Moving On (21 page)

It was almost dark when they arrived at Merseyside Mansions. Angela was fretful and hungry, Karen tired after the long drive and Jenny was apprehensive and concerned because she knew it was too late to visit Tom in hospital that night.

They had broken the journey for a meal so they were not hungry, but both of them felt they needed a cup of tea and they were longing for their bed.

‘You make the tea while I feed Angela,’ Karen said as she unstrapped the carrycot from the back seat and locked the car up.

She handed Jenny the carrier bag that held milk as well as a loaf of bread, bacon and eggs for their breakfast the next morning that they had bought en route.

Apart from the security lights, which were left on all night in the corridors, the place seemed to be darkness. Jenny fumbled with her keys, opened the door to her flat and switched on the light. The sight that met their eyes made both women gasp in dismay.

The furniture had all been moved as close to the walls as possible and white dust sheets covered everything in the room including the floor. An overturned stepladder stood in the centre of the room. There was a large tin of paint overturned beside it lying in a thick white gooey mess.

‘We certainly can’t stay here tonight, we’d better go up to Tom’s flat; it can’t be in a worse mess than it is down here,’ Jenny said as she stepped back, switched off the light and locked the door.

Tom’s flat was in perfect order and showed obvious signs of having recently been decorated. Everything looked pristine clean and fresh.

‘Thank heaven for that,’ Karen murmured. ‘I was afraid he might have been working on both flats at the same time, you know how disorganized men can be sometimes.’

‘Not Tom,’ Jenny said firmly. ‘He always finishes one job before starting the next. He’s very methodical.’

‘Yes, he’s even washed up and put away whatever dishes he was using for his last meal,’ Karen commented as she went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare a bottle for Angela.

An hour later the three of them were in bed and asleep. Jenny had thought she would toss and turn all night, she had so many thoughts and questions buzzing around in her head, but the moment her head touched the pillow she was asleep.

When she awoke next morning she couldn’t for a moment remember where she was. Then, in a flash, it all came rushing back and she was up making a cup of tea for herself and Karen and wondering how early they could go to the hospital to see Tom.

‘I think we ought to phone first and ask them if we can visit,’ Karen advised. ‘No point in us all going over there and then spending hours hanging around if they will only let us visit at certain times.’

‘But this is an emergency,’ Jenny said heatedly.

‘To us it may be but to them it is routine, Gran. They won’t change their rules simply to please us. Why don’t you speak to Jane Phillips first and see what news she has now.’

‘No!’ Jenny shook her head. ‘I’ll have a word with the concierge and see what news she has.’

‘Very well, but let’s have breakfast first and you can do that while I am bathing Angela and feeding her.’

The concierge had not heard any fresh news from the hospital but while Jenny was talking to her Jane Phillips came into the reception area and spotted her there.

‘Ah, so you are home, Jenny. Have you seen Tom or heard any news about how he is now?’

‘No, I was just asking if there had been any message from the hospital.’

‘Well it’s hardly likely that they would ring here again because I told them you were on holiday and we had no idea when you would be coming home.’

‘You didn’t give them Karen’s number?’

‘How could I when I didn’t know it?’

‘Yes, you did, Tom gave it to you and you phoned it to let me know what had happened.’

‘Well, I didn’t know if you wanted them to have it or not. You are always so secretive about your affairs. Anyway, Tom knew it and obviously told them, so they would have rung you if they thought he was in any danger. Or perhaps they have tried ringing you and not got an answer since you’re not there,’ Jane said sharply.

Jenny bit her lip to stop herself saying anything that might antagon-ize Jane. She wasn’t in the mood for wasting time bantering with her while several other people were standing nearby and constantly interrupting to ask her about Tom.

‘I suppose you don’t know what the visiting hours are at the hospital?’ she asked, looking round hopefully.

‘Try phoning them, I’m sure they will be able to tell you,’ Jane said sarcastically.

