Tuesday

As Becky walked into the staff room the early morning sun was streaming through the fan lights along the top of the corridor.

She listened to the patient updates. Poor John was still in.

She still had Jack Grealish in room 3.

They had reduced his level of sedation.

Becky made him her first port of call.

"Good morning Jack" Becky said breezily as she walked in. He was propped up and his eyes were open but he clearly wasn't with it.

"So I'm Becky and I'm sorry but you're stuck with me now until tonight, you're looking better than when I saw you Sunday though"

Becky chatted away, knowing full well he wouldn't be taking in anything she said. But she continued to chat and tell him what she was doing as she took his obs.

He followed her around the room with his eyes.

Becky noticed him licking his lips. No one had filled the water jug up.

"Would you like a sip of water?" She asked. "I'll go fill your jug up" she continued not waiting for any reply.

"Who was in there before me?" Becky asked Sue one of the seniors as she grabbed a clean jug and put the old one on the trolley.

"Not sure, why?" Sue looked up from her paperwork, already weary, it was too early for anything to start kicking off.

"Because whoever it is has done fuck all in there, bloody jug was empty......bag full, oxygen not checked, morphine low........ cannula has been knocked and not replaced!"

Sue sighed, that wasn't good enough. "I'll check, I've a feeling there was a lot of agency in last night because half the paperwork is missing......"

Becky was already on her way back to room 3.

"Just take a small sip" she held the cup to Jacks lips. "That's it, just a little"

He winced as he brought his head forward.

"That's it sit back now"

"T.....ta....." Came a hoarse reply

"Very welcome" Becky smiled warmly.

She busied herself doing what should have been done before she even arrived.

When she looked back to his face, he was still watching her.

"Do you think you'd like to try to eat something? I could get you a slice of toast?"

He shook his head weakly, wincing again at the movement.

"Ok, well you just rest again now, the Dr is on the ward so will be with you soon"

Becky walked around the bed and moved the call button closer to his hand. "If you need anything, just press this ok?"

He nodded weakly before closing his eyes.

-

On the main ward Becky was busy changing John's dressings. He was telling her about his grandkids coming in this afternoon, but Des kept interupting them.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true Des?"

"That Grealish is in this hospital?"

"I wouldn't know Des, and if he was you know full well I wouldn't be able to tell you"

"He wouldn't be in here would he? £200k a week? He'll be waited on hand and foot up at the private hospital!" John answered curtly.

"Hey, I take offence to that!" Becky cried "yous get waited on hand and foot in here don't you?"

"Ah no offence meant love!" John backtracked.

"I know!" Becky laughed. "Is that seriously what footballers earn?"

"Yeah sickening really isn't it" chipped in Des.

"Wow, it would take me best part of 7 or 8 years to earn that!" She sighed.

"So I did some googling last night, the private hospital doesn't deal with trauma, and well from what papers say lad got some quite serious injuries" Des said seriously.

"So you think he is here?" John peered around Becky to talk to Des.

"Yeah I reckon they've got him in intensive care" Des claimed, trying to sound knowing.

"That bad huh?" John stared over at Des.

"Yeah, paper says lad nearly died, I mean he's young, fit and healthy so must've been bad"

"Right" Becky interjected, firstly if he was in a car accident, the injuries would not be dependent on personal health and fitness, secondly. You two are the biggest pair of gossips I've ever met!" She laughed as she left John's bedside.

Becky went to find Sue.

"I take it it's top secret the patient in room 3?"

Sue answered without even looking at her, "yes, theres actually security outside the ward door, plain clothed"

"Ah ok, is he staying here or being transferred to the private?"

"No ones said anything about it Becky......to be honest by the time he's well enough to leave us he'll probably be just as well to go home"

" - Becky, docs in 3!" Liam stuck his head out of Jack's door, he was accompanying the Dr on her rounds today.

Becky went in as the Dr was finishing up "lets try to see if we can get him eating and request the physios see him in the morning to get him up and and about" she told Becky

"Staying in bed today?"

"Yes, let me know if he desperately wants to get up later, but I doubt it'll be today"

The Dr and Liam left.

Becky noticed Jack watching her again.

"Right let's get some air in here shall we" she said as she opened the window slightly.

"Do you feel cold?" She turned back to Jack who slowly shook his head.

"I saw your brother came in yesterday, apparently he told the girls on the desk he was staying at yours and to call him today if you need anything brought in. Shall I get him to bring you some clothes? Pajamas?"

Jack nodded at her "my....my phone?" He asked quietly.

"Ah that's here" she walked to the locker next to his bed and unlocked it with one of the keys attached to her lanyard.

"Now, I don't know if it's off or dead, do you want to turn it on for you?"

"Please"

The phone sprang to life "ah look eighty percent, ah cute dog! Is that yours?"

