Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:27:18 +0000
From: Stuart James <guy_in_boots@hotmail.com>
Subject: David in Oz

This is the eleventh story about David and follows on directly from the
last part.

If you enjoy this story - or any others - remember that you can only read
them if Nifty remains online. For that they need our cash. If we all give
just a little, the site won't disappear and take our stories with them.

I always welcome comments.


David in Oz


David was up early the next day. He had breakfast in the kitchen with Mrs
McTavish, who was always an early riser. He told her about his conversation
with Scott the night before and the fact that he wanted to bring his new
friend Alan to dinner on Friday, and that he would in all probability want
him to stay the night.

"I am not sure I am happy about that," Mrs McTavish said.

David deployed the old argument. "Surely it is better that Scott does such
things openly and with our blessing. Otherwise we risk driving him
away. And if anyone ever needed someone to be special for him, it is
Scott." But David, and indeed Peter, had always allowed Mrs McTavish to
have the final say about matters concerning the house. "But if you are
against it, I will tell Scott that he can't stay."

"Since I came here nearly 15 years ago, you have always known how to use
reasonableness and common sense to get your own way. But I reserve the
right to say no on Friday if I am still unhappy."

David had finished his breakfast and got up and gave Mrs McTavish a kiss on
the cheek. " It was you that taught me to be reasonable, and common sense
is definitely something I learnt from you. So blame yourself. Will you
drive Scott to school or should I book a taxi?"

"Get out of here," she replied with a big smile on her face.

David went straight to the office and settled down with the pile of papers
he had been given the day before. He put a note on Mary's desk to get
Mark's office to let him know when David could see him. He worked on the
papers for two hours before Mary put her head round the door and told him
that Mark was free.  David picked up the two files he wanted to discuss and
went to Mark's office.

It was only a few days since he had first seen Mark after his return to the
UK. But the two had developed an ease between them that boded well for the
future. But David wished he did not still find the American so dammed
attractive.

They had just started to discuss the client that David had questions about
when the door to the office opened and Marks' sister Jessie walked in. She
saw David and went straight up to him and slapped him round the face. "You
rat," she said. "I so much wanted you for a brother in law. Ben's alright
but he is not as much fun as you."

David rubbed his face, more to fend off another blow than through any real
pain. "It's nice to see you as well. Come and give me a kiss." Jessie and
David embraced. "How about just being my special friend rather than a
relation? And special friends should have lunch together. 12.30 in my
office?"

"Yes, you rat. I will come back and see Mark when you are finished." She
smiled at them both and left the office.

David decided that they would actually eat in the office and sent out for a
lunch hamper from a local restaurant. Jessie arrived a polite 5 minutes
late. They sat at the conference table in Sylvia's room. David let Jessie
unpack the hamper. She voiced her approval as she got out a plate of
various sandwiches, slices of pies and quiches, and small bowls of
salad. She looked in the empty hamper "What no champagne? You are not only
a rat but a cheap rat."

"I can get you a bottle if you want. But I have to go to the hospital this
afternoon to see Sylvia. I wouldn't want to breath alcohol on her."

"I was only teasing. This fruit juice will do very well. Mark tells me that
you go to the hospital every day. What do you do?"

"I talk to her. The nurses said that it can be good for unconscious
patients. I am telling her about my time abroad at the moment. I hope she
can't actually hear the words as I am not leaving anything out."

"I should get her room bugged," Jessie said as she bit into a
sandwich. "Why did you and Mark break up? You seemed so happy and very well
suited. Tell me to mind my own business if you like. Mark did."

"It is one of the reasons that I am talking to Sylvia. I hope that by
trying to explain everything to someone else that I might understand myself
a little better. I did love him. Indeed I still love him. And I know he
loved me. But he wanted - in that dreadful phrase - to settle down. I think
I saw that as a kind of prison. I know it is awfully easy to rationalise
after the event, but I think I felt that that meant that I would then be
stuck as I was for the rest of my life. I couldn't grow or change. I am not
sure if that frightened me or was just not what I wanted."

