Lost & Found (24 page)

Mavis got the call on Tuesday, 17th of July. Her mother had gone into labour in the early hours of the morning and Pete was ringing to tell her that she’d just given birth to a baby boy.

‘How is she? How’s the baby?’ Mavis asked.

‘Your mum’s fine, and my boy’s a right little bruiser with a face like a boxer.’

Mavis laughed. ‘I bet he’s gorgeous.’

‘Yeah, he is and we’ve decided to call him Robert.’

‘Robert, that’s nice,’ Mavis mused. ‘Oh, I can’t wait to see him.’

‘Your mum’s got to stay in hospital for another eight days, but you can visit them.’

‘I wish I could, but with my mother-in-law so ill, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.’

‘Never mind. As soon as I get the chance I’ll bring them over.’

‘Thanks, Pete, and in the meantime give Mum my love and my new baby brother a kiss from me.’

‘Will do, and bye for now.’

Mavis replaced the receiver. Her new baby brother, yes, she had a new baby brother, but there was no jealousy now, just joy. Oh, if only she could see him now and see her mother, but, of course, it was impossible. Edith was so weak and it had taken ages to change her sheet that morning, even longer to settle her comfortably. She had got behind with her tasks, trying without success to get Edith to eat, and it had made Alec late for work. He’d been furious, dashing out without looking in on his mother or saying goodbye. Shortly after she’d taken James to school, and as she’d managed to get Grace into nursery, she had to stop off there too. Thankfully Grace had taken to it like a duck to water, but no sooner had Mavis returned home than the telephone had rung, Pete passing on the wonderful news.

With a sigh, Mavis went to check on her mother-in-law now, her face paling. Edith had slipped off her pillows and was lying flat, her breathing dreadful and a lot worse than it had been earlier.

She ran forward to prop Edith up but it didn’t help, and, frantic, Mavis was struck by a feeling of déjà vu. Her father had looked like this at the end, sounded like this, every breath strained.

In horror, Mavis ran from the room. No, it couldn’t be happening again! Her mother-in-law couldn’t be dying. In the hall she snatched up the telephone, quickly dialling the surgery and imploring that the doctor came as soon as possible.

Mavis started to pace, her eyes flicking again and again to Edith. Where was the doctor? Again and again she went to look out of the window, until at last she saw his car pulling up outside.

She dashed to let him in, gasping in panic, ‘She…she’s having trouble breathing.’

‘I’ll take a look at her,’ the doctor said, walking ahead of Mavis.

The examination didn’t take long, his face grim as he spoke. ‘It’s pneumonia and she needs to be admitted to hospital. I’ll ring for an ambulance.’

‘Pneumonia! Oh, no!’

‘I did warn you that there would be the danger of liquid slipping into her lungs,’ he said brusquely before walking into the hall again to phone for an ambulance.

Mavis stood in shock, her mind paralysed for a moment, but then as the doctor finished the call she ran to grab the receiver. She had to tell Alec, had to ring his office. When the receptionist answered, she said, ‘I’d like to talk to my husband, Alec Pugh.’

‘One moment, please, I’ll put you through.’

It was only seconds later that she heard Alec’s
voice, her own stuttering as she said, ‘Alec, we’re…we’re waiting for an ambulance. Your…your mother’s got to go into hospital.’

‘What? Why?’

‘The doctor said she has pneumonia.’

‘Oh, my God. What hospital are they taking her to?’

Mavis floundered. ‘I…I don’t know.’

‘Is the doctor still there?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, ask him then,’ Alec snapped impatiently.

Mavis held her hand over the receiver as she called out to Dr Hayes, and when he told her St Thomas’s she passed it on to Alec. ‘I’ll go with your mother in the ambulance, and I’ll see you there.’

There was no reply as Alec hung up. Mavis stood for a moment, but then moved into action. The children, she had to sort out something for the children. Calling out that she wouldn’t be long, Mavis dashed next door.

‘Jenny, oh, thank God you’re in!’

‘Mavis, what’s the matter?’

‘It’s my mother-in-law. She’s got pneumonia. We’re waiting for an ambulance. Please, Jenny, would you pick up Grace for me and, if I’m not back, James too?’

‘Of course I will. Now go on, just go, and don’t worry, they’ll be fine with me.’

‘Thank you, thank you,’ Mavis cried before running home again.

The ambulance arrived ten minutes later and they were on their way to hospital. Edith was rushed to intensive care, but it was nearly an hour before Alec arrived.

