I’d missed all the signs, every fucking one, and because of that, I might have lost him completely.
The blast from my phone startled me. I picked it up and answered.
“Killian. Where are you? I’ve got some great news.”
It was my new manager, Duncan.
“Hey, look. I’m gonna need a couple of days. Harvey, my erm, friend has had an accident, and I need to stay here and look after him. I’ll keep you updated. I know we’re in talks, but this can’t be helped.”
“God, no. Stay there. I’ll sort what I can from this end. Sully won’t mind.”
“Thanks, Duncan. I know it’s not a great start, but...”
“Say no more. You take care now.”
I gazed at the bed. The bedclothes were rumpled, his clothes chucked in a corner. This wasn’t him. He was meticulous in his housekeeping. That first night I’d come to dinner, he hadn’t been satisfied until we’d tidied everything away. For the room to look this way, his mind must have been elsewhere, and I could only guess where.
I checked the time. It had been an hour since they’d left. How long had I been here? I unpacked the bag I’d brought with me and changed my clothes. I couldn’t go to the hospital covered in blood.
I took one last look around the bathroom and closed the door, then gathered my bag and closed the front door behind me. Why didn’t I feel anything but numb?
The hospital wasn’t far away, and by the time I got there, it was heaving with people. I’d spent enough time in A&E to spot those who were genuine and those just there to keep out of the cold.
I headed to the reception desk and waited my turn.
“Can I help you?”
“Yeah, a friend of mine was brought in by ambulance.”
“What’s his name?” She tapped on her keyboard, not meeting my gaze once.
“Harvey. Harvey Barton.” I fidgeted with my bag and glanced around me. I hated these places.
“Are you his next of kin?”
“No, he doesn’t have one.” Or at least I didn’t think he had.
“And you are?”
What to say? What exactly was I to him? “Boyfriend, I guess.”
“You either are, or you aren’t.”
Rude much? In her defence, I could have been anyone.
“I’m his boyfriend.”
“Take a seat, and someone will be through to let you know how he’s doing.”
“Can’t I sit with him?” I wouldn’t settle until I knew he was okay.
“I’m afraid not. Doctors are still assessing him. When he’s stabilised…”
I sat back down and waited. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours. Patients came and went, and still, I sat waiting for anyone to tell me how he was doing. How could I leave without an answer? I grabbed coffee from a subpar vending machine and a pack of biscuits that had probably been there as long as the machine had.
I was jostled and spat at until, finally, three hours later, I spotted the paramedic I’d spoken to at the house.
“Excuse me.” I waved. “Excuse me. I’m waiting to see how my friend is. Do you know anything?”