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Waggling Dogbites (aka Bike) Part 584 by Angharad

I checked with Tom when we arrived at the cars. Stella had not arrived home, despite having left the hospital anything up to an hour and a half earlier. Quickly, we discussed what we should do. There seemed little point in driving aimlessly around in the hope of finding her, she could be miles away in that time.

I suggested that we go home and contact the police, list her as a missing person perhaps suffering from post natal depression. Simon couldn’t think of anything better and we kissed briefly. He stood with his back to hospital as he hugged and kissed me. I closed my eyes and felt his warm dry lips on mine.

I opened my eyes and looked into his and smiled. “I missed you,” I said quietly. He smiled. Then I looked past him as some movement caught my eye. “Oh no!”

“What?” he said.

“There she is.” I pointed and he spun around, exclaiming something about a mallard, or some sort of duck. Yes, I’m sure it was a duck. We both watched in horror as Stella, wandered along the top of the hospital roof. “We need some help,” I said, but Simon was already running towards the building.

I called the police and explained what was happening. They said they’d have a negotiator there as soon as they could, in the mean time to talk with the hospital and try to not distract her or allow crowds to form.

My stomach was churning like a concrete mixer as I ran back towards the hospital. I wondered if Henry should be informed, after all she was his daughter. As I approached the main entrance, Simon had someone in a suit outside and looking upwards.

“How did she get up there?” asked the man in the suit.

“How do I know, all I know is if she comes down via gravity, I’m going to sue.” Simon was stating his position rather too strongly for my liking, but I suppose he was entitled to feel angry or anxious. I know I felt the latter, in spades.

A police car was approaching at speed with blue lights flashing and it screamed to a halt yards from us. “Will she jump?” asked the policewoman, an inspector or something, judging from the silverware on her uniform.

“I don’t know, she’s pretty upset and possibly has post natal depression,” I replied, giving her details. Another police car arrived and they began closing off the approach, with detour signs and fencing. An ambulance was lurking nearby and I shivered at the prospect that she could throw herself off the roof.

I couldn’t count the storeys, my eyes were misting up with tears, but I knew it was high enough to kill or maim her. I felt tears run down my face. I had to accept some responsibility for this–my tone on the phone could have provoked this. I was fed up with her, but this was something different. Where was the nurse who took charge when we first met? Long since departed from the current occupant of the body we loved as Stella. She had never really got over the kidnap, which isn’t really surprising, it was traumatic. Then all the other things, attempted suicides, abortion and consequent bleed. No wonder she’s strange, I would be too. However, her baby needed her so somehow we had to get her off the roof.

I pushed past the police and Simon and grabbed the lift, taking it as high as I could. Then, I barged my way through the two security men who were guarding the stairs out to the roof. I was up the stairs like a ferret up a drainpipe with them in hot pursuit.

Out through a door and I was on the roof, boy, it was a long way down. I walked gingerly towards the front of the hospital it wasn’t intended as a thoroughfare, just for basic maintenance. I got to the rim of the wall surrounding the top. Stella was over this and standing or sitting on a narrow ledge.

I approached it carefully while attempting to be casual. “Hi Stella, what a view, eh?”

“What do you want?”

“I thought you were coming to Bristol with us tomorrow? We need to get back and pack.”

“You don’t want me.”

“Yes I do.”

“You didn’t earlier.”

“That was because I wasn’t thinking straight, I was worried about seeing Trish’s psychiatrist.”

“Why? I’d have thought you had loads of practice with shrinks.”

“Not really, just two.”

“Oh, I’m wrong again, then, am I?”

“Not really. Anyway, we need to get home, I have a meal that’s going to be overcooked and you need to pack.”

“You’d best go then, I’m staying here.”

“What for, once you’ve admired the view, there’s little reason to be here.”

“You’re a lousy liar, Cathy Watts.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you the real reason I’m here.”

“To interfere with me.”

“That sounds like I’m some sexual predator.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No I don’t, but that’s your affair. I just wanted to ask you for your help in planning my wedding.”

“Sorry, you’ll have to do it yourself.”

“But you promised me, ages ago.”

“Well I’m as unreliable as you then, aren’t I?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I heard the sound of footsteps and waved the police away.

