Like Twigs in a Storm

by Ross Richdale

  "And Blake?"

  "Oh, he was next on my list together with the tart he's bedding," Nancy grunted. "Perhaps the shrinks are right and I am insane." She laughed. "Of course, an insane person never thinks they are, do they?"

  Lavina stood and just gazed at the woman. "I'd better go,” she said and headed for the door.

  *

  In the warden's office, Pat Stein glared at Lavina. "Do you know what happened?"

  "What?"

  "Morrow found the microphone beneath the table. She unscrewed and dismantled it. We have vision but nothing beyond the first couple of minutes of your conversation."

  Lavina broke into a smile. "Well, you'll just have to learn to lip-read won't you, sergeant," she replied. "I'd like to have a lift home now, if you please."

  "Okay, but we'll need a statement later. Jane will give you a lift home."

  After Lavina walked out, he turned to the austere woman who had sat silently in the room. "A complicated woman, warden," he said. "The idea of having a fake microphone that Morrow would find worked perfectly."

  "You're a devious man, Sergeant Stein," the woman replied. "It was an interesting confession of Morrow's, though, wasn't it?"

  "Yes," muttered the detective. "I doubt if it will be permitted as court evidence, though." He stood and reached out his hand. "There's still plenty to do to tie this case up, I am afraid. My niggling doubt that Janice Ludlow or Lavina Ryland were involved can be laid to rest once and for all, though."

  *

  Lavina walked out and found the jeep waiting for her. "Looks like Steve's here to give me a ride." She smiled at Jane. "Thanks for the offer."

  Jane Frankton nodded, gave Lavina a squeeze on the arm and retreated inside.

  "How did it go, Mum?" Cathy's voice floated out from the back seat of the jeep.

  "Interesting," Lavina replied, hugged Steve again and kissed him with a passion that still surprised him at times.

  "What was that for?" He laughed and winked over her shoulder at Cathy's smile.

  "For being right," she whispered.

  "You mean there was a double, double cross."

  "You could say that," Lavina said, climbing into the jeep. "The silly thing is, I'm pretty sure Nancy Morrow knew, too but it never stopped her talking." She gave a chortle. "Pat Stein had the whole thing televised and recorded but pretended the sound had been lost throughout the whole interview."

  "Why?" Steve asked.

  "I guess he thinks I'm thick."

  Steve grinned as he backed out of the park and drove towards the highway. He found Cathy's eyes in the mirror and smiled. "Do you think your mother's thick, Cathy?"

  "Yeah, around the middle. You should have seen her trying to get into last year's shorts the other day."

  Lavina turned and shook a finger at her daughter. "Weren't you asking me at lunch time for some money so you could go to the movies?" she said without even a glimpse of a smile.

  "Perhaps you're pregnant, Mum," Cathy flashed back. '"That would be okay, then."

  "Cathy!" Lavina snorted but her eyes caught Steve's grin. "My God, the cheek. If I'd said that when I was her age I would have been grounded for a month."

  "Yeah," Cathy retorted. "Grandma's always been long in the tooth. Not like you."

  "Thanks." Lavina smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Perhaps I might give you money for the movies after all."

  Steve loved the banter between mother and daughter and grinned again at the girl in the rear seat.

  "You getting fat, too Steve," Cathy looked directly at his mirror image and shook her pony tail, "I'd like to see you get into last year's shorts."

  "It's all the good food you and your mum cook for me." Steve laughed as that warm feeling of being loved surged through his body. He changed up a gear and headed home for 23 Ashley Grove.

  *

  CHAPTER 22

  With the wedding drawing closer, Steve felt somewhat superfluous. There was not one but two women in his household being measured and fitted with new dresses which he was not allowed to see so he stoically let them get on with it and continued down at Oversee SoftCom with his computer work. There was a contract that had to be completed so it was close to eleven in the evening when he arrived home to find a weary looking Lavina vacuuming scraps of material, threads and fluff off the carpet.

  Lavina smiled at Steve and gave him a welcoming kiss. "Cathy had a headache and went off to bed, and the dress designer just left. You should see Cathy's dress. It makes her look so mature..."

