“What?” I could hardly believe what my ears heard, “who is it?”
“I don’t know.” The nurse shrugged.
Then she asked me to fill out some forms.
Ming was on the phone.
I filled out the forms and sat there thinking about what the nurse said. Ming arranged and said to the
nurse, “transfer her to the Sacred Heart Hospital Rehabilitation Center.”
Hearing these words, the nurse’s expression immediately changed, “who are you? Not everyone can
be transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital.”
Ming looked at the nurse and thought and said, “my name is Ming. I’m from Sacred Heart Hospital...”
“Dr. Jessop!” Before Ming finished, the nurse knew, “people in other industries don’t know you, but
people in our industry know you. You are now the star of our industry.”
Ming didn’t speak.
Oasis Hospital was far away so ambulances wouldn’t come too soon.
The nurse talked to Ming all the time but Ming ignored her. At last she said her purpose, “Dr. Jessop,
you have many hospitals. Can you change my job? The work here is not good.”
“I will contact your Dean and let him manage the hospital.” Ming said lightly.
The nurse said unwillingly, “that’s the dean’s business. I usually treat Margaret very well.”
“No way.” Ming immediately refused, “I gave you the money. If you want to change jobs, the money will
allow you to live for a while.”
The nurse couldn’t say anything more when he mentioned it.
I wanted to go upstairs and saw Margaret before the ambulance came. The nurse immediately refused,
“no, in case something happens, I can’t afford it. Let’s wait for the ambulance.”
Ming didn’t speak. I knew he didn’t want me to go either.
A skinny woman looked communicative.
But she was still aggressive.
Two hours later, Sacred Heart Hospital’s car arrived. The nurses went upstairs to meet Margaret. As
soon as they opened the door of the ward, a nurse threw up directly.
Margaret followed us.
Her illness was special, so the car was not an ambulance but a police car.
She was separated from us.
Margaret had no luggage and only two dolls.
She stank so all the nurses didn’t want to get close to her. I was the only one with her.
Because I said there was a teacher in the new place, Margaret was very cooperative and did not resist
at all. She sat there with two dolls in her arms.
On the way back, I asked her across the glass wall, “what are your two babies’ names?”
“Lisa and Laura.”
Margaret answered me seriously.
I felt sad.
Laura was me. It turned out Molly’s name was Lisa.
I asked, “what do you want them to do when they grow up?”
Margaret looked at me and her eyes were bright. She listened to my question and seemed to see the
light. “They can do anything they like, as long as they are happy.”
When Margaret spoke, her dry lips were smiling.
I looked at her and was in a mixed mood.
Why was life so unfair to her?
We arrived at Sacred Heart Hospital Rehabilitation Center. Ming had arranged a suite for Margaret.
The first thing she did was take a bath.
All the nurses kept away. They smelled her and were reluctant.
I volunteered, “let me bathe her.”
The nurses all looked at me in surprise.
I went up and helped Margaret. I opened my mouth, but I was afraid she couldn’t accept it, so I said,
“Auntie, can I bathe you? By the way, I’ll bathe your two babies.”
“OK!”
Margaret readily accepted.
All the nurses looked at me with very strange eyes.
I turned a blind eye and stepped forward to take a bath with Margaret.
The conditions at Sacred Heart Hospital Rehabilitation Center were really good.
There was a bathtub in which we could sit. I put the water in. Margaret sat in it. I helped her clean the
dolls first. Then, Margaret became very obedient.
I soaped her and then rubbed her with a towel.
She hadn’t bathed for a long time, so she had a hard shell like skin. I asked Ming to bring me white
vinegar and then I slowly bathed her.
When the water got cold, I scooped it out of the basin and added hot water.
We took this bath for about two hours.
I finally cleaned Margaret.
Then I took her under the shower and washed her. Margaret didn’t say a word from the beginning to
the end. Her attention was all on the two dolls. When I helped her clean and change.
Margaret looked at me and said, “thank you.”
I was stunned for a moment and suddenly I felt happy and said, “you’re welcome.”
Margaret’s hair was very long.
I blew dry her hair.
She hadn’t washed her hair for many years, so her hair was like dead grass. Even with a lot of
conditioner, her hair was knotted and couldn’t be combed.
Margaret looked at me and smiled. “You can cut it.”
“Really?” I was a little surprised.
Her hair was really long.
It was a pity to cut it off.
Margaret nodded.
But it was really inconvenient for her to have such long hair. I took scissors and cut her hair directly for
about one meter.
The hair was so messy that I put it aside.
The rest of her hair was easy to comb. I helped her to comb it and dry it and braid it.
She looked much more energetic.
Margaret looked at me and continued, “thank you.”
I looked at her and suddenly felt that she was a normal person and not ill.
I even wanted to get her back.
But just then, Margaret looked at me and asked, “where is the teacher who teaches my children?”
Her words brought me back to reality.
I looked at her sadly and smiled reluctantly, “you can get used to it first. The teacher will come soon.”
“OK.” Margaret looked down and said to the two dolls, “do you hear me? You will be able to learn soon.
If you want to learn painting, mom can teach you.”
I looked at Margaret and felt very sad.
I stayed a little longer before I left the ward.
Ming was calling at the door. He just finished when I went out. I asked him, “do you know who paid for
my mother’s hospitalization?”
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda