Chapter 3: Room 534

Chapter 3: Room 534

Gail had to work until six o’clock the next morning. When she got back to the Nurses’ Home, her friends were having breakfast. She told them about the car crash.

‘Wow!’ said Penny. ‘Alex Hayle! I’ve got all of his records! Which room is he in?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Gail. ‘Look, it’s half past six. I’m going to bed! Good night… or is it “Good morning”?’

Gail woke up in the middle of the afternoon. She had to begin work at ten o’clock on Sunday evening. She turned on the television while she was eating. She wanted to hear the news. There was a video of Alex Hayle on the five o’clock news. Gail turned up the sound.

‘That was Alex Hayle, and he was singing Midnight Party. Alex is in hospital in Midhurst. He crashed his car after his concert last night. We spoke to his manager, Clarence Tucker, outside the hospital.’

Gail sat up in her chair. There was Tucker on the television.

’… I’ve just been with Alex. He’s going to be all right. He was sitting up in bed and he was smiling. He can’t finish the concert tour, but don’t worry! He’s going to do another tour next year. I want to thank everyone for the flowers and letters. Alex is looking at them. Thank you.’

Gail turned off the television. Alex was going to be all right! But he broke his back. He was in a coma! She couldn’t understand. He was sitting up in bed!

At that moment Penny came in.

‘Hey! Gail!’ said Penny. ‘I saw Alex! He’s in Room 534. I work on the fifth floor, you know. It’s…’

‘And is he sitting up and smiling?’ said Gail.

Penny sat down.

‘What?’ she said.

‘Is he sitting up and smiling?’

‘He’s in a coma,’ said Penny. ‘He broke his back. You know that.’

‘His manager, Mr. Tucker, was on television. He said “Alex is sitting up and smiling”.’

‘Ah!’ said Penny. ‘I understand. Dr Casey spoke to us today. We mustn’t speak to the newspapers or television about Alex. Tucker spoke to the head of the hospital. You can’t see Alex’s face, you know. He cut it in the crash. And he can’t move. It’s terrible.’

It wasn’t very busy on Sunday evening. At eleven o’clock Gail had to go to the fifth floor for Dr Kennedy. She had to get some medicine. She got the medicine, and walked back to the lift. Then she saw the tall man in the black coat. He was standing outside Room 534. She stopped for a moment, then walked over to him.

‘Hello,’ she said. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Oh, it’s you. I’m waiting here. Mr. Tucker doesn’t want any reporters or TV people near Alex,’ said the man.

‘Ah,’ said Gail. ‘Excuse me, I’m just going to have a look at him.’ She thought quickly. ‘Dr Kennedy asked me to look at him at eleven o’clock. I’m late.’

‘The nurse on this floor looked at him ten minutes ago,’ said the man.

‘I know,’ said Gail. ‘Excuse me.’

She opened the door and went in. She closed the door carefully behind her. There was Alex in the bed. He was in a coma. She couldn’t see his face. There were a lot of bandages round it. She looked at the machines round the bed. They were all right.

She opened the door, and walked out. The head nurse from the fifth floor was there.

‘Nurse,’ she said, ‘can I speak to you? In my office?’

Gail looked at the man in the black coat. He was smiling.

‘Er, yes,’ said Gail.

They went to the head nurse’s office.

‘Sit down,’ said the head nurse. What were you doing in Room 534?’

‘Why?’ asked Gail.

‘You don’t work on this floor. Mr. Hayle can’t have visitors. This afternoon about twenty nurses came to this floor. They wanted to see him. This is a hospital, not a rock concert.’

‘I’m from the casualty department,’ said Gail. ‘I was there last night… when they brought him in. I was worried about him. I had to come here for some medicine. Dr Kennedy wanted it… I just looked in the room. I’m sorry.’

‘I see,’ said the head nurse. Well, don’t do it again. Do you understand?’

‘Yes,’ said Gail. ‘I am sorry.’

She left the office, and went towards the lift. The man in the black coat smiled at her.

‘Good evening, Nurse,’ he said, ‘and goodbye. I’m not going to see you on this floor again. Right?’