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‘Oh my God, I actually made it back in time to see you!’ Her eyes glistening.
‘Fucking hell, Jez, I’m not about to snuff it, is it?’
She takes a breath. ‘No, that’s not… but it was frigging scary when you fell off the cliff.’
‘Was I literally out cold?’
‘They brought this air ambulance. Right exciting.’
‘Aw, I don’t even bloody remember. Did you take any photos?’
‘Yeah, Gethin, it was all about the YouTube experience.’
‘You videoed? Awesome!’ I see myself strapped pale and motionless onto a stretcher and winched into a helicopter. Jez beside me in the cramped space, camera shake and roar of the propellers lifting off over the tip of Scotland.
‘Idiot! As if.’ Jez punches me in the arm.
‘Oh.’ I sulk as the image collapses.
Jez shakes her head, still that barely suppressed grin. I am so totally happy to see her, but something’s bugging me.
‘You were lucky Jez was there, that there was an air ambulance at all,’ Mum pipes up.
‘OK, thanks for that, Mum! The thing is… what the thing is…?’
‘You mustn’t get upset.’ Mum’s pleady voice is such a wind-up.
‘Maybe I’m upset that I woke alone in a hospital bed with literally not a clue how I got here?’ I glare at her and Jez in turn.
‘Gethin, I’m sure Jez–’ Mum starts.
‘Shut up, Mum!’
‘It’s OK, Pat,’ Jez says.
‘On first name terms already, is it?’ I snort at their sisterly bonding.
‘Just listen a minute, right?’ Jez gives me her best eyeballing.
I pull back, not exactly sure what I’m arguing about.
‘I was with you in the ambulance. You were out cold, but you came round a bit when we got here.’
‘I so don’t remember that.’ I’m still accusing.
‘You were quite sick, so they gave you something for the nausea, then you went into a heavy sleep. I thought you were unconscious again, but they said you were stable, and your mum was on her way, right? Thought I’d go to Durness for the bike. Leave you in peace.’
‘Well, no-one told me any of that,’ I mutter, ashamed now of my outburst.
‘You’ve had concussion,’ Mum says. ‘You’re bound not to remember everything.’
I close my eyes. Something I was going to say to Mum, and I’ve forgotten what that was.
‘I took the tents down, packed up the bike. Decided to go and see Don, like you asked me,’ Jez says, quietly, so it takes a moment to sink in.
I open my eyes and stare at her. She sits rigid, holding her breath.
‘You went to Lochgillan? You talked to him? How long have I actually been here?’