She handed the phone to him.

"Yeah..."

"I hope someone's looking after it? Honestly so many poor dogs get left alone when their of owners are in hospital, but your brother is staying at yours at least"

She noticed Jack shaking his head. "Sh....she lives with me.....ex"

"Ah, I had a dog I used to share custody with, but unfortunately my ex ended up getting full custody on account of my hours...." Becky told him. "Sorry, you don't care about that do you" she said quickly. But she did notice a flicker of a smile. He had the kind of face that lit up all over when he smiled.

"How's your pain?" She asked, aware that it would only get worse as the sedation left him.

He looked like he was thinking, before quietly answering "did I actually get hit by a bus?" A faint smile again.

"Well from what I heard I think you tried to take on a lorry......and lost, so yeah I'd imagine pretty similar to feeling like you've been hit by a bus"

"Me head kills"

"I'll see what else I can give you, your heads going to hurt for a few days I'm afraid, your whole body will, how's your vision, a bit blurry?"

He nodded "a bit, but......but ya do have two heads yeah?"

Becky smiled warmly at him, humour was always a good sign.

"So do you want to ring your brother, or I can for you?"

Jack rested his head back, like he was too tired and saying what he wanted to was too much effort for him.

"I text....him..... he'll forget..."

Becky watched him hesitantly jab his thumb at the phone, squinting at the screen.

"I can help if you want?"

He passed his phone to her he had opened his messages onto a chat with 'Kevan'

"This your brother, Kevan?" She clarified.

"Yeah"

"What do you want to ask him for?"

"Er.....dunno...."

Becky was seasoned at this. "Well I'll ask him to bring you the normal yeah?"

Jack nodded.

Hello Kevan, Becky one of the nurses looking after Jack here, he's doing well. He's asked me to help him ask you to bring him a few bits when you come in later.

Pajamas or comfy clothes, jogging bottoms/t-shirts are perfect.

Pants/socks

Slippers or shoes suitable to wear indoors.

Face towel.

Toothbrush, toothpaste and toiletries.

Phone charger.

This was a list she'd given or typed out for people thousands of times, she peered over the phone to Jack who looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Right I've listed the essentials, now anything else? iPad, earphones, books?"

"iPad and earpods.."

"Favourite sweets or chocolate?"

She watched him laugh, then immediately wince in pain at his broken ribs and collarbone. "Ya know wot.....me job is yeah....?" He asked her.

"Yeah, but you've got to get better first, you're allowed a treat!"

"Galaxy" he smirked.

"Well that took lots of arm twisting!" She watched his face. She'd never seen a smirk like it.

iPad, earpods and a huge bar of galaxy chocolate for him too.

Thanks.

She sent the message for him and handed his phone back.

"Right I need to get on, I'll be back to check on you in about half hour ok"

He was already almost back to sleep. She took the phone that was hanging limply in his hand and placed it back in the locker so it didn't fall to the floor.

-

Becky returned from her lunch and after checking on her patients in the bay and topping up jugs of water she went into Jacks room, he was now scrolling through his phone. He looked up and smiled when she came in.

She was carrying a bowl of water and a flannel and a sealed hospital toothbrush and mini toothpaste set.

Jack raised his eyebrows as she set him them down on the table, then winced at the pain even that movement caused.

"Ya givin' me a bedbath?"

"No, unless you desperately want one, we'll probably get you in the shower tomorrow anyway......I just thought you might want to freshen up before your brother comes in? Feel more human?"

"Ok..."

Jack watched intently as Becky wrang the flannel out in the warm water then gently cleaned around his face and neck, taking care around the cuts and bruises.

Next she grabbed the liquid soap from the sink in the room and let him wash his hands in the bowl of water.

"Better?" She asked.

"Yeah, thanks....."

"Do you want to brush your teeth?"

He nodded.

"When can I get up to piss instead of this.....?" He pointed to the catheter bag hanging at the side of his bed as she prepared the toothbrush and filled a cup with water.

"Not today, tomorrow after the physio has seen you"

He took the toothbrush from her.

As soon as he had spat into the cup Becky held out he watched her carry on doing what she had to do, she checked his blood pressure, temperature, adjusted the drips going onto his arm and checked his dressings and wounds. He winced sharply as she barely even touched the dressing on his chest from the surgery he had had.

"Let's check that" she grabbed some gloves and a dressing pack from the corner and very gently removed the dressing. He held his breath as she cleaned it up.

"I'm going to leave the dressing off that for now, it needs to dry out a bit" she told him.

She pulled the gloves off and clapped her hands together. "Right, what can I get you to eat? No more morphine without food!" She said in her best matronly voice.

"Nah......"

He shook his head at her, his eyes heavy again.

"I'll bring some toast in a bit" but he was already sleeping again.