After he’d done his rounds, I called Cheryl over.
‘So where did he come from?’ I asked.
‘Osbury,’ she said. ‘He has a deli there. He pops in when he can with a few extras for the patients. There’s a whole family of them living and working there and they come in as volunteers for the hospital from time to time. I wish they could come in more, in fact . . .’
After Joe, Cheryl announced that someone was coming in from a local beauty salon to do pampering treatments. Half an hour later a lady called Nessa arrived with two assistants. I couldn’t help but stare at her. She looked like a model, no, even more beautiful than that. She looked like a goddess – tall, with blonde hair and a perfect oval face with blue eyes.
‘So oo’s for being pampered,’ she said with a broad Essex accent.
Amy, Skye and I all held up a hand and the two assistants went to their beds and Nessa came over to mine.
‘Awright, doll?’ she asked.
I nodded. ‘Yes. Actually I’m having an OK day.’
She smiled, sat at the end of the bed and peeled back the covers and began to give me a foot massage. It was pure heaven. While she was doing it, I looked at the names on my phone. Nessa, Venus, it said.
‘Are you part of the special club?’ I asked.
‘What do you mean, love?’ asked Nessa. I showed my phone. ‘I won this on the Internet and it has ten names on it. Something to do with astrology and planets.’
‘That’s right, duck,’ said Nessa. ‘You’re this month’s Zodiac Girl, right? Ya met yer guardian?’
‘Mario, yes, otherwise known as Mars. And um . . . according to my phone, Nessa . . . you’re Venus?’
‘That’s right. Planet of love and beauty. I run a beauty shop in Osbury.’
‘And you work as a volunteer in the hospital?’
‘Sometimes. We all signed up for a bit, ready for when ya were comin’ in.’
‘For me?’
‘Yeah, cos ya’re Zodiac Girl and we’re ’ere to ’elp. Like imagine if we told the nursin’ staff that we were the planets ’ere in human form. They’d think we were a bunch of nutters and never let us in. We have to think up ways to get around. Ways to be accepted in normal society. It was in yer chart that somethin’ like this would happen to ya, and ya might end up in here for a bit, so Mario told us to get ready. To start here as volunteers.’
‘I can see your point,’ I said. ‘Yes, they might think that you were all mad.’ Because you are! I thought. Either that or my anaesthetic hasn’t worn off and I am having a strange dream.
Whatever the reason, I don’t mind, I thought after she’d gone and I’d looked at the phone to see that three hours had gone by since they had arrived. Are they volunteers with overactive imaginations who are a little bonkers? Or not? I wondered. If not, it’s like having the modern-day equivalent of an Aladdin’s lamp. I felt a rush of excitement flood through me as I considered what else the zodiac phone might be able to do.
Chapter Twelve
My Bee–ootiful Sisters
‘Why are you crying? And what the heck happened to your hair?’ asked Cissie that evening when she arrived with Mum and Eleanor, and I burst into tears at the sight of them. The three of them looked so lovely and familiar when they walked in that I couldn’t help it. Skye glanced up at them. People always stared at my sisters because they were so striking and they looked particularly so in the brightly lit ward. Cissie had obviously just come from ballet class and was dressed in fuchsia leggings and a pink T-shirt. Eleanor was wearing a tiny denim skirt over thick black tights. She had the longest legs and knew how to show them off.
‘I’m just so pleased to see you,’ I replied. ‘I . . . I thought I’d never see you again.’
Eleanor sat on a chair to the right of my bed. ‘Why not? You’re such a drama queen, Marsha. You’ve only hurt your wrist. Now, when I was in hospital, it really was serious. Remember, Mum, when I fell off my horse. The doctors thought I’d never walk again.’
‘Yes–—’ Mum began.
‘Rubbish,’ said Cissie as she sat on a chair to the left of my bed. ‘It was a sprain, nothing more, but, when I was in hospital after my fall, the doctors thought I might have damaged my brain—’
‘You did. No doubt about it,’ said Eleanor, and she pulled a face at Cissie.
Mum settled herself on the end of the bed. ‘Now, girls,’ she began.
