Say goodbye
Ringing. The phone was ringing. Annie groped under her pillow, eventually finding it and stabbing at buttons. The ghostly blue light filled her room. “Uh?” What time was it? Still dark out.
“Annie?”
“Uh?” It was George. Why was George calling in the middle of the… Annie sat bolt upright. “George?” Her voice sounded remote, as if coming from outer space. “Is…?”
He didn’t answer. She heard a small watery choke. He didn’t need to say anything else. Annie was out of bed, throwing on jeans, looking around for her keys. “I’m coming. I’m coming right now.”
* * *
She could never remember much about the journey. The burn of orange lights as she sped through Catford, the silence of her Uber driver, who seemed to pick up on her anxiety and drive fast, braking hard at every light. She got out, thanking him and running inside, into the green glow of the nighttime hospital, the beeps and harsh lights and shuffling people, tired-eyed doctors and nurses keeping watch. Rather than wait for the lift she panted up the stairs, huffing and puffing. At the end of Polly’s corridor, she could see a gathering of people. Her eyes took it in but her mind couldn’t grasp at it. Valerie, crying into George’s shoulder, while he patted her back, his face ruined with tears. Roger standing to the side, shoulders vibrating like a shaken-up bottle of champagne. Annie skidded to a halt at the door of the room, looking in the glass panel. For a moment she didn’t understand—they’d moved her? Why was everyone just standing there if they’d moved her and…
“Annie.” Dr. Max was there, in the same clothes, the same smear of tomato on his sleeve of his shirt. He clearly hadn’t been home.
“Where is she?”
“Annie. I’m sorry—she just slipped away…”
“No.”
“It must have been not long after you left. She was still wearing the dress, and she looked peaceful, she really did.”
“No.”
“You gave her a good last night. But she’s gone, she’s gone, Annie. I’m sorry. Polly died, about an hour ago. She went in her sleep, and she wouldn’t have felt it. I promise you. It’s the best we could have hoped for, under the circumstances.”
“No!” How could she be gone? It was only two hours since Annie had left her, happy and alive, talking, laughing, drinking champagne. How could she be here one moment and gone the next?
Dr. Max had his arm around her waist, moving her away gently but firmly. “Come on now. There’s nothing you can do. We need to get everyone out of here.”
“But…it’s her pretend funeral in a few days!” Annie said stupidly.
“I know. I think—I think maybe she always intended it this way, Annie. I think she wanted us all to be ready. She knew she wouldn’t make it that far. Come on now. Please.”
Annie stared back, in disbelief, at the room Polly had occupied for weeks now. The sheet of the bed was pulled neat, the machines dark and dimmed. It looked as if she had never even been there at all.