by Joan Jonker
‘I thought I had broken my back, love, I was in agony. In fact I passed out with the pain. But although I was half doped, I heard the doctors talking between themselves and they said the sack had landed on the bottom of my spine and the bones were either cracked or broken. They won’t know definitely for a few days.’ George was slurring his words and kept stopping in the middle of a sentence, his eyelids drooping. Now he said, ‘I’m sorry, love, but I can’t keep my eyes open. But don’t go, please, just hold my hand and I’ll know you’re here, even if my eyes are closed.’
So for the rest of the visit, Ann sat beside the bed holding her husband’s hand. Now and again he grimaced, and she knew he was in pain. If she could, she would have taken some of the pain from him. It was the bell ringing which brought George out of a fitful sleep. And his first thought was for her. ‘I’m sorry, love, leaving you sitting there after coming all this way. I’ll be better tomorrow, I promise.’
Ann could see the visitors at the nearby beds saying their farewells, and she pushed her chair back before leaning her fists on the side of the bed. ‘George, I’d sit here all night if they’d let me, and I wouldn’t care if you never opened your mouth. Just being near you would be enough for me. I love you, sweetheart, you know that. And I’m going to miss you like hell. And so will the girls. They’re upset that they’re too young to come in and see you.’
‘I won’t be in for long, Ann, perhaps just a week. So tell the girls I love them very much, as I do their mother, and I’ll be back home with my family soon.’ He raised his hand to stroke her cheek. ‘Don’t worry your head, everything is going to be all right.’
She bent to kiss him. ‘I love you, and I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Then she left the side of the bed so he couldn’t see the tears. This would be the first night since they’d got married that they would be sleeping apart.
Ann was hardly through the front door before the two girls were upon her. ‘How’s my dad?’ Tess asked. ‘When’s he coming home?’
Maddy’s first question was, ‘Is Dad going to be all right?’
‘Will you let me in first, then I’ll tell you all there is to tell.’ Ann could see Lizzie standing on the threshold of the living room door and she shrugged her shoulders. ‘As soon as these two let me breathe, Lizzie, I’ll be able to tell you how George is and then you can get home to your husband. He must be calling me for everything.’
‘No, my feller won’t mind, he’s very easy-going.’ This was true; her husband, Norman, was easy-going, but only up to a point. And the point was reached when his dinner was so late his mate was a pint up on him when he got to the pub. ‘Come on, girls, let yer mam in so she can tell me how yer dad is, and then I’ll leave yer in peace.’
‘Mrs Lizzie’s known my dad for years, and she really likes him,’ Tess said, hanging on to her mother’s arm when they reached the living room. ‘She’s been making us laugh, and she can’t half play tiddly-winks.’
‘All right, Theresa, calm down, love. I know we’ve all had a shock and our nerves are gone, but if you’ll sit down and listen, you might feel better when you’ve heard what I’ve got to say. I’ll speak to Lizzie because she’ll be wanting to get home, but you and Madelaine can listen and that will kill two birds with one stone. Not that it will stop you asking me questions all night, I know that, but at least Lizzie will be home with her family.’
Maddy pulled her sister down to sit next to her on the couch. ‘Be quiet, Tess, I want to know how Dad is.’
‘Well, he’s a bit poorly right now, which is what you can expect with the accident only happening a few hours ago. He was in a lot of pain, but the doctors have given him something to ease it.’ Ann was looking at Lizzie as she spoke, and she tried to send a message with her eyes that would tell the woman she was making light of things for the sake of the children. ‘He told me to thank you for coming to tell me, Lizzie, and for staying here so I could go to the hospital. And he sends you and his workmates his best wishes. He reckons he’ll be home in a week, but I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’
‘That would be expecting too much, I think,’ Lizzie said, her mind flashing back to the screams she could hear coming from George even though she’d been well away from the scene. And with him being in such pain he passed out. He’d still been unconscious when he was put in the ambulance. But she wasn’t going to tell his family that. ‘I’ll love yer and leave yer now, but I’d like to come with yer one night to see George, if yer wouldn’t mind?’
