Page 8 of One Midnight With You
Deep breath, slap a smile on and let’s do this.
When they reached the double doors to the ward, they stood to the side to let a nursing assistant who was coming out pushing a trolley pass them by. Inside, they made their way down the corridor, to the third door on the right, through they went, first bed on the left and there was… no one. It was empty. Gwen’s bed was stripped, the machines were off, the bedside table had been cleared and there was absolutely no sign of human life.
Ailish froze, suddenly rooted to the spot. ‘Rhonda, did we come into the wrong room?’
Rhonda was staring straight at the bed too. ‘No. This is the right bed. You don’t think…’
Ailish’s stomach lurched.No. Please no. Please don’t let her have d…
She hadn’t even got to the end of that horrific thought when the door to the bathroom opened and a nurse came out, pulling awheelchair behind her. And there, sitting up for the first time in two weeks, was…
‘Gwen! Dear lord, you nearly gave us a heart attack,’ Rhonda gasped.
Gwen was nonplussed by this news. ‘Well, you’re in the right place. Cardiac ward is on the third floor.’
Ailish held on to the end of the bed, desperate to calm her own breathing and take in the sight in front of her. ‘Oh Gwen, you’re up…’
‘I am,’ Gwen beamed.
‘And you’re dressed…’ Ailish went on, stating the obvious.
‘Always said you should have been a detective,’ Gwen fired back this time, before taking charge of the conversation. ‘We got the results back from the scans – it’s not the cancer again. I’m still in remission. They think it could have been either the after-effects of the chemo, or a reaction to my meds. So they have very kindly…’ She winked at the nurse who was now standing beside her.
‘Against our better judgement…’ the nurse countered.
‘Agreed to let me out for now…’
‘On the condition that you go home to rest and return immediately if you develop any new symptoms or discomfort. And come back in to see your consultant on the second of January for a review and a management plan for going forwards.’
‘Exactly!’ Gwen finished, triumphantly.
Ailish blinked back tears. This was a time for laughing, not crying, but all too often these days they got mixed up. Her face took over, breaking into the widest smile, ‘You don’t need to ask us twice. Nurse, load me up with her bags, and the other one’ – she nodded to an uncharacteristically silent Rhonda – ‘will do the driving.’
In five minutes, they were organised, equipped, Gwen’s new meds had been double-checked, explained, and they were on their way out of the ward, positively giddy with glee.
At the lift, they pressed the button, and waited, giving Gwen the opportunity to take both of their hands. ‘I can’t tell you how grateful I am for you two incredible people,’ she said, her emotions torn between the tears that were making her eyes sparkle and the grin that was radiating joy and relief. ‘But before we leave here, I need you both to make me a promise.’
‘Anything,’ Ailish blurted without hesitation, at the exact same time as Rhonda said, ‘As long as it’s not celibacy.’
Gwen and Ailish both swivelled their heads to stare at her and she flushed.
‘Sorry. I don’t know where that came from. I didn’t realise we were being serious.’
‘Sometimes your mind works in very strange ways,’ Ailish told her drily, before focusing back on Gwen. ‘Tell us. Anything at all.’
Gwen exhaled deeply. ‘The last twelve months have been my worst nightmare. And the last two weeks have been terrifying…’
Ailish felt a piece chip off her heart. Whatever Gwen needed – round-the-clock company, her favourite foods, the assurance that they’d always support her – she would give it without question.
Gwen was speaking again. ‘And there have been so many times when I’ve thought I might not make it. I still don’t know if or when the cancer will come back.’
They all took that in.
‘So what I’m saying is that I have no idea how long I could have left and I’ve given so much time to this disease… So I’m not giving it another New Year.’
Ailish nodded. ‘You’re right. We’ll make the most of next year…’
Gwen cut her off. ‘No, you don’t understand. I’m not giving it anotherNew Year. Or New Year’s Eve. Fuck the bed rest – tonight we’re going to do exactly what we’ve always done on Hogmanay. Apart from last year when you were doing the whole recluse thing,’ she added, gesturing to Ailish, before resuming her call to arms. ‘So tonight, ladies, I need you to promise that we’re going out and we’re going to celebrate.’
