Coraline Murphy

49.

Tommy's POV

Three days. It had been three whole days since my brothers and I had rushed Coraline to the hospital on the outskirts of the city, where she'd consequently stayed, seemingly refusing to wake up. Three torturous days of waiting for her to open her eyes, wondering if she'd open her eyes. 

Out of all of us, it was Arthur and Polly who'd spent the most time with her. John and Esme were understandably busy with the kids, and Finn... the poor lad was traumatised, and who could blame him. We all were. 

I was there with her as much as I could, but it was getting increasingly difficult. Grace was beginning to ask where I was disappearing off to, and I couldn't deny, I was itching to spend time with my son. 

I stood in the small room which housed Coraline's bed and the myriad of hospital equipment surrounding her, and took her small hand in mine, once again. "Come on, love," I whispered, bringing it up to my lips to kiss it. Her hand was cold, unmoving. "Surely it's time to wake up now?"

Sighing, I put her hand back down carefully, and checked my watch, knowing that Arthur would be here any minute. He'd promised that he'd come at noon so that I could head back to Grace and Charlie. God knows what he did for all those hours he sat by Coraline's side, but I was grateful to him that she wasn't alone. 

"Alrigh, Tom?" Right on cue, he strode into the room, his confidence the complete opposite of that of the man who'd hurried me into the hospital with a broken Coraline in my arms all those days ago. 

Three days.

"Arthur." I greeted, my voice low. 

"How's she looking?"

"No different. The doctor said there's no reason for her not to wake now. She'll wake when she wants to."

"Oh. Right."

"Looks to me like she don't want to." I was getting frustrated, unused to things not happening on my agenda. I wanted, needed, her to wake up, to tell me that she was fine. I couldn't begin to think about what it would mean if she didn't. 

"She's just tired, Tommy." My brother tried to placate me. "She's been through the ringer. Reckon she deserves a bit of a rest, don't you?"

I didn't reply to that, and instead moved to gather my coat from the chair. "You'll call me if..."

"... if anything changes, yeah Tommy. I know the drill." Arthur grinned at me, a lob-sided grin I'd come to associate with him. I spared him a small smile, and left the room.

------------------------------------------

The phone in my study rang, and I felt my heart stop. It was 6am in the morning, and I wasn't expecting any calls. I frowned at my shaking hand which reached to pick up the phone. 

"Yes?"

"Mr Shelby?" The voice sounded nervous.

"I am he. Who is this?"

"I'm Dr Mitchell, calling from St Agnes' Hospital."

"Right, er..." I stood up, holding the receiver close to my hear, my heart beating rapidly.

"I was ringing to inform you that Miss Coraline Murphy woke up."

I sat down heavily in my seat, feeling the relief start to overwhelm my senses, my palms clammy and sweat beading on my brow.