Page 79 of Seven Letters

Mia took a sip, then closed her eyes, but the image of her bloated sister flooded back and she opened them quickly.

‘What happened?’ Rob asked.

‘Sarah,’ Mia croaked. ‘She looks … she looks like a corpse. I can’t … Oh, God, she’s really dead …’

‘Jesus Christ,’ Charlie said. ‘This has to stop.’

‘We have to stop it,’ Mia said. ‘It’s not right. It’s not Sarah in there, it’s a … a rotting corpse. No baby could survive. I can’t believe this is happening.’ She sobbed. ‘It’s bad enough losing Sarah, but like this? Oh, my God, it’s so cruel.’

‘Is she that bad?’ Charlie asked, looking at Mia in shock.

‘Worse than you could imagine, Dad. I don’t think you should go in.’

‘No, Charlie, your heart can’t take it,’ Olivia said.

‘She’s not so bad, it’s just bloating and infection,’ Adam said. ‘It’ll clear up.’

‘She’s a monster,’ Mia said, her shoulders shaking.

‘Ben is alive! She’s fighting for him,’ Adam said.

‘No, no, no. It’s wrong. I see that now, Adam. She’s gone. They’re gone.’ Mia’s sobs filled the silent room.

Rob cleared his throat. ‘Is there any way of halting thedeterioration or of clearing up the infections and bringing down the bloating?’ he asked Angela.

She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, but it’s probably going to get worse. Her body is breaking down.’

‘Ah, God, my poor little girl.’ Charlie buried his face in his big white hankie.

Olivia rubbed his back. ‘Adam, please listen to them. Sarah is gone, the baby cannot survive. The experts have said so. You have to let her go now, for everyone’s sake. Poor Charlie can’t take much more. It’s killing him.’

Adam stepped back from them. ‘No. No, no, no, no. We keep going. We keep fighting, we do not give up. Ever. Do you all hear me? EVER.’ He turned and strode out of the room.

Mia wiped her eyes. ‘Rob, you’re the only one he’ll listen to. You have to talk to him. What we’re doing to Sarah is not right.’

Rob nodded. ‘I know. I get it. But he’s just clinging on to the last thread of hope. You can’t blame him for that. Let him calm down. I’ll try talking to him. But don’t push him on this. He’s too angry and upset right now.’

Mia knew that Rob was right, but if they didn’t make Adam stop this horror show, Sarah would suffer more and it would get worse and the outcome would be the same. Sarah and the baby were not going to survive. It was over. It had to be over. It was inhumane to let her decompose like that. They had to make Adam see.

Mia lay on the bed fully clothed while Johnny rummaged around in the chest-of-drawers.

‘I know Adam’s being difficult but the poor fellow’s an emotional wreck and hasn’t slept in days. Rob’s really worried about his mental health.’

‘We’re all a mess,’ Mia said. ‘Poor Dad is in a terrible state. But we can still see that this has to stop.’

Johnny rustled around until he found the blue jumper he was looking for. ‘Well, Adam’s called this meeting for a reason. Maybe he’s come around after seeing the state Sarah was in this morning.’ Johnny’s voice was muffled by the jumper as he pulled it over his head.

Mia hoped he was right. She couldn’t take much more and her poor dad … She was really worried about Charlie. He looked broken.

Johnny picked up her handbag from the floor and held out his hand to her. Every bone in Mia’s body ached. She felt like an old woman. She yearned to lie down on the bed and close her eyes for weeks and weeks. She wanted to sleep until it was all over.

‘Come on, up you get.’ Johnny pulled his wife to her feet. ‘Adam said he wanted us to meet at his house at eight thirty sharp. Riley’s been babysitting Izzy all afternoon, I’d say she’s tired. Hopefully the meeting won’t go on too long.’

As Johnny drove, Mia looked out of the window at people going about their daily lives. They have no idea, she thought, no idea that my sister is decomposing and the child inside her is dying too. They have no idea that their lives could be ripped apart in a second. One day your life is full of normal worries, like how to deal with bolshie teens and dwindling finances, and then, suddenly, BOOM. From nowhere life rips the rug from under your feet and turns your world upside-down and inside-out.

Mia felt scared all the time now. Anxious. She had always been a worrier, but now she felt permanently panicky. What if Riley was run over by a car? What if she had a tumour in her brain or got cancer? What if Mia got motor neurone or Johnny had Parkinson’s? What if … what if … Mia knew now that nothing in life was certain or safe.

‘What are you thinking?’ Johnny asked, as they sat waiting for the traffic lights to turn green.

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