Kitabı oku: «The Runaway Woman», sayfa 5

CHAPTER FIVE

LUCY’S MIND WAS in chaos.

Having trudged through the darkened streets, she was now just half a mile from her parents’ house. She was tired, her bones ached from the cold, and the repulsion she felt towards Martin and her sister continued to fester inside her.

Increasingly, she was uncertain as to whether she should continue on to her parents’ house, or return home to confront Martin.

But she knew she must put her mother first. Her father had sounded really worried when she’d spoken to him before she went to work that morning.

Her parents’ house was still a good fifteen minutes’ walk away, so when she saw the bus approach, she started running to the nearest stop. The conductor was standing on the platform, having a quiet cigarette. He did not see Lucy approach until she waved her arms and called out ‘Stop!’

‘By, you cut that a bit fine, didn’t you?’ Long-faced and bald as a coot, he looked a peculiar sort. ‘Come on then!’ He stubbed out his cigarette, squeezed the end of it and shoved it into the top pocket of his jacket. Then he stepped forward to help her onto the platform. ‘Where to?’

‘Addison Street, please.’

‘OK, that’ll be one and sixpence.’

Lucy fished the coins out of her purse and handed them to him.

‘That’s it … there y’are, luv!’ He rolled the ticket from his machine, and handed it to her. ‘I’m pleased to say, you’re my last customer, and I’ll not be sorry to call it a night.’ He coughed like he was on his last legs. ‘My back aches, my poor old feet are hot and tired, and I’m starving hungry. But I dare say a pint of the best will do the trick.’ He gave a toothy grin. ‘I’m hoping to catch the Dog and Duck before they close their doors for the night.’

Lucy feigned interest and duly smiled, when inside she was in pieces. Her thoughts kept going back to Paula and Martin … how could they do that to her? She had to face the truth: it was obvious that Martin did not love her. It was equally obvious that Paula cared even less about her. And the more she tried to shut the images from her mind, the more she came to realise that her life as she knew it was over.

But what was she to tell Anne and Samuel, and how would they take it? If all this had come as a mighty shock to her, what would it do to them? The more she thought about it, the more concerned she became.

Thinking of her parents, Lucy faced worry of another kind. According to her dad, it seemed her mother, far from improving in health since suffering that bad fall, was getting worse.

Yet on the occasions when she had gone over to visit her parents, Lucy herself had not noticed any significant deterioration in her mother. But then she was not as familiar with her mother’s recovery as her dad was, although she was on the phone every day to check up on her progress.

The trouble was, with her full-time work, the family to take care of, her normal daily chores and the household finances, she was forever trying to balance everything. Sometimes she wondered if her life was her own. There was never enough time to keep a closer eye on her mother, though she did what she could.

Seated at the back of the bus, and with no other passengers on board, Lucy leaned her head back and heaved a big sigh. It makes a change just to sit and do nothing, she thought.

It was not long before her thoughts returned to the couple at the bus stop, and she had to smile. It had been a real jolt when the man saw her there, all curled up at the back of the shelter.

She thought they were a nice couple. The man had surprised her when he asked if she might like to join them in the pub. No stranger had ever invited her anywhere.

Come to think of it, she could not recall anyone, not even work friends or family, ever asking her to join them for a meal or a drink; except for last Christmas, when Anne cooked the turkey and they all went over to her house for dinner. That had been a rare and enjoyable experience.

Most other times she was at Anne’s baby-sitting her grandchild. Other evenings, she might be up to her neck with baking, or doing the laundry, or working overtime to earn a bit of extra money. Or maybe there was a relative in need of some love and comfort. They always turned to Lucy, because they knew she would not let them down. Whatever it took, she was there for them.

When she thought about it now, she realised that when she felt down and worried, she had no one to turn to. Her husband was hardly ever home. Her children had enough problems of their own, and her parents were too old now for Lucy to burden them with her worries.

