CHAPTER 28 : DEATH TRIUMPHS AGAIN
Arthur left the appointment with Mr. Alistair the urologist, grinned from ear to ear. He'd been worried but the prognosis was excellent. He was advised not to overdo anything but he got the all clear to proceed with caution.
Tom driving him back to Nonsuch remarked that he seemed in fine fettle. Arthur had thought, 'Ready, aim fire!' but instead he'd said, "Yes, the news was good…one less specialist on my list."
"That's good to know, Arthur, soon you'll be living back in town on a regular basis."
"The sooner the better in my mind… By the way, how are the alterations coming with the wet room?"
"It's finished. Do you want to drop by and have a look?"
Arthur checked the time; he still had plenty of time to get back to Merlin before supper. He had decided to go to the appointment alone so Tom had picked him up dropping off any correspondence and driven him to London. He'd left Merlin at Nonsuch happily messing around with his car and promising to open the mail and put aside anything which needed immediate attention. He'd been bothered with e-mails and letters asking for financial aid and his father's secretary would take care of those with suitable refusals.
He wanted to get back to Merlin but he decided that he really should check out the alterations first. He'd be paying the bill so he might as well check that everything was to his liking. Therefore he said, "That's a good idea. I can also check on the cat as the first thing Merlin will say if I tell he I was home, will be, 'Did you see Spot?'"
Ellie was very happy to see her husband and Arthur coming in and raced around so that she had lunch on the table by the time they came back downstairs. She said, "Arthur, do you have time for a quick bite?"
Looking at the table and seeing some of his favourites, he pulled out a chair up saying, "Perfect! Upstairs looks great and now a homemade lunch." He brought Ellie up to date on his return to Nonsuch and how he had worked really hard during yesterday's tests and hoped that the results would push the head therapist to advise that he could leave earlier than later. "We'll both be glad to be back here."
He bent over to pick up Spot who was rubbing herself against his foot. He laughed supposing that she had caught Merlin's scent, said, "Ellie, take a picture on my iPhone and Merlin will be able to see how well she is doing."
-0-0-
Once they were back on the road, Arthur phoned Merlin to let him know that they would arrive within the hour and sent Spot's photo to him. She was a funny little cat and certainly quite at home with Ellie and Tom.
They were soon overtaken by a police car with lights flashing and sirens wailing. Tom immediately lowered his speed, if there was a tie up ahead, he hoped to be able to get off the dual carriage way and find an alternate route so as not to be held up. They came around a corner and ahead he could see a jack-knifed truck and some stopped cars. He slowed down but the truck driver behind him didn't and the Rolls was hit hard from behind. Luckily, he was wearing his seatbelt; he was thrown forward, then back as his airbag deployed and then his head hit the driver's side window and he momentarily blacked out.
He woke blearily to someone rapping on the window. His first thought was Arthur and he turned around seeing his body crumpled on the back seat. The back window of EPG secure glass had shattered and Arthur was covered in hundred of pieces of safety glass fragments. He was bleeding from a gash on his temple possibly from a projectile and Tom remembered he'd been on his laptop. He was too still. Tom called, "Arthur, can you hear me?"
The man who had woken him, told him to unlock the doors and managed to wrench the back door open and reach Arthur. "He's breathing but shallowly. I don't want to drag him out as I don't know what damage has been done to him."
An ambulance with lights flashing wailed past them followed by a police car which drew to a stop. Tom realised with a surge of emotion that he welcomed the sight of the white car with its blue and lemon trim. "Anyone injured?" someone asked.
Tom who by then had his feet on the road, pulled himself out of the seat and said, "My employer is in the back and I think he might be unconscious."
The sergeant looked in at Arthur then said, "There's another ambulance coming, I'll have a paramedic check him out once they arrive." The sounds of more sirens could be heard. Two more ambulances arrived but the policeman waved them both by.
Tom stood there shaking his head, "He's just getting over injuries from a bad accident last year and now this…"
The policeman said, "You were lucky you were in a solid car as the damage done to the truck makes me think that it was going overly fast and in a smaller car it would have been worse for you and your passenger."
