Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
‘Stay there, Florrie! Stay where you are!’ That Ed’s voice was filled with such concern only added to her fears. ‘Don’t come over here.’
‘Ed’s right, you stay there, Florrie.’ As distressed as she was, Florrie still picked up the shake in her mum’s voice.
She froze to the spot, hot tears scorching their way down her cheeks, her fingers knotted in her hair.
Her mind was racing, a maelstrom of confusion, fear overriding her every thought.
Her brain was sending her myriad conflicting messages: that she should do as Ed and her mum said and stay where she was; that she should rush over and comfort her father; that if she did so, her panic could risk adding to his distress; that she needed to help; that she should ring for an ambulance; was he conscious?
Was he… was he going to be okay? Oh, God! That didn’t bear thinking about.
This was the worst kind of awful. She clamped her hand over her mouth as great wracking sobs took over her body. The last time she’d felt this utterly helpless was when she’d found out her mum was ill.
Seconds later, Stella appeared beside her. ‘Florrie, what’s happened?’
Hot on her heels was Jasmine. ‘What’s all the shouting about?’ Clocking her friend’s tears her voice softened. ‘Florrie, are you okay?’
Behind Jasmine, Florrie vaguely registered Alex and Max, both men wearing worried expressions.
‘It… it’s m–my… d–dad… he’s f–fallen… over,’ she stuttered, as a shadowy thought floated into her mind, wondering what his fall had to do with all the shouting that had brought them rushing outside.
‘I’m sure he’ll be okay, flower.’ Stella put her arm around Florrie, giving her shoulder a reassuring rub. ‘Do you know if anyone’s called an ambulance?’ she asked, her voice calm and in control.
Florrie shook her head. ‘I d–don’t kn–know.’
‘On it,’ said Max, quick as a flash pulling his phone from his back pocket.
‘Thanks, Max.’ Stella turned to Alex. ‘Al, can you go and get the wool throws from the back of the leather chairs in the reading room? We’ll need to keep Charlie warm while he’s on the pavement.’
‘Sure.’ Alex shot off.
Florrie turned to see Lark and Maggie, Bear and Nate heading towards her, their faces wreathed in concern, their questions tumbling over one another’s.
Florrie registered snatches of what they were saying; Jack and Jenna were staying in the reading room with the audience while Leah and Jean were in the bookshop, rather than have people spilling out onto the street while they still didn’t know what was going on.
Stella quickly filled them in on what little she knew, her words acting as a catalyst for Florrie. She wriggled free of Stella’s arm. ‘I need to go to my dad.’
‘Florrie, are you sure?’ asked Jasmine, gently taking hold of Florrie’s arm.
‘Dad!’ she cried, her voice cracking with anguish as she slipped free from Jasmine’s grip. She needed to see him, needed to tell him to be okay, that she loved him.
‘C’mere.’ Ed held out his arms, enveloping Florrie in a hug.
She rested her head against his chest, allowing herself to melt into the familiar warmth and reassurance of his embrace, finding comfort in the rhythmic beat of his heart.
He hugged her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
‘Your dad’s going to be okay. I promise. ’
After what had happened, Florrie wasn’t sure how he could make such a bold statement, but she kept her thoughts to herself and hoped with all her heart that he was right.
They were alone in the bookshop, the audience long since gone, a strange silence hanging in the air, like the aftermath of a heavy storm.
Despite their friends offering to stay or run her to the hospital, Florrie had declined, preferring instead to be alone with Ed, hoping to get her thoughts in order, make sense of everything that had happened.
They meant well, but she simply didn’t have the mental capacity for conversation right now; she felt numb, punch-drunk.
But she knew, without question, they’d understand; wouldn’t take offence at her not wanting them around her right now.
It wasn’t long after she’d rushed to be near her dad, that an ambulance had arrived, the paramedics carrying out the necessary checks before they eased him onto a stretcher and into the back of the emergency vehicle.
They’d been cheerfully professional and compassionate throughout.
Her mum had travelled to hospital with him.
Florrie had been struck by how stunned she’d looked – frightened even – her face drawn and pale as she’d promised to let them know as soon as she had any news. Florrie’s heart had gone out to her.
It seemed like a different day.
‘Would you like me to run you to the hospital?’ Ed asked. ‘We could take some stuff for your dad; I expect he’ll be kept in overnight. Maybe grab some bits for your mum, too. I doubt she’ll want to leave your dad’s side till she knows he’s okay.’