  "Oh, I'm sure I will," Steve laughed. "What about yours?"

  "Finished but you aren't seeing it until the wedding." Lavina grinned. "Only ten days, my love."

  The excitement in the house was infectious and Steve had to admit he was more nervous than he'd ever remembered. Steve grabbed the vacuum cleaner from Lavina, finished the room and turned it off.

  "Now," he said with a smile. "Let's have some supper."

  *

  Something woke Steve. He heard Lavina's faint breathing and stared through the blackness with ears tuned in. Yes, there it was, a faint whimpering. He slid out of the blankets and moved silently out, shut the bedroom door behind and turned on the landing light. Everything was now silent so perhaps it was just a dream. He shrugged and was about to return to bed but decided to check on Cathy downstairs. With the ground floor corridor light on he pushed her door open and gazed inside.

  Cathy was lying on the floor and something was terribly wrong. Steve snapped on the bedroom light. The girl was lying on the carpet. Her body jerked and her ghost white face was covered in perspiration. The eyes were open but rolled back under the eyelids. Worse still was her left foot. Around the implant, the skin was bloated and purple with the lower leg swollen like a balloon almost twice it's normal size.

  "Lavina!" Steve screamed, took two steps, picked the teenager up and was carrying her out of the room when his partner appeared, sleepy eyed at the top of the stairs.

  "Something's wrong with Cathy. It's serious. Phone the emergency number. I'll get her to the car and we'll head for the hospital."

  Lavina ran down the stairs and gasped in horror at the sight of her daughter's head lulled back and the gigantic purple leg. "Oh my God, Steve!"

  After pausing only to grab jackets for them both and the mobile phone, Lavina was in her car with Steve seated beside her cuddling Cathy. While she drove, he punched in the emergency number and spoke in clipped sentences to the calm voice at the other end.

  "We're to drive to the public hospital," he said. "They'll be contacting Doctor Horstmann and will be waiting for us at the emergency entrance."

  *

  Lavina accelerated through the empty city streets onto the motorway and put her foot down. The car was up to one hundred and forty kilometres an hour by the time the off ramp to the hospital appeared. With a skilful move she decelerated, cut across an inside lane and cut into the suburban streets again. Another four blocks blurred by before the floodlit emergency entrance of the hospital appeared. In a scream of brakes, she turned into the side driveway for ambulances only and stopped in a covered parking area.

  Once again, everything happened in seconds. Steve opened his door and not caring that he was still only in pyjamas, carried the shivering, moaning semiconscious girl out.

  "Over here, sir," a quiet voice called.

  Steve's desperate eyes caught those of a man in green fatigues behind a trolley. He lowered Cathy down on the bed placed a kiss on her quivering blue lips and stood up. He didn't realize but tears were streaming down his face. "Her leg, doctor."

  "She'll be in safe hands now, Mr. Garnet," the doctor said as a nurse strapped oxygen on Cathy's face and another assembled a bag of plasma above her.

  Steve nodded and felt Lavina touch his arm and hold his coat out for him. He slipped it on, gave her a brief hug and the pair followed the stretcher party through the myriad of corridors and into an emergency operating room. Other people were there helping. A soft arm gu
ided Steve to a seat and he found a sobbing Lavina clutching at him.

  All went silent. They were outside a double glass- topped doorway with Room 5 printed in red letters above it. Three nurses or doctors dressed in fatigues, masks, gloves and other paraphernalia rushed by and the pair were alone.

  "Oh Steve." Lavina stared up at him with her eyes moist and lips trembling. "What happened?"

  “I don't know. I honestly don't know.”

  The double door opened and a nurse appeared. "Mrs. Ryland?"

  "What's wrong with Cathy?" the distraught woman replied.

  "There was a massive rejection of the implant, Lavina," the nurse said in a calm voice. "Her condition needs to be stabilized and the implant removed." She grimaced. "Doctor Horstmann is in the operating room and so is Doctor Huxley, one of our foremost specialists in blood poisoning."

  "Blood poisoning!" Lavina stuttered as tears poured down her cheeks. "That can be fatal, can't it?"

