|
|
|
‘P oor Harry. We shouldn 't have let him stay there overnight’.
Graham unlocked the car and opened the boot.
‘What the hell is that?!’
Heather peered in to the boot to see what looked like a body poking out under a blanket.
‘Have you killed someone? My god, what have you done’ said Graham, pacing around the car park.
Heather pulled back the blanket and yanked the body from the boot.
‘It’s a bloody mannequin!’
Graham went in for a closer look and saw that it wasn’t real.
‘Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing with a mannequin in the boot?’
‘I bought it from the cash and carry the other day. My plan was to put it by the window; thought it might look like someone was in the shop when we were out, a bit of an intruder deterrent’.
Graham looked closely at the mannequin. Its eyes seemed to be looking straight at him, whichever way he moved.
‘I think it would deter all the customers. It looks bloody awful’. ‘Well, we can get rid of it. I’d forgotten that I’d bought it to be honest. We can drop it off at the tip on the way home’ said Heather as she forced the mannequin back in to the boot. Graham got in the car and started the engine.
‘It wasn’t a bad idea love. Sorry, I know you were thinking of us. Maybe we should put it up at Harry’s place to keep those feral kids away’.
‘Can you imagine what the neighbours would think up there? Most of them are elderly, you’d scare them half to death’ said Heather putting her seatbelt on.
‘True. It would be quite funny though’ said Graham with a glint in his
eye.
‘Behave’.
Graham checked there was no fruit in the foot well, and drove towards the council tip. As they approached the lane Heather noticed that the gates were locked.
‘Oh no, we’re too late. We’ll have to pop back in the morning before the hospital’.
‘That will be a nightmare at rush hour. Let’s just leave it here and let the staff deal with it in the morning’ said Graham getting out of the car.
‘Wait, you can’t just dump it over the fence – they have cameras around here somewhere’.
‘It’s dark and no one is around. I can’t see any cameras anywhere. I’ll just chuck it over the gate’ said Graham as he opened the boot. It was almost pitch black and no one seemed to be around.
‘Ok, but do it quickly’.
Graham lifted the mannequin out from the boot and slung it over his
shoulder. He walked to the gate and lent back a little for added
propulsion, before lurching the mannequin towards the top of the gate.
It only went two feet in the air before falling back on top of him,
knocking him to the ground.
‘Oh my, are you ok love?’
‘Bloody thing. Feels like I’ve broken my ass’ hissed Graham from
under the mannequin.
‘You mean your coccyx?’
‘No, that’s fine; I’ve hurt my bloody ass’ shouted Graham. ‘That’s what I, oh don’t worry’ replied Heather as she pulled the mannequin off him.
‘Let’s grab an end each and throw it over’ suggested Heather as she hoisted up the leg end.
Graham picked himself up and grabbed the arms.
‘After three, ok?’
Graham nodded as Heather started to count. Before she got to three a police car with its sirens blaring came flying around the corner and skidded to a halt behind their car. Heather dropped the mannequin in shock, sending Graham face first into the gate.
‘Stop right there’ shouted the officer as he jumped out of the car. ‘It’s not real, it’s just a dummy’ said Heather putting her hands in the air.
‘Who are you calling a dummy? You dropped the bloody thing’ said Graham, picking himself up from the floor.
‘Don’t move sir’ said the officer waving a baton at him.
‘Ok, but it’s not real, it’s a bloody mannequin.
The officer knelt down and turned the mannequin over.
‘What the hell are you both doing throwing a mannequin over the gate in the dark?’ asked the officer.
‘Well, the tip is shut so we thought we’d leave it here for them in the morning. Silly I know’ replied Heather rather sheepishly.
‘Very. You do know there are cameras here? Linked to the station because of the constant fly tipping’. ‘Sorry officer’ replied Graham.
‘I recognise you two. You run the shop in town don’t you? Where there was a vandal attack’.
‘Yes. You still haven’t caught those responsible though so I may start withholding my taxes’ said Graham, not knowing if he may get arrested.
‘I would not suggest that sir. The investigation is ongoing. Now, I suggest you get home before you get in any more trouble’.
