The following morning, I didn’t want to get out of bed, but I had stuff to be getting on with, so forced myself up, and into the shower. I wasn’t going to admit it to Jake, or to Declan, but I was feeling out of sorts and just wanted to go to back bed and sleep. I was shattered physically and emotionally, still not fully recovered from my fall. The last week had taken its toll, but as usual I wouldn’t listen.

I trudged through the day. Grocery shopping, paying bills, all the mundane tasks we try to put off and always seem to creep up and bite us on the arse. Spent, I decided to head to Jake’s. I’d stay the night there. It was one of my better ideas. He could cook dinner and fuss over me as I really didn’t have the strength to do anything.

“You look tired,” he said, casting a worried glance over me.

“I’m shattered, but a good night’s sleep will do me the world of good.”

“What do you fancy for dinner?” he asked.

“You,” I replied, seductively, horny as fuck, but knowing there wouldn’t be a flicker of an erection, on my part anyway, even if he decided to ravage me. That was unlikely though. Since my fall, he’d treated me like I were made of glass, rarely coming near me. I know he wanted to, and we’d get back to it at some point down the line, but if I was honest, it suited me. The thought of a damn good fuck was good, but in reality, urgh!

He laughed. “Forget it. Food first, then I’ll have you for dessert, if you’re not fast asleep by then.”

“Spoil sport.” I was relieved. And yes, I would be asleep before he finished clearing the dishes away. I leant back, feeling a wave of tiredness sweep over me.

“Too much of a good thing,” he said, kissing the top of my head, before stepping into the adjoining kitchen. “So, what do you want to eat?”

“Something with chicken,” I replied.

“What was that?” he asked, raising his voice slightly, over the noise of the running taps in the kitchen sink. “I didn’t catch what you said.”

“Something with chicken,” I said, this time a little louder.

Jake stepped back into the sitting room.

I looked up and smiled.

“I didn’t understand what you were saying.” He looked a little concerned.

“Make me something with chicken.” I knew what I was saying, even if he looked at me like I was speaking Klingon.

Jake crouched down in front of me. “Matt. Are you alright?”

“Yes,” I replied, feeling my nose running. I pulled a tissue from my pocket and wiped at my nose. Blood.

“Matt,” Jake said again, his hand on my knee. “Talk to me, please.”

I had to close my eyes.

I felt like I was lost in a fog, but in that fog was vaguely aware of a siren blaring in the distance. I must be dreaming, I told myself. The noise was irritating me, making my head pound all the more. Turn it off. And just like magic, the noise stopped. I drifted away, until the sound of dulled, yet frantic sounding voices disturbed me. I didn’t know who was there, but somebody held my hand.

Jake paced the floor. “One minute he was fine, and then he was talking gibberish. I couldn’t understand what he was saying to me, then this. What’s the matter with him?” he cried.

“He’s in the best place, Jake,” Carolann said, biting her fingernails to stumps.

“There was so much blood.”

“You did the best thing getting him here as quickly as you did.”

Jake had carried Matt out of his apartment, to the car park, and driven him to the hospital himself. “The ambulance was taking too long, I had no choice.”

“Have you called Declan?”

“Yeah, but there was no answer and I didn’t want to tell him on a voicemail.”

“I’ll go and try him – he should be here.”

“Why?” Jake asked.

“Because he is Matthew’s oldest friend.”

“I’m sorry, Carolann, just ignore me.”

She crossed the room and put her arms around him. “He’ll be okay, I promise.”

“I love him so much.”

“I know, but so does Declan and it wouldn’t be right if he wasn’t here.”

“You stay here,” Jake said, “and I’ll go and try to reach him.

A doctor walked into the room as Jake reached for the handle. “Mrs Anderson, I presume?” He held out his hand. “I’m Doctor McNamara.”

“Yes,” she said, shaking his hand. “That’s me.”

“How’s my son?”

“Extremely poorly, but I’ll allow you to go and see him before we prep him for surgery.”

“Surgery!” Jake said, alarmed.

“Yes, we need to operate immediately to relieve pressure on his brain.”

“Oh, my God,” Carolann said, bursting into tears. “Where is he?”

“Follow me,” the doctor said.

Jake and Carolann followed him into a room just along the corridor.

They entered the room. Matt was lying in bed hooked up to machines.

Jake rushed over. “Matt, can you hear me?”

“Mr Anderson hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Carolann asked.

“Chronic subdural hematoma.”

Matt heard a male voice speaking.

“What’s that?” another voice asked.

“It’s where blood collects between the skull and surface of the brain.”

“Is this related to his fall?”

“Yes, I believe it is,”

“Then why wasn’t it spotted before now?” He was sure he recognised the woman’s voice.

“This can occur weeks after the initial injury.”

“Oh, God,” the woman said, and suddenly I recognised the voice. My mum was here. I wanted to open my eyes and talk to her, but something stopped me. “He’s not going to die, is he?”

“I can’t promise anything, but I’m going to do my best to help him.”

“How? He’s been asleep for hours,” the man asked.

Jake was there too, but where was Declan?

“I’m going to perform a craniotomy.”

“But, that’s serious, isn’t it,” Jake asked.

“Yes, as is any surgery, but I’m hopeful it will have the desired effect.”

“Please, don’t let him die,” Jake said.

“My team and I have done this before. He’s in good hands.”

Then, I felt like I was flying.