‘Thank God you’re here,’ Mavis said as he was led to his mother’s bed.

Alec just threw her a look, pulled out a chair and sat down. He didn’t speak at first, but then he turned, his eyes hard as they bored into hers. ‘Look at her. Look at my mother. What happened?’

‘When I went in to see her, she…she had slipped off her pillows.’

‘No wonder she accused you of neglect. I can see why now.’

‘Alec, I don’t neglect her, it’s just that when I returned home after taking the children to school, the telephone was ringing.’

‘Oh, so that’s why
my
mother was lying there in that state—I suppose you were chatting on the telephone to
yours.’

‘No, it was Pete ringing to tell me that my mother gave birth to a son.’

‘Bully for her, but it sounds to me as if you’re just making excuses. Just go, Mavis. I don’t want you here.’

Mavis hesitated, but Alec looked venomous as he hissed, ‘Just go.’

With one last look at her mother-in-law, and with Alec ignoring her whispered goodbye, Mavis left the ward.

She’d have to get a bus home and went to find the right stop, her heart heavy as she waited in the queue. Why hadn’t she noticed how shallow Edith’s breathing was when she had changed her sheet first thing that morning? Not only that, Edith had refused to eat, but, worried about the time, she’d let it pass, deciding to try again later. She’d been impatient, anxious that Alec would be late for work, and that she still had to get the children ready for school.

She would never forget her horror of finding that Edith had slid off her pillows. How long had she lain there like that? Did it happen while she was taking the children to school? She should have looked in on Edith as soon as she got back, but instead she had dashed to answer the telephone.

Yes, she had neglected Edith, and, if anything happened to his mother, Alec would never forgive her.

Jenny opened her door at twelve thirty, surprised to see Mavis. She’d only been to collect Grace half an hour earlier and had expected to have her for
much longer. ‘You’re back from the hospital? Is your mother-in-law all right?’

‘No, I’m afraid not. She’s in intensive care.’

‘Oh, dear, I’m sorry to hear that. Are you coming in?’

‘Yes, if you don’t mind,’ Mavis said, following Jenny to the kitchen. ‘Where’s Grace?’

‘She’s playing in the garden and she’s fine.’

‘That’s good,’ Mavis said as she sat down.

Jenny saw how pale Mavis looked, her manner somehow distant, but said nothing until she had poured them both a cup of tea. She handed one to Mavis and then sat down opposite, asking softly, ‘Are you all right?’

Mavis shook her head. ‘Not really. I’m worried about my mother-in-law. If anything happens to her, I dread to think how Alec is going to react.’

‘I’m sure she’ll be fine, but if the worst happens, Alec will grieve, just as you grieved, and probably still are for your father. You’ll be able to comfort each other.’

‘I doubt that,’ Mavis said. ‘I neglected his mother, and if she dies, he’ll blame me.’

‘Mavis, that’s rubbish,’ Jenny said kindly. ‘You’ve looked after his mother for years. You’ve been marvellous and Alec knows that. Now come on, buck up, I’m sure you’re worrying about nothing and she’ll be fine.’

Mavis’s face was etched with guilt as she told
Jenny what had happened. ‘So you see, I should have checked on Edith before answering the telephone. It was Pete, ringing to tell me that my mother has had the baby. I was so happy for her, but…but, Jenny, by taking the call, I
did
neglect Edith.’

‘Mavis, listen to me—your mother-in-law’s health has been deteriorating for ages. All right, she had slipped off her pillows and I don’t suppose that helped, but she had pneumonia.’

With a heavy sigh, Mavis looked at the clock. ‘It’s nearly one o’clock, and I’d best get back. Alec might ring me, but then again I doubt it. Oh, Jenny, I hope she’s all right.’

‘Look, why don’t you go back to the hospital? I don’t mind having Grace and I can pick James up from school too.’

‘No, he told me to leave, said he didn’t want me there.’

‘But why?’

‘I told you, I neglected his mother, and though you say slipping off her pillows wouldn’t cause pneumonia, don’t you see, I should have noticed how bad she was earlier. I was up at six, changing her sheet, washing her, but I was so tired, Jenny, hardly able to keep my eyes open, and she had messed the bed. It took ages to clean her up, and I got all behind; I heard the children waking up, knew that Alec would be annoyed that I wasn’t
there to see to them. Oh, listen to me, it sounds like I’m making excuses. Alec said that and he’s right.’

