Memories

Chapter 14

I step into Savannah's room expecting to see her lying there in the bed as always, but all I see is the tightly tucked blanket that's been pushed into the bed frame by the nurses. I return to the corridor and see Dr Peters enter her office a couple of doors down.

"Uhm, Dr Peters, do you know where Savannah is?"

"Oh, Hi Alex. Yeah, she discharged herself a couple of hours ago. She was muttering something about getting away from all the lunatics in here and I think that she might have mentioned your name as well." I feel my mouth drop open like a limp fish at her words and she burst out laughing. "Close it or you might just catch a fly with that gob of yours," she manages to say between laughs. "Savannah moved to the recovery ward. She's no longer in my care, I'm afraid."

I go to leave her office and remember that I don't know where to go. "Do you think that you could give me directions?"

"How about I do you one better and show you? I have to go and speak with someone in that direction."

"Sure," I say as she picks up her lanyard and heads back out into the corridor, locking the office behind her.

She leads me along a couple of corridors that I recognise and then up a flight of stairs and I'm lost. A couple of minutes later she stops outside of a door labelled 'Women's Recovery' and turns to face me. "This is where you get off. To get out just go all the way along the corridor and down the stairs, not the ones that we came up, but the ones at the end and you should come out just in front of A&E and the exit will be signed from there. I hope to see you soon Alex, as a visitor that is."

I smile at her comment. "I hope so too, though being a patient wouldn't be so bad as long as you're looking after me." I held out my hand for a shake and she took it.

"Whatever," she says before letting go and walking off down the hallway.

I watch her until she disappears around a corner as I psyche myself up for what's to come.

"Hey, Savannah, whose things are these?" When I reach Savannah's room, someone's coat and bag are still on the chair, but before Savannah gets the chance to respond, a voice sounds up from behind me.

"They're mine."

I spin round and come face to face with Kate. "I'm sorry, I thought that someone had left them there."

"Nah, I just popped to the bathroom. You know, girl things."

"I understand. Uhm, I can give you two some more time if you want: I brought my laptop so I can do some work if you haven't finished. I know that I'm a little early."

"Erm, actually, Savannah here was just telling me what a great storyteller you are –"

"Really?" I interrupted, smiling questioningly at Savannah. She shrugs in response.

"Uh-huh, so I was wondering if I could listen in today seeing as I have nothing to do. Like, I have literally nothing. What is it with first-year veterinary medicine and having no homework?"

"I don't know, but do you know what day it is today?"

"The seventh of December?" Kate guessed.

"Nope, well yes, but what happened on this day in 1941?" I asked more specifically this time.

"I don't know, Savannah do you have any ideas?"

Savannah shrugs again.

"Pearl Harbour. It has been exactly 79 years since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour."

"Wow."

"Yeah, so that's my bit of trivia for the day." I moved away from my position by the door and perched at the foot of Savannah's bed. "You know how I told you about Christmas yesterday, well I thought that I would tell you about New Year today."