The year of the virgins by 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson Page A
Authors: 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson
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manage?'
'Oh' - she laughed down on him - 'if that's all that's worrying you, put it out of your head this moment. How will I manage? I'll have plenty of help. And I could manage you on my own. I'll let you see what I can do.'
'But . . . but for how long, dear?'
She stared at him. Yes, for how long. There were two meanings to that remark, but she didn't know to which one he was alluding. So she evaded it by saying, 'As long as ever it takes. Close your eyes, darling, and go to sleep. You don't want them to throw me out too, do you?'
He made no answer but turned his head to the side and lay gazing at her. And with his hand held between her breasts she gazed back at him.
'Look, my dear.' Daniel put his arm around Annette's shoulder as they walked from the hospital to the car. 'There's nobody wants him to go straight to the cottage more than I do. Believe that, dear. But the only way the doctor's going to let him out is if we can promise him that Don will have adequate nursing. Oh, I know you can get a night and day nurse, but one nurse will not be enough. He's got to be lifted and turned. As you know he's incontinent and always will be. Then, with the damage to his liver and his chest, he hasn't got the strength to pull himself up and down. The only reason Mr Richardson has agreed to letting him leave is because he is getting depressed, mainly because he can't see enough of you. And remember: it isn't that long since they took the plaster off your arm. You couldn't possibly help a nurse with lifting, whereas at home there will always be Joe and me. And we couldn't be on hand if you were in the cottage, you know. So this is what we have thought up. It was really Joe's idea. You know the games-room next to the billiard-room? It's large and airy, with those two long windows looking on to the
garden. Then there is that other room that at one time used to store all the paraphernalia for the conservatory before it was turned into the sun-room. As Joe said, the games-room could be fixed up as a fine bedroom. He's even picked a bed from upstairs, and also pointed out that with a couple of mattresses it will bring it up almost to the hospital height for a bed; you know, to make it easy for lifting the patient. Then the other room can be turned into a sitting-room. And you know how handy he is with wires in rigging up things - he should have been an electrician - well, he said he can fix up an intercom from your room to his along the corridor and another to my room upstairs, so that we'll always be on hand if needed. But only if needed.'
She stopped in her walk and with a touch of bitterness in her voice, she said, 'And what of . . . Mother-in-law? She'll never be out of his room. There won't be any nurses or doctors or sisters to take my side. It's her house.'
'It's my house.'
'Don't split hairs, Dad. I ... I won't be able to stand it. And there's enough warring as it is. And you know how Don feels about her.'
T know. I know, dear. But I promise you I'll lay down laws and that they will be obeyed. One threat will be that if she doesn't keep her place then you can move him to the cottage. Come on, love, try it for a while. It's for Don's benefit. Just think of it that way.'
'No. I can't think of it that way, Dad, because most of his nervous trouble is through her. You've got to admit it.'
'Oh, I admit it. Oh, yes, I do, lass. But at the present moment I can't see any other way out. He's either got to stay where he is or come back to his old home; as I said, at least for a time. Later on, we may be able to get him into a wheelchair. Now, think of that.' He put his arm
around her shoulder again and said, 'Come on. Come on. You've been so brave all along and I want bucking up. I'm very low meself at the moment.'
'Oh, I'm sorry, Dad.'
'By the way, how are you finding things at home?'
'Oh, as usual, Mother's fussing, trying to find the answer to why it all happened. Father's just the same, although he just looks on.'
He
'Oh' - she laughed down on him - 'if that's all that's worrying you, put it out of your head this moment. How will I manage? I'll have plenty of help. And I could manage you on my own. I'll let you see what I can do.'
'But . . . but for how long, dear?'
She stared at him. Yes, for how long. There were two meanings to that remark, but she didn't know to which one he was alluding. So she evaded it by saying, 'As long as ever it takes. Close your eyes, darling, and go to sleep. You don't want them to throw me out too, do you?'
He made no answer but turned his head to the side and lay gazing at her. And with his hand held between her breasts she gazed back at him.
'Look, my dear.' Daniel put his arm around Annette's shoulder as they walked from the hospital to the car. 'There's nobody wants him to go straight to the cottage more than I do. Believe that, dear. But the only way the doctor's going to let him out is if we can promise him that Don will have adequate nursing. Oh, I know you can get a night and day nurse, but one nurse will not be enough. He's got to be lifted and turned. As you know he's incontinent and always will be. Then, with the damage to his liver and his chest, he hasn't got the strength to pull himself up and down. The only reason Mr Richardson has agreed to letting him leave is because he is getting depressed, mainly because he can't see enough of you. And remember: it isn't that long since they took the plaster off your arm. You couldn't possibly help a nurse with lifting, whereas at home there will always be Joe and me. And we couldn't be on hand if you were in the cottage, you know. So this is what we have thought up. It was really Joe's idea. You know the games-room next to the billiard-room? It's large and airy, with those two long windows looking on to the
garden. Then there is that other room that at one time used to store all the paraphernalia for the conservatory before it was turned into the sun-room. As Joe said, the games-room could be fixed up as a fine bedroom. He's even picked a bed from upstairs, and also pointed out that with a couple of mattresses it will bring it up almost to the hospital height for a bed; you know, to make it easy for lifting the patient. Then the other room can be turned into a sitting-room. And you know how handy he is with wires in rigging up things - he should have been an electrician - well, he said he can fix up an intercom from your room to his along the corridor and another to my room upstairs, so that we'll always be on hand if needed. But only if needed.'
She stopped in her walk and with a touch of bitterness in her voice, she said, 'And what of . . . Mother-in-law? She'll never be out of his room. There won't be any nurses or doctors or sisters to take my side. It's her house.'
'It's my house.'
'Don't split hairs, Dad. I ... I won't be able to stand it. And there's enough warring as it is. And you know how Don feels about her.'
T know. I know, dear. But I promise you I'll lay down laws and that they will be obeyed. One threat will be that if she doesn't keep her place then you can move him to the cottage. Come on, love, try it for a while. It's for Don's benefit. Just think of it that way.'
'No. I can't think of it that way, Dad, because most of his nervous trouble is through her. You've got to admit it.'
'Oh, I admit it. Oh, yes, I do, lass. But at the present moment I can't see any other way out. He's either got to stay where he is or come back to his old home; as I said, at least for a time. Later on, we may be able to get him into a wheelchair. Now, think of that.' He put his arm
around her shoulder again and said, 'Come on. Come on. You've been so brave all along and I want bucking up. I'm very low meself at the moment.'
'Oh, I'm sorry, Dad.'
'By the way, how are you finding things at home?'
'Oh, as usual, Mother's fussing, trying to find the answer to why it all happened. Father's just the same, although he just looks on.'
He
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