Getting a Life (17 page)

'How did you get on?'

'Okay. They're willing to extend our credit for another week or two. We just need to get a couple of orders in and we'll be well away. I think I'll make a break now and get home.'

'Okay. If you're sure, I'll go too.' He packed up the computer, leaving Joanne standing there. Covers were put on the machinery and he was ready to go.

'Joanne, please. Can't we talk?' he said as they were outside. 'I really need to ...'

'There is nothing more to say. Goodby Mike. I'll maybe see you around.' She got into her car and drove away. He stood there, looking after her with a look on his face that was all pure longing. She didn't see his look at all as she drove along the country lane towards her home. Her eyes were filled with tears. She kept blinking them away and arrived home, still shaking slightly from his kiss. He had been kissing Sarah too ... hadn't he? She was standing pretty close to him and seemed to care what she was saying. He'd taken her outside when he remembered Joanne was sitting at his computer. She was weary with the whole thing. Thinking about everything that had happened within the past few weeks, she knew she had made the right decision. Live without a man. It rang clearly to her. She picked up the phone and rang her mother.

'How lovely,' her mother said. 'Is there something wrong? I mean to say, it usually takes months for us to persuade you to come over.'

'Of course not. I just thought it would be nice to see you. I'll drive over early Sunday morning.' 'Why not come over right away? We're here and you're obviously at a loose end. You can be here for supper time if you get away now. We won't mind being a bit late.' She thought about it for a few moment and decided yes, she would.

'That's lovely dear. We'll see you before too long. Don't you want to bring that nice Mike with you?'

'Not this time,' she managed to mumble. She was not going to break down, She was not going to speak about him this weekend. It all meant she wouldn't do any washing or shopping. Did it matter? Not at all. She could do everything on Monday night after work. She rushed upstairs and flung some clothes into a bag. She checked everything was left safe and left the house. She completely missed Mike coming along the road, intent on seeing her.

She arrived at her parents house in time for dinner.

'Come on in. This is so lovely for us. We can have a proper chat about everything and see what's going on in your life. I take it you've had a falling out with Mike?'

So much for not talking about him.

'We did. It was all very nice when we were together but he's got so many problems to sort out. We're taking a timeout. Oh Mum, it's so difficult isn't it?' They were in the kitchen while the vegetables were cooking.

'I know it sees like the end of the world when you break up with someone. Maybe you haven't broken up completely?'

'Oh Mum, I really don't know. Life was so much easier when I didn't have anyone else in tow.'

'Anyway, talk as much as you like but now, these veggies are done. I'll serve it in here if you don't mind.'

Joanne and her mother went shopping the next morning. Having planned not to talk about anything to do with Mike, she hardly stopped speaking about him. She knew it was doing her good to voice all the doubts and indecisions she had been facing for so long. Her mother was very tolerant and listened without commenting very much.

'Why don't you buy that dress?' she said. 'You said you needed to update your wardrobe. You can wear it this evening. We're going to take you out for dinner.'

'That's very good of you. Do you think it might suit me?'

'Go and try it on.' She did and immediately loved it and bought it.

'There you are. See, I can buy things every now and then. I wonder if Mike would like it?'

'Look love, I don't really know what to say to you.' Her mother was not used to talking about anything emotional in such great detail. 'I'm happy to listen to you but I really can't comment. I don't really know him. I only met him at Christmas. It was a nice Christmas, wasn't it?'

'Lovely. Best I remember in ages. But then, Mike was here too, wasn't he?'

'Yes dear, he was. Now, do you want to look for anything else or shall we get back home for some lunch?'

'Might as well get back I suppose. I'm sorry Mum. I won't talk about him any more. I realise there's nothing more you can add.'

'Right, well let's go then.'

It was quite a pleasant weekend, under the circumstances. Her parents clearly were worried about her frame of mind but they did their best to distract her. After lunch on Sunday, she packed up and left them.