Basically, however, Lucy was content enough. Or she had been until today, when her world had been completely and utterly turned upside down.

She cast her mind back to the strangers at the bus shelter. She wondered if they were man and wife, or maybe just sweethearts. She thought the woman was attractive, while the man seemed so gentle, and unusually kind. She wondered who he was, and what had prompted him to ask her to join them.

Now though, her thoughts were interrupted when the conductor shouted out, ‘Addison Street!’

‘Good night, then … stay safe.’ He lit another cigarette as he saw her off the bus. ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!’ he called after her.

Lucy waved him off. ‘Hmm, chance would be a fine thing!’ she murmured under her breath.

She turned into Addison Street. Shocked to see an ambulance parked halfway down, she broke into a run. As she got nearer to her parents’ house, she was horrified to see the front door wide open and all the lights on.

Bursting into the house, her heart skipped a beat when she saw her father slumped on the stairs, looking older and greyer than she had ever seen him.

‘Dad! What’s happened?’

Greatly relieved to see her there, he struggled to get up. ‘Lucy! Oh, Lucy, thank God you’re here!’

When he began sobbing, Lucy ran to hold him. ‘Ssh … it’s all right, Dad.’

‘It’s your mum!’ He clung to her, gabbling so fast she could hardly make out what he was telling her. ‘She fell … hit her head on the fender. I thought she was dead, Lucy. I really thought she was dead.’ He began trembling uncontrollably. ‘Go to her, Lucy. She needs you.’ Burying his head in his hands, he sobbed uncontrollably.

Just then the ambulance crew emerged from the sitting room, with Lucy’s mother secured onto a stretcher. She appeared to be unconscious. Her head was bandaged and there were splashes of blood on the upper part of her clothing.

‘Go with them, Lucy!’ her father urged her. ‘Please! I’ll be all right … go with your mother.’

Lucy was in a quandary. She hated leaving him behind but, like he said, she had to go with her mother to the hospital. ‘You really ought to come with us,’ she said, but he shook his head and pushed her away.

Thinking quickly, Lucy ran to the telephone and dialled her home number; she was thankful that it was Sam, not Martin, who answered.

‘Hello!’

‘It’s me, Sam. Grandma’s had a bad accident … No, there’s no time. Just get here and stay with Granddad … Hurry! Please hurry!’ She slammed the phone down and returned to her father. ‘Sam is on his way,’ she promised, but all he needed to know was that Lucy was going with her mother.

‘Go on!’ He ushered her away. ‘Your mum needs you more than I do … go on! I’ll be fine. I’ll wait for Sam. He’ll get me to the hospital. You go.’

When she hesitated, he yelled, ‘Please, Lucy, just go!’ He gave her a shove. ‘Your mother needs you!’

‘All right, Dad, but be sure to watch out for Sam.’ She ran down the hallway and onto the street. The ambulance men had already secured her mother and made her as comfortable as was possible.

Quickly, Lucy climbed in. She was concerned when asked to sit a short distance from her mother, as the crewman was tending to her. She understood the urgency and complied with the instruction.

Seated on the tiny bench, Lucy stretched out her arm and took hold of her mother’s hand. When her mother grew restless, Lucy squeezed her hand. ‘It’s Lucy, Mum. I love you so much. I’m here, Mum, and we’ll soon be at the hospital. Dad’s following on.’ Unsure as to whether her mother could hear her, Lucy felt absolutely helpless.

Throughout the seemingly endless journey, however, she continued talking to her mother, reassuring her.

The shock was beginning to take a grip on Lucy, who, like her dad, could not stop trembling, while her anxious gaze was fixed constantly on her mum’s bloodied face.

It looked bad to Lucy. The deep gashes and bruises ran from beneath the bandages to her jaw and chin. The wider bandages and dressing over the upper part of her face and head were soaked with blood.

Lucy was relieved when her mother began to breathe more easily, although there was still the occasional shuddering breath that she seemed to hold for ever.

