Beholder's Eye

`Do you remember that funfair on the green at Six Oaks, Beth?'
Charlie
sees light in the faded blue of her eyes and knows she remembers. `We
had
fun on the dodgems that night, with Arthur Parker and Mable - what
was
her name? Mable Griggs, that's right. That was the very first time I
had candy
floss? You and I shared one didn't we and you got it stuck in your
hair.' The
sensation of a smile flickers across Beth's pale face. `Those were the
days eh,
Love?'
There's a knock at the door. Charlie knows who will be there.
`That'll
be The Social Lady Beth,' he says putting down the well-thumbed
photograph
album. She calls on Monday's and Thursdays, any time after four
o'clock
just to see they're all right, lend a hand where she can, do Beth's
dressings,
jolly them along, drink tea and assure Charlie he is doing a
wonderful
job. He knows he's doing a good job; he doesn't need telling!
`We think you're simply marvellous Mr Peplow, a trained nurse
couldn't care for Mrs Peplow better than you do.' Doesn't she realise
he
loves Beth? Doesn't she understand he's only repaying her goodness to
him?'
`And the way you keep this caravan, as clean as a new pin, better
than
any woman could keep it.' Charlie hears her whining on.
`No better than it should be,' is his stock reply, `And it isn't a
caravan,
it's a mobile home - our home. We chose to come here. When we
sold
our place in Institution Road and bought this we were in clover. It's
small and
convenient with all mod cons including a tumble drier and there's
money in
the bank.' Charlie's feeling a bit tetchy, he doesn't mean to go on
about it like
this, she's only doing her job after all.
He doesn't like the way she looks at Beth's wasted body to make
sure
he's managing to keep the sores under control; she dresses them, gives
Beth a
blanket bath and helps Charlie get her comfortably into bed.
`Early to bed tonight My Lovely, it's Thursday and we've got some
help,'
he says. `Now are you quite comfortable? Sure? That's my girl.'
Charlie copes by himself on every day of the week bar Mondays
and
Thursdays. He lifts Beth's frail body from the recliner-chair to the
bed at
night and in the morning when he's bathed her he transfers her back to
the chair
he bought at such expense when they moved in, propping her up
with
pillows, those in today's clean pillow slips on top.
Lifting Beth isn't easy for Charlie and the effort is taking it's toll
on his
spine. Washing and ironing are difficult with his arthritic hands.
His
cooking's improving though and he finds he can buy bargains in the
market just
before it closes on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Beth needs fresh
vegetables
and meat. It all has to be carefully cooked and liquidized so she can
swallow it
easily and it must be appetizing. He knows what Beth likes and what
she isn't
keen on and he does his best to provide things to please her.
`Are you still managing to lift her without too much difficulty
Mr
Peplow? We don't want you to hurt yourself, do we? You have only to
say, and
there's a bed for Mrs Peplow at St Christopher's, you know
that.'
`Thank you, but Beth won't be needing a bed in a hospital.' he
says.
`You've only to give me the nod. This is very strenuous work for
someone of your age to undertake, day in and day out.'
`Finished your tea have you?' Charlie reaches for the sparkling cup
and
saucer and grimaces at the lip print his guest leaves on the
rim..
The Social Lady rises. She takes Beth's thin fingers in her own
plump
ones.. `I'll see you again on Monday then Mrs Peplow, you're in good
hands.'
Charlie shows her out and watches her drive away into the rest of the
world.
`Bloomin' cheek! Coming in here in a fancy nurse's outfit trying to
pretend
we can't manage. We manage very well and there's going to be no
hospital
for either of us? ever. Now Love, where were we? Ah! The fun fair on
Six
Oaks Green. We had fish and chips off the van down School Lane
afterwards, didn't we? Do you remember that?'
Monday arrives and The Social Lady comes and goes as she has many
times
before. Weeks pass and she continues to visit regularly. Charlie
continues to
keep the place meticulously clean and tidy. His eyes aren't as good as
they
were so he goes over everything twice to be absolutely sure nothing's
left
undone.
`Always bloomin' checking up on us she is. We're all right and she'd
better
remember it.'
The seasons change and Charlie is carrying coal and stoking up the
all-night
stove to keep Beth cosy and warm. She can't have great heavy blankets
and quilts
on her poor thin body, and her immobility doesn't help matters.
Beth sits in her chair by the stove all day. Charlie feels her hands
and feet at
regular intervals. He makes her warm drinks and only ventilates their
home
for short periods when the sun shines. The Social Lady comes three
times this
