“No of course not.”
“Hmph.” Sam appeared wholly unconvinced.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I was just thinking out loud.” Christ, he felt tenser now than when he’d been at work. This was not how their Friday nights were supposed to go. The beginnings of a headache threatened, and Matt rubbed his temple. “Can we drop this for now and talk about something else?”
Sam sighed, and Matt could see him mentally shifting gears. Thank God. “Yeah, we can. For now. Don’t think I won’t bring it up again.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“I just want you to give it some thought, okay?”
“Fine.” Matt raised his hands in exasperation. “Now can we change the subject?”
“Yeah.” Sam grinned and launched into a story about some guy who’d come into the shop that morning. He spun his tale, elaborating, as usual, seeming to have moved past their previous conversation with ease, but for all his eagerness to do so, Matt couldn’t let it go.
Two days later and the thoughts were still there, stuck in Matt’s head and insisting he pay them some attention. Surely he wasn’t that pig-headed and self-conscious that he’d let other people’s opinion have such a hold on him? At thirty-eight years old, he’d assumed he was reaching the stage where he didn’t give a shit what people thought anymore and was happy with his lot in life. He had a good job that he enjoyed—most of the time—family, friends. Did he want more? And was his own stupid pride, or whatever it was, stopping him from getting it?
The thoughts went round and round in his head as he jogged down the stairs to meet Ryan, and he was so caught up in them he almost flattened Ryan when he appeared at the top of the stairs on his floor. “Shit, sorry.” Matt jolted to a stop as Ryan dodged out of his way.
“Christ, you’re eager today.”
With one hand on the stair rail, Matt gave Ryan a closer look. He didn’t appear hungover this morning. “Are you not?”
Ryan laughed. “I want to get fit, don’t get me wrong. But I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m eager.” He started down the stairs, a spring in his step, and Matt smiled to himself at how at odds Ryan’s actions were with his words.
They stopped outside on the grass to do their usual warm-up of a little jogging on the spot. The overcast sky promised rain, and Matt wondered if they’d make it back in time before the heavens opened.
His phone vibrated against his hip, startling him. Who the hell was calling him at nine fifteen on a Sunday? An uneasy feeling settled in his chest. When he saw the name on the screen, it only got worse.
“Hello?”
“Oh, thank God I caught you.” His mum’s voice sounded a little off.
“Everything okay?”
Ryan straightened up, watching him.
She paused, and Matt’s heart sped up.
“Mum?”
“It’s not too bad, I don’t think, but your dad’s fallen and hit his head again.”
Shit. “What happened?” He motioned for Ryan to follow him back inside, and he took the stairs two at a time while listening to her.
“Well, it was such a nice morning—”
Matt glanced up at the sky and frowned. “It’s overcast.”
“It’s nice here, Matthew, or it was. Stop interrupting me.”
Her no-nonsense tone relaxed him a little. If she could still get pissy with him, then it couldn’t be that bad. “Sorry. Carry on.”
“I wasn’t dressed, but your father insisted on going out on his own instead of waiting for me, you know how he is.” Matt groaned. This was the second time in two weeks, for Christ’s sake. Why hadn’t they waited for the handrails to be installed? “Anyway, he slipped, fell back against the house, and hit his head. Gave himself a nasty cut on the top of it this time. I had to get Joan from next door to come and help me get him up and inside.” She quietened to almost a whisper, and Matt strained to hear whilst opening his door. “There was a lot of blood, Matt. And I know that head wounds bleed a lot, but—”
Fucking hell. It was ridiculous to feel guilty, but he couldn’t help thinking he should have been there. “It’s okay, Mum. I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
“He says his chest is hurting, too. But he’s had this nasty cough for a while now….”
Oh God. “Why don’t you call 111 to be on the safe side? The paramedic can come and see if he needs to go to hospital. Probably best to get everything checked out too.”
“Yes, okay. I suggested that to your father, but he said he was fine and not to bother them.” Before Matt could comment, she added, “I’ll go outside and call. He can’t say anything once they’re here.”
