Sunday Morning
Prologue
Ugh, whadt!
I mutter incoherently, and then I grab the phone from it's holder and as coherently as I can, I say, "Hello?"
A familiar voice muffled by what sounded like tears reaches my ears, "Hi, it's me, Katie…"
I knew then that was the worst had happened. Katie's my brother's 17 year old daughter. For the last year, my brother's lung cancer had been getting increasingly worse, he'd been advised to stay in hospital for his last months, but he refused, and he got weaker by the day. I knew he'd gone. I couldn't stop it, I couldn't stop him from d…dying, not like all my patients I deal with all the time.
I felt so helpless, more helpless than ever before.
"Katie, please – no!"
"I'm sorry, I know, oh, oh god, I don't know what to do…Nick doesn't even know what's going on, how can I tell him that his dad is dead? We can't even go to mum's and her stupid boyfriends house because its too small!" Katie babbles, crying now, snuffling.
"Katie, I'm so sorry, look, y'can stay at mine for a bit, until you're sorted, I've got work so you'll have to stay home on your own and look after Nick for a day or two…" I whisper as softly and reassuringly as I can.
"Thanks, really can we stay, uncle?" Katie sounds hopeful.
"Of course. Look, sweetheart, are you on your own?" I ask her.
"Yeah, we're at home, me and Nick."
"Katie, I'm going to drive over to your house and pick you up. Can you pack your stuff, and some stuff for Nick? I'll be 20 minutes…"
"Sure, thanks. See you."
"See you soon, Katie."
"Bye" and then the click of the phone line.
I put the receiver back on the holder, and sink back into bed for a minute, then I get up and pull on the nearest clothes, my spirits sinking, and then, not bothering with breakfast, I grab my phone and car keys, and then I open my front door, and then walk down the drive to my car, and get in, and begin to drive the journey to Katie's house…as the rain starts to fall outside.