Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by Angharad
part 310

"Why don't you go home and have a shower and change, I'll wait here and I'll let you know if there's any change."

"I'll be alright," I replied to Simon.

"You look like something from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

"Gee thanks, Simon, you really know how to make a girl feel good."

"It's a gift," he said and sniggered.

"I'm alright, I'd rather wait."

"Go home and freshen up, have a little sleep if you like, I'll wait and let you know if anything happens."

"Who are you bossing around, Simon Cameron?"

"Who? You, future wife o'mine, now get an' dae as I tell't ye!"

"Oh yes, very Millfield," I elevated my nose as I spoke.

"Simon is right, you should go home and rest."

"Aye, awa' hame."

"Look here you blue blooded porridge basher, I shall make up my own mind in my own time, so there!" For emphasis I poked out my tongue.

"Suit yersel', but yer no sittin' wi' me."

"Why this sudden attack of tartanism, did you eat two sporrans for lunch?"

"Aye, sporrans an' tatties."

I yawned, there was no news from the nurse's station or the emergency room. I still couldn't think why she did it, although it was perhaps slightly better than trying to kill me. My head was spinning.

"Okay, I'll go home and shower and have a little sleep, but if anything happens, you will let me know?"

"Of course, look, babes, you can't do anything here can you?"

"Only worry in company."

"Well I can do that for you. So just take this old bugger here, with you and leave me in peace. I always worry better on my own."

"I'll stay, if you don't mind," said Tom.

"I do, because I want you to keep an eye on her," he nodded at me, "I can't afford anything to happen to the other woman in my life."

"Huh, so I'm the other woman now, am I?"

"You know what I mean, there are two women who are important to me, my Cathy and my Stella."

"What about Monica?"

"Fraid not."

That puzzled me, but now was not the time to discuss it. Tom reluctantly agreed to accompany me home. I drove as he had been drinking, something I'd completely forgotten beforehand. If he'd had an accident, I'd never have forgiven myself because I asked him to drive and bring my bag and coat.

The cool night air woke me up a bit. Everything still had a feeling of unrealness about it, almost as if I was watching it on a screen rather than living it, detachment or even dissociation, the doctors call it.

The drive home was uneventful and we got home and Tom went to the kitchen to make himself a coffee and me some tea. I went and showered, then put my clothes in the washing machine, along with the towels we'd used and the bath mat. Some of the blood was still wet. I washed out the bath, a little blood goes a long way. I had a vague memory of my mother saying, blood and milk seem to spread everywhere as does broken glass. I had visions of some one dropping a bottle of milk and cutting themselves badly on the broken glass, wondering if it would all go pink?

The tea had helped refresh me and I wondered if I should go to the hospital with a flask of coffee for Simon and some sandwiches. I decided I would. Tom had nodded off in the lounge, so much for black coffee keeping one awake.

I made up the flask and did some ham sandwiches for Simon, then slipped out to the car. I did leave a note for Tom. On the way back I happened on an accident, police, fire and ambulance were in attendance, so I negotiated my way around the side streets to avoid it.

I parked up and ran into Simon with his picnic. He was pacing up and down.

"What's the matter?" I asked seeing his worried look.

"What are you doing here?"

"I brought you some coffee and sandwiches."

"Oh, that's very kind of you, but I'm too agitated to eat."

"Why, what has happened?"

"She arrested."

"What, like her heart?"

"Yes."

"Oh no!" I wailed and threw myself into his arms, "I couldn't bear it if she died. Not her as well."

"No, neither could I," he said with detachment.

"She's going to be alright, isn't she?"

"I hope so, I really do."

"Poor Stella, who'd have thought it?"

"Well this all stems from those bastards who took her."

We sat ourselves down in a quiet corner of the waiting room.

"What was that you said earlier about something costing you a thouand each?"

"Oh that. I told my contacts in the Moscow police that I wanted all of those involved in her kidnap locked up or dead. I told him I'd pay a reward of a thousand pounds for each one. They didn't take any prisoners."

"So how do you know he wasn't lying to you, only making it up?"

"I have a couple of other contacts who corroborated his story."

"So you didn't take out a contract on them?"

"Not really, tempted as I was, I just wanted some revenge and justice for Stella."

"Shouldn't the Russian police have done that sort of thing anyway?"

"Too much bureaucracy, rarely get anything done, too many interested parties."

"Oh, so it's as bad as they show in the films?"

"Oh worse than that, Arnie's governor of California."

Somehow my addled brain couldn't process that statement, I presumed it referred to films, but none that I could remember seeing. I decided it didn't warrant pursuit. Besides, it didn't matter to me who was Governor of California, although I was led to believe the current incumbent was taking some serious 'green' measures. Too little too late.

"Do you know what is happening with Stella?"

"Something to do with a clot in her arm, so she was in theatre."

"Oh!" I said without knowing why she'd be there and whether it was a good or bad thing. I hoped the doctors knew.

A nurse came out from the office, "Simon?" she asked walking towards us.

"That's me, any news?" he said.

"Yes, your sister is out of theatre and resting, she's in ICU and we're giving her blood."

"Can we see her?"

"I'm afraid not. She has a bruise on her face, do you know anything about that?"

"I do," I explained about the incident in the supermarket and the nurse nodded.

"Is she a nurse, I have some feeling I should know the name, Stella Cameron."

"She's a nurse specialist in GUM."

"Ah, I thought I recognised it, well don't worry, we always care for our own. Look, you can't do any more this evening, leave a phone number and I'll get them to contact you if there's any change."

With great reluctance we went home, waking Tom, who hadn't noticed I had gone in the first place.

So much for, missing me when I'm gone!