to read her name badge.
"Thanks Penny, I am really hungry. Please call me John, as I think after this afternoon we should be on first name terms don't you think."
He was all smiles to the nurse and she could not help but lightly laugh in response to the mild flirting. Linda nudged him with her hand and said
"John, can't help yourself can you," laughing at his silly remark. It really wasn't that funny but it helped break the tension that had been building in her, letting her know that he was back to his normal self.
"Ok John it is then, call us if you need anything," she said to him as she left the room.
Doctor Kendall manoeuvred around her in the doorway entering the room and, as John devoured his small meal, she explained.
"I have booked in tests starting tomorrow to see what has been happening in your body. The next two days will be full on, but all going well we could allow visitors to see you late Friday, definitely on Saturday. I want to get the results of all these tests before we talk about when you can go home. We cannot just chuck you out too early as you were unconscious for two days."
After some more discussion of details Philipa left them alone. Linda returned to cuddling John on the bed and filled him in on what has been happening this week while he was out of commission. John was falling asleep and Linda felt the after effects of her emotional roller coaster afternoon. With a last long kiss she remembered the bag of John's gear she had brought in and retrieved it from the cupboard so that he could get some clothes and toiletries to feel more human. John had to admit that although enjoying the attention from Linda he had become worn out and wanted to go to sleep. Linda left him lying there and left the hospital with her shoulder bag on her shoulder (where else). Leaving the hospital building she turned on her mobile phone and it chimed uninterrupted as messages arrived.
By the time she had gotten into her car and opened the window for fresh air the phone was silent and Linda decided to ignore the messages until after she had eaten and just rang her good friends Sophia and Janet. Janet was quietly thankful for John's improvement and let Linda know she was grabbing some take ways and would be at Linda's home as soon as she can. Sophia is as Sophia does, and when told the news of John, Linda was glad the car window was open, but the man and two children walking six cars away stopped to check if the person screaming was in trouble. Linda just let them know it was her friend on the phone and not to worry. The man just smiled and giving her a wave herded his little ones toward the main hospital doors. When Sophia calmed down slightly she demanded that Linda come home immediately and they can all get together and celebrate. Linda told her that Janet was coming over as well with take away food, so Sophia told her she would ring Janet and tell her to grab lots more for dinner.
Linda drove home with a much lighter heart and could not even get grumpy at the rude, inconsiderate, peak-hour drivers with whom she was forced to share the roads.
Arriving home was a repeat of the previous evening except this time the twins, Sally and Kim, were fidgety with happiness. Sophia had a bottle of wine ready and poured the drinks when they got inside. Linda put off any queries stating that it will have to wait for Janet to arrive and she only had to say things once. Until then it was a series of smiles, hugs and tears of joy from the younger and older as they sipped on drinks or when Linda had her much needed relief pit-stop.
About fifteen minutes later Janet arrived with Adriana and again they came bearing food, but this time it was multiple bags. Linda looked at what they were carrying and commented on the amount, and Janet explained that when she let the office know Paula and Bronwyn said they had to come over as well and should be just a few minutes behind her. Barry and Greg had other commitments tonight and could not come over, but sent their best wishes. The twins came to the front door and helped with the bags of food allowing Adriana and Janet to give Linda hugs and cheek smooches along with more happy tears. As this tapered off more cars arrived and two women almost ran to Linda to make her into another sandwich with hugs, cheek smooches, happy tears and giggling filling. Paula and Bronwyn had arrived. When they bought this house Linda had never been able to work out why the real estate agent said that they HAD to have a half bathroom near the front door. Now she finally had an answer, it allowed arrivals and residents to clear up their cheeks of smooch and tear residue in the wash basin.
Once the dishes had been opened and set out in the centre of the table they settled at the dinner table and served food onto their own plates, passing the dish to the next person. Linda explained in more detail what had happened that day, well some of it anyway. She did omit the hand job and cum explosion, but did include a bit about his hardness after some unyielding questioning found holes in her story around some of these issues. She did state that she had been hugging him and talking to him when he awoke, omitting only the minor details of strokes and yelling that had actually occurred. She felt a little self conscious about these things even though the hospital staff had witnessed the event. Somehow telling everyone here, especially the younger ladies, about these things was embarrassing. They did eventually stop with the questions but Janet and Sophia gave her funny looks like they suspected Linda was leaving something out, just not exactly what. They even let it slide that Linda had the brightest blush they had ever seen on her.
Dinner continued with some light hearted talking when a comment was made about how thoughtful and considerate John could be. Janet got a thoughtful look on her face as she considered this statement and she began telling her story quietly, almost to herself but loud enough for the others to hear. They all listened with their full attention.
"I know that I have a lot to be thankful for that John came along when he did. I needed a job after my split with Ian, my shitty overbearing ex husband, and it was almost impossible because employers were hesitant taking on a single woman with a young child. It didn't help that I wasn't drop dead gorgeous eye candy either. So many of the interviewers would take one look at me and you could see from their expressions that proceeding with the interview was pointless. Many men, and even some women can be such pigs that you have to be beautiful just to get a job regardless of your abilities. I was very overweight then, having not lost the baby weight and overeating due to depression because of my crappy marriage. John was so different, he was totally into my experience and abilities. He never made me feel inadequate. He gave me the job, and I guess more importantly after that Linda and John became my friends. With this support I have lost my excess weight and my self confidence has returned. I owe John so much, I only hope that I can in some way repay him, and you Linda."
Linda was feeling a bit emotional at this and she was just able to reach her hand out to hold Janet's hand. Adriana looked misty eyed as well and put her hand over Linda and Janet's grasping them both.
"Now I just have to find a man who measures up to a very high standard, after all I am not going to waste this slim trim booby body on another no hoper when I now know that fantastic guys really do exist out there," Janet then added with a grin and the others giggled.
Adriana took up the storyline from her mother.
"Yes mum, John has been great. I don't remember much about my father but you were never very happy when I was little. I do recall that first time we came here for a party and it was my first time in a swimming pool, and we got to have all sorts of party food. If I remember correctly you had to buy us both bathing suits for the first time. I was scared to get into the pool because I had never been swimming before, but this man was nice and he quietly calmed me and holding he helped me get wet as he held me safe in the water. He had such a big smile and was so big and strong that I seemed to instantly trust him. Oh, this man was John by the way," she quipped to everyone, "and mum, you were nearby and he pushed me through the water into your arms."
"I remember that as well, it was the first time you had laughed since long before the divorce," said Janet.
"Then on the way home that day, mum, you got all serious and swore that, after looking at all those beautiful sexy women in their bikinis all day, you would lose your 'fat arse' and get your own bikini. This made such an impression as it was the first time I heard you say a 'naughty' word and we laughed. You would have gotten really cross at me if I had said the word 'arse'," they all laughed at this, "That was the first of many occasions that John has helped me since then, from helping with school work to coming to my hockey matches. He even turned up to father daughter events at school just to give me moral support so that I would not feel left out. How do you say thank you to someone who has done so much for me? I have to agree with you mum, he set such a high example that I have yet to meet a guy anywhere near as good."
"I know what you mean Jan and Addie, John has been great. Always there when you need someone," agreed Sophia. The twins both nodded in agreement.
