The room was starting to get lighter, a grey drizzly dawn after a horrible, painful night. It would have been nice to have a pink, blue and golden dawn to make me feel better.
I think I broke my hip when I fell during the night. I really should have turned on the lights. It is a bit late to be thinking that now. I wasn’t too cold throughout the night with the thermostat set to keep the house warm but I am wet and clammy, didn’t make it to the toilet.
I drifted off for a bit and next I knew was Winston; nudging my head, wanting his breakfast. I could see biscats in his bowl and some water.
“Theres food in your bowl my boy” I croaked “If you’re hungry you’ll eat that”
I read an article in a magazine once it said that cats would eat their owners if they died, but dogs wouldn’t. I don’t think Winston could be bothered with the difficult task of chewing through my wrinkled old fingers and toes. He would just head off down the road to the neighbours.
I was stiff, I tried to drag myself towards the phone but the pain was really bad.
Suddenly manic laughter filled the air, giving me an aural shock. I hated that ring tone but Amber had set it up and no one would take it off, they all thought it was funny.
“ Hi Mum, Don’t bother getting out of bed, just a quick call I’m not going to make it over today Mel and I are heading up to Auckland for a concert. Will see you next week for your birthday. Love you.”
I felt the tears trembling their way down the wrinkles in my face, slowly dripping into my hair. My breath shuddered out of me. Again I tried to drag myself to the phone another inch gained. The pain rolled over me in waves. I collapsed down breathing hard. Winston came over and licked the tears and softly butted me with his head.
I was starting to feel cold, I heard the thermostat click back on but I couldn’t feel any warmth and I couldn’t feel my feet.
I came awake again to that horrible laughter. The world seemed slightly fuzzy around the edges.
“Hey Mum, I have to go out of town for work just letting you know I will be home for your birthday. I would not miss your eightieth for the world, look after yourself and I see you then. Love you.”
Tears rolled down my face and in my mind I saw my babies, me picking them up after a fall and wiping their tears. There was no-one here to wipe my tears.
Again the laughter filled the room, mocking my inability to get up and answer the phone.
“Hey Nan, Amber here, can I borrow 150.00 dollars, I’m short until payday next week and Ross is taking me out and I REALLY need some new shoes to go with my new dress. I’ll just transfer the money from your account. Give me a call when you get home. Love you.”
The cold had crept up I could feel it encasing my heart, the corners of the room were getting darker. I really should have gotten the Medical Alarm as the lady at Welfare suggested; too late now. My world was filled with the rumble of Winston’s purrs. My boy was with me, looking after me to the end.
The newspaper headline read
Another Elderly Woman Found Dead Alone in Her Home.
