Lucy loved to play. At the young age of 6 she tried to cram into her day everything and anything which she thought she might miss out on another day. Today was a grey day, with little sunshine to be seen. Her mother Becky had called to her to tell her to stay within the garden and not to venture out on to the pavement.
As she was busy chasing around the garden with her kite in full flight, it bobbed about way up in the air, the colours catching in the brief sunlight, and the blue ribbon snaking and whipping about. All of a sudden a gust of wind caught the string and tugged it out of her hand. She gave a little gasp of astonishment that this could have happened. Peeping over her shoulder, she saw that her mother had moved away from the window. She knew that she would get a telling off and that it was very naughty, but she wanted to try and get her kite back. Daddy had bought it for her from the church autumn fayre and she didn’t want to loose it.
Carefully she opened the garden gate and as it closed behind her she once again glanced back towards the window. Her mother was not to be seen. I will only be a minute, she said to herself. She skipped along the pavement trying to keep her kite in sight. Not looking about she jumped over a small hole in the pavement. I could go faster like the cars if I used the road. Her mother had told her never to step off the pavement before taking great care of what traffic was coming. They could whip you off your feet before you could say Jumping Jack Flash. This was her mother’s favourite saying.
Taking one more careful look over her shoulder, Lucy stepped off the pavement. Staying as close to the parked car, she adventured further out. Seeing that there were no other cars about, she skipped further out into the road. Happily keeping her eyes on the string of her kite, she didn't hear the sound of the car horn, but as the car neared and she heard it's tyres screech. She became scared and she froze on the spot. Nothing else was to be heard.
“Lucy, Lucy, where are you?” her mother shouted from the garden gate. Looking towards the left she saw the car, parked askew in the road and the driver frantically rubbing his hands through his hair. No, oh no, her mother ran towards the man.
Her hand came up towards her mouth to stifle the scream which wanted to escape from between her tightened jaws. Her mother collapsed on to her knees, and leaning forwards she lifted Lucy's head. Her golden curls falling about her angelic face, her mother cried softly. Why had I not been more alert? Damn the stupid washing machine for breaking down again. I had only wanted to get rid of all of the holiday build up of washing. It was just the sort of day to get such a job done.
In the distance the siren of the ambulance could be heard. Becky finally looked about her. The pale face of the young driver was looking at her.
“I am so sorry. I, I didn't see her. She seemed to jump out at me and all I could do was blast away on the car horn.” He kept on rubbing his hair. Becky remembered seeing him do this as she approached the car.
“I turned the car as far away from her as possible, but the front bumper still caught her.” Becky put her hand up to him.
“Please, I can see that you truly tried to stop, please just let us hope that the ambulance arrives quickly and they can save her. I can feel her breathing, but ever so slowly.”
No sooner had Becky had said this that the ambulance arrived. The paramedics took over. Gently lifting Lucy up onto the stretcher they put her into the ambulance.
Such a long time seemed to pass by. Andrew had been called away from the office and was now sitting by the bedside with Becky.
“Just how much longer do the doctors think that Lucy will be like this?” Andrew was staring straight at Lucy.
He had never liked hospitals, but right now he was more than eager to get away. Not from Lucy but from where he was. Couldn't he take her away from here. She would get well back home. Surely they could tell that she would be well looked after.
Time ticked slowly by. It was now almost six o'clock in the evening. The doctor was doing his last round for the night. As he approached the bed he saw the anxious looks on the parents faces.
“There is nothing else you can do tonight. I would advise you to go home and come back in the morning. Lucy is in good hands here and if there are any changes we will telephone you straight away.” The doctor almost lifted Andrew from his seat.
Slowly Becky and Andrew made their way to the exit and in the next moment they were back at their own home. How soon they had got there they had no recollection.
Day after day Becky and Andrew returned to the hospital. There was never any change in Lucy's condition. The doctors seemed baffled as to what was keeping Lucy from awakening. All her vital statistics showed that she was fine. Her reflexes responded well, but she seemed to be in a deep deep sleep, just like one of her favourite stories, Sleeping Beauty.
Maybe it was going to take a prince charming to make her wake up.