'Thanks very much,' she called out through her open car window. 'Lovely weekend.' She waved and drove off. What was the saying?
This is the first day of the rest of your life.
It was something she'd never thought about before but now it seemed appropriate to think about it.

Back in her own place, she began to tidy up and did her washing. Every now and then she thought about that phrase and made some determined effort to believe it. She eventually noticed the answering machine flashing and pressed the play button.

'Joanne, please can we talk? There are so many things we need to sort out. I love you. Please call me when you get this message.'

There was a second message.

'Jo, please call me. I really need to see you and talk about everything.'

A third message said almost the same again. She hesitated. Then she wondered why he hadn't called her mobile. She fished it out of her bag and saw there were a whole string of missed calls. Why on earth hadn't she heard them? The man was clearly desperate to speak to her. She would think about it and call him later. In any case, how did he know she was back? She pressed the play buttons on her mobile and listened to his lovely voice begging her to call him. She felt very weary of everything and though she wanted to call him back, she needed time to think about what to say. She sat down with a paper and pen and began to write her list.

1. He provides me with a companion I really like.

2. He is lovely.

3. He disrupts my nice pleasant life.

4. He says he loves me but then he is still having some sort of relationship with Sarah.

5. He needs to sort out his own life before trying to sort mine.

6. He gets on well with my parents.

7.

She stopped at seven. She couldn't think of anything else to write. Was this truly a summary of everything they meant to each other? She thought some more and penned the rest.

7. He makes too many demands on me.

8. I love it when we're in bed together.

9. I love him.

There it was. Number nine was the killer. She loved him. She picked up the phone to dial his number.

Chapter Fourteen

The phone rang for ages. Joanne was about to leave a message when it was picked up.

'Hallo,' said a male voice.

'Is Mike there please?'

'Sorry. Can I take a message?'

'It's okay. I'll try his mobile.'

'Okay. Thanks.' He put the phone down again.

'Well, thank you Mel,' she muttered. She dialled Mike's mobile and immediately got voice mail. She switched it off, deciding she would call later. Obviously, he'd gone out somewhere and hadn't got his mobile on. She continued her tasks around the house, finally sitting down to watch television, at about seven o'clock. She tried his mobile again but still it was left on voice mail. One more try and she would leave him a message. She felt so frustrated when she had finally decided she was ready to talk to him.

She tried again at eight and this time, decided to leave him a message.

'Hallo Mike. It's me, returning your call. I was at my parents for the weekend. I'm home again now.'

She sat not watching what was showing and kept looking at the phone. He didn't call. At ten thirty, she gave up and went to bed. Damn the man. She was not going to put herself out over him. There was still nothing from him by the following day. She gave a sigh and went off to college, planning to start her new life from now on. As for Mike, he could perhaps go to America now, free of all encumbrances. She had probably moved out of his life.

'I just wish I knew, one way or the other,' she said aloud. It was all a total nightmare.

During the morning, her mobile rang. She picked it up to look. It was strange number. Probably one of these wretched PPI people who kept ringing her. She ignored it and continued with her class. Over lunch time to rang again, the same number. She answered it, ready to shout at whoever was calling her.

'Is that Joanne?'

'Yes,' she snapped. 'Who are you?'

'It's Mel. I share a flat with Mike.'

'Oh yes, of course. How are you?'

'Well, a bit worried actually. Look, there's been an accident. Mike's in hospital. I think you might need to go there.'

She sat down heavily.

'Is he all right?'

'We're not really sure. Go round there and see him.'

'Okay. Thanks. I'll go round after work.'

'I think if you can get there earlier, it might be a good idea. I tried calling you earlier. The hospital called me first thing. I'd assumed he'd stayed with you overnight but ... well, clearly not.'

'Okay. I'll see if I can go soon. Thanks for letting me know.' She was panicking. She had a class starting in a few minutes but Mike needed her. She'd see her class and start them off on something and then leave them, that was the best thing to do. She grabbed her lesson plan and looked to see where they were. Yes, she would set them an assignment and leave them working on it. She rushed to her lecture room and wrote on the board what she wanted them to do. The students rolled in, clearly not in a hurry and she quickly called them to order.

