The year of the virgins by 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson
Authors: 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson
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but when presently beads of perspiration gathered on Don's brow and Annette went to wipe them away with her handkerchief, Winifred rose from the chair, saying, 'That's no good,' and going to the wash basin in the corner of the room, she wetted a face flannel, then returned to the bed and began to sponge her son's face, and all the while he kept his eyes closed. But when she started to wipe a hand, he jerked it away from her, saying, 'Mother! Mother! I've been washed. Please, don't; I've been washed.'
'Don't excite yourself. Lie still.'
Now looking across the bed at Annette, she asked, 'How long are you staying?' And when she was given the answer firmly and briefly, 'All day,' she said, 'Oh.' Then added, 'There's no need for two of us to be here. And I thought you were seeing about the house being put in order.'
'That's already been done. And this is my place.'
They were both startled as Don cried, 'Nurse! Nurse!' at the same time lifting his hand and ringing the bell.
When the door opened immediately and the nurse entered, he said, 'Nurse, I am tired.'
The nurse now looked from the elderly woman to the younger and said, 'Would you, please?' And as they both made slowly for the door, Don's voice checked them, saying, 'Annette. Annette.'
And she, almost running back to the bed, bent over him. 'Yes, dear? Don't worry. I'll be back in a minute or so. Don't worry.'
In the corridor they faced each other. Before Annette had
time to speak Winifred said, 'Two are one too many in the room.'
'Yes, I agree with you. And I have first place, I am his wife. Please remember that.'
'How dare you!'
'I dare, and shall go on daring.' With this Annette walked away towards a door marked 'Sister Bell'. And knocking and being bidden to enter, she went in and put her case to the sister in a few words, ending, 'Who has first right to be with her husband, sister? The mother or the wife?'
'The wife, of course. And don't worry, Mrs Coulson, I understand the position and I'll see Mr Richardson with regard to the visits his mother can make in the future. You've had a very trying time.' She came round the desk and, putting her hand on Annette's shoulder, she said, 'There, there, now. You've been very brave. Don't cry. Leave it to me, I'll deal with her. Is she still in the corridor?'
'She was.'
'Then you stay there until I come back/
A few seconds later Annette heard her mother-in-law's voice finishing on the words she had become accustomed to over the past weeks: 'He is my son. I will see into this.'
There followed a silence, but the sister did not return immediately. When she did, her smile seemed somewhat forced as she said, 'The coast is clear now; you can go in to your husband.'
'Thank you. Thank you very much, sister. By the way, sister' - she paused - 'could you give me any idea when I shall be able to take him home?'
'Oh.' The sister raised her eyebrows before she said, 'I'm afraid that will be some time, some weeks. You see, he's due for another operation later this week; and also, once you
get him home, there'll be continuous nursing for a time. You know that?'
'Yes. Yes, I understand that.'
'But one day at a time. Take it one day at a time. He's progressing much more quickly than we had thought he would, and he always seems better when you're with him.'
Annette could give no answer to this, but she went out and into Don's room again. He was lying with his eyes closed and didn't realise who it was until she took his hand. And then he said, 'Oh, Annette. What . . what am I going to do about her?'
'Don't worry, don't worry; sister's seeing to everything.'
'She upsets me, dear. I can't help it, she upsets me. I dread her coming in now. What am I going to do?'
'You are going to lie quiet and have a little doze. And just think, in a few weeks I'll have you home. I mean to have you home.' She squeezed his hand between both hers. 'That's all I'm living for, to have you home as soon as possible.'
'But how will you
'Don't excite yourself. Lie still.'
Now looking across the bed at Annette, she asked, 'How long are you staying?' And when she was given the answer firmly and briefly, 'All day,' she said, 'Oh.' Then added, 'There's no need for two of us to be here. And I thought you were seeing about the house being put in order.'
'That's already been done. And this is my place.'
They were both startled as Don cried, 'Nurse! Nurse!' at the same time lifting his hand and ringing the bell.
When the door opened immediately and the nurse entered, he said, 'Nurse, I am tired.'
The nurse now looked from the elderly woman to the younger and said, 'Would you, please?' And as they both made slowly for the door, Don's voice checked them, saying, 'Annette. Annette.'
And she, almost running back to the bed, bent over him. 'Yes, dear? Don't worry. I'll be back in a minute or so. Don't worry.'
In the corridor they faced each other. Before Annette had
time to speak Winifred said, 'Two are one too many in the room.'
'Yes, I agree with you. And I have first place, I am his wife. Please remember that.'
'How dare you!'
'I dare, and shall go on daring.' With this Annette walked away towards a door marked 'Sister Bell'. And knocking and being bidden to enter, she went in and put her case to the sister in a few words, ending, 'Who has first right to be with her husband, sister? The mother or the wife?'
'The wife, of course. And don't worry, Mrs Coulson, I understand the position and I'll see Mr Richardson with regard to the visits his mother can make in the future. You've had a very trying time.' She came round the desk and, putting her hand on Annette's shoulder, she said, 'There, there, now. You've been very brave. Don't cry. Leave it to me, I'll deal with her. Is she still in the corridor?'
'She was.'
'Then you stay there until I come back/
A few seconds later Annette heard her mother-in-law's voice finishing on the words she had become accustomed to over the past weeks: 'He is my son. I will see into this.'
There followed a silence, but the sister did not return immediately. When she did, her smile seemed somewhat forced as she said, 'The coast is clear now; you can go in to your husband.'
'Thank you. Thank you very much, sister. By the way, sister' - she paused - 'could you give me any idea when I shall be able to take him home?'
'Oh.' The sister raised her eyebrows before she said, 'I'm afraid that will be some time, some weeks. You see, he's due for another operation later this week; and also, once you
get him home, there'll be continuous nursing for a time. You know that?'
'Yes. Yes, I understand that.'
'But one day at a time. Take it one day at a time. He's progressing much more quickly than we had thought he would, and he always seems better when you're with him.'
Annette could give no answer to this, but she went out and into Don's room again. He was lying with his eyes closed and didn't realise who it was until she took his hand. And then he said, 'Oh, Annette. What . . what am I going to do about her?'
'Don't worry, don't worry; sister's seeing to everything.'
'She upsets me, dear. I can't help it, she upsets me. I dread her coming in now. What am I going to do?'
'You are going to lie quiet and have a little doze. And just think, in a few weeks I'll have you home. I mean to have you home.' She squeezed his hand between both hers. 'That's all I'm living for, to have you home as soon as possible.'
'But how will you
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