Would Anyone Care?

Eighteen

The next morning dad rings the school and speaks to them to let them know I won't be in and what is going on with mum. He gets put through to Mr Nunn, who tells him that he will arrange for some work to be emailed over, and that I may aswell take the rest of the week off, to but with my family, as I heat up the pizza from the night before for breakfast. We both spend the first couple of hours just sitting in silence staring at the clock. Finally he gets up off the sofa and tells me he is going to go have a shower and a shave and then he is going over to the hospital.
"I am coming too" I tell him stubbornly
"I am going to ring first Luce, if mum is still the same, then I want you at home this morning working on the work the school have sent over" he says solemnly. "No arguing, I will come back lunchtime and you can come this afternoon, but you know mum would not want you there all day." He says, cutting me off before I can argue.
"I can do the work at the hospital" I tell him.
"No munchkin, I'm sorry but no. If anything at all changes I will call you straight away and you can get a taxi to the hospital ok?" He tells me with a finality in his voice.
"OK" I concede. "But promise to call me at even the slightest change"
He walks over and leans down kissing my forehead, then looking me dead in the eye. "I promise" he says before he walks out the room and goes upstairs.

I sit for ten minutes, then decide I should get dressed anyway, as I start to walk upstairs the doorbell goes, I think about just ignoring it, but reluctantly turn around and go to open it, as I pull the door open my mouth drops, I stand there in total bewilderment, as the little plump lady gives me a smile I haven't seen in over a year but recognise instantly.
"NANA!" I squeal excitedly. As I pull her into a huge hug, tears immediately welling up in my eyes, holding her tight as I can. "I can't believe you're here." I whisper into her ear, still in complete shock.
"Heya love." She says back as I hear her voice break. She gives me a kiss on the cheek. "Oh it is so good to see you Lucy, you have shot up" she says pulling away from me holding both my hands, tears in her eyes too as she looks at me. "God, you are so like your mum, it could be Sally at 16 standing in front of me" a tear escapes from her eye as She squeezes my hands, "Now squidge ya bum, it's bloody freezing out here and I need the lav." She gives me a smile as she slides past me. "Be a dear and go help your grandad, he is getting the bags out the car already daft old git." She says as she makes her way through to the toilet. I feel a burst of love from deep inside me at those words, my grandad is probably my favourite person in the world, besides mum. I immediately march down the driveway and burst into a run when I see grandad at the car a few houses down getting two suitcases out of the boot.
"POPS!!" I yell as I run into his arms.
"Hello Loopy" he says with a big smile on his face. His silly nickname for me still making me giggle as he holds me tight. "How's my fifth favourite grandchild doing?" He says with a snigger.
"Oi!" I say "what are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be coming til next friday" I say as we lug the suitcases back up the pavement.
"Well your nan wanted to be closer, with the way Sally is." He looks at me as he says it. "So we got up early this morning and drove down, I hope you haven't turned the spare bedroom into a brothel or anything, cos we haven't booked an hotel."
"POPS!" I laugh as we get to the driveway. "No it is still there, don't worry." We get the suitcases inside and dump them in the living room as we walk through to the kitchen.

Nan, typically is already boiling the kettle and busying herself getting cups out of the cupboard.
"George, you will have to have tea I'm afraid, I don't know how to work that blinking thing" she says looking at the coffee machine.
"OK love, nay bother" he replies.
"I can make you a coffee pops, if you'd prefer" I offer.
"No he is fine with tea, don't go spoiling him already missy" nan says as grandad looks at me rolling his eyes playfully.
"Where's Paul at?" Grandad asks as he sits down at the table. I am just about to say he is upstairs getting a shower whe dad walks into the kitchen his hair still wet and shirt clinging to him where he obviously hasn't dried off properly.
"I thought I could hear your northern tones" he says as he gives my nan and grandad a big smile. Walking over to grandad, shaking his hand before he goes and give nan a kiss on the cheek and a big cuddle.
"This is a nice surprise, how was the drive down?" He asks
"It was ok love" nan says as she fills the teapot up with boiling water. "I hope you don't mind us just showing up like this? Only after you rang yesterday, I just haven't had a minutes rest" she says as she stirs the tea before putting the lid on.
"Of course I don't mind, I am glad you are here. I take it you're staying here?" Dad asks.
"As long as it no bother paul?" Grandad says.
"No course not, none at all."
"How's Sally?" Nan asks as she pots the teapot on the table while I grab the milk and sugar and cups.
"I am just about to ring the hospital now actually, but we haven't had any news as of yet, so still the same" dad says. "Be right back, I am just going to give the hospital a call." He says as he heads of out the kitchen and back upstairs.