Florrie nodded into his chest, her tears brewing again.
‘That’d be good.’ There’d never been any question in her mind about joining her mum, to offer support, to be there when news of her father arrived.
She couldn’t bear the thought of her mum being on her own with the risk of receiving a devastating diagnosis.
‘In that case, why don’t we head home now?
I can drop you off at your parents’ house en route so you can gather some stuff together while I head back to Samphire Cottage and take Gerty for a walk.
I’ll pick you up when that’s done. Sound okay?
’ he asked, stepping back from their embrace, his hands sliding to the top of her arms as he looked into her eyes.
‘It does.’ She gave him a watery smile, peering through her tear-stained glasses.
How had such a wonderful evening ended up with her dad being in hospital?
And though it was by far the worst, it wasn’t the only thing that had gone wrong that night: the window featuring the bride and groom had been egged.
Florrie hurried down the brightly lit corridor towards the intensive care unit of Middleton-le-Moors hospital, the smell of disinfectant curling around her nose, an overnight bag for her mum in her hand.
Ed was taking long strides beside her, the soles of his shoes squeaking against the floor.
He was carrying a bagful of stuff for Charlie.
‘It’s this way,’ she said, spotting a sign for the ITU reception desk and taking a sharp left.
Moments later, they pushed open the door of the waiting room where her mum was perched on the edge of a chair, worrying her bottom lip.
‘Oh, Mum.’ It tugged at her heart to see her usually cheerful mother look so anxious.
Paula jumped up and rushed over, throwing her arms around her daughter. ‘Oh, Florrie, lovey, I’m so glad to see you; you too, Ed, sweetheart. Thanks for coming.’ Her eyes were wet with tears, and she squeezed her daughter as if she’d never let go.
‘How is he, Mum? How’s Dad?’ Florrie struggled against her own tears. ‘Is he going to be okay?’
Paula rubbed Florrie’s back and released her from her hug.
She sniffed and swiped her fingers under her eyes.
‘I hope so. They’re doing some tests, lots of them, said something about an MRI scan, what with him being unconscious for a while.
They want to make sure he hasn’t sustained a serious brain injury.
’ Her bottom lip wobbled at that, and Florrie reached for her hand.
‘He came round in the ambulance; was a bit confused, bless him. I have to say, the medical team have been amazing; so kind, too. One of them even made me a cup of sweet tea, said I looked shocked. He wasn’t wrong. ’
‘Why don’t we sit down? You look shattered, Paula.’ Ed guided her to a chair. ‘I’ll go and grab you both a cup of tea while Florrie tells you what’s in the bags.’
‘That’d be good, thanks, lovey.’ Paula gave him a weak smile.
Once Florrie had finished explaining what they’d packed, conversation switched to what had happened when the ambulance had arrived at hospital.
‘It all felt surreal, like it was happening to someone else and it wasn’t your dad getting wheeled along on a trolley, his lovely face as white as a sheet, God love him. ’
A sound from the door made Florrie look up to see Ed through the narrow pane of glass. He appeared to be struggling to open the door. She jumped up and pulled it open for him.
‘Here we are,’ said Ed, a cardboard cup of tea in each hand. He set the drinks down on the table and pulled a bottle of water for himself from the back pocket of his jeans.
‘Thanks, lovey,’ said Paula, reaching for a cup.
‘Yeah, thanks, Ed.’ Florrie pressed her lips into a smile.
She’d been waiting for Ed to return so he could hear what she had to say, too; save her mum having to repeat it.
‘So, what happened, Mum? How come Dad ended up in hospital? We just heard a load of shouting and then a loud bang followed by a scream? Did you see any of that? Is that why you went out?’
Paula rubbed her brow with her fingers. ‘Well, you probably noticed your dad and me didn’t make it into the reading room.’
Florrie nodded. ‘We did.’
‘The reason for that was because he’d started to feel a bit dizzy, what with his labyrinthitis, and didn’t want to draw attention to himself in a roomful of people, so we decided to stay put and listen from there.
’ Paula took a sip of her tea, wincing at the heat.
‘Anyroad, we became aware of raised voices outside, followed by several thuds that sounded like something hitting the windows. Just after that, the voices got louder so I told your dad I was going to take a look. Well, you know what he’s like.
He tried to stop me, said it might not be safe, but anyroad, I told him I’d come straight back in if anything looked dodgy. ’