‘Yes, that is what I am going to do,’ Jenny said and turned and hurried back to the flat.

It was mid-afternoon before they saw Tom. He was propped up in bed halfway down a ten-bed ward looking very fed up but otherwise not really much the worse for his ordeal.

His face lit up when he saw them and he raised a hand in welcome.

‘They say I can come out in a couple of days,’ he told them as soon as their greetings were over and he had the time to comment on how well baby Angela was doing. ‘In fact, I think they would like me out by Sunday.’

‘It’s Friday today, how on earth are we going to cope? You won’t be able to walk will you?’ Jenny said worriedly.

‘No, but they will be supplying me with crutches when I come out so once I get used to using those I’ll be able to get around.’

‘You’ll have to be very careful,’ Jenny admonished.

‘True, and I won’t be able to finish off the decorating, not for a couple of weeks at any rate,’ Tom agreed gloomily.

‘You’re not going up a ladder again in a hurry,’ Jenny told him firmly.

‘I wasn’t on a ladder only on a set of steps,’ Tom protested.

‘Well, that’s the same thing, so exactly what happened? How did you come to fall off then? Did some of the rungs break or something?’

‘No, they didn’t break and the accident was my own fault,’ Tom explained. ‘Instead of getting down and moving the steps I overreached and they went over sideways and took me with them. I tried to save myself and somehow my leg was underneath the steps and that was how my femur was broken.’

‘So how long were you lying there?’

‘Not very long, thank goodness, because it was very painful.’

‘Someone heard you fall did they?’ Karen asked.

‘No, not exactly. Jane Phillips was doing one of her inspection walkabouts, you know what she’s like, and she heard me yelling. The next thing I knew she was in the flat and had found me lying there. She wanted to try and move the steps off me and to help me to get up but I was pretty sure that I had broken my leg so I told her to leave me where I was and to go and phone for an ambulance.’

‘Well, I suppose we should be thankful that she is such a busybody because you could have been lying there for hours or days before you were found,’ Jenny admitted grudgingly.

‘Yes, the ambulance people were great. The paramedics knew exactly what to do and they gave me something for the pain while they lifted the steps clear and then put me on a stretcher.’

‘And Jane was still hanging around?’

‘Of course, so I gave her Karen’s telephone number and asked her to phone and let you know what had happened,’ Tom explained.

‘She probably enjoyed doing that,’ Jenny murmured with a tight smile.

‘So you can come home on Sunday,’ Karen interrupted. ‘How do you get home? Will you be able to get into my car or would a taxi be a better bet?’

‘I think they are prepared to send me home in an ambulance because I have been told I mustn’t bend the leg for a couple of weeks because there is some damage to the patella, that’s the knee cap.’

‘Perhaps we had better speak to the Sister and make sure this is what is going to happen and what time we can expect you home,’ Karen suggested.

The Sister confirmed everything Tom had said. ‘He will have to come back in six weeks’ time for a check up and probably need a course of physiotherapy afterwards,’ she added. ‘However, don’t worry about that now. You will be notified when he has to attend. By then he should be able to travel in the normal way,’ she added. We will notify your own doctor but if you follow the advice in the instruction sheet we will give you when you leave here there should be no complications.’

‘So what time on Sunday can we expect him home?’ Karen asked as the Sister turned to leave them.

‘It will probably be in the morning, some time between ten o’clock and midday as soon as a doctor has seen him and discharged him. It all depends on how busy we are.’

Tom arrived home shortly after midday on Sunday. He looked gaunt and seemed to have difficulty in balancing himself on the crutches the hospital had provided. His right leg was in plaster and he had a large black leather splint from just above the knee to the ankle that made it impossible for him to bend his leg at all.

The ambulance men helped him into the reception area of Merseyside Mansions and then left him with Jenny and Karen who were waiting there for him.

It was a beautiful warm spring day and the reception area was very busy with people arriving home either from a walk along the promenade or from church. Others were passing through on their way to have lunch at one of the nearby restaurants.

