Angel of Mine (18 page)

Turning my back on him, I direct my attention back to the nurse behind the desk. “Can you please tell me where I can find Theo Baker?” The noise around me is deafening. I try to ignore everyone calling out my name so I can hear her answer.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t give out that kind of information.”

“Why the hell not?” I snap. It’s not as though I want his medical details. I just want to know where he is. My frustration level is peaking. A dull ache starts to throb at my temples, and I rub them with my fingertips. I’m seriously contemplating giving into the temptation of throwing myself on the floor and having a good old temper tantrum, bratty kid style, to get some relief.
I bet the cameras would love that.

A hand wraps firmly around my arm, and I freeze.
They actually have the nerve to touch me and try to get my attention now? Who the hell do they think they are?
Furious I shake it off, desperate to get away.

To my surprise, a familiar voice from behind me comes to my rescue. “Come on darlin’, let’s get you out of here.” When I turn, I see the concerned face of the nurse who took care of me on previous visits. Without question or explanation, she drags me behind the desk and off to a staff only area, away from prying eyes. I go willingly.

A quick glance around the bare room tells me we are alone. All that is in here, aside from a basic kitchenette to the side of me, is a large rectangular table with a glass top, six chairs and a TV on an old rickety stand.

“Well now, I know why you are always landing yourself in the hospital. You’re all over the news.” Her hands rest on wide hips while appraising me. Despite the abnormal situation, she sounds only marginally surprised, as though the claims people on these programs are making explain everything, and nothing is out of the ordinary. Her carefree attitude flabbergasts me, but I appreciate it immensely.

There is a remote on the table, and when I press the button, the TV comes to life. Images of the two of us heading to this back room from only moments before fill the screen. In a smaller shot at the bottom of the screen, continuous footage, obviously from someone’s phone, rolls of me healing my neighbour’s arm, followed by someone interviewing his mother. Unbelievable, I hope she is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame.
Stupid cow
.

“Sit down love. I’ll get you some water.” The metal legs of the chair scrape against the tiles as she pulls it out. Without taking my eyes off the screen, I gladly let myself drop into it. I don’t know how much longer my legs would have held me up anyway. “Take your time to rest a minute and when you are ready I have an idea to get you out of here safely.”

Footsteps return a few minutes later. Curious, I tear my gaze away from the TV. Barbara, as her nametag states, drapes a doctor’s coat over the chair beside me, and a mask and headscarf on the table.
This woman is a genius
.

A smile creeps over my face and the tense posture of my body finally eases as I think of the possibility of being able to get to Theo undetected. They may not tell me where he is, but every fibre of my being is pulling me to him like a magnet. My bet is my ability will guide me to him, and this disguise will make it that much easier to achieve.

“Are you saying I can wear this gear to sneak out of here?”

She lifts the coat off the chair, passes it to me, and then replies, “It’s all yours.” Before she can change her mind, I make a grab for the coat and slide it on. It’s a little large, and a hideous shade of aqua, but at any rate I’m not complaining. It hides all the items of clothing the reporters may identify. Expertly twisting my hair into a quick bun and tying it in place with the band I always keep on my wrist, I cover it up with the scarf and then don the matching mask.

Barbara gives me the thumbs up, “Good luck.”

Impatient to get to Theo I give a few short words, muffled from the material covering my face, “Thank you for all your help,” then I take off.

My footsteps echo down the corridor, and I allow my feet to follow where my gut feeling is taking them. I’m disconcerted to find myself heading out the front doors to the parking lot. Suddenly my early thoughts of my ability leading me directly to him seem silly, and I question my sanity. That is, until I see Theo and his parents cloaked in gloom, getting into their car and driving away.

Defeat slaps me in the face, and I slump to the ground where I stand. My elbows rest on my knees and I cradle my face in my hands and sob. It must look fairly strange to anyone passing by that a supposed doctor is sobbing on the steps leading to the entrance of the hospital.

I’ve never had a problem that I haven’t been able to fix before. Why won’t he let me? Why won’t he tell me what’s wrong? He’s so bloody stubborn it’s infuriating. Anger and frustration become more prominent as my mood swings. The need to persevere takes over again, and I get to my feet and head for my car so I can go home and formulate a plan.

When I pull up to my house, there are a few reporters in my front yard, and I do my best to ignore them as I hurry to get inside. The door jams halfway open and I squeeze through the gap. There is a box taped up on the floor with ‘important files’ written across it in Nikko pen. There are various other boxes scattered up and down the hallway. It looks as though Mum is packing, ready to flee. She has clearly seen the news this morning.

In her haste, she has thrown items of unimportance here there and everywhere as she tries to find what we need to take. Stepping over a cushion, a lamp that has fallen over and a stack of magazines littering the floor, I make my way towards where I hear noises in the back room.

Just before I reach her, I grab my phone from my pocket and check it. Fifty-seven missed calls and ten missed texts. Most are from Mum, some are from a number I don’t recognize, and then there are a couple from Theo. My thumb runs over the call button, and I wonder if he will answer if I call and let me know what’s wrong.

