Easy As Swimming Up Hill
by Angharad (>^^< is out with the boys)
part:378

"You nearly lost everything? What you mean the car and your wallet?"

Simon looked at me? "What? No. Cars and wallets can be replaced, people can't–especially someone as special as you."

I felt like saying, I didn't know you cared, but I did know. It was just he didn't say it quite as explicitly as that. I felt moved to tears and began to cry.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he said squeezing my hand.

"I'm not upset, I'm happy," I said bawling my eyes out.

"Women!" I heard him mutter before he hugged me.

The consultant came in to visit the ward and Simon was made to withdraw, however, he made it known he wanted to talk to the great man before he left.

Mr Nicholas Gordon, was the thoracic surgeon and arrived at my bed with his entourage. "And how is Miss Watts today?"

"Better for your intervention, thank you."

He smiled. "Right ladies and gents, gather round. Miss Watts, here, is a very interesting case. She was stabbed whilst out riding her bike, the knife penetrating the lung and causing a nasty bleed. She nearly died. We sewed her up and sent her off and she was doing quite well when a few days later she had a nasty shock, which started a spontaneous bleed in the wound site. She nearly died again. She now has only seven lives left."

The pulled the curtains round and I was prodded and poked as he then the students, examined me. He asked them questions and they answered, then they asked him questions and he answered. Finally one of the students asked if they could ask me a question. He nodded and I agreed.

Expecting a question about my experience or the treatment, I nearly fell off the bed when the student said, "What sort of bike was it?"

"A road bike - more?" I asked and the student nodded.

"It's an S works Ruby, does that mean anything?"

"Nice bike," said the student, "was it damaged?"

"No, my fiancé's SL Tarmac nearly was, he apparently tried to shove it down the throat of the attacker, who was waving a knife around."

"What was the cause of the shock?" asked another student.

"I had word that my fiancé's car had been involved in an accident and that the car had exploded in flames."

"Oh, poor you."

"Thankfully, it was his car but not him. He'd been mugged in London that evening and his car and wallet stolen, so they thought it was him. He was tied up and left in a lock up cupboard in an underground car park. He was discovered by a maintenance engineer a few hours after the accident."

The group gave a collective sigh. A small female student at the back put a hand up to ask a question. "Can I ask Miss Watts a question?" Mr Gordon nodded and looked at me, I agreed.

"Was it you I saw on You-tube, juggling dormice?"

"Oh yeah, have you seen it, it's really funny, it goes down her jumper," said one student to another. There was group tittering until Mr Gordon called everyone to order. He looked at me. I was blushing.

"You know," I said, "if I saved the planet from annihilation, the only thing I'd be remembered for, is that bloody video."

"It is rather funny," added Mr Gordon, thanks for your cooperation. This way children," he called to his entourage as he led them off to their next victim.

"That bloody video!" I said under my breath.

I saw Simon approach the man near the entrance to the ward, they talked for a few moments and then shook hands, Simon came in to me smiling.

"What were you cooking up?" I asked him looking at the smirk on his face.

"Who me?" he asked, "I'm innocent even after proven guilty - it's a frame up I tell you."

"Guilty of what?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing, unless you count...nah, you wouldn't would you?"

"Simon, please shut up." He did. "Now what were you talking to Mr Gordon about?"

"Sorry, I can't. It would be a breach of patient confidentiality."

"Which patient?" I asked.

"I just told you, I can't tell you."

"Aaaaarrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhh!" I squealed.

"Oh, okay, seeing as it was you we were talking about."

"Saying what about me?"

"Asking if you could go home, soon?"

"And, he said?"

"He said yes. So I asked if I could take you away for a few days."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure he said that was okay."

"He did."

"Like hell!"

"I actually had somewhere else in mind."

"Ha bloody ha, like where?"

"France."

"What for?"

"I thought you might like to see one or two stages of the TdF. You have to rest and remain calm."

"At that madhouse, you have to be joking?"

"I am actually."

"Don't tease me, Simon. You know how much I've always wanted to see it in France.

"Which is why I have reservations at three different hotels and my new car on stand-by."

"What is it, another Saab?"

"I thought I'd try a Jaguar, this time."

"Oh, an expensive Mondeo then?"

"No, this is an XK class, one."

"The sports one?"

"The same."

"Oh I can't wait to drive one of those. Simon, are you alright? You seem to have gone very pale. Simon?"

~~~~~
Sorry if this is a bit short, I'm rather tired this evening. A.
.