1. My Aunt. Chapter 22


    Date: 9/25/2015, Categories: First Time, Author: Annamagique, Rating: 9, Source: LushStories

    then looked up at Philomena. She smiled but said nothing. After a pause, all I could think was, what seemed to me, a rather feeble, "I know you do, Thomas." Doctor Harris now appeared at my side. "It is time," he said. Unnoticed by me, the ambulance had arrived and was outside the tall glass doors. It looked, to my untrained eye, little more than a canvas covered lorry with a large red cross on the side. Already, the driver and his mate had rolled up the canvas at the rear and lowered the tailgate ready for the stretcher. Philomena unlatched and swung open the two doors to allow the orderlies to take hold of each end of the stretcher and take it straight out. I walked the few paces beside Thomas and, before they lifted him into the back of the ambulance, kissed him once more and said, "Take care, Thomas. I know you will be all right." He smiled, his eyes still staring, sightless. "I will see your beauty again, one day," he whispered. I released his hand as the stretcher was taken up and fitted into the hooks which would support the handles until they arrived at the station. "Don't worry, Victoria, I will be travelling with him to London." Philomena put her arm around my shoulders and it was only now that I realised she was wearing the long dark blue cloak for the journey ahead. I nodded and smiled weakly then watched her climb up into the rear of the ambulance. I stood quietly, eyes moist, as one orderly lifted the tailgate and secured the canvas to it, while the other, ...
    the driver, went to the front and pulled hard on the handle which protruded from below the radiator. On the second crank, the engine spluttered into life and he climbed up beside the other who had taken his seat on the left side of the open cabin. With a grinding of gears the the big chain tightened as it took up the drive to the rear wheels and the ambulance started its short but slow journey to Ipswich railway station with it's precious cargo. I stayed, rooted as it chugged and whined jerkily away down the drive until it reached the gates and turned out onto the road and disappeared from view. I hadn't heard Doctor Harris step up behind me so I jumped a little when he spoke. "Come on, young lady," he said. "He is in good hands." I wiped the salty water from my eyes and followed him quietly back into the house. Back in the East Wing I returned to my room. I had rushed out without a thought about my appearance and now I had to address that. I was disappointed to find that Bethany was no longer there and the bed had been made up. No evidence of her ever having been there remained. In the bathroom I went to pull the cord beside the basin but then wondered whether I should. After all, the household was in a little turmoil this morning, but then I realised that I had no other means of obtaining hot water to carry out my ablutions so I reached out, pulled and waited. A little longer than usual, and not surprising me, but soon, the door opened and Sally appeared with a large jug of ...
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