  "It can be," the nurse said. "But with your forethought to bring her straight in we still have time to save her. The two surgeons are very qualified in their field."

  "How long will it be before we know how Cathy is?" Steve asked.

  "The next hour is crucial. I'd like to be more helpful but can't tell you any more at the moment." The nurse gave an empathetic smile. "We do have an observation room that's usually used for trainee doctors and students. If you'd like to see the operation taking place..."

  "Yes, please," Lavina whispered and Steve felt her hand squeeze his as they followed the nurse up a small set of stairs to a long narrow observation deck.

  Below, through soundproof glass, seven or eight gowned figures bent over the patient. Tubes and electronic devices were everywhere and four television monitors flashed out graphs and readings. A buzzer sounded and the nurse answered a small electronic beeper.

  "I'll ask," she said to the indecipherable incoming voice and glanced at Lavina and Steve.

  "We need blood," she said. "Are either of you A Positive?"

  "Cathy and I are the same blood type," Lavina replied. "We went to the blood bank several times together."

  "Good," replied the nurse. "Are you prepared to donate blood?"

  "Of course." Lavina kissed Steve and followed the nurse out the door. Alone, Steve stared at the scene below. His eyes were dry but he could feel his whole body trembling. He switched his eyes and realized two operations were really in progress. A surgeon, probably Doctor Horstmann was bending over Cathy's leg while another group of practitioners were bending over her chest. An anaesthetist stood at the end and held a mask over the girl's face while several nurses monitored the flashing screens.

  A clock on the wall moved onwards in silence but Steve could see little change in the room beneath. He heard a cough and Lavina appeared

  "I was talking to one of the doctors," she whispered. "Cathy's artificial toes are removed and her foot is stitched. The doctors said they're almost certain they got to her in time but still more of her blood is being replaced."

  "Just sit down, Lavina," a nurse Steve had not noticed said. "We'll get you a cup of tea to sip." She glanced up at Steve. "Would you like one too, Mr. Garnet?"

  "Yes, thank you." Steve smiled and reached out for Lavina's hand as she burst into tears.

  "If you hadn't heard her ..." she sobbed. "By now it might have been too late."

  "You would have awoken," Steve replied. "I know that for certain."

  They sipped the tea and waited another forty minutes before the nurse reappeared and asked them to return to the waiting room where the surgeons wished to speak to them. One was Doctor Horstmann whose expression was unreadable. He reached out and shook Lavina's hand and a thin smile punctured his lips.

  "Cathy is safe," he said quietly. "I must apologize for this and can offer no excuse. Cathy appeared to have made excellent progress but I guess this reaction was caused when I cut down on her drugs last week. It was completely unexpected but I know that is of little consolation to you both." He turned and introduced Doctor Gerard Huxley, a thin man of middle age and searching brown eyes.

  "Cathy will remain sedated for most of the day but is out of trouble," Huxley said. "Why don't you go home and return in the early afternoon?"

  "Can we see her, Doctor?" Steve asked.

  "Of course." Huxley nodded to a nurse standing beside him. "You should already notice a difference in her complexion."

  They were lead to a recovery room and Lavina immediately burst into tears... but these were of relief not despair. Cathy lay sleeping with a breathing tube attached to her nose and a bag of plasma still attached to her arm. Her face was almost back to normal with slightly flushed cheeks and rose lips. Her eyelids remained closed and her chest beat in a steady rhythm. A box like structure covered her left foot but the top of a bandage could be seen there.

  "Oh Steve." Lavina sobbed as an equally tormented Steve attempted to comfort her.

  They heard a slight cough and turned to see Doctor Horstmann standing behind them. "I've just been in contact with Westerfield Trust Hospital, and they're prepared to waive all fees if you'd like Cathy to have more artificial toes fitted."

  "And go through this again?" Lavina snapped.

  'No. I refer to ordinary artificial toes, not an implant. I'm prepared to waive all my fees as well."

  "We need time to discuss everything," Steve said. "Our present concern is Cathy's health. The toes are of less importance at the moment."

  "Of course." Horstmann gave Lavina a slight squeeze on the shoulder and departed.

