I look beyond him and see two women, one in a blue uniform, the other in pink. The one in pink smiles at me then comes over and sits by the bed. I feel her hand on my hand. It’s warm.

‘You’re doing really well, Maggie,’ she says, gently.

I turn to look at her. She’s middle-aged with short mousy hair and a soft, kind face.

‘I’m Claire,’ she says. ‘I’m your nurse.’

When she says that word a sharp pain engulfs my chest and I ball my fists, willing the pain to subside.

‘Let me get you some water,’ says Claire.

She pours a cup from the jug by the bed then brings it to my mouth. I take a long sip. The water is cool and refreshing but the pain remains. Panicky pain.

‘Whatsss,’ I say as Claire takes the cup away. ‘Whatsshappened?’

My brain feels like it’s turned to liquid and my words are drowning in it.

Dr Elms walks over and sits down on the chair next to the bed.

‘I’m afraid you were involved in an accident,’ he says, emphasizing that final word with a nod of his head. ‘You lost consciousness and have been in a coma for nearly ten weeks.’

Claire rubs my hand. It sends a shiver up my spine and I jolt up in the bed.

‘Accssdent?’ I say, my mouth twitching as I try to take hold of the word. ‘Accssdent?’

‘Yes, an accident,’ says Dr Elms. ‘A car accident.’

As he speaks, I’m suddenly gripped with panic. I look around the room. There’s Dr Elms, Claire and the other woman in a blue uniform. There’s a room with a window looking out on to a corridor. I look back at the three people. Elms, Claire, uniform. Elms, Claire, uniform. Someone is missing. Someone should be here.

Elspeth.

‘Essh,’ I cry, throwing back the sheet. ‘Essh …’

Claire puts her hand out to hold me back.

‘It’s okay, Maggie,’ she says. ‘Try to keep calm.’

The name is in my head but it won’t form on my lips. The most important name, the most important person in my life, and I can’t get it out.

‘Daaaa …’ I begin, ripping through the film that separates my thoughts from my speech. ‘Dauu … Esssh?’

‘What is she saying?’ says Elms, turning to Claire.

‘I’m not sure,’ says Claire.

‘Essssh,’ I cry, pounding my fists on the bed in frustration.

‘Maggie, it’s okay,’ says Dr Elms, coming towards me with his palms raised. ‘You’re safe now. It’s all okay.’

I shake my head as he approaches. He puts his hand on my hand.

‘Whesh,’ I gasp, but I can feel my voice getting weaker. ‘Wheshe?’

‘I didn’t quite get that, Maggie,’ he says gently. ‘But don’t worry, just try to rest for now.’