Chapter 15
Leo had never known or imagined such a state of panic before.
If this was what it was like to be a parent, he was beginning to be relieved that he’d never tried it.
The flat was in turmoil as the news came through of the accident.
George’s backpack had contained his notebook which was helpfully inscribed with all his personal details, and the police rang Jess the minute George reached the hospital, but she was already speeding down the motorway by this time.
Nina was frantic, and was only persuaded against taking a cab to Brighton by Harry, who reasoned that Jess would let her mum know as soon as she needed her, and that she would be better to wait for a progress report.
In desperation, Nina rang Mab, who was almost in Brighton by this time.
‘I wish you’d talk some sense into these men.
Jess is bound to want me there now, surely?
What use is Stan going to be to her? He knows nothing about children or hospitals.
He’s only a big kid himself,’ cried Nina.
Leo flinched; he could hear the first part of Mab’s response from the other side of the room.
He gestured to Nina to put the speaker phone on, not wanting to miss anything.
‘That’s not fair, Nina!’ Mab was saying. ‘Stan’s had loads of experience with children at the school and he’s actually at his best in a crisis.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, really. I remember when I broke my arm in three places just before my thirteenth birthday. He was the only one who could calm Mum down, and he organised the ambulance, let Dad know, and got Mum to hospital and back for a whole week, single-handed.’
‘Where was your dad?’ asked Nina, momentarily distracted.
‘Oh, on a business trip somewhere in Canada. He was quite high powered in those days. Stan always had to be the man of the house. I sometimes think that’s why he seems a bit flaky now; he got fed up with all the responsibility when he was younger.’
‘Well, so long as he’ll look after Jess and George…’
‘Of course he will. Try to stop worrying, I’ll call later, OK?’
Nina grimaced and put the phone down. The next hour passed with interminable slowness as everyone drank far too much tea and waited for news. Sophie continued her trawl on the laptop. She was so busy that she hardly seemed to have noticed the pale, worried faces of her companions.
‘Still shopping, Soph?’ Leo said, as he produced yet another glass of the special water that Sophie liked. She ignored him. Noticing Nina watching him as he placed the iced water at Sophie’s right hand, Leo motioned her to follow him to the kitchen.
‘What was that filthy look for, pet?’ he asked. ‘Why are you so angry with me, today?’
Nina shrugged. ‘Oh, I don’t know. Just touchy, I guess. I’m so worried about George and Jess, and the Little Princess can’t even get herself a drink of her lovely water.’
‘I was only trying to keep her out of everyone’s hair. I thought I was doing you all a favour.’
‘Hmmph. What’s she doing all this time on the computer anyway?’
‘No idea. I expect she’s on TikTok or Snapchat or somewhere, telling all her tedious mates how bored she is, and getting them all writing sympathetic comments so that she can reassure herself that she’s popular.’
Nina looked at Leo in surprise. ‘What are you getting at? Do you mean she isn’t popular then? I thought Sophie had plenty of friends?’
‘Oh, well, she knows loads of people, and they call themselves friends, but that lot are so shallow that they’d forget Sophie in five minutes if she didn’t have her daddy’s money to spend. They like the parties at Sophie’s parents’ house, and she gets them in at all the best clubs, and suchlike.’
‘You must know her very well?’
‘I’ve been with Sophie for ages, I try to keep my eye on her, that’s all.’
‘Is that what it’s all about then?’
‘Is that what what’s all about?’ said Leo, playing for time.
‘Relationships, love, all that stuff? Just keeping an eye on each other?’
‘Well, it’s got to part of it, hasn’t it? Look, this is getting heavy. I know, let’s run down to the shop and buy some chocolate, and I’ll see if I can remember my granny’s recipe for cornflake cakes.’
‘You Lambs are all brilliant at looking after, aren’t you, Leo? Are you like this all the time at home? I bet you get lots of visitors if the house is always full of cake?’
Leo laughed. ‘There’s nothing wrong with blokes liking to cook great food and look after people.
I guess it was just how my dad coped after our mam died though.
He didn’t want us to be a bunch of helpless wimps waiting for a woman to come along and get our tea.
So he made a rota for Alex, Den, himself and me, and we all took turns to cook and to look after Josh.
When Josh got bigger, he joined in – he makes a mean shepherd’s pie, and his chicken balti is famous all down our road.
