Broken Wings

Part Six - Crashing Down

Chapter Six

Lisa looked grey, but then not only had she had an operation to fix her broken leg, but she'd inadvertently found out that she had an allergy to morphine after she'd been administered a few doses post-op.

"They ask you about allergies a million times, but as I've never had it before, how was I to know?"

Julia leaned forward and hugged her friend, "you've looked better, and I am so sorry for you."

Lisa fought back a few tears, "my fault for not taking care on the stairs."

Julia took her hand, squeezed it, "it was an accident. They happen."

"But now? Why now? Someone hates me, not only am I stuck here in pain, but now I can't help you in New York. I've already asked, I can't fly for weeks, and I could be immobile for months. I've let you down."

Julia sighed, "no you haven't. That's just bad luck. I'm sorry for you."

She sniffed at the tears that seemed determined to fall, "it's bloody typical. We graft for years in a drafty museum, we don't know anything resembling a perk...then this crops up, a trip of a life time. Work, the Big Apple and time away with my brilliant boss...and I fuck it up by falling down the stairs." She swiped at her eyes, the tears finally falling, "I'm so BLOODY gutted, I cannot explain."

"You don't need to explain, us hitting the city together...it was the greatest part of it all. But hey, it's life. We can't cry over it."

She whimpered, "I am so sorry. But before you go I need to give you my cousin's details, so that you can get in contact..."

Julia shook her head, "don't worry, that was a thing for us both. I can't afford that room on my own."

Lisa sat up, "Do you have somewhere else?"

She couldn't make Lisa take responsibility for her not travelling, so she shrugged, "it's all in hand."

Realistically, she'd accompany Bogda out to the museum, set her up, then teach the local curators as much as she could about the relic. She couldn't stay to give talks to colleges, universities and schools herself, to sell the beauty of her artefact to the American nation, but she could inject her enthusiasm into her temporary carers. It was as good as it could possible get. But she didn't need to land that guilt on Lisa's shoulders.

At her upbeat response, Lisa was smiling, "that's good. You have to send me pictures, updates...ok?"

Julia could only nod as inside she felt all her ambitions and hopes fade.

Sunday lunchtime in the heart of London was as busy as any other day. Busloads of tourists were crowding at street corners photographing everything. There was so much to see and do in the capital, and those living there often took it all for granted. Julia was guilty of that, she didn't appreciate all that she saw daily, but she did love the Thames. It was one of her most relaxing past times, to walk along the embankment, past sites that had been photographed more times than the greatest supermodels. It was cathartic, she could switch off as she strolled past Westminster, the Eye, the hundreds of tourists; and not think about anything but her next step.

Today it was almost essential. The slow movement of the London Eye, the steady chug of the boats along the water all helped ground her. Even the usual stream of tourists, stopping randomly in her path to photograph things didn't annoy her as it normally did. Instead she just focussed on every step, on the world turning, people breathing. Life moving on.