Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
MALE ALE
“Pearl, you know I will be leaving a little early to get Hope from school to take her to the opticians?” I call out.
“Yes, yes. You said about that,” she says lifting up a piece of clothing and sniffing it.
I scrunch my face in disgust. “Pearl, why are you sniffing it?”
“Because I swear Mr. Evans, is cheating on his wife. And this stain right here is a stain of the sexy kind,” she points out.
“There are sexy kind of stains?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes like I’m the idiot for not knowing about sexy stains. She takes a long toke on her vape. “Yes, sexy stains, body paint, dried lube, male ale –”
“Wait, what on earth is male ale?” I ask.
Pearl raises her pencilled eyebrow. “My dear girl, I think you know exactly what male ale is. You know man jelly, banjo gravy, nut custard, jizz!”
“Eww Pearl. That’s disgusting. Why would you sniff for that and why do you know so many different names for it?” I gag.
“My darling girl, I could list so many more. This one boyfriend of mine called it his pearl jam. Get it?” She winks.
I retch again at the thought. “And on that note, I’m leaving,” I say, grabbing my bag and leaving for the door.
“See you tomorrow and please don’t accuse Mr. Evans of having an affair when he comes to collect his laundry.
He is a good customer. Remember we need customers to keep the business going.
So that means no flirting, no sleeping with customers and no meddling in their marital affairs,” I yell over my shoulder.
“I can’t make those promises. I can’t help that I am irresistible!” she yells back.
“Mummy, I don’t want to have that weird doctor looking into my eyes, he has really stinky breath,” Hope loudly whispers. I look to the optician with apologetic eyes.
“Listen. It will all be over in just five minutes, and then after that we can go for ice cream, or fast food. Cake at that American diner place that you like? Anything I swear. But listen to me, if you don’t let this nice doctor look into your eyes now, they will only get worse, and then you won’t have a choice of a nice, cute pair of glasses.
You’ll have to have thick ugly glasses. Now you don’t want that, do you?
” I state, almost pleading to my stubborn little human.
Hope sits there swinging her legs off the chair, staring me down.
I swear this girl could rule countries. One look from her would have other leaders cowering.
She crosses her arms never breaking eye contact but unlucky for my daughter I invented this stare-down.
She finally lets out a huff rolling her eyes dramatically.
I smile and kiss her head, letting out a relieved breath.
I step back and smile to the optician and take a seat as I watch a now wary optician approach Hope.
I’m already thinking of stocking up wine now for when she hits the teenage years.
I know she will do well in school, she’s a good kid, but that doesn’t mean she won’t test me.
“Well done Hope, now I’m just going to get my other colleague to come have a look,” the optician states, giving me a smile. I frown, wondering why he needs a second opinion. He does look about 10 years old, Maybe he isn’t fully qualified and needs approval?
The other optician comes in and takes a look.
They mutter quietly to each other and it’s starting to piss me off.
I mean he hasn’t even started the test properly yet.
“Excuse me, but can you just get on with the eye exam because she really didn’t want to be here in the first place.
So the sooner you can get this over and done with the better,” I sigh, interrupting their whispers.
The older optician that just came in turns to face me. His eyes are sympathetic and he looks slightly worried. “What’s going on?” I ask.
He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “When looking into your daughter’s eyes there are some abnormalities there.”
“What kind of abnormalities?” I question interrupting him.
He looks away, avoiding eye contact. “We don’t know. We recommend that you go to the hospital.” He pauses. “Today,” he adds.
I look back and forth between them frowning. “Don’t lie to me, what is it?” I snap.
“I’m sorry but we cannot say. She will need to have further tests to determine what it is. I will be ringing the hospital now and I would advise you go immediately,” he answers, giving my hand a squeeze as he walks out of the room. A sickening feeling swarms my gut.
“Mummy, do I get to pick my glasses now?” Hope asks.
I smile and shake my head. “No sweet girl, we have to go to for a trip to the big hospital because um, well these machines here aren’t good enough for you. So they said because your eyes are so special, they need the really special doctors and machines at the big hospital.”
“Okay, can we get sweeties?” she asks, not aware of the situation. I smile and nod before lifting her down off the chair. The optician hands me a sealed letter for me to give the doctors at the hospital.
We walk to the nearest shop and get Hope her sweets. I pull out my phone and call Bella.
“So how is my girl? Is she rocking the glasses? I bet she looks so cute in them,” Bella answers.
“Bella.” I sigh.
Just from my tone she knows something isn’t right. “What is it?”
“Mummy, is that Auntie Bella? Are you telling her about my special eyes?” Hope asks.
I smile down at her and nod. “Yes I am. I am just going to see if Auntie Bella would like to join us at the hospital, while they take a look at your special eyes,” I repeat so Bella can hear me.
“Queen Charlotte?” she asks.
“Yup, we will be there in about half an hour,” I state.
