Sixty-eight
It wasn’t until the next day that Beth properly regained her faculties. The head brace had been removed when the X-ray had shown no damage had been done to her neck. The fog that had been surrounding her brain, and making every thought and every conversation incredibly complicated, was now, thankfully, beginning to lift.
Her consultant appeared at her bedside. ‘Ah, hello there, Mrs Collier. You’re looking a bit more with it today.’ He shone his torch into her eyes and seemed happy with whatever it was he saw.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t recognise you. Have we met?’
‘We talked yesterday, Mrs Collier. Your contribution was mostly a list of people you thought might be the Prime Minister,’ he chuckled.
‘Oh, right. Did I at any point say, David Cameron?’
‘No, you didn’t. But I’m pleased to hear you’re up to speed now.’ Another chuckle from the consultant. ‘You’ve had a nasty case of concussion, but I think you’re over the worst. I’m happy to discharge you when your mother arrives.’
‘My neck …?’
‘All fine. You were a lucky lady, you know? The way you landed, the paramedics feared the worst. You did well to get away with a simple bump on the head and a couple of bruised ribs.’
‘Did you hear that, Lisa? We’re going to be OK.’
Lisa said nothing.
Beth figured she was still concussed. After all she’d been at the front and, in her own words, she’d taken the hit.
As Beth and Pat made their way through the front door, Megan ran to her mum. Arms outstretched, she shouted, ‘MUMMY’S HERE!’
‘Now, now, please be careful,’ Pat requested. ‘Just take it easy. Mummy’s a bit delicate.’
‘I’m OK. But I’m desperate for a gentle hug from my girl.’ Beth also opened her arms, ready to receive her daughter.
Don was relieved to see her safe. ‘Christ, Betty-Boo, you had us worried.’
‘Did you know we live here now?’ Megan’s innocent face smiled up at her.
‘I … yes, I did know. Is that OK with you?’
‘Of course. I love Grandma and Grandpa.’
Beth was relieved.
‘And Daddy can come here and live too. It’s going to be fun.’
‘No, darling, he …’ Beth appealed to her mum and dad for help. ‘I don’t know how to …’
As always, Pat knew best. ‘I’ll think of something, you go for a lie down. You’re not completely over your concussion yet.’
Laying in her old bed, Beth tried once more to wake Lisa. ‘I’ll bet you’re pleased, huh?’
Again, Lisa didn’t reply.
‘I guess you need more time. I’ll wake you later. I suppose a nap wouldn’t do either of us any harm.’ Realising she was exhausted from the car journey home, Beth fell into a deep sleep.
Whatever Pat had told Megan, it had done the trick. She seemed to understand that her daddy couldn’t come and live with them, but she was happy to hear she’d still be seeing him, when possible. Beth had remained awake for just long enough to privately tell Pat the whole story about the loan sharks, eat a bowl of soup, and have some more much-needed cuddles with her daughter. But now, tiredness was taking over.
Sending Megan downstairs to find Don, Pat asked Beth, ‘How are you feeling now, darling?’
‘Mum, I can’t even describe it. I ache everywhere. My head the most, of course, but also my back, my neck, even my bloody armpits hurt.’
‘You hit that floor hard. You pulled several muscles. It’s a bit like being in a car crash. It’ll take you a good while to get over this.’
‘I guess I’m just lucky I didn’t break my neck.’
Pat shuddered. ‘You do know I place the blame for your fall squarely at James’s door, don’t you?’
‘Honestly, it wasn’t his fault.’
‘I’d still like to speak to the police about it.’
‘It would be wrong, Mum. It genuinely was an accident.’
‘But you were leaving him. You had a case half-packed. It’s not much of a stretch to believe he might have pushed you.’
‘He’s many things. The list is long and plentiful. But he was never violent towards me. He did not push me.’
‘I can’t stand the thought of you alone in the house with those thugs.’
Beth whispered to Lisa. ‘I wasn’t alone. I had you.’ Then, to Pat, she begged, ‘Mum, please. It’s done with. Let’s not talk about it?’
Pat could see she needed rest, so decided to leave it. ‘All right. You go back to sleep. I’ll see if we can find a game for Megan and Grandpa to play.’
A few minutes later, just as Beth’s eyelids were beginning to droop, her mum knocked on the bedroom door. ‘They’re having a get together next door. We thought we might take Megan. If you don’t mind.’
‘Why would I mind? She’ll enjoy it. She’s always the first one to dance at parties.’
‘I just meant … you know … provided you’re OK on your own.’
‘Mum, I’m a grown woman, I’ll be fine.’
‘Right, well you get some more sleep, and we’ll go and be sociable. I might just pop back in half hour or so.’
Beth yawned. ‘Don’t you dare. I’m out of danger. You go and have a good time. I think I can spend a couple of hours alone.’
‘All righty. See you later.’ Pat blew her daughter a kiss and shut the door quietly.
Within minutes, Beth heard her family chatting as they put on their shoes. They grabbed some drinks from the fridge. And then they were gone. The house became silent. Beth lay quietly in her narrow bed. It was early evening; the birds were beginning their twilight call. It was incredibly peaceful. She felt safer than she ever had in the house she and James owned. ‘It’s going to be OK, Lisa. I’m glad I listened to you. I took your advice and I’ve dumped that idiot of a husband of mine.’ She smiled. Waiting for a caustic reply.
A thought occurred to her. Even when Lisa had assured her she wasn’t watching or listening, those times when she’d begged for privacy, even then, she’d been aware of her sister. Somewhere in the back of her head, there’d been the shadow of a presence. But since she’d come round in the A&E department, something was different. The truth began to dawn on her. The reason Lisa was saying nothing was not because she was still concussed. Beth had just told her mum she would be OK to spend some time alone. Oddly, now, for the first time in her entire life, she was truly alone. Alone in her own head. Lisa wasn’t going to come back with one of her annoying one-liners. Neither was she going to tell Beth how pleased she was that James was out of the picture at last.
Beth’s blood ran cold, as she realised with absolute certainty ‒ Lisa wasn’t going to say anything ever again, because Lisa was dead.