The next morning a flood of people had gathered in the waiting room, as the clock neared eight o'clock. Delia knew none of this as Patsy and another nurse urged her into a wheelchair after breakfast, Patsy saying she wanted to go on a 'walk' with Delia, which was actually more like a 'roll'. When they entered the waiting room, the crowd jumped up and Delia was bombarded with hugs, flowers, and balloons. In the back, standing quietly off to the side, was a gaggle of nuns who looked oddly out of place among their other friends and family.
When Delia saw them, she burst into tears.
Sister Julienne swept down and hugged Delia before taking her hands and smiling kindly down at the brunette. Next was Sister Mary Cynthia, who was much more exuberant, and then Sister Monica Joan, who said something about star alignment and Saturn. Lastly was Sister Winifred, who looked slightly bitter about being there, though she nevertheless bent down to give Delia a hug before stepping back as if the brunette was a snake.
The crowd finally sat down and conversation broke out as they discussed a multitude of things, having not seen each other for a good long while. Ellie came up to her parents who wrapped her into a large hug before she seated herself on the other side of Delia, talking softly with her Welsh mother. Trixie started speaking with Mrs. Busby, and Barbara had found herself stuck between Phyllis and Sister Monica Joan. They spoke until the clock tuned noon, and they were forced to disperse.
The Busby-Mount family had been in the hospital for two days, and Patsy was in desperate need of a shower.
The doctors wished to observe Delia a little while longer, because the tumor had been in some muscle tissue, and they were worried about a relapse. Quite forlornly, Patsy expressed her need to Delia, who was playing cards with Trixie and Sister Mary Cynthia.
"Okay, cariad," Delia had said, not exactly paying attention.
Patsy leant over and kissed Delia on the cheek before the Welshwoman snatched her hand and pulled her in for a proper kiss, which was odd, kissing in front of a nun. Smiling gently, Patsy turned to Ellie, who had been trying to teach Trixie how to play, but it appeared that she wasn't doing a terribly good job. Her daughter glanced up at her mother's expectant look before she scrambled up and bid farewell to Delia before the two departed.
The thing was, Patsy had something else in mind as well.