Remission by Storm M Grayson
Trina could hear the ‘Beep, Beep’ Beep, it always came to her when she was about to drift off to sleep. It seems louder tonight she thought, why?, She felt a little panicked, her heart was beginning to race she could hear it beating against her chest, it seemed to be trying to keep in time with the beeping sounds. It was no good she would have to turn her night light on to break the pattern. Turning over she tried not to wake her husband, fumbling around she found the switch and the room appeared in a soft light. Derek stirred but she knew he wouldn’t wake unless she called for him, he was used to her restless nights. They had talked many times through the night when she was receiving her cancer treatment but now, they knew it was in remission he could sleep. He worked long hours driving dirty noisy trains on the underground and with her unable to work at the moment he was doing extra overtime to keep them financially safe so she didn’t begrudge him his sleep.
Trina slipped quietly out of bed, putting on her slippers and dressing gown, she took her book from the nightstand, leaving her sleeping husband she went out on to the landing and downstairs, the street lights gave an orange glow to light her way as she went into the kitchen to make one of her ‘smelly teas’ as her daughter called them. Taking it into the sitting room she settled herself on the sofa pulling the throw round her shoulders.
“Trina, Trina wake up are you alright honey”?
Opening her eyes slowly she stirred much to Derek’s relief.
“What, why” she mumbled sleepily.
“You weren’t there when I woke up and I was worried”.
“Oh! I couldn’t sleep so I came downstairs to make some tea, I didn’t want to disturb you, so I came in here, I must have fallen asleep”.
She was beginning to wake up now and realised that Derek was dressed.
“What time is it? You’re dressed” she asked feeling a bit muddled.
“It’s seven, I have to be at the depot in half an hour, are you sure you are alright?”
He was concerned, he loved Trina very much and the cancer had really come as an enormous shock, nobody in their families had ever suffered from it so it had made it doubly difficult to deal with.
“Yes, yes I am fine, you go off to work, have you had some breakfast, shall I make you something” asking hurriedly as she struggled to sit up.
“No don’t you worry my love, you rest I will get something at the canteen, I’ll have time if I go now”, with that he kissed her forehead and was gone.
Trina yawned and stretched, noticing she never did drink her late-night tea she went into the kitchen to make a fresh cup.
Standing waiting for the kettle to boil a strange feeling came over her and she was a little dizzy, for one moment she thought she was going to faint, finding her way to a kitchen chair she sat for a few minutes, perhaps she had got up to quickly or maybe she hadn’t eaten enough at supper last night, her appetite hadn’t been good lately. She made a promise to herself to eat more.
She got up after a few minutes and finished making her tea as the phone rang making her flinch.
“Hi mum, how are you?” Abby said excitedly down the phone.
“I’m OK thanks love, where are you?”
“Just leaving to go to a lecture”.
“Oh! Don’t be late, ring me this evening, Dad will be in then and we can all have a chat”.
“Alright, about six then, are you sure you are OK?” Abby sounded worried.
“Did your father ring you this morning?” Trina said sharply.
After a short silence Abby replied
“Yes he did”.
“Checking up on me?”
“No mum, we worry about you, I am coming home this weekend, so we can have a girly time together”.
“Oh Abby that’s such good news, but we will speak about it later, you had better go you mustn’t be late for your class.”
“Ok mum, bye”. And the phone clicked off.
Trina felt a little unsteady again, so she went and sat back on the sofa taking her tea, as she lay back against the soft cushions she drifted into a deep sleep.
Father Kelly stood at the graveside with sadness in his eyes, it didn’t matter how many times he performed a burial he never found it easy to say goodbye even though he knew Trina was in a better place now. Her passing was very peaceful if unexpected, but Derek and Abby knew she would not have to suffer anymore and she was now with God.