As they rushed through the night with sirens screaming, Lucy’s mother grew increasingly agitated. Sliding back the cabin window, the ambulance man yelled to the driver to call ahead with further medical information.

Able to comfort her mother with words of love and a gentle squeeze of the hand, Lucy constantly reassured her.

When the ambulance turned onto the highway, she caught a passing glimpse of what looked like Martin’s van. It was going at speed in the opposite direction, towards her parents’ house. ‘Thank God!’ she murmured. ‘They’ll take care of Dad now.’

The journey to hospital seemed endless, but soon they were turning in through the gates. ‘We’re at the hospital, Mum. You’ll be all right now,’ Lucy told her mother but there was no response.

When they arrived at the emergency department doors, Lucy quickly scrambled out of the ambulance, and the driver and attendant lifted out the stretcher with her mother still unconscious. Keeping her safe between the two of them, they hastened across the tarmac and in through the emergency entrance, where the trauma team was waiting.

Lucy followed. Her voice trembling, she glanced up to the skies and prayed, ‘Please, Lord, don’t let her die. Don’t take her away from us.’

A world without her mother in it would be a bleak prospect indeed.

Inside the hospital, Lucy’s mother was rushed away. From the corridor, as the door swung shut behind the stretcher, Lucy caught a glimpse of her mother, white as chalk, the medical staff already closing in around her.

A minute later, the ambulance crew reappeared. One of them paused to reassure Lucy, and when she asked if her mother was going to be all right, his answer was gentle, but evasive. ‘I’m sure the doctor will be out to see you as soon as your mother is stabilised. I can assure you, though, she is in the best of hands.’ That said, he hurried on his way.

A few minutes later, Lucy was relieved to see a nurse approaching. ‘How is she?’ She clambered to her feet. ‘Please … will she be all right?’

The nurse had a gentle manner. ‘Your mother is not yet conscious, but she is stabilised,’ she said kindly. ‘The doctors are now assessing the full extent of her injuries. Meantime, it will help us if you could explain how exactly she sustained those injuries.’

‘I’m not altogether sure,’ Lucy explained. ‘Dad said she stumbled and hit her head on the fender. She hasn’t been too steady recently. Only a short time back, she had a nasty fall in the street. It shook her confidence, and left her frail and nervous. She’s been unusually quiet of late … not at all like her old self.’ The tears she had tried so hard to keep back now ran down her face. ‘Please, Nurse, she will be all right, won’t she?’

‘That’s not for me to say. She does have serious injuries, but like I say, she is much calmer now.’ The nurse was sympathetic, but she had no way of knowing the full extent of the injuries. ‘We’ll know what to expect after the doctors have concluded their examination. It will be some time yet, before they can talk to you, so I wonder, rather than sitting here worrying, how about I take you for a cup of tea?’

‘No!’ Lucy was adamant. ‘Thank you, but I need to speak with the doctors.’

The nurse was patient. She had been through similar situations many times, and she knew how frantic the relatives could be while they waited for news of their loved ones. ‘Please, will you come away for a few minutes? Worrying won’t help your mother. I’ll let them know where we’ll be, and in any case, we won’t be gone too long. Just long enough for you to take a breath and talk to me about your mother.’

She pointed to the door behind Lucy. ‘You’re badly shaken up, and I do understand why you don’t want to move from here. But just a few steps away, through that door, is a little café where we can sit and wait and it’s more comfortable than here. The doctors will be a while yet, so how about the two of us go through to the café and find ourselves a pot of tea? Then you can tell me what happened to your mother after she had that first fall. It’s important that the doctors know the full history.’

‘I’m frightened to leave her,’ Lucy murmured, wiping the tears from her face with her hands. ‘I need to stay here.’

The nurse laid her hand over Lucy’s. ‘It’s Lucy, isn’t it?’ She had gathered that information from the ambulance men.

‘Yes.’

