Isobel’s easy lope. ‘Now let’s see if we can cheer you up, Morag. When we go back to the Home we’ll make a cup of tea and have it in your room – it’ll be a bit of company for you.’
Morag looked like my favourite auntie faced with a busload of relatives arriving unannounced and looking for refreshment. ‘No! Please don’t bother. It’s in a right old mess – there wouldn’t be room for you.’ In an agitated way, she squared her box jacket. ‘I’ve loads to do. Look, I’ll be fine.’ Still protesting, she hurried after Rosie.
‘We’ll go to mine then,’ Maisie called after her. ‘Come on, Hazel, Rosie’s about to give us a row. We’re falling behind.’
‘There’s plenty time. Three years in fact,’ said Hazel as we left the hospital. She nodded in the direction of the courts, ‘Anyone for tennis?’ Her laugh was like a drain being cleared.
We dawdled behind, taking in our surroundings. I hadn’t noticed the flowers bordering the side of the hospital. Their heads were turned to catch the last rays of a late sun. The wind still blew but came from a kinder direction. It stirred my hopes. I hadn’t expected the hospital or new faces to feel so familiar so soon. I was sure we were going to be nurses – good nurses, all of us.
‘Come along,’ sang our leader and we lengthened our steps to please her and arrive at the Home together.
‘Well, well now, girls, have you had a nice tea?’ Sister Cameron bobbed out of her office. Her eyes missed nothing. A pandrop crunched.
‘Thank you, it was lovely,’ Isobel lied, not missing a beat.
‘Isn’t that grand, and I’m glad to see you’re making friends too. Now you be making sure you all have an early night now, so you’ll be fresh as fresh tomorrow. By Jove, yes.’ Highland valedictions followed us up the stairs.
Taking the steps two at a time, Maisie passed Rosie. ‘Wee leggies!’ she chuckled. ‘And it’s my room, Rosie, Morag’s not ready for a site visit.’
‘Well I’ll be your first visitor,’ said Rosie, sounding annoyed and running to catch up with her.
‘Isn’t this a lovely evening?’ Maisie sang as she threw open her door. For someone who didn’t appear that organised, her room had a military tidiness.
‘I’ve had plenty time to get sorted.’ She made an apologetic wave at the book shelves stacked with precision, the cosmetic bottles lined up on the dressing table like a firing squad. A bible lay on the bedside table. ‘I’ll have you know I keep immaculate drawers too.’
There was a bonding snigger then Jo suggested, ‘Maybe singing lessons could be more fun.’
As Morag sat primly on a hard chair, Hazel hunkered down to look at the mules peeping out from under the bed.
‘I bet Sister Cameron doesn’t know about the animals. What do you feed them on?’
‘Jane likes them too. Hey, folks, I’m sorry there’s not more room, but I’m sure the floor’s clean enough to sit on.’
‘Hmph!’ sniffed Rosie, plumping down and ruffling her celestial feathers. ‘We should have more chairs but the rooms are that pokey there wouldn’t be space.’
‘I don’t know. A crowd around me makes the place feel more alive. Until Jane arrived, I thought I was stuck on this floor on my own, but now I’m beginning to feel it’s quite cosy here.’
‘Well it’s maybe ok for you – you’re much older, but it’s not like my own wee bedroom at home.’ Two fat tears rolled down Rosie’s cheeks. ‘Och I’m sorry but I’ve never been away from home like this and I just can’t help thinking how much my dog, Mam and Dad will be missing me and I know I don’t live so far away as Morag or even Jane, but – o-o-oh.’ Rosie was lost to grief.
We exchanged glances. We hadn’t expected this and for a moment there was an uncomfortable silence. I wondered if it might set off Morag but she was already on her feet and taking charge.
Earning her place as the first caring angel, if not in heaven, at least
Morag looked like my favourite auntie faced with a busload of relatives arriving unannounced and looking for refreshment. ‘No! Please don’t bother. It’s in a right old mess – there wouldn’t be room for you.’ In an agitated way, she squared her box jacket. ‘I’ve loads to do. Look, I’ll be fine.’ Still protesting, she hurried after Rosie.
‘We’ll go to mine then,’ Maisie called after her. ‘Come on, Hazel, Rosie’s about to give us a row. We’re falling behind.’
‘There’s plenty time. Three years in fact,’ said Hazel as we left the hospital. She nodded in the direction of the courts, ‘Anyone for tennis?’ Her laugh was like a drain being cleared.
We dawdled behind, taking in our surroundings. I hadn’t noticed the flowers bordering the side of the hospital. Their heads were turned to catch the last rays of a late sun. The wind still blew but came from a kinder direction. It stirred my hopes. I hadn’t expected the hospital or new faces to feel so familiar so soon. I was sure we were going to be nurses – good nurses, all of us.
‘Come along,’ sang our leader and we lengthened our steps to please her and arrive at the Home together.
‘Well, well now, girls, have you had a nice tea?’ Sister Cameron bobbed out of her office. Her eyes missed nothing. A pandrop crunched.
‘Thank you, it was lovely,’ Isobel lied, not missing a beat.
‘Isn’t that grand, and I’m glad to see you’re making friends too. Now you be making sure you all have an early night now, so you’ll be fresh as fresh tomorrow. By Jove, yes.’ Highland valedictions followed us up the stairs.
Taking the steps two at a time, Maisie passed Rosie. ‘Wee leggies!’ she chuckled. ‘And it’s my room, Rosie, Morag’s not ready for a site visit.’
‘Well I’ll be your first visitor,’ said Rosie, sounding annoyed and running to catch up with her.
‘Isn’t this a lovely evening?’ Maisie sang as she threw open her door. For someone who didn’t appear that organised, her room had a military tidiness.
‘I’ve had plenty time to get sorted.’ She made an apologetic wave at the book shelves stacked with precision, the cosmetic bottles lined up on the dressing table like a firing squad. A bible lay on the bedside table. ‘I’ll have you know I keep immaculate drawers too.’
There was a bonding snigger then Jo suggested, ‘Maybe singing lessons could be more fun.’
As Morag sat primly on a hard chair, Hazel hunkered down to look at the mules peeping out from under the bed.
‘I bet Sister Cameron doesn’t know about the animals. What do you feed them on?’
‘Jane likes them too. Hey, folks, I’m sorry there’s not more room, but I’m sure the floor’s clean enough to sit on.’
‘Hmph!’ sniffed Rosie, plumping down and ruffling her celestial feathers. ‘We should have more chairs but the rooms are that pokey there wouldn’t be space.’
‘I don’t know. A crowd around me makes the place feel more alive. Until Jane arrived, I thought I was stuck on this floor on my own, but now I’m beginning to feel it’s quite cosy here.’
‘Well it’s maybe ok for you – you’re much older, but it’s not like my own wee bedroom at home.’ Two fat tears rolled down Rosie’s cheeks. ‘Och I’m sorry but I’ve never been away from home like this and I just can’t help thinking how much my dog, Mam and Dad will be missing me and I know I don’t live so far away as Morag or even Jane, but – o-o-oh.’ Rosie was lost to grief.
We exchanged glances. We hadn’t expected this and for a moment there was an uncomfortable silence. I wondered if it might set off Morag but she was already on her feet and taking charge.
Earning her place as the first caring angel, if not in heaven, at least
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