They all stopped to speak to Tom and said how sorry they were about his mishap and how pleased they were to see him home again and wished him a speedy recovery.

It was well after one o’clock before they were able to get back to his apartment and by that time Tom was almost too exhausted to enjoy the meal of salad and cold meats that Jenny had prepared in readiness for their return.

As soon as they had finished eating Tom wanted to go and look at Jenny’s flat and decide what they should do about finishing off the decorating, but both Jenny and Karen insisted that he should have a rest first.

Although he seemed rather annoyed about this he admitted that he did feel rather exhausted and that he had been awake most of the night anticipating his homecoming.

‘Sit down in your armchair for a few minutes,’ Jenny suggested. ‘I’ll make some coffee and when we’ve drunk that we’ll all go and take a look.’

Before the coffee was ready, Tom was asleep.

‘He looks absolutely worn out,’ Jenny murmured as she fetched a rug and wrapped it round him. ‘I’m sure his hair is a lot greyer than it was.’

‘Probably because of all the pain he has been in,’ Karen murmured sympathetically.

Tom was still sleeping when Bill arrived.

‘I came straight here. I haven’t washed or unpacked my things, just dumped them in the hallway at home,’ he told them. ‘When I checked the times of the trains I found there’s not a full service on a Sunday so I had to make a dash in order to get one right away.’

He listened attentively as Jenny told him about the accident and agreed wholeheartedly that Karen had done the right thing in driving her home.

‘If you’d like her to stay on then I can catch an early morning train home tomorrow,’ he told Jenny. ‘I have to be back at school tomorrow otherwise I would stay on as well and give you a hand.’

‘No, really there is no need for that,’ Jenny said quickly. ‘Tom has crutches so he can get around and we won’t be doing anything of importance for the next couple of weeks.’

‘What about if he has to go to the hospital for treatment or a check-up?’

‘We can always get a taxi.’

Although they kept their voices low Tom seemed to sense that there was someone else there and stirred and opened his eyes.

‘Hello Bill, what are you doing here?’

‘I came to collect Karen and take her home. How are you feeling?’

Tom grimaced as he tried to pull himself upright in the chair. ‘Not too good. Give me a couple of weeks though and I’ll be back to decorating.’

‘Do you think that is wise?’ Bill laughed. ‘I’d give it a miss if I were you. Take that tumble as a warning that it’s time you stopped doing such strenuous work.’

‘Are you suggesting that I’m too old to do DIY jobs?’ Tom scowled.

‘You’re getting that way by the look of things,’ Bill joked back.

‘Got to finish what I started. Have you seen the room? Come on,’ he said abruptly before Bill could answer, ‘I’ll take you and let you see it.’

Jenny held her breath as Tom struggled painfully to his feet and then swayed as he put out a hand to get his crutches that were just out of reach.

No one said a word as Bill grabbed at his arm and Jenny thrust the crutches towards him. Karen raised her eyebrows at Jenny who pressed a finger to her lips.

‘Shall we wait here or go with them?’ Karen whispered as the two men reached the door.

‘Perhaps we should stay here,’ Jenny murmured.

‘It’s Tom’s first walk since he came home from hospital – what if he stumbles or falls over?’

‘Leave it to Bill. Tom will probably be less nervous without an audience. Let’s make a meal while they’re out. Bill must be starving and then you will want to get on the road as it’s quite a long drive home.’

Tom was not a good patient. He resented not being able to do things and became tetchy and irritable. They had plenty of visitors during the first week. Jane Phillips called in most days to ask how he was – unless she had seen him out in the passageway first and stopped him there to interrogate him about his progress.

The Major brought him some books to read and a bottle of whisky, warning him to have a nip only before bedtime, not during the day, because he didn’t want to be held responsible if Tom fell over again. He invited them to go to his flat for a snifter and to meet Isabel. Jenny thanked him and promised they would do so when Tom was a little more mobile.

