Amy by Kit Eyre

Author:Kit Eyre [Eyre, Kit]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Everything about her transaction with Robert felt sordid. She slipped out of his car, glancing around to check she hadn’t been seen, then walked back into the hospital with faltering steps. With her stomach swirling, she diverted into the bathrooms, but nothing came of it. As she rested her forehead against the cubicle door, the mumbles and pings of other visitors gradually brought her back to reality, and she knew she needed to get back to A&E before she was missed.

Her cheeks were pallid when she checked in the mirror, and her mouth was pinched into an expression she didn’t recognise. She took another minute to trick herself into believing she was calm then set off along the labyrinthine corridors until she found her way back to the row of cubicles where Clarice was being treated. Amy had returned first and greeted her with a frown.

‘Where did you go? I thought you were staying . . . Mum, are you okay?’

Valerie ran her tongue over her lips. ‘I felt sick. I’m sorry, darling. I couldn’t help it. Is Clarice awake?’

‘The specialist’s in with her now, we should know pretty quickly whether we can take her home, but he seemed happy enough with the test results. Are you well enough to drive us if we can take her?’

‘I’ll be fine, although a coffee might be in order once we’re finished. I barely managed a sip of mine earlier before I got your message to come here. I’m looking forward to breakfast. Maybe we could go to Ed’s and get one of those unhealthy baps of his.’

‘I might have to stay with Biddy,’ Amy replied as she shot another glance at the curtain.

Valerie’s shoulders sagged. ‘Of course, darling.’

Around them, the hospital was grinding back into gear for another lengthy day. Fresh nurses were bounding from cubicle to cubicle, and a circle of admin staff at the desk were talking seriously amongst themselves. Valerie didn’t comprehend she was the one under discussion until a few eyes flickered in her direction, and then she told herself it was simply her presence in the hospital that was prompting interest rather than anything related to the leadership election. It was absurd to think of the rumour mill moving so quickly on a Saturday morning, especially in the depths of this building.

‘Ms Smythe?’

‘Yes?’ Valerie and Amy answered in unison, turning around to face the doctor.

He raised an eyebrow and looked between them.

‘I’m Mrs Smythe’s daughter-in-law and this is her granddaughter,’ Valerie explained. ‘Is she going to be okay?’

‘The symptoms have settled, I’m happy to send her home.’

‘Does she need to have someone with her?’ Amy asked.

‘Ideally, yes. Does she live alone?’

Amy shook her head. ‘It’s not a problem, I can stay. When will she be discharged?’

Valerie only vaguely listened to the doctor’s explanations about what Amy would need to do to keep Clarice comfortable at home. Her pocket was vibrating incessantly as the phone – which she’d again forgotten to turn off – alerted her to the irrefutable fact that her volte-face had been made public.

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