  "He's just bloody scared we'll sue him and the Westerfield Hospital in a malpractice suit," Lavina retorted.

  "No, I don't think so," Steve said in a gentle voice. "I'm sure that was a genuine offer; a little like Miss Cameron's at Emerson Middle School."

  Lavina glanced at him, blinked and walked over to the bed. "Of course it is," she sniffed. "I'm sorry. It all happened so quickly I had to blame someone." She bent down and kissed her daughter. "I guess we'd better go home and get dressed. We're still in pyjamas, you know."

  "I guess we are." Steve grinned. "But don't worry. Everyone will just think we're patients."

  Together, arm in arm, they walked out into the morning sunshine. Steve glanced at his watch. It was almost ten a.m., more than seven hours since their arrival.

  *

  After lapsing back and forth into semi-consciousness, Cathy woke late in the evening of the third day and stared around the room. She knew where she was and had recollections of the doctors and nurses talking to her and explaining what had happened.

  Her mother was slumped; sound asleep in a chair by the drawn window curtains. All was quiet and the place smelled of disinfectant and flowers.

  She glanced around and saw three large bowls of flowers poking up behind at least a dozen cards. Her bedroom television was sitting on the cabinet at the end of the bed and the yellow mobile phone sat next to a jug of orange juice.

  Janice walked in. "Hi, Cathy," she said quietly as she reached down to hug the girl. "Your mum and Steve have hardly left your bedside. How are you feeling?"

  "Numb inside," Cathy confessed. Her eyes were wide and quizzical. "I've ruined Mum's wedding plans, haven't I?"

  Janice placed a small gift she had in her hand on the cabinet, sat on the bed and took Cathy's hands in hers. "No, of course you haven't."

  "But I won't be able to stand properly, let alone walk without limp. I'm just one great liability." She pouted and sniffed back a tear. "Why don't you do it?"

  "Do what?"

  "Be bridesmaid at their wedding."

  Janice smiled. "Don't be silly, Cathy. Your mum wouldn't want anyone but you. She's even talking of postponing the wedding until you're better."

  "She can't," Cathy snapped. "It's not fair to Steve."

  "Then you'd better get up and about, hadn't you?" Janice flashed a small smile. "It's on Saturday and today is Tuesday."

  "Oh hell! I didn't realize."

&nbs
p; Janice gazed into her eyes again. "I'm being mean, actually," she said. "I came to ask a favour."

  "Of me?"

  A blush came to Janice's cheeks. "I need a bridesmaid, too and thought you might like the job." She brought her left hand into sight to show a diamond engagement ring. "Barrie and I are tying the knot in about three months."

  Cathy just stared at her friend, then the ring. "You're just feeling sorry for me," she whispered.

  "No she isn't, sweetheart," Lavina interrupted. "Janice mentioned it to me well before you were rushed back to hospital."

  "Mum!" Cathy gasped and burst into tears. ''I don't want you to put off your wedding."

  "I won't, because you're going to be there with us."

  Suddenly she, too, was in tears hugging her so hard Cathy could hardly breathe.

  "And my offer?" Janice interrupted.

  Cathy's eyes lit up. "If you want me stumbling around your wedding, Janice, I'd love to.”

  "Good. But I have a feeling you won't even be stumbling at your mum's wedding, let alone mine."

  *

  Late that evening Steve woke and realized he was alone. He slipped out of bed, made his way downstairs and headed for Cathy's room. He peered in the darkened room and could hear her sleeping peacefully. It was her first night home and everyone had retired late. Steve glanced at his watch. Two fifteen, but where was Lavina?

  He walked into the living room and saw a small slither of light from Lavina's sewing room. Steve tip toed across and pushed the door open. His fiancée was sitting in front of her sewing machine with her head down and the machine whirling away. Cathy's bridesmaid's frock was spread out beneath it.

  "What are you doing, my dear?"

  Lavina jerked in fright and glanced up. Her eyes were damp with tears. "Helping Cathy," she sniffed.

  "In the middle of the night?" He crouched down and put his arms around Lavina. "Surely nothing is that urgent."