‘As I was saying,’ Cissie interrupted in a raised voice. ‘I had concussion. Now that is serious.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Eleanor. ‘They didn’t even keep you in overnight.’
Normally, I would have joined in with gusto. It was always like this with my sisters, each of us competing to outdo the other, whatever was at stake. Our voices would get louder and louder in the fight to be heard. But today it felt like my birthday, like Christmas, like the most special special day because I’d had a lovely morning and I wasn’t going to die. Least not yet. I sat there beaming at my gorgeous sisters and my beautiful mother.
‘What’s the matter, Marsha?’ asked Cissie. ‘You’re looking at us strangely.’
‘Yeah. Are you on drugs?’ asked Eleanor.
‘No. Just really, really pleased to see you. I had forgotten how beautiful you all are.’
‘She’s definitely on drugs,’ said Cissie.
‘You know guys, I really love you,’ I said.
‘Whoa! Maybe you did damage more than your wrist,’ said Eleanor. ‘Mum, she’s gone mental.’
Mum smiled at me. ‘Not at all. I think that’s sweet, Marsha, and we love you too.’
‘No, we don’t,’ chorused Cissie and Eleanor, but they looked slightly dewy eyed when they said it.
‘So what did happen to the hair?’ asked Eleanor.
I put my hand up to my head. I was longing for a hairwash. ‘It was for a part in the school show. Ice Queen,’ I replied.
Mum patted my hand. ‘Marsha got the part, didn’t you, dear? But er . . . she can’t do it now.’
I suddenly realized that I didn’t mind about not playing the Ice Queen any more. I was going to live. I was going to get out of hospital. There would be other parts. Other shows. ‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘There are more important things.’
‘That’s the attitude,’ said Mum, but she looked surprised.
‘So, kid, when are you getting out of here?’ asked Cissie.
I was in such a good mood I didn’t even mind that she’d called me kid. Usually that would have started a full-blown argument because she knows I hate it. ‘Tomorrow, if everything’s OK. In fact, Mum, they fixed the X-ray machine and I had mine redone just before you came in. When Dr Sam’s had a chance to look them over, which the nurses think will be in the morning, I’m out of here.’
‘Cool,’ said Cissie, and she split the goodies that Mum had brought in and proceeded to help herself to the chocolates. ‘No point in letting these go to waste, then.’
Eleanor opened one of the magazines and began to read. ‘And you’ll be able to read these at home so I may as well have a look now as I’m busy the rest of the week.’
I didn’t even mind that. ‘Help yourself,’ I said. ‘Help yourself.’
On the other side of the ward I saw Amy glance over and smile. I smiled back at her.
As soon as the visitors had gone for the evening, I got out of my bed and went over to Amy’s. Her arm was attached to some kind of drip. She was awake and saw me looking at it. ‘Blood transfusion,’ she said. ‘Sometimes they give me one before they start my chemotherapy. You’ll see me change colour as it goes through. I go from pale to pink.’
‘How long are you in for?’ I asked.
‘Only three days this time. I come in once every three weeks for a couple of days and they do my treatment. I’m on round four. Two more to go.’
‘Then what?’
Amy shrugged. ‘Don’t know exactly. More treatment.’
I looked at the blood sack. ‘Does that make you feel weird?’
Amy shook h
er head. ‘Nah. Makes me feel better. It’s the chemo that makes me feel weird. After it, I have one week of feeling awful, one week of feeling medium awful and one week of feeling almost all right and then I have to come back and start the process all over again.’
‘It must be terrible. You poor thing.’
Amy shrugged and glanced away.
‘God. Sorry. Me and my big mouth. Just say if you don’t want to talk about it.’
‘I don’t want to, if you don’t mind. It’s . . . it’s boring. I’d like to hear about you, though. Tell me all about you and why you’re in here.’
‘No probs,’ I said with a grin. ‘Permission . . . no, an invite to talk about myself. You don’t know what you’ve let yourself in for.’ For the next ten minutes, I filled her in on all the events of the last few days apart from the eavesdropping bit.
‘I bet you’d have made a great Ice Queen,’ she said.
‘Yeah. But guess not many Ice Queens have a thumping great plaster cast on their arm.’
