A DEATH TO DIE FOR by Geoffrey Wilding Read Free Book Online Page A

whatever was holding the corner of the bed down suddenly released itself and the bed became level again, another small victory which allowed us to smile.
     
    It was now close to 8.00pm and it had been a very long and trying day for everyone which showed in all our faces, I was particularly tired and as Helen had already arranged for Andy to stay overnight to save him having to drive back South I said that they should get off home and after some tearful goodbyes they slowly left the ward, briefly waving before they disappeared along the corridor.
     
    I saw my mobile phone on the bedside table, so manoeuvring the drip stand along with me I carefully moved around the bed and picked it up, using just my good hand I managed to text to Helen’s phone “Missing you already”, within a few moments my phone bleeped and message appeared on the screen I clicked on select and “Missing you too, all my love XXX”.
     
    I worked my way back round the bed and sat on the new restored corner, it was only now that Helen had gone from view that I realised that at each parting I would have no way of knowing if we would see each other again and more tears fell from my bowed head forming wet patches on the floor where they fell.
     
    Through the tears I noticed a blurred white shape approaching and as I looked up I could just make out the face of a nurse stood in front of me, there must have been a staff changeover I thought, she bent over and placed her hand gently on my shoulder and quietly asked me what was the matter, she had genuine compassion in her voice and through the sniffs and the sobs I managed to squeeze out what had gone on and how low I felt, I asked her if she could please pull the curtains around the bed as I just wanted to be on my own.
     
    She said we might be able to do better than that and turned to walk away, I watched her disappear out of the ward and the next thing I heard was a clap of hands and her voice calling to the other night staff, I couldn’t catch what she was saying but about twenty minutes later she returned with two other nurses, they gathered my belongings from the bedside locker and the nurse in white helped me to my feet, she then put my gown around my shoulders and with her pushing the drip stand along side me we slowly paraded out of the ward and along the corridor in the opposite direction that I had come earlier.
     
    This odd little group processed passed the admissions ward and then passed another ward, in both heads turned with inquisitive eyes to see what we were doing.
     
    We came to a set of fire doors across the corridor, there was a window and an open door in the wall to my left and the nurse in white lead me into a private room with an all singing all dancing bed, an ensuite shower and toilet.
     
    In the far wall there was a window with the curtains drawn shut, the over bed light was dimmed, the nurse in white said that this room had become free and I was the one in most need of it’s quiet surroundings.
     
    My belongings were stowed away once more and the nurse in white helped me get on the bed and moved the drip stand near to me, she piled up the pillows behind me so that I was sat upright and showed me how the emergency call button worked, she then asked if I wanted to have an oxygen nose tube, when I said yes I thought it might help she went to locate one which she duly did and on her return fixed it into the wall socket behind the bed and fitted it to my face.
     
    This was a surreal time for me and my religious education had pretty much petered out after I left Sunday school but I am pretty sure I know what to look for in angels and this apparition in white seemed to have all the right attributes even though I was unable tick the wings box.
     
    The nurse in white drew the curtains to the corridor window and shut the door on her way out, for the first time in three days I was left entirely on my own, I was too tired to think and quickly fell asleep, however it wasn’t long