‘Right then. I promise you there is nothing you can do just now. The doctors will be with your mother for some while yet, Lucy. They will also need to take X-rays, and that will add a few more minutes. So, like I say, we have time for a chat and that hot cuppa you look like you desperately need. Just a few minutes, then we’ll come back.’

Lucy thought of her mother, hurt and in trouble, without family near. ‘Are you sure they’ll know where we are if they need me?’

‘You have my word.’

‘They will let me see her soon, won’t they?’

‘That is for the doctors to decide, but I hope it won’t be too long now.’ The nurse hesitated. She knew how very serious the injuries were but, like Lucy, she had to wait for the doctors to conclude their assessment. Meantime, there was little more she could tell Lucy. ‘Look, instead of sitting here in this draughty walkway, let’s go to the café. It really is just a few steps away. When we get back, we might know more.’

‘My family are on their way. They won’t know where to find me!’ Lucy began to panic.

‘Yes they will. I’ll contact the front desk, and let them know.’

Talking constantly, she led Lucy through the door and along the empty corridor. ‘The café is open all night,’ she informed Lucy. ‘The two of us can enjoy a hot cuppa in warmer surroundings, while you tell me all about your mother.’

When Lucy made no response, except to turn and look back towards the door, the nurse drew her attention. ‘I know it’s difficult,’ she said gently, ‘but try not to worry, eh?’

Lucy merely nodded.

The corridor was long and curving, with not a soul in sight. All Lucy could see in her mind’s eye was her mother, frail and broken.

Now, with the overhead lights turned low, it seemed gloomy along the corridor, and eerily empty. The only real sound Lucy could hear echoing in her tortured mind was the impact of their heels as they walked along … like two soldiers on parade … left-right, left-right, left-right. It was a haunting rhythm like no other.

Just minutes away from the hospital, Martin grew increasingly anxious. ‘We’re nearly there.’ He glanced at the old man seated beside him. ‘Just a few more minutes, Dad, and you’ll see her.’

Lucy’s dad, though, was not aware of Martin’s encouraging words. Lost in thought, he was angrily muttering to himself, ‘I should’ve kept a closer eye on her. After that fall in town, she was really shaken up. She was unsteady on her feet, and sometimes she was lost in a little world of her own. I let her down, Martin. I should have made her go back to the doctor. But she didn’t want to, and nothing I said could make her change her mind.’

‘She always had a strong mind, Dad,’ Martin assured him. ‘If she decided not to see the doctor, wild horses would not drag her there.’

‘I let her down, and that’s an end to it!’ the old man continued muttering to himself. ‘It’s my fault she’s in hospital. My fault, and no one else’s.’

‘Granddad! It’s not your fault.’ Sam leaned forward from the back of the van. ‘Nobody could have known she would fall down again. You can’t blame yourself, Granddad.’

‘All I want is to see your grandma on the mend again,’ he said.

‘We all want the same.’ Sam placed a comforting hand on the old man’s shoulder. ‘Take it easy. Like Dad says, we’re only minutes away now.’

‘Hey! Where’s Paula?’ The old man suddenly realised his second daughter was not in the van. ‘Has nobody told her that her mother is lying in the hospital? Why isn’t she here?’

‘She’s on her way,’ Martin explained. ‘I needed to get you to the hospital, so I asked Anne if she would collect Paula. They’re following on … not far behind us, I shouldn’t wonder.’

‘How far is it now?’ the old man asked for the umpteenth time. ‘Are we nearly there?’

‘It’s not far now. Try not to worry,’ Martin constantly reassured him.

In truth, he also was sick with worry, and not just about his parents-in-law. The prospect of Paula and Lucy face to face at the hospital made him increasingly nervous. For everyone’s sake, and his in particular, he was desperately hoping that common sense and concern about their mother would prevent Lucy and Paula from raising the issue of what had happened back at Paula’s house.

