Mrs Hansen || A Lloyd Hansen Story

Then I'll Catch You

Three days have gone by and still no sign of Lloyd. Well not no sign, he sits outside with either his head in his hands or staring at a handkerchief.

Rebecca stares into space, her face stained by the river of tears that have been perpetually running from her eyes. She gave up calling his name, she didn't have the strength to fight for him. Not when he's given up on her.

Doctor Paterson touches the back of her hand breaking her trance, "Hi Rebecca, Juliette tells me you're having a hard time" his soft brown eyes fall on her blotchy face, "what do you think about getting up and learning to move around with the pins in your leg?"

"No thanks."

"C'mon love," Juliette steps out from behind the doctor, "lets get you up and in a shower. We can wash that beautiful hair, get you nice and fresh."

Rebecca sniffles, wiping her chin dry, "I want to get dressed, I want to go out there and I want to speak to Lloyd." The thought of finally being allowed out of bed sparking some hope inside her. If she can just look at Lloyd, let him see that she is okay and tell him how much she loves him then everything will be alright. It has to be. Because she doesn't know if she'll make it through without him.

Doctor Paterson and Juliette exchange sympathetic glances between, looking to Royce for some words of encouragement. He looks up from his newspaper, "I'm going to give you some privacy." He places it down on the table, grabs his coat and leaves.

Doctor Paterson sighs, Rebecca really could have used some encouraging words, or her fathers arm to hold onto.  He wasn't sure how she was going to get through this recovery without a support network.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to get a walking aide." Doctor Paterson simpers.

Juliette furrows her brows, "I'll get it, Doctor." She heads towards the door.

"No, you stay with Mrs. Hans...Rebecca.  I'll not be minute."

Juliette nods, "righty oh, Rebecca lets see what we have in here..." she starts pulling out clothes from Rebeccas holdall.
Rebecca looked down at the familiar brown leather bag, had her mother packed it?
"Fresh pyjamas, Rebecca, or would you rather a nice lounge suit? What do you call it in the US?"

"Sweatpants." Rebecca murmurs.

Juliette grins, "do you want sweatpants?"

Rebecca bobbed her head, not really caring what she wore. She was nervous about getting out of the bed, afraid that the pain would be too much to bear.
"Oh, whats this then?" Juliette pulls out a soft knit mustard polo shirt and a pair of white pants, "very posh." She sniggers.

Rebeccas heart sank into her stomach, someone else had packed this.  It couldn't have been her mother because she would never have packed for Lloyd, it had to have been one of Lloyds employees.
The thought of a stranger rifling through her things, in her apartment made her shudder.

Maybe if Lloyd knew that he had a change of clothes here he would come in and see her. Maybe all he needed was a little push.

"Mr. Hansen, Lloyd, can I call you Lloyd?" Doctor Paterson towered over him.

Lloyd looked up from his hands, slightly twitching his shoulders.

"This has been incredibly hard for both of you, but your wife is going to get out of bed today, and neither her father nor you are going to be in there to support her.  I'm positive that she will need an arm to lean on, and while myself and nurse Juliette will be there, I think Rebecca will do so much better if you were there too. So what do you say?"

Lloyd wanted to grab him by the throat, squeeze and crush the doctors windpipe. He had no right to come out here and lay on more guilt, adding to Lloyds already crippling load. He clenched his jaw trying to hold onto the shred of restraint he had left, remembering what got him here in the first place.