The nurse smiled sympathetically. ‘I can imagine. Look, I’m going to give you something that will help but also might make you a little drowsy.’ He glanced around the room at the rest of us. ‘And I’m sorry to say, visiting hours are over. Mum and Dad, will one of you be staying tonight?’

‘Me,’ I replied and then realised I’d have to get a change of clothes from the Perth house. We’d left in such a hurry I hadn’t brought anything with me except Charlie.

Shit, Charlie. I’d almost completely forgotten about him.

‘What did you do with Charlie?’ I asked Dan, as the nurse went off to get Payton’s medicine.

‘He’s in the car. I left the windows down slightly. What do you want me to do with him now?’

‘I’ll take him,’ Adrian announced as if Dan was stupid to ask such a question.

I turned to Adrian. ‘Could you bring me a change of clothes from the house?’

He nodded. ‘Of course. And do you want me to stay here tonight as well?’

‘No,’ I said, perhaps a little firmly, but the thought of spending the night in his company no longer appealed in the slightest. ‘Someone needs to stay with Saxon.’

‘I can grab some clothes from your place and then drop them back on my way to the airport,’ Hayley offered, glancing at her watch. ‘I’m doing the midnight horror tonight.’

‘Thanks.’ I smiled at her. ‘That would be great.’

‘Okay then, time’s up,’ announced the nurse as he returned to the room. ‘Everyone except Mum and patient need to leave.’ Although his words were stern, his tone was anything but, and he gave us time to say goodbye.

‘Can you bring my iPad too, Aunty Hayley?’ Payton asked hopefully.

Adrian and I exchanged a look.

‘I can download some books on it,’ I said, not wanting Saxon to think we were giving his sister special treatment. This was clearly not what she had in mind, but she didn’t push it.

I hugged Hayley and Saxon hard, exchanged an awkward embrace with my mother-in-law, gave Adrian an equally awkward wave and then squeezed Dan’s hand as I kissed his cheek. ‘Thanks for everything.’

‘You’re welcome. Call me if you need anything else.’

I stood by the door as they all filed out, Hayley last. ‘He’s smoking!’ she whispered as she leaned close. ‘Well done, girlfriend.’

My cheeks heated as I shooed her out.

Chapter 56

56

Despite her ordeal and the painkillers she’d been given, Payton was showing no signs of sleepiness. We were watching My Kitchen Rules on the TV hanging on her wall when Adrian entered the room.

‘Where’s Hayley?’ I asked as I took the bag he held out.

At the same time Payton demanded, ‘Did you bring the iPad?’