My Name is Eva(67)

‘Hildegarde? I never knew that. How in heaven’s name did that happen?’ Pat pulled off her heavy raincoat and fanned herself with a copy of The Lady from Evelyn’s bedside cabinet.

‘Hildegarde was Grandmama’s first name. She was half Polish, remember? It was a family name. I was very fond of my grandmother, but I never really liked the name, nor did Mama, so I was always called Evelyn.’ Or Evie or Eva, but you don’t need to know that.

‘Oh, whatever.’ Pat waved her hand in exasperation. ‘I hope they’re not making any other stupid mistakes. How are you feeling anyway? I’ve brought you some shortbread. It’s not home-made, I’m afraid. I was in a bit of a rush, after the morning I’ve had, so I dashed into Waitrose on my way over. But I hope you like it.’

‘Thank you, dear. That’s really very kind of you,’ Evelyn said, thinking how she would much rather have had fresh flowers, maybe freesias for their sharp lemony scent or some spring bulbs about to burst into flower, something growing and alive to remind her that there was life outside this stifling ward with its smells of disinfectant and talcum powder, and accompanying sounds of low murmuring, the occasional buzzer to summon attention and the scrape of visitors’ chairs.

Pat placed the tin of biscuits on the bedside cabinet and shifted on her chair. ‘But the main reason I’ve come to see you today is to have a chat with you about what should happen next, when the doctor says you are well enough to leave here. They think it won’t be long now.’

‘I’ll go home, of course. It will be so nice to go home, dear. Some of the other people here really aren’t at all well. And I don’t like being with such a lot of old people all the time. I think I’ll be much better off at home in familiar surroundings. I could take little walks in the garden for exercise. I’d soon be back to normal, you’ll see.’

‘Well, Humphrey and I aren’t so sure, Aunt. This wasn’t the first time you’d had a fall and we think Kingsley just isn’t a suitable place for someone your age, living on their own.’ Pat paused and then gave her aunt the most cheerful smile she could muster. ‘We both think you would be much more comfortable in a residential home with staff to look after you. Some of them are really very nice and it would be so good for you to have company all the time.’

‘I’m sure they are very nice, dear, but I don’t know if I’d like living with other people. I’m not used to it, you know.’ Evelyn continued to stare at her niece. I knew it would come to this and I know she is right, but I don’t feel I have to agree immediately. Let’s see how well she makes her case.

‘But we’ll be worrying all the time about you being on your own, all alone in that big old house. There are no neighbours nearby to hear you if you have another fall. And even if I could drop everything at a moment’s notice and rush over from Woking, it could take me ages to get to you.’

‘I could have one of those alarm things round my neck. One of the nurses was telling me that her grandmother has one. I could tell you right away if I fell.’

‘Yes, you could. But that doesn’t mean to say I can get to you instantly, does it? I might be up in London for the day or miles away in Cornwall. Humphrey and I often pop down there for a few days with the boat. I don’t just sit at home waiting for you to call, you know. And this last time – well, the doctors say that if you hadn’t managed to raise the alarm when you did, you could have died of thirst and hypothermia if you’d been lying on the floor there for a long time. It does happen, you know. Two or three nights and that would have been your lot. And then where would we be?’

‘At least I’d have died at Kingsley, dear. I wouldn’t have minded ending my days in my own home.’

Pat frowned, then pulled her sweater over her head, revealing a very creased blouse. Tut, tut, it takes no time to iron a shirt, Evelyn thought, no time at all.

‘And if I didn’t remember to call you once a week, what state would things be in by the time we found you? It doesn’t bear thinking about.’ She frowned some more, then said, ‘Quite frankly, it simply isn’t fair to me and Humphrey. I don’t want to walk into the house one week and find you’ve been lying there dead for days. I’d feel absolutely awful and it would look as if I didn’t care, when I do care about you, I care very much.’

‘Well, dear, when you put it like that…’

‘I knew you’d see sense.’ Pat pulled a couple of brochures from her hessian shopping bag. ‘There are some lovely care homes round here.’ She laughed and said, ‘I said to Humphrey I’m almost tempted to book a place for us both right now.’

‘Surely not, dear. You’ve got the boys to look after you.’

Pat dismissed this with a wave of her hand. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. They’ve got their own lives to live. Besides, when you get older, really old, you need specialised help, and adapted beds, baths, treatments, and all sorts of things. You can’t easily organise all of that at home.’

‘I suppose you’re right, dear. I was beginning to find I needed to visit the chiropodist much more than I used to. Last time, I got rather lost driving round Petersfield.’

‘There you are then. When you’re in a residential home, all these people come to you there. Chiropodists, hairdressers, even doctors. You’re not expected to have to go anywhere. It’s much more convenient.’