'I have to leave you for a while this afternoon. Your assignment is on the board. I want you to work on this and hand in your results next week. Clear?'

'S'pose we don't finish it today?' one of them asked.

'Finish it in your own time and bring it in next week. Okay, sorry but I have to dash.' She shot out of the room and ran along the corridor, odd comments from her class resounding after her. She ignored them and ran across to her car. She drove much too fast and reached the hospital, desperately looking for somewhere to park. There was nothing near the main entrance and she drove to one of the supplementary parks. She grabbed the ticket and ran to the main entrance.

'I was told to come,' she panted. 'Mike Thomas? Where is he?'

'One moment please.' The receptionist typed the name into her computer and looked up at Joanne. 'Are you family?' she asked.

'Practically.'

'Well are you or not?'

'I'm his fiancee,' she muttered, lying through her teeth.

'I suppose it will be all right to let you go up. He's in intensive care. First floor, follow the signs to cardiac unit. You'll see intensive care just after that.'

'Oh my god, oh my god,' she muttered to herself as she ran along the maze of corridors and signs. Cardiac unit, intensive care ... what on earth was wrong with him?' She arrived outside the ward and found Mike's parents sitting there, looking rather glazed.

'What's happened?' she demanded.

'Mike's been involved in an accident. He crashed the car and well, he's undergoing surgery at present. Come and sit down dear. It's touch and go I'm afraid.' Mike's mother looked positively shell shocked and even, rather frail.

'But how? When?'

'Late last night it seems. He was lying in the road most of the night. Well, slightly off the road behind some trees.'

'Oh no. So what are his injuries?'

'We don't know yet. They're looking at him now. But he was brought here because he was unconscious.'

'Bad business all of it. I never liked that girl but I never wished her ...' Mr Thomas was speaking.

'Hush now, dear. We don't want to ...'

'What girl?' asked Joanne, her voice calm and slow.

'Oh dear. That girl who bothered us at the wedding. Sarah someone.'

'She was in the car with him?'

'Well, yes. But she was ... well, she was killed,' Mrs Thomas told her.

Joanne tried to come to terms with the words she was hearing. What on earth was he doing driving around with that woman? Late on a Sunday evening? She was worried about Mike, of course she was. But if Sarah was with him, who could tell what on earth they were doing? She sat for several minutes before she could speak again.

'I'll wait with you to hear what they have to say about Mike's condition but then I have to go.' She was boiling over with fury inside. It was sad she had died but why on earth was Mike driving her anywhere? She didn't want to face any of this at present.

'As you like, dear.'

'Damned woman. She's a pain. Was a pain.' Mike's father was still stamping around, cursing and grumbling. He was obviously suffering himself and cursing the world around him was his way of dealing with it all. Joanne had to agree with his definition of the woman. She was a pain. It was after almost two hours that a doctor came out of the room to see them.

'Sorry to keep you waiting for so long. We've established that he's now stable.'

'Oh thank goodness. He's really all right?' his mother asked.

'We think so. The next few hours are critical. He has a broken leg and he's in an artificially induced coma for a while. The head injuries seem to be superficial but this is the way we deal with him for now.'

'Can we see him?' she asked.

'Well, you can come in one at a time. He's right out of it so don't expect too much.'

'Oh thank you doctor. I'll come right away. Unless you want to go in first?' she asked Joanne.

'No, it's all right. I'll leave him for now and slip away. I'm so glad he's going to be okay though.'

'He'll want to see you very soon. Please come back won't you?'

'I will. I hope he's ... all right,' she managed to gulp. She left them all standing talking and went back to her car. She sat in the driving seat and found she was crying, sobbing. Poor Mike, she thought. He didn't deserve this. Whatever he'd been doing with Sarah, he didn't deserve to be lying there so badly injured. She started the engine and drove away.