Tom glanced at the truck, its driver was standing seemingly lost, with blood on his face and hands. The policeman walked over to him and asked for identification and his commercial C1 driver's license; he shook his head when the driver was unable to provide the latter. "You were driving too fast and must have seen the first police car speeding by. Why didn't you proceed at a reduced speed? Notify your employer that you have been in an accident and stay with the vehicle. Someone will look at your head later."
The driver shook his head motioning to the Rolls muttering it was the other driver's fault. The sergeant unperturbed ignored him and returned to Tom while speaking on his phone requesting a paramedic for an unconscious passenger.
The adrenalin was beginning to wear off and Tom felt rotten. His head and shoulders ached and he had hit the dashboard with his right knee. He leaned on the car near the open back door and checked again on Arthur. He was moaning softly and Tom felt that that was an improvement.
Another ambulance pulled up, flagged down by the sergeant. There was a hushed conversation and the sirens were cut and a paramedic approached the Rolls. "…and what have we here?" the man asked Tom gently.
"He was unconscious but now he is moaning."
"What's his name?"
"Arthur… Arthur Pendragon…"
"Arthur, can you hear me. Where does it hurt?" Arthur seemed to realise that someone was next to him on the seat but apart from trying to lift his head said nothing.
"Does he have a medical history that might have caused this reaction?"
Tom quickly explained about the accident last winter, the ensuing coma and the months in rehabilitation. "He was doing so well, walking unaided and…
They checked Arthur as best they could then the second paramedic, an older man said, "Well, let's get this young man on a stretcher and into the ambulance then we can get his vitals."
-0-0-
Merlin had talked the chief groundskeeper into letting him pull the Mini around the back and give it a wash. He had all he needed but water. One of the gardeners passing nodded laughing that he didn't often see patients washing their cars. "How's the blond chap with you coming along? I sometimes see you two walking on the track and swimming."
Smiling Merlin said that Arthur was progressing very well but it had been a long haul as the accident had happened at the end of last year. "I never realised how long convalescence can take. Hopefully, the end is in sight. He had an appointment in London and I expect him back later this afternoon."
"Well, enjoy cleaning your car and make sure you shammy it well and leave no water spots!"
Merlin laughed saying, "With my luck, it will probably rain tonight but at least the car will be cleaner."
The chap walking back to his wheelbarrow smiled saying, "I'm planting out some late annuals so I could do with some rain!"
Halfway through the procedure, Merlin stopped to answer his phone it was Arthur telling him that they should be there within the hour. Merlin thought perfect, he had plenty of time to get the car finished, go back to their suite and clean himself up. His jeans had become soaked as at one point he'd lost control of the hose. He smiled remembering that as a kid, Gaius used to manage to soak him if they were washing his car. His mother never blamed him however, just tutting at her uncle and saying something about boys always being boys and that they had to take off their shoes before coming in. Merlin smiled to himself, he'd loved having Gaius around when he was growing up. Thinking of it gave him a nice cosy feeling then he felt sad as he was sure that Uther had never fooled with Arthur that way.
Once his car was so clean that he could see himself in it, he rolled up the hose and returned it to its place. He then drove the car over to its regular parking space and stood admiring it, pulling out his phone to take a picture before going up to his room.
-0-0-
Two more ambulances passed them. Arthur had a neck collar put on him and he was carefully moved onto a backboard, then loaded onto a stretcher. One paramedic asked Tom if he wanted to travel with them to the hospital. "Your car isn't going anywhere and the road won't be cleared for some time and AA will take care of it. I feel that with your employer's medical history it would be better for someone who has an idea of what he has been through and the names of the hospitals and trauma centres he has attended, to be with him when he is seen by the emergency staff."
"Can I phone a family member of his who's waiting for us right now?" Tom knew from experience that often in a hospital scenario, the words 'friend of', can cause a stumbling block when a person wants to visit and as far as he was concerned, Merlin was the closest thing to a family member that Arthur had had in years.
