Dreams to Sell (33 page)

‘I'm afraid I can't make that weekend,' Evan said sadly. ‘I have to go to Newcastle for a conference to do with new ideas for my work. What a shame – I don't want to go anyway.'

‘And I don't want you to go,' sighed Roz. ‘But you have to keep up with new ideas, Evan. Maybe Bob can collect Dougal that time?'

‘Sure I can!' said Bob. ‘It'll be a pleasure, Mrs Rainey. Just tell me when to go and I'll be there.'

‘I'll come with you,' Chrissie told him. ‘It's my Saturday off. Oh, fancy seeing Dougal at home again! I wonder what he'll do once he's back?'

It was a surprise to everyone that what Dougal wanted to do that first Saturday home was go to see an Abbot and Costello film at a cinema in the Haymarket.

Abbot and Costello? Everyone stared. He wanted to see that double act? Those film comedians getting in and out of scrapes? It was the last thing the family had expected.

‘Go to see Abbot and Costello on your first night home?' cried Flo, putting their thoughts into words. ‘Why, that's not like you, Dougal!'

His face that was still without expression did not change, but he did make an effort to explain. ‘It's grand to be back, Ma. I can't tell you how glad I am to be home again, but I saw in the local paper that the Abbot and Costello picture was on and I just felt a sort of craving to see it. Something funny – crazy – you know what I mean? Something right outside my life. Maybe one of you could take me?'

‘Are you allowed, though, to go to the pictures?' Flo asked, looking dubious. ‘Maybe the hospital wouldn't want that.'

‘They needn't know,' he replied calmly, and gazed around at his gathered family. ‘Well, who's taking me?'

‘I will,' Roz said promptly. ‘And Ma will come too.'

‘I certainly will!' cried Flo. ‘Chrissie, what about you and Bob?'

‘Well, I think we'll wait for you here,' answered Chrissie. ‘If you go to the early evening showing we'll get a fish supper for when you get back.'

‘A fish supper?' For the first time, a gleam shone from Dougal's blank eyes. ‘I haven't had one o' those since I don't know when!'

Why, there he is, thought Roz, exchanging looks with her mother, her heart lifting. There's the old Dougal back, just for a minute, not completely, not yet, but he will be, he will be – that was a sign!

‘You have a rest,' she told him, ‘and then we'll go to this film. What's it called?'

‘
Lost in Alaska
. Just the usual thing, you know. Slapstick and comic routines.'

‘We can all have a good laugh, then. I'm sure we could do with it.'

‘But who says I need a rest?' he asked truculently. ‘I've had enough rest to last me a lifetime. I'll go out for a bit of a walk around before we have to get the tram.'

‘Are you sure you'll be all right on the tram?' asked Flo anxiously. ‘The hospital may not like it.'

‘Ma, I'm not an invalid.' Dougal raised his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Of course I can go on the tram! Think I'm going to catch some terrible germ, or what?'

‘Don't speak to Ma like that!' Roz said sharply. ‘She's only thinking of your health.'

‘Sorry, Ma.' A dark red colour rose to his brow and he lowered his eyes. ‘I didn't mean to snap.' He tried to smile. ‘Don't want to spoil my homecoming.'

‘Ah, don't apologise!' Flo threw her arms round him. ‘We know what it's like for you. Let's go for that wee walk and then go to the film – that'll cheer us up.'

The cinema was quite small and rather old, the seats distinctly shabby, the curtains over the screen not exactly threadbare but thin and faded. Never mind, the place was full, with everyone talking and laughing as though in anticipation of the show that was to come, and the atmosphere was so different from the one at the hospital that Dougal actually seemed relaxed – more so than they'd ever seen him since the start of his illness, thought Roz and Flo, and again they took heart for his recovery, marvelling that he had somehow divined for himself what was best to cheer him.

‘Remind me who these two comics are,' Roz murmured to him. ‘I don't think I ever saw any of their films.'

‘Well, the stout one is Lou and the thin one is Bud, and Lou always gets things wrong and Bud tells him what to do – in a funny way, if you see what I mean. There are plenty of wisecracks and gags and all that sort of thing – you'll see when it starts. In fact, I think it's starting now.'

