Carla’s face seemed to drop as far as the floor, and her eyes took on a vacant expression.
“Are you Gary?”
Even before she’d replied, he did not like the feeling that washed over him. His stomach now felt like it had a football in it. His legs were weakening, and he was starting to tremble. He thought he’d said yes, but he couldn’t be sure.
Carla glanced at the flowers and the other gifts, and he knew at once a serious situation had developed.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
Sorry for what? thought Gary.
He lifted his hands to his mouth, and then put them in his pockets, then brought them back out again, unsure what the hell to do with them. Whatever else she was going to say, he didn’t think he wanted to hear it, but still had to ask.
“What are you talking about?”
“Gary… I, er…” She was stumbling over her words now.
“Can you tell me where me mum is?” He couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I think I’d better go and get Mr Ross.”
“Just a minute,” said Gary. “Where’s Mr Sinclair?”
“He’s not here at the moment. Has he not spoken to you? I thought he’d phoned you yesterday... last night.”
Gary’s insides were starting to churn so bad he thought he was going to be sick.
“What about? Why was he calling me last night?” Gary was in a state of panic. “Don’t you know where my mum is? Has she gone for an operation? Is that it?”
Carla put her hands out in front of her. “Please, Gary... just wait there, please. I’ll go and get Mr Ross.”
Before he had the chance to ask her anything else, she swiftly left the room.
Gary had no idea what was happening, but it obviously wasn’t good. Where the hell was his mother? If something really bad had happened, he would have been told. Maybe she had taken a turn for the worse, and she was having another op. Maybe that’s why Mr Sinclair was not around. He was over at the St. James’s Hospital, operating on her.
Carla returned with Mr Ross, whose expression was as grave as hers.
“Gary, are you okay?” asked Ross.
“No, not really.”
“It must have been a great shock to you.”
“What? What must have been a shock to me? Where’s my mum? I just want to see my mum. Do you know where she is?” Gary was losing control. Someone had better tell him something. Right then.
He noticed Mr Ross step towards him.
“Gary... have you not been told?”
“Told? Told what? What the hell are you talking about?”
Gary fell towards the bed, feeling faint and sick.
Ross caught him in time and eased him onto the bed. “Please, sit down, Gary.”
He turned to Carla. “Would you fetch him a glass of water, please?” She did as she was asked. Ross turned back to him.
“Gary, I’m so sorry. I thought Robert had telephoned you last night. I really don’t know what to say, but we did everything we could.”