‘We gave her a little oxygen at the scene and then one of the crew took her to the vet. She’s been recuperating but they rang to say she was ready to go home.’
‘God, what do we owe for the vet bill?’ Christmas was trying to climb out of the box and Eve held her in her hands.
‘Nothing, they did it for Mr Priest.’ He paused. ‘How is he?’
‘He’s okay. They’re trying to take him off the ventilator today,’ Eve said as Christmas tried to climb up her shoulder.
The fireman nodded. ‘That’s a good sign. Tell him not to fight it, just to surrender and let his body do what it needs to do.’
As he spoke she noticed the scars on his neck that ran up one side of his head. He knew what Edward was going through. He understood at a personal level.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘For saving him, and for saving Christmas.’ She kissed the kitten’s head.
He smiled and turned and walked back down the path.
Eve closed the door. ‘Flora, someone just dropped something off for you,’ she called up the stairs.
Flora came to the top of the stairs and looked down and screamed.
‘It’s Christmas,’ she yelled and jumped down the stairs, missing three at a time to reach Eve’s side.
Eve handed the kitten to her and watched as Flora wept into its fur while the kitten tried to pull her hair.
‘How?’ She looked at Eve.
‘Your dad saved her,’ she answered as Flora kissed Christmas’s head.
‘When you see Daddy today, can you tell him he saved Christmas?’
Eve nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to burst. Everything was so fraught and terrible but this little kitten was the hope they needed right now.
‘I absolutely will. Let me get a photo of you both to show him.’ Flora stood proudly on the bottom stair and posed holding Christmas.
‘That will cheer him up no end,’ said Eve and she leaned forward and hugged Flora. ‘I think you’re the cat’s pyjamas,’ she said.
‘What does that mean? Does Christmas need pyjamas?’ Flora lifted the kitten up to assess the size needed.
‘It means I think you’re the best. There are lots of those sayings. You’re the bee’s knees, the fox’s socks, the cat’s whiskers. And I think you are all of them and more.’
Flora ran up the stairs calling for Myles when Donna came to see what the fuss was about.
‘They saved Christmas. Edward had her. They gave the cat oxygen and she’s been at the vet’s.’
‘My God,’ said Donna.
‘One good thing at least, for Flora anyway.’
‘Has she talked about her mum to you yet?’
Eve shook her head. ‘You?’
‘No,’ Donna said.
‘She will when she’s ready and I don’t think that will be until Edward is better, whenever that is.’
‘One day at a time,’ said Donna. ‘That’s all you can do.’
‘I know, you’re right.’ Eve thought about the words of the fireman.Surrender,he had advised.
