Drop the Gauntlet - Tears were gone by Anna Graham

They had successfully avoided the unspoken topic of Harry, but after pouring her second cup of tea, Sally breathed a heavy sigh. The rain had returned and people out in the garden were opening brollies and covering prams with plastic covers. But that was Britain, and as she watched, Sally felt her life being lived in a perpetual rain cloud that had tracked her from Harry’s house in York to Harrogate. How had the time gone so quickly? Hadn’t he only been told it was malignant? Hadn’t they just found out? Now reality was setting in, stark, cold, and gray, like Harry. He looked old, so ashen. The gray flat sky sucked the color from the grass and trees, making Harlow Carr pale and lifeless, just as the cancer had done to a man who was no longer her brother-in-law, yet still her brother in every other respect. But now ending. Their relationship, whatever it had evolved to, was ending.

Sally glanced up, and Cat’s smiling eyes were on her, a surprise. Usually when Graeme or their daughter Amelie caught her looking that way, Sally was met with a sadness that reflected her own. Cat saw something different.

“You know, I’m glad I’m leaving in a couple days, too much rain here. I need sun, mariachi bands, and new babies,” she said, shaking her hands as though they held maracas. On Cat’s first trip to California, Harry had taken her to the San Jose flea market where she was treated to a real mariachi band. Later jaunts to Mexico had offered her a similar experience, but the Berryessa flea market held a special place in Cat’s heart. “You know, I’ll bring you back a CD, some really good mariachi music. You can put it on your iPod and think of me.”

Sally smiled and drank her tea. “Oh, I don’t know. Mariachi music isn’t really my thing.” She preferred rock and pop. “But throw them a rose for me, if you get there.”

Cat grinned. “Oh, I will. After the shoot I will just want to relax. I love the Bay Area.”

They chatted over the upcoming half term break for the kids and Jason’s obsession with baseball. “Yeah, I mean, you’re going to hear a lot about that, you know.” Sally’s only sibling was a fan of the Detroit Tigers who were heading into the World Series.

“You might as well be speaking Japanese to me, all that baseball talk.”

Sally giggled. “That’s what Graeme said when we were leaving.”

“Ah, you saw him today already?”

Sally grew quiet. “Yeah.” She poured more hot water into the pot and then refilled her cup.

Cat looked away. “At the hospital?”

“Yeah. We left at the same time.” Sally drank the tea and it tasted so nice, soothing the words she knew were coming.

“Okay, so how is he?” Cat set her hands down on the table with a small amount of force. “Am I going to come back to him still in that bed?”

Sally felt slightly sick, but Cat wouldn’t want anything less than the truth. “I don’t think so. He’s starting to get fuzzy, just around the edges, and, oh, I don’t know.” Sally knew Cat was aware of Harry’s deterioration, but they rarely spoke of it in blatant terms. “Cat, he looks horrible, and I know he feels pretty crappy, but he’s on a lot of drugs too. So, to be honest, no, I don’t think so.”

Cat drank her cola and looked past Sally. She was quiet for a short time, observing the crowd. “There is this little one, right behind you. She wants more ice cream but her mum says no, but the girl takes it anyway. And then the mum says, ‘Why did you do that? I told you no.’ but the mum doesn’t do anything and the girl keeps taking the ice cream. She needs Dr. Tanya Byron.” Cat sipped her cola. “Okay, so I don’t need to bring anything back for Harry.”

Sally shook her head with a small smile. “No, I don’t think you do.”

“Okay. Well, one off my list.” The tears in her eyes betrayed Cat’s slightly cynical tone. “So, no chocolates for him. See’s for you?”

Sally loved See’s Candies, and whenever Harry had gone on a trip to America, he brought her back a box of Nuts and Chews. “Oh, that would be really great.”

“Okay, so chocolates for you. They aren’t Belgian, but what can you do? And you gave me already the stuff for Georgina and bambina. Or is it bambino?”

Sally was glad to move on. “They don’t know; want it to be a surprise. So, I guess you’re all set.” She wondered if Cat needed hospital interference, but said nothing. They finished and stood to leave.

Cat picked up the tab. “Well, I guess I won’t see you again until I get back. But give me a shout if anything comes up.” They headed to the front of the café where all sorts of treats and chocolates, tea and coffees were sold. “So, where are you off to?” she asked.

“Uh, well, probably the Duchy.” Sally was nonchalant, but knew Harry wanted to see Cat once more.

“Well, I’ll get over there later today. I need to get to town still. So tell him I will be by.” They walked out into the wind, wrapping themselves as they went.

“I will. Have a very good mariachi time. And,” she hugged Cat tightly. “Give that to Jason and Georgina for me.”

“It’s done.” Cat got into her car and waving, sped off. Sally sat in the Volvo and checked her phone; nothing from Jason, but a message from Graeme. He had gone home but would be back that night to see Harry.

Sally considered ringing Graeme, but decided against it, not wanting to appear pushy. The children would see him tomorrow, and starting her car, Madonna blasting out of the speakers, Sally drove away.