Miriam's Talisman Read Online Free

Well, that was my excuse: I really wanted to see if she’d made any plans that I wouldn’t want to be left out of. Usually I’d find her at the table, wading through piles of scattered papers or rearranging her book collection. Though I wouldn’t have been surprised to have found her outside. It had been a sunny day and she might well have been working in the garden. Clearing away the debris after the summer riot, she called it. Instead she was sitting in her armchair. She was very still and quiet. Said she felt a cold coming on and could I light the fire for her, but when I felt her forehead she was burning up. So I called the doctor.
    â€˜Miriam was furious, as you’d expect, and she swore at me all the way in the ambulance. And then they took her away and wrapped her in a white gown. The next time I saw her she was in a high metal bed with machines and tubes and flashing lights. She looked so small and fragile. I hadn’t realised until then that she was an old woman. I think that frightened me more than anything—that she could have grown old without me noticing. I insisted on being with her, but I knew I was in the way. Thank God, Paul was there.’
    â€˜Paul? Do I know Paul?’
    â€˜Oh, no, of course you don’t. It’s so long since I’ve seen you, Uncle Greg—such a lot to catch up on. Paul’s my boyfriend. Well, we’re engaged actually.’ I felt uncomfortable as I said it, like a child pretending to be an adult.
    â€˜Ah yes, Hannah did tell me. Quite a surprise, our youngChloe planning to get married. I keep forgetting you’re not a teenager any more. And how did Hannah take the news?’
    â€˜Oh, she’s very pleased. She and Paul are great friends.’ ‘Are they, indeed? And what about Miriam? She didn’t mention it when we last talked.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t think she took it very seriously.’ ‘So, Paul’s the reason you’re not living at home with Hannah?’
    â€˜Oh, no, I’d moved out before I met him. I’m sharing with some friends in town. Paul’s a junior doctor at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He works impossible hours, so there’s not much point in us living together at this stage. Besides, he needs to be close to the hospital.’ Greg raised his eyebrows, but allowed me to continue. ‘We won’t be getting married until he’s fully qualified.’ ‘Of course not. Very sensible.’
    â€˜Fortunately he was on duty when they admitted Miriam, so I got the nurse to contact him and he came and talked to the consultant with me. Pneumonia, they said. And her heart was already weakened from attacks of angina. Something she’d neglected to mention, naturally. I’d wondered what the little white tablets were for. She said she had indigestion. Paul called Hannah and she came straight away, although I thought at first she might not. But you know Hannah. She would always do the right thing regardless of how she felt about Miriam.’
    â€˜I gather she was surprised to find you there already.’ ‘Miriam and I had grown very close recently. I didn’t think there was any point in discussing it with my mother. Actually, I’m being unfair. Hannah’s been great through all this. A tower of strength, as they say.’
    â€˜Yes. I can imagine.’
    â€˜But I think it was more for me than for Miriam. I refused to leave her, so Hannah ran around and organised things, made all the phone calls and tried to look after me. Paul was on duty most of the time, of course, but he did what he could. I just tried to hold on to Miriam as long as possible. She kept drifting in and out of consciousness. She tried to talk a little, but it made no sense. Then late last night she just…stopped. They tried to resuscitate her. I think that was the worst part.’
    As I talked, I became aware of my hand moving to my throat and my fingers following