Tears blinded Annabel as she ended the call. She wiped them away and ran the rest of the way back to the house.
There was a brief moment of fear when Annabel reached the ward and saw that Dotty’s bed was empty. But Nurse Sue was on hand to tell that she had been moved to a private room and took Annabel to it. It was the cyst that had caused the decline, the kind nurse explained. It was pressing on Dotty’s vital organs and making her breathing difficult.
The blinds were closed to keep out the morning sun and it was silent, but for the faint sound of Dotty’s shallow breathing and the reassuring beeping of the monitors. Propped up on the white hospital pillows, Dotty looked even smaller and thinner than she had the previous day. Her eyes were closed and her breathing sounded laboured.
‘Hello Dotty, I’m here,’ Annabel said quietly as she sat by the bed and held her granny’s hand. ‘Can you hear me?’
The old lady’s eyes slowly opened and they took a moment to focus. ‘Annabel, my darling,’ she whispered and a smile spread across her pale face. ‘You’re such a good girl.’ Her voice was coming in breathy stops and starts. ‘Always taking care of me. Are you alright? Is everything alright at the house?’
‘Everything’s fine, don’t you worry,’ Annabel soothed. ‘Pam came round this morning, she brought Monty home. I took him down to the beach, you should have seen him chasing those seagulls! He loved it! I had a bit of a paddle, but it was pretty nippy! I don’t know how you managed your daily swims down at Smugglers Cove, the water is freezing!’
Annabel kept her voice bright and cheerful as she followed Nurse Sue’s advice, chatting about normal, everyday things. Dotty’s eyes closed again, but Annabel could tell that she was still listening.
‘I brought you some daffodils from the garden. I know you always love their scent. Thought they might cheer this place up a bit before we get you home!’ But even as Annabel said it, she knew that the chances of Dotty coming back to Penrose Farm were slipping away.
Dotty’s eyes opened briefly and she gave a small smile as she took in the cheerful yellow blooms that Annabel was showing her.
‘Thank you, darling. I need to tell you something, Annie.’ Her words were coming in breathy gasps now. Annabel felt sure that she was about to explain what the doctor had alluded to and she was eager to hear it. But she shut down her curiosity; it felt wrong to expect her grandmother to share anything in her current condition.
‘Shh, don’t worry about anything, Dotty. Everything’s alright.’ Annabel stroked her granny’s hand. The skin was veiny and paper thin, but she smiled as she noticed her nails were still painted pink from her birthday party.
‘But it’s important, Annie. Tell Noel . . . ’ She gave a little gasp and there was a long pause before she continued. Annabel leaned in closer so she could hear her grandmother’s whisper. ‘Tell him I’m sorry. I have loved him so much. And I kept my promise.’
She stopped talking and became very still for a few minutes. Annabel wanted to know more, to ask what promise. But it was too late for that.
‘Look, Arthur is here.’ Dotty’s whisper eventually broke the silence, a faint smile on her lips. She looked so peaceful as she took her final breaths.
‘Goodbye, darling Dotty,’ Annabel managed, holding back the torrent of unshed tears as she kissed her beloved grandmother on the forehead. ‘Go with Grandpa Arthur now.’
Everyone was very kind, especially Sue. Although Dotty’s hospital stay had been short, the nurse had grown fond of the old lady. ‘She was a very special lady,’ she said as she comforted Annabel, tears in her own eyes, ‘not to mention a very brave one at that!’
It was all very efficient; procedures were followed and routines explained, forms were signed and phone calls were made. Annabel’s heart ached, but with the help of the grainy hospital coffee and some chocolate biscuits that Sue kept ‘for times like these’, she somehow held it together and got through it.
As she left the hospital building later, Annabel reached into her pocket and her fingers met the cold hardness of the pink sea shells. She’d never be able to give them to Dotty now. And with this realisation, the tears began to flow.
CHAPTER 6
Cornwall
Monday 25th March, 2019
After a night of fitful sleep, Annabel awoke to the squawking of seagulls. For one blissful moment, just before she opened her eyes, all was as it should be. Then she remembered and her peace was shattered. She allowed herself a few moments to wallow in her sadness, before snapping out of it as she remembered that Monty was waiting for her downstairs. She quickly dressed and went down to let him out.
The old Labrador knew. There was a sadness in his eyes that told her he was fully aware that his mistress would not be coming home again. The bereft look on his old face sparked fresh tears in Annabel and she knelt down to wrap her arms around him, burying her face in his dark fur.
Her phone rang and she pulled it out of her jeans pocket to answer it, opening the back door for Monty as she did so.
‘Morning, darling,’ her father’s deep voice soothed Annabel. With the phone to her ear, she curled up in the battered old leather armchair beside the range. ‘Did you get much sleep?’ he asked.
‘Hi Dad. A bit, thanks. How about you?’
‘I suppose I should be grateful for these hospital drugs, I was out like a light I’m afraid!’
Despite the sombre mood, Annabel couldn’t help chuckling.
‘That’s my girl,’ Noel replied. ‘It’s good to hear you laugh. Oh Annie.’ He sighed, ‘yesterday must have been such a difficult day for you to deal with, I’m so sorry. I’m even more sorry that you had to go through it on your own.’
‘It’s OK Dad, don’t worry,’ she began.
