Chapter 18 - Goodbye my Love

Janet had spent the week in 123, kindly allowed to sleep on the sofa, although Ollie had offered half his bed. News of Matt and Holly was scarce, and Janet didn't know what she would do when they were found anyway. She'd been awaiting news for over a week, yet still nothing had been heard.
She was now sat in the living room, accompanied by Anna, Marc, Nadia, Henry and James, who was dressed as a pirate, complete with plastic sword, eyepatch and bandanna. They were silent, transfixed by a Friends repeat. Janet leant it only half her attention, the other half preoccupied by her dilema.
"Hey." Kate greeted everyone as she entered and proceeded to do something unprescedented; she turned off the television.
Eleven eyes turned to look at her accusingly, though their owners were partly in shock at having been awoken from their dream.
"Guys," said Kate, "I've just heard that Amandine and Jim are an item!"
There were squeals from the girls, though Janet's half-hearted.
"No, that's not a good thing," she added, "because she's only using Jim to take over England."
"Oh no, we've got to save him," squeaked Anna.
"Doesn't bother me, I'm a Scotsman!" cried James.
"No you're not," replied Henry.
"Well, I'm an eigth Scots," he responded.
"So you just tell him the truth, then, don't you?" said Marc, getting up and turning television back on.
"Too late, he's already gone to Gretna Green."
"He's what?" Henry was stunned.
"Oh my gosh, we've gotta save him," Anna squeaked for a second time.
"We've got to get there, somehow," said James, stating the obvious, as usual.
"I'll drive," said Anna, jumping up and pulling the keys to her Mini from her dressing gown pocket.
Kate, Anna, James and Henry left in a hurry. Nadia and Marc agreed to stay behind, claiming due to lack of room in the car, but in reality because they'd both experienced Anna's driving before.
Janet had hardly registered what had happened. Nadia glanced at her and, seeing her glazed eyes, decided it was safe to tell Marc how she had gotten her revenge on Holly.
"I told Simon," she said.
"Told Simon what?" asked Marc, exasperated that his viewing was once again being interrupted.
"About Matt?"
"What about Matt?"
"That he wants him to say Byker Grove."
"And does he?"
"No, of course he doesn't, but I wanted the Geordie Mafia to take action as punishment for Holly not coming to my ball because she´s in love with him."
Janet was no longer glazy-eyed. Her gaze was fixed on Nadia, the one who had caused her love to suffer so much.
"Bitch!" she screamed, and she jumped up, grabbed Nadia by the hair and pulled her to the floor.
"No need for that," Marc said calmly, before turning back to the screen.
Janet climbed onto the back of the armchair, lifted the crying Nadia by the hair and used it to wave her around her head. Nadia picked up speed as she flew round and round. Suddenly Janet let go, and she went crashing through the window and fell into the street, leaving a stream of vomit behind her.
Marc laughed. Dr. Kelso had just bitten Dr. Cox on the nose.
The doorbell rang, and Janet, suddenly calm, went down to answer it.
Simon was stood there, Nadia at his feet.
"What happened?" he asked.
"She got me angry, that's what," she said. "Turns out Matt didn't want to hear you say Byker Grove, that was her scheming."
"Saves me killing him," Simon replied. "Actually, I came to see you about Matt. UCCF forced him to attended every prayer meeting this week and listen to them rehearse the notices about mission week. The consultant says he's suffering from severe bordom. He's lucky to be alive."
"Where is he?" asked Janet.
"Dundee Hospital," answered Simon. "I thought you might want to speak to him before I gave him a lethel injection of Newcastle Brown."

***

Anna swerved in and out of the traffic, horn blaring, engine roaring. She darted from one lane to the next, causing one wagon to crash into the central reservation, scaterring its load of Irn Bru over the motorway. Kate closed her eyes as she saw the speedo hit 160.
"Er, Anna, I hate to tell you this, but there are blue lights behind us," shouted Henry from the back.
"It doesn't matter," replied Anna with glee, "we're going to save the world." And she pressed her right foot down harder.

***

Janet stood in the ward, Matt's bed beside her. He was sleeping soundly, and she looked down at him tenderly, the words of the Aerosmith song coming to the front of her mind.
I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing.
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,
While you're far away dreaming.
And she pulled his hair. She pulled it hard until he was screaming, nurses running to his aid but unable to drag Janet away.
He would forgive her, it was what she always did when he did something wrong and he always forgave her. He loved her.
She let go and allowed the nurses to make their observations. They wanted to remove her from the ward, but Simon snarled at them and they agreed that she could stay.
Then Simon left the couple to talk.
Except they were no longer a couple, and Matt told Janet as much. He was with Holly now, and nothing was going to change that.