suddenly aware that the car
doors were open and Ellie was being pulled out, away from me, her fingers
slipping out of mine.
‘Sir, let them do their job, it’s out of our
hands now,’ James stated, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shook it off and
leapt out of the car as medical staff rushed past us with Ellie on a gurney. I
had no idea how I was even putting one foot in front of the other as I raced
behind them. They hurtled through a set of double doors and I burst through
after them into a corridor. Suddenly a man in scrubs leapt in front of me,
putting a hand on my chest.
‘You need to wait here. It looks like she’s had
a uterine rupture and she’s losing blood fast. Let us work on her and we’ll
update you as soon as we’re done. She’s had a caesarean before?’
‘She has,’ came James’s voice behind me.
‘I need to be with her.’ I tried to push past
the doctor, but James pulled me back.
‘We can’t allow anyone in the theatre, Mr.
Davenport. Please, let us do what we do best. You got her here fast, so that
will make a huge difference.’
‘You don’t understand,’ I yelled, beside myself
with fear. ‘I need to be with her.’
‘Sir, I don’t want to restrain you, but I will
if I have to,’ James warned, moving in front of me as the doctor ran up the
corridor and disappeared through another set of doors.
‘James,’ I choked, all the emotions of being in
the hospital as Rebecca slipped away from me suddenly returning in force and
punching me right in the chest. ‘Let me past, I have to see her. I never told
her that I loved her, I have to tell her.’
‘She knows, Sir. I’m sure this feels like Miss
Rebecca all over again, but this is different, Ellie is your wife. You show her
how much you love her every day and right now, she wouldn’t be able to hear
your words anyway. If you burst in there, you’ll be a distraction to the team
working on her and jeopardise their efforts. Hard as this may be to hear, the
best thing you can do is come and sit with me and wait.’
I nodded, suddenly feeling like someone had
pulled my plug out. I felt completely drained and like I was about to collapse.
How was I supposed to go on without her? James steered me away and back out to
reception, where a nurse was waiting for us.
‘Come with me, we have a private waiting room just
for you and your family.’ She showed us into a cosy room with private tea and
coffee making facilities and soft leather sofas. James steered me to an
armchair and I fell back into it and covered my face with my hands. This had to
be a dream, this couldn’t be happening again.
‘I’ll contact Mr. Steel and your parents and
let them know what’s happened, then I’ll wait outside the door and explain the
situation to Jenny and the Mrs. Hansons when they arrive. You need to take some
time to process this and compose yourself, as when she’s back from theatre,
she’s going to need you more than ever,’ James advised. I nodded, unable to say
anything, but felt him squeeze my shoulder. ‘I’m here for you, as long as you
need, whatever you need. From this moment until I take you all home, I’m not
your employee anymore, I’m your friend, Dan.’
‘James,’ I uttered, dropping my hands to look
up at him. In all the years he’d worked for me, he’d never called me anything
but “Sir,” despite my repeated requests for him not to.
‘I’ve got your back. Mr. Steel better get his
scrawny arse over here fast, as I’m about to usurp him from his best friend
role.’ He patted my shoulder with a wink and headed to the door.
‘James, I …’ I shook my head, unsure what to
say to express my gratitude. He dipped his head, an unspoken confirmation
passing between us, then pulled the door behind him. I dropped my head back
onto the cool leather and slowly exhaled. How the hell was I here again? First Rebecca,
then Moira, and now Ellie in the hospital three times. I thought her stairs
tumble had been bad, then
doors were open and Ellie was being pulled out, away from me, her fingers
slipping out of mine.
‘Sir, let them do their job, it’s out of our
hands now,’ James stated, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shook it off and
leapt out of the car as medical staff rushed past us with Ellie on a gurney. I
had no idea how I was even putting one foot in front of the other as I raced
behind them. They hurtled through a set of double doors and I burst through
after them into a corridor. Suddenly a man in scrubs leapt in front of me,
putting a hand on my chest.
‘You need to wait here. It looks like she’s had
a uterine rupture and she’s losing blood fast. Let us work on her and we’ll
update you as soon as we’re done. She’s had a caesarean before?’
‘She has,’ came James’s voice behind me.
‘I need to be with her.’ I tried to push past
the doctor, but James pulled me back.
‘We can’t allow anyone in the theatre, Mr.
Davenport. Please, let us do what we do best. You got her here fast, so that
will make a huge difference.’
‘You don’t understand,’ I yelled, beside myself
with fear. ‘I need to be with her.’
‘Sir, I don’t want to restrain you, but I will
if I have to,’ James warned, moving in front of me as the doctor ran up the
corridor and disappeared through another set of doors.
‘James,’ I choked, all the emotions of being in
the hospital as Rebecca slipped away from me suddenly returning in force and
punching me right in the chest. ‘Let me past, I have to see her. I never told
her that I loved her, I have to tell her.’
‘She knows, Sir. I’m sure this feels like Miss
Rebecca all over again, but this is different, Ellie is your wife. You show her
how much you love her every day and right now, she wouldn’t be able to hear
your words anyway. If you burst in there, you’ll be a distraction to the team
working on her and jeopardise their efforts. Hard as this may be to hear, the
best thing you can do is come and sit with me and wait.’
I nodded, suddenly feeling like someone had
pulled my plug out. I felt completely drained and like I was about to collapse.
How was I supposed to go on without her? James steered me away and back out to
reception, where a nurse was waiting for us.
‘Come with me, we have a private waiting room just
for you and your family.’ She showed us into a cosy room with private tea and
coffee making facilities and soft leather sofas. James steered me to an
armchair and I fell back into it and covered my face with my hands. This had to
be a dream, this couldn’t be happening again.
‘I’ll contact Mr. Steel and your parents and
let them know what’s happened, then I’ll wait outside the door and explain the
situation to Jenny and the Mrs. Hansons when they arrive. You need to take some
time to process this and compose yourself, as when she’s back from theatre,
she’s going to need you more than ever,’ James advised. I nodded, unable to say
anything, but felt him squeeze my shoulder. ‘I’m here for you, as long as you
need, whatever you need. From this moment until I take you all home, I’m not
your employee anymore, I’m your friend, Dan.’
‘James,’ I uttered, dropping my hands to look
up at him. In all the years he’d worked for me, he’d never called me anything
but “Sir,” despite my repeated requests for him not to.
‘I’ve got your back. Mr. Steel better get his
scrawny arse over here fast, as I’m about to usurp him from his best friend
role.’ He patted my shoulder with a wink and headed to the door.
‘James, I …’ I shook my head, unsure what to
say to express my gratitude. He dipped his head, an unspoken confirmation
passing between us, then pulled the door behind him. I dropped my head back
onto the cool leather and slowly exhaled. How the hell was I here again? First Rebecca,
then Moira, and now Ellie in the hospital three times. I thought her stairs
tumble had been bad, then
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