One Step Behind by North Lauren

Author:North, Lauren
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781473563858
Publisher: Transworld
Published: 2020-07-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Sophie

I’m stretched out on the sofa, lost in Kim Kardashian’s latest Instagram frenzy, when my phone rings with an unknown number.

‘Hello?’

‘Good morning. Is this Sophie Dover?’

My volume is still high from listening to music on my last run and the thick Glaswegian accent is loud in my ears.

‘Yes.’

‘I’m Lynsey Dunsby, a neurologist at Westbury District Hospital. I’m calling to let you know that your brother, Matthew, is awake and asking for you.’

‘Oh my God.’ I sit up, covering my mouth with my hands. My thoughts jumble with the emotions tearing through me. Matthew’s OK. He remembers me. ‘Should I come in now?’

‘If you can then that would be helpful. There is still significant swelling in Matthew’s brain, which is causing him some cognitive impairments. Right now, Matthew is having trouble forming some speech, and is easily confused. He appears to have moments of understanding, and was able to ask for you, but there are also times when he doesn’t know his own name. Until the swelling is completely gone we won’t know what lasting effects there will be, nor the impact on his day-to-day life. He has been moved to my care in the Brain Injury Unit, and I think it would aid his recovery to spend time with someone he is close to.’

‘I’ll come now. I can be there in thirty minutes.’

We say goodbye and I leap into action. Grabbing my bag and heading for the door. The moment I’m moving I feel more in control. The relief that Matthew is OK is palpable, but so is something else curdling with it, and I can’t pretend it isn’t there any more. Dread.

I’m almost at the lifts when Nick calls. He’ll want to know what exercise plan I’ve developed for the session with the new mums later. I stare at his name on the screen and all I see is the quiet rage, the disapproval, the constant need to know where I am, and suddenly I can’t answer.

I switch off my phone and stuff it in my bag. All morning I’ve been waiting for DS Church to get in touch and ask me if I was with Nick the afternoon Matthew was hit by the bus. When she does, I don’t know what I’m going to say.

Things are getting out of control. Last night Nick accused me of cheating on him because I didn’t want to have sex. ‘Even when you’re here, you’re not here,’ he said to me. ‘It feels like you’re keeping things from me. What’s going on?’

‘Nothing,’ I replied.

‘Are you sleeping with someone else?’

‘Of course not. I’m just tired.’

He turned to face the window, a bulk of anger simmering beside me, and I wished I’d given him what he wanted.

The Brain Injury Unit is tucked at the end of a corridor on the ground floor. I press the buzzer and peer through the glass-windowed doors. Inside, it looks more like a hotel than a hospital.

The door unlocks and I walk into a wide lobby with a

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