"You are using the past tense. Does that mean you don't feel like that
anymore?"

"I am not sure. A lot happened when I was away. I even got treated like a
sex object, and dumped, by someone who I thought was fantastic. It hurt. I
also met an old man in Hamburg who was dying. I became his companion for
his last months. He had had a male partner for most of his adult life who
had died some months before. And the way he talked about him and what they
had done together made it obvious that you can change, and maybe grow even
more with another person than you can on your own. Being able to have sex
with lots of different people is fun at the time, but perhaps rather
lonely. I don't know. Maybe I am just babbling."

"I think I understand what you mean. Is there any hope for you and Mark?"

"I don't think so. I really hurt him. I know that. And when you have broken
something, even if you can stick it back together again, there is still an
underlying weakness there that can never be completely repaired. In any
case he seems happy with Ben. I would not want to interfere with that."

"So you don't say never?"

"Please don't meddle Jessie," David said taking hold of her hand." He
deserves to be happy. Let him find it."

"But what about you?"

"What about me! I have a lot on my plate at the moment. I have got to get
up to speed and do this job as well as I can. Then there is Sylvia. I just
know she will come back to me and when she does I am determined that I will
help nurse her back to health. Then there is Scott."

"Who is Scott? A new lover?" Jessie said, obviously enjoying the possible
intrigue.

"In some ways he is another me, I suppose. I met him on the plane home. He
is a sort of orphan. His parents are still alive but are not interested in
him. So I have kind of adopted him even though he is over 16. And you know
I enjoy having him around and worrying about him. I guess that until now
the only person I have really worried about is me. I am discovering that it
is much more satisfying to think about others first."

"I think you are being rather hard on yourself. You have always been a very
loving and giving person. If you had one fault, it was that you never
stopped to consider what effect something you said or did would have on
someone else. You knew your motives were pure and just assumed that other
people would know that too and be happy about it. I liked the old David. I
like the new one better. Now shall we attack the desserts?"

David did not arrive at the hospital until nearly 4.00pm. He wanted to be
able to tell Sylvia that he had done a full days' work before leaving the
office. A nurse came in as he sat holding her hand. "I don't want to raise
your hopes, but I have noticed rather more eye movement in the last day or
so. That may be a good sign. I think you are doing a good job here." David
refused her offer of a cup of tea and the nurse left.

"After Willy died I guess that I should have come back home. Looking back
it was the obvious thing to do. I know Willy wanted me to. But I think I
was scared."

David sat in the library of Willy's house looking at an atlas. Willy's last
will and testament had been read. Apart from a number of personal bequests,
including large sums for the Mullers and Henri, most of his vast fortune
was to go to charity. The house itself was to become a retreat for children
with problems including those that were terminally ill or had nowhere to
live because of family break up. Willy had specified that special priority
should be given to those who had been rejected by their parents because
they were gay. But he wanted his home to house many children with different
problems. Plans were being drawn up under the watchful eyes of the
appointed trustees to alter the house for its new role. The Muller's and
Henri intended to stay on, in the short term at least. They put no pressure
on David to leave, but he knew he should not put off the decision for long.

He leafed through the atlas again without coming to a conclusion. So he
picked up the newspaper and started to read that. An article on the
forthcoming gay Mardi Gras in Sydney caught his eye, and he decided that he
would go to Australia. He was honest enough with himself to realise that
maybe he was using the huge festival as an excuse not to go home. But his
decision was made.  He called the company on the card that Willy had given
him and told them where he wished to go. They told him that they would have
a plane available for him in 3 days time. Frau Muller had told David that
she was happy to serve his meals in the dining room, but he said that he
preferred to eat with the staff in the kitchen. It was at dinner that
evening that he told them all of his decision.

