Chapter 23
Tom stood by the front door. He needed to go to work, but he didn't know if he could face being there with her, without being able to talk, hug or kiss her whenever he wanted.
He stepped out the door, music playing from his headphones, and began to walk.
Arriving at the hospital around fifteen minutes early, he decided to grab a coffee - something to get him through the day. The previous night he hadn't slept much. He'd tried to find a reason why he acted as he did, and what he could do now to fix it.
As he entered the staff room, he saw her sat on the couch at the end of the room.
"Sam," he started, but it was clear she was trying to ignore him. "I'm sorry. Really I am. I'll get professional help; whatever I need. But right now, I need you to help me. I love you. I can't understand why I did it. You need to help me through this - no one else can. Please?" He tried to plead.
She had begun to listen more intensely. Hearing his words made her want to get up, to hug, to kiss and to help him. The one thing stopping her was: she was still extremely angry with him. She never expected for him to hit her, but it had happened. He needed to live with the consequences.
"Just go away Tom. I don't want to hear it. You can apologise all you want, it isn't going to change much."
"Can't you tell I'm sorry? I need you Sam. I love you."
She went to speak again, however, she decided against it. She got up and walked out the door, already wearing her scrubs.
Tom gave up on shouting after her when she hurried into resus.
That day, Tom lost his temper on many occasions. He shouted at nearly all the nurses and stood confused when they all scurried away. He only noticed he sounded angry and had been yelling when Tess gave him an earful for it.
Tom had apologised and carried on with his work; trying to keep calm when a nurse came asking for his assistance.
At the end of his shift, Tom quickly changed and made his way out of the department.
He went via the off-licence. His head told him, "time to be stupid again," and his feet proceeded into the shop, himself in tow.
Sam hurried out to the parking lot. She wanted to get away from this place – the ED. She had seen Tom acting up the whole day, trying to catch her attention and later giving up. She was fed up of his erratic behaviour; she didn't know how Joey could ever put up with him, or how she had.
She jumped into her car and began to drive back home. At one point, she nearly made a wrong turning – she forgot she was going to hers. This came down on her roughly; she was missing him. Once she became aware of the tears on her face and the loud blast of another driver's horn, she looked up and saw the lights had turned green.
She stepped out her car and wiped her eyes one last time before she made her way to the door. When she entered inside, she heard the shouts of Joey and Ajit. She guessed by their noise they had found something in her home to entertain themselves throughout the day.
And she was right. They had found a PlayStation that she never knew she owned – and was probably more surprised than they were when they came across it.
"You want to join Sam?" Joey said with his mouth full.
"Not particularly. And what are you eating?"
"A banana." He replied, as if it was obvious.
"Healthy." She stated. "Do you guys want me to order a pizza?"
"If you wouldn't mind." Ajit commented.
"Yeah, we'll just turn this off and get some plates and drinks out." Joey nodded.
"Trying to be helpful for once are we, Joey?" Sam observed.
"Don't push it." Joey warned.
The pizza was delivered around twenty minutes later. Ajit had found a bottle of red wine in the kitchen and brought it into the lounge.
"Here; I found this." He placed the bottle down on to the little table.
Sam quickly found the bottle opener and used it. She poured Ajit and herself a glass.
"Can I have a little bit?" Joey avowed.
"Don't ask me; ask Aj."
Joey turned to his brother with a questioning look.
"I have no problem with you drinking a bit. One thing, just don't tell dad or Tom." Ajit cautioned.
The three carried on eating their pizza and drinking their glasses dry. Ajit had been able to find another two bottles in the kitchen, which had since been emptied. Sam and Ajit had been the heavy drinkers of the night. Joey had barely drunk half a bottle – Sam had kept snatching away the bottle and pouring her another glass. It's going to be fun in the morning with you. Joey confirmed in his head.
"I think you've had enough, Sam." Joey clarified, beginning to stand.
"Don't be so boring!" She laughed as she fell backwards onto the floor.
