Chapter Text
That evening, while John and Sherlock had their meal, Cathy made her way to the cafeteria, as usual. The food wasn’t great, but by eating here she could spend a bit longer with her husband and best friend; otherwise she would either have to leave before the end of visiting, or get home too late to eat.
Tonight she chose shepherd’s pie and bread and butter pudding, and then looked around for a table. The only spare spot she could see was near a couple of nurses that she had noticed earlier in the day near John and Sherlock’s room.
“I quite like the blond, but the other one, did you know that yesterday Julie had to go home halfway through her shift, she was so upset she was in tears all afternoon, and no use to anyone. I don’t know what he said, but whatever it was...”
“I know, and this morning Maria announced that she wasn’t going in to do anything for him ever again, he could be dying, and she wouldn’t help him.”
Well, thought Cathy, that explains why there hadn’t been a single nurse come in all afternoon. The first nurse continued “I don’t know what his friend sees in him. I mean, he IS good looking, but the mouth on him”
“Well, maybe he has charms that you and I just don’t get. After all, they are VERY good ‘friends’” and here, Cathy could almost hear the air quotes.
Blood boiling, Cathy stood and turned around to address the two women. “Excuse me” she said, all sweetness and light, “are you referring to Dr Watson and Mr Holmes?”
Somewhat taken aback, one of them stammered “Yes, why?” “Don’t you think that it is rather, shall we say, unprofessional, to talk about withholding treatment from a patient on the basis of his brilliance?”
“Brilliance, you have got to be kidding, he is rude and obnoxious.”
“Maybe, but what most people object to with my brother is that he is able to deduce the things that they are ashamed of. He has never had any nasty things to say about my husband, Dr Watson, or me. Maybe it’s because we don’t have any dark secrets, nothing that we would be ashamed for people to know. The thing you hate about him is his honesty.” And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving the two nurses open-mouthed behind her.
Going back to John and Sherlock’s room, Cathy wondered how she should approach the matter with the men. She knew that it would be useless to pretend that nothing had upset her. John wouldn’t be convinced, but Sherlock would probably be able to deduce the whole thing in a moment. She suddenly thought of a solution. Mycroft had arranged for this hospital, she was sure he could fix this.
“Mycroft, we have a problem. The nurses won’t go into Sherlock and John’s room when Sherlock is there, because he deduced something about a couple of them. Do you think they should be moved? I’m sure that they aren’t quite ready to come home yet.”
“What do you mean, they won’t go into the room?”
“Just that, I overheard two of the nurses talking in the cafeteria, and I’ve been here since about 2pm and not a single nurse has even come in to check on them. They are NOT receiving proper medical care. I was hoping that John might be able to come home on the weekend, but Sherlock probably needs an extra week. I’m planning to take a couple of weeks of work to help them when they come home, or at least help John in the first week, then both of them the second week. There are lots of things I can do, but to be honest, I’d find it very difficult to do some things for Sherlock, not to mention rather embarrassing. I can bathe John, but I don’t think Sherlock or I would be comfortable with me bathing him. How can we handle this?”
“Cathy, if I arrange for nursing staff to come to Baker Street, how soon can you arrange your leave?”
“Tomorrow. I’ve spoken to the headmistress already, she knows that I want to take leave from the day John comes home, and that I might only know the night before.”
“Go back to John and Sherlock, tell them you have to go home, ring your headmistress and get the house ready for them. And is it possible for at least one of the nurses to sleep in your house for the next two weeks?”
“Yes, I am sure that John is able to get upstairs, I’ll put Sherlock in the ground floor bedroom and we have two spare rooms. I’ll go home and put lots of clean sheets on lots of beds. I’ll need to come back in the morning with clean clothes.”
“No, someone will pick the clothes up at 7.30am tomorrow. Do you need any other help?”
“I have hardly any fresh food in the house, I won’t be home from the shops until about 10am, could you arrange for a car to bring me home with my shopping?”
“Ring me when you reach the checkout, a car will be there by the time you are done.”
