An Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter 27

AUGUST 

God, I love my girlfriend. did you know that? We have just gotten home from a date and are fussing around in my bed which is simply my idea of a good time. However, we decide not to go too far and are instead watching Moana travel out past the reef. 

"Do you feel something?" Laney asks randomly. 

"No what do you mean?" 

She shuffles gently, "I just feel like something off."

"Between us?" I'm confused if you can't tell. 

"No. No, just I feel... weird, I guess," she shrugs. 

"It was probably that fish we ate. I thought it was a bit undercooked actually." 

"Yeah, probably," Laney shrugs it off lying back down. 

A bit later, Laney is snuggled in beside me when there is a frantic knock at the door. "Are you decent?" My Mum doesn't even wait two seconds before she is barging her way through the door. I notice her face, it's distraught, her eyes are red-rimmed and her knuckles are white from gripping her phone. 

I sit up, "What's wrong Mum? You look like you've seen a ghost," I half joke cause to be honest I'm shitting myself. 

"Now is not the time for jokes, August, we have to get to the hospital," she rarely gets annoyed by my playful humour but right now I know I'm in trouble. 

"Why?" Laney's voice is small from beside me. 

"Oh, Delly, darling there's been a, um, accident. Your brother was involved," my Mum pauses as she sits down next to Delaney. She holds her face, "It was William, baby I'm sorry."

"How bad is it?" Laney is immediately up, as am I. 

She knew. And I think she knows I know she knew because she looks at me. "Your Mum didn't say much but from the way she was talking I'm going to say it's bad." My Mum has tears streaming down her face now, Laney's being brave even though she doesn't have to be. 

I'm here. I can be brave for her, I'll protect her. In the car, we hold each other in the backseat. My Mum is a mess in the driver's seat and Norah's stoic in the front seat. I think it has hit everyone how bad this could truly be. 

Laney is taken down the corridor with a nurse, whilst Mum, Norah and I take a seat. No shreads a tear for a while. Matty and Nathan don't get in till late but they can't go in anyways. They sit with us and wait for the others to come out. 

When they do, no one utters a word, Betty and Mum hug each other and I think I know. Even if he is okay my best friend, brother, may never be the same. I look down at my buzzing phone, it's Frankie. Shit. I don't know how to answer this. 

I walk away from the group, Laney watches as she hugs Norah. "Frankie, hey," I'm trying to be gentle, I don't know if she knows. 

Sobbs fill the static, "Oh God, please tell me he's okay, please, please, please," She's hysterical and I can't help her. 

"Frankie calms down for me,  I have no idea what his state is, you called me right as Betty came out. I'm sure that he's ok though," I lie and it hurts. 

"No! He's not. He wasn't when he left and I sh-should have s-toped him, but I didn't and I broke his heart and wh-what if he's dead. This is my fault."

I sigh, confusion hits me again, "Frankie, breathe for me, okay, it is not your fault. It's likely a bad case of the wrong place at the right time but I want you to know Willy would hate that you are putting all this blame on yourself when we don't even know the whole thing. Trust me when I say it's not your fault. I can text you when I know more, okay?" I don't realise my face is wet until Laney comes up and wipes my tears away, I can tell she wants to talk to Frankie so I hand her the phone. 

"Frankie it's me okay? He's in surgery right now but he's alive and will be kept under the eyes of the nurses for a while. The doctors won't know the extent of the damage until he's awake." 

I don't hear Frankie's response but it immediately relaxes Laney. Hearing that makes me feel 10 times more at ease. Laney hangs up the phone shortly after, "are you okay?" I ask stroking her face. 

"Not really. He may never be able to walk again, Gus, he may not even remember who we are," she leans into me and I am brave for her as she cries to me. 

"Shit," I whisper, I'm shocked. I was with him less than ten hours ago, he was skating around on the ice, laughing and joking around for the last time before the season's end and I think I took it all for granted. 

Matty and Nate had the exception of visiting Willy after surgery before we had to leave. It killed Laney a bit, I could tell. "It's okay I'll see him during the day," she'd say. Betty and Mike stay behind to care for their son and Laney and her brothers go home to a house that may never be the same. 

Hey guys sorry it's shortish but this was a tough one. I hope it made you emotional as it did to me. I will try to get a second part to this scene out tonight, it will be heartbreaking to see Laney's side. I appreciate all of the votes that have been coming through.

Song - My tears ricochet - Taylor swift

Words - 896