The Wife He Never Forgot by Anne Fraser

Author:Anne Fraser
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9781472003294
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

THE NEXT DAY Tiggy used her lunch-break to go up to the children’s ward. Jo Green had been admitted to A and E two weeks earlier with meningococcal sepsis. Sadly her parents hadn’t recognised how ill their daughter was until the rash had appeared on Jo’s arms and legs. By the time the ambulance had brought her in, she had been unconscious and had needed to be put on life support. The medical team had done everything they could, pushing IV antibiotics and fluids, and the girl had survived.

However, two days later her legs had developed gangrene and Jo had had to have both her legs amputated above the knee. Tiggy had popped up to see her and the parents several times before. In A and E, when you held a child’s life in your hands, strong bonds often developed between the nurses and the parents. She and the Greens had been no different.

Mr and Mrs Green were, as usual, by their daughter’s bedside. Jo was staring up at the ceiling, just as she’d done ever since she’d discovered her legs had been amputated.

‘How are you today, Jo?’ Tiggy asked softly.

Jo’s eyes flicked towards Tiggy. ‘I want them to go.’

‘Who?’

‘Those two. The ones who call themselves my parents but who let this happen to me.’

Jo’s mother, Colleen, winced. ‘Darling, we had no choice.’ Her face was pale. It was clear she hadn’t been sleeping. ‘Don’t you think I would have given my life to save yours?’

‘Whatever.’

‘Now, Jo,’ her father said. He appeared to be in no better condition than his wife. ‘Your mum is telling the truth.’

Colleen looked at Tiggy with anguished eyes. ‘If only we’d taken her to the doctor sooner.’

‘Yes,’ Jo snarled. ‘And if only you hadn’t told them they could take my legs.’

‘Sweetheart, we had no choice. You would have died if we hadn’t agreed to the operation.’

‘I’d be better off dead,’ Jo said flatly. ‘What sort of life do you think I’m going to have now? Who in their right mind is going to want to go out with a girl who doesn’t have any legs? Who is going to want to be with someone who is no use to anyone? Who can’t even go to the bathroom without help?’

‘Can’t you talk to her?’ Colleen whispered to Tiggy.

Tiggy sat down on the bed. ‘I know it’s horrible now, but I promise you, you will have a life. In time you’ll learn to walk again. You’ll be able to do most of the things if not all the things you could do before.’

‘Walk on wooden legs? You have to be kidding me.’

‘They won’t be wooden, darling. Remember that nice lady came up to show you what they’d be like?’ Colleen pleaded.

‘Oh, Mum. You’re such a...’ Jo bit down on her lip and blinked furiously.

Tiggy squeezed the teenager’s hand. ‘I’ll come and see you tomorrow,’ she said.

‘Don’t bother. What could you—what can any of you—know what it’s like to be me? You have no idea.’

Colleen walked Tiggy to the door.

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