Sheila hands me the cup of tea. ‘Drink this up. You’re probably a bit dehydrated now. I’ve put some sugar in it to give you energy.’
‘Thank you. You’re all so kind.’ Tears fill my eyes at the care George, Alison and now Sheila have shown to me. I’ve barely been in the family five minutes but they’ve all taken me under their wings. It really is kind of them. Lizzie and Nick are doing their best to help too. And it’s all my fault, being so clumsy as to fall down the stairs. I could have broken my neck. And I’ve ruined everything. We should have been in Prague, but instead everyone is running around looking after me.
You went dizzy and fell. There was nothing you could do, I remind myself.Now stop feeling sorry for yourself!
I’m not used to feeling like this. I’ve always been a strong woman. I’ve had to be, what with Lizzie being how she is, and then Arthur dying suddenly, and in such a dreadful way too.
‘Do you think you can manage a bit of food?’ Sheila asks. ‘A lightly boiled egg and toast maybe?’
Actually, I do feel hungry, I could manage an egg today. ‘Thank you. I’d appreciate that,’ I reply.
She goes out to the kitchen, leaving me to sip my tea. It’s cooled enough to drink now and soothes my dry throat. I wrap my hands around the mug and drink it slowly. As soon as I’ve finished it I’m going to have a shower, get dressed and put on some makeup. I’m determined not to be an invalid. I’m stronger than this. I’m a fighter. I always have been.
I put my empty cup back on the bedside table then my eyes rest on a black pen lying there. I stare at it, my mind swimming as a memory springs into it. Someone holding the pen out to me, wanting me to write something but I can hardly hold the pen.What was it? Who was it?I remember the feeling that I had when I woke up, that something important was lurking at the back of my mind. If only I could remember it.
Sheila returns a few minutes later with a tray holding two plates of toast and two partly shelled eggs in egg cups. ‘Tuck in,’she says, placing one on my lap, and I realise how hungry I am. I need to build myself up then I’ll get stronger.
‘This is so kind of you, thank you,’ I say.
‘No problem, you’re family now and we all look after each other.’ She sits down on the chair and tucks into her egg.
‘You’re all very close, aren’t you?’ I remark.
‘We are. When poor Carol died George moved to Gloucester so I could help him with the children. We’re a unit, us four.’ She takes a bite out of her toast.
George never talks about Carol’s death, all I know is that it was because of some kind of allergic reaction. ‘Past is past, no point going over it,’ he said, so I never pushed him for information. Now though, I’m curious.
‘Yes, it was a real tragedy, wasn’t it? So devastating for you all.’
Sheila pauses, spoon in hand about to scoop into her egg again. ‘The thing is, Carol wasn’t supposed to be going on the school trip that day. Another mum had to drop out so she stepped in at the last minute. If she hadn’t, she’d still be with us.’
A school trip? Surely it couldn’t be…‘Goodness, that is awful. George said she had a bad allergic reaction to something?’
‘Peanuts. She always avoided them but one of the kids on that trip must have had them in their lunchbox. I guess Carol thought she’d be safe as they were eating outside. She collapsed in front of Kenny and Alison. Poor Alison ran for her EpiPen but didn’t get it in time.’
I force my voice to stay calm as I ask, ‘Where were they?’
When Sheila tells me the name of the park and the year, my fears are confirmed.
George’s wife is the woman who died on Lizzie’s school trip when she was seven.
If Lizzie learns about this, it could bring her trauma back. I can’t let her find out and be plunged back into that darkness again.
23
LIZZIE
‘Morning, Lizzie, Judith’s still asleep, dear. I’ll get her to call you later,’ Sheila says when I phone to see how Mum is this morning. ‘How are you and the children?’
‘We’re all good, thanks.’ I’m a bit put out that she’s answering Mum’s phone, but then tell myself if Mum was asleep and Sheila heard it ringing, it’s quite natural for her to answer it.
‘Glad to hear that. I must get on now. Bye, dear.’
Then she’s gone.
I drum my fingers on my desk. Surely Mum shouldn’t be this tired. I know she has fractured her ankle, and she caught a tummy bug, but something doesn’t feel right to me. Maybe she should see the doctor. I’ll mention it to Alison when I visit her later. I try to put my worries to one side as I start marking my assignments.
The morning flies by and before I know it it’s lunchtime. Mum hasn’t called me back. I check my phone in case she’s sent me a text and I missed it. Nothing.
