“What did you say,” his mother shouted. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that.”
“Whatever, just get it,” he demanded again.
“No! Get up and get I yourself.”
“Forget you. I’m going out.”
“Come back here, don’t you dare walk away from me.”
“I’ll do what I want.”
“The way you drive you’re going to kill yourself.”
A big bang sounded as the front door slammed shut. Ben’s mother thought nothing of the row because they were regular occurrences. Despite the fact that Ben and his mother were very arrogant and stubborn and despite the fact that they were always having arguments they still loved each other a lot. They rarely showed this to each other, but it was quite obvious because they only had each other.
Ben’s mother got on with her household chores as usual and never once gave a thought to the argument her and Ben had had earlier on in the day. Because Ben’s mother is quite a strong-minded person she usually likes to express her feelings clearly. This is why her husband left her. She is also a very particular person and everything has to be in its place.
Later on that day Ben’s mother went out to the bank to collect her child support money. This she badly needs because she only works part time in a pub and it does not really pay well. While she was out she got a phone call,
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hello, this is the police. Is this Catherine Smith?”
“Yes. Wh…what’s the matter?”
“I calling to inform you that your son has been involved in a car accident and has been taken to Northwick Park Hospital.”
“What? Are you sure its Ben?”
“Yes we are quite sure.”
“Well how is he, is he okay?’
“He’s in a stable condition, but I think it would be wise for you to come down.”
“How did it happen?”
“If you come here I’m sure that we’ll be able to give you a lot more information.”
“Right…umm…I’m coming down there right now?” she exclaimed in a panic.
She frantically caught a cab and rushed to the hospital.
“Where’s my son?” she asked the receptionist at the hospital.
“What’s your sons name?”
“Ben.”
“Down the corridor, second on your left.”
“Thank you.”
She turned and ran down the corridor.
“Ben, what have you done to yourself?”
“It’s…nothing?”
“What do you mean it’s nothing? Look at yourself, you’re cut from head to toe.”
“If you’re…ahh…going to have a go at me, then you can just leave.”
“This is the worst ever. I mean you’ve had small accidents but nothing like this. You’re going to do yourself some real damage if you keep on acting like this.”
“Just…leave me alone.”
“You know what, I will leave you alone. I don’t know why I bother with you. I don’t wanna say this, but one of these days you’re going to kill yourself and from that day on I won’t have to worry about you ever again.”
“Shut the door on your way out.”
The ward grew silent as the commotion died down.
