LONDON 2004
Charlotte glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost three o’clock. Dan and Matt had found the Orange Squash. Grinning, Charlotte turned to Kerry.
‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ Charlotte asked.
‘I’ll have a cold drink,’ Kerry said as Charlotte got out the Blackcurrant and two glasses.
‘Right here you go,’ Charlotte said, a few minutes later, handing a glass to Kerry.
Charlotte sat down again. The girls had grabbed a glass of water and had gone into the lounge.
‘I wonder how Sarah’s managed to break her arm?’ Charlotte asked, sounding thoughtful.
‘She might’ve fallen onto something hard,’ Dan said.
‘Probably but the longer we wait the more likely it’ll be she’ll need an operation,’ Charlotte said. The phone rang. Charlotte dashed into the hall and answered it.
‘Hello?’ She said.
‘Lottie it’s Mum,’ Pam said.
‘Hi Mum, what’s happening?’ Charlotte asked.
‘Sarah’s got to have Surgery, it’s a pretty serious fracture she’s got,’ Pam explained. ‘I’m going to wait for her to come out of Theatre.’
‘But that’ll take hours.’ Charlotte said, sitting down on the bottom stair. ‘And then she’s got to come round. It’ll be like half ten tonight before she’s back on the ward. So I’d come home to get some food. Because it sounds like there’s a few major breaks.’
‘Okay you win,’ Pam said.
‘How did she even break it?’ Charlotte enquired.
‘She was at her Gymnastics club doing work on the Vault and she got it at the wrong and then she was doubled up in pain,’ Pam explained.
‘Right okay, now listen leave the landline with them and come on home, I’m sure they’ll call when she’s out of Theatre,’ Charlotte said.
‘I think your right, look I’ll walk back. I’ll see you soon,’ Pam said.
‘Alright bye,’ Charlotte said. Charlotte ended the call and she put the phone back on the Charger, feeling grim. Charlotte returned to the kitchen.
‘What’s happening?’ Dan asked, the moment Charlotte sat down.
‘It’s going to be hours before she’s out of Theatre, the break in the two bones is very serious and she won’t be back on the ward till about half past ten tonight, so Mum’s going to come and get some food and then go back,’ Charlotte explained. ‘They’ve been up there since Lunchtime so A&E must be very quiet.’
‘Well at least she’s in the best place,’ Matt said.
‘Exactly but she’s got to have this repaired properly,’ Kerry said.
‘Yeah, or else she’ll never be vaulting again,’ Charlotte said. ‘But she won’t be doing anything physical for six months and she’s going to hate doing nothing, and it’s her right arm that’s broken and she is right handed which is a pain.’
‘Lottie once she’s out of Theatre she’ll be alright,’ Kerry said.
‘I know but the wait is the longest bit of the process,’ Charlotte said. ‘Mum’s on her way home now and we should wait until she’s back before we start pestering her.’
‘I think that’s a good idea to be honest,’ Dan said.
‘But Sarah is tough for sure,’ Charlotte replied. ‘I guess your right though we need to sit and wait for Mum to get back.’
‘How long did she say she’ll be?’ Matt asked.
‘About forty-five minutes because she’s up at Middlesex Hospital and that’s walking, unless she gets the bus which in my mind would be a better idea in this heat to be really honest,’ Charlotte said, shrugging, but looking grim. ‘Because I want a much more detailed story of what happened.’
‘I think we all do,’ Dan said and Matt and Kerry nodded in agreement.
‘And we’ll soon find out,’ Kerry said.
‘That we will,’ Charlotte said. ‘I should’ve asked Mum whether Ronnie knows but I’ll ask her when she gets back.’
‘I totally didn’t think of her or James,’ Dan said.
‘I’ll wait for Mum to get back and then text them,’ Charlotte said.
‘Yeah and just so they’re in the picture of what’s going on,’ Kerry said.
‘Your Mum might’ve texted them earlier though,’ Matt reminded Charlotte.
‘I didn’t really think of that but I’ll ask for sure when she gets back,’ Charlotte said. ‘Because they’re in the picture, assuming they aren’t, the better I say and then their aware of what’s going on.’
‘Yeah and the sooner we know the better and your right Lottie,’ Dan said.
‘Still at the moment all we can is wait,’ Charlotte said. ‘And like I said, the sooner Mum gets back the better and then we’ll have a clearer idea of what’s going on.’
Dan nodded. The doorbell rang. Charlotte jumped to her feet and dashed to the door. She unlocked it and found she was face to face with her Mum, Pam.
Pam was of an average build. She was five foot three, but Charlotte towered over her very slightly. Her body was in perfect shape after the bearing of sixteen children. Pam was only forty-eight and had had Charlotte when she was twenty-one. Pam had a pleasant face, her eyes were green, and Charlotte had inherited this trait, and Pam had brown hair. Charlotte looked more like Pam than she did from her Dad. She didn’t mind, but she found it weird standing over Pam.
‘Finally we’ve been waiting goodness knows how long for you,’ Charlotte said as Pam stepped inside.
‘Sorry, I’ve been ages getting down the main roads,’ Pam said, while Charlotte closed and locked the front door.
‘Ah don’t worry, can you tell us what’s happened?’ Charlotte asked leading the way into the kitchen.
‘I’ll try,’ Pam said, sitting down next to Dan and taking off her shoes. ‘Basically I was at work right and I got a call from Sarah’s gym teacher sating she’d fallen off the Vault and hurt her arm.’
‘Yeah and then what happened?’ Charlotte asked; she was very keen to find out all the details.