The Key: The most gripping, heartbreaking book of the year by Kathryn Hughes

Author:Kathryn Hughes [Hughes, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2018-02-28T23:00:00+00:00

29

Ed was more unsteady on his feet than usual, but his slight frame made it easy for her to support him as she guided him along the corridor back to the ward. An old man, trousers at half-mast, a solitary tooth protruding from his bottom gum, marched towards them. Both his fists were balled and he punched himself in the face, alternating fists in a rhythm to match his stride. Amy covered her mouth, almost retching at the foul stench of urine that emanated from his body.

Ed managed a smile. ‘A drawback to the new unlocked-door policy.’

‘Mmm, you could say that.’ She looked at Ed, intelligent, coherent, a loving mother to care for him at home. It was all so wrong. ‘Should you really be in here, Ed? It’s not right that you have to mix with nutters like that.’

‘Oh, Jimmy the Panda’s all right. He’s quite a character when you get to know him.’

‘Jimmy the Panda?’

‘Yeah: he’s always got two black eyes.’

‘What? Are you being serious?’

He smiled. ‘There’s all kinds in ’ere, Amy. Most with very sad stories to tell, people who call this place home and are grateful for it too. I’ve met some wonderful people and I’ll always be thankful for what they’ve done for me.’ He paused. ‘Don’t be so quick to judge.’

Coming from anybody else it might have sounded like a telling-off, but his smile took the sting out of his words and she merely nodded. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from Ed.

They stopped at the entrance to his ward. ‘I’m fine from here, Amy, but thanks for looking after me, and again, I’m right sorry about your dear father.’

‘Thank you,’ she whispered. ‘And you take care of yourself, d’you hear me?’

‘I will.’ He held his arms wide, swaying slightly as she stepped into them. They held each other for a few moments, both wanting to preserve this basic human contact that most people took for granted.

By the time she arrived back on her own ward, the curtains were drawn and the lights had been turned out. Sister Atkins was in her office, thumbing through a magazine. ‘About time. Where in God’s name have you been?’

‘Dr Lambourn said he was going to tell you. I’ve been to the chapel for some quiet reflection.’

‘You’ve been gone for hours. That’s a hell of a lot of reflecting, and now you think you can just waltz back in ’ere?’ She stood up and slapped the magazine down on the desk. ‘I bloody knew this would happen if they unlocked the doors. Patients coming and going as they please. It’ll end in disaster, mark my words.’ She reached for her cigarettes. ‘And don’t even think about trying to escape. We’ll only fetch you back again and things’ll be a lot worse for you.’ She sucked in a lungful of smoke and exhaled it dragon-like through her nose.

‘It was my father’s funeral today.’

Sister stopped mid drag. ‘That’s as maybe, but it doesn’t give you the right to swan off willy-nilly.

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