Interrupted Romance (8 page)

"Pardon?
 
Sorry, Mum, what were you saying?" Dafna said, turning to her mother.

"I thought you were miles away!
 
I said I thought that roses would look nice planted along that border over there," she said pointing to the area near the verandah.
 
She went on, gently, "Don't worry about Adam, Dafna, he's in good hands.
 
He'll be OK."

"I hope so," Dafna replied.

Despite her mother's reassurances, Dafna was concerned for Adam.
 
Although she tried not to show it, her apprehension was apparent.

The evening dragged slowly for the women, despite a lively comedy and some documentaries on TV, which they both normally enjoyed.
 
Both were thinking of the possible outcome for Adam.
 
As Mrs Bergman was coming in to sit with her mother tomorrow, Dafna would be able to spend the entire day at the hospital with Adam when he woke up.
 
That is, when he regained consciousness.
 
His eyes wouldn't actually open.
 
They would be covered for some days.

The day of the operation arrived.
 
Dafna was out of bed early.
 
She breakfasted with her mother before they went out into the garden in the cool of the morning, to enjoy a change of temperature.
 
Mrs Zoreff was moving about on her own these days, slowly, but independently.
 
She walked slowly between the flower beds, leaning lightly on a cane.
 
She used the cane to point out to Dafna which plants needed to be removed.
 
She couldn't, as yet, manage a walking stick and a set of secateurs to cut some flowers, so Dafna accompanied her, cutting flowers for the house as directed by her mother.
 
Some were only good for the compost heap.
 
It filled in some time for Dafna, as well as giving her quality time with her mother.
 
Once Adam came home for his recuperation, her mother would have competition for her time and attention.

Tiring, her mother went to the pergola, to her favourite bench, to sit beneath the climbing rose bush with its pleasant perfume.
 
The garden was her chief delight and she wondered how she was going to maintain the beds full of her favourite flowers.
 
The roses alone would have to be fertilised, pruned, and kept insect-free throughout the year.
 
The lawns would need cutting and the edges trimmed.
 
The discarded cuttings thrown onto the compost heap.
 
Even the compost heap had to be turned, over and over.
 
She wondered if she would have the strength to do that anymore.
 
Then there were the seasonal plantings - the dahlia bulbs had to be lifted and stored during the dormant period prior to resetting; the daffodils - the same.
 
All the annuals… the continuous riot of colours that she'd always loved to see.
 
Oh, it was going to be too much.
 
Dafna wouldn't be here forever to help her, nor did she want her to be.
 
Dafna had her own life to lead, and it looked as though she was intending to lead her life with Adam, if all went to plan.

Dafna was also thinking along those lines.
 
She wondered what life would be like with Adam, where would they decide to live… Israel or Australia… what of her book shop… would he be sighted, or not…
 
There would be great changes ahead no matter what happened with Adam.
 
He may not have realised it yet, but he was her man!
 
Of that she was sure.

It was time to ring the hospital.
 
Adam's operation was still in progress.
 
He wasn't expected back in the ward until closer to 2 p.m. that afternoon.

She would be able to enjoy a quiet lunch with her mother, before driving to the hospital to be with Adam when he regained consciousness in the ward.
 
The pair of them ate their salad lunches, toasted Adam's health in orange juice and talked their mother-daughter chitchat, always keeping one eye on the clock.

Mrs Zoreff was happy to potter about with the indoor plants and read a bit for the afternoon, so she sent Dafna off on her way to see Adam.

CHAPTER 10

The ward was quiet as neither of the men was in their beds.
 
They must still be in the recovery ward or theatre, Dafna thought.
 
She walked to the window.
 
The grassy and shaded courtyard, four floors below was so peaceful, that it would be good for Adam if he were able to go there in a day or so.

She was daydreaming about him when a noise behind her caused her to turn around.
 
The wardsman was wheeling a bed through the doorway, accompanied by a nurse.
 
The patient in the bed had a bandage-wrapped head, but which of the men it was, Dafna couldn't tell from the window.
 
The nurse shook her head at Dafna's raised eyebrows.

She said, "No, love, this one's not yours.
 
Mr Lavan will be about another hour, I think."

It was the longest hour Dafna could remember.
 
But, finally, Adam's bed was wheeled in.
 
Dafna waited while the nurse made sure he would be comfortable and then sat in the chair beside the bed, watching him for any sign of consciousness.
 
She didn't know how to tell if he was 'awake' as his eyes were covered.
 
Nevertheless, she patiently sat beside him, holding his hand gently.

Without knowing how long it took, Dafna realised that he had increased pressure on her hand, and must be aware of her presence beside him.

"Adam," she said softly, "can you hear me?"
 
He squeezed her hand.
 
"It's mid-afternoon, and I'll stay with you until they want me to leave."
 
She paused.
 
"Would you like a drink of water?"

"Yes, please.
 
Just a sip," he answered.

Dafna looked about and found the glass of water with a bent straw in it.
 
She put the straw to his lips and he sucked on it quietly a few times.
 
He pushed the straw out of his mouth with his tongue when he'd had enough.

"Thanks.
 
Have you been here long?" he asked groggily.

"No.
 
But don't try to talk.
 
Just rest now.
 
Sleep if you want."

He nodded carefully once.
 
His hand was once again in Dafna's as she gazed at his lower face below the dressing.
 
Still dark-tanned but with a post-operative pallor.
 
His cheeks seemed to have sunken in a little.
 
Perhaps it was her imagination.
 
He hadn't been eating large meals so maybe this was the result.