"Why don't you wait until he's in the hospital and the doctor's have checked him out? I'm not yet sure to which hospital we will be going. You're lucky I was stopped by the police as there are quite a few casualties up ahead."
Tom climbed into the ambulance and they reversed until they could drive the wrong way in the emergency lane. The road was packed but the driver managed to manoeuvre around the cars to take an on-ramp. With lights flashing and sirens wailing, he drove up it the wrong way and was waved through by a policeman stationed on the main road.
Arthur had not yet responded to any questions from the paramedic. Tom was worried. He had to let Merlin know what had happened. He glanced at his watch...by now they should have been arriving at Nonsuch. His face and chest hurt from the impact of the airbag. He knew he hadn't been responsible for the accident but he couldn't help but feel guilty seeing Arthur lying there.
-0-0-
The ambulance made its way cross country and finally was able to get onto another dual carriage way Tom looking out noticed that they were going in the right direction for Nonsuch. After fifteen minutes the driver called back that they had been directed to the A&E at Medbrooking. This was good as the closer they got to Nonsuch, the closer Arthur would be to Merlin.
Within the hour, Arthur had been seen by emergency room staff and was in the ICU for observation. His records had been requested from London and he was resting comfortable. His temple had been seen to and it was a blunt-force trauma. One doctor said it could have been the edge of the door handle or something equally solid. Tom felt sure that Arthur's head had made contact with the edge of his laptop.
The doctor on duty told Tom that Arthur was coming around slowly and that they were keeping him in overnight for observation. He was allowed to see him and he realised that Arthur's breathing was better and his eyelids occasionally flickered.
"He's not going anywhere soon so why don't you go home and come back tomorrow?" the doctor suggested.
"There's someone at Nonsuch that I need to get in touch with, he should be here with Arthur. Are there any taxis or cars for hire?"
Tom was directed to the emergency entrance where he phoned for, a taxi.
-0-0-
Merlin kept glancing at his watch. Arthur was running an hour late. He kept checking that his phone was on. Nothing! He knew he could call Ellie but he kept hoping that any minute the Rolls would pull into the driveway.
He was getting desperate; he wandered downstairs to see if any message was waiting for him at Reception but the receptionist just shook her head saying no phone calls or messages had been received for Mr. Pendragon's suite.
The more worried Merlin became, the more he began to second guess his importance to Arthur. Arthur knew he was at Nonsuch but maybe he'd had a change of plans deciding to go out with friends or even stay over in London. Before the accident, Arthur had had a full social life, now he was on his feet again maybe he had decided that he was ready to take up the reins again and move beyond him.
However, Merlin couldn't forget the hours they had spent together, how Arthur had opened his heart to him and the time he had spent showing that he'd loved him. Arthur would have let him know if there had been a change in plans. The more time that passed, the more Merlin felt unsure of himself. Could Arthur have met up with some friend and decided to take advantage of the situation? Had he just been a convenience until Arthur was given the medical all clear?
It sounded so foreign to him as Arthur had never struck him as one of those men who thought nothing of jumping into bed with someone they had just met. He shook his head; he was becoming paranoid. He wasn't going to allow his mind to get carried away. There had to be a valid reason for the delay. Something must have happened but it was strange that he hadn't phoned. He knew Arthur had self respect. Arthur had treated him well, taking things at his pace and promising that when he was able he would ask if he could take their relationship a step further. Arthur loved him…
No! Something had happened, Arthur would have come home if he had been able. He trusted the Arthur he'd learned to love and it was not the way he behaved. Any moment, the phone would ring and he'd hear Arthur's voice begging forgiveness for worrying him.
...and the phone did ring but it wasn't Arthur.
-0-0-
"Mr Emrys? There is someone in reception who would like to see you. Should I send him up?"
