Mikey's POV

A nurse comes in at seven to tell us it's the end of visiting hours. She hooks a bag of pink sludge on a pole and attaches it to Gerard's tube before opening the tube.
"Here you are, honey," she says, whipping out a syringe and jabbing him in the arm before he can react.
"Ah!" he says, rubbing his arm.
She shrugs. "Sorry."
He blows a childish raspberry at her to show it's okay really and then stifles a yawn. I squeeze his hand as he curls up on his bed in a foetal position and goes to sleep.
"Visiting hours are over," the nurse tells us, "but you can come again in four days time."

We thank her and leave. It's dark by the time we find our car in the parking lot and I pull out my phone once we've slid in; I scroll through my contacts until I find mum's house phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, mum, it's Mikey. Listen, we've just been to visit Gerard."
"How is he?"
"He's gone downhill," I tell her truthfully, "but they've assigned him a therapist who's a really nice guy."
"Oh, that's good to hear."
"Yeah. Hey, mum, do remember anybody called Tom Green?"
There's a pause and then she says, "yes, I do. He was really supportive after your dad..."
"Was he just like a normal friend or..."
"No, he was just a friend. He only came round once or twice and I kept bumping into him while I was out and about but then I think he moved away a few months later. Why?"
"No reason, just thought I saw him today visiting somebody. If you want to come up on Sunday to visit Gerard we can all go together."
"I'm sorry, I've got a garden party on Sunday but give him my love."
"Will do. Bye, mum." I hang up and stare at Ray.

"I thought I recognised the name. He kept coming round after dad died and hitting on her, obviously she didn't notice what with the circumstances and she was busy dealing with Gee."
"She sent him down to stay with us for a while didn't she?" Ray remembers.
"Yeah, he stayed for a few days so she could get her head together."
"You think he was after her money?"
"Absolutely. And remember when we drove Gerard back down to hers, Tom was sitting on the sofa. He kept glaring at him."
"Because he was a rival for Donna's attention," Ray finishes.
I grasp his wrist. "That's why Green hates Gee so much, it's his motive, Ray. Punishing him for getting in the way of what he thought was a relationship."
"Evil bastard," Ray spits. "How could anybody hate Gee?"
I shake my head and start the car. "We'll have to phone that nurse tomorrow."


I call Bob the next morning and he agrees to come round after his shift finishes at half eight. Ray and I both get in from work at six so we have time to cook dinner (aubergine and halloumi burgers) together before Bob arrives. When the bell goes Ray answers it and lets both Bob and Frank in.
"Welcome," he murmurs as they both step in and kick their shoes off.
"Nice place you've got here," Frank comments as he takes them through to the dining room and I serve supper.
"Um, I'm vegetarian," Frank says guiltily.
"That's okay," I reply, "so is the meal."

We make small talk for a little while until I bring the conversation round to Gerard. We tell them what we've worked out, they tell us what they think.
"It appears we all suspect the same thing, we were just missing each other's insight," Frank comments. "Green is torturing Gerard during their so-called therapy sessions all because your mum didn't notice he was trying to hit on her. Therefore, he assumed that Gerard was the problem and in an effort to make himself feel better he's now punishing Gerard for his failure. Jeez, what a scumbag."

"Bob," I say, turning to the nurse. "You said you installed a CCTV camera."
"I did. It's on a quiet little system slightly separate from the hospital system and it turns on when somebody comes in the door. I also made sure I was in the room every time Green came in."
"Thank you," I say fervently. "We really appreciate everything you're doing."
"That's fine," Bob says, waving a hand. "Now we have to wait to gather some solid evidence of Green's perversion because Gerard's word alone isn't enough for a court of law."
I hiss. "I hate the thought that we have to put him through that just to get some proof."

Frank licks his fingers slowly. "On a more positive note and aside from the matter at hand, I think that Gerard is progressing very well. In our session today he was quite chilled. He even let me brush his hair."
I smile. He loves his hair being played with.
I go to the kitchen and fix up after dinner coffee for everybody and bring it into the lounge. I'm still uncomfortable with the plan because it means letting Green have access to Gerard but it'll be better in the long run. Nevertheless, when I try to go to sleep that night I can't do it without cuddling up to Ray and crying for ten minutes solid. When I finally do manage to sleep, my dreams are marred with shrieks and pins and Gerard's terrified hazel eyes.

Notes