He spent the next couple of days walking around the house and grounds and
saying a mental goodbye to Willy. He asked Frau Muller to arrange for a
taxi to pick him up at 10.00am on the day of his departure to take him to
the airport. At five to ten he took his few possessions, which all fitted
into a small suitcase and his backpack, down to the hall. He shook hands
with Herr Muller and kissed his wife. "Thank you for everything. Say
goodbye to Henri for me," he said and went out of the heavy oak door for
the last time. In front of the stone steps Henri stood, in his full
chauffeurs uniform, holding the back door to the Mercedes open. Henri took
David's bags from him and put them in the boot. David got into the car.

"I really appreciate you doing this, Henri," David said.

"I know now that I was hard on you when you arrived. Please accept my
apologies."

"No apologies are necessary. I am glad we can part on good terms."

David's flight to Sydney was long and rather boring. The hostess on board
did what she could to make him comfortable, and the food she served was
first class. But David was glad when the plane touched down in
Australia. The immigration and customs formalities were thorough but, as a
VIP passenger, thankfully brief. He was soon on his way into town in a
taxi.

While in Hamburg he had tried to book a hotel, but during Mardi Gras most
were full. Eventually he had booked an expensive apartment for a week, in a
modern block that overlooked the harbour. The big parade was not for
another two days. So David decided to do the tourist things. He went round
the Opera House and he found both the inside and the outside quite
stunning. He got a 2 day pass for the ferries so that he could sail around
Sydney and go under the famous bridge and into Darling harbour. He went
around the aquarium and watched for nearly an hour while the sharks and
other large fish swam around him as he stood in the underwater tunnels.

In the tourist office he saw a leaflet about climbing the Sydney Harbour
Bridge and booked a twilight ticket, where the climb started in daylight
and ended in darkness. He arrived in plenty of time at the building where
the climb started. He listened to the briefing and took the mandatory
breathalyser test. Then he, along with everyone else in his group, changed
into the grey bridge climb jumpsuit and securely clipped on the few things,
such as sunglasses, that they were allowed to take with them. Then after a
practice of climbing up and down some steps, which he guessed was to ensure
that people were mobile enough to complete the trip, they were taken to the
start of the climb and attached to the guide wire that doubled up as a
means of stopping you falling from or jumping off the bridge. They had been
told at the briefing that once you started there was no way to back out as
you were attached to a long thick wire that only ended after you had
completed the ascent.

David was second to last in the queue to join the climb. Behind him was a
tall muscular and very blond Aussie who introduced himself as Andy. David
would rather have had him in front of him as he liked what he saw. But they
stopped often enough for him to look over the man, who had a dazzling
smile. David found the climb exhilarating and the views spectacular. When
they reached the apex of the bridge where they had to cross over to the
other side to climb down, they stopped for the guide to take
photographs. Andy put his arm around David's shoulder for one shot, and
David could feel his powerful frame as he put his arm around his
waist. Fortunately the jump suit was fairly baggy so both his attraction to
Andy and any possible embarrassment was not on display.

At the end of the climb they went back to the changing rooms to remove
their jumpsuits and get into their own clothes. David's own tee-shirt,
which he had worn under the jumpsuit, was wet with sweat. He had not done
very much exercise when he was in Hamburg and was a little out of
shape. Andy noticed the wet garment and threw David a tee-shirt that he got
out of his backpack. "Here borrow one of mine. " David caught it and put it
on. It had clearly been worn which further excited David, and he turned
away from Andy as his cock began to misbehave again.

"Do you fancy a beer mate?" Andy asked. "There's a great brew pub I know up
in the Rocks."

"That would be fun," David said, wondering whether this encounter might
lead where he wanted it to. They walked uphill to the 'Lord Nelson' which
David found served great beer and excellent food. They sat at a table
nursing their pints.

"Guess you're part of the Mardi Gras," Andy said.

"Am I that obvious?"

"By the way you kept looking at me, especially when we were changing and I
had no shirt on, I would say you were. By the way I am straight. Hope that
is not too disappointing."