Joey looked at his brother, who was finding this all hilarious, "what are you going to do?"
Ajit shrugged his shoulders, "don't ask me. I'm out of it too."
"Help me get her to her room, will you?" Joey nagged, annoyed at the twos unbothered phase.
"Fine." Ajit huffed as he went to Sam's side and started to put one arm over his shoulder. "Are you going to help?"
The brothers got Sam settled in her bed and left the room turning the light off, hearing the continuous moaning from her.
"I'm going to hit the stack, mate." Ajit yawned, slapped his brother on the back and walked away to the spare room.
Joey decided to clear the lounge – the mess couldn't stay there all night, and it wasn't as if the other two were sober enough to carry out the simple task.
He grabbed a black sack from the kitchen and began dumping all the rubbish into it, picking up the glasses and plates and putting them into the dishwasher.
After all the rubbish was cleared, he made his way out back and threw the sack into the bin. Accomplished with himself, he went back inside. Yawning, he grabbed a blanket that lay across the couch, pulled it over him and fell asleep.
Argh, my head. She smacked her hand to her forehead. She had a killer hangover and an early morning shift. Not a great combination.
She rolled over to look at the clock. Shit! She had less than an hour to get up, get a shower, and get dressed.
She rushed out of her bed and into the bathroom.
Ajit was zombie walking – minus the extended arms – out of the spare room. As the bathroom door slammed, it caused him to clutch his head even tighter.
He entered the kitchen, and saw Joey standing there with his Apple laptop in front of him.
"What you doing, mate?"
"Just doing some schoolwork Steve sent me." Joey kept his eyes focused on the screen, scanning through the data and typing. "There's a coffee for you on the side and one for Sam when she comes in here." He went on, sipping his own.
Ajit mumbled appreciated thanks.
Sam charged in a mere ten minutes later, looking flustered. Ajit handed her the coffee without a word.
"The shower is free if anyone wants to use it." She grumbled as she searched the cupboards and drawers for some paracetamol.
Joey walked out the room in the direction of the bathroom, before his brother could had a chance to complain. He returned just over five minutes later, already changed and washed.
"How can you have such a quick shower?" Sam asked, confused.
"I don't need to wash my hair for five minutes – mine barely takes thirty seconds."
Ajit had already left the room to have a shower himself.
Sam didn't say anything and continued to down her coffee.
"So, how is your hangover?" Joey smiled devilishly.
"How can you be so alright? You had quite a bit and are younger." Sam groaned.
"I also swigged a large glass of water before a finished for the night."
"I suppose you think you're clever?"
"More than you, yes." Joey laughed.
"How do you know all this stuff?"
"Just do; experience. Why don't you?"
"Anyway, I have to go to work now." Sam closed the previous subject.
"I'll come too." Sam raised her eyebrows; questioning him. "I don't want to sit around here all day on my own. Aj is going to see some old mates and I don't want to go. Surely Big Mac can find me a few porter jobs to do, or something?"
"Alright, get your shoes on and meet me out in the car."
"I don't think that's such a good idea. Have a walk – it's a great cure."
Sam said no more and walked out the door, leaving it ajar, while Joey grabbed his trainers from the floor and sat tying his laces.
Sam considered herself fine, so she did get into her car. Joey would just have to deal with it.
When Joey closed the door behind him on his way out, he couldn't see Sam anywhere. It hit him that she went against his word. He hurried to the car, jumping in.
"Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?" He whispered annoyed, loud enough for Sam to hear. She only smirked at his comment. "I explained to Aj." He said as he pulled over his seat belt.
She began to drive and they were parking at the ED less than twenty minutes later.
As they walked through the ED's automatic doors and made their way to the staff room, Joey asked, "do you know where Big Mac will be?"
"Go to the reception desk and ask Noel or Louise. I saw them there on our way in." Sam replied.
"Cool; thanks."
Sam changed into her scrubs and left the staff room, heading towards cubicles. She saw Zoe at the desk and approached her.
