“Justin, I’m gonna need more bandages,” Kai calls out. “Gauze, cotton, an extra t-shirt! Anything we’ve got!” He shifts his attention to Demetra, whose shoulder wound fills Kai’s first gauze with blood, what has not been soaked up spilling down onto her dark hair, which stands out against the blue (well, now red) rug. “I am going to put pressure on the wound, which will slow the bleeding, but it’ll probably hurt.”
bleeding through the bandages | pressure | blood-matted hair
It had been a rare evening Sheila and Fred had to themselves, making the most of it and heading out for drinks. Fao had been more than happy to babysit Finn, though Finn argued that at sixteen he didn’t need babysitting.
They were both rather drunk when they returned home, the taxi driver all too happy to drop them off.
While Sheila headed upstairs to get changed, Fred nipped outside for a smoke to settle his stomach. He was better than when he first met Sheila, but he’d never say no to a quick break.
Fao was on the phone to Alex when his parents got in, and he could tell Sheila was drunk from the way she laughed as she got in.
“Hang on a sec, ‘Lex.” He said, and stuck his head out of his bedroom. “Good time?” He called, amusedly.
“Oh, shush you.”
“I’m not holding your hair back when you puke your guts up later.”
“I’m not you.”
“Hey! I’m good!” He protested, but let her get on, returning to his girlfriend on the phone.
Sheila rolled her eyes (a bad decision considering how the room already span) and headed in to get changed. Fred wouldn’t be too long, she was sure, so she had to hurry to grab a shower before he decided to hog it all.
Now Fred and Sheila were home, Fao headed downstairs and outside for a smoke before bed, after saying goodnight to Alex. He was unsurprised to find Fred out there already, and grinned at him as he lit his cigarette.
“Enjoyed yourself?”
Fred hummed. “Was nice to have some time out.”
“I bet.”
“She got a bit tipsy.”
“So did you by the looks of it.”
“I’m completely fine.”
“Yeah?”
“Could walk in a straight line, all that bullshit.”
“Mmhmm. Sure, sure.”
“Wanna see?”
“Nah, I believe you. Probably best not to go wandering into the pitch black garden.”
“I’ve only fallen once while gardening.” Fred said confidently.
“Let’s keep it that way, not tempt fate.”
“Sure, sure.” He lit another cigarette. “Keep fate where it is.”
“She will kill you if she catches you chain-smoking.”
“I’ve had two. That’s not a chain.”
“Might as well be.”
“It’s not a chain.”
“Sure.”
Content he’d won his argument, Fred settled back into silence, enjoying his smoke. After a while, he stumped the end out, leaving it on the side.
“I’m getting a tea. Want one?”
“How about I make one, you just sit and chill.”
He hummed. He wasn’t going to pass up on Fao doing the hard work. “Sounds good.”
“Then the sober person is in control of the hot water.”
Fred huffed at him. “Yeah, whatever.”
Fao finished his cigarette and headed inside, filling the kettle and flicking it on. He didn’t exactly trust Fred.
Fred had just sat down to relax when there was an almighty thud from upstairs. He jumped to his feet, swaying as he tried to balance himself.
“Finn? Was that you?”
Fao frowned. “Didn’t sound like Finn… Finn?! Mum?!” After no response, he turned to Fred. “Stay put, I’ll go and see what’s going on.”
Finn met Fao at the top of the stairs, half asleep and very confused. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, it wasn’t you.” Fao said, glancing at Finn. “Heard a thud.”
“Yeah, me too.” Finn frowned, worry creeping in. “Mum?”
“She’s pissed as anything.” Fao told him, pushing the bedroom door open. “Mum? You okay?”
“No.” She admitted dramatically, sat on the ensuite bathroom’s floor, her head in her hands. “No.”
Fao rushed in. “What’s wrong, what’s happened?”
“I slipped.” She said with a sigh, before smirking. “I went splat.”
There was blood on the edge of the sink, and a significant amount on Sheila’s top, too. Sighing, Fao crouched in front of her. “Yeah, looks like you did. Here, let me have a look at you, hmm?”
“Oh I’m fine.” She brushed him off.
“Mum, you’re bleeding. Let me look.”
“I am. I slipped.” She raised her hands, covered in blood, to her face as she tried to wipe the blood dripping down it. “I’m bleeding.”
“Do we need an ambulance?” Finn asked, slightly panicked.
Fao glanced up. “We’ll need to go in regardless. Probably best to call one?”
“No, no. I’m fine.” Sheila insisted trying to stand up.
“Hey, hey. Wait. You’ve probably given yourself a pretty solid concussion. Don’t want you standing up too quickly and falling over again, eh?”
“I’m not Finn.” She said confidently. “I just slipped.”
“At the very least you’re going to need stitches and a scan.”
“Oh no.”
“Might as well go in an ambulance, rather than getting blood in my car, hmm?” Fao said, twisting to look at his brother. “Can you grab the first aid kit?”
