Holy Bones and Ava Jones (Tal and Ava Book 1) by Norma Curtis

Author:Norma Curtis [Curtis, Norma]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Norma Curtis UK
Published: 2013-03-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

I thought that Nain would be waiting for us by the main entrance with her suitcase and I was disappointed when she wasn’t. Dad parked around the back. Apart from birdsong, Whitehill was quiet. As we went inside, Betty, the care assistant, was on the phone at the desk, and she gave us a wave. The three of us walked up the stairs and we buzzed ourselves into the day room.

‘Hey, what’s happened?’ Dad asked suddenly.

Sian Llewelyn was standing near Nain who was slumped in the chair in a deep sleep, her glasses half-way down her nose. Sian said reassuringly, ‘It’s nothing to worry about, it’s just that she’s very tired today, Michael.’

Dad was puzzled. ‘She was fine when Dr. Hill saw her this morning,’ he said, crouching down to look at his mother. ‘Mam?’ He patted her limp hand. ‘Mam, it’s Michael. We’ve come to take you home.’

Nain snored softly, ignoring us. She was in the deepest sleep I’d ever seen.

‘In all fairness, Michael,’ Sian said smugly, ‘I have tried to explain to you that she’s not ready to leave just yet. The idea of moving has given her a relapse.’

Poor Nain! For a moment I felt really bad for wanting her to come home.

‘But Dr. Hill said it was fine for her to leave,’ Dad said.

‘I’m aware of what Dr. Hill said,’ Sian went on patiently, ‘but you can see for yourself that she’s not ready.’

I didn’t believe her. Nain wasn’t wearing the pink cardigan - she had her best navy one on. And I looked at Nain’s feet. ‘She’s got her black shoes on!’ I said. ‘She’s got her shoes on because she’s ready to go home.’

Sian Llewelyn turned and smiled at me. It was one of those horrible smiles that adults give you when they know they can’t hit you because it’s against the law.

‘What I mean,’ Sian said, ‘is that it’s exhausted her, you can see that, can’t you?’

Dad frowned. ‘I’m not an idiot,’ he said.

I glanced at Caroline, expecting her to argue with him, but she was frowning at Nain, probably thinking it was nothing that a smudge of lip gloss couldn’t fix.

It was all a bit awkward, really.

We stood around our dozing Nain for a bit longer, hoping she would wake up.

We didn’t want to go home without her, but unless we were going to carry her out, it looked as if we’d have to.

‘Well,’ Dad said after we watched her for a few minutes, ‘I suppose we’ll have to leave her here.’

‘I think it’s for the best. She can stay as long as she likes,’ Sian said. ‘When a person is old, what she needs is a secure environment and a routine.’

Just then, Nain’s eyes opened a little and she blinked.

‘Dad,’ I said, nudging him.

‘No, Sian’s right, I guess.’

Nain’s eyes were wide open now.

‘But Dad – ’

‘She does seem to be happy here,’ he said. ‘With the secure environment and the routine.’

Sian nodded. ‘Of course.’

Dad rested his hand on my head. ‘Ava was going to stay with her, but obviously that’s out of the question now.

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