Breakeven

Chapter 34

I woke with a start as I heard someone coming into the room.  I looked up and saw Liam standing in the doorway.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked with a slight panic when I saw him.

"I brought you food" he said holding up the brown paper bag in his hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you would've been sleeping" he said as he came in and started to unpack the food he had brought.

"I didn't think you were serious about bringing dinner" I laughed.

"Well someone's got to look after you" Liam said as he flashed a smile.

I helped him to plate up the food that he had brought with him, it smelled delicious.  I suddenly realised just how hungry I actually was.  "Did you really cook this?" I asked, struggling to believe that this was all Liam's work.

"Yeah, I'm not completely useless you know" he replied as he nudged me playfully.

"I didn't say that" I protested as I took the first forkful of my food "It's really good."

"A compliment, I'm touched" he said with every word laced in sarcasm as he held his hand to his chest.

"Why?" I asked, expecting him to almost be able to read my mind.

"Why what?" he asked in confusion.

"Why are you doing this?  Letting me use your flat to shower, cooking me dinner, looking after me.  You can't seriously do this for every patient's mum?" I wasn't complaining, I was just curious.

"You've had a tough time, and I just felt like someone should be looking out for you.  You're too busy looking out for Adam and neglecting yourself, you really shouldn't do that you know." He replied

I hung my head slightly, knowing that he was right.  Danny always told me that I was too busy looking after everyone else and should take more time for me. 

"I didn't mean to embarrass you" Liam said as his finger gently lifted my chin so that I was looking at him.  "I just figured, until you learn to look after yourself, I'm going to do it for you."

I smiled at him half-heartedly, I appreciated the gesture, but I just wished it was Danny that was looking out for me, not a virtual stranger.

"Well, for as long as you insist on hanging around here I will anyway" he said with a chuckle.

"And how long is that likely to be?  How long before I can expect to take him home?" I said as my eyes glanced over to Adam.

"He's doing well" Liam said reassuringly "But I need you to stop worrying yourself sick."

As we ate we chatted freely about everything, it eventually felt more like I was sitting here with a friend than the reality that I was eating with Adam's consultant.  The evening flew by and for the first time since I arrived back in London, I started to relax.

As I let out a yawn, I realised that I needed to get some sleep.  "I'm not boring you, am I?" Liam asked, noticing the yawn.

"Not at all, I've really enjoyed your company tonight, but I think this is mission accomplished, I have a full belly and I'm ready to get some sleep."

"Will you go and sleep in a bed?" Liam asked, his eyebrow raised.

"I'm Ok here" I told him as I curled up in the chair.

Liam shook his head as he got up to leave. "OK, you win this time.  I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" He said. I laughed as I nodded my head.

"Sweet dreams" he whispered as he switched out the light before leaving the room.

I took my phone from my pocket and checked the screen, nothing.  I had hoped that I would have heard something from Danny, but then I wondered why I thought he would contact me when I had told him so callously to go.

I wrote a text to him, then deleted it, then wrote another, and deleted it.  I wanted to know he was safe, I wanted him to know I was thinking about him, I wanted him to know that I loved him, but as I my eyes glanced over to Adam my priorities were realised once more.  I locked my phone and put it down on the bedside cabinet.

After wriggling around in the chair to find a comfortable position, I closed my eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.