So, are you coming shopping with me, love? ’
‘You go, Leo. I’ll go out later if we need anything else. I want to be near the phone now.’
‘Fair enough, pet.’ Leo began to make a list. This waiting game was driving him crazy. If only Jess would ring.
By mid-afternoon, Nina told them all that whatever happened, she was going to be on her way to Brighton within the next hour, because Jess must be desperate for back-up by now.
She was just setting off to collect a few things from home, when the house phone rang, and everyone froze.
Nina grabbed the receiver before anyone else could reach it, and the rest of them leaned towards her, trying hard to hear what was happening.
‘Yes? What? He hasn’t… Jess, what’s happening?
In intensive care? I’m coming right down!
Oh… are you sure? Well, what have the doctors said?
No brain damage, they think? Has he spoken?
Well, yes, of course I know what unconscious means, there’s no need to snap at me.
But you think it’s not quite as bad as you first thought?
Yes, I know they don’t say much. They’re probably still doing tests, aren’t they?
Right, well, if you’re sure you don’t want me to set off straight away?
Keep texting me, Jess, we’re all here worrying.
Yes, I know it’s difficult. Look, just do what you can for George and we’ll cope here, but please, please let me know if you want me to come…
oh, OK then… if the doctor’s arrived, you’d better go and talk to him. Love you, sweetheart…’
Nina disconnected and looked round at the ring of concerned onlookers.
‘Well, I guess you got the gist of that? George is still out cold, but the doctor thinks it’s unlikely that there’s serious damage. How can he say that? The little love’s still unconscious! Anyway, Den and Mab are coming home now that Jess and Stan are there.’
Harry stood up and came over to Nina as tears began to pour down her face again.
‘I think that the body sometimes shuts down temporarily to recover when it’s had an injury or a shock, or in this case, both.
There probably won’t be anything to hear for a few hours, so the best thing you can do is come shopping with me to get something for dinner. I’m starving, what about you lot?’
Everyone nodded rather shamefacedly. It seemed rather awful to carry on being hungry when George was in such a bad way, but they had to eat, and it would give them something to do.
Leo saw Nina glance over at Harry with what looked a lot like growing respect.
His dad had really got a grip of the situation and was doing his best to keep them all going, Leo thought with a burst of pride. Wiping her eyes, Nina gave Harry a hug.
‘Good idea, love, get some comfort food. We’ll have a whip round.’
Harry waved her away. ‘No, pet, this one’s on me. Is there a decent butcher in the town? I fancy bangers and mash, with a big jug of my special onion gravy, but the sausages have to be top notch.’
‘There’s the organic place, but they’re closed on Sundays,’ said Nina. ‘Never mind, just get the nicest supermarket ones that you can find. It’s got to be sausages now, I can almost taste them already; all brown and crispy, with the onions slightly burnt.’
A look of blatant greed came over the faces of everyone except Sophie.
They were all ready to be distracted; worrying was exhausting.
As Harry prepared to leave with Nina, Alex jumped up too.
‘Does anyone fancy a run?’ he said. ‘I need to get some exercise if I’m going to eat my body weight in bangers and mash.
Some fresh air would do us all good, and we can’t do anything here for a bit. I’m just going to get changed.’
‘I’ll come, wait for me, Alex.’ Josh jumped up and dived for his rucksack.
Leo was tempted. ‘Do you mind if I go, pet?’ he said hopefully to Sophie. ‘We won’t be long?’
‘Oooooh, Leokins, don’t leave me on my own, we haven’t spent any quality time today…’
‘But we’ve been together all day, Soph, and anyway, you’ve been busy on that computer every time I’ve spoken to you,’ Leo said, fidgeting as his brothers started to leave the flat.
‘I’ve been trying to find you a stupid chimney sweep!
If you don’t want me to help, just say so.
I thought you and I might go out for dinner on our own tonight.
But if you’d rather stay here with all these other people…
’ Sophie’s bottom lip trembled prettily and Leo gave in, guilt fighting with the need to get rid of the cobwebs and run until he was breathless.
‘If that’s what you’d like, pet. I know I’ve neglected you, but there’s so much to do, and then with George, and everything…
’ He put a tentative arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him for a moment, smelling faintly of something delicate and floral.
As Leo instinctively bent to kiss her, Sophie moved away to check her hair in the mirror.
Harry grinned at Leo, giving his son a look that seemed to say, ‘Women, eh? Who’d have ’em? ’