‘They’re on their way,’ she says, when she returns.
I sink on to the bottom step and wrap my dressing-gown tightly around my legs to stop them shaking. And then a thought hits me. ‘Ruby? Where’s Ruby?’ She can’t come out and see her mother like this.
‘I’ll make sure she’s okay.’
I don’t want her to go. I don’t want to be left alone with Selena’s body.
Her eyes are closed. She might have been sleeping if it wasn’t for the blood, and her body at that odd angle. She must have fallen. Slipped down the stairs and cracked her head open on the tiles. How else could this have happened?
Mum reappears. ‘Ruby’s still asleep,’ she says. ‘We have to be quiet. We can’t let the girls see Selena like this.’
‘Should we try to move her?’
‘No. The ambulance is on its way.’
‘I think …’ I sob ‘… I think she’s dead, Mum.’
Mum kneels down and holds Selena’s hand. The gesture makes the tears flow even more. ‘Yes,’ she says gently.
And I wonder how long she’s been lying in this draughty hallway, with the muddy wellies and the smelly trainers and the unseen footprints of strangers. If we’d found her sooner we might have been able to save her.
I stand up. Maybe she’s still alive. Maybe her breathing is so shallow we can’t tell. She could be in a coma. She could be saved. ‘I’m going to get Julia,’ I cry, racing back up the stairs before Mum can say anything.
I hammer on Julia and Nathan’s door. I’m amazed my scream and Mum’s cries haven’t woken anyone else.
I hear movement behind the door. There’s no answer. I knock again and then a little voice whispers, ‘Nathan?’
I frown. Why does she think I’m Nathan? ‘Julia! It’s me, Kirsty. Open up!’
She opens the door in rose-printed pyjamas. From where I’m standing I can see the bed behind her is empty. Where’s Nathan? There’s no time to ask her as I fill her in on what’s happened to Selena as we descend the stairs. She doesn’t seem shocked to see Selena lying there: I imagine she’s seen a lot worse at the hospital where she used to work before she became a GP.
Julia bends over Selena and feels for her pulse. ‘There’s a very faint one,’ she says, her eyes meeting mine over Selena’s prostrate body. ‘But it looks as though she sustained a severe head injury in the fall. Have you called an ambulance?’
‘Yes, but it’s taking a while. Why can’t it hurry up?’
As if on cue we hear the knock on the door. I open it to two strapping paramedics who instantly take charge. Julia explains what’s happened as they lift Selena on to a stretcher and fasten a plastic mask over her face.
‘I’m going with the ambulance,’ insists Mum. ‘Selena will need someone with her when she comes round. Look after Ruby, won’t you?’
‘Of course.’
Julia puts her arm round me as we watch the paramedics stretcher Selena into the ambulance, making sure to support her neck, their heavy footsteps crunching over the gravel. Mum climbs in with her, then the doors are slammed and the ambulance races away.
The two of us stand there watching as the ambulance disappears from sight, shivering in our nightwear. Then we close the door.
I turn to Julia. ‘Where’s Nathan? I know he wasn’t in your room.’
Her face pales even more – if that’s possible. She wraps her arms around herself. ‘I don’t know. We had a row last night and he stormed out. I assumed he slept down here.’
The sound of a door opening makes us both turn. Nathan is coming out of the playroom in a crumpled T-shirt and boxer shorts. His hair is standing on end and he’s rubbing his eyes. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Did you sleep in there last night?’ demands Julia.
‘Where else am I going to sleep when you kicked me out?’ he snaps.
I go to him and put my hand on his arm. ‘Nathe, Selena’s had an accident. We found her here,’ I point to the bottom of the stairs, ‘about fifteen minutes ago.’
He’s suddenly wide awake. ‘What?’
