“Hi Carmen you okay?”
“Nervous”
“Don’t be you’ll do great”
“Look before you do anything can one of you make sure someone is with Jess, because if I know her like I think I do she’ll be in pieces out there”
“I’ll get someone to ring down Dr Ewan and get someone to come sit with her okay”
“Ok do that, before you put me to sleep, not that I don’t trust you or anything”
The Neuro surgeon laughed “Danni can you do that now for me”
Danni went off to phone down, she returned a few minutes later.
“Done”
“Happy?”
“Thank you” Carmen said letting them carry on.

Dr Ewan walked over from the desk into the relative’s room.
“So I’ve just had a message, Can someone go sit with Jess, She is a little upset and on her own”
“I’ll go” Bette said
“Mama is it okay if I go?” Lisa asked “She’s my sister, I know her…no offence”
Bette nodded sitting back down taking Tina’s hand
“Give her a big hug from all of us” Jace said
Lisa followed Dr Ewan.
Jess was hunched down the wall outside the OR crying.
Dr Ewan touched Lisa on the shoulder before turning and leaving.
Lisa’s heart broke seeing her sister in this state. She walked over sitting down beside Jess and pulling her into a hug.
“Let it out, I’m here” Lisa said
“I can’t handle all this Lisa,” Jess said “She’s the strong one”
“Could have fooled me you’re doing incredible” Lisa said kissing her sister on the head “You’re allowed to be upset”
“I don’t want Carmen to see me upset because she’s struggling so much right now” Jess admitted “She doesn’t think I’m going to be here when she gets out”
“She’s just scared babe” Lisa said “She’s confused”
Jess let her head rest on Lisa’s shoulder.
“I love her more than anything,”
“I know that, geez everyone knows it apart from the pair of you” Lisa smirked
“She wanted to talk about what happened before she went into their”
“Jess she’s terrified, give her a break”
“Well talk about it when the time is right”
“She’s probably thinking you’re going to go back to LA minute she’s better”
“I am, but she’s coming with me” Jess stated
“I know that, but she’s worried you don’t want her too”
“I shouldn’t have let her move in the first place, I was just being stubborn”
“And you’re always going to be stubborn that’s just you, but to be fair you had every right to be stubborn and angry and deep down Carmen knows that, the guilt made her leave and the fact you said you wished she didn’t come back”
“I didn’t mean that, I was angry”
“Yes I know, people say things when they are angry, it’s allowed” Lisa said
“My head is banging, I feel sick” Jess said
“Well yes you haven’t had any sleep and you haven’t eaten, Mama and Mum are freaking about it” Lisa smiled
“I couldn’t stomach anything” Jess admitted
“Do you want to go a walk? Get some fresh air?”
“I can’t I need to stay here incase she comes out”
“Jess she will be ages yet and even when she comes out she’ll be sleeping, they will come and get you” Lisa explained standing up and pulling up Jess “Come one you need some air”
Lisa took her sisters hand as they walked toward the exit of the hospital.
They got outside…
“Jess can you tell us how your fiancée is, is there any reason why you’re not wearing your ring?”
Photographers took pictures.
“Ignore them come on” Lisa said pulling her sister
“Have you broken up? Is she dead?”
Bette and Tina came out the hospital door hearing the commotion with all the boys.
Bette and Tina immediately protected Jess and Lisa.
Jace pushed the photographer “Back of and give her some fucking privacy you idiot”
Jace took Jess’s other arm “Let’s get you some space”
“Next person to take a picture will get arrested, do I make myself clear?” Andrew stated
The boys all made a protective circle around them.
Tina got on the phone to Kelly the minute they got to safe space.
“You okay?” Lisa asked
“Yeah I’m fine”
“Fucking pathetic!” Lee snapped “How sad is that”
“They’re just doing their job” Jess said
“Not on our watch they’re not” Jace stated “You’re allowed a personal life Jess”
Tina walked back over to them.
“Jess Kelly is going to release a statement asking that your privacy be respected” Tina said
“Jess I know you’re stressed and I know your head is all over the place but Mason wanted me to tell you he loves you” Bette said
“I’ll call him later” Jess sighed “we need to go back inside it’s too cold out here for me”
Lee took of his hoodie and put it on Jess.
“Thanks babe” Jess smiled
They sat in the waiting room…4 hours later the surgeon approached Jess.
Jess held her breath and clenched Lisa’s hand.
“Hi, everything went really well, I’ll take you up to recovery”
Jess got up following him
“She’s going to be in pain when she wakes up, that’s normal”
“She’s got pain relief yeah?”
“Yes, she’s be really groggy as well, just reassure her”
“Ok” Jess said going into the room
She walked over to Carmen’s bed and kissed her softly on the head.
“Told you I’d still be here” Jess said as she ran her hand over Carmen’s forehead “Not going anywhere, I’ll be right her when you wake up”
Jess sat down keeping a hold of Carmen’s hand; she ran her thumb over Carmen’s engagement ring thinking over everything.
“Can I get you anything?” The nurse asked
“Erm no I’m okay thanks, is there any chance I can get some paper and a pen please?”
“Sure I’ll go get you some”
2 hours later…
“Hey you” Jess smiled
“Hi” Carmen said scrunching her face “ouch”
“The doctor said you will be in pain” Jess explained
“Can I have some water” Carmen asked
Jess lifted a glass from the side of Carmen’s bed and helped her take a drink.
“I feel like someone has actually jumped on my head with an ice boot” Carmen said
“Well they’ve been in and out and she’s increased your pain killers”
“You okay?”
“Are you serious? You’ve just had surgery and you’re asking if I’m okay?” Jess smiled
“Yes, you look knackered”
“I’m fine” Jess said
“You’re the worst liar in the planet” Carmen smiled
The doctor walked into the room
“Hi Carmen how you feeling?”
“Politely? Like shit!” Carmen said
The doctor smiled “That’s normal…Were just going to move you back to ICU now, and your family can come in, are your parents in the waiting room?”
Carmen looked at Jess confused
“Are you being serious? Her parents are dead”
“Jess leave it’ it’s fine” Carmen said
“No it’s not” Jess snapped
“I’m extremely sorry, I’m an agency worker”
“Check her fucking file in future you idiot!”
“Jess please just leave it” Carmen said taking Jess’s hand
Jess sat back down, her temper had snapped.
The porters came to take Carmen back to her room.
“I’ll just go tell my Mum and Mama you’re okay and back in your room, I’ll be right back.”
Jess walked into the relatives room and burst into tears.
Bette, Tina and Lisa stood up, Jess walked straight into Bette’s arms.
“What is wrong?” Bette asked
“Idiotic doctors not doing their job right, he literally just walked into the room and asked Carmen if she wanted her parents to come see her” Jess explained “I snapped I’m sorry”
“Don’t be sorry, you’re right to have snapped” Tina said rubbing her daughter back
“She’s back in her room” Jess said “I can’t’ stop crying today, this is ridiculous”
“Better out than in” Jace said
“You’re tired and you’re hormonal so you’ll be all over the place” Bette said wiping Jess’s tears away
“I need to get back to her; she’s back in her room so yeah come in when you want”
Jess left the room, and Bette went on the warpath to find Carmen’s doctor, she eventually found her at the nurse’s station.
“Can I have a word please?”
“Sure”
“I’ve just had my daughter in a state, one of your doctors asked Carmen if she would like to see her parents, considering the circumstances I find that highly inappropriate and unprofessional don’t you think?”
“Bette all I can do is apologise I will speak to him, I’m truly sorry”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it, I’m furious; I will be writing a letter of complaint regarding this”
With that Bette walked away.