Louise gazed down at her sister on the bed. Kathy lay unconscious, her breathing barely perceptible, tubes and wires feeding, draining and monitoring her failing body. She opened her eyes for a moment and moved her lips, and Louise leaned closer to hear her.
‘Is. Danny. OK?’
‘Danny’s fine. Badly bruised, and pretty shaken up, obviously, but you took the full force of the crash. He’ll be out of bed in a day or two and come straight here to see you.’
‘Tell him I…’ Kathy closed her eyes again. Her breathing slowed, then stopped. The monitor shrilled a warning and the nurse hovering nearby checked Kathy’s vital signs. Shaking her head, she called for help and a team of doctors and nurses appeared, working as a well-drilled unit on Kathy’s inert form as Louise was escorted from the room.
‘I’m calling it,’ said the lead doctor at last. ‘Time of death: 2.46 p.m.’ He found Louise in the corridor and took her to a private room. ‘We did everything we could,’ he said, ‘but her injuries were too serious. I’m so sorry for your loss.’
‘Thank you, doctor,’ said Louise. ‘We all knew it was coming.’ They left her alone with Kathy for a few minutes, then the nurse reappeared. ‘Didn’t her husband die in the crash?’ she said.
‘Yes,’ said Louise, ‘but we knew Kathy couldn’t survive, so why tell her?’
‘Is. Danny. OK?’
‘Danny’s fine. Badly bruised, and pretty shaken up, obviously, but you took the full force of the crash. He’ll be out of bed in a day or two and come straight here to see you.’
‘Tell him I…’ Kathy closed her eyes again. Her breathing slowed, then stopped. The monitor shrilled a warning and the nurse hovering nearby checked Kathy’s vital signs. Shaking her head, she called for help and a team of doctors and nurses appeared, working as a well-drilled unit on Kathy’s inert form as Louise was escorted from the room.
‘I’m calling it,’ said the lead doctor at last. ‘Time of death: 2.46 p.m.’ He found Louise in the corridor and took her to a private room. ‘We did everything we could,’ he said, ‘but her injuries were too serious. I’m so sorry for your loss.’
‘Thank you, doctor,’ said Louise. ‘We all knew it was coming.’ They left her alone with Kathy for a few minutes, then the nurse reappeared. ‘Didn’t her husband die in the crash?’ she said.
‘Yes,’ said Louise, ‘but we knew Kathy couldn’t survive, so why tell her?’
