The Keeper of Wickets

Awake

My eyes widen as the fingers against her neck feel a pulse.
Everyone around us are so distraught they don't see me start to cry.

"Daisy it's Dylan, I know you're there sweet heart, I can feel your heart beating." I whisper, I kiss her cheek and her eye lids flutter.

"Jack, she's breathing!" I announce, Kate, Lou and Jack turn their sniffling noses to me. They stare at me in disbelief.

Kate snarls, "How could you Dylan? Get our hopes up-

"No Kate she's breathing!" Jack gasps, slamming his hand against the emergency button.

A string of doctors file through the door almost instantly, they push us back and remove tubes, turn off medication, shine torches in her eyes and pinch her while calling out her name.

Jack, Kate, Lou and I stand back and watch in fear.

"Why didn't we do this sooner?" Lou chuckles, his teeth chattering.

A Doctor strolls over, his face coated with astonishment. "I don't know what's keeping her here, but what ever it is, she doesn't want to leave it behind." He smiles.

I sink to my knees, relief makes my head spin.

"Her brain activity is outstanding, she's breathing and her heart is beating. Sometimes crazy twists of fate occur, we were deadly certain that when you flicked that switch she would die, someone's watching over your Daisy let me tell you." The doctor walks out of the room, his colleagues following behind him.

"She'll be awake soon, be gentle and try to stay calm when she wakes. I know this is hard to believe and it's crazy to even think about but miracles happen and Daisy sure is miraculous. Call is when she wakes." The nurse hugs me tight. "Thanks for having faith in her, I knew she'd be okay."

I let go of the nurse and clamber onto the bed. I lay beside her and cup her cheek. They've removed the tubes from her throat, all that is left is her oxygen mask.

"Daisy it's Dylan, we're waiting for you beautiful girl." I kiss her forehead and her eyes open. Not straight away, they slowly adjust to the light.

Kate drops, overwhelmed by the events. Lou rushes to her aid.

"Hello Daisy-Dot." I whisper. She doesn't say anything but her hand slowly moves to my face. Her fingers trace my features, they run down my nose and closes eyes. She wipes the tears that drip.

"My throat hurts." She rasps, I quickly take her a glass of water, push away the mask and put it to her lips.

She sips and swallows with a cough.

"Did we win the cricket match?" She mutters.

"They abandoned it darl, you died Daisy." Jack explains.

"Died? Abandoned? What have I missed?" She chuckles softly.

"Not as much as you think." I say.

She kisses my lips, ever so lightly, "Good." She whispers and I press my lips down harder.

She pulls away and stretches out her arm towards her Dad. I prop my head up with my hand as Jack takes her in his arms.

"Don't bloody do that again." He chokes on his words.

"I'm sorry Dad." Daisy says, gripping his shirt.

"You just get better kiddo." He looks into her eyes. "Your looking more like your Mamma, my girl."

Daisy chuckles weakly but happily as she lays back down.

"She's alright Katie, everything's okay." Lou helps Kate to her feet, kissing her temple as she rests her head against his shoulder.

"G'day Kate." Daisy smiles.

"'Ello Daisy." Kate rushes forward and pulls Daisy tight.

"I'm sorry Daisy, I didn't mean to do it, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Kate cries into her shoulder.

"Kate, accidents happen, and Megan bowls like the wind I'll blame her." Daisy shrugs, making all of us laugh.

"Don't blame yourself Katie." Daisy orders as the nurses file in.

-
4 Days Later.
••Daisy••

"C'mon Dylan, places to be people to see!" I yell from the car.

"I'm coming give me a sec gotta get the chair out, bloody hell." He curses opening my door.

"Come to me baby." He presses his lips to mine as he lifts me into his arms. He places me into the wheelchair.

"I've missed this place." I say, scanning my eyes around Adelaide Oval.

"You've only been away a month, now you're sure you don't want me to tell the girls you're awake?" Dylan asks, as he guides me to the change rooms.

"Why do it when I can do it myself?" I cock an eyebrow and he pushes open the door. We stroll down, my heart is pounding, I swallow hard.

"Go on tough girl." Dylan ushers.

I knock on the door, and the handle twists. Belinda appears from behind the door, her jaw drops.
The girls turn their heads and their jaws drop too.

"DAISY!" Molly bellows, rushing forward and taking me in her arms.

"Hey Moll." I hug her back.

Cassie and Lucy grin, joining in the hug before pushing me inside. Megan sits upon the massage table, tears trickle down her face.

"Hey Megan, how are you?" I roll into the rooms and position myself in front of Megan.

"I thought you weren't gonna wake up Daisy." She stutters. "You died on that pitch after a ball I bowled hit you in the head. I feel so sick Daisy, what if you were put in the ground? How would I live knowing I took a life like yours?" Megan's top lip lip trembles as she speaks. I stand up from my chair and wrap my arms around her neck, she begins to cry as she rests her chin on my shoulder.

"Lucky I didn't have to move to the cemetery, because a life like mine would be useless without all of you." I pull away. "I'm still here because I have so much left to do, so much more cricket to play, so many friends to love, so many songs to sing, more hugs to give out." Every chuckles.

"Thank you all for everything you've persevered with over the past month or so, I'm so bloody lucky." I announce and my team takes me in a grasp that fills my whole heart.