As the lights went down and the curtains parted, Roz glanced at her brother to see how he was looking, and though it wasn't possible to be sure, it did seem to her that he was still relaxed and even smiling as he waited for the credits to pass and the film to begin. Oh, please let this be the real breakthrough, she prayed, closing her eyes and only opening them as the soundtrack alerted her that
Lost in Alaska
was really on its way.

As complicated as any opera plot, the story here had the comic duo cast as San Francisco firemen who rescue a would-be suicide, only to find that the reward he gives makes the police suspect them of trying to kill him, which means that somehow they all end up on the run to Alaska. At which point, Roz rather got lost, but it didn't in the least matter, for there were plenty of opportunities for the humorous situations that the audience had come to see and which did make Dougal laugh out loud, while Roz and Flo could laugh too with the sheer relief of hearing him. When had they last heard Dougal laugh? It seemed so long ago they couldn't help their laughter being mixed with tears, which they did their best not to let Dougal see.

When the film ended at last and the lights went up, both turned to look at him, and weren't really surprised to see that his face seemed to have somehow unfrozen. The closed look, the lack of expression had given way to a softness around the mouth and a light in the eyes that made both Roz and Flo long to speak, to comment, maybe even give him a hug, but they dared do nothing. Supposing it didn't last? Was it only the result of the film? Best to keep still and hope.

‘Who'd like an ice cream?' cried Flo, and Roz was instantly reminded of Evan and that first time they'd gone to the cinema and had ice cream in the intermission. How she missed him! If only he could have been with them to see the first signs of recovery in Dougal, to believe with her that that was what was happening! And how strange it was that this new love had come to her in a way she'd never expected, and that she, like Chrissie, had fallen for a ‘boy next door'. Wasn't it said you could travel the whole world and not find love, only to find it on your doorstep?

‘Come on, then,' said Flo, ‘do you want an ice cream or not?'

‘'Course we want one,' Dougal replied. ‘We always have one at the pictures, eh? I'll get 'em.'

‘No, I will,' said Roz, jumping up and smiling at Dougal's wish to have everything as it had been before his illness. ‘And then it'll be time for the B picture.'

‘Only cartoons, I think,' Dougal told her. ‘But hurry up anyway, time's getting on.'

Apart from Chrissie not being with them, it was just like the old days; the family at the pictures, sitting together, eating ice cream, and it was what Dougal wanted. Or even needed. There was no doubt now in the minds of Flo and Roz that the light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to shine even more brightly: Dougal was going to get better.

They had finished their ice cream and in the darkened auditorium were waiting for the Disney cartoon film to begin, when – out of the blue – everything changed. One moment they were relaxed, content, and the next, along with everyone around them, spun into fear, rising, trembling in their seats, as the call went up: ‘Fire! Fire! Get out while you can!'

And wisps of smoke drifted across the screen.

‘Go on, move!' cried a large woman next to Roz, pushing her towards Dougal, who standing next to Flo, protectively holding her arm. ‘What in hell are you waiting for?'

‘Move, Ma!' Roz shouted, as Flo appeared dazed. ‘Dougal, get Ma to move!'

‘I am, I am!' he called back as they almost fell into the crowd of people in the aisle pushing towards a far exit where a crush was already building. ‘Roz, follow me, follow me!'

She could feel the hands of the large woman on her back, forcing her into the aisle after Dougal, but then pushing her roughly to one side and elbowing her onwards into the crowd. ‘Dougal!' she screamed. ‘Wait for me, wait for me!'

But already she couldn't see either him or Flo – was only aware of strangers around her, pushing against her, and herself falling; falling amongst legs and feet and knowing something was wrong with her arm, something painful, but nothing like the pain in the back of her head that was so sharp, she cried aloud. ‘Help me, help me!'

But no one helped. Only the black cloud that descended over her gave her such wonderful relief. She let it take her she didn't know where, and closed her eyes against the world.

There was still darkness around her when she opened her eyes, but there were no people and no noise, only a far-away pool of light. Everything was hazy, though, and she couldn't seem to work out where she was; also, she felt rather sick and full of pain from her arm and her head, and heard herself murmuring unintelligible sounds.

‘It's all right,' she heard a voice say, and a face swam into view, one that seemed to be shaking to and fro above her but was calm and pleasant. ‘It's all right, Miss Rainey, you're safe. You're in the Royal Infirmary.'

