Page 29 of Seven Letters

‘Everything is fine, sweetie.’

Mia grabbed Riley’s arm and yanked her out of the car.

‘What the hell?’ Riley snapped.

Mia shut the door and pulled her aside. ‘Sarah’s collapsed on the floor inside. I have to break the glass. I don’t want Izzy to be freaked out so I need you to distract her.’

Riley’s eyes widened. ‘Is Sarah OK?’

‘I don’t know.’ Mia’s voice shook. ‘I have to get that bloody door open.’

She opened the boot of her car and found the jack for changing the tyre. She ran back to the front door, and while Riley turned up the music in the car and got Izzy to sing along to some pop song, Mia smashed the side glass of her sister’s front door. She reached around and pulled the catch back to open the door, cutting her arm on a piece of glass.

‘Sarah!’ she shouted, as she ran towards her sister.

Sarah was lying in the hall. Mia shook her and slapped her cheeks. ‘Wake up, Sarah! Please wake up!’ There was no reaction.

‘Oh, Jesus, please. Sarah, please wake up. Oh, God!’ she cried.

Mia checked her sister for a pulse. Yes. She was alive. She grabbed Sarah’s phone, which was lying on the floor beside her, and dialled 999.

‘Please help. Help me. My sister has collapsed in her house. She’s not responding but she has a pulse. She’s fourteen weeks pregnant! Please help …’

Week One

10

Adam burst through the doors of A and E. ‘Where is she?’ he said, his eyes wild.

Mia jumped up and rushed over to him. She put her hand on his arm. ‘It’s OK, Adam. They’ve taken her for tests to find out what’s wrong.’

‘How is she? Can I see her?’

‘I think she’s OK. She had a pulse, although she was non-responsive, but the paramedics got to the house fast, then raced her straight here. They asked us to be patient. They said they’d update us as soon as possible. They just need to do some tests so they know how to treat her.’

Adam took a deep breath and rubbed his jaw. ‘That sounds all right, doesn’t it? I mean, she was fine this morning. She looked a bit pale, but nothing serious. I told her to go and see Ingrid Johnston, get checked out. Maybe it’s blood pressure. Or the baby taking too much of her supplies or, I don’t know, something like that or … What is it, Mia?’

He was squeezing Mia’s arm tightly. She’d never seen him so upset. ‘I don’t know, Adam. It could be any of those things. The doctors will find out. She did seem fine before we left, so maybe it was some kind of fainting episode. At least she’s in the right place now. They’ll help her.’

Izzy and Riley came through the door into the waiting room. Riley was carrying a tray of coffees and Izzy had a chocolate bar in one hand. Izzy ran to her father and wrapped herself around him. ‘Mummy fell down, Daddy. She hit her head hard so she needs to rest in hospital. Isn’t that right, Mia?’

‘Yes, pet, it is.’

‘What’s going on, Mum?’ Riley whispered. ‘Is she going to be OK?’

‘I honestly don’t know.’ Mia wiped a tear from her cheek. ‘Just say a prayer, Riley.’

‘I don’t believe in God.’

‘Are you seriously going to start on about your atheism now?’

‘I’m just saying, I can’t pray if I don’t believe.’

‘Send positive vibes or do whatever you kids do then.’

‘Positive vibes? Please! I’m not a hippie.’

Johnny and Charlie arrived before Mia could shout at her daughter for being insensitive.

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