‘Who is Isabel?’ Tom asked after the major had moved away.

‘Isabel is his new girlfriend. Surely you remember her. She’s quite flamboyant and caused quite a stir when she first arrived. He thought she was an artist but she explained she was an artiste; not a painter as he’d thought but a lion tamer.’

‘Heavens! She should have some tales to tell. We’ll have to take the Major up on that invitation.’

Sandra Roberts and Beryl Willis saw Tom in reception and wished him a speedy recovery. Dan Grey called at Tom’s flat to wish him well and reminded Jenny that if he or Mavis could help in any way she had only to get in touch.

Despite all the offers of help and assistance Jenny found the first week that Tom was home was something of a nightmare. He was not very adept at using his crutches and seemed to be continually catching them in things.

He blamed it on the smallness of the flat. Jenny took up all the rugs because she was afraid that if he caught one of his crutches in the corner of one of them he might have another fall. She moved the furniture around so that as far as possible he could walk freely across from the door to his chair without having to negotiate any obstacles.

At night he seemed to have considerable difficulty in settling down in bed. The enormous splint on his leg made it impossible for him to lie on his side.

From the spare room where she was sleeping, Jenny could hear the upheaval and groaning as he tried to get comfortable. Once or twice she went in to see if he would like a hot drink but he was so cross because he had disturbed her that after that she tried to ignore the noises coming from his room.

Instead she found a small bell and put it on his bedside table and made him promise that he would ring it if he needed help during the night.

Although he promised that he would use it Jenny was pretty sure that he wouldn’t and she spent a great many sleepless hours listening to him groaning out loud as he tried to get comfortable.

After the first few days, because the weather had broken and it was raining non-stop, Jenny encouraged him to walk up and down the passageway outside his flat.

‘It will give you some exercise and help you to get used to using your crutches,’ she told him.

At first he was reluctant to do so because he kept meeting other residents who wanted to know how he was and questioning him about how it had happened and precisely what he had broken.

‘Perhaps I should put up a notice on the desk in reception giving them all the details,’ Tom grumbled. ‘They make me feel like a prize idiot.’

‘Never mind, as soon as the weather is better we’ll go for short walks on the prom,’ Jenny promised.

She was quite annoyed when one morning Jane stopped her and told her that she had just seen Tom going into her flat.

‘I thought you should know, Jenny, because with those dust sheets all over the floor he could easily get those crutch things caught up in the folds of cloth and have another fall,’ Jane told her.

‘What on earth do you think you were doing,’ Jenny asked him crossly when he came back to his own flat.

‘Looking to see what work still remained to be done,’ he explained rather sheepishly.

‘Really! I thought perhaps you were going to try and do it today,’ she told him sarcastically.

‘I’m worried about how long it will be before I can finish it. It’s one hell of a mess at the moment.’

‘There’s no point in brooding about it,’ she told him. ‘Rest until that leg is better and you can walk again and then we’ll decide what to do about my flat. We can always pay someone to come in and finish it.’

‘No, I want to do it myself. I started it so I’ll finish it,’ he stated firmly. ‘I don’t want a professional criticizing my efforts. He’d probably insist on doing it all over again and that would cost us a mint of money.’

‘As you wish,’ Jenny compromised, ‘only don’t take risks and don’t try and do it too soon.’

‘Until that is finished we can’t get on with our wedding plans,’ Tom pointed out.

‘Until your leg is better and you can walk again we can’t get married anyway. I’m not walking down the aisle with a man on crutches,’ she told him.

‘I wasn’t thinking of a big slap up do,’ Tom said with a sigh. ‘That doesn’t seem to work for us, it always ends up that we have to cancel. This time I thought of a quiet register office wedding with just Karen and Bill there and then the four of us going for a meal afterwards. Nothing else; no big party here next time.’

‘That suits me perfectly,’ Jenny agreed. ‘As soon as you can walk without crutches then we’ll go ahead,’ she told him firmly.