Blood Sisters(20)

‘You’ve still got that ugly gap between your teeth.’ Duncan – scratching away – was hovering in the front entrance as they wheeled her in. ‘Thought you’d gone to the dentist to get it fixed.’

‘That’s because they’ve only done the impression, stupid,’ Kitty said. ‘And while we’re at it, why don’t you ask them for a different cream? It might stop you tearing at your fucking skin like that.’

‘Babble, babble!’ Duncan threw her a pitying look. ‘It’s all you ever do, isn’t it, Kitty? By the way, you’ve missed band practice. It’s over now.’

Bugger! Desperately, Kitty looked around for Johnny. Maybe in the communal lounge. Pushing the wheelchair herself with her good hand, she peeped round. Empty. Apart from Tea Trolley Lady, clearing up.

‘Johnny,’ Kitty said urgently. ‘I want him.’

‘Back now, are you, love? You just sit by the electric fire there and have a bit of a snooze. Expect you’re tired from your visit.’

Maybe, Kitty told herself, Johnny was playing noughts and crosses in the games room. Johnny had told her he was good at board games, too. He was going to teach her how to play Pictionary. He’d promised.

‘Want an iced bun while you’re waiting?’ offered Tea Trolley Lady. ‘It so happens that I’ve got two of them going spare! Yours and Johnny’s. That lovely boy with nice manners. Went down with a temperature, he did, during that little music session. So he missed out on his afternoon snack.’

Temperature? What if he got so ill that he was sent home? Or to hospital? Kitty felt a wave of panic at the thought of the word hospital. Why?

No. The memory had gone before it had properly arrived.

Instead, she was ready to zoom. She needed to find him. Quickly. Even if it was against all the rules.

‘Going … to … Johnny’s room … are … you?’ Margaret’s voice cut in as Kitty passed her on the corridor near their room. ‘You’ll get … caught. You … know … you’re … not … allowed … down … the … boys’ end. Hang …on … a sec … and … I’ll see … what … I can … do … to help.’

Margaret’s breathing often got worse, Kitty had noticed, when Margaret did or didn’t want to do something. But she didn’t usually help others like she was doing now.

A voice rang out at the other end of the corridor. ‘Room Three’s pulled the emergency cord.’

‘Go … go,’ rasped Margaret.

Quick, quick, before someone spotted her. Down this passage. Turn left. Good hand hurting. Right here. Now, which door was it?

There. J for Johnny. It was slightly ajar. Kitty pushed her chair in but it got stuck.

‘Who’s that?’ The voice came from the bed. ‘Kitty? It’s you?’

Poor Johnny’s nose was really red. His forehead was all sweaty. ‘I’m so glad you came.’

Really? Kitty felt a buzz of electric excitement zipping through her as she manoeuvred her chair right up to the edge of his bed.

‘I felt terrible not meeting you when you got back as I promised. But I got a temperature almost as soon as you’d gone and now this awful headache. I often get them since the attack.’

‘What attack?’

‘I’m guessing you’re wondering what happened.’

Yes!

‘You know I was born with Down’s syndrome.’ His face took on a faraway look. ‘But there’s more to it than that. One night, I was in a pub with my mates and this thug came up to me and started taking the mickey out of me cos of the way I look. My friends told him to bugger off but then this bloke smashed his bottle of beer into my head. Never been quite the same since.’

Then Johnny laughed in the way people did when something wasn’t really funny.

‘Poor you,’ said Kitty.

‘I knew you’d understand.’ His big eyes stared up at her. ‘How was the dentist?’

‘Horrible.’

‘I bet it was awful. I always hate the dentist. But it will be worth it. I’ll get my brace off soon. And you’ll have another tooth when it’s ready, I expect. Then we’ll both be as good as new, won’t we?’

He laughed. A properly happy laugh this time, and because his joke was really rather funny (how could she ever be as good as new?), Kitty laughed too.

‘How did you get down here?’

‘Margaret created a diversion,’ said Kitty. ‘And Duncan helped with his scratching, although he didn’t know that.’

‘Bet you came to find me.’ His eyes shone. ‘Wow!’ Then his face got all worried. ‘Don’t get caught, will you?’

Yet he was still holding her hand as if he didn’t want to let her go.

‘Please get better soon,’ babbled Kitty, desperate to prolong the moment. His touch felt so nice and warm.

‘I should be better soon.’ His head nodded up and down as he spoke. ‘And next week it’s the concert. My mum and dad will be back from holiday then.’

It was amazing how they could have a conversation without her actually speaking.

He let go of her hands. They felt horribly empty now. Lonely. ‘I don’t want to say goodbye but we’re both going to get told off if they find you here. Thanks for coming.’