“All right, Mum. Text me if they get there first, and let me know what they say. Hang on a minute.” He held his phone to his chest, grabbed his car keys and wallet off the kitchen worktop, and turned to where Ryan stood waiting in the doorway. “My dad’s fallen and hit his head. Might need to go to A&E. Sorry about our run, but I need to get over there.”
Ryan waved away his protests. “No need to apologise, for fuck’s sake.” He bit his lip, hesitating, then said, “Want me to come with you?”
Matt answered without giving himself a chance to overthink it. “Yeah.”
Without saying anything else, Ryan nodded, then turned and walked out of the flat, Matt hot on his heels.
He put the phone back to his ear as they jogged down the stairs. “I’m leaving now, okay?”
“Okay, dear. Drive safely.”
“I will. Keep me updated. Ryan’ll have my phone while I’m driving.” The fact that she hung up without commenting on his last sentence made worry spike all over again.
They jogged out to Matt’s car and got in without speaking. All the while, Matt warred with the thought that he shouldn’t have let Ryan come with him. They weren’t together like that. Ryan didn’t have to be there for him. But they were friends, too. Matt wouldn’t have given it a second thought if it was Sam asking. But then Sam was more like a brother…. Fuck it. He could obsess over it later. Starting the engine, he then backed out of the parking space and set off for his mum and dad’s.
Whether Ryan sensed his internal struggle or not, Matt couldn’t tell. He took Matt’s phone with a small smile when Matt offered it to him and then settled back in his seat as they pulled out onto the main road. “Did your mum say how bad it was?”
“She said Dad fell trying to get outside and managed to cut his head. She didn’t sound too panicky, so I’m hoping it’ll just need a few stitches at worst. But then she mentioned something about his chest hurting, so….”
Ryan nodded in understanding. “You’ll only relax when you can see him for yourself.”
“Yeah.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he realised how true that was. Please don’t let there be much traffic.
Just over halfway there, his mum sent a text, which Ryan dutifully read out to him.
“She says the paramedic’s arrived and is concerned about your dad’s chest and his cough. She’s requested an ambulance.”
Fuck. But at least his dad was being seen to now. A few seconds after, his phone chimed with another text.
Ryan glanced over at him. “It’s from Liz. Want me to read it out?”
“Yeah, go on.” Hopefully it wouldn't be anything he’d regret Ryan seeing.
“She said, ‘Are you on your way to Mum and Dad’s?’”
“Tell her, yes we are and that I’ll phone her when we know more.”
Ryan typed it out, getting a reply almost straight away. “She said, ‘Okay, talk to you in a bit.” His phone buzzed two seconds later, and Ryan’s lips formed an O shape as he read it.
“Who was that from?”
“Liz again.”
“What did she say?” Unease crept in as Matt wondered what his sister had typed to put that look on Ryan’s face.
Ryan glanced down at the phone again, and said “We? Somehow I don’t think you meant you and Mum. Looking forward to that call, bro.” He gl
anced up at Matt as he finished reading, but Matt ignored him and concentrated on the road instead.
Bollocks. Whatever, he’d deal with that later.
When Matt pulled up on his parents’ drive, the ambulance had already arrived—parked next to a car with Paramedic written down the side. “Jesus, that was quick.”
Ryan shrugged. “Guess they’re not busy.”
His mum came out to meet them, and Matt immediately pulled her into a hug. “How is he?”
She stepped back, resting her hands on his arms. “A bit worse for wear but chatting away to them, of course. They’re all in there with him now. A very nice young lady called Denise—she’s the one who arrived first. And then Steve and Jade came in the ambulance.”
Matt barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Of course she knew their names already.
Her gaze wandered to Ryan as he walked up to join them. “Hello, Ryan. Nice to see you again.”
“You too, Mrs Thomas.”
She shot Matt a questioning look before turning and heading back to the front door. “Come on inside, boys.”
