Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 702 by Angharad

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My fingers were much better and the next morning I was back to my chores properly. I’d taken the girls to school and got back to do some stuff with Mima. After I played with her, we made some cakes, I did a mix for the bread maker and had just switched it on and likewise with the kettle–Stella was coming for a cuppa as soon as she’d bathed Puddin’–when the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Lady Catherine?”

“Yes, who wants her?”

“It’s Sister East on the children’s unit.”

“Hello Sister, what can I do for you?” I felt a shudder of uncertainty flow through me; what if Daisy had relapsed or was worse, especially after walking yesterday. I was filled with dread.

“Could you come in and meet with Mr Matthews, say at 1.45pm today?”

“Who is he?” not her solicitor, I hope.

“The orthopaedic surgeon, who’s been looking after Daisy.”

“She hasn’t relapsed has she?”

“No, on the contrary, we can’t get her to stay in bed.”

“So what does the surgeon want?”

“To meet you, that’s all.”

“If I spot a stake with faggots of wood all around it, I’m doing a runner.”

“Stake? Oh as in burning at? No, I don’t think so. Mr Matthews is quite down to earth.”

“If you can assure me that it’s not going to get unpleasant, I’ll come.”

“Daisy’s father is going to be here too.”

“Maybe, I’ll just give it a miss then, too many cooks–oh, is that the time, I have to go, I’ve got a bun in the oven…” I plunged the phone down quickly and went back to make the tea.

“What’s the matter, you look worried?” asked Stella pouring me a cuppa.

“That was the hospital, they want me to meet the surgeon to talk about what happened yesterday.”

“What did happen yesterday? You’ve been rather quiet about it ever since you got home.”

“Nothing much.”

“If that was the case, you’d hardly be afraid of going back there today, would you?”

“I’m not afraid, I just don’t want to crowd the place, if Daisy’s dad is going to be there too.”

“Don’t make excuses, what happened yesterday?”

“Nothing, I read to Daisy and she fell asleep. I was my usual boring self.”

“And they want you to speak with the surgeon? What are you leaving out? Spill the beans, Cathy?”

“Nothing, except she woke up and got out of bed to go to the loo.”

“She did what?”

“I just told you what she did.”

“But she had spinal problems and fractures to both legs! Didn’t she?”

“Perhaps they looked at the wrong X-rays? Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Sure, and all the symptoms she’s had, like loss of function and sensation.”

“Could be shock, and now she’s over it.”

“Pull the other one, Cathy, it’s got bells on.”

“Well, I can’t see that I have anything to contribute to the discussion.”

“That’s up to you, but it could also be one of the most exciting events in modern medicine, a genuine miracle worker.”

“Stop it, that’s why I don’t want to go. I’m not some freak, there has to be a rational explanation for all of it.”

“Yeah, the New Testament is full of explanations.”

“Don’t start the G word stuff, I want nothing to do with ancient superstitions.”

“Ironic, isn’t it?” said Stella sipping her tea and taking a biscuit.

“What is?”

“That the very person least comfortable with this miraculous ability to heal, should be the one who seems to have it.”

“Are you implying something?”

“No, I’m merely making an observation, that’s all.”

I could smell something burning, “Ahhh, the cakes.” I jumped up and pulled them out of the oven. I’d caught them just in time. If they’d burnt, Mima would have been really upset.

The phone rang again, “Can you answer it?” I pleaded with Stella.

She nodded and went to get it, a moment later she called, “Are you in to Dr Rose?”

I was tempted to say, “No” but that would have been churlish. I took the phone from her. “Hello, Sam.”

“Cathy, look please hear me out before you put the phone down.”

“I don’t want to discuss Daisy with anyone, I don’t know what happened, so I can’t help, end of story.”

“Cathy, don’t you dare put the phone down. None of us know what happened with Daisy, nor why her mother came around after being in a coma for four days, at exactly the moment Daisy claims she travelled on a beam of blue light generated by you, to see her mother.”

“It’s coincidence, that’s all.”

“Some coincidence, Cathy.”

“Okay, synchronicity–isn’t that what Jung called it?”

“What about the fact that this child had fractures, albeit hairline ones in both femurs, and spinal lesion that they were too frightened to try and reduce with surgery, even though it was likely to paralyse her below the waist.”

“Spontaneous healing, happens all the time. I told her she could be a bridesmaid, and she developed the means to do it.”

“Are you trying to tell me it was psychosomatic?”

“How do I know, I’m a biologist not a physician?”

“Why are you so afraid of me?”

“I’m not, Sam, I’d come and talk with you anytime, but I don’t know what happened, it had nothing to do with me.”

“In which case, you have nothing to feel embarrassed about, do you?”

“Look, I don’t feel embarrassed; at the same time, Paul is going to be clutching at any straws he can find for Maria to get better. I don’t want to be one of those straws. It’s too much responsibility, I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Who said we expected it of you?”

“No one, but I can’t control what happened, it just happens when it feels like it.”

“Do you know two other kids, who should have died, survived the night. Not only that but they seem to be improving.”

“See, maybe it’s just the place, or perhaps you lot are doing your job better than you think.”

“It happened while you were there, the crises seemed to pass and the two children seemed to suddenly make progress.”

“It has to be coincidence.”

“Probably, but it seems one helluva coincidence.”

“Look, keep it rational, Sam. It has to have a rational explanation.”

“Sure, so come on in and let’s discuss it?”

“I don’t think so, Sam, I can’t afford to let Daisy down, she seems to expect me to cure her mother–I can’t, I’m a biologist, Sam, that’s all–I’m not Jesus or any other supposed miracle worker.”

“Cathy, okay, I’ll level with you–we have a child admitted an hour ago, she is critical, we can’t do a thing for her, except to make her comfortable, we think she is going to die. Will you come in and sit with her, just for a few minutes?”

“Why me, Sam, I can’t do anything?” I felt tears pouring down my cheeks, “What if she dies? Is it my fault?”

“Of course not, but somehow her mother got to hear of what happened yesterday and has begged me to get you to come to see her daughter.”

“But, I’m not special, Sam, I can’t do anything.”

“You can give her mother hope, which is more than we can.”

“Is false hope worse than that?”

“Maybe you don’t do anything, maybe you’re simply a catalyst, but whatever, this child has just hours to live, can you walk away from a dying four year old, when you might have been able to help?”

I felt dreadful, my heart was breaking but my head wanted nothing to do with it. “Sam, if I come, this once, promise me you’ll never ask me to do it again?”

“Okay, I promise. No one expects you to do anything except to come and try to work your magic.”

“I don’t do anything, Sam, how often do I have to tell you?”

“Thank you, Cathy, thank you so much.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Is this a good idea?” asked Stella.

“No, it’s a bloody stupid one, but maybe if this kid dies they’ll leave me in peace?”

“But she won’t will she?”

“How do I know?”

“But you do, don’t you?”

“Don’t ask silly questions.”

“You do know, don’t you?”

“Alright, I do know. She’s already recovering, okay, her aorta is healing and the multiple fractures are reducing, especially the ones in her skull.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

“I can see her, her name is Susan Green.”

“What?”

“God, my head hurts, I’m going to be sick…” I just made it to the cloakroom where I threw up and everything went black.