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Authors: Paul Pilkington
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She’s the strongest little girl I’ve ever known, and if anyone can come through this, Sophie can. And I’ll do whatever it takes to give her every chance. I’ll be there for her, I promise.’
‘Thanks,’ Tom said, ‘that means a lot, really.’
‘But you and Sarah need to stick together, no matter what happens. It’s what Sophie would want. She needs you to be strong, as a couple.’
Tom nodded, wiping his nose with a clean tissue Sam produced from his pocket. ‘When will we be able to see Sophie?’
‘I’ll call intensive care now,’ Sam promised, ‘and then you can both be with your daughter.’
Sam bit down hard on his emotions until he emerged from the main entrance of the hospital. He turned left, heading through the grounds, keeping his head down as he passed a group of nurses who were sipping coffee, laughing and joking. He recognised a couple of them, but they gave him only a cursory glance. By the time he reached the bench, in a quiet corner around the back of the building, the dam holding back his emotions ruptured and burst. He sat there, with his head in his hands, sobbing. He hadn’t even cried like this at Cathy’s funeral. A mix of thoughts tumbled around in his head: the vacant stare of the woman in the car, just before the train hit; Sophie, giggling uncontrollably in that way she always did, as her proud parents Tom and Sarah looked on; the pained faces of his mother and father at Cathy’s birthday memorial, and then the words of the caller – you couldn’t save your sister from Marcus Johnson.
‘Mr Becker?’
Sam was shocked by the voice. He looked up to see Maria Hennessey, a young nurse from the surgical ward. She was an enthusiastic member of staff, being only six months into her job.
‘Oh, hi, Maria.’
‘Sorry to bother you,’ she said, noticeably taken aback by the sight of Sam in tears. She reddened at the uncomfortable and unexpected situation. ‘I just saw you out here, and I, I wanted to say I’m really sorry about what happened to Sophie. I just heard. We all hope she pulls through.’
Sam smiled sadly. ‘Me too.’
Maria nodded. ‘I have to go back in now; my break was over a few minutes ago. Do you think she’ll be okay?’
‘I hope so,’ Sam replied, his composure now recovered.
‘I hope so too,’ she said, looking down at her feet. ‘She’s such a great little girl. I’d better go back in.’
As she walked away, almost apologetically, Sam shouted after her. ‘Maria!’ She stopped and moved back towards him. ‘Can you try and find Sarah Jackson? Her husband’s looking for her. They need to be together. He’s up on ICU, with Sophie.’ Maria nodded and continued walking back towards the hospital.
Sam watched her walk away, reflecting on what had just happened. As much as he hated to admit it, maybe Miles was right, and he should go home. He could lock himself away, and watch a couple of films, or read a book. It might just give him space to digest recent events. First though he would go up to ICU and check on Tom and Sophie.
But half-way back towards the hospital entrance, he received a text message that stopped him dead. It was from Louisa.
Meet me by the London Eye – it’s about Cathy.
9
Sam hurried across the grounds and out onto the main road running up towards Westminster Bridge. The Houses of Parliament towered up ahead, and then off to right the London Eye came into view. He crossed the road, waiting for a gap in between the black taxis and open top tourist buses. The rain shower had passed and ahead a swath of tourists meandered by the banks of the Thames in the bright late afternoon sunshine, many pointing their cameras towards the Eye. By the time Sam reached the base of the Eye, the crowds had increased. Hundreds queued for their turn on the big wheel, while others were content to look up and marvel at the sight of the one hundred foot structure as it turned slowly, almost imperceptibly. Sam
‘Thanks,’ Tom said, ‘that means a lot, really.’
‘But you and Sarah need to stick together, no matter what happens. It’s what Sophie would want. She needs you to be strong, as a couple.’
Tom nodded, wiping his nose with a clean tissue Sam produced from his pocket. ‘When will we be able to see Sophie?’
‘I’ll call intensive care now,’ Sam promised, ‘and then you can both be with your daughter.’
Sam bit down hard on his emotions until he emerged from the main entrance of the hospital. He turned left, heading through the grounds, keeping his head down as he passed a group of nurses who were sipping coffee, laughing and joking. He recognised a couple of them, but they gave him only a cursory glance. By the time he reached the bench, in a quiet corner around the back of the building, the dam holding back his emotions ruptured and burst. He sat there, with his head in his hands, sobbing. He hadn’t even cried like this at Cathy’s funeral. A mix of thoughts tumbled around in his head: the vacant stare of the woman in the car, just before the train hit; Sophie, giggling uncontrollably in that way she always did, as her proud parents Tom and Sarah looked on; the pained faces of his mother and father at Cathy’s birthday memorial, and then the words of the caller – you couldn’t save your sister from Marcus Johnson.
‘Mr Becker?’
Sam was shocked by the voice. He looked up to see Maria Hennessey, a young nurse from the surgical ward. She was an enthusiastic member of staff, being only six months into her job.
‘Oh, hi, Maria.’
‘Sorry to bother you,’ she said, noticeably taken aback by the sight of Sam in tears. She reddened at the uncomfortable and unexpected situation. ‘I just saw you out here, and I, I wanted to say I’m really sorry about what happened to Sophie. I just heard. We all hope she pulls through.’
Sam smiled sadly. ‘Me too.’
Maria nodded. ‘I have to go back in now; my break was over a few minutes ago. Do you think she’ll be okay?’
‘I hope so,’ Sam replied, his composure now recovered.
‘I hope so too,’ she said, looking down at her feet. ‘She’s such a great little girl. I’d better go back in.’
As she walked away, almost apologetically, Sam shouted after her. ‘Maria!’ She stopped and moved back towards him. ‘Can you try and find Sarah Jackson? Her husband’s looking for her. They need to be together. He’s up on ICU, with Sophie.’ Maria nodded and continued walking back towards the hospital.
Sam watched her walk away, reflecting on what had just happened. As much as he hated to admit it, maybe Miles was right, and he should go home. He could lock himself away, and watch a couple of films, or read a book. It might just give him space to digest recent events. First though he would go up to ICU and check on Tom and Sophie.
But half-way back towards the hospital entrance, he received a text message that stopped him dead. It was from Louisa.
Meet me by the London Eye – it’s about Cathy.
9
Sam hurried across the grounds and out onto the main road running up towards Westminster Bridge. The Houses of Parliament towered up ahead, and then off to right the London Eye came into view. He crossed the road, waiting for a gap in between the black taxis and open top tourist buses. The rain shower had passed and ahead a swath of tourists meandered by the banks of the Thames in the bright late afternoon sunshine, many pointing their cameras towards the Eye. By the time Sam reached the base of the Eye, the crowds had increased. Hundreds queued for their turn on the big wheel, while others were content to look up and marvel at the sight of the one hundred foot structure as it turned slowly, almost imperceptibly. Sam
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