CBB Advent Calendar 16th December
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#1: CBB Advent Calendar 16th December Author: CBB Triumvirate,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:41 am

This is a bit different to the other advent drabbles in being not only serious, but also a weepy. You have been warned. There are still the usual three things to guess.



Joey Maynard lay in the darkened room, unaware of anything that was going on. These last five days she had slowly deteriorated until now even Jack held out no hope for her survival. The accident had seemed minor at the time, no one had realised what price Joey would have to pay. It was only after the debris had been cleared and the other casualties treated that anyone thought to turn to Joey. By that time she was clammy and shaking and already drifting in and out of consciousness but because of the way she had been talking constantly no one had realised and it was only when people began to drift away and Joey became quieter that Jack realised something was wrong.

The journey to the san had been accomplished in record time once she had been lifted carefully into the ambulance and the theatre had already been prepared when they arrived, Jack had watched Gottfried and Bruno wheel her away through the double swing doors and felt a sudden empathy with the hundreds of family members he had left in the same position. With nothing to do but wait and he paced the small room, the hand in his pocket fingering his rosary in silent pleading for his wife. The operation had been a success, but Joey remained very ill, the strain placed on her by the loss of blood and the length of time it had taken to identify her injuries were slowly taking their toll as day by day she weakened a little more.

At first they had been hopeful. The injuries were not that bad in themselves, the loss of blood was great but had been stemmed and a transfusion made, the operation had been successful. Joey had not recovered however. She was steadily weakening in spite all the doctors could do. There was no infection, it seemed that her body would simply not stand the strain that it was under. Joey had given up fighting.

Sat by her side Jack reviewed the events that had led to the accident. Given everything that had happened to Joey these last few months he was not surprised that she was finding so little strength to fight with. The accident had been the culmination of a series of crises, some affecting the family, some affecting the school and all affecting Joey. Over the months Jack had watched Joey supporting first one and then another of her friends, relations and their charges, calming her own fears and grief in order to help those who needed her. He brushed her hair back from her face, noting as he did that for the first time the strands of grey outweighed the black. He let his hand gently stroke her cheeks, tears falling freely as he did.

He roused at a gentle tap on the door and turned to see a nun enter. Rules had relaxed over the years and it was far easier for those in orders to travel for personal reasons. Robin Humphries had flown from Canada as soon as it was understood how serious Jo’s injuries were. She looked fit and well, the new shorter light-weight habit suited her youthful figure, and allowed a fringe of her black curls to escape from under the headdress.
“How is she?” she whispered as she came into the room.
Jack shrugged. “As you see,” he said. “She hasn’t recovered consciousness since the op. We can’t even tell if she can hear us or not.”
Robin looked down at her ‘sister’, lying so still and quiet in the big bed and smiled a little tremulously.
“I’m a little older than the last time I saw her so ill,” she said. “I know now that singing my favourite song won’t help her. But you know that I will do anything I can to help, don’t you? (You didn’t really think she was going to sing the Red Sarafan and produce another miracle, did you?).
“I know you will Robin,” said Jack. “It’s wonderful how her friends have rallied around. I think that everyone’s been here now, or at least those we could trace. We all feel so helpless, not knowing why she is like this.”
“I’ll sit with her for a while Jack. You look as though you could do with a strong cup of milky coffee.”
Jack almost smiled as he found himself saying in his wife’s words, “No thanks, I bar luxuries, but maybe I could take a short nap as you are here to sit with Joey. I couldn’t leave her with anyone else.”
Robin nodded, accepting this and she murmured a blessing as Jack left the room before sitting down next to her dear adopted sister.

Jo could hear them talking, as she had heard everything around her for the last few days. They seemed very far away, but that was from choice. She was tired, worn out in fact, and simply could not be bothered showing any sign of being awake. It was rather funny in a way, hearing all her friends talking to her, trying to rouse her, when she was wide awake and could have answered them at any time.
“I wonder if this is Margot’s demon,” she thought. “How funny if it is.” She heard a gentle clicking sound and a quiet murmur and realised that Robin was saying her Rosary. It made a soothing background to her thoughts, and she let them roam backwards through her life, from the Dark Ages when she was a pupil at the Chalet School to the present, when her Granddaughters were ready to start there. As she thought she drifted off to sleep, for she still slept a lot, even though she was awake for long periods of time. She wasn’t asleep for long though, and when she woke her imp of mischief woke with her. Peeping out through her eyelashes she saw that Robin was still there, though she was now reading quietly. She could not see if there was anyone else in the room without moving, and she kept that for when she was alone. Very gently and very, very quietly she began to hum her favourite song.

