Chapter 20
Julie helps me get Dot into the back seat of her car and then she drives a little faster than usual and doesn’t ask me any questions.
It’s exactly what I need. The woman I spoke to on the telephone let the A&E department know we were coming, so they’re expecting us.
It doesn’t mean we get to skip the queue, though.
I’m glad I thought to bring some blankets, and we get Dot sat down and tuck them around her but she’s shivering, her teeth chattering.
Julie and I sit on either side of her, holding her hands.
When we’re called through, we all go, our arms linked through Dot’s to help her walk. She’s said almost nothing since we arrived. The triage nurse peers at us questioningly and asks whether we’re family.
‘I’m a friend. Mabel is her partner,’ Julie says, and I’m glad she spoke up because I would have said something much more convoluted. ‘Can we both come in?’
‘I don’t see why not,’ the nurse says. ‘As long as Dot’s happy with that.’
Dot nods her consent. The nurse checks Dot over, does her blood pressure and her pulse and her temperature. Whistles, when she sees the reading on the thermometer.
‘Most likely flu,’ she confirms. ‘Has she been eating and drinking normally?’
‘Not much,’ I say. ‘I made cottage pie last night, but she couldn’t manage it. I’ve been giving her water and tea, but she’s only having sips.’
The triage nurse addresses Dot directly, then.
‘If you were younger, I’d send you home and tell your family to make sure you were getting plenty of fluids.
But with your age, and a temperature this high, I think we’d better admit you to be on the safe side.
Maybe get you on some IV fluids and paracetamol. ’
Dot lifts a hand and bats it, as if she thinks the nurse is being overly cautious, but I’m relieved. I don’t want to be the one in sole charge of her while she’s like this. I don’t want it to be down to me how well and how quickly she recovers.
She goes straight into a bed that’s still part of A&E, but at least we have a bit of privacy.
There’s a curtain to pull round and Julie finds chairs for the two of us.
I don’t unpack Dot’s bag because she’ll be moving again when they’ve found space on a ward.
Julie chats away and I know she’s doing it to take my mind off things, and I’m grateful.
It seems like Dot’s not really with us but every so often she does a little smile, so I know she’s listening.
‘Do you want any breakfast?’ Julie asks, and I look at my watch and see that it’s coming up for eight o’clock.
I’m weary, tired in my bones, and I don’t know how much longer I can sit in this hard chair.
‘We could go to the restaurant. I’m sure Dot will be okay for half an hour.
She’ll probably relish the peace and quiet. ’
‘Sounds good. I need to stretch my legs.’
The restaurant is buzzy with staff having cooked breakfasts and ordering complicated-sounding coffees, and I’m not sure where you’re supposed to queue but Julie tells me to sit down and says she’ll bring it all over.
What do I want? I ask for porridge and a bit of toast and jam, and a cup of tea, and she nods and says she’ll find me, so I make my way over to a squashy-looking bench seat and sink into it.
I’ll have to go home and get some sleep soon, though I don’t want to leave Dot.
I’ll be no good to her if I end up making myself ill too.
But I’m not the only one who’ll want to visit, am I?
And for the first time, I think about Dot’s family, how I need to tell them what’s happened.
I get my mobile telephone out and call Sean while I’m waiting for Julie to arrive with the food.
‘Mabel!’ He always answers the telephone as if you’re the exact person he most wanted to speak to.
‘Hello, Sean. I just wanted to let you know that Dot’s in hospital. We think it’s the flu.’
‘Are you with her?’ Sean asks.
‘I am but I’ve just come for some breakfast. I’ll call again when she’s been taken to a ward and you can speak to her. Could you let the rest of the family know?’
‘Of course,’ he says. ‘We’ve got a WhatsApp group. I’ll add you. So you haven’t seen a doctor yet?’
‘No. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything.’
‘I know you will, Mabel. Give her my love.’
Julie comes over with a tray and I help her unload it. She’s got a sausage sandwich and a coffee. I reach for my tea and take a sip even though it’s too hot.
‘Was that one of Dot’s sons?’ Julie asks.
‘Her grandson, Sean. He’s going to let the others know.’
She nods and tucks into her sandwich. ‘She’s going to be okay, Mabel. I’m sure of it.’
‘How do you know?’ I ask. And it’s then that I really consider the alternative for the first time.
Julie shrugs. ‘I don’t know, Mabel. But there’s something about Dot. She seems invincible.’
She’s right. When we were looking for Dot, I found it hard to imagine that she’d have aged, let alone anything else. ‘Tough old boots, both of us,’ I say, and Julie reaches across the table and gives my hand a squeeze.
We go back to A&E when we’re finished and find Dot’s bed empty, the curtain dragged open and our chairs gone. I feel like my legs are going to buckle beneath me, but Julie puts a reassuring hand on my arm.
‘They must have found her a bed on a ward. You stay here, I’ll find out where she’s gone.’
This turns out to be exactly what’s happened, so then there’s another trek through the hospital to the ward she’s been moved to. It’s a bit nicer there, with ladies in the beds around her, and Dot looks a bit more with it, puts a hand up in a little wave.
‘We’re going to have to go shortly,’ Julie says. ‘Mabel’s done in. But we’ll come back later.’
I’m grateful to her for taking charge, for realising that I need a rest.
Dot nods, silently giving us permission, and then she drifts off to sleep, so we gather our things and kiss her cheek on our way out.
In the car, I send Sean an update message with her ward and bed number.
And then I must fall asleep because the next thing I know, Julie’s pulled to a stop and we’re outside my house.
‘Do you want me to come in?’ she asks.
‘No, I’m just going to go to bed. Can you get some sleep before you have to work?’
‘Probably not, but don’t worry about me, I’ll catch up later. And I can take you in again whenever you need me to. Just shout, okay?’
I go along with it because I don’t want an argument but I know she can’t do everything. Her work and running me around and everything else she does. I’m hoping Dot’s family might rally round, though I know it’s a fair distance for them to come.
Erin’s inside, looking worried. Standing at the kitchen counter eating a bowl of cereal. ‘Mabel, how is she?’
‘We don’t really know anything yet,’ I say.
She puts her bowl down and comes to me, puts her arms around me.
‘You know, Erin, I couldn’t bear it if something as run-of-the-mill as flu was the thing to take down Dot Brightmore.’ I say it into her shoulder, and then she moves back slightly and holds me at arm’s length, her hands on my shoulders.
‘No way,’ she says. ‘There’s no way in the world. Now, do you need anything before you go up to bed?’
I shake my head. And then my mobile telephone starts making pinging sounds and I have a look at it. Sean’s added me to that group he mentioned and there are messages flooding in.
Sean
Yo fam. Nanna’s in hospital with suspected flu. I’ve added Mabel to the group and we’ll send updates.
Tasha
Hi Mabel. So sorry to hear that. I have a day off tomorrow. Would it be okay to visit?
Sean
Almost forgot. They said this morning they were going to put her on IV paracetamol and fluids.
William
Got it. Did they give any indication of how long she might be in for?
Sean
No. They’ll need to work out what’s going on first. Monitor her for a bit.
I read through it all a couple of times before I feel brave enough to reply.
Mabel
Hi, everyone. Tasha, that would be fine. I know she’d love to see you.
Tasha
I know you don’t drive, so do you want me to pick you up? I can be there by about 10am?
Mabel
Thank you. That would be wonderful.
I don’t wait around to see if there are any more. I go upstairs to bed and fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.