whatever the problem, whatever the age. I’m not in a position to say what’ll happen, but she seems pretty healthy for her years. I reckon she should be all right, but your worrying won’t help her. You can rest assured we’ll do all we can for her.’ He gave her a smile, and then excused himself, leaving Katie and Sam waiting to see what was to happen next. After what seemed an interminable time, the ward sister approached them.
‘You can see your aunt for a few minutes,’ she said. ‘We’ve given her something for the shock and pain, so don’t expect her to be very bright.’
‘And the operation?’ Katie queried. ‘When will that be?’
‘I can’t say. It’ll be done as soon as her state of health has been fully checked. It could be tomorrow, or maybe the next day.’ The woman fidgeted on her feet and then left them.
Katie spent a few minutes holding Aunt Bertha’s hand, but she could see that the old lady wasn’t really with it, so they left, promising to return the next day.
Once home again, Katie tried to come to grips with what had happened. Keenly aware that her newfound feelings of contentment had been shattered, she felt that she was being punished for some unaccountable reason. Tanya was still there, along with Angie, and little David, who was fast asleep on the settee. The other children had gone home with their fathers.
‘How’s Aunt Bertha?’ Angie asked. ‘She must have collided with David as he ran out; at least, that’s what I guess happened. Aunt Bertha must have folded to the floor like a rag doll, and of course, old bones are fragile, I suppose.’
‘That’s right. And the trouble is that she’s a heavy woman, and a fall for someone of her weight and age is bound to be worse,’ Katie said.
‘I’m so sorry about what happened,’ Angie said, ‘but you know what children are like when they’re all together and excited.’ She gathered up a soundly sleeping David into her arms to carry him out to the car. ‘We’ll go now,’ she said, softly, ‘and I’ll be in touch tomorrow to see how things are at the hospital.’
Katie felt the house dreadfully quiet after they had all left. The ticking of the old grandfather clock in the hall seemed to reverberate through the whole house, and got on her nerves. She switched on the television, but not even the feature film captured her attention.
She wanted tomorrow to come fast, with a bright sun and a new day. She turned off the television set and made a hot chocolate drink to take upstairs, hoping it would help her go to sleep. It didn’t, and the night was so very long and restless, that she was glad to see the eventual dawn of a new day.
Suddenly remembering that she had made arrangements for the local garage to send someone early to collect her car for its regular service, she hurried to get downstairs. As she glanced through the kitchen widow the mechanic arrived, and called at the door for the car keys. As she watched her car being driven away, she looked across at the garden to see if Pat was around. She wished the cheerful Irishman would breeze in with his happy banter and take her mind off her miserable thoughts.
As though willed to appear, Pat arrived just after the garage mechanic left. As he parked his Volvo, Katie waved to him through the kitchen window, and went out straight away to talk with him before he started work.
‘Top o’the morning,’ he said, and then gazed into her eyes. ‘You don’t look as though you had a very sound sleep last night, Mrs. Turner, if you don’t mind my saying so. Do you feel all right? Or is there something amiss?’
Katie brushed the back of her hand across her brow, and for a moment she felt quite faint. ‘I feel a bit dizzy,’ she admitted. ‘And you’re right — I didn’t sleep well last night, so that’s probably the cause.’ She gazed up into the concerned eyes of her gardener, and then told him what had happened to Aunt Bertha. ‘I’m so worried about her
‘You can see your aunt for a few minutes,’ she said. ‘We’ve given her something for the shock and pain, so don’t expect her to be very bright.’
‘And the operation?’ Katie queried. ‘When will that be?’
‘I can’t say. It’ll be done as soon as her state of health has been fully checked. It could be tomorrow, or maybe the next day.’ The woman fidgeted on her feet and then left them.
Katie spent a few minutes holding Aunt Bertha’s hand, but she could see that the old lady wasn’t really with it, so they left, promising to return the next day.
Once home again, Katie tried to come to grips with what had happened. Keenly aware that her newfound feelings of contentment had been shattered, she felt that she was being punished for some unaccountable reason. Tanya was still there, along with Angie, and little David, who was fast asleep on the settee. The other children had gone home with their fathers.
‘How’s Aunt Bertha?’ Angie asked. ‘She must have collided with David as he ran out; at least, that’s what I guess happened. Aunt Bertha must have folded to the floor like a rag doll, and of course, old bones are fragile, I suppose.’
‘That’s right. And the trouble is that she’s a heavy woman, and a fall for someone of her weight and age is bound to be worse,’ Katie said.
‘I’m so sorry about what happened,’ Angie said, ‘but you know what children are like when they’re all together and excited.’ She gathered up a soundly sleeping David into her arms to carry him out to the car. ‘We’ll go now,’ she said, softly, ‘and I’ll be in touch tomorrow to see how things are at the hospital.’
Katie felt the house dreadfully quiet after they had all left. The ticking of the old grandfather clock in the hall seemed to reverberate through the whole house, and got on her nerves. She switched on the television, but not even the feature film captured her attention.
She wanted tomorrow to come fast, with a bright sun and a new day. She turned off the television set and made a hot chocolate drink to take upstairs, hoping it would help her go to sleep. It didn’t, and the night was so very long and restless, that she was glad to see the eventual dawn of a new day.
Suddenly remembering that she had made arrangements for the local garage to send someone early to collect her car for its regular service, she hurried to get downstairs. As she glanced through the kitchen widow the mechanic arrived, and called at the door for the car keys. As she watched her car being driven away, she looked across at the garden to see if Pat was around. She wished the cheerful Irishman would breeze in with his happy banter and take her mind off her miserable thoughts.
As though willed to appear, Pat arrived just after the garage mechanic left. As he parked his Volvo, Katie waved to him through the kitchen window, and went out straight away to talk with him before he started work.
‘Top o’the morning,’ he said, and then gazed into her eyes. ‘You don’t look as though you had a very sound sleep last night, Mrs. Turner, if you don’t mind my saying so. Do you feel all right? Or is there something amiss?’
Katie brushed the back of her hand across her brow, and for a moment she felt quite faint. ‘I feel a bit dizzy,’ she admitted. ‘And you’re right — I didn’t sleep well last night, so that’s probably the cause.’ She gazed up into the concerned eyes of her gardener, and then told him what had happened to Aunt Bertha. ‘I’m so worried about her
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