Sweetcheeks

Chapter 2

"Connie? Can you hear me?"
Her eyes flickered open, the bright white lights that filled the room blinding her.
She was warm again, comfortable, no longer lying in the grotty old doorway,  soaked through, unable to stop the tears from flowing.
That was when reality hit again. Her mother was dead.

The voice became recognisable. Her father.
To anyone else, you'd think that her father being around would provide comfort to the young girl.
In this case, it couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes she loved her father, but the bond between them was never as strong as the one she had held with her mother.
"You developed hyperthermia, out in the cold and wet for so long. I'm so glad you came back when you did" William spoke gently.

"The boy, he helped me" Connie replied, her eyes filling with tears all over again.
"You were alone when we found you, outside the hospital" another voice spoke.
She looked to the side, a male nurse standing there smiling sadly.
"No, he brought me here, he helped me" she sniffled.
"Don't be so silly Connie" William sighed, standing up and walking out of his daughter's side room.
"I'm not being silly, he was real" Connie sobbed.

The nurse smiled sympathetically and walked over to Connie, "we've dried your clothes out for you" he said.
"Thank you" she replied sadly as she took them from him.
Connie held her jacket in her hands, noticing the small corner of fabric hanging out of her pocket.
She pulled it out, her eyes widening as she looked down at the hankerchief.
"He was real, this was his. His initials are sown on to it" she told the nurse.
"Do you know what the initials stand for?" He asked gently.
Connie shook her head sadly, "he didn't tell me his name" she replied.
"Well if it's any consolation, I know you weren't being silly. When your dad comes back in, show him that" the nurse told her.
"No. He didn't believe me in the first place, he doesn't deserve an explanation" Connie sighed.
"But maybe you'd find some comfort in talking to each other, you're clearly both hurting" he said.
"That won't change anything. The only way I'll stop hurting is if someone can bring my mum back, but they can't. I've always wanted to be a doctor, but now when my own mum couldn't be saved, I'm doubting it so much" she admitted.
"Don't doubt it, I think you'd make an excellent doctor. For one, you never give up on something you believe in" he reasurred her.
"What's your name?" Connie asked, smiling at the young nurse.
"Charlie, Charlie Fairhead" he replied.