Dear Dulcie [h.s.]

Too Soon Niall; No News.

"Anytime mate."

My phone blasts its marimba and shakes the room from its silence, all of us too entranced by the inside of a hospital room to notice that silence had taken over and no-one had spoken for a good fifteen minutes, I glance at the lit up screen and register a familiar name and picture. It was when I first went to France with Odette to meet her family, the smiles wide on mine and Julia's faces as we pose for the photograph, "Hello?" I answer, all worry simmering in my system and a lethargic wave overcoming me.

"How is my little girl?" She asks in her wonderful motherly tone, warm and inviting as always.

"Half way through the surgery now. We're still waiting for any updates but no news. We have been moved to Odette's private room until she is finished in surgery." I give her a quick debrief, realising that that is all I know anyway.

"And how are you dear boy? You're worrying I'm guessing?" How does this woman know me so well?

"As always."

"Listen to me young man, if you're worrying that my daughter won't get through this, then you don't know her as well as I thought you did."

"I'm more worried that it wont work and that she will have been through all of this for nothing."

"Harry," she breathes, her motherly tone directed solely at me, "at least she tried. That's all that matters. Don't worry about Odette, she is strong with you by her side. Everything you do makes her a better person. Have a little faith."

"I know, I will, she just means so much to me is all, I can't help but worry."

"She means a lot to all of us my love, but I promise, she will be amazing." The skipped beat my heart used to miss now returns and I begin to think rationally, these LeFerve woman have an astoundingly calming affect on me, I wonder how they do it.

"How is Evelyn doing?" I ask, trying to change the topic to something more upbeat.

"She's okay, just worries I suppose. She tried to get out of school this morning because she was worried."

"I'm sure you sorted her out."

"Of course, we can worry all we want but there's nothing that we can do from the other side of France. I would rather have her distracted at school than at home worrying anyway." Julia reasons in her own way and I couldn't agree more, although my heart melts at the thought of Evelyn unhappy, she's such and upbeat person, it's hard to think of her sad. "Is Benji with you?" Julia's voice interrupts my train of thought.

"Benji?" I glance at Ben and chuckle at Julia's nickname for him, how cute. 'Benji' I mime to tease him as he whips the phone from my grasp and speaks to Julia, his eyes rolling in the process at my childish actions.

"Hey Harry," Niall whispers catching my attention, his body leant forward only slightly as not to disturb Ben, "is there a cafe or canteen anywhere where I can get food?" My mind drifts to earlier and I chuckle to myself, knowing that I would need to remember the whereabouts of the hospital cafe for this purpose entirely.

"Yeah mate, I'll go though if you don't mind, need to stretch my legs. What would you all like?"

Niall's expression brightens at the prospect of endless food and he struggles to think of a favourite for this particular moment, he finally speaks after a couple of intense seconds pondering, "Well a meatball sub if they have one and some salted crisps, and if they don't have the sub then just a chicken sandwich or something."

"Amy?" Her head twists at my intonation.

"Just something simple, like a salad, please."

Niall erupts at her measly decision and shock floods his system, "A salad?! What's happened to you?"