Five Little Words

Part 4

"We'll be there in about ten minutes, keep your chin up okay?" he assured, and Ali promised to text him with any updates if they came through before they got there.

Hanging up, Ant next sent a reply to Lisa's text.

Ant: You wanna meet us at the hospital? Could use the moral support, and Al could as well :(

Seconds later, he got a comforting reply.

Lisa: I'm on my way. I'll see you there. Love you lots xx

Smiling a tremulous smile, Ant sat back against the seat and watched as the London streetscape blurred past.

*****

He had had a sneaking suspicion that the press would be waiting outside the hospital, and boy was he not disappointed. A large crowd of photographers and reporters and cameramen and women were all bunched together and waiting impatiently outside the entrance to the hospital - hanging out for a glimpse of him or to hear a snippet of conversation that they could somehow twist into something completely wrong and inappropriate out of context.

Sighing, Ant braced himself for the barrage as he opened the door and got out. Keeping his mouth determinedly closed and refusing to acknowledge the press, he and Stephen walked briskly into the hospital lobby.

They both breathed a heavy sigh of relief once they were out of sight and earshot of the reporters, and Ant quickly spotted Ali and Lisa waiting patiently for them over by one of the hallways that lead further into the hospital.

After exchanging mutually tight and relieved hugs between the four of them, the quiet clearing of a throat brought Ant and Stephen's attention to the third woman standing behind Ali and Lisa.

Leaning forwards, Karen whispered a soft "Follow me" and nodded with her head in the direction of the hall. They all followed her obediently like ducklings followed their mother, as Karen led them down the hall and into a pleasantly decorated room off to the side - the brass nameplate of Dr K. Hoffman on the door identified the room as her office.

"Have a seat, would anyone like a cup of tea or coffee?" she asked, settling down in her own chair with a faint sigh of relief as the weight was taken off her feet.

Ali and Lisa both accepted a cup of tea, Stephen took a glass of water, while Ant just shook his head slowly. Karen's eyes flickered with understanding as she sat back in her chair.

"Okay, I'm not sure what you've heard through the press -" she addressed this to Ant and Stephen, "But I assume that Ali has told you three what I told her earlier."

Getting sad nods from the other three in return, Karen fixed them all with a kind smile.

"However, it's not as bad as it sounds - there is some good news here."

Ant's head shot up, and he felt the muscles in his neck protest vehemently at the sudden movement. He ignored them, staring at Karen with an almost unbelievable hope in his eyes.

"What good news?" Lisa questioned, smiling to herself at her husband's expression - barely able to hide her own relief.

Smile softening, Karen leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk in front of her.

"As I told Ali earlier, Dec's neck is broken-" the other four winced harshly at that, and she held up a hand to calm them, "-however, what's important when dealing with a broken neck is the position of the fractures."

Frowning, they all stared back at her - not quite sure what she was getting at.

"The most dangerous types of fractures are the ones in the vertebrae themselves, because these put pressure on and can sever the spinal cord. However, Dec's been very lucky, because his fractures are actually in what we call the spinous processes."