“First we will show you Kerry’s room and then I will you the surroundings.” offer Dr. Triffin. We entered the hospital where on the hallways different palms were growing – dwarfed palms, as doctor would say them. We walked until the first floor where we turned into room 5.
“She will be alone for a while, but then we will transfer her to the upstairs’ floor where she will be with American Lucky who is arriving this night.”
“How long will she be alone here?” I was curious.
“About 1 week, but I think it can be a day less. We will see. Now she will go to rest, and I will show you the surroundings in took you to the hotel. Then I will be back to check on Kerry.” doctor explained.
“Thank you.”
“You know, it won’t be bad if I check on Mike also. I heard that no one checked him yet.” he offered.
“Yes it is true. The others were checked but the fungus only got to Kerry, but no one asked for Mike.”
“Will you allow me?” doctor asked.
“Yes, of course.” Mike was put to room 5 and the doctor showed me and my husband around.
In the lower floor there are playrooms, in the basement there is a laboratory, on the first floor there are children who are alone in the rooms, in the second floor are rooms where children are together, and the third floor is meant for adults. Every floor has a room for doctors, room for nurses and cleaning department. The fourth floor is meant for various medical rooms with equipment… When we visited the upper floor we lowered with the elevator to main floor and went outside. The doctor showed us the green yard and said we would take a walk though palm forest until vegetable garden and banana plantation, all to the barn and pasture for sheep. He explained us all the unnecessary history and the number of children and adults who visit the hospital yearly.
“So this hospital can be full lots of times?” I asked despite the information he already gave us.
“Yes, constantly. This week we expect children from other continents. Soon we will have work for 25 hours per day.”
“Do the rest of the children also stay so long?” asked Will.
“Some of them stay for 3 months, and some of them stay longer or shorter. The shortest time a child stayed in the hospital was a patient Mya Cromwell who was here 14 days and one week on Ralph’s farm.”
When we came back to hospital Will and I again get a horse and we rode to the hotel, where the doctor left us, because his shift began.
From the first look this world seems like time travel to past when there were no cars, no computers and other things which make our daily routine easier now. I went to the reception and asked if there is any vacancy left. The receptionist told me that only for three nights, but then everything is booked.
“What about something else?” I told out loud and spoke to Will about it.
“Do you need a room for a whole year?” was surprised a woman passing by.
“Yes. Do you know where we can find one?”
“Yes, me and my brother would be happy to share our house.”
“Really? But we also have two children. Mike who is one year old and Kerry. They are both at the Palm Hospital right now.”
“So you are that family. Of course you are welcome. My brother will be with us shortly.”
“OK.”
We waited with a woman for some time. Soon a tall dark handsome man came upstairs.
“So?” a woman asked him. He nodded his head and they hugged. I was interested in what was going on but I didn’t want to be too nosey.
“I met this couple who need a room for a year. What do you say, should we take them to our place?” she asked him.
“We can help around the house.” I offered.
“Of course you are welcome.” The man replied. I still didn’t know they names.
“I am Caroline and this is my husband Will.” I introduced us.
“My name is Alice and this is my brother Josh Brittey.”
We sat in their red truck.
“You will go in the backseat and Alice will sit with you, OK?” ordered Josh and for the first time our naivety paid off. We drove for a while on a dusty road and I had to put my head under the pillow so I could breath. Finally we arrived to their land. It wasn’t very large but it wasn’t small either. They had a few green yards with fences and you could see the forest behind it, for which I didn’t knew for a long time it belong to them.
During the last three months I slowly adapted to the atmosphere. I had more time for Mike and I gave more attention to Will to. We both helped in household activities. Kerry was recovering faster than the doctor expected and he will release her from the hospital after four months being there. I was happy about it. I also saw a piece of happiness in Will’s eyes, although his eyes don’t normally say anything. But still, it wasn’t the happiest, crystal, briefest time. I missed my job, Sydney, my friends and also England and the people we left behind. There is a lot to do, but still I felt as the day was longer than 24 hours. Much longer. More and more I fought with Will. Sometimes for no reason at all. In cases like this you see what being together 24 hours a day 7 days a week really means. It is much tougher than expected. There is a lot of disagreement about this and that. I would rather run away in times like this, but there is nowhere to escape. I remembered my grandmother saying how it helped her to write down her thoughts and grading and evaluating them. So I tried with it. When there was the most difficult fight ever, on the day Alice was telling everyone how she would be happy if she had a nice marriage like ours is. Yeah right!
“24th February,
“This is because of you! If we didn’t come to his Australia because of your work, we wouldn’t be in this boredom right now. Tell me, what you have of Australia now!” he was criticizing me. I do agree with him, but sill.. I can’t image still living in England. I like it here. Here is very peaceful. And before him? I wish.
“And now this – you were the one bagging to go in that house. It is so beautiful, it is made for our children, this is a good place to grow up…Did you even check it for fungus?” he yelled at me. How can he? I wish I could talk to someone. Alice is so convinced that our marriage is good….”