A loud thunk sounds behind the closed door to the room I’m about to enter and I hear the wheels of a suitcase rolling along the wooden floorboards and heading in my direction. I guess the phone call to Theo will have to wait. Reluctantly I shove the phone back in the pocket of the doctor’s coat I’m still wearing and look up to see Mum opening the door. “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!” She jumps back about a meter and lands on her bottom, still backing away. “Who are you? What do you want? Ally isn’t here. You leave her alone, you hear me?”

Simultaneously, I rip the mask and the scarf off my head. “Mum relax, it’s me.”

Her hand comes up to rest on her chest as she gathers her wits and eyes me suspiciously. “What are you doing wearing that? You almost gave me a heart attack.” She looks so fragile cowering back amongst piles of clothes strewn all around the room, and I offer my hand to help her up from the floor.

“Sorry, disguise.” This short explanation is enough. I know she is aware of the media.

With her bag back in her hands, she briskly starts walking down the corridor as she addresses me again. “I’m sure that’s a fascinating story. You can tell me on the way. Your bag is on the bed open and waiting for you.”

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I stop her in her tracks. “Mum, I’m not going.” She whirls around with a look of disbelief waiting for me to justify myself.

“This isn’t funny Ally. What do you mean you aren’t going? The media is everywhere. If this is about that boy.” She shakes her head, and crosses her arms over her chest. “You are being foolish. Go pack you bag.” Twisting around and leaving her back to me, she starts to walk off again.

Anger rises at the thought that she thinks I’m acting as if I’m a child with silly little boyfriend issues. Theo needs me, and I can’t leave. I have to make her see things from my perspective. My eyes narrow and I raise my voice, “He’s sick Mum. I need…”

She cuts me off by stomping her foot on the ground, then grabs my arm and drags me to my room.

“No. Absolutely not. You are not helping him. Do you even know what’s wrong with him? You’re going to pack your bag even if I have to force you. You’re not too old to take over my knee young lady.”

Yeah, that’s what she thinks.
“You can’t make me. I’m almost eighteen, and I’ll just run off if you force me to go.” I’m shouting now as I rip my arm out of her clutches.

“Don’t be daft. If he’s sick, he’s not going to have time for you anyway.” She doesn’t get it. Clothes start flying through the air and landing half haphazardly on top of the suitcase as she starts throwing them in and I scowl at her as I watch on.

“I’m not a child. I’m out of here. I’ll go stay with Theo.” Even as I say this, I know he won’t take me in while he’s trying to avoid me.

My feet pound against the pavement as I run down the front walk. “You’re sure acting like one,” Mum yells after me.

The cameras in the front yard click away but no one bothers to follow me with all their heavy equipment. It’s funny that I choose now to act like a normal teenager for once, running away, in the midst of everything else I’ve got going on in my life.

Visions of Theo and my spot at the park come to mind, and I head there to reminisce about better times. It’s as good a place as any, and I have nowhere else to go.

The park is empty when I get there. Since no one is around to bother me, I ditch the doctor gear in the bin and go sit on the kiddie merry-go-round to wallow.

My feet tap the ground as woeful thoughts go through my head, causing me to start moving in pointless circles. Slowly at first, then faster the more anxious I get.

My surroundings blur as I spin round and round. Everything is hazy just like my thoughts. Hundreds of images of Theo’s handsome face are flitting through my mind. Focusing on his soft lips, I remember what they felt like against my skin. My whole body aches for him, for his touch. Hugging myself, sadness overcomes me because I miss him so badly. Does he miss me too? What is he going through and how can I help him? Endless questions swirl in my head.

A dark shadow comes in and out of focus, and the play equipment pulls to a halt. “Hey Ally. I’ve been looking for you. I’d almost given up but saw you over here as I was going home.” Alex sits down beside me and stares at his feet as he talks. Red rims the outline of his bloodshot eyes, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in days. I watch him, praying that he will meet my gaze so I can search his eyes for answers.

“What’s wrong with Theo? Please tell me Alex. I can’t stand the thought of not being able to help him or at least be by his side while he goes through whatever it is that is wrong.”

He ignores my question as though he didn’t even hear it. “We saw you on the news. Theo was worried sick about you, I came to check on you for him. Will you be all right? Can you just lay low for a while?”

“I’ll be all right. I’m not concerned about it. They will realize I’m not going to speak to them, and I’m sure it will be yesterday’s news before we know it. If not I could always come up with some type of alter ego like Clark Kent,” I laugh without humour, and I don’t think he buys my ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude.

“It’s not them I’m worried about.” I glance at his house in the distance then at him again.

He finally looks back but still refuses to give me any answers. “It’s better this way Ally. You need to forget about it.”

My eyes roll to the back of my head at his absurdity. “Fat chance,” I mutter.

“Theo doesn’t want your help. It would tear him apart to see you in his position. Can’t you see that he is trying to protect you? If you want to help him, move on and be happy.” My eyes sting as I try to be strong and not cry while thinking his words over.

He pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and passes it to me. “My number, call me if the media gets too much and you need help. Goodbye Ally, take care.” With that, he walks off without looking back.

Stuck in a seriously grouchy mood, I keep watching him until he disappears into his house. I huff out a warm breath and watch as it disperses through the cold air. Too much time has passed already. I need to find a way to help Theo before it’s too late. There is obviously something terribly wrong.