I pushed open the door to Lola"s room just a tiny bit, whispering Gabe"s name as I did so.
"Come in,"a sure but cracking voice offered. It wasn"t Gabe but Lola who bade me enter. I peered around the door. "Come in," she repeated.
I shut the door gently behind me and ventured over to the bed. Gabe was sitting in a chair to her left, holding her hand, and she raised her right hand beckoning me closer and patting the faded floral bedspread.
Gabe"s head was bent, but he looked up as I perched gently on the bed next to Lola. She turned to him. Although her voice was quiet there was no doubting the force behind her words as she spoke them, mother to child. "Gabe. I will have none of this moping and whispering. Go on downstairs and put the kettle on. Have a cup of tea or something, for goodnes
