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. 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.
Another Elderly Woman Found Dead Alone in Her Home.