That Night
Wish you were here
I was lying in a hospital bed. What about Mum? I immediately used my arms to push me back up. I felt pains in my arms and almost cried out. I allowed the nurse to gently help me up again.
“What happened?” I asked her.
“You have several splinters buried deep in both arms, in the side of your stomach and legs. Some were deep and wide cuts which we decided to put in some stitches. There was also a splinter in your thumb. Your cuts should heal fine by themselves but any sudden moves
may cause you pain.
“When can I leave?”
“Well, the doctors say you will be okay, so you can go.”
“Um… Where can I find Mum and Dad?”
“They are…”
“Caroline and Jack.”
“You’ll have to go to the desk to find out which room they are in if they are patients. I could help you find your way to the desk if you like.
We walked in silence for a while. I asked the desk where I could find Mum and Dad and she told me they were in room 109.
When I entered the room Mum was on a bed and Dad was sitting next to her in a chair holding her hand. Mum was silently crying, and Dad maybe had cried too. They must have cried of joy, but happiness seemed to have died on the walls. Dad looked up and saw me. He dropped Mum’s hand and rushed up to hug me tight. I winced. When he saw me wincing he asked,
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, course, just a couple of stitches.” I replied. I wandered over to Mum’s bed. The baby was sleeping.
“She’s beautiful, so sweet.” I whispered.
“Kyra would’ve been so beautiful and sweet.” She corrected me. Then she burst into tears.
But Kyra was a beautiful name. Why was she crying? Then the penny dropped. She said was. Was. I looked at Dad.
“Carol, When Kyra was born she didn’t come out headfirst, you were there remember? But that isn’t usual. The doctors couldn’t see that the umbilical cord was…” he paused for a sob, “Slowly strangling her.”
Dad collapsed on the ground sobbing. I couldn’t stand this; it was so scary, so unreal. I walked over to Mum who was openly howling. Mum never cries in front of anyone but Dad because she finds it impolite. I had hot tears pouring out of my eyes. I stroked Kyra’s face.
“You brought Mum and Dad so much joy.” I whispered. To myself I added, now look at their sorrow. But I don’t think she had much of a choice, and if she did choose, I think she would’ve chosen to live. I sat down in a chair in the corner and feeling pain from the sudden movement in my legs I watched Mum howling over Kyra, Dad sobbing on the floor and cried myself to sleep.
“What happened?” I asked her.
“You have several splinters buried deep in both arms, in the side of your stomach and legs. Some were deep and wide cuts which we decided to put in some stitches. There was also a splinter in your thumb. Your cuts should heal fine by themselves but any sudden moves
may cause you pain.
“When can I leave?”
“Well, the doctors say you will be okay, so you can go.”
“Um… Where can I find Mum and Dad?”
“They are…”
“Caroline and Jack.”
“You’ll have to go to the desk to find out which room they are in if they are patients. I could help you find your way to the desk if you like.
We walked in silence for a while. I asked the desk where I could find Mum and Dad and she told me they were in room 109.
When I entered the room Mum was on a bed and Dad was sitting next to her in a chair holding her hand. Mum was silently crying, and Dad maybe had cried too. They must have cried of joy, but happiness seemed to have died on the walls. Dad looked up and saw me. He dropped Mum’s hand and rushed up to hug me tight. I winced. When he saw me wincing he asked,
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, course, just a couple of stitches.” I replied. I wandered over to Mum’s bed. The baby was sleeping.
“She’s beautiful, so sweet.” I whispered.
“Kyra would’ve been so beautiful and sweet.” She corrected me. Then she burst into tears.
But Kyra was a beautiful name. Why was she crying? Then the penny dropped. She said was. Was. I looked at Dad.
“Carol, When Kyra was born she didn’t come out headfirst, you were there remember? But that isn’t usual. The doctors couldn’t see that the umbilical cord was…” he paused for a sob, “Slowly strangling her.”
Dad collapsed on the ground sobbing. I couldn’t stand this; it was so scary, so unreal. I walked over to Mum who was openly howling. Mum never cries in front of anyone but Dad because she finds it impolite. I had hot tears pouring out of my eyes. I stroked Kyra’s face.
“You brought Mum and Dad so much joy.” I whispered. To myself I added, now look at their sorrow. But I don’t think she had much of a choice, and if she did choose, I think she would’ve chosen to live. I sat down in a chair in the corner and feeling pain from the sudden movement in my legs I watched Mum howling over Kyra, Dad sobbing on the floor and cried myself to sleep.
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