Love Changes Everything

by Love Changes Everything (retail) (epub)

  When Trixie tried to explain to Cilla that she would have to leave her when she went to work Cilla didn’t want her to go and became very upset and tearful about being left on her own with Daisy.

  ‘She won’t even know you are here if you keep quiet,’ Trixie told her. ‘I won’t be gone all that long and I’ll bring you back some nice sweets to make your throat feel better,’ she promised.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The first thing Trixie heard when she got back was Cilla sobbing. They were deep, painful sobs that tore at her heart. She sensed it was not because Cilla had been left on her own but for some other reason; it sounded as if she was in terrible pain.

  Without waiting to take off her outdoor clothes Trixie picked up a candle and rushed into the bedroom. Cilla, her face red and blotched, was not only sobbing but was also writhing in pain and clutching at her chest as if trying to pull something away from it.

  ‘There, there,’ Trixie placed the candle on top of the chest of drawers and then crouched down beside the bed, stroking her sister’s hair back from her tear-stained face. ‘Is your chest hurting because you’ve been coughing so much?’

  ‘No, no, it’s burning,’ Cilla sobbed hysterically.

  Gently Trixie pulled back the bedclothes and started to undo the front of Cilla’s nightdress, and then she stopped in surprise. Strapped across Cilla’s chest was a big wad of brown paper that looked like a parcel. As she loosened the string that was holding it down and pulled it away she saw that on the underside it was coated with something thick and sticky, some kind of paste that was yellow and evil smelling.

  Taking the utmost care she peeled it away and then stared in horror. Underneath it Cilla’s skin was covered in blisters and in places raised in red weals.

  ‘Oh, my God! Whoever did this to you, my luv?’ she whispered, her own eyes filling with tears.

  She didn’t need Cilla to answer. She knew there was only one person who could be so sadistic as to treat someone as helpless as Cilla in such a fashion.

  Hearing a noise behind her she looked up to see Daisy standing in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, watching her every movement.

  ‘So you don’t think much of my mustard plaster, then?’ Daisy observed with a sour laugh.

  ‘How could you do such a thing?’ Trixie said angrily. ‘How could you torment her like this?’

  ‘My mum and dad always swore by a mustard plaster for a bad chest,’ Daisy told her. ‘I thought it would make her better more quickly. Do you think it’s done the job?’ she asked, moving closer and peering over Trixie’s shoulder so that she could see better.

  ‘No, I don’t! She’s in absolute agony. You must have made it far too strong and it’s going to take weeks for her chest to heal,’ Trixie exclaimed furiously.

  ‘It won’t take long for her cough to improve, though,’ Daisy observed. ‘Mustard, treacle and brown paper; that or goose grease. My dad swore by them both and Sam seemed to think it was a good idea.’

  Trixie didn’t bother to answer. She was too concerned with wiping away the residue of the mustard plaster and trying to decide what she could put on the tender, broken skin to cool it down and at the same time help it to heal.

  She couldn’t think of anything in the house that would do that and she daren’t risk leaving Cilla while she went to ask Ella in case Daisy hurt her further.

  For the moment she resolved she would bathe it very gently with tepid water and then later on, after Daisy and her father had gone out to the pub, she’d have to go round and ask Ella for advice even though it meant leaving Cilla on her own.

  Ella and Jake were shocked when Trixie told them what had happened. ‘I think she needs to be seen by a doctor,’ Ella told Trixie. ‘If it is anywhere as bad as you say then you’ll have to be careful that it doesn’t become infected and turn sceptic. It could have been any old brown paper; goodness knows what was wrapped in it before Daisy used it.’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ Trixie admitted. ‘I wonder if I will be able to get a doctor to come out at this time of night?’

  ‘You could take her to the hospital as an emergency,’ Ella suggested. ‘That might be the best thing to do because they’ll not only know what ought to go on it but they’ll also have everything to hand and be able to treat her then and there.’

