Page 64 of Liam

TAAMIRA COULD NOT STOP SMILING AS SHE HIT THE CALL BUTTON FOR THE NURSE. INSTANTLY WAGGS and Mitch rushed in with a nurse not far behind them. Looks of alarm were on their faces until they saw her smile.

“He opened his eyes.”

Tears were streaming down her face, but she didn’t care. Liam had opened his eyes and looked at her; he had known her. Her hand remained in his, and she felt the strength of it as he gripped hers back for the first time.

“That’s wonderful,” the nurse said cheerfully as she began to do some checks on Liam as Waggs hovered.

She liked that he did, knowing he would explain it all to her as he had been this entire time. His training as a medic affording him the knowledge she wished she had.

“I’ll get the doctor to check him out, but it seems he’s starting to come around properly. The pump just administered another dose of pain medication so that probably knocked him out again.”

The nurse walked away, and she turned to Waggs, who was smiling at her. “This is good news, Princess.” He hugged her, and she didn’t fight the smile and the relief that flooded her body.

The doctor came in moments later and did the same checks the nurse had done as well as a few others. “Mr Hayes seems to be responding to stimulus. We will lower his pain medication a little and see if that helps him to come around fully. We are most definitely on the right track now.” He adjusted the drip slightly and fiddled with the pump, administering pain relief, and then noted it in his chart.

Once everyone had left again and feeling happier than she had since this whole nightmare began, she curled up on the couch close to the window, letting the autumn sun warm her face.

Lifting her mobile phone from her bag, she sent a text her father to let him know Liam was improving. He responded straight away, telling her how pleased he was and that he would continue to pray for them both. Taamira also asked he pass the message on to Abdul which he agreed to do.

She glanced across the room at the man she loved and knew in her heart it would all be okay now. No matter what they faced, as long as they had each other it would be okay. That didn’t detract from the love she had for her new friends, but it was different. Without Liam, she couldn’t breathe, without her friends, she was sad beyond belief, but Liam was her heart.

Picking up his phone, which the nurses had given her when they collected all his belongings, she ran her finger over the face of it. He had no family; his parents were alive, but he hadn’t spoken to them in years. She hesitated over the name of one contact before she made a decision and hit dial.

Taamira must have dozed off for a few minutes after putting in the call she hoped wasn’t a mistake. Her phone buzzed again, and she read the text, surprised it was from her sister-in-law.

FAWZAANA: CAN WE TALK? I COULD COME TO THE HOSPITAL SO YOU DON’ T HAVE TO LEAVE LIAM ALONE.”

TAAMIRA GAVE it a moment’s thought before she replied.

TAAMIRA: YES, YOU CAN DO THAT. COME TO THE ROOM AND WE CAN SPEAK. WHAT IS IT ABOUT ?”

FAWZAANA: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ABDUL, HE MISSES YOU.

TAAMIRA WAS INTRIGUED. She and Fawzaana had never been close, but for her brother, she would see what the woman wanted. Mitch and Waggs would be close so she would be safe.

TAAMIRA: COME TO THE HOSPITAL IN THIRTY MINUTES, AND I WILL SEE YOU.

TAAMIRA WASN’ T USUALLY SO demanding, but she knew it was best for this woman to know who was higher up the pecking order or she would lord it over her. She was done being a doormat to that spiteful person.

Taamira stood and let Waggs and Mitch know to let Fawzaana in. She could see they didn’t like it but went along with her request.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER, Fawzaana swept into the room, casting her eye around as she did, before her eyes came to rest on Liam in the bed. He was still sleeping, but it was a lighter sleep now.

Waggs tilted his head to her. “We’re just outside the door if you need us.”

“Thank you, Waggs.” She smiled back before she greeted her sister-in-law. “Fawzaana, would you like to sit?”

Mitch and Waggs had forced her guard to wait outside, and she looked smaller without them around her.

“No, I wish to stand.”

Still a raging bitch then.

Taamira went to stand the other side of the bed, her hand reaching for Liam’s automatically. She saw the sneer on Fawzaana’s face as she looked at them.

The woman looked regal in an olive-green kaftan with bronze embroidery at the edges. A scarf of olive green covered her head, and the loose trousers she wore were in the same bronze as the stitching fell to her feet where she wore silk pumps. By contrast, Taamira wore pale jeans and one of Liam’s t-shirts, with flat pumps on her feet.

“What did you wish to talk about?” Taamira saw no point with pleasantries.