The Uninvited

Freddy down,’ I say. ‘You need to seehim.’‘No!’ she says sharply, sitting up. ‘No.No. Not now. Hesketh. Listen to me. She’snot waking up. Ever. Not properly,anyway. It’s what they call a severe insultto the brain. Common in closed headinjuries. It’s inoperable.’She breaks down.I watch as her body shudders with sobs.She reaches for a cushion and holds itagainst her belly, as though she has beenshot there and is staunching the blood.With some reluctance, I go and sit nextto her, and deploy Ashok’s strategy. But Idon’t feel comfortable with it. After awhile, she recovers a little and apologisesand relinquishes her cushion. I stop pattingher bony shoulder and fetch her a glass of