The Own Goal ✔️

Part 95

We've only been here fifteen minutes and I'm itching to see him.

Mad to think just 4 hours ago I was dropping Mia off at preschool, with absolutely no idea of what had happened.

Sam and Simon are sitting opposite me.
They look shell shocked.
They had held off phoning anyone because no one was telling them anything.
They were unaware that pictures of Jack laying in the road had already made it online, along with pictures of some girl rubbing suncram into him.
The sun had run a story with the headline 'Grealish's celebrations come to a crashing end'

Kevin had spoken with someone at city to sort it all out to get us here immediately, they flown from Birmingham to Manchester to meet me, Kiera and Josh got off the plane to take care of Esme and Mia for as long as we are gone for.
I got on the plane and two and half hours later, we arrived in Ibiza, car already waiting to take us to the hospital.

The door opens and a Dr enters, he looks around and introduces himself before launching into a conversation in Spanish with Ed.

"One of you can see him" Ed finally tells us.

"You go" Karen says instantly looking at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go, it should be you first"

Ed fills me in as we follow the Dr down the hall.
Jack has been incredibly lucky, he has a mildly fractured skull, concussion and several cuts and bruises but the only broken bone is his thumb.
So when we reach him, I'm not prepared for how ill he looks.

"Oh baby!" I rush to him, I can't stop the tears that have been building from falling.  I hug him awkwardly, not wanting to hurt him. His bare chest is purple and black from bruising.
"How do you feel" I brush his hair from his face, it's clumped together with dried blood and keeps falling back into his eyes. I remove the spare bobble from my own wrist and carefully tie it back for him, I see the stitches and the bruising underneath his skin fade.
It hits me how much worse this could have been.

"Don' cry" he whispers.

"I can't help it, I'm just relieved you're alive"

"Take more than that" he manages breathlessly.

The bastards drove off. The police found the car, but as yet haven't located who was driving it.

"Are the...." His eyes close briefly. He's obviously struggling.
"Are, the girls here?"

"No, baby we had no idea what we were coming to, Kiera and Josh are going to look after them..." I feel a pang of panic in my chest at being seperated from Esme. She's still so young and I know there's only a couple of days worth of milk in the freezer.  I know she'll be fine, but kieras going to have to be the one to  navigate putting her on formula.
I phoned the school to say that Mia's auntie will be picking her up, kieras going to have to explain to her where I am too and what's happened with daddy.

Jack's eyes are closed, his head back against the pillow.
I choke back a sob.
All this because he saved some bitch who wanted to sleep with him from getting hurt.

-

It's Friday. The third day since the accident on Tuesday night.
Ed wasn't happy with Jack's level of responsiveness yesterday and arranged the hospital to do another scan.
The swelling on his brain is still pretty bad. He's been incredibly lucky to not require surgery.
Ed desperately wants to get Jack back to Manchester, but there's no way he can fly for the next few weeks with his head injury.
I've climbed up onto the bed next to Jack, it's enough to just be close to him.

We opted to stay in a hotel a few minutes walk from the hospital rather than go to the villa.
The boys are all going home today, they are due to come by to say goodbye and  drop Jack's stuff off before they go to the airport.
Tessa, I understand broke her ankle. I have no idea if she's still on the island.
I don't really care to be honest.

"Wot day is it?"
I turn to him, I thought he was asleep.

"Friday baby"

"I've got camp Monday...."

"No baby, you can't play these games, I'm sorry, you're kind of lucky though because Ed thinks you should be ok for the start of next season"

"Nahh" I watch his face as he tries to process what I've said. More bruising has come out now all over his face and body. I stroke his cheek.
It's been a long time since I've seen his beard this long.
"I wanna go home now"

"Oh baby, you can't, not until your heads better"

"My girls......."

"You'll see them soon" I kiss him gently on the lips "I promise"