‘I’d be glad of your company, Lizzie, and I’m sure George would like to see you. But I think it would be advisable to wait for a few days until he’s had all the tests done. He was heavily sedated tonight and very drowsy, not really up to visitors.’
‘That’s understandable. I mean, he’s not going to feel good after what happened to him, yer couldn’t expect it. But I’ll come and keep the girls company tomorrow night while you go to the hospital, if yer like? I could go home first, give my feller his dinner and be here for seven o’clock. That would give you plenty of time to get to the hospital.’
‘I couldn’t possibly ask that of you, not after you’ve done a day’s work!’
‘Don’t worry about me, queen, I’m used to being on the go. Anyway, I can ask Mr Fisher to let me go half an hour early, he won’t mind.’
‘Go on, Mam, say she can, please?’ Tess begged. ‘It was nice having Mrs Lizzie here, keeping us company and making us laugh, wasn’t it, Maddy?’
‘Yes it was,’ Maddy agreed. ‘But we’re not babies any more, Tess, and we can look after ourselves. It’s too much for Mrs Lizzie, doing a day’s work, dashing home to see to her husband and then coming here. It wouldn’t be fair, not when we’re capable of looking after ourselves.’
‘I’d like to come, queen! Don’t forget, while I’m keeping you company, you’re keeping me company! My feller goes to the pub every night for a pint, so he won’t even miss me. I’d only be sitting on me own talking to meself and the flowers on the wallpaper. And they can lock yer up for that, yer know.’
Tess giggled. ‘You don’t talk to the flowers on the wallpaper, do you?’
‘I certainly do!’ Lizzie had to keep reminding herself that swear words weren’t allowed in this house. ‘And I’ll tell yer something else, queen, I get more sense out of those flowers than I do out of me husband. There’s one rose, it’s on the wall just above the sideboard, and I’ll swear it went to a high school, ’cos some of the words it comes out with I’ve never heard in all me born days.’
If someone had told Ann half an hour ago that she would smile before the day was over, she would have told them they were mad. But it was hard not to smile at the red-headed woman, who was, as George had said, rough and ready. He’d also said she had a heart of gold, and that was becoming very obvious. ‘If you’re sure you don’t mind, Lizzie, I would be very grateful. One of these days I might be able to repay your kindness by doing something to help you.’
‘Oh, I’m past help, queen.’ Lizzie was sitting on one of the wooden dining chairs, and using the table as a lever, she pushed herself up. With a beaming smile she chuckled, ‘My feller said I was past redemption years ago. And d’yer know what? I had to buy a dictionary to find out what redemption meant, ’cos I hadn’t a clue. Even the flaming rose didn’t know, and that’s unusual, because it’s a clever so-and-so. So it cost me tuppence for a dictionary, just to find out I was a hopeless case.’ She reached down for her handbag, which was resting against the leg of the table. ‘My feller had a headache for a week, which served him right.’
‘Why would your husband have a headache because you bought a dictionary?’ Maddy asked. ‘Was it because you made him give you the tuppence you’d paid for it?’
‘No, queen, it was because I hit him over the head with the poker.’ When the two girls clung to each other, laughing, Lizzie added, ‘Mind you, it was a case of cutting me nose off to spite me face, ’cos I bent the ruddy poker!’ She winked at Ann. ‘Show me out, queen, I’ll
be on me way.’ It was as she was putting the handle of her bag in the crook of her arm that she remembered. ‘Oh, ye gods and little fishes! I’d forget me ruddy head if it was loose! I’ve got yer photies, queen! George’s coat was taken to the hospital with him, but I whipped these out in case they got mislaid. He was so proud of them, I wouldn’t like them to get lost.’
‘Thank you.’ Ann took them from her. ‘I’ll take them into the hospital tomorrow, they might cheer him up.’
‘The girls are going to write letters to him tonight, for you to take in tomorrow. I bet George will feel champion when he reads those. Anyway, I’ll see you two tomorrow.’ Lizzie shook her head when Maddy and Tess went to follow her to the door. ‘No, you be good girls and make yer mam a cup of tea, I want to have a word with her in private. Woman to woman, like, if yer see what I mean.’
