Visions of the Heart

Chapter Two

Chapter TwoAs the rain petered away and the sun broke through the hazy clouds, Evelyn traipsed out into the garden, relieved to be out of the stuffy house. All morning she had been cooped inside, cleaning, tidying, sorting old clothes into charity bags for the less fortunate. She stood on the wet lawn, trying to decide which area to tackle first.

“Nice day for ducks,” commented her neighbour.

Evelyn smiled at the sight of his bald head peeking above the fence panel.

“It sure is Ted.”

“How's Nora? I haven't seen her about much this winter.”

Evelyn frowned at the mention of her mam, “She's not been too good Ted. Can't seem to shift this nasty cold.”

“That would be the jet stream I reckon. This country is getting milder and milder. Bugs are festering like crazy. It's just not cold like it used to be. The winters of my youth, well they were bad, but they sure killed the germs. Now it's all tropical like and the central heating and disinfectants don't help do they lass?”

“I suppose not,” Evelyn agreed, “although Mam is ninety-seven, so it is to be expected that her health is going to deteriorate one day.”

“Well give her my love lass. I best get back to work. Her indoors has a chore list for me as long as her arm.”

Evelyn waved him off, then pulled open the dilapidated shed door, searching for garden tools.

She set about pruning the heads off a patch of wilting winter border flowers and was humming softly, when she heard an almighty crash emanate from the house. She sprang to her feet, dropping the secateurs, rushing back up the sloping garden to tug on the sliding doors.

“Mam,” she called, frantic with worry.

Nora was still in the lounge where she had left her, slumped in a velour flecked chair, staring despondently down at a shattered tumbler and a pool of spreading water.

“Are you okay Mam?” Evelyn squat down next to her.

“I don't seem to have much energy this morning. Sorry dear.”

“You don't need to apologise Mam, it's fine, don't worry,” Evelyn pulled strips of tissue from a nearby balancing box and began mopping at the sodden floor.

Nora was wracked by a sudden coughing fit that had her whole body heaving and her hands clutching at the arm rests.

“I think a call to Doctor Dunn is in order Mam,” Evelyn placed a hand across her forehead, shocked to feel the hot clamminess. Her countenance was grey and pallid, the usual florid hue from her cheeks was missing.

“I really don't want to make a fuss,” Nora protested weakly.

“Shush,” Evelyn soothed, as she wiped gently at her mam's wet mouth, “you're not well.”

“I just need a good sleep,” Nora replied, as her eyes fluttered closed.

“I'll get some more water, then make a quick call,” Evelyn straightened, knees cracking as she did, then rushed off down the hall, reciting the number for the surgery.

Doctor Dunn was swathed in a long, grey rain mac, with expensive looking spectacles hanging from a chain around his neck and a fancy looking pen wedged firmly behind his ear. Evelyn almost pulled him through the entrance, she was so relieved to see him.

“Come in,” she mumbled, ushering him inside.

Mam's eyes flickered open as he strode towards her.

“Well now Nora, what have you been up to?”

“Can't get rid of this blasted cough,” she spluttered, “I hope I haven't taken you away from your family.”

“I'm always available for my favourite patient,” he assured her smoothly, as he delved inside a sturdy doctor's bag.

“How long has she been like this?” He asked Evelyn, who was hovering nearby, a worried frown on her face.

“Since early morning, but she has got progressively worse.”

The doctor nodded, “I'm just going to listen to your chest Nora.”

She slumped back as he explored with his stethoscope.

“Can you help me lift her forward?” He motioned to Evelyn, then together they bent her slightly in the chair so he could check her back.

“Any pains in your chest?”

Nora nodded, clutching her bosom with a wince.

“Okay lovely lady,” he patted her hand gently, “you need a little bit of help to get you better. I'm going to call for an ambulance to take you to the hospital.”

Nora's eyes widened in consternation.

“I'll be with you Mam,” Evelyn reassured her, choking back the lump of emotion.

Doctor Dunn left the room to make the emergency call and Evelyn sprang into action, rushing around to pack a small holdall with toiletries, a warm woollen dressing gown and a Mills and Boon novel. The ambulance was soon tearing down the street, sirens wailing. Evelyn stood to one side, fighting back the tears, as two young paramedics jogged into the room and secured Nora to a stretcher.

“She's never been in hospital,” Evelyn whispered to Doctor Dunn, “not even to have me, she'll be frightened.”

“They will take good care of her,” the doctor replied, “they're good people, try not to worry.”

Evelyn clutched Mam's hand as they headed up the path. Neighbours congregated at the edge of their picket fence, murmuring in hushed tones and watching with sympathy as they loaded her into the vehicle. The kind paramedic pulled Evelyn up into the ambulance, pushing her onto an antiseptic smeared seat.

After an energetic whizz across the city, Nora was wheeled into an assessment room, where a doctor and a nurse were waiting.

Evelyn paced outside, fumbling in her bag for some change to purchase a cup of lukewarm, watery tea. She stared down a long corridor which tapered off into numerous cubicles. The sounds of a child sobbing could be heard, the bellowing of an inebriated youth as two porters grappled with him. The minutes seemed to tick by interminably slow. As a distraction, she read a wall poster which listed the benefits of hand washing, underneath it was a sink and disinfectant soap. Evelyn crossed to clean her hands, while around her bustled numerous hospital workers. Their rubber shoes squeaked annoyingly loud as they rushed to and fro. The smell of cleaning fluid hung in the air, an invisible cloud, heavy and cloy. Magazines protruded from a wall rack, she pulled one out and speed read through it, the words swam in front of her, blurry and indistinct. It was futile trying to concentrate on Sabrina and Tom's magnificent competition wedding win in the Seychelles. She snapped it shut, just as an exhausted looking nurse appeared from Mam's cubicle.

“The doctor will be with you shortly,” her name tag informed Evelyn she was called Sonia.

Evelyn nodded a thank you, then drained the remains of her drink. She straightened her shoulders, preparing herself for bad news.

“Ms Cooke?”

“Yes.” Evelyn turned to stare expectantly at a small, jolly looking lady, with ruddy cheeks and flaxen hair.

“I'm Doctor Flavell,” she held out a hand in a friendly greeting, “I've assessed your mother.”

Evelyn's spirits sank as she noted the doctors sympathetic frown.

“I'm sorry to inform you that Nora has pneumonia, she does need to be admitted straight away.”

Evelyn felt a tremble begin in her hands and raised them to her mouth in shock. “She will be okay though?” Evelyn searched the other ladies countenance for signs of hope.

“We are doing all we can, but I must tell you that your mother is very poorly. We have started her on a course of strong antibiotics and I've arranged for a chest x-ray. Would you like to see her briefly before we take her up to the ward?”

“Oh Mam,” Evelyn sighed with emotion at the sight of Nora, looking weak and frail in the hospital bed. “I love you,” she murmured, as she bent to plant a tender kiss on her cheek.

Beneath the oxygen mask, Mam's lips lifted to form a small smile. “Don't forget to pay the milkman and the paperboy and let Jacob know where I am dear.” Nora rasped, her chest shaking with the effort of speaking.

“Shush, just concentrate on getting better,” Evelyn took her hand and squeezed it gently.

The nurse led her out of the cubicle, “we'll take good care of her,” she said with a kind smile.

As Mam was wheeled away, up the dimly lit corridor, Evelyn was overcome with a feeling of dread, the hairs on the back of her neck pricked up, goose bumps covered her arms and she felt an irrational urge to run after the retreating figures and to fling her arms around Nora and never let go.