The Very Last List of Vivian Walker by Megan Albany

Author:Megan Albany
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Published: 2022-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

Not on Ethan’s list: Play

with his cousins

Ethan is still in hospital. They said not to worry, that it is standard practice to keep kids overnight when they’ve been knocked unconscious. I still can’t believe how yesterday, when Ethan was lying on the ground, Clint had been too busy yelling at other people’s children to even notice his son was injured. When I finally got his attention, he had the nerve to tell me I hadn’t noticed either. Seriously, that kid’s in trouble when I’m gone.

My neck is stiff from sleeping in the chair next to Ethan. Clint has just texted to say he is on his way back with tea and breakfast. I can’t eat this hospital food, I swear it’s designed to keep the customers here longer. I look over at Ethan. He is just starting to make the screwed-up, gorgeous face he always does before he wakes up. He yawns, rubs his eyes with the back of his hands, stretches his arms and then rolls from one side of the bed to the other before finally opening his eyes. He looks around, startles, then notices me next to him.

‘Oh, hello, Mama,’ he says, reaching over to me and pulling my arm up to his bed.

‘Hello, baby boy,’ I say, stroking the hair back from his face. He frowns and pulls his hair over his eyes again.

‘I’m hungry,’ he complains just as I hear the clatter of the hospital trolley coming along.

‘That sounds like breakfast now, but don’t worry if you can’t eat it, Dad is on his way with cereal from home.’

The orderly bustles into our room and pulls the table on wheels across Ethan’s bed, placing a stainless-steel tray on top of it. ‘Juice or water?’ she asks Ethan.

‘Juice! Mum, can I have the juice?’

‘Yes, you can have the juice.’

His eyes light up like it is Christmas as he takes each individual lid off the plastic-looking, slightly discoloured food.

‘Mum, there’s eggs, and there’s a little butter packet, and there’s toast, and there’s tea, hey, Mum they gave me tea, and there’s cereal … oh, Mum, they gave me Coco Pops, and I’m in the hospital. Does that mean they’re healthy? Hey, Mum, if Coco Pops are healthy can I have them every day?’

I smile, take a deep breath and sit back, enjoying watching him destroy his breakfast. I swear he can inhale food. It’s making me hungry, despite what the food looks and smells like. Where the hell is Clint? Ethan notices the TV screen at the end of his bed.

‘Hey, Mum, can I watch TV?’

Sure, I think, you’re eating shit you may as well watch it too.

‘Okay, honey, just the kids’ channel though.’

‘I know, Mum, I know.’

He flicks on the TV and it goes straight to the news. I dive across the bed, grab the remote and switch it straight off.

‘Mum, you said I could watch it.’

‘I know, I know, just give me a minute. Close your eyes, and I’ll find your channel.’

I press mute

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