Alone This Holiday

"She's in there," The Doctor muttered, I looked through the window and saw Anna laying on the bed, barely moving, except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest. I took a deep breath, before gently opening the door, it creaked a little, but it still didn't wake Anna up, nothing would. She was in a deep coma, the kind your weren't supposed to survive, but the kind Anna was hanging onto. Her normally slightly tanned skin was pale, her lips dry, and bags underneath her eyes made her look sick. Just sick, not in a coma. Hesitantly I stepped in further, and took a seat next to her on the bed. People tell you that when you talk to someone in a coma they can hear you. But at that point I didn't know what to say.

"Mr Haner?" I turned to see a Nurse holding my sleeping son. Instantly I stood up and took Aedan from her, holding him tightly, but not too tight, I didn't want to hurt him. He looked over to Anna, and back to me.

"Mummy sleep?" He whispered.

"Yeah, she is,"

"Shh, you can't wake her," He scolded, I'd obviously spoken too loudly.

I shook my head, "Mate, you have to wake her up. She's not supposed to sleep, we need her awake," He didn't understand what I meant by this, I don't think I understood what I meant.

Anna's brother's turned up about twenty minutes later, looking blank, they were like walking zombies, they'd obviously been crying before they came in. We all just sat there, watching the steady, and constant, rise and fall of her chest, and worrying when ever one breath didn't come.

A few hours later the doctor returned, still clutching my son's file. She asked to talk to me privetly, so I followed her outside, only to realise I was being followed by a worried Zacky.

"Sir, I need to talk to Mr Haner privetly," She sighed, I just muttered that it was fine for him to stay. "Okay, fine. Zach has made it out of his surgery, he's sleeping in recovery at the moment. We think it's gone well, but there are some post-operative concerns we have,"

"What like?"

"Infection, mostly being the concern. He's only small, and has an already low immune system,"

"Oh, okay. When can I see him?"

"After he wakes up, we'll take you to him," She promised, with a gentle smile. "Now, your other children; Scott is having his cast done on his right leg, the procedure went well and he's bones are now in the right spot. Riley, as you saw, is fine, and I can get a nurse to bring her to you. Daniel is having a couple of stitches put into his eyebrow, a piece of glass cut it open a little,"

"Okay, what about Connah?"

"Connah?" She asked, eyebrow raised. "We were only bought three babies, a toddler and a child,"

"So Connah is missing?" Zacky asked.

"I guess so. I'm going to call the police, now," She rushed off. I stood there, watching the ground, in shock. Connah was missing, Connah could be dead, Connah could've been kidnapped, Connah could be crying, Connah could be scared...

"Brian?" Zacky called. "Brian, you okay?"

"I'm f-fine. Connah, he's missing, Zacky, we need to find him!"

"We can't do anything, Brian. The police will find him, okay?"

He took me back to Anna's room, where Val and Matt were now, adding to the group of family and close friends that were watching her. Val stood, and gave me a hug, holding me tightly and telling me how sorry she was for what was happening. I shrugged, and let go of her, and sat down next to Anna's bed. Bruises were now rising on her face a little, and her face was getting more and more pale.

"So what did the doctor say, son?" Dad asked, I looked to him, his eye's were a little puffy, he'd been crying, but he'd deny it. Brent was standing next to him, holding his girlfriend's hand, and her other arm wrapped around his waist. They looked to happy and in love, much like Anna and I had once been.

"Connah is missing. He wasn't taken to the hospital," I muttered, still looking at Brent and Lisa. "The police are looking for him,"

Everyone let the information sink into them for awhile, before slowly some people started leaving, claiming it was getting late, and some people asking if I wanted a lift home, or to have some thing's bought in. I just shrugged at every question, I didn't know what I wanted other then my son to be safe in my arms, or in arms reach, not to be alone and scared. I wanted Anna to wake up, and smile, and tell me she loves me, but I knew deep down it wouldn't happen ever again. She wouldn't wake up, she couldn't. Hour's later, it was reaching midnight, and all my children, except for Connah, were asleep in the nursery, I'd been bought the news that Connah was still missing, presumed dead by police. But they were still searching for his small body, anyway.