‘Yes sir’ replied Heather as she ushered Graham in to the car. ‘When will you learn to keep your mouth shut? You could have got yourself arrested’.
‘Oh balls to it. Bloody police are useless; this will probably be the highlight of his night’.
‘Just drive us home’ said Heather as there was a tap on the window.
The officer pointed to the mannequin.
‘Don’t leave it there. Take it home with you’.
Heather nodded.
‘Maybe we could drop it off at Harry and Hazel’s after all’ said Graham.
Back at the hospital, Harry was asleep in Hazel’s room when the nurse came in.
‘Sorry to wake you Harry, I just need to check Hazel’s blood pressure’.
‘Of course, don’t mind me, I was just catching five minutes shut eye’. ‘Can I get you more cushions? It can’t be that comfy for you’ said the nurse as she did Hazel’s observations.
‘I’m fine thank you; I’ve slept in far less comfy positions in my time. Just want to be next to my Hazel. How is she doing?’
‘All her observations look ok, and the doctor will be round later on this morning on his rounds. You try and get some sleep’.
Harry smiled and looked at Hazel, who was peacefully asleep. He held her hand and gave it as kiss.
‘I love you Hazel Smythe. Always have done and always will. I’ll be sat here waiting for you when you wake up’.
As Harry went to sit back in his seat an alarm starting going off next to Hazel. He jumped up and leant over her as two nurses and a doctor ran in.
‘What’s going on? Is she ok?’ asked Harry.
A nurse gently pulled him towards to the door and out in to the corridor.
‘We need you to stay out here for a while Mr Smythe. I can assure you that they are doing everything they can for Hazel. Do you have someone else here than can wait with you?’
Harry looked at the doctors working on Hazel and could feel himself feeling a bit faint.
‘I feel a bit light-headed; think I need to sit down’.
The nurse walked him to the chairs in the corridor and went and got a coffee from the machine.
‘Here you go, this will make you feel a bit better’ said the nurse handing him the hot cup.
‘Thank you. Is my wife going to be ok?’
‘They are doing everything they can. I know it’s not nice to see, but I can sit here with you until we get some news if you like?’ Harry looked at the nurse and smiled. She had a kind face.
‘I would like that, thank you’.
‘How long have you been married?’
‘Ooh, many, many years. We met when we were teenagers and married not long after. She’s my soulmate and we’ve done everything together’ said Harry, looking lost in memories.
‘That is so sweet. I’ve been married ten years and counting; that seems a lifetime already’ joked the nurse.
‘Oh, that’s nothing, wait until you get to...is Hazel ok?’
The nurse looked around to see the doctor walking towards them. ‘Mr Smythe, do you mind if I sit here?’ said the doctor as the nurse got up.
‘Of course. How is she doctor?’
‘I’m afraid that Hazel had another heart attack. This one was more serious than the last, and despite our best efforts, I’m afraid we couldn’t revive her’.
Harry looked at the doctor for a moment and couldn’t get any words out.
‘I don’t understand. She’s ok now though? Can I see her?’
‘I’m afraid she passed away Mr Smythe. Despite our best efforts to save her, her heart just wasn’t strong enough’.
Harry looked towards the room where Hazel was and saw the nurses
walking out of the room.
‘My dear Hazel, dead?’
‘I’m sorry. The nurse will take you in to say good bye shortly’ replied the doctor as he walked back to the room.
Tears started to run down Harry’s cheek as the nurse sat back down beside him and gave him a hug.
‘I’ll stay here for as long as you need me, ok? My shift has finished, but there’s only a goldfish waiting for me at home so there’s no rush’. ‘Thank you my love. Can I go and see her?’
‘Of course’ said the nurse as she walked Harry towards their room. Harry walked in to see Hazel on the bed, still looking peaceful and asleep.
‘I’ll give you a few minutes’ said the nurse, closing the door. Harry took Hazel’s hand and held it to his cheek. He stroked her forehead and ran his fingers through her hair.
‘I’m so sorry my love. I’m sorry for everything. If I didn’t want to see that train then we wouldn’t have ran in to those thugs, and all this wouldn’t have happened. It’s all my fault’.
He leant over and kissed Hazel on the forehead and led on the bed next to her and fell asleep.