Read Online Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan - Free Book Online Page B

But...if you’ve already thought of something,” he added quickly.
    “Well, let’s hear your idea first,” Shirley offered graciously.
    Tom told her about the Aonach Eagach trip.   No sooner had Tom finished speaking than Shirley agreed, “That’s an excellent idea.   I’d love that.   Next Saturday, you said?”
    “Yes,” replied a relieved Tom.
    He told her he’d have Simon book her a room at the Aonach Inn, the principal haunt of all hardened walkers, akin to climbers what après ski offered the skiing community.   Half the fun was in getting plastered after the arduous day’s labours. The Aonach Inn was the perfect place to get sozzled.

    When Tom awoke next day, his first thoughts were of the following Saturday.   In the meantime, he had work to do.   So, yawning and easing himself out of bed, as he’d have preferred to remain under his duvet, he started the day.    It was shaping up to be a busy one.    There was a problem over at Castlecary, so he had to reschedule a few meetings.   He remembered he needed to resolve Joe’s overtime issue.   On reaching the site and asking for Jamie’s whereabouts, he was shocked to learn Jamie had been rushed to A&E.   A load of wood had fallen on him.   And apparently he hadn’t been wearing a hard hat at the time.
    “Jesus,” said Tom appalled.   “Why didn’t Cynthia tell me what the problem was before I came over?   She just said there was a problem.   Is he going to be OK?”
    “Don’t know. He wasn’t conscious when they took him away.   The paramedics said he had head injuries,” Willie added as an afterthought.   “Sol’s at the hospital with him.”
    “Which hospital? was all Tom managed to blurt out, already striding back to his car.
    “Falkirk Royal, but he might get transferred to the Southern General.”
    “I’ll be back later.   Leave a message on the mobile if you need anything.   I’ll call you when I have news…and Willie?”
    “Yes, boss?”
    “Stand in for Jamie.”

    Tom drove at breakneck speed to the hospital and was lucky not to have ended up in hospital himself.   He swung his Mazda into the car park and barely pulled the handbrake on, before he was marching through the door marked A&E.    He glanced round for Sol, but didn’t see him.   Flustered, he saw the Triage reception desk, where a young couple were being attended to.   Eventually his turn came and he was able to ask about his friend’s welfare.
    “I’m looking for Jamie Patterson. He was brought in earlier with head injuries. Accident at work.”
    The receptionist scrolled through a few screens, then told Tom.
    “He’s been admitted.   If you take a seat, I’ll see what else I can find out.”
    Whilst he waited, he listened to the booking-in procedure of the prospective patients.   Twenty minutes later, the receptionist called his name.
    “He’s in the ICU.   Are you a relative?”
    “No. I’m his boss.”
    “Is his family here?” the receptionist asked.
    Dawn!   He didn’t even know if anyone had informed Jamie’s wife.   He’d better call her.   The receptionist must have been used to dealing with situations like this, as she read his expression well, smiled kindly at him and informed him there was a payphone in the next block, or he could use his mobile outside.

    Tom told Dawn to get a cab and meet him at the ICU.   Meanwhile he found out where it was and tried to find someone who could give him information on Jamie’s condition.   Luckily he found the consultant within five minutes.
      “Are you a relative?”
    “Yes. I’m his brother,” he lied.   “Can you tell me how he is?   I heard he’d had a nasty knock to the head at work.”
    “I’m afraid he’s in a coma at the moment.   I can’t really tell you much else until we obtain the results of his x-rays and his MRI scan.    Once the swelling to the brain subsides we’ll know more.”   With that he excused himself and left Tom sitting in the