He suspected that neither sister would make a scene in the current, sorry circumstances, although he had no doubt that there would be a showdown between himself and the two sisters at some point soon. He had to be sure that Paula meant it when she said she wanted them to be together permanently. He should talk to her about that, and make it a priority. If Paula really meant what she had said about their setting up house together, then he would need to tell Lucy the truth, whatever the consequences.

For now, though, he reassured himself, both Paula and Lucy would be concentrating on the wellbeing of their parents.

Reflecting on Lucy having seen them together, he blamed himself for not locking the back door. But he did not regret being with Paula. His only regret was that Lucy had discovered the truth before he could tell her that he and Paula were hoping to make a life together.

Telling Lucy of his and Paula’s long-term plans was not something he looked forward to, although, to give Lucy her due, she was not a spiteful, excitable woman and would probably deal with it in her own sensible, quiet manner.

When they arrived at the hospital, the receptionist directed them to Lucy, who was anxiously waiting in a separate room for the doctor to arrive.

While Sam walked with his grandfather along the corridor, Martin went ahead.

Lucy was greatly relieved to see her family arrive, but when Martin stepped forward she quickly side-stepped him and went straight to her father, who looked sad and worn, and older than she could ever have imagined.

‘Come and sit down, Dad.’ Wrapping her arms round him, she walked him to the seat next to where she had been sitting. Sam followed and sat the other side of his grandfather.

Understanding Lucy’s obvious snub, Martin sat opposite. ‘What did the doctor say?’ he asked Lucy. ‘I expect your mum has to stay in for a while, does she? I mean, they’ll need to give her a thorough checkup, especially as she’s fallen twice now. Try not to worry, though. I’m sure she’ll be all right.’

Lucy was shocked that he could be so natural after what she had witnessed between him and Paula. Nevertheless she acknowledged his reassurance with a curt nod of the head, before turning to her father.

‘A few minutes before you arrived, the nurse went to have a word with the doctor. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before he comes to give us a progress report.’

‘So you don’t know how she is then?’

‘No, Dad. Not yet.’

‘Ah, well, they do say no news is good news … so if that’s the case, we might be taking her home yet, eh?’

‘Well, we won’t know until he comes out, so don’t get your hopes up. Like Martin said, they should keep her in and check her thoroughly. I mean, she hasn’t been at all well lately, has she?’

‘No.’ The old man’s face crumpled in disappointment. ‘Lucy! Did you tell them about her fall some weeks back, when she was in town … how she’s never been the same since then? Did you tell them that she refused to see a doctor?’

‘Yes, Dad, I told the nurse everything.’

‘And did she say whether or not your mother would have to stay in … or can we take her home with us? I’ll look after your mother. I’ll make her a bed in the sitting room; then she won’t have any reason to go up and down the stairs, because I’ll take care of everything.’

‘No, Dad.’ Lucy could see how upset he was becoming. ‘From what the nurse was saying, Mum’s injuries are very serious. I think they’re too concerned about Mum to let her be looked after by you just yet. But, don’t you worry, I’ll come and stay with you at home while she’s in here, then after she comes home I’ll stay a while longer, help her to settle in … make sure neither of you overdoes it.’ She smiled lovingly. ‘We don’t want you wearing yourself out, do we, eh? Not when you’ve got me to help you. And don’t concern yourself about my work, because they’ll understand when I explain to them.’

In the light of her mother’s bad fall, and what she had discovered about Paula and Martin, keeping her employers happy was not Lucy’s top priority.

Right now, like this darling old fella, she just wanted her mum to be all right.

She glanced around. ‘Where’s Anne?’

‘It’s all right, Mum.’ Sam could see the strain on his mother’s face. ‘Anne and Paula are on their way.’

‘That’s good.’ She hoped Paula would have the decency to keep a distance between them.

Five long, anxious minutes passed before the nurse returned. ‘The doctor is on his way,’ she informed them kindly.

The words had hardly left her lips when the doctor entered the room. ‘Doctor … oh, thank goodness!’ The old man sat up straight. ‘How is she? Has she been asking after me? Can I see her?’

