Thursday 17 November 2011

Donna's Accident

The next lot of tears in our household were Donna’s. These were not tears of anger or sadness but pure pain. In attempting to slice a piece of beautifully cooked rib of beef she had managed to slice through something important in her hand and her agony was palpable. I felt like I had gone into some sort of automaton state as I wrapped it as tightly as I could in a clean tea towel and dragged her to the car then to the Royal United Hospital’s A+E department. We sat for a brief period but the department was not busy and within a reasonable time she was in a cubicle and being dealt with. When she was taken into the booth I went to the toilet for a pee but as soon as I got there I threw up. It seemed ages that I had to wait until a nurse came to see me and said that Donna would like me to go to her.

She was sitting on a bed, white as a sheet, and with a woman doctor suturing the wound. I sat beside her bed and took her good hand in my own. ‘You alright, College?’ How typical. I said I was fine but how was she? ‘Did you throw up?’ I nodded and the doctor looked up at me.

‘You’re a bit green around the gills. Did you hurt yourself too?’

‘No, Doc,’ said Donna. She just loves me and didn’t like to see me hurt.’ The doctor smiled and bent herself to her work. ‘I’m going to be just fine, so you can stop fretting. And the doc says you did a good job getting me all squeezed up in that cloth. Reckoned I might have lost a bit of blood if you hadn’t so, when we get home I’ll say thank you properly.’

‘I’m so sorry, Doctor, I think she’s suffering from shock,’ I said.

‘Of course, I forgot, you don’t know Doc Willis. She was the one who fixed my mum up after that little matter with her supervisor. We’re old mates.’

The doctor smiled. ‘No need to apologise for Donna, College.’ Does nobody call me by my given name? ‘She is, after all, Donna.’

We didn’t go home. Donna insisted on going to the pub. ‘Might as well get as much sympathy as possible. Also the doc said the tablets might react with alcohol so I am anxious to see if and how. It could be fun!’ I knew there was no point whatever in arguing with her so went along and tried to make sure she didn’t overdo it.

‘College barfed,’ she told Nellie. ‘Can’t stand the sight of blood. No bloody good in a war zone.’ Her undamaged hand caressed my arse and slipped up a little way under my skirt and stroked my stocking. She whispered in my ear, ‘Are these safe for an injured woman?’

‘I’m not injured.’

‘Quick, College, always ready with the quick riposte.’ The drink and alcohol were mingling but I knew she had been in serious pain and I wasn’t going to remonstrate with her. I took her home. She was merry but fine and the pain was well under control. I undressed her, bathed her, slipped her silk pyjama jacket on – ‘The red one, College, lest I bleed – don’t want to frighten the troops.’ I set her to bed then stripped and showered and slipped into bed beside her, cradling her head on my breast and stroking her hair. ‘Pity you took the stockings off,’ she slurred in her drowsy state, ‘I’d have given you one if you kept them on.’ I leant down to kiss her forehead. She was sound asleep. I didn’t sleep at all that night. I read a book, Donna’s head still on my chest, said payers to the gods I don’t believe in and held her close to me. In the morning I pretended I had slept like a log and took her tea. She was sober and alert.

‘You didn’t have to stay awake you know.’ How the fuck did she know I had? ‘S’like your period, you change colour when you’re tired. I’m going to have to practice left handed for a bit. Care to have a go?’

What is she like?

4 comments:

Saffron said...

Smiling madly here. Whatever will that pair get up to next? The suspense is killing meeeeeeeee! Only one bit I found les than credible and that was the hospital’s A+E department not being busy –come on now!

caprice said...

gawd, you put us right in there with those two......*smiles*

jaye said...

Monica , as always you leave me wanting more!

China Girl said...

I agree with everything said. Keep them coming Monica.