His dad sat in his chair with one paramedic crouched next to him and the two others standing behind her. Matt had been expecting it, kind of, but the paleness of his dad’s skin still came as a bit of a shock. They’d dressed the cut on his head, but blood still clung to the neck and shoulder of his dad’s jumper, standing out in stark contrast to his skin.
The woman who’d been crouched, stood and walked over to them. Matt noticed her nametag said Denise and immediately felt a little foolish. His mum hadn’t badgered them for information; she was just observant. “John’s complaining of chest pains and having trouble catching his breath. He says he’s had a persistent cough for the past few weeks that antibiotics haven’t cured. I’d like to send him into the hospital to get him checked over, and he’s happy to do that. And we can also get them to double check that head wound. It is quite deep, so he might need a few stitches.”
“Okay.” His mum glanced at his dad, then back to Denise. “Can I go with him? Do I need to bring anything for him?”
“It’s entirely up to you. You can ride with him in the ambulance if you want to.”
She glanced back at Matt. “I’d like to go with him.”
“We’ll follow and bring anything he needs,” Matt reassured her.
She reached out and gripped his arm. “Thank you.”
Denise turned to Matt’s dad and grinned. “Okay then, John. Let’s get you in that ambulance.”
Keeping out of their way, Matt slipped an arm around his mum as they wheeled his dad out to the ambulance. He helped her climb in after him and stepped back as they closed the doors.
Denise faced him. “Go to reception at A&E and tell them who you’ve come to see, and they’ll take you through to him. And I’d bring some pyjamas, slippers, underwear, and toiletries in case they decide to keep him overnight.”
“Will do, thanks.”
She nodded and walked over to her car.
Once she’d left, the ambulance reversed and headed off. Matt’s heart stuttered as he watched it drive away. His dad had cut his head and had a chesty cough, that was all— nothing life threatening. But watching him and his mum being taken away in an ambulance did funny things to his insides. And not any of it pleasant.
“Hey, you okay?” Ryan’s fingers sliding against Matt’s startled him.
Taking a shuddery breath, he turned to look at him. “Yeah.” He wiped the back of his free hand over his eyes and let out a huff of laughter. “Fuck. Sorry. I don't know what’s wrong with me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you. Your dad is on his way to hospital—you’re allowed to be upset.”
Matt sighed, getting himself under control. “I know, but—”
“But nothing.” Ryan’s grip tightened around Matt’s fingers. “Let’s go pack your dad’s essentials, then get to the hospital and see what they have to say.”
Shit, what the hell am I doing standing in the driveway like an idiot? Get a grip, Matt. “Yeah, you’re right. Come on.”
After checking with the reception desk at A&E, a nurse took Matt through to the emergency assessment area where his dad was. Ryan said since he wasn’t family he’d stay in the waiting room. Matt had been tempted to ask if he wanted to come with him—it felt wrong to make him wait on his own—but Ryan insisted it was fine. In return Matt had insisted on leaving him with a tenner, since Ryan hadn’t brought his wallet.
The assessment area had beds on either side, some curtained off, others open, but all of them full. Doctors and nurses came and went around them. “There you go.” The nurse smiled and indicated toward the back of the room.
Matt thanked him and walked over to where his dad lay on a bed with his eyes closed, hooked up to what looked like a nebuliser. His mum sat on a chair next to the bed. “Hey.” Setting his dad’s overnight bag on the floor, Matt pulled up the other chair and sat beside her. “Have they said anything?”
His mum pointed to the bed and his dad. “They put him on that as soon as we got here. It seems to be helping. They’ve taken blood, and soon they’re going to take him for an X-ray and I think they said a CT scan too.”
“What about his head?”
To his surprise, his mum laughed. “They said that’s fine. I told them nothing could get through that thick skull.”
Matt grinned. She was coping with this far better than he expected. “Did he need stitches?”
“No, thank God. You can imagine how that would have gone down.”
“Yeah.” He glanced at the new white dressing on his dad’s head. “Not the best with needles, is he?”