“Okay I will meet you there, don’t worry and don’t panic. I’m sure it will all be fine. I will call Phil and see if he can get us seen any quicker,” she says before disconnecting.
I take a deep breath to control my worries. She’s right, it’s probably nothing. They say you can tell a lot by looking into the eyes, so maybe they’ve seen something may have moved slightly or maybe she just needs a vitamin boost or something I question, trying to reassure myself.
I follow the signs for the Ophthalmology ward. I hand the envelope to the receptionist. She opens it and gives me and Hope a tight smile. “If you would like to take a seat the doctor will be out shortly,” she says, pointing to the seating area.
Hope goes straight to the toys and I sit feeling anxious, tapping my foot. I hear the sound of high heels clicking across the floor. I look up and see Bella storming towards us. She walks straight to Hope and bends down, kissing her head. “What’s up boo?” she greets.
“Auntie Bella, I have special eyes,” Hope says happily while opening her eyes wide.
Bella laughs. “Well I could have told you that, you don’t need no doctor for that.
You have the most beautiful and special eyes in the entire world.
” She kisses the top of her head and comes to take a seat next to me.
Her smile fades and she turns to me. “So what are they saying?” she whispers so Hope doesn’t hear.
I shrug. “Nothing. They mumbled to each other at the opticians and then sent us here. No one is telling us anything. I am still waiting for this I don’t know, bloody eye doctor to see her.
I mean, it’s freaking me the fuck out because they’re not saying anything.
So my mind is going one hundred miles per hour right now and I am thinking the worst,” I rush out.
Thankfully Hope is completely unaware of my distress, still happily playing with the hospital toys.
Bella grabs my hand in hers and squeezes it gently. “Stop imagining the worst, it could be something that’s nothing. Maybe worse case a little operation. I mean look at her, she is a picture of health. Perfect in every way.”
“Hope Smith?” a deep voice calls out. I stand as does Bella.
“Oh you don’t have to come in with us, we will be okay,” I assure Bella.
She gives me a look, raising her eyebrow. “Girl, I held your fucking hand while you birthed that girl.”
“And chatted up the doctor in the process,” I interrupt.
“Well, now I’m marrying him, so it wasn’t a wasted effort. Anyway I’m coming in with you for you, not her. You have her back and I have yours. Now stop your bitching and get in there. The hot eye doctor is stood there waiting,” she orders, shoving me towards the doctor.
I look up and frown. I recognise him. “Mummy, will I have things poked in my eye?” she asks.
I look down to Hope who is now gripping my hand tightly in hers. I smile. “No, I’m sure he just wants to take some pictures of your special eyes,” I assure her.
“Your mum’s right Hope. I have a special machine that just takes really fancy pictures of your eyes,” the doctor adds.
I look up at him and he holds out his hand.
“I’m Doctor Cahill,” he introduces himself, holding my hand in his.
I stare into his steely blue/grey eyes trying for the life of me to remember where I recognise him from.
He looks away and removes his hand, holding it out and gesturing for us to enter the room.
“Please come in and take a seat. Hope, if you could take the seat on the big comfy chair…” he instructs.
“Mums, if you could just take a seat by my desk.”
“Mums?” Bella laughs “Oh Doctor Handsome, we are not lesbian life partners. I am very much in love and getting married to my hot doctor boyfriend Phil,” Bella states, smiling and wiggling her fingers to show off her engagement ring as proof.
“Doctor Phil brought me into the world,” Hope adds.
Doctor Cahill raises a brow. “Doctor Phillip Grayson?” he questions.
“That’s him.” Bella smiles.
Doctor Cahill smiles and nods. “Yeah, we went to university together.” He pauses. “Good guy, see him around the hospital sometimes.”
Bella smiles and starts chatting away but I clear my throat to get their attention. “This is all nice and lovely, but do you mind doing whatever it is you’re about to do, so someone can tell me what the fudging hell is going on please,” I snap.
He nods and clears his throat. “My apologies.”
Bella comes and sits next to me, nudging me with her elbow. “I know this is a stressful and scary time, but open your eyes, that man is fit. And he clearly has an interest in you, no one looks at each other like that and for that long when they first meet.”
“I recognise him, that’s all. And do you think for just one minute you can stop joking around and stop eying up any man that we see.
There is something wrong with my daughter and at this moment in time I couldn’t give a shit if he was Johnny fucking Depp.
My main concern is what is happening with her,” I hiss, feeling my anger and anxiety boil to the surface.
Bella leans back, holding her hands up in defence.
“Alright, alright. I get it. I’m just trying to lighten the mood.
Remember this could be something of nothing, so stop getting your granny panties in a twist. If, and I mean a big if this turns out to be something serious then you have my full blessing to tear me a new arsehole.
Okay?” She grabs my hand in hers and I shake my head.
I can never stay mad at her. I squeeze her hand in mine.
Her support means the world, even if it is a little fucked up.