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. Hope I have not offended you."

"Why should I be offended? It is great to be fancied. If some Sheila eyes
me up, I am flattered even if I don't reckon them. Why should it be
different if it is a bloke?"

"Glad you see it like that as with those muscles you could easily break my
nose. What do you do to keep in such good shape?"

"I have to for my job. I'm a fireman."

They both had several more pints, before the bar keeper called time,
although Andy had two more than David. By then they were both fairly
drunk. They left the pub with their arms around each others' shoulders for
support.

"The place I am renting is not far away. Fancy one for the road, Andy?"

"Why not the nights young. And I could do with a piss."

They got back to David's apartment and Andy flopped onto a sofa. "This is
some place you have here. You rich or something?"

"It was all I could get at short notice. Thought you wanted a piss?" David
had to help Andy stand up and walk to the bathroom. Andy had undone the
belt on his jeans and the top button and flies while they staggered through
the apartment, so it only took him a moment to drop his jeans and
underpants and flop onto the toilet.

"Guess I had better sit for this one." David was afraid that Andy might
fall asleep on the toilet so decided to stay. He told himself that it had
nothing to do with the glimpse of Andy's cock and balls that he had
got. Andy was getting drunker by the minute and when he had finished
pissing David thought he was in no state to drink anymore or to go home. So
he helped him up and took him to the bedroom. Andy gave no resistance as
David removed all his clothes, except his underpants, and put him into
bed. Dealing with Andy meant that David was sobering up. He wondered if he
should sleep on one of the sofa's. But having tried it, he decided that the
soft comfortable bed was big enough for two. He climbed into bed alongside
the snoring Andy. The movement disturbed the sleeping Aussie who rolled
over and put his arm around David and cuddled up to him. David could
clearly feel his cock and balls against his leg. David tried to shake him,
but Andy was well out of it.

"Hope you are feeling tolerant when you wake up," David said out loud. He
soon went to sleep.

David was awoken by a hand holding his cock. He forced himself to keep his
eyes shut and pretend he was asleep. But the hand started playing with the
ring through his cock head. So he opened his eyes and looked into the eyes
of the fireman. "Did we, you know, last night?"

"No. You were well gone and I put you to bed. I was going to sleep on the
sofa, but it was too uncomfortable. When I got into bed, you put your arm
around me and I could not shift you. You ought to feel rotten after all
that booze."

"Practise I guess. I just feel randy after a skinful." Andy rolled over so
that he was lying on top of David, who could feel his solid cock. He had
removed his underpants at some point."Never done a bloke before." He did
not wait for an answer, but pushed his lips onto David's with the aim of
cutting off any response rather than from passion. David automatically
moved his tongue forward and after a moment's hesitation, Andy responded
and their tongues duelled between their mouths. David felt Andy's muscular
body with his hands and broke their kisses to use his mouth as well. He
managed to turn Andy onto his back and straddled the big Aussie. His
nipples looked too inviting not to suck and he chewed them with
vigour. Andy groaned "Oh that is so good".

David moved his arse towards Andy's cockhead and trapped the tip in his
hole. Andy pushed David off him and onto his back and knelt between his
legs. His hitched David's knees over his shoulders and moved his cock to a
place where it had not been before. "Push harder," David said. "You need a
bit more force when fucking a man." Andy increased the pressure and his
cock moved up David's channel. As his balls slapped against David's arse he
screwed up his face.

"Oh that feels so tight." Then he began to pump into David with long
thrusts. He leant over David and held his wrists down on the bed with his
big hands.  He seemed surprised when spunk from David's cock spurted into
the air and landed on both their chests. He increased his pace and groaned
as he came in David. After the last spurt he slumped on top of him.

It was about 30 seconds before he hitched himself up onto David and looked
at the first man he had fucked. "Wow that felt great. I can see why you
guys do it together." He pulled his cock out of David and got out of
bed. David rolled onto his side and looked at the bronzed guy.