  ‘I agree,’ Jake said firmly. ‘Come on,’ he stood up, pulling a muffler around his neck and putting on his cap, ‘I’ll come with you. We’ll wrap her up warm in blankets and I’ll carry her. We can get a taxicab so that she won’t catch cold.’

  Cilla was still in great pain but she trustingly let Jake envelop her in a blanket and carry her to the taxicab. She sobbed most of the way to the hospital and when they arrived there she clung on to Trixie’s hand begging her not to leave her on her own whatever happened.

  When Trixie was about to explain that she might have to do so because they could very well insist on keeping her in overnight, Jake signalled to her not to say anything.

  ‘Don’t let’s upset Cilla more than we have to,’ he whispered quietly. ‘Let’s see what they want to do first and perhaps they’ll let you stay with her.’

  Realising how much he cared and that he was just as anxious as she was, Trixie nodded in agreement. She was grateful to Jake for his concern and knew she was lucky to have such a good friend. No matter what happened it seemed he was there at her side offering support and help.

  Remembering the last time she’d had to bring Cilla to the hospital she didn’t hold out much hope that they would let her stay but she hoped they would, because she was fearful that Cilla might not pull through.

  It was a long night. Trixie wanted Jake to go home and get some sleep because she knew he had to be up very early next morning but he refused to leave her there on her own.

  ‘Let’s wait and see what happens,’ he said firmly. ‘I’m not going to be able to sleep till I know that Cilla is going to be all right and I certainly don’t intend to leave you here on your own,’ he told her, taking her hand and holding it gently in his own. ‘Daisy is the wickedest woman I know,’ he added bitterly.

  ‘It’s retaliation for what happened to her little Jimmy. She still blames Cilla for what happened to Jimmy.’

  ‘That was an accident and it was Daisy’s fault and no one else’s,’ Jake said firmly. ‘She should never have gone out and left him.’

  There was no question of Cilla being allowed to go home or of Trixie being allowed to stay at the hospital till morning.

  ‘The risk of some form of infection is far too great for you to take her home,’ the sister in charge told them, ‘so she must stay here for the present. It may only be overnight but most likely it will be for two or three days. We need to make sure that the skin is healing after the blisters have dispersed. She also needs medication for her cough and to help clear up the congestion in her lungs.’

  Trixie had thought Cilla would be very upset about her leaving, but the medicine they’d already given her seemed to have calmed her and made her very sleepy so she made no protest at all.

  As they left the hospital, Jake was most insistent that Trixie should go back to his place for a hot drink but she demurred.

  ‘Ella will be in bed by now and I have disturbed her enough for one evening,’ she protested.

  ‘I’m pretty sure she won’t be in bed; she won’t rest till she knows how Cilla is,’ he assured her.

  ‘You need to get some sleep,’ she pointed out. ‘If I come back with you, then we’ll spend ages talking and it will be time for you to get up before you get to bed.’

  ‘All right. I can see that I can’t persuade you. You are sure now that you are going to be safe? I don’t trust Daisy; she really is evil.’

  ‘I’ll be keeping out of her way, don’t worry. The very sight of her makes me want to hit out and I know that won’t do any good at all.’

  ‘Let my mother know how Cilla is after you’ve been to the hospital to see her tomorrow and I’ll be
waiting for you when you finish work in the evening,’ he promised as they parted.

  ‘I’ll do that and thank you for all you’ve done tonight. I’m always saying I don’t know how I’d manage without all your help and I mean it,’ she told him gratefully.

  Cilla still had an exceptionally high temperature the next day and there was no question of her coming home. She was so ill that she didn’t seem to recognise Trixie, even though she sat beside the bed, holding her hand and talking to her.

  ‘Perhaps that’s just as well, Ella said consolingly. ‘At least she isn’t making herself worse by pining for you.’

  ‘Give her a few days of their special care and she’ll be as right as rain,’ Jake assured her.

  Trixie was so used to Cilla following her round, dogging her footsteps like a shadow and chanting her tables or singing nursery rhymes, that she felt desolate without her.

