. . .
A few days later when were settled into the room Dad is shaking me
out of my dreams. Up, Francis, up. Put on your clothes and run over for
your aunt Aggie.Your mother needs her. Hurry.
Mam is moaning in the bed, her face pure white. Dad has Malachy
and the twins out of the bed and sitting on the floor by the dead fire. I
run across the street and knock on Aunt Aggies door till Uncle Pat
Keating comes coughing and grumbling,Whats up? Whats up?
My mother is moaning in the bed. I think shes sick.
Now Aunt Aggie comes grumbling. Ye are nothing but trouble
since ye came from America.
Leave him alone,Aggie, hes only a child thats doing what hes told.
She tells Uncle Pa go back to bed, that he has to go to work in the
morning not like some from the North that she wont mention. He
says, No, no, Im coming.Theres something wrong with Angela.
Dad tells me sit over there with my brothers. I dont know whats
up with Mam because everyone is whispering and I can barely hear
Aunt Aggie telling Uncle Pa the child is lost run for the ambulance and
Uncle Pa is out the door, Aunt Aggie telling Mam you can say what
you like about Limerick but the ambulance is fast. She doesnt talk to
my father, never looks at him.
Malachy says, Dad, is Mammy sick?
Och, shell be all right, son. She has to see the doctor.
I wonder what child is lost because were all here, one two three
four of us, not a lost child anywhere and why cant they tell me whats
wrong with my mother. Uncle Pa comes back and the ambulance is
right behind him.A man comes in with a stretcher and after they carry
Mam away there are blood spots on the floor by the bed. Malachy bit
his tongue and there was blood and the dog on the street had blood and
he died. I want to ask Dad to tell me if Mam will be gone forever like
my sister Margaret but hes going with Mam and theres no use asking
Aunt Aggie anything for fear shed bite your head off. She wipes away
the blood spots and tells us get back into bed and stay there till Dad
comes home.
Its the middle of the night and the four of us are warm in the bed
and we fall asleep till Dad comes home and tells us Mam is nice and
comfortable in the hospital and shell be home in no time.
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