"But would you do it again?" David asked. Andy shook his head.

"I'm glad I did it. In fact I just had to shoot. But I think I will stick
to Sheila's. I hope we can remain mates even without the sex."

"So do I. And at least I don't have to think what it might be like when I
look at you. I know."

Andy was due to take part in the main parade as the Fire Service always
drove a fire engine among the imaginatively decorated floats. Only
volunteers manned the appliance. But as Andy said, there were enough vain
men in the force like him who enjoyed being admired. He told David where
was the best place to stand to watch the parade. He also suggested that if
he came to the end after the parade they could perhaps have a beer
together.

David enjoyed the sheer flamboyance and exuberance of those on the floats
and those walking. He quickly realised that this was just a pageant for
everyone to enjoy. If it celebrated a gay lifestyle that was second place
to celebrating life itself. David gave a special cheer for the fire engine,
and he certainly was not alone in that.

David got to the end of the parade at about 5.00pm. He walked over to the
parked machine where the firemen were holding court to many admirers. Andy
spotted him and gave him a hug when he was close enough. That caused some
jealous murmurs among the onlookers, much to David's amusement. "David's a
special mate of mine," Andy told no one in particular. "Become a special
mate and you can have one too."

Andy introduced David to his colleagues all of whom he found extremely
attractive. The last person he shook hands with was the watch commander,
called Rich. David's cock certainly made a stir for him. He particularly
noticed the un-shaved look he sported which, because of his dark hair,
emphasised his square chin and large Adam's apple. David was surprised that
someone, who was probably only in his mid 30's had such a senior position,
particularly from his first question "Are you one of these poofters,
David?"

"I'd heard not everyone here goes in for political correctness in Oz. But
yes, I am a raving poofter." Rich laughed loudly and David could smell beer
on his breath. Maybe that was the cause of his indiscrete comment.

"Sorry, I did not mean to be offensive. I have only been with this station
for a few months. Previously I was based in Perth. This is my first Mardi
Gras. Guess I have some things still to learn. But I got a briefing from HQ
about what I could say and what I couldn't and it pissed me off a bit. I've
got nothing against gays. Some.........."

"Please don't say some of your best friends are gay, as I bet they are
not. You strike me as macho for the sake of being macho. How many of your
men are gay?"

"Fair point."

"But would you take on someone you knew was gay?" At that point Andy
returned.

"Well I'd give you a job," Rich said. "Do you fancy being a fireman?" David
realised he had snared himself and had the good grace to laugh.

"Well you could give him the gofers job that Sandra quit the other
day. That's if you are looking for a job David," Andy said. "Having seen
your apartment perhaps you don't need to earn."

"I am looking for a job, and a place to stay. The apartment is only for a
couple more days."

"If you want the job, it's yours," Rich said. "Didn't you say there was a
room going at your place Andy?" The two firemen looked at each other and to
David it looked as if both were saying 'that's one all'.

David took both the job and the room in the house that Andy shared with 4
others in central Sydney. 'Gofer' was a good description of his job. During
his shift - and each shift had its own gofer - he had to do whatever the
team required of him. When his duties were explained to him, he wondered
whether any of the guys might ask for special services. David certainly
hoped so. But his job consisted of running errands, washing their clothes,
keeping their waiting area clean and, as far as a group of men made
possible, tidy, and preparing any food and drink they wanted. When he first
started he had mainly to prepare snacks as the main meals were brought in
from a local restaurant. But as he showed his prowess in the kitchen -
courtesy of Mrs McTavish - he had to prepare more and more meals.

There was a good deal of banter about him being gay which David did not
mind, and when he could, he gave as good as he got. On one early occasion a
fireman threw his jockstrap at David, who was loading the washing machine,
and said "get your nose in that." David ostentatiously sniffed it.

