Page 145 - The Letter By Ann Newhouse

I was exhausted, and Rex ordered me to go lie down for a bit. I didn’t argue and left him to clear up. Penny put up a notice on the bar door saying the bar would remain closed until further notice.
Later that afternoon we sat around drinking coffee half in a daze. ‘Where would she like to be laid to rest’? I thought.
Some of the neighbours called with a supply of sandwiches and a big tureen of soup, word travels fast in a small village. Father Thomas came to console Penny and Paul and to say a prayer for baby Shalma. Suddenly Paul blurted out that he hadn’t a clue about Seki’s medical history.
‘The hospital kept asking me questions, lots of questions that I couldn’t answer’, he looked up at us stunned, ‘you know it’s very important to know about any family illnesses’, he got up and left the room then.
I looked over at Rex worried now. Penny noticed this and advised him to find out as much as he could about his family background.
‘Sorry Amber I hope I haven’t worried you unduly’, she later whispered to me
‘No Penny you’re right, I don’t know much about my own family’s medical history’, She walked over and gave me a hug.
Paul appeared back and told us he had rung Seki’s family direct to let them know what had happened.
‘Oh darling’, Penny started to sob for her son’s pain, ‘that must have been very hard, were they shocked’?
‘Yes, her mother was just wailing down the phone’, he paused to compose himself, ‘and her father wants her body flown home’, he let out a sob.
‘What are you going to do? Rex asked surprised.