Relieved, Cathy went back to John and Sherlock’s room.
“Much as I love seeing you two, I really do have to go home, the house is a mess and I have to do some housework.”
“OK my love, if you have to.”
“Cathy. Is something wrong? Or should I say, what is wrong?”
“I’m tired, my house is messy, and I overheard some nurses saying horrible things about you, both of you. I lost it a bit. I think I should go before they get back on the ward. I really don’t want to see them again.”
“You, you lost it. You are the calmest person I know. How could you lose it?”
“They complained about Sherlock, and then they implied that you and he, well, I’ve heard it enough times I shouldn’t get upset, but really, why do people always think that we are only friends because of sex. They say it about you two all the time, I even heard someone say it once about Sherlock and me. Sometimes I can handle it, but I have hardly slept this past week for worry about you and I’m just not prepared to tolerate small minded people who make assumptions.”
“People are idiots, it shouldn’t worry you, just ignore them.”
“No Sherlock, you are always seeking truth, you are always complaining about people making assumptions. What they are saying is not the truth. They are making assumptions without evidence. Doesn’t that annoy you?”
For once, Sherlock was silenced. There was no answer to Cathy’s complaints. As usual, Cathy gently hugged John and kissed his lips, then moved to the other bed and kissed Sherlock on the forehead. “I’ll see both of you tomorrow. Love you. Both of you.” And with a wave, she left the room, walking quickly to the lift (she really did want to avoid those nurses) and before she reached the lift she had dialled her headmistress’s number to apologetically arrange for leave starting the next day.
The next morning started in a whirlwind of activity. Cathy had cleaned the bathrooms and bedrooms and put clean sheets on all the beds when she got home, but the rest of the house was definitely in need of cleaning. Not to mention that the sheets needed washing.
When one of Mycroft’s staff arrived to pick up the men’s clean clothes, Cathy realised that she needed to have her breakfast and get to the shops. Thank goodness there was (just) enough cereal and milk for today!
Cathy couldn’t believe how relieved she felt when Mycroft’s car pulled up out the front of 221 Baker Street. To see her husband and their best friend back where they belonged brought such a feeling of joy to her, tears welled up in her eyes and for a moment she couldn’t speak. Then she regained her composure and helped bring them in, explaining that Sherlock would be sleeping in what they all still referred to as ‘Mrs Hudson’s room’, but that she hadn’t brought his clothes upstairs yet. Once he told her what he wanted, Cathy would bring up enough clothes to last until Sherlock was mobile enough to move back to his own flat.
The kettle was soon boiling, and Cathy opened a packet of biscuits. Just as she started to collect the plates and dirty cups, the doorbell rang and Mycroft’s PA ushered in two men who were introduced as the nursing staff. Paul was a tall, burly looking blond and David a shorter, balding redhead, both were probably in their forties and both appeared to be military or at least ex-military. David would look after the men from 6am to 4pm; Paul would be on duty from midday to 10pm. While they were both on duty, they would bathe their patients and take them through their daily exercises.
“I have my shower as soon as I awaken, I can’t wait until midday to get clean.”
“Sherlock! If you have your bath early in the morning, and for the time being it WILL be a bath, not a shower, then there will be no-one to help Cathy. The way it has been planned, Cathy will help David in the morning, have a break until 4pm, then help Paul until bedtime. David and Paul will be responsible for helping you take your bath, get dressed and get to the lavatory. Cathy will do lots of things for you, but I cannot expect her to do that. If bath time is in the early morning, Cathy would have to do that. Do not do this to your friends, Sherlock. Cathy is taking leave to look after you, don’t expect her to do this too. It would be embarrassing for you and for her.”
“I don’t get embarrassed.”
“No, but you probably should. And Cathy does, so we are not going to put her through this.”
Neither Cathy nor John had known Sherlock to be as quiet as he had been lately. Once more, he was silenced. Cathy wondered how long into their recuperation Sherlock would remain so amenable.