"Bit feminine for me. Has your girlfriend been wearing your stuff?" The
near naked fireman ran over and wrestled David to the floor.

Later on Andy asked him if was offended by it.

"Are you joking? As he had nothing on, I got a great look and feel of his
crown jewels."

Rich was a different matter. When David saw him alone, such as when he
would take a drink to his office, Rich would frequently call him 'poofter'
or something similar. He was a bit more careful in his use of language when
others were present. But he did not seem to want to engage with David as
the others did. David wondered if he had done something to offend him, or
whether he just did not like gays.

Nearly a month after he started the job his shift was called to a fire at a
workshop in the city centre. By now David knew his team and that they would
probably be ravenous when they returned from dealing with what was a major
incident. He therefore prepared a large pan of beef and vegetable stew that
they could eat with the hot bread that he would bake when they
returned. They came back in very low spirits. A ceiling had collapsed and
Rich had been trapped under it for some minutes. He had been taken to
hospital. The team cleaned up and sat and ate, but with little
enthusiasm. It was not until the next day that they found out what his
injuries were. Andy had 'phoned the hospital and came back with the news.

"The chief is going to be alright," Andy said and a cheer went up. "His
mask was knocked off and he has inhaled some smoke. He has cracked a couple
of ribs and has a few nasty cuts, but they think with some bed rest he
should be back with us in a couple of weeks."

Andy went to visit him in the hospital. When he came back he told the crew
that they wanted him to go and stay with his sister as he needed some
support, but that Rich did not want to go. "Tell him I can look after him
if he wants me to," David said.

When David let himself into Rich's house the next day a voice called out
"Is that you poofter?" David went up to the bedroom where Rich was sitting
up in bed. Apart from the strapping around his middle and a few stitches on
his forehead and chest, he seemed otherwise OK. "I really do appreciate you
doing this, David. My sister would just fuss around me."

"Hello Rich," David said. "Anything you need?"

"A big macho beer would be nice poofter."

"Maybe tonight. I will get you some orange juice."

David got him some juice and then set about making him some lunch. He took
him up the sandwich he had made. "Do you want me to wash or shave you?"

"You just want to get your hands on my body don't you?" His smile showed
that he was only ribbing David.

"Why do you think I volunteered for this job? It's my duty to keep that
gorgeous body of yours clean and in good shape. Now let's have a look at
those bandages." He took hold of the sheet that was all that was covering
Rich from just above the waist to the bottom of the bed. Rich grabbed the
sheet to try to stop him. But David was able to pull it out of his hands
and due to the force of the tussle, it came off the bed completely
revealing the naked Rich. David automatically looked at his cock and
balls. "Fuck, that is beautiful," he said. Rich's crotch was tattooed in
reds, yellows oranges and browns so that it looked like it was on fire with
flames lapping half way down his erect cock and also on his balls. David
looked from Rich's embarrassed face to his groin and back again. David took
hold of the throbbing cock. "Are you gay Rich?" The big fireman looked him
in the eye and then, seemingly reluctantly, nodded.

"Will you tell the others?" he asked.

"Of course not. Although if you told them, I don't think they would
care. They respect and admire you. As do I. Guess that explains why you
kept calling me names. But if you are that much in the closet, how do you
get your rocks off? You don't look like the celibate type to me." David
said this while all the time gently playing with Rich's beautifully
decorated cock.

"I don't. Well only when I go away somewhere. Look can we even things up
here? Either cover me up again or take your clothes off." David was naked
within 20 seconds. He climbed onto the bed alongside Rich and began to
fondle his cock again. "Can I kiss you?" Rich said. David moved his head
towards the Aussie but Rich put his hand behind David's and pulled their
mouths together. David could feel his dark stubble rasping against his face
as Rich invaded his mouth for a long rough kiss. David broke away.

"Are you always this rough?" David asked.

"Sorry, I did not..............."

"The answer I want is 'yes'," David said as he brought their mouths
together again. "Will you fuck me Rich?"

