Chapter 10

Bill was at Theresa's side in a flash and cradled her in his arms.

"Hang on, darling. Help's coming. Just hang on. I love you so much."

Wendy had leapt for the phone. She felt a sense of dejà vu as she rang for the ambulance.

The children had frozen but then cautiously joined Bill and Theresa. Hettie took her hand.

"Please get better, Mum, please, please," she whispered.

Tom took the other hand. "We love you, Mum," he said.

Wendy longed to join them but there was no room. She sank silently back onto her chair and put her head in her hands.

They all stayed as they were for the next twenty minutes until the ambulance arrived. Wendy let the crew in and then led Tom and Hettie back to the table where they clung to her. The ambulance man felt Theresa's wrist for a pulse and then moved his hand to her carotid artery.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said softly to Bill. "She's gone."

Bill nodded silently then bent his head and kissed Theresa's forehead.

"So what happens now?" he asked.

"We'll take her back to the hospital for a post mortem and someone will ring you when the death certificate's ready."

Bill nodded again. "Thank you," he said.

The crew placed Theresa on a stretcher and took her away. Bill sat down at the table again. The children moved to his side and he put his arms round them. Wendy moved behind him and, putting her arms round his shoulders, laid her head on his.

"Right," said Bill at last and Wendy lifted her head. "We can't just stay like this. We need to get on with our lives. That is what Mum would have wanted. Have you two made your beds?"

The twins nodded. "Yes, Dad," they said.

"Well done. In that case you can clear away the breakfast things and do the washing up. Wendy darling, will you ring the school and tell them that these two won't be in today. We ought to tell Ian too. Who would you like to do that, you or me?"

"I think it should be you, Bill darling. Man to man and she was your wife."

"OK. I must ring Mum too but I'll go and make my bed while you phone the school."

Everyone moved. Wendy had hardly put the telephone down when it rang. She answered it.

"Wendy dear, it's Poppy. I heard and saw the ambulance. Was it for Theresa?"

"Yes, Poppy. She's dead."

"Oh, Wendy, you poor things. She left a letter with me for Bill. I'll put it through the letter box in a few minutes. I don't imagine there's anything I can do but let me know if there is later."

"Thanks, Poppy. I'll keep an eye out for the letter. 'Bye."

Bill rang Ian and then his mother. Wendy swooped on Theresa's letter when it arrived and handed it to Bill when he came off the telephone. He saw Theresa's handwriting and took the letter into the drawing room and closed the door behind him. The letter read:

My darling Bill,

The specialist has told me that I have an inoperable cranial aneurysm. When it bursts I will die. This could happen in days or years. I am keeping this from you as I do not wish you to have it hanging over you. I want you to continue to be the happy, loving man you are for as long as I am with you. This is not selfishness for there is no need for you to grieve yet and stop enjoying our life together to the full.

When I do go it will be quick, thank goodness, but it will mean that I will not be able to tell you one last time that I love you with every part of me. You have made me so happy that every now and then I have to pinch myself to prove it is not a dream. When I die my love for you will live on.

Darling, give my love to my three children and thank Wendy once more for giving me my beloved twins. All three have given me immeasurable pleasure.

I will not tell you not to grieve. That would be a waste of time on my part but, my darling, don't prolong it. Remember me with joy and happiness and let my funeral service be one of thanksgiving for a happy life with those I love.

Goodbye and God bless and keep you all. I do love you so very, very much, my darling.

Theresa

Bill was unable to contain himself. Silent sobs wracked his body and the tears flowed. At length he managed to pull himself together. He blew his nose and wiped his eyes. He looked in the mirror over the fireplace. His eyes were red. There was not a lot he could do about that. It was time he rejoined his family.

He found them in the kitchen. Wendy had cajoled the twins into playing Racing Demon and for the time being they had forgotten their grief. He handed Wendy the letter and she unobtrusively left the room. He sat where she had been and watched his children.

Wendy returned ten minutes later. She came up behind Bill and kissed the top of his head. "On your bedside table," she murmured. He nodded. She stayed where she was with her hands on his shoulders.

The current game came to a noisy end.

"Tom, Hettie," said Bill, "Mum wrote me a letter. She knew she was going to die but didn't want to make us unhappy before she did. She asked me to give you both her love and say how happy you had made her. She also said that she knew we would be sad when she did die but did not want us to go on being miserable for very long."

"Why did she die, Dad?" asked Hettie.

"It was all part of that thing that caused her stroke two and a half years ago. She got something called an aneurysm on her brain. They couldn't operate on it because that might have killed her."

"What's an aneurysm, Dad?" asked Tom.

"It's a swelling of a vein caused by a blockage, which finally bursts so that blood can no longer get to vital areas and the person dies."

"Ugh!" shuddered Hettie. "Did it hurt her?"

"I don't think so. I think she just felt awful for a moment and then sort of fainted."

The twins nodded.

"So now, let's do as Mum would have wanted and walk the dogs."