Ann had her hand on the door knob when Lizzie stepped down on to the path. ‘I hope it’s not bad news, Lizzie, I couldn’t take any more.’
‘No, queen, it’s about George’s wages. Yer don’t need to worry about them, I’ll ask the boss to let me have them and I’ll bring them straight from work on Saturday. So that’s one worry less for yer. Yer’ll have money to get yer shopping in and pay yer ways.’
‘I wish I could say money was the last thing on my mind, but I’m not in a position to do so. Our rent man is very nice, and he’ll probably have every sympathy for George. But he’ll still hold his hand out for the rent money. Oh, he’d no doubt let me go a week or two without paying because we’ve been good tenants over the years, never missed a week. But if I couldn’t pay one week, there’s no way I could pay two the next.’ Ann sighed as she looked down at the homely face framed by red hair which had been allowed to grow wild. ‘Until three hours ago I didn’t know you. You were just a name that George has mentioned over the years. Yet in those three hours you’ve done more to help me than anyone ever has. I don’t know what I’d have done without you, I really don’t. Our neighbours are very kind, but I’ve never been one for popping in and out of each other’s houses. So you’ve been a godsend. My husband said you had a heart of gold, and he never spoke a truer word.’
‘Yer’ll find most people are good at heart when help is needed. But I’m glad yer don’t think I was being pushy and sticking me nose in where it wasn’t wanted.’
‘Anything but, I think you’ve been a brick! And as long as it isn’t putting you or your husband out I’ll be glad to see you tomorrow night. Goodnight, Lizzie.’
‘Ta-ra, queen, and don’t yer be worrying yerself sick. Everything will turn out fine, you’ll see.’
There wasn’t much change in George when Ann went to visit him in hospital the following evening. He was still lying flat, his arms by his sides, but he wasn’t quite as drowsy. ‘It’s good to see you, love, I’ve been waiting all day for this. The time drags, not being able to move. If I could sit up, at least I’d be able to talk to the other patients and see what’s going on.’
‘I know it must be rotten for you, George, and I wouldn’t like to change places with you. But you must try to have a little patience. You only came in yesterday, you can’t expect miracles.’ Ann kissed him over and over, saying, ‘One from Madelaine, one from Theresa and three from me. You’ll get more from me before I leave of course, but that’s to be going on with. Now, I’m going to get myself a chair and sit and hold your hand while you tell me how you feel.’
George waited until she was settled. ‘I had a surprise visitor this morning, the boss, Mr Fisher, came to see me.’
‘Oh, that was nice of him! He must be a caring man.’
‘He’s also a businessman, love. He was wondering how long I’m likely to be off, because if it’s any length of time he’ll have to take another man on.’
‘Here’s me thinking he came to visit you out of the goodness of his heart, when all the time he was worried about his business! That’s a bit thoughtless, considering you were carrying out his business when you got hurt.’
‘He wasn’t being thoughtless, love, he was being realistic. Bill can’t work on his own, the job requires two men. Mr Fisher has put a bloke from the office with him for the time being, but whichever way it goes, he’s a man short.’
‘And what happened? What was the outcome of his visit?’
‘He had a word with the matron, but she said she couldn’t tell him anything yet. And it was no use asking to see a doctor because he’d only get the same response. It will be a few days before they can say with certainty what my injuries are.’
‘How come he was allowed in this morning? If I came to visit, they’d chase me.’
‘His air of authority must have done the trick. He carries himself well and can hold his own with the best. You’d know what I mean if you saw him, he’s certainly not one you would talk down to.’ George closed his eyes briefly as pain shot from the bottom of his back to the top of his head. He breathed in and out several times before carrying on. ‘Anyway, he’s going to take another man on temporarily until I get back on my feet.’
‘Your friend Lizzie has been kind, an absolute gem. She’s going to ask the boss if she can have your wages, and she’s bringing them Saturday straight from work.’