“No, he certainly is not.”
At that point, his dad’s eyes flickered open, and he shot a half-hearted glare at the both of them. Matt smiled at him. “Sorry, thought you were asleep.” In response, his dad shut them again, and Matt sighed, relief flooding through him. They both seemed fine. He turned to his mum and put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a quick hug. “Are you okay?”
She had her hand clasped with his dad’s, and she looked down at it before answering. “Yes. It’s almost a blessing in disguise that he fell.” His dad’s eyes opened again, but his mum waved a hand at him. “Don’t give me that look, you know it’s true.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s had that cough for weeks. Two lots of antibiotics haven’t shifted it, but he wouldn’t let me call the doctor again. It’s been getting worse these past couple of days. At least now we’re getting it sorted.”
Matt supposed she had a point, albeit a rather unfortunate way to go about it. “He still shouldn’t have fallen, though.”
“Yes, I know that,” she snipped, then sighed and turned to face him. “Sorry, sweetheart. Although it is a good thing he’s getting his chest sorted, of course I’d much rather it hadn’t happened this way. It was awful finding him slumped on the step. At first, I thought he’d had a heart attack.”
Matt hugged her a little tighter. “Can I get someone in to put those handrails up sooner rather than later? As in as soon as I can find someone to do it?”
She nodded against his shoulder. “Yes. I think that would be for the best.”
By the time Matt made it back out to the waiting area, it had been almost three hours since he’d left Ryan. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan had called a taxi and gone home. Standing at the entrance, Matt glanced around, his gaze travelling over the rows of chairs until he spotted Ryan—head leant back against the wall with his eyes closed.
Is he asleep?
Guilt washed through Matt—he should have come out much sooner.
As he came to a halt in front of him, Ryan opened his eyes and looked up, immediately sitting up straight when he registered it was Matt standing there.
“Oh, hey.” He yawned, jaw cracking, and covered his mouth with his hand. “Sorry. How’s your dad?” Concern coloured his features, and Matt’s heart fluttered a little at the realisat
ion. Not just asking for the sake of it, Ryan seemed like he actually cared about the answer.
Matt smiled and sank into the empty seat next to Ryan. “No stitches needed, so that’s good.”
Ryan returned his smile. “And his breathing? Is that sorted?”
“They’ve had him on a nebuliser to help, but they suspect he’s got the early onset of pneumonia.”
“Oh shit.” Ryan sat up straighter, worried. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not too bad. They said it’s not developed into full-blown pneumonia, so we’re lucky. Another couple of days….” He tried not to think about that. “They’re going to keep him overnight and start him on another course of antibiotics. Ones that should hopefully work this time.”
“That’s good then.” Ryan nudged him with his shoulder. “How’re you feeling now?”
“Better.” He didn’t realise how true that was until he said the words. Knowing his dad was going to be fine and that he was in good hands had chased away his fears from earlier. The urge to take Ryan’s hand was almost too much to ignore, but he managed it. The hospital waiting area held all manner of people, anyone of whom might object to an open display of affection like that. Matt was in no mood to deal with disapproving looks sent their way. Or worse. He settled for brushing his thigh against Ryan’s. “Thanks for coming with me. It helped a lot having you there.”
“I’m glad. And you’re welcome.”
“Sorry I left you out here on your own for so bloody long. He had to go for an X-ray and then a scan…. I didn’t realise how long it had been.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “It’s fine, honestly. Don’t worry. They’ve got a Costa in the main entrance to the hospital, so I popped over there for coffee and a cake—thanks for that tenner, by the way.” Matt smiled, happy he’d done something right. “Then I read my book for the first two hours until my phone ran out of charge.”
Matt winced, but Ryan gently kicked his trainer and grinned. “I’m teasing. I still have at least two percent.” They settled into a comfortable silence for a moment, and Matt rested his head back against the wall, suddenly tired. “What happens now?”
Maybe This Time Page 14
