1201

Day 298082

Ellie Wrothman stared at the dull blue walls of the hospital ward. I could see the frustration in her eyes at the boring weekend she had in front of her. She slowly moved a finger across the remote of the small television in the corner of the plain room. The screen flickered alive until a balding man in an expensive blue suit showed. He drew a card from his hand and called out a question to the relatively elderly audience. 42 flashed across the screen. No surprise there. Ellie sighed and continued watching as the competitors struggled against each other for the prize money. 42 was the answer. It flashed before the eyes of the viewers and audience, but the answer was blind to the young competitors desperate for money. Ellie became exasperated and her hand pushed the remote buttons with such force, I thought she would break it. 42. It was that simple.

In the other corner of the room, an uncomfortable chair housed a sleeping young man. His dirty blonde hair hung loosely in front of his face as he slumped forwards. But as Ellie shouted at the television, he bolted upright with a dazed expression. His hair stuck up as if he had been electrocuted, but his brown eyes softened as he saw where he was.
'How are you feeling, Mum?'
'Bloody nuisance on the television doesn't even know the bloody answer!' She growled.
'You're good, then.' The young man replied with a smile.
'And this blue idiot looks like a bloody smurf with his suit! His hair is falling out and I don't think he realises the massive bald patch at the back of his head!'
'Mum, calm down, please. Your blood pressure's rising again.'
'What do I care?' Ellie retorted, but she still sighed deeply. The monitor beside her stopped beeping.
'Better.' The young man stood and brushed off a couple of biscuit crumbs from his crumpled clothes. He walked over to his mother, kissing her on the forehead and readjusting the withering flowers beside her bedside table. He also placed a well-loved book beside the flowers. He opened the blinds, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy glinted in silver on the front cover.
Ellie smiled, and her eyes twinkled, 'Douglas, you shouldn't have.'
'Yes, but I did.' He turned towards her and shrugged. 'Besides, it gives you something else to do besides criticising smurfs on the television.'
'Have a look at him though! A good look,' She gestured towards the tiny television screen.
Douglas nodded in agreement. 'He does look like a smurf, but there's more to life than judging people you don't even know.'
Ellie snorted, but she couldn't ague with her son. He was here out of the goodness of his heart. Who would want to visit a bitter, twisted, lonely old woman on the weekend? Douglas, of course, paid a visit to her every Saturday. Marvin sometimes dropped around to see her too. She was so blessed to have them in her life. She couldn't be more grateful of them, even when they drove her up the wall.
A knock rapped on the door. The nurse, Cindy, pushed the door open with a BP stand. She smiled kindly at Douglas, who was staring intently at the balding man on the television. Ellie greeted her with a sigh, and held out her arm. Cindy wrapped the compression bandage around her arm and pumped.
'134/87. Not bad, Ellie.'
'Oh, you know me, Cindy. I try to lay off the sweets as much as possible.' Ellie smiled guiltily.
'At your age, you shouldn't need so much sugar.' Cautioned Cindy, who was eyeing the empty chocolate chip cookie packet on the bedside table.
Douglas turned sheepishly towards the nurse. 'Sorry, Cindy, but sometimes biscuits are too hard to resist.' He smiled, 'Would you like one?'
Cindy tutted, and shook her head gently. 'I should have known you two would get up to trouble.'
'He was the one who brought the biscuits!' Ellie exclaimed.
'Thanks, Mum.' Douglas sighed. 'Guilty as charged... Apparently.'
Cindy laughed lightly, and Ellie chuckled.
'Now, I'm very sorry Douglas, but I'm afraid you're going to have to leave. Ellie needs a CT scan. Of course, you can stay in here, but it could be several hours before she gets back.'
'Thanks, but I think I'll stay,' Douglas said firmly, and he sat down comfortably in the uncomfortable chair in the corner.
Cindy smiled. Ellie scowled.
'Don't be stupid. Jack's got a football game on and his father should be there to see it. I'll be fine, I've done this before. Jack's got a new team and everything.'
Douglas smiled wistfully, his brow creased. 'But-'
'No buts,' Ellie snapped, 'You're seeing your son because he deserves to see you again. He's been stuck at Dianne's all week, and I'm sure he's missing you.'
Douglas avoided her icy glare. He couldn't win. He laced his fingers together, which, I noticed, were ring-free. 'Fine. But I'll see you tomorrow, alright?'
'It's not like I can move anytime soon, is it?' Ellie chuckled heartily once more.
Douglas kissed his mother goodbye, and smiled at Cindy as he walked past.
'Please take care of her.'
'It's my job,' Cindy smiled back sadly.
With that, Douglas left, and Ellie was left with Cindy helping her into a wheelchair. Ellie breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want her son to notice I was standing behind the chair he had just sat in. She could not see me, of course, but I knew she felt my presence. I think Cindy, who was accustomed to my presence, felt me too. Staying inside of room 54 in ward 3, and lurking dangerously close to cancer patient 0011-32-6435.

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