‹ Prequel: My 'Cool' Grandpa
My Un-'Cool' Half-Brother
At The Hospital
*Jack's POV*
I dried my eyes. My mind was reeling. I could barely believe it. I had always disliked Eddie, but I couldn't believe that he would do this. I couldn't believe that anyone would do this.
Jimmy tugged at my sleeve. His eyes were red and his nose was running. I lifted him onto my knee.
"What's up?"
"Fwankie... . Fwankie... " he burst into tears and I held him close. I could hear him breathing in tiny little gulps and I rocked him back and forth.
"We foun... We foun' Fwankie," Jimmy sobbed. "But... . She ha' los of... . los of bwood... .on... on Fwankie's head... . Is Fwankie gonna be okay?"
"I hope so, buddy, I really hope so," I whispered.
* * *
Three hours later, we were still waiting. Uncle Jakob had come and taken Emma home. Jimmy was asleep. Grandma, Grandpa, Rosie and I were sitting in silence. We had called the others and told them what had happened. We hadn't heard from the doctors in a long, long time, and we were very worried.
The door opened and the doctor walked in. Rosie and I jumped up.
"How is she?" Rosie blurted out.
The doctor took a deep breath.
"Francesca has suffered a very serious blow to the head. Her skull is cracked in several places and she has numerous cuts to her face. The plastic surgeons have been working on her for the last three or four hours and, if we are incredibly lucky, there will be no permanent scarring. However, we have yet to assess Francesca herself, so we are unsure whether or not she has brain damage."
There was a long silence.
"W... When will you know?"
"When she wakes up, we need you to come with us and talk to her. There are three key things we need to look for, recognition, she needs to recognize you, any objects from home and so on, fluency, her speech and movements should be fluent, or as fluent as they can be, considering the circumstances, and reaction, we shall need to test her reflexes, and the like. After that, we shall carry out scans to be absolutely sure."
"When will she wake up?" Rosie's voice was barely more than a whisper. I put my arm round her shaking form.
"It should be within an hour, we shall inform you when she wakes up."
"Don't you think we should be there when she wakes up?"
The doctor paused, considering Rosie's words. "Yes, that will help us to assess her situation, and of course help Francesca herself. Follow me please."
I picked up Jimmy and we all walked out. The doctor took us to a small room on the fifth floor. He paused with his hand on the door handle.
"I must warn you, the scars are prominent at the moment because they are fresh. They will fade considerably over time and we shall give you a balm to help the scars fade."
I held Rosie's hand as we walked in. I barely stifled a gasp of horror.
Frankie was lying in bed, bruises covering her face, red slashes everywhere, her hair was matted with blood, and one of her legs was in a cast. I felt more tears in my eyes as I looked at her. I adjusted the still-sleeping Jimmy, so if he should wake up, he wouldn't be upset, and sat down by Frankie's bed.
I turned to look at Rosie. Tears rolled down her pale, white cheeks. She took Frankie's chubby hand in her own. I glanced at Grandma and Grandpa. They were staring at Frankie, holding each other's hands. They were crying as well.
I dried my eyes. My mind was reeling. I could barely believe it. I had always disliked Eddie, but I couldn't believe that he would do this. I couldn't believe that anyone would do this.
Jimmy tugged at my sleeve. His eyes were red and his nose was running. I lifted him onto my knee.
"What's up?"
"Fwankie... . Fwankie... " he burst into tears and I held him close. I could hear him breathing in tiny little gulps and I rocked him back and forth.
"We foun... We foun' Fwankie," Jimmy sobbed. "But... . She ha' los of... . los of bwood... .on... on Fwankie's head... . Is Fwankie gonna be okay?"
"I hope so, buddy, I really hope so," I whispered.
* * *
Three hours later, we were still waiting. Uncle Jakob had come and taken Emma home. Jimmy was asleep. Grandma, Grandpa, Rosie and I were sitting in silence. We had called the others and told them what had happened. We hadn't heard from the doctors in a long, long time, and we were very worried.
The door opened and the doctor walked in. Rosie and I jumped up.
"How is she?" Rosie blurted out.
The doctor took a deep breath.
"Francesca has suffered a very serious blow to the head. Her skull is cracked in several places and she has numerous cuts to her face. The plastic surgeons have been working on her for the last three or four hours and, if we are incredibly lucky, there will be no permanent scarring. However, we have yet to assess Francesca herself, so we are unsure whether or not she has brain damage."
There was a long silence.
"W... When will you know?"
"When she wakes up, we need you to come with us and talk to her. There are three key things we need to look for, recognition, she needs to recognize you, any objects from home and so on, fluency, her speech and movements should be fluent, or as fluent as they can be, considering the circumstances, and reaction, we shall need to test her reflexes, and the like. After that, we shall carry out scans to be absolutely sure."
"When will she wake up?" Rosie's voice was barely more than a whisper. I put my arm round her shaking form.
"It should be within an hour, we shall inform you when she wakes up."
"Don't you think we should be there when she wakes up?"
The doctor paused, considering Rosie's words. "Yes, that will help us to assess her situation, and of course help Francesca herself. Follow me please."
I picked up Jimmy and we all walked out. The doctor took us to a small room on the fifth floor. He paused with his hand on the door handle.
"I must warn you, the scars are prominent at the moment because they are fresh. They will fade considerably over time and we shall give you a balm to help the scars fade."
I held Rosie's hand as we walked in. I barely stifled a gasp of horror.
Frankie was lying in bed, bruises covering her face, red slashes everywhere, her hair was matted with blood, and one of her legs was in a cast. I felt more tears in my eyes as I looked at her. I adjusted the still-sleeping Jimmy, so if he should wake up, he wouldn't be upset, and sat down by Frankie's bed.
I turned to look at Rosie. Tears rolled down her pale, white cheeks. She took Frankie's chubby hand in her own. I glanced at Grandma and Grandpa. They were staring at Frankie, holding each other's hands. They were crying as well.