The look on the doctor’s face set Lucy’s hopes plummeting, but his next words broke her heart. ‘I’m so sorry.’ His voice and manner said it all.

With much compassion he explained quietly to Lucy’s father, ‘Your wife suffered serious head injuries.’ When he paused, they suspected the outcome even before he said it. ‘We were not able to save her. I am so very sorry.’

In the wake of the full, devastating truth of his announcement, the silence was palpable; apart from a thin, broken wail of disbelief from the old man. Suddenly, he was shaking uncontrollably, his voice breaking as he called out, ‘I need to see her!’

Tears of grief flowed down his face as he stared at the doctor in disbelief. His voice fell to a whisper, as though he was trying to reason with himself. ‘She was all right. She just fell … that’s all.’ Struggling to stand, he stumbled back into the chair, his voice shaking with anger as he demanded of the doctor, ‘Why couldn’t you help her? You could have done something … you should have done something!’

Sam came over to his grandfather and wrapped his arms round his leathery old neck. ‘Oh, Granddad, what will we do now? What will we do without Grandma?’ His sobs were terrible to hear.

This was his first experience of grief, and it was too much for him to cope with. Being the only grandson, he had always been close to his devoted grandparents.

Shocked to her roots, Lucy bowed her head and quietly sobbed; a great wave of loneliness consumed her. Her darling mum was gone. How could that be? Her caring, loving mum … was gone. It was too hard, too soon, and her tortured mind refused to accept it.

She looked up and saw her father, bent and desolate, and her son, holding the old man, both of them broken by the unbelievable loss. Her father needed her, and Sam, her son. They both needed her, and she must be strong for them. Her own grief would have to wait. She was needed. She must try and be strong for the family. Oh, but how would she cope?

‘Why could you not save her?’ Martin was asking the doctor.

‘I’m afraid her injuries were many,’ the doctor explained. ‘The broken wrist and collarbone we could of course deal with, but she must have fallen heavily … awkwardly. She had suffered severe brain damage. I’m truly sorry … we did everything we could. But it was never going to be enough.’

Having just entered the room, Paula and Anne heard everything. Anne ran to Lucy, who held her daughter fast. Paula stood silent at the door, unable to believe what had happened.

Sam held on to his granddad, the two of them drawing comfort from each other.

The old man came from a time when a man might hide his grief, but all he could think of was the impossible: that his beloved wife was gone for ever. And in his unbearable grief he clung to his grandson and sobbed like a child.

Lucy came to sit beside him. ‘Dad …’ her soft, loving tone was greatly soothing, ‘… do you want to see Mum?’

When he looked up, there was a world of pain in his face. ‘Lucy?’ He choked back a sob. ‘You know, don’t you?’

‘What do I know?’ she asked.

‘Your mum – you know she was my life … my beautiful girl. The only one I ever loved.’

Like everyone else, Lucy could not hold back the tears. ‘I do know that, Dad,’ she whispered, ‘and I know what you must be feeling right now. Mum was a huge part of all our lives and we will miss her terribly. We will always be there for you, Dad, and I promise to look after you. I’m the elder so it’s my place, and Mum would not want you to be on your own. Now, though, is not the time to talk about such matters. For the moment, we need to say our goodbyes.’ She held out her hand.

Reaching out, the old man laid his hand over hers and squeezed it tight. ‘You’re a good girl, Lucy. You and your sister … good girls. But just now, I need my Susie. Tell them, Lucy. I have to see her.’ His voice broke with emotion. ‘Please, Lucy, I want to be with her. I have to tell her how sorry I am, and how very much I love her … always have, always will. She needs to know that, Lucy …’ His voice broke, shivering in a sob. ‘I need to see her.’

‘Are you sure, Dad?’ Lucy was worried that such an ordeal might be too much for him.

The old man was adamant. ‘I’m sure.’