‘Mavis, stop it! You don’t have to explain yourself to me, or come to that, anyone. How you’ve coped with looking after your mother-in-law, the children, and the house single-handedly for years is beyond me. I’ve seen how tired you are, how the weight has dropped off you. If you ask me, you deserve a bloody medal.’

‘I…I still should have noticed, especially when she wouldn’t eat her breakfast.’

‘For goodness sake, you’re not a nurse with medical training and, let’s face it, she’s been going downhill for ages.’

‘If anything happens to her, Alec won’t see it that way.’

‘Then sod Alec,’ Jenny snapped, her hand then going to her mouth in horror. ‘Oh, blimey, I shouldn’t have said that.’

‘What’s sod Alec?’ a small voice asked.

‘Grace,’ Mavis said as she jumped to her feet. ‘Goodness, I didn’t see you there.’

‘Sod Alec,’ Grace repeated.

‘Mavis, I’m so sorry,’ Jenny said, and crouching in front of Grace she fought for an explanation. ‘Sod is, er…er…another word for a lump of mud, or grass.’

Grace looked puzzled, but Mavis burst into
laughter. ‘Alec, a lump of mud,’ she gasped, doubling over with mirth.

At first Jenny chuckled, but then her face straightened as Mavis’s laughter turned first to hysteria, then sobs—sobs that racked her body. Jenny swept Grace up into her arms and hurried into the garden. ‘Come on, darling,’ she urged. ‘Let’s pick some flowers.’

‘What’s the matter with my mummy?’

‘She’s just a bit upset, but she’ll be fine soon.’

‘Me give her the flowers?’

‘Yes, of course you can,’ Jenny said, leading Grace to Stan’s immaculate flower border. He wouldn’t be happy to see his precious blooms cut, but she wanted to distract Grace, to give Mavis time to cry, to let it all out, and maybe, just maybe, it would help.

Alec faced the doctor, sick with worry. He had watched his mother fighting for breath, had touched her forehead to find it hot yet clammy, but this was the first time he’d been called to talk to a doctor.

A nurse stood by his desk while the doctor steepled his fingers, his expression grave. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Pugh, I’m afraid your mother’s prognosis isn’t good. Is there anyone you’d like to call, any other relatives?’

‘No, there isn’t anyone else.’

‘Would you like to talk to the hospital chaplain?’

‘Why? No, no. Are you telling me that my mother’s dying?’

‘We are doing all we can, but…’ his voice trailed off.

‘Would you like to sit with your mother again, Mr Pugh?’ the nurse asked as she stepped forward.

‘Yes, yes,’ Alec said, reeling with shock as he rose to his feet.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Pugh,’ the doctor said.

Alec barely heard him. His head was buzzing and he felt dizzy, but he fought it off as he was led back to his mother’s side. This couldn’t be happening. It was a nightmare, it wasn’t real.

‘I’ll get you a cup of tea,’ the nurse said kindly.

Alec looked at his mother, took her hand and faced the truth. This was real, his mother was dying and, unmanly or not, he allowed his tears to flow.

It was some time before Alec was able to pull himself together, before he was able to think clearly again. Perhaps he should ring Mavis, tell her what was happening, but then his lips tightened in anger.

No, he still didn’t want Mavis here. He knew that his mother slipping off her pillows hadn’t caused this, but Mavis should have seen earlier how ill she was. If only he’d had looked in on her before he left for work, but it was too late now, too late to save her.

Alec looked at his mother’s face, pleading with her to speak to him. ‘It’s me, Mother. It’s Alec.’

There was no response, not a flicker of movement, and in despair he laid his head on the side of her bed.

Mavis couldn’t stand it any longer and rang the hospital again at eight that evening, only to be told that there was no change. What was going on? If his mother was all right, if there was no change, why was Alec still there?

The children were asleep, the house silent and, mentally exhausted, Mavis sat down, her head sinking back into the corner of the winged armchair. She closed her eyes, felt sleep overcoming her and gave in to it. Ten minutes, she’d doze for ten minutes, that was all.

‘Mavis!’

She awoke with a start, blurry-eyed as she tried to focus on Alec. He was standing right in front of her, his eyes blazing with anger.

‘Alec, you’re back. How is your mother?’

‘She’s dead,’ he snapped.

‘What! Oh, no!’ Mavis cried, stumbling stiffly to her feet.

‘Yes, Mavis, she died an hour ago, and it’s all thanks to you.’

Mavis looked at the clock, unable to believe that it was two in the morning, and when she spoke
again, her voice was high with shock. ‘Oh, Alec, please don’t blame me.’