Carolann Anderson knelt beside her son’s lifeless body.

“Someone, please. Help him,” she screamed, looking down at her blood-soaked hands.

Matt lay at the bottom of the concrete steps, blood pouring from the wound to the back of his head.

Passers-by rushed toward them and gathered around.

“Has anybody called an ambulance,” a man asked.

“Yes, I’m talking to the emergency services now,” she said, quickly, holding her hand up as if to silence him. “It doesn’t look like he’s breathing,” she said to the person on the other end of the line. “Yes, there’s lots of blood.” She was silent for a moment before addressing the crowd. “Does anybody here know CPR?”

“I do,” a young man volunteered, stepping out of the crowd.

“Here, take this,” the middle-aged woman said, shoving her phone at the younger man. “They want to talk to you.”

She knelt beside Carolann and placed an arm around her shoulder.

“I can’t lose him, not again,” she sobbed leaning her head on the strangers’ shoulder. “I’ve only just got him back.”

Jake sat on the bench outside of the Accident & Emergency Department. It was a warm and sunny day, but he was freezing cold and shivering. In shock, he was too numb to say or do anything.

Staring into space, he couldn’t believe what had happened. His mind whirled with unanswered questions.

How did Matt end up in hospital? Who was the woman who’d answered his phone? What caused the accident? He had so many questions, but right now, the mysterious blonde woman was being interviewed by the police.

He felt the knot in his stomach tighten as he watched the medical team try to stabilise Matt. It felt like a bad dream. The man he loved was fighting for life. He looked up and prayed, not sure who he was praying to, promising his own life in exchange, but his prayers were ignored. Matt lay on the bed, stripped to the waist, a heavy bandage wrapped around his head, then the worst happened. Just like in the movies, it played in slow motion – the machine flashed, he could clearly see it, then Matt flatlined. Holding his breath, Jake willed him to breathe again. The seconds felt like hours. Tears rolled down his cheeks as all hope faded. Unable to watch any longer, he turned and rushed away. He’d never watched anybody die before and the reality of the moment hit him. Cupping his hand across his mouth, he began to retch violently. Just as he pushed open the bathroom door, he couldn’t hold it in any longer and vomited all over the floor.

Ten minutes later, he was sat on a bench in the hospital grounds. Resting his head in his hands, he sobbed, the pain of losing Matt unbearable. He’d met the man of his dreams and messed everything up. But Matt had forgiven him and just as they were growing closer again, this happens.

Why now?

“Jake.” He looked up, the mysterious blonde lady staring down at him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he snapped, his eye blood shot from crying. “Apart from the fact my boyfriend just died, yeah, I’m just fine.”

She knelt and grabbed his hands. “Matthew isn’t dead.”

“What?” He looked up.

“They’ve managed to stabilise him.” She too looked like she’d been crying.

Jake jumped up. “Where is he?”

“Hold on just a minute – the nurses are moving him to Intensive Care right now. He isn’t out of the woods yet and the doctors need to keep an eye on him, but all being well, he’ll be fine and fully recovered in a few months.”

“Months?” Jake was alarmed. “He only split his head open.”

“Matthew fractured his skull.”

“Jesus,” Jake gasped.”

She patted his hand. “He’ll have some pain for about ten days, but after that, he’s on the road to recovery.”

“A fractured skull – he could’ve died.”

“Yes, but the main thing is, he’s going to be okay.”

“Thank God for that,” he replied. Tears threatened to spill again.

“Yes, now, come on, we can go and wait inside. They’ll let us know when we can see him.”

“Hang on,” he said. “I don’t even know who you are, or what your part in all of this is.”

“I’m his Mum.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed. “He doesn’t have a mum. He told me that himself.”

“I gave him away, but...”

“And it was you he was running from?” Jake interrupted.

“I’m afraid so, but he didn’t give me time to explain.”

“Do you have his phone?” His tone was unforgiving.

“Yes,” she said, reaching into her handbag. “It’s here.”

He snatched it from her. “I need to call Declan. He needs to know what’s happened.”