Amy laughed and then looked at me kindly. ‘You looked a bit upset before. Have you . . . have you . . . had some bad news that you haven’t told me about?’
‘Uh . . .’ For a moment I felt lost for words. How could I tell her that I had been upset, but only because I thought what was happening to her was happening to me? And what a relief it had been when I’d found out it wasn’t me after all. I so wished I could give her some news. Like that I was a good fairy and could wave a magic wand to make whatever was wrong with her go away. ‘No biggie. It’s just so boring in here. Like the hours seem to stretch out until forever.’
Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Tell me about it. Some hospitals have recreation rooms where there are things to do, but not this one. It wasn’t in the budget, apparently.’
‘Oh, yeah. I remember now. A girl at our school was trying to organize a charity event to raise money for a recreation wing. She was looking for people to perform.’ Now that I’d met Amy and experienced for myself how endless days in hospital could be, I felt ashamed of the way I had turned Sophie down. I decided I’d better change the subject before Amy asked if I was going to be in Sophie’s concert and realized what a selfish cow I was. ‘But come on – fair’s fair. I’ve told about me. What about you?’
‘Not a lot to tell. I’m thirteen. One sister who lives in Australia. Music is my thing. I like all sorts. Um. Got ill about six months ago. Boring boring, don’t want to talk about it. Wish it hadn’t happened. Felt it wasn’t fair. There are so many things I still want to do and having to come back here again and again really gets in the way. I moaned and groaned a lot, but now I think what’s the point? I try to get on with it, make the best I can of it. Get in here, get out as fast as poss. Know what I mean?’
‘Oh, yeah. But you’ll be out soon.’
‘For a while. It’s part of my life now and I just have to accept that. I try not to feel sorry for myself, though of course some days I do.’
‘Well, I think you’re amazing. If it was me, I’d be a total mess.’
Amy smiled. ‘No you wouldn’t. You deal with it day by day.’
At that moment, the nurse came over to change Amy’s drip and she shooed me away.
‘Laters,’ I said. ‘Want to watch a DVD when they’ve finished with you?’
Amy beamed back at me. ‘Yeah. What you got?’
‘High School Musical and St Trinian’s.’
Amy gave me a thumbs up as the nurse swished the curtains round her.
On the way back to my bed, I looked over to see Skye. I thought I might ask her to join us, but she had her iPod headphones in and her eyes closed, so I decided best not to disturb her. As I climbed back on my own bed, I felt so thankful that this really would be the last night and soon I’d be free.
Chapter Thirteen
Going Home
Stepping out from the hospital reception area the next morning into the light of the car park felt like emerging from a bad dream. All the colours in the outside world seemed more vivid, all the sounds louder.
I spotted Mum’s car immediately. Silly thing – she’d tied a bunch of pink balloons on the back. I gave her a hug to show her that I appreciated the gesture.
Mum supported my arm while I hobbled over to the car and got into the passenger seat. As she started up the car and drove through the traffic, I gazed out of the window. It felt so good to actually be going home, to be back in the world where things were happening.
The drive to our house took about twenty minutes and when Mum opened our front door I felt like I was being let into paradise. Everything was how I remembered but somehow brighter and more comfortable-looking. I inhaled the familiar smell of charred toast and strawberry – from the scented candles that Cissie always burned in her room. Lovely. We went through to the kitchen and there on the table was a chocolate cake with shiny glistening icing.
‘Cissie and Eleanor stayed up and baked it for you last night after they got back from the hospital,’ said Mum. ‘Chocolate fudge, your favourite.’
She cut us both a slice and we sat at the kitchen table to eat them with tall glasses of milk. I looked over at Mum and smiled at her. ‘This is the happiest day of my whole life,’ I said.
Mum laughed. ‘Let’s see how long that feeling lasts,’ she said.
‘Oh it will, it will,’ I said. ‘I will never take anything here for granted ever again.’
Mum raised an eyebrow as if to say she still didn’t believe me.