Finn disappeared into the main bathroom to grab it. There were a few left around the house, and were always in reach.
“Here.”
“Thanks.” Fao said, taking it from him. “I just want to try and stop this bleeding a bit…”
“Ow!” Even drunk, she felt it as Fao pressed against her head. “Excuse me?”
“Yeah, I know it hurts. But I need to do it, yeah? Stop you bleeding so much.”
“No. It hurts. Please stop.”
“Sorry Mum, it needs doing.” Fao said gently. “Try some deep breaths.”
“No, get off.” She pulled away. “I’m fine.”
“I know, I know.”
“Fao, I’m fine. Get off.” The evening’s earlier merriment had quickly disintegrated.
“Mum, you’re fucking bleeding.”
“Iknow.”
“So let me help you?”
“Do you have to ?”
“Do you want to bleed everywhere?”
“No.”
“In that case, I’ve gotta help you.”
“Is it bad?”
“It’s gonna need stitches.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Who’s the doctor here, eh?”
“Does it really need stitches?” The bandage done, she shuffled away from Fao, trying to get up.
“It does, yeah.”
“Fred can drive me.” She turned to face Fao, and finally stood. “I’m fine.”
“He’s drunk too, Mum.” Fao said gently. “Just wait for the ambulance.”
“You called an ambulance?” She sighed heavily, looking at Fred standing behind Finn. “And you let them?”
“Finn’s very persuasive.” He defended.
“Better they come and give us a hand, eh?”
Sheila made her way past Finn, scowling at the pair. “I didn’t need an ambulance.”
“Mum, sit down for me, yeah?”
“They can’t see me like this!”
“They’ve seen much worse.” Fao said drily. “They see Finn all the time.”
“Hey!”
“I don’t care. I need to get changed. Out.”
“I don’t want to leave you. Let me help you?”
Her expression twisted into disgust. “No.”
“I’m not that bad!”
“I don’t need your help!”
“It’ll be quicker if we help you.”
“No.” She crossed her arms, not unlike Finn. “No.”
“Come on, Mum.”
“Fao, I’ve said no.”
“What do you want to get changed into? What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?”
“It’s covered in blood!”
“They won’t care, we’ll just bring you some fresh stuff for when you get to the hospital.”
Frustrated tears sprung to her eyes. “Just let me change!”
“Alright, alright. Let me get you some stuff out, then.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re not bleeding so much now, hmm? Looks like that dressing I’ve got on has sorted things for the time being.” Fao said, reaching into the drawers for some comfy clothes for Sheila.
“I feel like a pirate.”
Fao couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah?”
She nodded solemnly. “Yeah.”
“It’s not for long.” He placed the clothes next to her. “Are you sure I can’t help you?”
“I’m sure.”
“Can I stay in the room and turn my back. Just in case you need anything?”
“No.” She’d made her mind up, and was stubborn as anything.
Fao glanced at Finn somewhat desperately. He really didn’t want to leave her alone.
“Mum, you do the same for me. Please?”
“No.” She stood her ground. “Just let me change.”
“Come on, mum. Please?”
“Why do you hate me?”
“We don’t hate you.”
“Youdo.” She sighed dramatically.
“We just want to look after you.”
“Let me get changed then!” She sniffed, wiping the tears running down her cheeks.
Fao reached out to wipe her tears away. “Hey, hey. Come on, let’s not have tears.” He said softly. “It’s alright.”
She turned away. She didn’t want his pity.
“Come on, Mumaí.”
It had been forever since he’d called her that. She lowered her gaze with a soft sigh, the fight completely gone. “Okay.”
He pressed a kiss to her hair, where it wasn’t matted with drying blood. “I’ve got you.”
With Sheila no longer actively fighting Fao, things moved a lot smoother. Clothes were changed and she was gently helped downstairs, Finn and Fao on either side.
She was only growing more dizzy, something she wasn’t sure was just the alcohol. Despite Fao telling her off, she kept pressing her fingers to her bandage, but it hurt. Eventually, she listened, leaning heavily into Fao with a quiet sigh. This wasn’t how she’d expected the evening to go.
It was a little wait, but the ambulance arrived within the hour. As Finn disappeared to open the door, Sheila absentmindedly pressed her fingers against the bandages, frowning as she pulled her hand away again. Her fingers were wet with fresh blood, bleeding through the bandage Fao had wrapped around her. She turned worriedly to Fao, her palm stretched out.
“Fao?”
Fao turned to her with a frown, then noticed the blood on her fingers. “Oh, we’re bleeding through? Head wounds like to bleed a lot, hmm? It’s okay, the ambulance is here now. They’ll help us get it sorted.”
“But it’s bleeding again.”
“We’ll put something on top, don’t worry.”
The ambulance crew stepped into the room, somewhat amused by the fact Finn was up and opening the door for them. After a little light teasing, they got another dressing over the stubbornly bleeding wound, and then they headed into hospital.