  Daisy also noticed Cilla’s absence but in a very different way. ‘Done what you should have done years ago and put her somewhere out of the way, have you?’ she smirked, taking out a packet of cigarettes from her pocket and lighting one up.

  When Trixie went to walk past her she grabbed her by the arm and swung her round to face her. ‘Don’t you walk away from me when I’m talking to you,’ she hissed, blowing a cloud of smoke into Trixie’s face. ‘This is my home and if you want to stay under this roof then find yourself a proper job and pay your way. You’ve no excuse now since you’re not saddled with that little idiot.’

  ‘As a result of what you did the other day, that little idiot, as you call her, is in hospital,’ Trixie told her in an icy voice. ‘She’s so seriously ill that she has to stay there.’

  ‘Hospital? Pull the other one,’ Daisy blustered. ‘All I did was stick a mustard plaster on her chest. It’s the best cure there is for bronchitis, everyone knows that, even your dad.’

  ‘Properly applied it might be, but not when it is so strong that it causes blisters and weals like that one did,’ Trixie said in a withering tone.

  It was over a week before Cilla was well enough to leave hospital. Her cough was gone but her chest was still covered in tiny scars where the blisters had either burst or dried up. She was prescribed some special cream which Trixie was instructed to apply night and morning. She was also told to bring Cilla back again in two weeks’ time so that they could make sure it had cleared.

  At first Cilla seemed weak and nervous but once Trixie started feeding her up with tempting nourishing meals she was back to her former self in next to no time.

  She showed real fear of Daisy and even though the weather was atrocious and Trixie knew that Cilla shouldn’t really go out she had no option but to wrap her up warm and take her when she went out to clean Mr Browning’s surgery each evening.

  At the weekend, Cilla went round to Horatio Street. Ella looked after her on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, and again on Sunday, Jake helped her with her reading and they played board games.

  It began to rain in the middle of Sunday afternoon and it quickly turned to sleet and snow as icy winds swept in over the Mersey churning up the water so that it was lashing against the dockside. The scene was so wet and grey that Steve decided to close early.

  ‘There won’t be many people out and about in this just for the fun of it,’ he said gloomily. ‘You cut along home, Trixie, I’ll finish up here and I can manage if anyone does drop in for a cuppa.’

  By the time Trixie reached Horatio Street to collect Cilla it was already quite slippery underfoot. The snow had not only thickened but, because the ground was so cold, it was also settling on the roads and pavements and clogging every step she took.

  ‘Come on in and have a hot drink; you look half frozen,’ Ella greeted her as she opened the door. She helped Trixie out of her coat and gave it a good shake to free it of snow. ‘Come on, come and sit close to the fire and get yourself thawed out; you look shrammed.’

  ‘You mustn’t take Cilla out in this,’ Jake protested when half an hour later Trixie asked him to fetch Cilla’s coat and said she’d better be getting home.

  ‘Come over and take a look out of the window,’ he urged, when he saw her hesitate.

  The scene outside had a Christmas-card look about it. The ugly buildings and drab surroundings were all magically transformed into a white fairyland.

  ‘Pretty, pretty,’ Cilla exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly as she stood at Trixie’s side looking out.

  ‘It might be pretty, luv, but it’s very very cold,’ Ella told her. ‘Jake’s right,’ she said turning to Trixie, ‘it would be madness to take Cilla out in this. She’d probably end up straight back in hospital with a chill or something worse.’

  ‘Mum’s right, the best thing you can do is let her stay here overnight and pick her up tomorrow,’ Jake agreed, ‘that’s if the snow isn’t any deeper.’

  ‘It will probably be a mass of grey slush by the morning,’ Ella said philosophically.

  While they were talking Ivy and Hadyn arrived home. Both of them were covered in thick snow and shivering with the cold. Hadyn didn’t want to stop or even take his coat off. ‘I want to get home before it gets any worse,’ he told them. ‘There’s going to be chaos in the morning if it goes on snowing all night.’

  ‘Can you see Trixie to her door, Hadyn?’ Ella asked as he made to leave. ‘She’s going to leave Cilla here for the night rather than take her out in this.’

