Page 48 of Summer in Sunset Harbour
Josie looked up. ‘Cancer … what do you mean? Why’s she on the cancer ward?’
‘I think you and your friend will need to talk about that.’
Josie hurried through the hospital to the cancer treatment department. Asking at a departmental reception desk, she was shown to a seat and told to wait. An hour and three cups of overly sweet machine coffee ticked by. She messaged Tiffany to say she’d be a while, and a reply came to say Cathy had taken her to Primark. Finally, a nurse came over and tapped her on the shoulder.
‘Ms. Roberts? Ms. Lewisham is on the ward now if you would like to see her.’
Hilda, wearing hospital pyjamas, was sitting up in bed with a gardening magazine open on her lap. She looked less than happy, but smiled when she noticed Josie standing at the foot of her bed.
‘I’ve already read this one cover to cover,’ she said, giving the magazine a dismissive tap. ‘Can you believe it’s the most recent issue they have?’
Josie came over to the bed and put a hand over Hilda’s, noticing to her shock the tube coming out of her friend’s forearm.
‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ Hilda said. ‘It’s just a few vitamins and things. The same stuff I give to plants.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
Hilda visibly sagged. ‘Not the best conversation opener, is it? I meant to, I just … couldn’t. I can’t even admit it to myself. I’ve been a warrior my whole life. I’ve rarely even had a cold. And now … this.’
‘How bad is it?’
Hilda sighed. ‘Stage two lung cancer.’
‘Stage … what does that mean?’
‘It could get worse; it could get better. I might live; I might die. That’s about what it means.’
‘Lung cancer? How? You don’t smoke; you spent most of your life around plants … it doesn’t make sense.’
‘There’s one battle none of us can win,’ Hilda said. ‘The battle against time. I’m an old woman; that’s about the be all and end all.’
‘An old woman who rides a motorbike, climbs hills to look at sunsets—’
‘Goes parachuting, don’t forget that. Incredible experience.’
‘It just doesn’t seem possible.’
‘I’m bucket-listing, aren’t I? Just in case I’m no longer here this time next year.’
‘Don’t say that.’
Hilda sighed again. ‘I was perfectly happy with my old Ford Mondeo. The motorbike was an impulse buy.’
‘You should have told me.’
‘I tried to, but you were going through your divorce and I didn’t want you worrying about me on top of everything else. Then when you told me how you’d ended up, about selling the house and everything, I saw a chance to spend a bit of time with you. I knew your pride would stop you taking an extended holiday, but I remembered Nat’s family’s campsite and thought it would give you a project to keep you nearby for a while if I could talk him into letting you have a go.’
‘Oh, Hilda. You should have just told me.’
‘I know, I know, but I didn’t want you fussing around me and worrying all the time. I’m perfectly all right. Well, apart from the Big C, but otherwise. I just had a turn, that’s all. It was too hot in the greenhouse. Nothing to do with the cancer.’
‘I don’t believe you. Have you started treatment yet?’
‘They said they have some more tests to do, but it probably won’t be long.’ She sighed. ‘Can you have a word with Tiffany? I might need to borrow a couple of hats.’
23
Looking for Help
