Genius

by Clare Nonhebel

CHAPTER 65

  It could have happened at any time, said Keith's mother. And no, she told a white-faced, shaking Eldred, it was nothing to do with his answer to the question. Keith was not upset by anything Eldred had said. He was simply tired. When he got overtired he sometimes had fits.

  For a woman who had been on pins all day, waiting for something to happen, when the crisis occurred she stayed remarkably calm.

  It was she who got hold of Simon and told him firmly to make everyone stand back when they rushed forward to help. It was she who held Keith's convulsive little face steady while his eyes rolled and his throat emitted frightening constricted noises. And while Pete sent the sound man running to phone the ambulance, it was Keith's mum who assured Lulubelle that this was only a precaution and Keith would probably come round any second now and be fine.

  He did, in fact, come round before the ambulance arrived, and looked round at them all with dazed eyes before they wheeled him off the set and took him to hospital, ‘just for a check-up, though we know he's really okay,’ as his mother told Lulubelle reassuringly.

  At least they had completed the main part of the show, agreed Janice and Peter and Simon. They supposed it could have been worse, after all. But it was a day that nobody would want to go through again.

  Eldred and Lulubelle, after persuasion and cups of hot chocolate, were ushered back to the set to complete Eldred's interview, at which both were well-behaved and very subdued. The studio audience were sympathetic, stayed the extra time without complaint, and were generous in their applause at the end of the show.

  To anyone who hadn't actually been present, said Janice and Peter, it would look like a smooth-running, smoothly presented show. It was to their credit as presenters, Simon told them, that it did appear like that. It would make good telly, no doubt about that. The children were real stars, each in their own way. But what a price to pay, they all laughed!

  'We should have listened to the old adage,’ Pete joked. 'Never work with children or animals!’ He poured them all another generous gin and tonic.

  The day was not over for the troublesome stars of the show.

  When Mildred and Lucinda came forward thankfully to collect their children at the end of a long and nerve-racking day for both mothers, the children refused to go. They insisted on being taken to the hospital to see for themselves whether Keith was really okay.

  'Rachel has phoned the hospital,’ said Mildred, almost in tears from exhaustion and the stress of surviving most of a day in the studio. 'They're keeping him in for a night but the ward sister says he's fine now, just a bit tired. Now come on, Eldred, we'll get stuck in the rush hour if we don't go home now.’

  'Stop crying, for God's sake,’ said Lucinda irritably to Lulubelle. 'Anyone would think he had died.’

  'He could have done,’ sobbed Lulubelle. She was clutching Eldred's hand again and wouldn't let go of him, even when Mildred took his other hand and tried with all her strength to pull him away.

  'You've only known him five minutes!’ Lucinda exclaimed. 'It's not as though he was a friend of yours, either of you!’

  At this, both children protested. 'He is a friend,’ they said in unison.

  Mildred and Lucinda looked at each other and heaved a deep sigh.

  ‘A very, very short visit,’ said Mildred finally. 'And if the Sister won't let you in because you're not relatives or because he's too tired to see visitors, it's straight home without arguing. All right?’

  It was all right. When the ward sister asked them to wait while she went into the little side room of the children's ward to check with Keith's mother, they heard Keith himself urging her to let them come in.

  'Five minutes,’ she told Mildred and Lucinda. 'Then I'll come in and turf them out.’ But she smiled.

  Keith's mother came out to see Mildred and Lucinda. The Sister, who had heard the story of their day, left them together in her office and sent a young auxiliary to bring them cups of tea. Eldred and Lulubelle went in to see Keith alone.

  He was propped up in bed with extra pillows instead of his headrest, his face looking even paler and smaller against the white pillowcase.

  Lulubelle sprang towards him and gave him a kiss. Eldred moved up beside her and patted his arm awkwardly. 'How are you feeling now?’

  'Not too bad,’ said Keith. His speech sounded much more slurred. 'Tired.’

  'Was it too much for you?’ asked Lulubelle. He shook his head slowly, almost imperceptibly.

  'Were you upset,’ asked Eldred, 'by the questions they asked me?’

  Keith looked at him directly. Even when very tired, his eyes were piercingly clear. They could pierce your soul, thought Eldred. The thought unnerved him.

  'You had a tough time,’ Keith said, 'at school. I didn't realize. Not easy to be clever.’

  'Don't talk,’ said Lulubelle, 'if it wears you out.’

  He turned his head and looked at her. His eyes lit up and his face was swept by a sudden wide, sweet smile.

  'It was fun today, wasn't it?’ he said.

  Lulubelle smiled back at him. 'Yes,’ she said, 'it was.’

  'We were good,’ he said, turning the smile now on Eldred. 'All of us. We were brilliant. It was worth it, every minute.’

  When the Sister came in, they were all laughing.