Robin was looking out of the window towards the Jungfrau as she read from Psalm 121, “I will lift mine eyes to the hills,” with the familiar words she relaxed almost into sleep, and as she drowsed she heard a gentle humming. The tune one from her childhood, the very song she had mentioned to Jack earlier. Without turning she let her voice sing along, quietly almost under her breath, tears pricking at her eyes. As the song came to a close, she turned; half expecting despite what she had said earlier to see Joey opening her eyes.

Joey looked into Robin’s eyes and smiled, a beam breaking out on her face as she saw how well Robinette was, then as she noticed tears streaming down Robin’s face she spoke, “All will be well my Robin, all manner of things will be well.”

Robin looked down at the thin grey figure on the bed, no movement discernable, eyes as tight shut as they had been since the operation. Jack quietly re entered the room and stood besides the slim figure, a hand resting on Robin’s shoulder.
“She is going, she cannot last like this any longer,” Jack whispered, and then choked up. A lump rose in Robin’s throat as she hummed once more the old, Russian song. There was no response from the still figure on the bed, no fluttering eyelids, no clutching fingers, no lightening of the pallor. Jack automatically felt for Joey’s pulse, and feeling the last thready beat, then nothing, dropped to his knees. He shook as the sobs ripped through him, drowning out the words of the prayer for the dead that rose unbidden to his lips.

Joey heard the song begin again, and smiled at Robin as she lifted her voice to join in. There was comfort in this familiar music, comfort in seeing Robin once more, as there had been in seeing all those who had come to visit her. Jack’s presence especially had been soothing, and seeing his smile she remembered afresh why she had always called him her solid lump of comfort. Now she felt tired, more tired that she had felt all that difficult term. It had been good seeing old friends for the last time, but somehow she knew this would be the last time. Everything was already fading, Robin’s voice was more distant, Jack barely discernable and another voice could be heard calling her name, a voice that she thrilled to hear and with a new freshness in her step she turned and ran towards it.

 

#2:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 9:03 am

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Robin Humphries
solid lump of comfort
"I bar luxuries"

Liz *leaving tissue box in strategic place*

 

#3:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:02 am

Crying

Thanks for leaving the tissues handy Liz


Robin
Rosary
No thanks, I bar luxuries

 

#4:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:17 am

Dawn wrote:
Robin
Rosary
No thanks, I bar luxuries


I'm with Dawn on this one!

Crying

 

#5:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:20 am

That was so sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Jack Maynard
Rosary
No thanks, I bar luxuries

 

#6:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:01 pm

I *think* that this was my contribution... but not entirely sure!! Can't remember who I put as the person, so feel it's not really cheating if i guess!! Smile


Robin Humphries
Milky coffee
"No thanks, I bar luxuries"

Crying or Very sad what a lovely story.

 

#7:  Author: Helen P, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:11 pm

Well if it was yours, Kate, then my guess is way out!

Jack Maynard
Red Sarafan
I will lift mine eyes to the hills

*sobbing quietly* - thanks for the tissue warning!

 

#8:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:55 pm

Helen P wrote:
Well if it was yours, Kate, then my guess is way out!


I'm not sure if it was or not... my person that I *thought* I'd put isn't there... but I think I had the other two... but then the trium said some are repeated, so it could be something else!! Smile

 

#9:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 2:39 pm

OOH very teary


Joey Maynard

Margot's demon

'I will lift my eyes'

 

#10:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:02 pm

Despite the warning, I hoped Joey was joking for a while there. Crying or Very sad

Robin Humphries
Red Sarafan
I will lift up mine eyes to the hills.

 

#11:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:11 pm

Kathy_S wrote:
Despite the warning, I hoped Joey was joking for a while there. Crying or Very sad



I thought the same thing!

My guess:
Bruno
The San
"I will lift mine eyes to the hills,”

 

#12:  Author: nikkie,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 7:31 pm

Margot
The san
No thanks ,I bar luxuries.

 

#13:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 10:05 pm

Crying or Very sad

Robin
Rosary
"I will lift mine eyes to the hills"

Star Wars

 

#14:  Author: CBB Triumvirate,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:41 am

Glad you all enjoyed the weep! The answer was:

Joey Maynard
Milky coffee
"No thanks, I bar luxuries."

 

#15:  Author: Laura, Location: London (ish) PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 11:27 pm

Well its lucky I'm too busy crying to guess anyway, now it's too late! It didn't help that I was listening to 'All By Myself' either!

 

#16:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2004 7:09 pm

*hunts frantically for tissues!!!*

Thank you triumvirate!!!

 

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