A Distant Dream by Pamela Evans Read Free Book Online Page A

when May comes home,’ he said, determined to stay positive and not wanting an argument with Betty, who was obviously more interested in self-preservation than supporting May.
    ‘All right then,’ she said, looking downhearted. ‘I’ll see you around.’
    ‘See you,’ he said. He felt rather sorry for Betty even though he knew her to be a very shallow person. He had known her for a long time and had a certain amount of affection for her as he would for any long-term pal. But he knew it wasn’t just friendship she wanted from him, so he needed to steer well clear.
    Betty was down but definitely not defeated as she walked home. George Bailey had become a challenge and she wasn’t going to give up at the first hurdle. After all, there was nothing definite between him and May, so it wasn’t as if she was being disloyal to May or anything. It was lonely not having a best friend, and a boyfriend would solve all her problems. Her chance would come, and when it did she was going to grab it with both hands.
    ‘At least we get good food here,’ May remarked to Connie one day in May when their beds had been wheeled out on to the porch as usual.
    ‘That’s part of the cure; lots of nourishing grub,’ said Connie. ‘The rice pudding is much creamier than what we have at home.’
    ‘Home,’ May sighed. ‘I’d love to be back there.’
    ‘I shouldn’t wish too hard for that,’ said Connie. ‘They sometimes send people home from here to die.’
    ‘Oh Connie,’ she said with a wry grin. ‘Cheer me up, why don’t you?’
    The other girl laughed. ‘Only teasing,’ she said. ‘I have heard people say that but it might just be a rumour. Don’t worry, it won’t happen to you.’
    ‘I flippin’ well hope not.’
    ‘Nothing we can do about it anyway, kid, is there?’
    ‘There certainly isn’t.’
    ‘Let’s talk about what we would like to do when we get out of here,’ suggested Connie. ‘First thing for me is to find a boyfriend, and while I’m looking for someone I’m going to go to Lyons Corner House for afternoon tea.’
    ‘I’ll join you,’ enthused May. ‘If we can find a job to pay for it, that is.’
    ‘They say it’s hard when you come out of here,’ Connie mentioned, looking serious. ‘Employers don’t want to take you on when you’ve had TB in case you get ill again and don’t turn up for work or infect someone. That’s why a lot of the patients stay on here to work as groundsmen or nurses.’
    ‘Let’s go back to our daydream about what we would like to do after Ashburn,’ suggested May. ‘Real life is a bit depressing.’
    The two girls had become good friends over the past few months; there was nothing so binding as a shared illness. The ward in general was friendly. All the women here were young.
    ‘What do you want to do when you go home?’ asked Connie.
    ‘Nothing special, just ordinary things . . . Maybe go out dancing if I’m not too old by the time I get out of here.’
    ‘Give over, May.’
    ‘Well I was fifteen when I came in here. I’m sixteen already and could be here for years yet,’ she said.
    ‘You poor old thing,’ said a matronly nurse sweeping on to the scene. ‘Well, time is moving on and so are you. The doctor wants you shifted to another ward.’
    ‘Does that mean I’m getting better?’ she asked.
    ‘I have no idea,’ replied the nurse. It was more than her job was worth to give a patient any sort of hope; such were the complications of the disease, it could easily turn out to be false. ‘But you will have a little more mobility. You will still be in bed for most of the time but you will be able to go to the canteen for meals and other communal areas.’
    ‘Oh whoopee,’ said May, then she looked at her friend and added, ‘Is Connie coming?’
    ‘I have only been told to move you,’ said the nurse. ‘You’ll have to do without your pal for the moment.’
    ‘I’ll be coming along soon, don’t worry,’ said Connie, but May found