  ‘I can as long as she’s ready to come right now,’ Hadyn said a trifle reluctantly.

  Trixie hesitated; she was still very undecided about what to do for the best. She was afraid that Cilla might become confused about where she was or not settle. As if he could read her mind, Jake clinched the matter.

  ‘Cilla’s had so many upsets lately that it might be a good idea if you stayed the night as well,’ he suggested.

  ‘Are you sure about this?’ Trixie said worriedly. ‘Isn’t it going to put you out finding us somewhere to sleep?’

  ‘No, it won’t be any problem at all,’ he said quickly. ‘You and Cilla can have my bed and I’ll kip down here on the sofa. That’s all right, Mum, isn’t it?’ He smiled confidently at Ella who nodded in agreement.

  ‘If that’s what you’re going to do then I’m on my way,’ Hadyn said pulling on his cap, wrapping a muffler around his neck, and turning his coat collar up around his ears.

  ‘I’ll come to the door and see you off,’ Ivy told him, linking her arm through his then quickly withdrawing it because his coat was so wet and cold.

  For a moment, Trixie thought that it might be better if she went home after all. She suspected that her staying overnight was going to disrupt things for all the O’Malleys. Then, because she knew that Cilla might do that anyway if she was left there on her own, she decided that perhaps staying there was the best thing to do after all.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  It was still snowing heavily when they woke the next morning. Jake and Ivy had already left for work by the time Trixie and Cilla were up and dressed.

  ‘I don’t suppose you will be able to take Cilla out in this weather again today,’ Ella said cautiously as she sat at the table with them drinking a cup of tea while they were eating a bowl of porridge for their breakfast.

  ‘Well, I’m not sure,’ Trixie said hesitantly. She wished Ella would say outright if she didn’t want Cilla to stay there with her.

  She stood up and went over to look out of the window. Although it was still snowing the flakes were much lighter and the sky brightening as though it would soon stop and perhaps the sun might even come out. As Ella had foretold the roadway was a dirty grey mush where carts and people had been travelling or crossing. The snow on the pavements was equally churned up but not quite so mushy.

  ‘It will be very slippery underfoot, there’re bound to be a lot of accidents,’ Ella commented as she joined her at the window. ‘I hate having to go out in it.’

  ‘Then why don’t I go and do your shopping for you and at the same
time I can pop home and get some clean clothes for Cilla?’ Trixie suggested quickly.

  ‘Would you?’ Ella said gratefully. ‘You’ve no idea how scared I am about walking in it when it’s like this. The moment I feel my feet start to slip then I stiffen up like a board and the next thing I know I’m on my back.’

  ‘You tell me what you want, or write out a list while I wash up the breakfast things,’ Trixie suggested.

  ‘No, I’ll see to those; you get your coat on and go and do the shopping. There’ll be a run on things in the shops this morning; people will be stocking up in case we have some more snow and they mightn’t be able to get out again for days. They’ll all want meat and vegetables to make some hot stews.’

  Ella was right on all counts. People were stocking up as though destined for a siege and the roads were even more slippery than Trixie had expected. Added to which she found her shoes were no protection at all against the cold and wet and in next to no time her feet were numb and she felt frozen right through.

  Ella had given her such a long list that she knew it was going to take two trips so she decided to do the shopping first and take that back before she went home to collect some clean clothes for Cilla.

  It was mid-morning by the time she arrived at Virgil Street and Daisy was waiting for her; she was scowling and in a vile temper.

  ‘So where the hell do you think you’ve been all night?’ she demanded as Trixie struggled out of her coat and shook the snow from it. ‘Your dad wanted to know when you didn’t come home.’

  ‘I doubt that,’ Trixie told her. ‘He probably didn’t even notice that I wasn’t here.’

  ‘He noticed all right. For a start, where was our meal last night? Selfish little cow; not a word and we sat here waiting, expecting you home at any moment.’

  ‘Surely you could have made something,’ Trixie told her. ‘You’re always telling me that this is your home.’