As she runs the comb through her hair in front of the mirror, she thought she would try ‘afro style’ for her new role, one of her latest hairstyles.
Claire hears the front door open.
'Bye love', Claire Hicks’ partner Wayne yells as he leaves the house to a waiting car with his mates, no good luck or best wishes in your new job. That’s the way he is and always been in their relationship, as though there was no love at all.
'Bye Wayne, take care.' Claire replied and watched from her front door as he was driven away.
His company wanted him to extend this stay on the rigs to six weeks as they were short staffed and he said he would. This meant that he would not be home until after Easter.
Today was Claire’s first day as sister-in-charge of the Trauma/ENT ward, so she thought she would go in early. Also matron and the admin. sisters had arranged a tea party for her.
She was just closing the front door when the phone started ringing, she knew who it would be as she picked it up and said 'Hi mum'. Sure enough it was her,
'I’m just phoning love, your dad and I want to wish you all the best in your new job'.
'Thanks mum', I said, 'I’m going in a bit earlier today mum, as matron is preparing a tea party for me'.
‘Won't keep you then love, have a good day.’
'Bye Claire', dad called.
‘Bye all, will call you later.’
Claire lives on the sea front and it usually takes her about 15 minutes to walk briskly to work, as she’s trying to lose weight, and done well getting down to nine stone from thirteen stone. Thinking she’ll walk along the sea wall, she went to cross the road. There was a motorbike coming along so she waited for it to pass. It was a blue bike and everyone in this area knew it belonged to Mick Green, whose father owns a bicycle shop in town. Mick likes the girls around him and the girls like Mick.
There was some commotion coming from the beach, and then the sound of an engine racing.
Suddenly, up the ramp from the beach comes a green sea-coal wagon at some speed. He just shot straight onto the road without slowing down or stopping. As he turned to join the road he didn't notice the motorbike in front of him and hit him straight on sending the driver of the bike over the engine of the wagon and into the gutter.
The wagon driver did not slow down and raced off into town. Claire ran over to the bike rider and noticed straight away that his leg was broken with bone protruding through his trousers. He was drifting in and out of consciousness but he recognised me. 'Hi gorgeous' he said 'got you at last.'
At this time a few neighbours had come out to see what had happened.
’Will one of you call 999 and ask for an ambulance and police?’ Claire shouted.
She stayed with Mick at the road side; he'd drifted off again but was breathing and had a steady pulse. One of the neighbours had brought out a blanket and he looked quite comfortable. The police and ambulance arrived within a few minutes of each other. A crowd had gathered now but were well controlled which helped the paramedics to work unhindered.
She travelled with Mick the 5 minutes to St. Hillier’s Hospital along the sea-front in the ambulance, once the Para-medics had made him stable. All this took about 30 minutes, and she asked them to make a call and leave a message stating she’s on her way in the ambulance.
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Mick Green was over the moon today, he’d not long turned 20 years old and had just passed his bike test last week and today he starts his new job for his father in the bike shop he owns. He's looking forward to servicing and testing motorbikes, the love of his life.
His father left home early this morning to open shop and be there to receive an order of new motorbikes being delivered. This will be his son Mick’s first job, preparing them for the road.
Mick removes the 'L' plate from his bike, a blue Yamaha, which he adores. He's not a fast rider, not like some of his friends. Today he will leave out a little earlier than normal.
'Bye mum. See you later' he says, knowing she will be in the shop around ten o' clock. She usually stays about 3 hours getting the accounts in order. Putting on his crash helmet and gloves, he pushes his bike out of the driveway onto the road and kick-starts it.
Today he thinks he will ride along the sea front, show off his bike without 'L' plate and also see the girls going off to work in the hospital.
He's riding along and sees Claire Hicks walking towards him, heading for her new job in the hospital. Her mam and dad have known his parents for a lot of years and sit together in the Cons club. He's fancied her since they were at school, even though there is 3 years between them.
His thoughts are on Claire and he fails to hear the race of an engine and the wagon shoot out from the beach. The next thing he remembers is Claire leaning over him and the strange pain travelling up his leg. He remembers saying ‘Hi Gorgeous, got you at last’, a siren going and then no more...
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