"Zoe, is there any patients waiting?" She asked, looking half asleep.
"Hey Sam, here you go." Zoe handed her some notes and continued to go past her.
Sam held her head as the notes were dropped in one hand. However, she got on with her patients, holding her head every few minutes and taking some more painkillers when needs be.
After an hour or so Joey passed Sam in a corridor. He was carrying some supplies into one of the store rooms. Sam was holding her head - again - so Joey quickly put the stuff down, and ran over to her.
He touched her shoulder gently. As a result, she turned around.
"Oh hey Joey." She mumbled.
"You sure you're okay to be at work?" He asked, concerned.
"Yes. What's Big Mac got you doing?"
"Just moving some boxes." He said, still watching her hold her head. "Come on."
"What?" She asked him.
"Just come with me a second."
He took her by the forearm and led her into the store room he was heading for.
"Sit down over there." He ordered and pointed to where he meant.
She obliged, and groaned: "why?"
"Just do it." He said as he looked over the shelves.
He found what he was looking for, and held it up for Sam to see.
"A saline drip," he announced, seeming quite pleased with him.
"Joey!" She shouted. "You can't administer that."
"You're hung-over. Admit it; you need it." Sam reluctantly nodded, and stuck out her arm.
Joey knelt down beside her and held her arm. With his other hand, he pushed the cannula into her arm.
"Sit there for a minute." Joey said, and stood up, heading out the door.
When he closed the door he began to walk away. But just as he went to go, someone called him back.
"Joey!" They called. He turned around and noticed it was Zoe. "Have you seen Tom? He was supposed to be in an hour ago."
"Sorry, Zoe, I haven't. He's probably just running late."
"For an hour? I'll ring him. If he doesn't pick up, can you go round there?"
"Sure." Joey began to walk off again.
"Also," Zoe continued, "can you move some stuff out of my office. It's only boxes and the like."
"Sure." Joey sighed and followed her.
He completed the job easily, Zoe thanked him, and he arrived back to the store room. He sneaked in and knelt down next to Sam once more.
"You feeling better?" He asked concern.
"Yes. Thanks." She replied simply.
Joey proceeded by taking the cannula out, placing his thumb over the small hole.
"Not the most convenient way of doing it." Sam rolled her eyes.
"Says the doctor who was off their face last night." Joey smirked.
"Shut it."
"Well, I'm just going to put a plaster over this – so it shows less." He reached up onto a shelf and grabbed a plaster. Putting it on, he said: "do you want me to kiss it better?"
"Shut it." She repeated.
Sam got herself up, using the surrounding shelves to assist her.
"One thing, Joey," she started as she placed her hand on the door handle, "why are you being so helpful? It's a unlike you – or what I thought you were."
"The truth is I absolutely hate having to watch everyone around me doing everything for my needs. So now, I am 'returning the favour' – as they say."
"Cute." Sam smirked simply. Joey gave her a raise of an eyebrow. "I prefer you when you're like this. I might have to get used to it."
"Don't push your luck. Anyway, you may want to go back to work. Zoe's in a bit of a mood with high stacks of paperwork to complete, so try not to cross her."
Sam bowed her head, and opened the door.
She walked down the corridor, tying her hair into a bun, when she saw Jeff and Norman pushing in a patient. She was just by the reception desk when she heard them call the patient's name – "this is Tom Kent," was what Jeff called, still sounding shocked himself.
Sam was shocked, too. She wanted so much to run and hold Tom's hand, telling him she was there and it'd be okay, although the another part of her wanted to run in the opposite direction – away from all.
At first, it looked as if she was performing the former, but the sight suddenly turned to the latter. She rammed Jeff as she absconded. She ran; just ran.
Thanks for all reviews, favourites and follows. I would say personal thanks, but I am likely to forget someone. So, thanks to everyone.
If anyone has any suggestions as to where to go with this, then it would be greatly appreciated.