His dad is making such an obvious effort that Zac laughs. ‘Maybe another time. Perhaps . . . Do you want to go on a hike somewhere? I promise I won’t take my bike.’
Callum can’t hide his delight. ‘Well, if you insist. Where would you like to go? Tell you what, let’s do some of the Fairfield Horseshoe, then we’ll buy a takeaway and bring it back for the girls. How’s that?’
‘Sounds good.’
‘I’ll go and pack some supplies.’ Callum jumps up and Zac follows him out of the room. ‘I’ll show you some of the places we’ve rescued people while we’re up there,’ his dad says over his shoulder. Zac knows they are in for a long afternoon together, and finds he doesn’t mind at all.
43
GEORGIA
Georgia is packed and ready to go. She sits on the hard hospital bed, staring out the window, waiting for her family to arrive, excited to finally get out of here.
She longs to go home. Things have changed. Her mother has been at the hospital every day, bringing goodies galore – books and magazines and chocolates and Get Well cards from almost everyone they know. She’s been in touch with Addison’s and managed to persuade them to sponsor Georgia anyway. And she’s been there to wipe Georgia’s tears, hold her hand, stroke her forehead, tell her it will get better. That she will recover. That in time, both her head and her heart will heal.
Leo has gone – resigned from his job and left town. Georgia has been told the story of how he rescued her, but she doesn’t remember. However, sometimes she thinks she hears his voice, telling her he is sorry.
She’s had some awkward heart-to-hearts with her parents. She’s confessed to keeping things from Leo, and letting their relationship go too far. She’s described how he ended their affair as soon as he discovered the truth. Her mum is still half-convinced that Leo is a sexual predator – there’s been mention of lodging a complaint with the education department, but Georgia has begged her not to. Nevertheless, there’s an ache in her throat at the thought that she’ll never see him again.
She reaches into her bag and pulls out her diary, which Zac had reluctantly brought to the hospital at her request. From the back, she retrieves the photograph. Already she feels different as she studies it – the memory is still there, but it is as though it happened to another person, not her. She hopes that’s not just down to brain trauma; that perhaps she’s moving on.
She studies the photo – his handsome, guileless face. When she had pressed the button to take it, she had thought she was capturing a tiny piece of him just for herself. But in that moment it was she who had been imprisoned, stopping time for a while, living only in her daydreams and her memories.
Now, she’s ready to set herself free. Her family will be here soon, and she needs to do this before she goes home. She only hesitates for a moment before she rips the photo once, twice, then over and over, until the pieces are so small she can barely hold them in her fingers. Then she goes across to the window, opens it and drops them out, watching them flutter to the ground, the makings of a comfy bed for a family of mice.
44
ANYA
When I get to the hospital, Sophia is sitting on Georgia’s bed, her arms waving wildly as she fills her cousin in on gossip.
Liam comes to greet me, kissing my cheek. ‘How are you, Anya?’
‘Thankful,’ I say, and he nods in agreement. We turn to our girls, who are examining the new messages and graffiti on Sophia’s cast.
‘Sophia wanted to come down one last time,’ Liam explains. ‘I think she misses the hospital – all these nurses pandering to her every whim.’
‘I heard that,’ Sophia calls, without looking around.
‘Well, when you two have finished comparing war wounds, shall we go?’ Liam picks up Sophia’s crutches and takes them over to her.
I move across to help Georgia up, but she waves me away, laughing. ‘I can walk, Mum!’ She hands me her bags, then pauses. ‘Would you mind if I go to Sophia’s on the way? I’ll just lie on the sofa, I promise, but I know I won’t be going out for a while when I get home, and I’d love a change of scene. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want me to,’ she continues quickly, but I hold a hand up to stop her.
‘It’s fine,’ I tell her, doing my best to cover my disappointment. So, her homecoming won’t be exactly as I’d planned it. The important thing is that she’s coming home today. ‘But just for an hour or so, okay. You still need to rest.’
Georgia smiles. ‘I’m sure Auntie Helene will watch me like a hawk.’
Sophia and Liam are by the door. ‘Are you ready?’ Sophia asks.
We make our way along the corridor, which takes some time because we stop to thank each nurse we see on the way. People appear on all sides with beaming faces, wishing Georgia luck and bidding her farewell.