As I sit and pour the tea for them I can see nan is every bit as anxious as I am, I reach over and grab her hand.
She looks at me and gives me a weak smile. "Have you seen your mum Lucy? I know Paul was with her all day but It didn't occur to me to ask if you was there." She says
"Yeah, yeah I was there yesterday too. She is hooked up to this machine and it is helping her breath" I say. "She looks OK though nana, she looks comfortable, just sleeping is all" I add wanting to comfort her too. Grandad doesn't say much, but he never does whenever serious talk is going on. He just sits back at let's everyone else talk while he listens on. A moment later and dad walks back in. We all look at him at once eager for any news.
"Did you get through to the love?" Nana asks
"Yeah, yeah I did" he says, a strange shocked look on his face "they have reduced the ventilator"
"What's that mean dad?" I ask, he looks at me and I see his bottom lip tremble just a little as he says "it means they think mums gonna be breathing on her own by the end of the day Luce, it means they can take her off the sedation and wake her up" the tears fill my eyes and cascade down my cheeks as nan let's out a little noise and begins to cry too. Grandad makes a fist and shakes it in front of him as I get up and go over to my dad. Wrapping my arms round him. "I'm definitely bloody coming to the hospital with you now." I tell him.
He just chuckles a little as he says "yes, yes you are, but she isnt out of the woods yet munchkin, but it definately is a good sign."
"Will she be awake today?" I ask.
"I really dont know Luce, go get dressed and I will put nan and grandads bags upstairs and we can all go together." He tells me. As I pull away I see grandad cuddling nan and my heart swells even more, I know I can't get my hopes up just yet, but as I walk up the stairs I can't help but feel things are looking up.

When we get to the hospital, we take nan and grandad straight up to ICU so they can go see mum. Alison, the nurse from the previous day approaches dad, saying that the doctor just had to go down to A&E briefly but he will be back up and explain to dad what procedures they are taking and going to take with mum. I hear her say that they are monitoring mum now and if she continues to improve they will be taking her off the ventilator in the next hour hopefully. Feeling better than I have for days, maybe even weeks. I go and join nan and grandad with mum. All three of us just sitting and staring. Fifteen minute later and dad walks over to us, saying that they are going to take mum off the ventilator and that we are all welcome to stay but can't all be round the bed at the same time. He also looks directly at me as he says
"They have stressed Sally isn't I'm the clear. They don't know what she is going to be like when she does come round. They have a family room, just over there" he point to the end of the ward. "So, maybe we can take it in turns?" He says as he looks at me.
"Yeah ok, shall we let nana and pops have some time with mum?" I say.
"Yeah sounds like a good idea, shall we go get some drinks?" He asks me. And we go to the cafeteria to get some drinks while nan and grandad stay with mum.

They take mum off the ventilator about an hour and half later and I am devastated when the doctor tells us it could be another 12 hours before they see any change in mum or she arouses. We all take turns in sitting by mum's bedside, none of us wanting to leave her, at first I am reluctant to not be by her side, wanting to be there when she wakes, but I soon remember that everyine else will be feeling the same, besides the important thing is that she wakes. At around 2 grandad comes into the family room and says he is taking nan to get a bite to eat from the cafeteria, so dad goes and sits with mum and I take the chance to text Skye.

'Hey lovely
Mum is off the ventilator, hopefully she will be awake soon, but they have said they don't know what condition she will be in when she wakes.'

I get a text straight back:

'Hey beautiful
That's amazing news, hopefully she will be awake soon, and I am sure she will be fine. Send her my love when she wakes. Thinking of you both xx'

I sit there just staring at the message, when all of a sudden I hear a voice at the doorway. "Munchkin..." I look up and dad is standing there smiling.
"There is someone out here who I think wants to see you" he says softly.
I lose my breath for the slightest of moments, not allowing myself to build too much hope up, I slowly get out of my chair and head out the door, looking over at mums bed I see a doctor and Alison with there backs to me blocking my view, as I get closer Alison turns around and says
"Here she is Sally, I told you she was here waiting" giving me a big smile. Then the doctor turns and sees me and smiles too, as he steps to one side I get my first glimps of my mum, she is half sitting up, looking straight at me wearily, but still managing to give me the most beautiful smile. All the stress, and fear, and emotion just pour out of me as I burst into tears of joy as she says croakily "Hello sweetheart."