| Taming Sophie (Continued) Martine Hayes
Chapter 15 Sophie sat amazed as Foster gave her the news. Only two days ago she had felt no pity at Andy’s arrest. Now she sat in sadness, not for Andy, but for his wife and child. They were the ones who had lost him. Not only had they to face his conviction, but now his death. She felt as though she had tied the noose herself. It seemed to her as though she was responsible. She wondered weather Andy’s suicide had been his way of off-loading the guilt on to her, or weather he was the one over-ridden with guilt. Perhaps as he sat in the cell, his guilt had already killed him. Sophie felt that two hours away from Sarah’s bedside was too long, she had to get back. Today might be the day when Sarah wakes up, she had been telling herself that for three weeks now, but she had every faith that one day it would happen. Sophie walked slowly to the room, Sarah still lay asleep and June was brushing Sarah’s hair as best she could without upsetting the arrangement of tubes and wires which the doctors had spent so much time and care in applying to her best friend. Whenever she saw her, Sophie felt guilt. She knew it should be her lying there. She could see the pain in June’s face as she watched over her daughter. Yet, despite it all, June never once blamed Sophie. June looked tired, her hair hadn’t been washed for a while and each day made her eyes look heavier and heavier, she had seemed to age rapidly since Sarah’s operation. Sophie could remember that awful day, the waiting, the despair and the sadness as the doctor revealed the shocking reality of Sarah’s injuries. Although they had repaired the tear in her lung, Sarah had suffered massive internal bleeding, which limited her chances of survival. That was three weeks ago, and Sarah was fighting, she hadn’t come round, but she was fighting. A machine started bleeping setting off a whole load of alarms. Sophie rushed to her bedside. The nurses gathered rapidly and Sophie and June were pushed out of the way in the haste. June cried in horror as they undid some of the tubes and machines and wheeled the bed out of the room, towards the operating theatre. June followed behind, shouting and screaming. ‘Bring her back to me, Please, bring my baby back to me.’ Sophie pulled her close and held her tight. The prospects of another agonising wait worried them both. A doctor came over and sat on one of the chairs. ‘Sarah is showing signs of more blood loss, we have to operate again to find the bleed, if we don’t operate now, she will die. We have one of the finest surgeons here, he will do everything he can to help her. I know it’s worrying, but please be strong, Sarah has fought hard over the past few weeks. It’s a positive sign.’ He raised a sympathetic smile towards the two women, huddled together in tears. He wasn’t sure if they had understood him, he wished he could bring them some good news, he wished he could promise to have her sitting up and well again. He could only offer them the possibilities, which weren’t that good. Sophie knew that the next few hours would be the longest ever, she let go of June and headed for the vending machine. June accepted the coffee and sat up. ‘I wish I had bought her that bike you know’ ‘Bike? What bike?’ Sophie was puzzled. ‘When she was nine, remember that Chopper bike, the one with the large handle bars? She cried herself to sleep for nearly a week, I just couldn’t afford it.’ ‘Yes’ Smiled Sophie. ‘I remember. Jason Malcolms got it for his birthday two weeks later, Sarah wouldn’t speak to him for ages.’ ‘She wouldn’t speak to me for ages, never mind Jason. She hated me. I even promised to buy her a second-hand one, she wouldn’t have it though, she was so determined. Like her father, I suppose. When he died she was quiet for so long it scared me, I thought she would never speak again. Then one morning, she came into my bedroom, threw her arms around me and told me that she would never leave me.’ June cried again. ‘It should be me in there, June. I’m so sorry.’ Sophie held her tight but she found little comfort in June’s arms, she wanted Sarah. ‘Hush child.’ Answered June. ‘ It shouldn’t be anyone lying in there.’ Four hours had passed and Sophie was feeling more tired with every second passed. A doctor emerged from one of the doors leading to the theatre. Sophie held June’s hand as he approached. ‘Mrs Carter. I’m Doctor Phillips. Sarah had a rupture in one of her kidneys. We’ve managed to repair it and to stop the bleeding. She is still critical and we won’t know anymore for a few hours yet. At he moment, she is holding her own, there is nothing more we can do. Any further operations at this stage could put further strain on her heart. The next 24 hours are her most god needed. She has survived against terrible odds so far, which is truly remarkable, she has strong determination in her. Don’t give up hope.’ He sat silent waiting for a reply. June sat up. ‘Thank you, thank you’ She cried. It was a while later before the nurses brought Sarah back to her room. They took a while to link her up to the valuable life support machines which would keep her alive, and Sophie prayed for the first time since she was made to at school. Their all night vigil had taken it’s toll on June who was now sleeping, still holding Sarah’s hand. Nurses had come and gone throughout the night, checking and monitoring her friend. Sophie noticed that Sarah’s colour had started to return, a welcoming sight. She still looked close to dying and Sophie felt helpless. It was strange that she had never before noticed how much Sarah looked like her mother. She scanned her face, she took in every detail. She wanted to see all of her, because she felt so sure now that she would die. Sophie listened as the birds brought the first signs of morning in their song. She willed Sarah to hear it too. She looked towards the shutters on the window and moved to open them. She felt something brush against her arm as she leaned over the bed to get to the shutters. It was Sarah, she had woken. Her eyes were blinking, but her hands were moving slightly. Sophie whispered to waken June. ‘June, look. June, she’s awake.’ June opened her eyes and tried to make sense of Sophie’s excitement. Sophie was staring at Sarah and as June followed the direction of Sophie’s eyes, she noticed Sarah’s eyes beginning to open. ‘Oh my god, she’s awake, SHE’S AWAKE!’ June had shouted so loud that the nurses had heard and were running to see what the commotion was about. Tears and cries of relief were hampering June as she tried to speak to her daughter. ‘I love you Sarah, I knew you’d never leave me. Good girl.’ Sophie sat back, this was June’s moment. She was happy enough to wait, she had had her prayers answered. She held her head back and felt the tears of relief at the sight of what she thought would never be. Sarah didn’t remember much about the episode which almost killed her, she wasn’t aware of the danger she had faced or the pain of those who waited for her to revive. She grew stronger and stronger as the weeks went by and soon was sitting up in the bed, moaning and arguing with the nurses. She couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t let her go home, she felt fine. Sophie had been gone overnight, it was her turn to stay in the bed and breakfast, which the police had offered to them both on several occasions. Only lately, had they both found the strength and confidence to leave Sarah for the night, but they still took turns in staying with her each night. Sophie entered the ward with some more flowers. Sarah turned to welcome her favourite visitor. Her smile was brighter than yesterday and she seemed eager to tell her something, she had an impatient look on her face. ‘I’m allowed to go home, today,’ she beamed with delight. Sophie threw herself on to the bed beside her and clasped her arms around her. ‘Scotland is waiting!’ June giggled as Sophie began dancing around the ward. The other patients could only watch. Why would they understand? They couldn’t ever begin to understand. As the train pulled away from Carlisle, Sophie scanned the platform in a small hope of seeing Rixi. It was him who had saved her life. She had been tamed, she was more of an adult now than she ever was, in her mind, was the newness that awaited her at home. A new life, a new Sophie. She wanted the quiet life. No more searching for the fun she thought she wanted. She had been there, done that and lived. Again, she thought of Rixi. She owed him one, so did Sarah, although she didn’t know it. When things had settled, when the court case was over, she would tell Sarah and they would return to Carlisle. They would return for Rixi, and take him home.
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