Page 38 of Sunny Sundays at Primrose Hall

If he wanted a lifestyle to support a partner and family then he was willing to forgo those advantages to get his life back on a more normal pathway.

One thing was for certain, he knew he had to get out of the flat today. He’d peered out of his bedroom window earlier to see that there was the promise of a lovely day in the sky, the sun already peeping through the clouds. He’d already decidedhe would visit Jackson in the hospital. He hadn’t really had the chance to speak to him alone since the accident because whenever he’d been to see him, he’d had other visitors at his bedside. He would pay him a flying visit to check that he was okay and if there was anything he needed doing. He would also let him know that he would be speaking to their dad today. Then he intended to pop by the hall to check in with Pia.

‘Hey!’ Jackson’s face lit up as Tom wandered onto the ward. He leant down to embrace his brother in a hug.

‘So… how are you feeling today after the excesses of yesterday?’

‘Honestly? Like shit. Like the worst hangover you can imagine, but without the fun of the night before. Everything hurts.’ Jackson grimaced and shifted up in his bed. ‘Don’t tell Pia, though. She’ll say it’s only what I deserve.’

‘She cares about you. She wants you home for good, and I think she was worried they might throw you out of here for disorderly behaviour before you were properly fixed.’

‘Who knows, they might do yet,’ said Jackson, his eyebrows lifting. ‘Look, Tom, I’m not sure I had a chance to thank you properly for stepping in and helping out this last week.’

‘No problem. I was pleased to be able to assist and really, I played a very small part in what was a great team effort.’

‘Well, it meant a lot to me. Knowing that you were there at Pia’s side gave me such peace of mind. She likes and trusts you. She told me she couldn’t have done it without you.’

Jackson held out his arm in a fist bump to his brother, who returned the gesture.

‘And I don’t want you thinking that I turned up yesterday to check up on you. For me, it was all about the cars and bikes. I wanted to see the spectacle for myself and soak up some of the atmosphere. Great job, though.’ Jackson sighed, and droppedhis head back onto the pillow, closing his eyes. ‘Think I’m probably paying for it now, though.’

A healthcare assistant came round, gave Jackson his painkillers and offered hot drinks, which gave a few moments of quiet contemplation for them both. Tom was able to study Jackson more closely. He noticed the myriad cuts and grazes covering his face and arms, or at least those parts of his skin that were visible beneath his pyjamas. Some of them looked really quite angry and sore and Tom could imagine how they must smart.

‘You will keep an eye out for Pia and the folks? You know, if anything should happen to me.’

‘Hey!’ Jackson’s question took Tom by surprise. ‘Where’s this come from? You’re going to be absolutely fine, you know that.’

‘Yeah, of course, right, but spending hours flat on your back with only your thoughts for company gives you time to reflect on your life and what’s important. I need to get everything sorted because none of us know what’s round the corner. It might sound dramatic, but Pia has changed my life. Literally. I’m not sure she realises just how much she means to me, but she’s given me a real sense of purpose, a reason for getting up in the mornings. Before I was simply going through the motions. We’ll be married by the end of the year and she’ll be financially secure, that’s not a problem, but I need to know that she’ll have someone that she can lean on, if she needs to.’ Jackson’s eyes were open now, his gaze fixed steadily on Tom.

‘Sure. You know that. Don’t even worry about it.’ Tom sucked on his lips, touched by Jackson’s display of vulnerability which reached Tom deep down inside. He was overcome with emotion of his own, knowing he would do anything to help his brother out, and felt a huge pang of sympathy for him, stuck in this bed, troubled by all sorts of dark thoughts.

‘And Ronnie and Rex too. They’re not getting any younger.’ Jackson shook his head. ‘The pair of them have made some daft decisions in the past. They need saving from themselves so they don’t make any more in the future.’ And although Jackson was smiling, Tom wasn’t one hundred per cent certain that he was really joking.

‘On the subject of Ronnie and Rex,’ Tom said, ‘I’ll be giving Dad a call later on today. I normally check in with him on a Sunday. I’ll have to tell him what’s happened to you.’

Jackson nodded, without even putting up a defence this time. He might have argued with Pia about it earlier in the week, but he knew now that he was fighting a losing battle with Tom. His parents would need to know at some point and it looked as though that moment couldn’t be put off any longer.

‘Just play it down. I don’t want them worrying unnecessarily or thinking they need to cut short their trip to come home.’

‘Yeah, I’ll speak to Dad and he can break the news to Ronnie. They’re going to be upset, whatever way we couch it, but hopefully they’ll be reassured knowing that the doctors have fixed you up. When I tell them you still managed to get to the show yesterday, by escaping from your hospital bed, they’ll know that it can’t have been too serious.’

Jackson exhaled a big puff of breath that caused the hair on his forehead to flutter.

‘It just gets me so bloody frustrated being stuck here when there’s so much I could be getting on with. I’m letting down Pia and everyone else too.’

‘Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s happened and nothing’s going to change that. And you’re not letting down anyone. All everyone wants is for you to get better. You’ll be out of here soon enough.’

Jackson shrugged his shoulders, looking despondent.

‘Any idea when that might be?’ Tom ventured.

‘I’ve got some more scans and X-rays tomorrow and then I’ll be seeing the consultant. We’ll just have to see what she has to say.’

‘I’ll keep everything crossed that it’s good news. In the meantime, don’t worry about anything at the hall. I’m going to pop in on my way back to check on Pia and see if there’s anything she needs doing. If you think of anything then just let me know.’

‘Cheers, Tom, that means a lot.’

Tom leant forward and squeezed his brother’s shoulder in a gesture of support. As he pulled away, he noticed how Jackson had pulled his lips tight, the emotion brimming in his eyes clear to see, and Tom had to look the other way, as though distracted by some activity over on the nurses’ station. He felt privileged that Jackson had displayed his vulnerability in front of him, but he would much rather it was him lying in that hospital bed than Jackson, who really had to be the worst and most crabby patient ever.

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