Merlin's heart was in his throat as he said, "No, I'll be right down..." he slammed down the phone and took off racing down the stairs flat out, skidding to a stop in reception, he saw Tom in his chauffeur's uniform holding a hospital personal property bag.
'God, please no! Don't let anything awful have happened to him...'
Seeing the look on Merlin's face, Tom walked forward and grabbed his arm, "Merlin, listen to me, he's going to be all right just a knock on the head. I came because I knew you'd want to see him. If you get your keys, we'll drive over. It's maybe ten minutes away."
Merlin slowly took everything in. Tom had come but not Arthur. He beckoned for Tom to follow him and ran back upstairs, he grabbed his keys and at Tom's suggestion one of Arthur's clean shirts as the chauffeur put the bag of Arthur's belongings on the bed.
Ready to leave, he glanced around the room and then said, "What happened, did he fall over?" As they walked out to the car, Tom brought him up to date on the accident and Arthur's condition.
The word unconscious hit Merlin hard and he caught his breath. They couldn't be facing that again. He fumbled trying to get the car key into the door lock and Tom sensibly took it out of his hands and sent him around to the passenger's side.
Driving to the hospital, Tom for a second time, slowly went over what had happened on the road and also Arthur's condition.
"Have you seen him?"
"Yes, I travelled in the ambulance with him. He now has stitches in his temple and the doctors are expecting him to wake up soon. His eyelids are fluttering and his pulse and breathing are normal."
"Did he hurt his back or his legs? Merlin asked.
"The doctors will know more when he wakes up but I told the paramedics about his recent problems and they had him completely immobilised before they lifted him onto the stretcher. When I left, he was in a bed in observation and the doctor said that you could sit with him when you arrived. Arthur's a tough one; it will take more than a bang on the head to stop him."
As they drove into the parking lot, Merlin said a little prayer that God had been watching over Arthur and that Tom would be proven right.
-0-0-
Merlin stood outside the observation room and took a deep breath. Arthur wasn't strong enough to face this a second time. Merlin felt his heart clench, he wished it was him in the bed and Arthur was standing in the doorway.
He remembered that his mother said that the imagined unknown is often worse that reality. Taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on his face, he walked into the room. Immediately picking out Arthur's bed, he walked toward it.
A nurse approached him and he gave his name stating simply that he was Mr. Emrys. She nodded saying, "He's had his eyes open and has been mumbling about a falcon."
Merlin smiled, "My name is actually Merlin. That's a relief that he still thinks about me."
The nurse smiled, this young man was the one mentioned in Mr. Pendragon's previous hospital records. She was glad that her patient now had someone with him as she could spend more time with another patient, a young woman whom she felt was not going to make it through the night.
Merlin looked at Arthur and smiled softly, his heart was doing somersaults. Arthur looked all right...yes he had steri-strips on his temple, bruising down the side of his face but his colour was good and he was snoring slightly. Merlin couldn't remember him looking more handsome.
He waited awhile and then leant over and taking his boyfriend's hand he whispered, "Arthur Love, it's me Merlin!" He felt the hand he was holding clasp his tightly and as tears ran down his face, he felt his stress and worry disapear as a morning mist. He had so much to celebrate, he had hold of Arthur's hand and possibly tomorrow they would be allowed to return to Nonsuch.
Arthur fell asleep again and Merlin still holding his hand put his head down on it, thanking God that Arthur was safe and praying for the other victims of the accident.
Tom had got some coffee and was sitting in corridor allowing Merlin to have time alone with Arthur. He smiled realising the time alone was being spent in a room with three other patients and medical staff. It was already two o'clock in the morning but unlike a regular hospital floor the A&E was still a hive of activity. He'd heard in the passing conversations that it had been a multi-fatality accident involving children as well as adults.
He'd spoken to Ellie bringing her up to date on Arthur's condition. She's said that she would see him when he was able to return home, to look after himself and to tell Arthur that she was thinking of him.
He'd glanced back into the observation room, Merlin seemed oblivious to the activities around him and Tom wondered if maybe he was dozing hanging onto Arthur's hand.