Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 11

The double doors flew open and Zach came rushing into the hospital room. 

He skidded to a stop, eyes flicking between everyone present before settling on his mum. She was propped up in the bed, lightly dosing. Her face was still pale, her frown in place even through sleep. Corinne watched as Zach took a shaky step towards her.

"Where the fuck were you?" Jake shot up from his chair, blocking Zach's path.

"It's gone half-ten, Zach." From the side of her eye, Corinne could see Zach's dad holding up the time displayed on his phone. 

"I came as soon as I saw the messages." His tone was sharp, his breath haggard, glare firmly in place. "Get out of my way, Jake!" 

"No! You think you can just turn up here whenever you like? Mum's been stressed out asking for you all night." Jake give Zach a rough push to the chest. "Where were you, huh? She needed you!"

"Jake." Eric spoke up, one hand gesturing to the bed as Fiona began to stir. "Both of you; sit down and shut up!"

With a huff, Jake did as he was told, going back to the chair that he had pulled up by his mum's left side. Corinne stood to give Zach her seat. He fell down onto it, sinking back with his knees spread and arms crossed. 

"Is no one even going to tell me how she is?" Zach's jaw was set tight, eyes narrowed as he glared at Jake and Eric. He didn't even look at Corinne. It was as if she wasn't even there.

"She's okay." Corinne hovered by his elbow, not wanting to sit on the bed when the signs around the hospital forbid it. "She came around in the ambulance. They've taken a few blood tests, and the nurse is popping in and out every ten minutes to keep an eye on her."

Zach gave no reaction that he had even heard Corinne. His gaze was locked with Fiona's face, eyes softening the longer he studied her pasty complexion. A minute of silence passed before he suddenly held out a hand for Corinne to hold. It was the first sign that Zach knew she was even in the room. Corinne took it, letting him draw her close to prop her hip up on the wooden arm of his chair. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than standing. 

"So where were you?" Jake's body was practically mirroring Zach's. They both had the same laid-back slouched position, heavy frowns painting their faces. Thankfully his voice was now a lot calmer than before, but the hostility was still there.

"Work. Gym."

"You promised you'd take me with you!" Jake shot forward, volume rising, and Corinne didn't need to look down to know that Zach was either glaring at him or not looking his way at all. 

"Yeah, well, I didn't." 

"Boys, please." Eric was flicking through his phone with a frown, his attention mainly on Fiona with the constant looks he kept giving her. 

Corinne felt Zach's hand tense in her's before he suddenly dropped it. "I'm going to get some coffee."

He stood, and Corinne had to quickly press one foot to the floor to avoid the chair tipping with her weight. Zach squeezed between her and the bed, and out through the doors into the corridor. 

Corinne let him go. Zach seemed like he needed a moment to himself. Corinne knew they would be in for a long night here, with plenty more opportunities to talk if he wished to. 

She moved to perch herself on the edge of the seat, staring down at the shoe scuffs on the tiled floor. The tension was still radiating off Jake, and Eric had never been a great conversationalist. He was too engrossed in his phone, struggling for a signal. The silence was lingering on, and it was killing Corinne.