From This Moment On by Colette Caddle

Author:Colette Caddle [Caddle, Colette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

There were more voices, different ones, women. He tried to make out what they were saying but it sounded like a different language. Where the hell was he now? He tried to open his eyes but couldn’t and, feeling tired, he gave up. He let the voices wash over him. The sound was comforting and he felt himself relax. Then he became aware of a hand in his and he no longer felt frightened or lonely. He was safe.

‘He squeezed my hand!’ Nell exclaimed.

The nurse went around the other side of the bed, took out her torch and, lifting one eyelid, examined the pupil. ‘Are you coming back to us, Jack?’ she asked in a loud cheerful voice. ‘I’m looking forward to meeting you. Nell and Lynn have been telling me all about you.’

Nell smiled as Jack’s fingers tightened around hers once more. ‘He did it again. So he’s not paralysed.’

Lynn arrived back from the loo. ‘What is it?’ she said.

Nell beamed up at her. ‘He’s waking, love.’

Her father’s eyelids fluttered open for a moment and her mother’s face lit up with delight and relief. Lynn felt her own face almost split in two with her smile.

‘I’ll page the doctors,’ the nurse said, and left them.

‘Has he said anything?’

Her mother shook her head. ‘Not a word yet, just some groans and grimaces.’

Lynn sat down and took her father’s hand. ‘Hey, how are you, Dad?’ she said, with forced cheerfulness. ‘Come on, wake up. If you were looking for sympathy, you’ve got it, okay?’ She heard a sound, muffled and incomprehensible, and she wondered, had she imagined it? She glanced across at her mother. ‘Did he say something?’

Her mother laughed, tears in her eyes. ‘I think he said, “Stop nagging.”’

Dr O’Keefe pulled back the curtain and Lynn dragged her eyes from her father’s face. ‘He’s waking and he spoke and it made sense. And he squeezed Mum’s hand so he’s not paralysed; he’s going to be okay.’

They went out into the corridor while the doctor examined him. ‘He’s going to be fine, Mum.’ Lynn hugged her mother in relief. It felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had imagined so many different scenarios in her head, but his waking up just fine had not been one of them.

Nell was more cautious. ‘He could still have problems.’

‘I know that, but the one that scared me most was the thought that he might not know us or not be able to communicate and here he is, barely awake, and he’s done both!’

‘It’s wonderful.’ Nell agreed.

They were left kicking their heels for a while longer before Dr O’Keefe emerged.

Nell looked at him, anxiously. ‘Well?’

‘I can’t tell how severely Jack’s been affected until he’s completely lucid. I don’t know him so you’ll have to tell me if you observe any change in his manner or personality. I asked him some basic things: who’s the president, what year is it, family names, that sort of thing. He was able to answer but his speech is quite slurred and talking seems to be an effort.

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