buddy shows them around, sits next to them in lessons and generally helps them settle in. They often remain good friends.’
‘That sounds terrific,’ I said. ‘I’m sure it will help. Thank you so much.’
‘You’re welcome. Let’s hope it has the desired effect. Dawn can’t afford to miss any more school.’
‘She won’t.’ I said confidently. ‘I’m sure of it.’
When Dawn came home from school that Friday afternoon, the first thing she told me was that she was going to be a ‘buddy’ for a new girl starting on Monday. I understood from what she said that it was quite a privilege to be asked, and buddy status was much coveted by the other students.
Friday evening passed with John, Dawn and me relaxing at the end of the school/working week, together with the maths homework Dawn produced, which John helped her with. The three of us then watched a television movie, and Dawn went up to bed when it had finished at 10.30 p.m.
With Adrian now on solids, and it being the weekend, I was hoping for a lie-in. But at 2.00 a.m. I was suddenly awake. In the small light coming from the street lamp, I saw Dawn in her pyjamas, enter our bedroom and cross to Adrian’s cot. As before, she moved mechanically, with her eyes wide and staring. I was just waking John, when Dawn leant forward over the cot, about to pick up Adrian.
‘No, Dawn!’ I cried, and leapt out of bed.
Chapter Eight
Womanhood
S he must have heard my voice, because she froze.
John was beside me at the cot; Adrian’s eyes flickered open and closed again. Dawn remained where she was, leaning over Adrian’s cot. Very slowly she began to straighten, and turning, she ‘looked’ at me. But as before when she had been sleepwalking, her eyes were glazed, and I was sure, sightless. She didn’t blink, and seemed to be staring through me rather than looking at me.
‘Dawn,’ I said. ‘Go back to your bed.’ I felt my heart pounding with the shock of waking suddenly to find her in our room.
‘Dawn go to your own bed,’ John repeated, more firmly. He put his hands on her shoulder to turn her in the right direction. But as his hands made contact she suddenly took a step back, as though she had felt his touch and recoiled. John and I started as she spoke.
‘No,’ she said in a slow, heavy voice. ‘No, it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do that.’ She stopped, and still staring straight through me, raised her arms and began making a ‘chopping’ motion with the edge of her right hand on her left wrist.
We watched, transfixed in the half light, as Dawn continued to ‘chop’ her wrist; then, as though satisfied, she lowered her arms to her sides. She slowly turned to face the door and began to cross the room. John and I followed; Adrian had returned to sleep. We went out of our bedroom and along the landing. When Dawn reached the top of the stairs she paused, as she had done before, and then continued into her bedroom. We waited at her bedroom door, watching the dim outline of her shadow as she approached the bed. Slowly lifting back the duvet, she climbed in. She sat upright for a moment, staring straight ahead, then lay down and pulled the duvet up around her.
We came out, quietly closed the door and returned to our bedroom. I checked on Adrian, who was still sleeping, and then got into bed beside John.
‘We’re going to have to say something to her,’ John said, flopping back on the pillows, exhausted. ‘This isn’t normal. Perhaps if we tell her it will help.’
‘Do you think she is worrying about school?’ I suggested. ‘When she said “No, it wasn’t me,” it sounded as though she was being blamed for something. Do you think she’s in trouble at school?’
‘I’ve no idea.’ John sighed. ‘But why would she come to Adrian’s cot if it was to do with school? If it happens again, I’ll put a lock on our bedroom door. At least then we’ll know Adrian’s safe.’
‘I’m sure she wouldn’t harm Adrian,’ I said
‘That sounds terrific,’ I said. ‘I’m sure it will help. Thank you so much.’
‘You’re welcome. Let’s hope it has the desired effect. Dawn can’t afford to miss any more school.’
‘She won’t.’ I said confidently. ‘I’m sure of it.’
When Dawn came home from school that Friday afternoon, the first thing she told me was that she was going to be a ‘buddy’ for a new girl starting on Monday. I understood from what she said that it was quite a privilege to be asked, and buddy status was much coveted by the other students.
Friday evening passed with John, Dawn and me relaxing at the end of the school/working week, together with the maths homework Dawn produced, which John helped her with. The three of us then watched a television movie, and Dawn went up to bed when it had finished at 10.30 p.m.
With Adrian now on solids, and it being the weekend, I was hoping for a lie-in. But at 2.00 a.m. I was suddenly awake. In the small light coming from the street lamp, I saw Dawn in her pyjamas, enter our bedroom and cross to Adrian’s cot. As before, she moved mechanically, with her eyes wide and staring. I was just waking John, when Dawn leant forward over the cot, about to pick up Adrian.
‘No, Dawn!’ I cried, and leapt out of bed.
Chapter Eight
Womanhood
S he must have heard my voice, because she froze.
John was beside me at the cot; Adrian’s eyes flickered open and closed again. Dawn remained where she was, leaning over Adrian’s cot. Very slowly she began to straighten, and turning, she ‘looked’ at me. But as before when she had been sleepwalking, her eyes were glazed, and I was sure, sightless. She didn’t blink, and seemed to be staring through me rather than looking at me.
‘Dawn,’ I said. ‘Go back to your bed.’ I felt my heart pounding with the shock of waking suddenly to find her in our room.
‘Dawn go to your own bed,’ John repeated, more firmly. He put his hands on her shoulder to turn her in the right direction. But as his hands made contact she suddenly took a step back, as though she had felt his touch and recoiled. John and I started as she spoke.
‘No,’ she said in a slow, heavy voice. ‘No, it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do that.’ She stopped, and still staring straight through me, raised her arms and began making a ‘chopping’ motion with the edge of her right hand on her left wrist.
We watched, transfixed in the half light, as Dawn continued to ‘chop’ her wrist; then, as though satisfied, she lowered her arms to her sides. She slowly turned to face the door and began to cross the room. John and I followed; Adrian had returned to sleep. We went out of our bedroom and along the landing. When Dawn reached the top of the stairs she paused, as she had done before, and then continued into her bedroom. We waited at her bedroom door, watching the dim outline of her shadow as she approached the bed. Slowly lifting back the duvet, she climbed in. She sat upright for a moment, staring straight ahead, then lay down and pulled the duvet up around her.
We came out, quietly closed the door and returned to our bedroom. I checked on Adrian, who was still sleeping, and then got into bed beside John.
‘We’re going to have to say something to her,’ John said, flopping back on the pillows, exhausted. ‘This isn’t normal. Perhaps if we tell her it will help.’
‘Do you think she is worrying about school?’ I suggested. ‘When she said “No, it wasn’t me,” it sounded as though she was being blamed for something. Do you think she’s in trouble at school?’
‘I’ve no idea.’ John sighed. ‘But why would she come to Adrian’s cot if it was to do with school? If it happens again, I’ll put a lock on our bedroom door. At least then we’ll know Adrian’s safe.’
‘I’m sure she wouldn’t harm Adrian,’ I said
Similar Books