week and Charlie feels uneasy. `She's trying to put pressure on us
Beth, but
we're not having any are we?'
One evening when the curtains are drawn and the gas lamps hiss
extra
warmth into the room they are as cosy as two birds in a nest. Charlie
is preparing
to put Beth to bed. He smooths the bottom sheet over the protective
underlay
and turns back the coverlet.
`Are you ready then Beth my Love? Of course you are it's well past
eight
o'clock isn't it. I'll read the last chapter of Silas Marner for you
tonight. We
have enjoyed it haven't we. Like we always do. Jane Eyre next, then
when Spring
comes it'll be time for a bit more of Mr Dickens. You like David
Copperfield I
know, but I think it's time we had another read of Dombey and Son;
what do you
say? Now then up you come.'
He lifts her from the chair and moves slowly towards the bed.
Something
stings him like a poison dart at the base of his spine. He cries out.
`Ah! Aaaah!'
but he holds fast to his precious burden. He sees fear in Beth's eyes
and
clenching his teeth against the pain searing down his legs, lowers her
gently
onto the bed. Her head sinks into the soft, white pillow, he pulls the
covers up to
her chin tenderly kisses her good night and turns the light
down.
Charlie straightens up and the pain gradually leaves him; with great
relief
he goes into the tiny kitchen and prepares vegetables for the
following day. He
irons Beth's clean nightdress and sponges the spilt food marks off the
cardigan
she wore today. When his chores are complete he washes his aching
body, sets
the alarm and makes up his own bed on the single mattress which
doubles as a
settee during the day.
Beth isn't sleeping and Charlie gets out of bed and goes to the
kitchen to
warm some milk. Slowly and painstakingly he holds her as she sips the
comforting
liquid and all the time he talks to her of better times.
`What about when we went on that paddle steamer to the Isle of Wight?
You
lost one of your pretty pink gloves overboard that day and you spent
the rest of the
trip with your hand in my pocket to keep it warm. It was a cold day
for the middle
of August and didn't it rain? We were all right though sitting over a
pot of tea
and toasted tea cakes in that caff' on the prom. We had our love to
keep us warm,'
Charlie plumps up her pillows again, `And we always will, won't we
My
Lovely?' Charlie lies awake listening until Beth's breathing pattern
tells him she is
asleep.
Next day is Monday. Charlie's back is painful. `I've never been run
over by
a steamroller Love but if I had I reckon I'd feel just like I do now.'
He smiles at
Beth. `Don't you go letting on to her Ladyship about it though, or
she'll have us
out of here like a dose of salts.' He fancies he hears her chuckle as
she used to in
the old days.
He's glad of the Social Lady's help putting Beth to bed thatnight but
says
nothing about the pain in his back and legs. He passes her tea on a
tray and as he
leans forward the pain grips him and he stumbles spilling tea in the
saucer.
`I'm sorry,' he says, `I'll pour you another,' he passes her the
biscuit tin `Try
one of these, I made them yesterday. Beth likes 'em, dunked of
course.'
The Social Lady picks up her bag and prepares to leave. `Watch
your
back now Mr Peplow,' she says `Get as much rest as you can.' Charlie
watches her
go out to her car.
`That one's not so green as cabbage looking Beth. I thought I'd pulled
the
wool over her eyes. She'll be back with the doctor and then where
shall we be?'
He takes Beth's hand. `Tonight's the night old girl, but don't you
worry my
Darling we'll be together.'
When Charlie has drawn the curtains he busies himself round their
little
home, cleaning and polishing, putting things away and making sure
everything is
spick and span. He puts out the lamps leaving just the one over Beth's
bed and
then he climbs in beside her.
`All right My Lovely?' he whispers. `Do you know how long it is since
we've
slept in the same bed?' He smiles, `No, neither do I.'
Charlie kisses his beloved wife, reaches up to the gas light and turns
it off.
He waits for the mantle to cool then reaches up and turns the tap once
more until
he can hear the whisper of escaping gas. He holds Beth in his arms and
they sleep.
In the morning Charlie is woken by the sound of a lorry outside. He
sits
bolt upright in bed and peers through the curtains. He begins to
chuckle and
looks down at Beth whose blue eyes are dancing with amusement, sharing
the
joke.
`We'll call that a trial run, shall we Love? I should have known
better; any
way my old back feels pretty good this morning so perhaps we'll
postpone it
for a week or two. Fancy me forgetting it was the Calor Man's day
today; we're
right out of gas.' He closes the tap above their heads.
'When he's changed the bottles we'll have a cup of tea shall
we?'

ENDS

1,780 words Rosa Johnson.