Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 559 by Angharad

My heart was pounding as I drove to the hospital. I parked and shoved several pound coins into the parking meter and then almost forgot to display the ticket. At least I knew where ICU was, I’d spent some time there myself, however, running while worried and cycling are two different kinds of exercise, so I was puffed when I got to the unit.

I introduced myself to the nurse. “Thanks for coming so quickly. We have a dilemma, Stella is very weak and we’re going to have to remove the baby, who we think is still alive but could well be damaged. We don’t have much time, and we need the family’s go ahead to get started.”

“I thought, this was a case of life and death?”

“The mother should survive, the baby is prem and probably won’t. But if we delay, both are at greater risk.”

“Carry on, do the best you can.”

“Can you authorise the operation, seeing as the mother is unconscious.” I took the form and signed, hoping I was doing the right thing. Time was of the essence and I was surprised they’d waited for me. It transpired they were waiting for a theatre, there’d been a nasty accident on the M27. I hoped it wasn’t Henry or Simon.

I was led to a waiting room and left to sit and worry. I did think about prayers but to whom or what? I just had to believe in the skills of the surgical team and the follow up care.

It still made me angry with myself, that we were having fun while Stella was in dire straits. How could we have left her like that? Why didn’t I check her first? What is Tom going to say? Plus all the others. I felt very down and was quite close to tears, mainly of self pity, when Simon came rushing in.

“They said you were in here, how is she?”

“I don’t know. I authorised surgery, I hope I did the right thing.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“I can’t believe we were out having fun and Stella was home and in trouble.” I hugged Simon and burst into tears.

“You weren’t to know, were you?”

“I should have checked her before we left.”

“You don’t normally, do you?”

“No, not as a rule and she doesn’t always come down to breakfast. God, I hope it wasn’t having her look after the kids the other night.”

“It’s not your fault, Cathy, these things happen. So don’t blame yourself.”

“But I feel it’s my fault.”

“It isn’t, and that’s and end of it.” He hugged me, and at this moment I was happy for him to be decisive and masterful, I just wanted someone else to save the world while I had a little rest. “Where’s Dad? When I last called him, he was on the M3 not far off the M27.”

“I don’t know. There was an accident on the M27, hence the hold up with the theatres, maybe he’s been caught up in that?”

“God knows, he was ahead of me by quite a few minutes, he should have been here first.”

“Maybe he doesn’t drive as fast as you?”

“You never travelled with Dad?”

“I don’t think so, well not very far.”

“He is a total lunatic, it’s where Stella gets it from. Having said that, he is better than Stella, mind you the average blind person has more anticipation than Stel. I hope she’s all right.” He hugged me and I clung on to him like a drowning woman a straw.

We sat chatting and trying to buoy each other’s spirits a little. Simon looked at his watch. “Where is Dad? He could have walked here by now.”

“Try his mobile again.”

“Why didn’t he answer the last time?”

“Speak to Monica.”

“I can’t, she’s in France.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

Simon dialled again, he listened and shook his head, “According to this he’s got his phone off. I know he’s a twit at times, but even he wouldn’t have switched off his phone.”

“Perhaps he’s in a dead spot…”

“Like the morgue?” he laughed at his own joke.

“Don’t be horrid, you know somewhere that can’t get a signal, or perhaps his battery is flat.”

“What’s taking so long with the operation?”

“They can’t rush things, Si, they’re trying to save Stella and Puddin’.”

“I thought you said she’d lost the baby?”

“I did, I thought she had, so did the paramedics. The sister here wasn’t too hopeful.”

“I’ll bet Trish looked smart in her uniform,” he said with a faraway look in his eye.”

“She did, she looked so pleased with herself and so grown up.”

“Did you take any photos?”

“No, I went to get Stella to come and see her, when I found…”

“Yeah, course–I forgot. Geez, where is Dad, and what’s happening with Stella?” He glanced around the room. “I hate this place–this rotten room.”

I put my arm on his to try and offer my support.

“I spent hours in here when they were operating on you.”

“Goodness, of course you would.”

“And you’ve been here before with Stella, as well.”

“No, that was another room.”

“You sure, this one doesn’t look as if it’s been painted for a couple of centuries, and these bloody magazines were printed by bloody Caxton.”

“Simon, you are funny.”

“Me? You’re always telling me I don’t have sense of humour.”

“Do I? Sorry, I take it all back.”

“You’re not taking the proverbial are you?”

“No, why?”

“I just wondered.” He looked at me suspiciously.

“I’m not, honest.”

“Hmmm, methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

“Is this the culmination of a public school education?”

“Her name was Kate, too.”

“Who?”

“In The Taming of the Shrew.”

“I’ve got news for you Si, your quote comes from, Hamlet.”

“Eh? Nah, I’m sure it’s Shrew.”

“I did both, it’s Hamlet.

“Geez, I can’t even get my quotations right, without you correcting them.”

“Sorry.” I wished I hadn’t said anything.

“I mean, if you can’t rely on your education, what can you rely on?”

“Your friends and family, your wife and your children.” I held on to his arm.

“I don’t have a wife.”

“Yet.”

“Well we don’t have any kids do we? Nor are we likely to.”

I felt this remark stab me right through my heart. I felt tears form and roll down my cheeks. I know he didn’t mean it, but it had been said.

“Perhaps you’d better find someone else then,” I said and rushed out of the room.

I went out into the drive and stumbled along, “Cathy, Cathy, wait.” He came running up behind me. “Damn this bloody leg.” He put his arm around me, but I stepped away from it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it, then?”

“I didn’t mean it in anyway. It just slipped out, I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry.”

“You hurt me, Simon Cameron; doubly so because you have two children at home who worship you and call you their daddy. If you hurt them, we’ll be out of your life so fast, it’ll make your head spin.”

He looked shocked. It was entering his head that my commitment to the children in my care was greater than it was to him. At this moment, it was quite true.

“I’m sorry, it won’t happen again, please come back with me. I need you, Cathy, we all need you.”

“Mrs Watts?” a voice called from behind us.

We turned around and a nurse was calling from the unit. We hurried back. “Is there some news?” I gasped, clutching Simon’s hand.

“Does your sister in law have a father called Henry?”

My stomach flipped, this wasn’t going to be good news. “Yes,” we both answered.

“Oh dear, I thought it might be, I have some bad news for you.”