Life as it was carried on back at home, but it was putting a strain on Becky and Andrew. Becky took care of the house, but it was awfully quiet without Lucy running around, chasing after the pet cat Sasha. Lucy had chosen this name after having been told a story at the nursery she went to.
Even there the other children missed her, she was one of those children who was loved by everyone. Her bright eager eyes and happy laughter made even the most grumpiest of people smile.
The man who had run into Lucy as she chased her kite had telephoned several times to see if there were any changes. One day he rang he asked if he could perhaps visit the hospital to see Lucy.
“Obviously I will understand if you say no. Because if it hadn't been for me your child would be home with you. I feel absolutely dreadful. My night's are taken up by sleeplessness and I try to put the accident away during the day, but without any success. My boss has noticed that my work is suffering and asked whether I should perhaps consider taking some time off in which to get myself back to normal.” Peter's voice by now was quieter and quieter.
“I know I shouldn't say this, but you must try to put this to one side. From all the accounts you were not to blame. If there is anyone to blame then it is me.” Becky stifled a sob which was bubbling up. “I had told Lucy not to go out of the gate. Andrew and I had been talking about getting a newer much stronger latch that she wouldn't be able to open. But like most things, you put it to one side until it is too late.” Becky was now looking through the window and looking at the gate as if it was the first time that she had seen it.
“I'm sorry Peter, these days I tend to stray away from what is going on at the present moment. By all means you can go and see Lucy. I only wish that she will be able to tell if you or anyone is there at all.”
Peter thanked her and as he put the telephone down on her, he again wished that he could go back to that day and undo the accident.
It was late on in the following afternoon that Peter managed to leave his office early and make his way over to the children's ward at the hospital. After checking which direction the ward was, he hurried along.
Feeling very strange, he made his way to Lucy's bedside. He popped himself down on the stool next to the bed and looked at the pretty little face laying upon the puffed up pillow. Such a tiny little child. He spoke softly, not knowing if he was being heard. Oh how so very sorry I am. He lowered his head and felt the tears spring to his eyes just like they had been doing over the last few weeks.
Not wanting to overstay his time by the bedside, he leaned over Lucy and said, “little girl, I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I hope you wake up soon as your parents are longing to have their little girl back with them. I am going to leave now, but tied to the end of your bed, just right where you will look when you awake, there will be a balloon painted with the picture of your favourite kite. Goodbye little one.”
Peter tied the balloon to the bed and left without looking back. He couldn't bear to see the shape of the small outline seen through the hospital sheets.
Some weeks later as Peter was working alone late one evening at the office, the telephone rang. “Is that Peter Hastings?” a male voice said.
“Yes, how can I help you?” Peter thought that this could be a customer ringing in the hopes that someone was still working at the insurance office.
“This is Andrew Smallwood, Lucy's father. I hope that I am not disturbing you. My wife and I have just returned home from the hospital and wanted to let you know straight away that Lucy has woken up. Her first words were, where is my kite, I think I have lost it. You should have seen her face when she saw the balloon which you had so caringly left for her.”
Peter seemed to shrink into his chair. The feeling of a great weight being lifted from him was only overtaken by the feeling of great happiness for Andrew and Becky. What they must have gone through for the last couple of months, he could not imagine.
“I am so happy for you both. You can now hopefully put this to the back of your minds and in time perhaps to forget this bad period of your lives. Thank you for letting me know, and also for being so kind to me, the one who has caused you this grief.”
“Perhaps, when we have Lucy back home, you would like to come and see what she is really like. I am sure that this would be good for all of us. Maybe we could show others that not all accidents can turn into tragedies.” Andrew offered this with a gratitude that could only be seen by his wife, Becky, who was looking at him at the time. The picture on Andrew's face told of the joy of having his little girl back with him.
Journeying forwards in time the pain which had showed on the three elders faces, as each of them thought of the small child lying there in the hospital, with the sheer whiteness of the sheets against the paleness of her face. Their each individual happiness took on a new role. The one that didn't just take each day for granted, but to seize every moment in full and take pleasure from it from start to finish. Anyone who feels low, take notice, live now and never mind the tomorrow's.
The End