A Pair Of Pears (Completed)

Blackout

It's dark in my room when I wake, I don't know how long I've been out. There's a pain in my head that's unbearable and there's a small pool of blood on the carpet. I touch the side of my head, by my temple. There's fresh blood on my fingers. I try to stand and walk to the door. I can't, the room is spinning, instead, I fall to the floor vomiting. I hear a noise outside my door, I see Grandad rush into the room and I feel his arm around me. I must have passed out again, the next thing I know, I'm waking up in a brightly lit room that smells like bleach. There's a beeping noise next to me and I can feel something on my finger. I can hear voices, one is Gran's, the other I can't work out. I open my eyes, I'm on a hospital bed. I can see Gran talking to a man who looks like a doctor. He mentions something to her about staying in and having tests to check for lasting damage. I'm too sleepy to stay awake, so I fall back to sleep. 
I awake again to a doctor calling my name. I open my eyes, and he smiles at me.                                                         'Nice to have you back.' he says, bending down next to me.                                                                                     'Your gran and grandad have had to go home now, but we'll look after you. Charlotte, I was wondering, do you remember what happened?'                                                                                                                                                 I shake my head.                                                                                                                                                            'Your grandparents said they went out, is this correct?'                                                                                                             I nod.                                                                                                                                                                               'The paramedics said that you were at home alone with your Mum when this happened. She'd had a lot to drink and was sleeping it off on the sofa. Your grandad came in and heard something going on, so came to check on you. Is there anything else that we need to know? Anything else you want to tell us?' I shake my head again. I know it had something to do with Mum, she'll just convince everyone it was my fault anyway. Saying anything would be pointless.                                                                                                               
'You get some more rest.' Says the doctor.                                                                                                                    'We have a lady that will want to talk to you in the morning.'
I have some tests done, and scans of my brain. Everything looks normal, but they want to keep me another night, just to be safe. The lady that wants to talk to me turns out to be a social worker. She's quite young and smartly dressed. She asks me questions about my home life, if I'm happy, about my friends. And if Mum drinks a lot. I lie, of course, telling the truth will make things worse, for me. The last thing I want to do was make Mum angry again. She says she'll be in contact. She gives me a card and asks to call that number if there are any problems, or things I wanted to talk about. Gran comes to see me at lunchtime, I was hoping Mum might have come with her, but she didn't. Gran says she's working, and with Lily and Jackson taking her weekend hours she needs the money. Willow brings Lily and Jackson to see me in the evening. Willow also brings me a wire wrapped ring with a Turquoise stone that she made, she kisses my forehead as she gives it to me.                                                                'This will help keep you safe.'                                                                                                                                         Lily flings her arms around me and gives me a jar of homemade hot chocolate.                                                      'Mum said it was ok, long as I used all Fairtrade ingredients.'                                                                                     Jackson brings his guitar and his cheesy grin. He plays Basket Case by Green Day, half way through the song a grumpy nurse comes in and tells him to stop playing or leave, as it's too loud. As they leave Willow hugs me tight and gives me a slip of paper with her number on.                                                   'If you need me, day or night.' She says.                                                                                                                  'Phone.'