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life?
     
    “I’m so sorry, Mrs Slater. This is all so terrible.”
     
    Silent tears start snaking down my cheeks. I choke back the heaving sobs which are wracking my insides, so desperate am I not to wail aloud so that Amber can hear me. Mrs Slater embraces me, consoling me. Consoling me ? I should be consoling her.
     
    “It’s going to be okay Danni,” she pats my back. “Thank you for coming. I know it will mean the world to Amber.”
     
    “There was no way I wasn’t going to come. How is she? What’s happening?”
     
    Mrs Slater leads me towards the entrance of Amber’s ward, so that we don’t disturb her.  
     
    “We’re waiting for her to be taken into theatre,” she tells me. “They’re going to operate on her any time now. Amber’s surgeon, Mr White, says she’s fit and young and her chances of pulling through are as good as they can possibly be. But he’s been brutally honest about the fact that the vessel in her brain is in a really tricky place and it is major surgery. So with the best will in the world it’s touch and go and oh Danni, I’m so worried, Amber is getting weaker by the second-
     
    Mrs Slater’s calm, outward composure suddenly collapses. She brushes the tears away from her face with the back of her hand, trying really hard for my sake, for Amber’s sake to keep it together. Thank God she does, because I’m about to crack up again myself, but Amber must have opened her eyes and seen me because she musters up enough energy to call my name. Mrs Slater says she’s going to leave the two of us alone as she wants to get a coffee anyway. I walk over to Amber, determined not to cry. I show her the flowers, then put them down and take her hand in mine, leaning over to kiss her. Her voice is so quiet when she starts speaking that I have to tilt my ear towards her mouth in order to hear.
     
    “Danni, it’s so good to see you. Mum said you were in the South of France.”
     
    I’m resolutely determined to keep my tone light.
     
    “I was, but as soon as I heard the news I got on a plane and came straight back. Come on Ambs, you’re my best friend. We’re there for each other, in sickness and in health. And anyway, I figured somebody had to give you a good kick up the backside to make sure that you think positively enough so that I can carry on being there for you, in sickness and in health.”
     
    “I am Danni. It’s just I’ve never felt this tired and weak and my headache is getting worse. It’s this constant pulsating thump all over. I don’t know how much more I can take.”
     
    This isn’t what I want to be hearing and I’ve a lecture prepared. 
     
    “Amber, now listen to me. You can take more because you’re not going to give up. It’s all about positive thought. Your Mum was telling me that your surgeon says you have a very good chance, so you’ve just got to believe that and believe him. Do you hear me?”
     
    She pulls a weak smile. Almost imperceptible, but it’s the most she can muster and it’s worth the effort because I know I’m getting through to her and that’s all that matters.
     
    “Danni, they’ve got to shave my hair off. I’m dreading it.”
     
    I cry inwardly, oh noooooooo, not your stunning, trademark long red hair, but that’s not what I say.
     
    “Well Amber, I think that’s great. Both of us have always wondered what on earth we’d look like bald and now you’re going to find out. Tell you what, I promise that once you’re better I’ll join you in being an egghead, so you can have a good giggle at me too. Surely you wouldn’t want to miss that?”
     
    I tug my brown mane which draws another smile from Amber and pulls at my heartstrings.
     
    “Danni, I’m feeling really tired. There are just a couple of things I want to say to you, just in case.”
     
    My eyes fill. Amber is twenty-six years old, she’s got her whole life in front of her and she wants to tell me stuff ‘just in case.’  A solitary tear plops