The tears spilled over. She’d done so much crying over the past twelve hours, she felt wrung out, but they kept coming. ‘I should have known,’ she said. She’d uttered the same thing over and over since Sadie had been rushed into theatre yesterday.
‘Don’t beat yourself up over it. I’m a nurse andIdidn’t realise.’
‘You aren’t with them all day, every day. Howcouldyou realise?’
‘How couldyou?The symptoms of appendicitis can easily be mistaken for so many other things, and it’s rare in children as young as Sadie.’
‘I should have realised,’ she repeated stubbornly.
Sadie’s eyelids fluttered and Beatrice leapt to her feet, bending over the bed. ‘I’m here, darling, Mummy is here.’
Eric said, ‘She’ll sleep for a while and when she does wake up she’ll be groggy. Go home and rest.’
‘Nuh-uh.’ Beatrice shook her head, sitting down again when Sadie showed no further signs of stirring. ‘I’m going to be here when she wakes up. I’m not going anywhere.’
‘At least let me get you something to eat. The staff canteen is open 24 hours.’
‘I’d love a coffee.’
‘You’ve had nothing to eat since lunch yesterday,’ he argued.
‘I’ve got enough padding to keep me going for a while. Missing a meal or two isn’t going to kill me. What time is it?’ She’d lost track after the lights on the children’s ward had been dimmed for the night.
‘Four-forty.’
Too early to phone Taya. No doubt she was exhausted after the awful events of yesterday, but Beatrice had spoken to her last night to tell her that her sister was okay after her operation and was now sleeping. She’d done her best to sound reassuring,keeping her tone bright and cheerful, and she hoped she had put Taya’s mind at rest. It was also too early to phone her mum, even though she desperately wanted to hear her mother’s voice. She could do with a hug too, but she’d have to wait until later – if Sadie was allowed visitors.
However, Beatrice wouldn’t be speaking toanyoneif she didn’t charge her phone. ‘You wouldn’t happen to have a charger handy, would you?’ she asked.
‘I’ll see if I can borrow one, and I’ll get you a coffee at the same time. Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?’
‘I’m sure.’ As he turned to leave, she said, ‘Eric? Thank you.’
‘For what?’
‘For being here.’
‘She’smydaughter too.’ He hesitated. ‘I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to either of them. Or to you. I still love you, Bea.’
He left her with those words ringing in her ears, but she was too weary to think about them right now.
Her only focus was her daughter, and how badly she’d let her down.
Mark’s finger hesitated over Beatrice’s phone number. He was desperate to call her, anxious for news, but he didn’t know whether she’d welcome it.
He’d had a single message from her late last night. It had been brief.
Appendicitis. She’s had an operation. It went ok x
He’d read it several times, each time hoping it might reveal new information. So far, it hadn’t.
Oh, sod it. At least if he messaged her, she would know she was in his thoughts. He assumed she was still at the hospital and had probably spent the night there, so even though it was early he sent it anyway. If she did happen to be asleep, it would be waiting for her when she woke up.
How is Sadie?
It seemed rather abrupt, so he sent another.Anything I can do?x
Then he waited in vain for a reply, checking his phone obsessively.