"I am not sure I can with these ribs. Unless...."

"David understood what Rich was suggesting and straddled Rich's bandaged
body. He guided his inked cock to his hole and then used his weight to help
Rich enter him.  He carefully moved up and down on his cock trying not to
aggravate his injuries. But the look on Rich's face made it clear that he
was enjoying the fuck even with the pain. He put his hands on David's waist
and encouraged him to increase his speed. David thought that Rich was
getting close and took his own cock in his hand and massaged that. Rich
must have been a long time without shooting as his explosion inside David
consisted of about 10 throbbing pulses as he screwed his face up and
screamed through his clenched teeth. David came onto Rich's hairy chest.

David visited Rich twice a day and twice a day they had sex in one form or
another. It was on day 5 that Rich felt able to fully take the lead and
have David underneath him on the bed. David had said that Rich was macho
for the sake of being macho, and Rich did not disappoint him. He used
David's body with his hands and his mouth and eventually with his cock,
taking what he wanted and getting progressively rougher with David's body
when he did not resist or complain. When they were both spent David looked
at Rich. "Thank you that was great. Why have you been depriving mankind of
your body and talents? Guess you could have almost any guy you wanted. And
there are plenty to choose from here in Sydney."

David was preparing a meal at the fire station when Rich walked in. The
team saw him and cheered. "There is something I have got to tell you guys,"
Rich said. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him. "The
truth is I am gay."

"I thought you were going to tell us something we didn't know already
chief," Andy said. Rich looked at David who shook his head. "We guessed you
were when you never showed any interest in women. But as you never
mentioned it, we thought we wouldn't." Andy then looked at David. "Has our
gofer been servicing you?" The question released the tension in Rich who
laughed and nodded.

"Yes twice a day," Rich said.

"Good for you. Exercise is good for a patient's recovery. I fucked our
gofer once when I got drunk. He has a great arse." The others looked at
Andy, who just shrugged. "Any port in a storm when you get as randy as I
was." He looked at David and winked.

"After Rich got back to work, Sylvia, we stopped going to bed together. I
think he might have met someone else, although he was a private person and
kept such things to himself. I was only in Australia for another few weeks
before....well you know, and I had to come home." David had been looking
out of the window remembering his time as a gofer. When he looked back at
Sylvia her grey-blue eyes were open and looking at him. She did not say
anything. David was not sure what to do but after a few moments of panic,
he collected his wits. "Can you hear me Sylvia?" She looked as if she were
trying to speak and then slowly closed and open her eyelids. "You are in
good hands. You will be alright." He pressed the emergency buzzer and a
nurse soon entered the room.

The nurse took hold of her hand. "Do you know where you are?" she
asked. Again Sylvia slowly blinked her eyelids. I will get the doctor. She
went out of the room and David went back to her side and took her hand.

"Welcome back. I have missed you." David continued to talk quietly to her,
telling her what had happened to her and how long she had been
unconscious. The doctor arrived and David was asked to go outside. About 20
minutes later, the doctor came to him.

"Are you her son?"

"You could say that. She was one of my guardians when I was a minor. We are
as close family as either of us has."

"It is good that she has woken up. But it will be some time before we know
how much damage the stroke did and therefore some time before we can have
any idea as to what the prognosis is. I have given her a mild sedative to
keep her calm and she will probably sleep for a few hours. I suggest you
come back in the morning."

"Can I say goodbye?" The doctor nodded and David went back into the
room. Sylvia's eyes were shut. He kissed her and said "Sweet dreams."

Over the next few weeks Sylvia demonstrated the strength David knew she
possessed. Slowly she began to talk and with the help of physiotherapists,
she regained some movement. At the doctors suggestion, David organised a
stream of visitors to talk to her and help her with her exercises. The
doctor had said that it was important to make progress as early as
possible. David gave most time on the roster to be with her to himself,
which he knew was just him being selfish.