"Do you want me to do it?" Miranda asked.
Gary nodded, "Please" he smiled.
"I'll get going, but your booked in for your scan in about an hour, and your first phyiso session is not that long after that."
Gary clenched his eyes together.
"Are you alright?" Miranda asked worried.
"I've got headache" He moaned.
"Where about's?" the doctor started to examine him.
Gary rubbed his head where it hurt.
Gary was in his scan and Miranda had gone back to his flat with Clive; go to collect some things for him.
Miranda let herself in, putting the keys on the side.
Clive followed her through, looking around the flat eagerly.
Miranda walked over to the blood covered glass from the photo frame. "Clive?"
He walked over and bent down besides her, "looks like a photo frame, the woods still there..." he added carefully picking up the pieces and binning them.
Miranda slowly walked over to the tv area and smiled, laughing quietly to herself.
"What's so funny?" Clive asked joining her.
"Typical Gary"
Clive looked at her confused.
"Well, there's a PS3, a load of games and all the complete box set of doctor who and Only Fools 'N' Horses!" Miranda smiled.
"Yeah; I never noticed" Clive laughed.
Miranda started to put the CD's on the shelves and the DVD's away. "It's a nice place he's got here" she smiled as she looked around his little flat.
Clive was making some tea. "Yeah" he replied.
Miranda took a drink from a cup before going through to his bedroom; to gather some clothes.
She opened the door and looked around... the bed wasn't made and the photograph was in the middle of his pillows.
Miranda sat on the side of his bed, picking up the photo, the pillow was damp next to it.
Miranda felt really guilty.
she kissed the photo before gathering his things. Clothes, toiletries, a box set of Doctor Who and his IPod.
Clive was out in the main living area, nosing through all Gary's vinyl's. There were shelves and shelves of them, hundreds of LP's. Clive smiled to himself before going to find Miranda.
"Does Gary have an LP player?"
Miranda shrugged.
"He's got hundreds of vinyl's... he's got good taste!" Clive smiled.
Miranda laughed to her self, "good old Gary" she smiled picking up the bag of his belongings.
"I'm back" Miranda smiled as she re-entered Gary's room.
"What's she doing here?"
"Dad" Gary moaned.
"Hello love!" Gary's mum greeted her with a hug.
"Hi" Miranda replied putting Gary's bag down next to his bed and perching on the side.
"I said what's she doing here"
"And I said leave it dad, were together alright" Gary complained.
"Aww, love, that's great! Finally!" Gary's mum smiled.
"Why do you want to get with her, she's the reason you got in this state!"
"I'll wait outside" Miranda smiled getting up.
"Don't" Gary pleaded.
"Let her go Gary"
"Nathan!" Gary's mum hissed.
"What, it's true! She was the one who landed him in here, running off without so much as a goodbye, messing him about for all those years she practically killed him!"
Miranda stood up and started to leave.
"Get out.."
Everyone looked at Gary.
"Dad I said get out" Gary pretty much shouted.
"You don't mean that" Nathan protested.
"Ever since uni, you've put me down... complained at me, acted as if your ashamed of me... even when I'm in hospital.. complaining, and now your telling me how to run my love life! Just GO!"
"Nathan, go" Gary's mum added.
Miranda had gone, sitting outside in the waiting area, crying.
"Who's side are you on Sally?!" Nathan argued.
"His... he's right, you've always put him down... we've already filled for divorce; of course I'm on his. Go Nathan, just go...!" Sally added.
"Your no son of mine..." Nathan stood up and stormed out.
"Yeah, and you've been no dad to me what so ever!" Gary laughed angrily.
"Calm down Gary..." Sally said softly stroking the back of his hand.
"What do you mean; you've filled for divorce?" Gary added.
"We haven't been getting on..." Sally started to cry.
"Mum, don't cry..." Gary said softly hugging her. "What happened?"
"Everything, he's always complaining, shouting at me... making me sad..." Sally sobbed.
Sally left not long after.
Miranda didn't re-enter.
"Miranda!"... "MIRANDA!" he shouted for her to hear as he couldn't walk to the door.
Miranda stood up and walked through the door.
"Why are you crying?!" Gary asked terrified sitting up.
"What you're dad said, it's true!" Miranda sobbed.
"Come here!" Gary smiled holding his arms out.
Miranda hugged him, curling into him on the bed. "It was all my fault!"
"No, it wasn't... it was mine, I caused you to run away; I got myself into such a state..." Gary said softly, kissing her head. "I don't need my dad, he was always horrid to me as a kid... so, lets leave it yeah? It's just me and you now..." he said softly kissing her head.
"I love you" Miranda whispered.
"I love you too" Gary smiled kissing her.
"Do you want to go outside?"
"If only I could.." Gary complained.
"well, the nurse said some fresh air will do you good, you've got a wheel chair, c'mon, I'll take you for a walk" Miranda smiled.
Gary's face burst out smiling. "I'll get changed first though... did you pack my joggers?"
"As you instructed" Miranda smiled rooting through the bag.
Gary sat in the hospital gardens in his wheel chair with Miranda, luckily he no longer needed the drip. He had changed into his grey joggers and superman hoodie.
"As a kid, every dream I ever had he laughed upon... ok, so some were rather drastic... like being a space man... but, I was just a kid, mum was always saying how I should go for my dreams; not let anything hold me back... but dad... he laughed in my face and told me to grow up when I was five..." Gary spoke, tossing a stone back into the flower bed. He sighed. "I mean look at that poor kid there." He nodded towards a child in a wheel chair, he was pale and had his leg up in plaster. "His mum and dad are with him, supporting him... when I ended up in hospital as a kid he didn't visit once...it was always mum... always my mum... everything was my mum..."
"Why were you in hospital?" Miranda asked.
"I got food poisoning, I was eight... remember it like it was yesterday..." Gary sighed. "But, if I ever do have kids... in the future; i'd be the dad mine never was too me... well, i'd try... knowing my luck i'd probably turn out as useless as him.."
"Your not useless..." Miranda urged.
Gary looked at her confused.
"Your not useless, your anything but... your kind, polite, caring, everything your dad's not... I reckon your like your mum" Miranda smiled kissing his head.
"Lets hope so" Gary laughed relaxing back into his chair as Miranda pushed him back in doors.