‘Oh, that was another thing Mr Fisher told me. He’ll keep on paying my full wages until such time as we know what’s what. So that’s one of the worries I can cross off my list.’
Ann gripped his hand. ‘The only thing you need to worry about is getting better. Are you still in as much pain?’
George nodded. ‘I’d hate to think what it would be like if they weren’t giving me something for it, I’d probably be screaming my head off. One of the sisters is very nice, the type you can talk to. She said the bruising is causing a lot of the pain, and that will ease off as the days go by.’ He wasn’t going to tell her he was worried sick in case his injuries were such he would be confined to a wheelchair. He couldn’t get that nightmare out of his mind, no matter how reassuring the sister had been. ‘Enough about me, how are you and the girls?’
‘The house is not the same without you. The girls miss you very much, and they’ve told you in letters they’ve written. I’ll leave them on the bed and you can read them when I’ve gone. They go back to school in a fortnight, and I’m going to have to see someone about Theresa. If they say she’s not ready for the senior school, she’ll be so disappointed. But I won’t let that happen without putting up a fight. She’s come on a lot over the past few months, thanks to Madelaine, and she’s not so far behind she couldn’t catch up if they’ll only give her the chance.’
‘Be firm about that, love, because every child deserves the best education they can get. It is their right, you’re not asking for anything they’re not entitled to. It’s nineteen thirty-two, and every child should be encouraged to learn, not left behind because someone sitting at a desk says so.’ A faint smile crossed George’s face. ‘Take Lizzie with you, she wouldn’t stand any nonsense. And it would be a brave person who argued with her.’
‘The girls have really taken to her. You should hear the things she tells them about talking to the flowers on the wallpaper, and hitting her husband over the head with the poker. She really cheered them up last night, they were in pleats laughing. And she was just what I needed, a shoulder to lean on.’ Ann was pleased her husband was talking more and taking an interest. She’d lain awake nearly all night, lonely in the big double bed they’d shared for so long. And all she could see was his face creased in pain. ‘By the way, love, you know Madelaine is thirteen tomorrow. I’ve bought a birthday card and put both our names on it. But could you manage to do a few crosses on the bottom and I’ll tell her they’re kisses from you? She’d be thrilled if she knew you’d put them on yourself. I’ve got a pencil here and I could guide your hand.’
George let his head drop back. Even that small task seemed like climbing a mountain. ‘Tell her I hope she has a lovely day and I’ll get her a present when I’m back home. I don’t half miss them, Ann, and
you.’ There was a catch in his voice. ‘I love you all so much.’
‘Oh come on now, George, don’t be getting depressed. Another couple of days and you’ll feel a lot different. Think on the bright side and tell yourself that this time next week you’ll be back home.’
‘You can’t help being depressed, love, just lying on your back staring at the ceiling all the time. Nothing to do but feel sorry for yourself. And I know I shouldn’t because I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. At least what ails me isn’t life-threatening. Not like some poor beggars in this ward. A man in the bed opposite died last night, and he leaves a wife and three kids. I keep telling myself to think of how lucky I am and not to be so pessimistic.’
Ann tutted when the bell rang. ‘That half-hour just flies over.’ She bent to kiss him. ‘I’ll slip down to your Ken’s tomorrow and let him and Milly know.’
‘Ask him to leave it a day or two before coming in, I might be up and about by then.’
Ann didn’t think there was any possibility of that but wisely didn’t voice her feelings. ‘I won’t see you in person until tomorrow, love, but not a second will go by that you aren’t in my thoughts.’ She kissed the tips of her fingers then pressed them against his lips. ‘I love you.’
Chapter Nine
Maisie Wilkins leaned over her clean step to put the bucket down in the hall. Then she wiped her hands down the sides of her pinny and stepped over the low wall which separated their house from the Richardsons’. ‘How was George last night?’ she asked when Ann opened the door. ‘Any improvement?’
‘Just about the same really, Maisie. He’s still flat on his back and still in pain. He reckons it’ll be next Monday before he knows anything definite. He’ll have been in hospital two weeks then.’