‘What … happened?'

‘You've concussion and a broken arm, but we'll talk in the morning. Now you must try to sleep again. Do you need anything? Feel sick at all?'

‘A bit, but it's going off.' Suddenly, things seemed to be coming back to her and she tried to struggle up, her eyes full of terror. ‘The fire!' she cried. ‘There was a fire! Where's my mother? Where's Dougal?'

‘They're both safe,' the nurse said soothingly. ‘There's nothing to worry about, there was no fire, but you must sleep now and talk in the morning.'

With firm hands she helped Roz to lie back against her pillows, smoothed the sheet and tiptoed away.

No fire – how could that be? Roz, trying to see her surroundings and making out shadowy beds all with sleeping mounds, was mystified. There'd been no fire, Ma and Dougal were safe, but she had concussion and a broken arm? It was too much to take in, too much … She closed her eyes, and even without the black cloud to cover her, fell into deep sleep.

It was morning when she woke again, daylight streaming into the long ward lined with beds filled with women patients, while nurses were busy with their duties. By her own bed, however, was a red-haired young man in a white coat who gave her a quick smile and introduced himself as Dr Kerr.

‘How are you feeling this morning, Miss Rainey?'

‘I – well, I'm not so sick, but I'm a bit muzzy and I've got a terrible headache.'

‘The muzziness will soon pass, so too will the headache, probably, but you took quite a blow to the back of your head which has left you with concussion.'

‘A blow to my head?'

‘Yes, I'm afraid it looks as though someone's boot hit you when you were lying down. I'll be looking at the mark this morning and give you some painkillers for the headache. We'll also have to put your arm in plaster.' He grinned. ‘We set it for you last night.'

‘How long will I have to stay in?'

‘That depends on how you progress – maybe no more than a couple of days. Feel like any breakfast?'

When she shook her head, he told her she'd feel like eating later, but in the meantime she must keep up her fluid intake and rest as much as possible. First, though, she'd have to go down to have her arm put in plaster.

Dr Kerr stood up, calling to a nurse to organize a wheelchair, and Roz, summoning her strength, asked when she could see any visitors. Already she was thinking not only of her family, but Evan. Would he even know yet what had happened to her? And who would explain to her just what had caused the fire that was not, it seemed, a fire at all?

‘Visitors this afternoon for a very short time,' Dr Kerr said kindly. ‘But remember, it's rest you need to get better.'

It was three o'clock before anyone was allowed in to see her, and then it was Flo and Dougal, Flo carrying a bag of fruit, both looking large-eyed and pale, and sighing with relief when they saw her.

‘Oh, pet, we've been that worried!' cried Flo, leaning to kiss her. ‘I canna tell you what it was like when we couldn't find you last night – I was nearly up the wall – and then when we did find you, you looked so bad, so white, and unconscious! Wasn't it terrible, Dougal?'

‘Terrible,' he said, his voice shaking, but as she looked into his earnest face close to hers, a great joy filled her heart for, worried or not, it was Dougal's old face she saw. Just as at the cinema, there were no more shutters, no longer any darkness in his eyes, only real feeling there for anyone to see, and she could have burst into tears over it.

‘We canna stay long,' Flo whispered. ‘You've got to rest, they say, but I'll be back tomorrow, eh? With Chrissie and all, but Dougal's got to go back to the hospital tonight. He wants to have a wee word first. Take care, pet, take care!'

There were quick kisses and then Flo left, leaving Dougal, who quickly pressed his sister's hand.

‘That fire – it was just a hoax. A damned silly guy getting his kicks from setting off a smoke bomb and frightening everybody. He's already been in trouble for arson, but now they've got him again – he'll be in for it.'

‘I should think so!' Roz cried. ‘I can't believe anyone could be so wicked!'

‘Never mind him. I just want to say, Roz, that I – I think I'm OK.' Dougal bit his lip. ‘It's lifted, what was pressing me down, and I think that was beginning to happen before I came home. But it was seeing you, Roz, lying there looking so bad, that made me think – oh, God, I thought you were dead. And when you weren't, I was so glad I knew I didn't believe that life isn't worth living any more – I knew it was all that matters, and if we survive we've got to be grateful for it. And I am grateful, Roz, that I survived – and so did you.'