After the cake, I wandered upstairs and poked my head in all the rooms as if I were going around the house for the first time. Our lovely white bathroom that smelt of jasmine soap instead of antiseptic, like the shampoo that Nurse Abbie had used to wash my hair at hospital this morning. How could I have ever thought our house was too small? It was perfect. Next was Cissie’s room with the cornflower-blue walls and all her posters of famous ballet dancers. Further along the corridor was Eleanor’s room, painted baby pink but now covered in so many posters of boy bands you could hardly see the walls. It was chaos as usual in there with drawers and cupboards open – their contents spilling out, pots of nail varnish and make-up strewn on her dressing table.
‘Lovely, lovely,’ I said. Both rooms looked so homely. At the back next to my room was Mum and Dad’s. I opened the door. It felt so peaceful in there. A white bedspread and curtains and lavender walls with a neat pile of books on both their sides of the bed. History books on Dad’s side, gardening, recipe books and magazines on Mum’s.
And, at last, my own room looking out over the back garden.
‘Hello, room,’ I said as I opened the door. I went and sat for a moment on the window seat, looking out over the lawn covered in orange and gold leaves fallen from the trees. Then I got up and sat on my bed, sighing at how comfy it felt. I lay back. ‘Ahhhhh, lovely jubbly bed. I love you. I’ve missed you,’ I said, sinking back. I fell into a light sleep only to be woken by the sound of the doorbell. A few minutes later, Lois appeared at my door. She bounded over and was about to give me a huge hug when she remembered my arm.
‘Whoops,’ she said. ‘How is it? How does it feel?’
‘Better,’ I said. ‘It’s OK but I feel fanlubblytastic.’
‘Why? What’s happened? Has anything happened with the zodiac people?’
I filled her in on all their comings and goings in the hospital and her eyes grew large with amazement. ‘Awesome,’ she said.
‘Yeah. Apparently Mario, my guardian, got them all to be volunteers especially for me.’
‘You’re so lucky,’ said Lois. ‘So now what?’
I shrugged.
At that exact moment, the zodiac phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out. It was Mario.
‘Zodiac Girl,’ he said.
‘Mario,’ I replied in exactly the same sombre tone and gave Lois a thumbs up. She grinned back at me.
‘You’re out?’
‘I’m out.’
‘You know what you have to do now?’
&nb
sp; ‘Yes. Have a great big bubble bath. Mum’s cooking my fave lunch, then a bit of telly.’
‘No. That’s not it at all.’
‘Why not? I just got home.’
‘I know. But what are you going to do next?’
‘I don’t know. Er . . . get better. Go back to school?’
‘Marsha,’ said Mario in an exasperated tone of voice. ‘Can’t you get it through your thick skull? You are Aries. Aries are the movers and shakers of the zodiac.’
‘That’s me. So?’
‘They are the leaders. The ones that make things happen. What are you going to make happen?’
Lois was making faces at me. ‘What’s he saying?’
I shrugged my shoulders and made a face as if to say, I don’t know.
‘Mario, can’t you just tell me if I am supposed to do something?’
‘No, I can’t. It has to come from you and I would have thought it was obvious by now.’
‘Give us a clue,’ I said cheekily.
‘Clue! CLUE!’ he roared. ‘That’s all you’ve had since your time started. I don’t know. I really don’t. Haven’t you learned anything?’
‘Yeah. That I don’t like being in hospital. That’s what I learned.’
I could hear Mario sigh in a weary way at the other end of the phone. ‘Look,’ he said. ‘Sleep on it, why don’t you?’
‘Sounds as good a plan as any,’ I said, and he sighed again then clicked off.
‘What?’ asked Lois.
‘I don’t know. He says I am supposed to do something. That I am a leader.’ I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I still looked weird with my white brittle hair. ‘Maybe that I shouldn’t have dyed my hair? Maybe I should get a new style?’
Lois giggled and nodded.
Chapter Fourteen
Back to Business
Thump, thump, thump. Someone was banging on the bathroom door. ‘Marsha! Get a move on. What are you doing in there? Taking a nap?’ Cissie called.
Another thump then Eleanor’s voice. ‘Yeah. There’s a queue out here. You’re not the only one who has to get washed and out this morning.’
‘Give me a break,’ I said, opening the door. ‘It’s not easy with only one arm, you know, and a sore ankle.’
Dancing Queen (Zodiac Girls) Page 8