“You lied to me, I can’t trust you anymore.”

“What about your baby?”

“You can have her, you seem to collect children.”

“I don’t want her, I’ve already got two.”

“You promised me you’d look after her.”

“No I didn’t, I promised that I’d help you to look after her.”

“If I’m not there you’ll have to do it.”

“Don’t threaten or dare me, Stella, I’m not looking after her, that’s your job.”

“I’m resigning from my job then.”

“You can’t,” I nearly added, ‘it’s for life’ and was glad I hadn’t.

“Why not?”

“It’s not allowed.”

“Says who?”

“I do for one, then there’s Henry and Monica, Simon, Tom plus loads of other people.”

“Tough.”

“Stella why can’t we discuss this over a cuppa, it’s bloody cold up here.”

“I didn’t ask you to come.”

“I needed to, I told you I have to ask you about my wedding.”

“Why? I’m not going to be there am I?”

“Of course you are, how am I going to organise it by myself?”

“Get Monica to help, she’s got good taste.”

“Not as good as yours, remember that YSL suit you gave me, it still looks good on me, despite the dormouse pee.”

“Lucky you.”

“I need your help to choose a dress and bridesmaids dresses and all the rest.”

“So, has Simon won?”

“Won what?”

“The argument, about doing it up in Scotland?”

“No we compromised, or he will.”

“Atta girl, bring him to heel. See, you know all you need, all I can teach you?”

“Well, if you’re not intending to come to my wedding will you help me decide on the style of dress I need?”

“Can’t say I give a monkey’s what you wear.”

“Stella, that is so untrue, you know you care, it’s what you do best, well after nursing.”

“Me? I’m a lousy nurse, shoulda been a doctor, too bossy to work with colleagues, can only get away with that if you’re a doctor.”

“Or a matron.”

“Do me a favour! Matron? Ha. A nurse with ideas above her station.”

“I apologise, you could still do the doctor bit.”

“Nah, too old, and besides, I don’t care any more. I’m sick and tired of people.”

“Even your own daughter, Des’s daughter?”

“Yeah, even her, I told you I’d make a lousy mother.”

“Dunno about that, but this is a piss poor way to prove it.”

“Catherine, language please.” She said and after a pause, she giggled and I wondered about her stability on the ledge.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“Exactly,” she replied. I had to think for a moment, okay the old Watts and what’s mix up. Yes very funny–not.

“I can feel rain, Stella, will you take a coat if I pass it to you gently?”

“No, stay away. I’m not cold and a bit of wet isn’t going to hurt me–ha, hurt me, what a joke that is. It wasn’t the fall that killed her, it was the landing.” She roared with laughter and I felt sick. A policeman threw me his coat and I wrapped it around myself.

“What do I have to do, to stop you hurting yourself?”

“Nothing, this isn’t going to hurt, be too quick for that.”

“Can I jump with you then?”

“Don’t be stupid, you’ve got two children to look after.”

“Well you’ve got one, so what’s the difference? They’ll have to find them someone else. If I get you a cuppa, will you drink it?”

“No, ‘cos then I’ll need a pee.”

“Yeah, okay, I can see the point of that, but you’ll pee when you hit the deck anyway, very messy and undignified.”

“So, I’ll crap myself as well.”

“Can we talk about something else?”

“Sure, how about you going home and feeding your babies.”

“I will, if you will.”

“You sound like a school girl.”

“Well, that’s what I am really isn’t it?”

“Is it? I thought you were a super hero.”

“If I was, I’d have flown past and dragged you off the ledge.”

“Yeah, possibly.”

“I’m worried you’re getting wet, let me pass you your coat, I see your overnight bag is here.”

“I said I was alright, why doesn’t anyone listen to me?”

“I am listening, Stella, I’m just worried you might catch cold.”

“Not unless it happens in the next few minutes.”

“You frighten me, Stella.”

“Oh, how wonderful. The great Cathy Watts, alias ‘Supersaver Woman’, is frightened by something a mere mortal said. I like it.”

“That was pretty unkind of you, Stella. Where is the nurse who cared so much for me when she knocked me off my bike?”

“Did I care? I don’t think so, you were just a project, a life-size Barbie doll.”

“You have such a way with words.”

“Yeah, don’t I just.”