After a short time, Dafna could tell by his regular breathing that he was sleeping.
 
Her hand was cramping so she very gently extricated it from Adam's fingers, laying his hand on the sheet, and then covering it with her own.
 
She caressed the back of his hand with her fingers, softly moving them over his skin.
 
His other hand, the left one, was also lying on the sheet, and it was a different colour to his right hand, where the plaster had been removed from his arm.
 
She smiled to herself.
 
Those arms could belong to two different men if you couldn’t see the connection to the same body.

The meal trolley was rolling along the corridor outside, and the gentle clinking of crockery on the trays could be heard in the ward.
 
Dafna looked to Adam, but he hadn't given any indication that he was awake and ready to eat.
 
If he did eat, he would need help.
 
Even Jack, in the next bed, would need help, as no visitors came to sit by his bed.
 
There was no way of knowing if he had gone to sleep, or was just laying there quietly, waiting for someone to come.
 
Dafna wasn't going to be the one to disturb him if he was indeed asleep.

A nurse came into the ward, looked at both the men.
 
"Are they awake and waiting for a meal?" she asked Dafna.

"I don't know.
 
Adam seems to be still asleep and Jack hasn't spoken or moved while I've been here," she said.

The nurse went across to Jack's bed and began to check his blood pressure.
 
He stirred.
 
"That you, Penny?" he asked.

"Yes, it is, Mr Johnson.
 
How are you feeling?
 
Would you like a meal?
 
The girls are bringing them around now."

"Yeah, OK.
 
How will I find everything on the plate, then?"

"There'll be someone here to help you, Mr Johnson.
 
Won't be long."

Dafna spoke up.
 
"I can help you Jack, if you'll let me.
 
Adam is still sleeping at the moment.
 
Would you like that?"

The nurse seemed relieved to have the help.
 
She moved across to Adam and carefully took his blood pressure as well, recording the readings on the charts, before hurrying out to the next ward.

A very cheery lady delivered the dinner trays.
 
She breezed in and breezed out in seconds.
 
The 'meal' was mainly fluids to get the body working again after the anaesthesia.
 
It consisted of a bowl of vegetable soup, (which smelt wonderful to a hungry Dafna), a little orange juice packet, red jelly, and a small bread roll.

She moved across to Jack's bed, touching him lightly on the shoulder so that he knew she was with him, and put the serviette under his chin.
 
He was propped up in bed on the bank of pillows the nurse had arranged.

"What's for tea, then, love?" he asked.

"We're starting with the vegetable soup, Jack.
 
I'll hold the spoon to your lips and you do the rest.
 
OK?"

"Yep, OK.
 
Let's try it, then."

Between them they got through the soup and jelly, and then Dafna left Jack with the orange juice and the roll to manage on his own.
 
She went back to Adam who was now moving his head about listening to her talking with Jack.

"I'm here now, darling.
 
We'll do the same for you.
 
Soup first, and jelly, and then you can help yourself to the orange juice and a bread roll.
 
OK?"

He nodded.
 
"I think I'm hungry."

He hadn't missed the endearment and smiled.
 
He leaned forward to allow Dafna to rearrange his pillows.
 
She pushed him back against them when she'd finished.

"Comfortable?"

"
Ken
."

"Who's Ken?" asked Jack.

"Ken isn't a person.
 
It's a word meaning 'yes' in another language," Dafna told him with a laugh.

"What language?"

"Hebrew."

"Never heard of it.
 
What's wrong with the Queen's English?" he demanded gruffly.

Jack was like many older Australians who never did come to terms with the swarms of migrants coming to this land, with their own cultures and languages.
 
He expected them to be instant Aussies, with a perfect grasp of the English language, and woe betide any who dared to speak in their own tongues in his presence!

"Don't be such a grouch, Jack!" said Dafna.
 
"He'll speak English to you, don't you fret yourself."

Dafna went on helping Adam with his soup and jelly.
 
When he was ready to try the juice and bread roll, she guided his hand to the tray in front of him and left him to feed himself with these.
 
He sighed and leaned back into the pillows after putting the empty juice container back on the tray.
 
Dafna moved the rolling table away from him, so he could relax.

"Feeling better now, Adam?"

"Much.
 
I needed something like that.
 
You don't have to go just yet, do you?" he asked.

"No, not yet, but soon.
 
You need to rest again.
 
Mum sends her love and best wishes to you.
 
And Mrs Bergman.
 
I'll call your mother tonight when I get home.
 
She'll be anxious about you."

"Thank you."
 
He was getting drowsy again and Dafna knew it would not be long before he slept again.
 
Jack was already asleep.

Adam's hand was again in Dafna's.
 
She held it up to her lips and softly kissed his fingers.
 
She clasped his hand to her heart, sure that he would feel it beating inside her.
 
He pressed her hand with gentle pressure, which soon eased.

Before he finally went to sleep, Dafna stood and leaned over him, placing her hand on his chest.
 
He turned toward her and she touched her lips to his… once, twice, three times.

"Get well soon, darling," she murmured.

As she made her way to the door, she turned as she heard him mutter something… was it 'I love you'?
 
She wouldn't find out as he was already breathing deeply, in sleep.

CHAPTER 11

Dafna phoned Adam's parents and relayed the news that he was back in the ward and OK, although she had no medical report to tell them.
 
The doctor would speak to Adam on his rounds in the morning and they would know more then.
 
Mrs Lavan thanked her for calling and said she would be the one to call the following evening, to save the cost of overseas charges to Dafna.