Fix me

Chapter 18

'She's going to be ok. You have to believe in her. I haven't known her long, but she's so strong. She beat those drugs all by herself. She fought it. She's so strong, she'll come through this. Before you know it you'll be telling her you're sorry and hugging her and she'll be hugging back telling you it's ok, because she's glad to have her brother back.'

Adam smiles slightly. 'It should never have been like this.' He croaks, looking back at her. He raises a hand and touches her face. 'I was so... blinded by... just anger. I didn't even think anything of it until a few days after she stopped trying to call me. I was glad she'd given up... but then I started to worry. Nobody had seen her in days, none of her friends had spoken to her...'

'Adam, can I ask you something?'

'Yes?'

'What about your mother?'

Adam sighs heavily. He leans back, letting go of Kimberley's hand. 'She said Kimberley could look after herself. I don't think she cared.'

'That's terrible.' I say angrily, my hands curving into fists. 'She's her mother for God's sake.'

'They were never the same.' Adam continues. 'After we lost Dad... I take it you know about that too?'

I nod, still furious at this woman who calls herself a mother.

'After we lost Dad... my mum and Kimberley, they never really got on. Kimberley was with him when he died, and she wasn't. For some reason she couldn't ever get past that. And they were so close, Dad and Kimberley. She was the definition of a Daddy's Girl, always. She was going to go to college, but when he became ill, she rejected her place to take care of him. They fought so much about that, her and mum... But I always stuck up for her, for Kimberley. That's why when all that happened with Jen... I just felt so...'

He sighs again. 'I don't need you to tell me I should have just listened to her. I just went in all guns blazing, I didn't care about anyone else.'

'I can understand that. A little. But your mother... I just... I'm sorry, I can't get my head around her being so...'

'I know.'

We fall silent, both of us looking at Kimberley. 'Do you think... would she come? If I... or if you called her. Your mum. Would she--'

'I talked to her.' Adam says abruptly. 'Before I went to the airport to come here, I told her what you'd told me on the phone. I asked her to come with me, but...'

He doesn't need to say anymore. She isn't here, with him, and with her daughter. That says it all.

**

Sarah comes back in the room after another half an hour or more. And she's holding a huge CD player.

'What's that?'

'Hiya, you must be Adam.' Sarah shifts the player under her arm to shake his hand.

'Sarah Harding.'

'The one and only.' She sighs. She looks around, then places the CD player on the floor. 'It's got batteries in it, thought the plug sockets would be all taken up in here.' She says breezily, looking the machines up and down.

'Sarah, what--'

'Music, Cheryl. You hear these stories all the time. Music brings people back. I read about an eleven year old lad who woke up to a Green Day album. It could work. Worth a try, right?'

Adam laughs. I turn to him in surprise, see him smiling weakly at Sarah. 'What?' she says defensively.

'It's good to meet you Sarah Harding.' He says.