A Father Beyond Compare. Alison Roberts

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      ‘Of course I stopped.’ Emma was indignant. This was good.A seriously injured person wouldn’t have the energy to sound that indignant. ‘Do I look like some sort of idiot?’

      ‘No.’ Tom’s response was rapid. And sincere. Even with thoroughly wet hair plastered in dark strands around an overly pale face, Tom could see fine features and bright eyes that advertised intelligence.

      ‘We got bumped,’ Mickey added. ‘I told you that.’

      Tom was clearly the idiot here but he needed to clarify the information. ‘From behind?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Josh?’ Tom’s query was brief. ‘You hearing any of this?’

      ‘Enough,’came the response from within his helmet. ‘Will pass it on to the cops.’

      ‘Who’s Josh?’ Emma asked.

      ‘My partner. He’s up in the helicopter, waiting for me to get you out.’

      ‘Waiting for you to get out more likely,’ came Josh’s voice. ‘Get a move on, Tom.’

      ‘How on earth are you going to get us out?’

      ‘I’ll take Mickey first.’ Tom had to hope he’d won a level of trust by now. ‘You want to go for a ride, Mickey?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘You have to, sweetheart.’ Emma spoke urgently. ‘It’ll be my turn after you.’ Those huge eyes were on Tom now and the silent plea was heartbreaking. Emma was far from stupid. She knew how much danger they were all in and how much harder it was going to be to rescue her. Tom could actually feel her gathering her determination to save her child. She spoke even more firmly. ‘Mickey? Listen to me, darling. You have to do exactly as you’re told.’

      ‘But—’

      ‘No buts. You do what Tom tells you to do or I’m going to have to get cross.’

      ‘Can you stand up, Mickey?’ Tom tried to sound encouraging. ‘Carefully, though, so you don’t hurt Mummy.’

      ‘No-o-o.’ The small face was as frightened as the voice.

      ‘It’s a bit hard for…him to stand up.’ Emma had a distinct wobble in her voice now.

      ‘My legs only work sometimes,’ Mickey said.

      Tom frowned, trying to assimilate the new information. Mickey had said nothing hurt but he did seem very small for his age.

      ‘Disability?’ he queried succinctly.

      ‘Mild spina bifida,’ Emma responded. ‘Just starting to walk…with callipers.’

      ‘Anything else I should know?’

      Emma shook her head. ‘Other than no leg strength, he’s perfect. Aren’t you, darling?’

      This time the smile wasn’t for Tom. It was for a child who was very clearly deeply loved. Emma was pressing a kiss to Mickey’s wet head and Tom could see the way she screwed her eyes shut, forcing back tears.

      ‘No problem, then.’ Lower-limb weakness wouldn’t make any difference as far as rescuing Mickey went. And Tom wouldn’t have to worry about being kicked in the shins by a terrified child. He leaned further into the compartment. ‘Just put your arms up, Mickey. I’m going to pick you up.’

      Emma had to peel two small arms from around her neck. ‘Be a good boy,’ she told Mickey. ‘Love you.’

      ‘I love you, too, Mummy.’

      Mickey was sobbing but he held his arms up to Tom. It wasn’t hard to pick the small child up but easing the burden through the gap was a little trickier. The van rocked and a dreadful scraping noise could be heard as it moved against the logs.

      ‘Mummy!’ Mickey wailed.

      ‘It’s all right,’ Tom said loudly. ‘Just hang on, Mickey.’ He poked his head back through the gap just for a second. ‘I’ll be back very soon,’ he told Emma.

      ‘Just look after Mickey.’ Emma couldn’t hold back a sob. ‘Please.’

      Tom took a step through water that was several inches deeper than when he had gone the other way only minutes before.

      ‘Josh? Send the nappy harness down, mate. Pronto.’

      ‘You know what you’re doing, Tom?’

      Tom grinned. ‘Hope so.’

      It was a hair-raising operation. Tom had to hold a terrified and wriggling child as he opened the side door. Mickey’s legs might be hanging rather limply but he was making up for the physical deficit with a wiry little upper body and two very active arms. Tom found a foothold on a part of one of the bunk beds that allowed him to stand just half out of the van. It wasn’t until he saw that the winch line was within reach that he started the most dangerous part of his plan.

      With Mickey firmly grasped under one arm, he climbed onto the side of the van, grabbed the hook and clipped it on. Mickey was struggling too hard to try and put his legs into the nappy harness and it would have been too big for him anyway, so Tom just held him even more securely.

      ‘Bring us up, Josh.’

      As his feet left the side of the van and they dangled in mid-air, the terror was enough to make Mickey go limp all over, apart from two small arms that were wound so tightly around Tom’s neck that it was hard to breathe. It proved a problem when they reached the open door of the helicopter and Josh leaned out to take the child. Mickey wouldn’t let go.

      ‘I’ve got to go and get Mummy,’ Tom shouted into the small ear. ‘You have to go with Josh.’

      There was no time to try and reassure him. This was a dodgy enough transfer anyway when there was no extra line to protect the child. Tom held his breath as he felt his partner’s hands take hold of Mickey. He had to let go and hope that his precious burden made it safely into the interior of the helicopter. His heart was still pounding as he saw Josh deposit the child into a seat and try to shorten a safety harness enough to be useful.

      ‘Mickey’s got spina bifida, Josh. Any lower-limb paresis is normal.’ He leaned back on the skid. ‘Let’s move. Winch me down again.’

      ‘ETA for the boats and fire crews is only ten minutes, Tom. Wait for back-up.’

      ‘No.’ Looking down between his feet, Tom could see that the van’s position had altered slightly. ‘This won’t take long.’

      How much had Josh and Terry overheard through his communication equipment? Did they know that Emma was trapped? Had they noticed the change in the van’s position on the debris?

      Was he mad to even think of going back? Of course he was. But Tom could see Mickey staring at him and he could only think of the larger version of those terrified dark eyes. Of a brave young mother who was alone and praying for rescue right now.

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