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Phyllis carefully balanced the tray as she pushed the door open with her shoulder. As she stepped inside the dark room, it took her eyes a moment to adjust.
She made her way across the room and placed the tray on the desk by the window. Then she quietly stepped over to the bed, switching on the lamp on the nightstand.
Propped up by several pillows, Julienne lay sleeping. The covers were drawn up to her chin, and a crease in her brow hinted that her slumber was not entirely peaceful. Her breathing was laboured, and her face drawn and pale apart from two pink spots high on her cheeks. Phyllis gently laid a hand on Julienne’s forehead, confirming that her fever was once again on the rise.
“Sister Julienne?” Phyllis said in a half-whisper, gently rubbing the other woman’s upper arm through the blankets. “Sister Julienne?”
Slowly Julienne peeled her eyes open. Her eyes were bright with fever, and it took a few moments before they focused on Phyllis in a half squint.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” Phyllis said quietly. “But you’re due another dose of antibiotics, and it’s time to top up your aspirin as well.”
Julienne nodded faintly, her eyes slipping shut.
Phyllis had known Julienne wasn’t fully recovered when they left for the Hebrides, and in hindsight she wished she’d done more to prevent her from travelling. But Mother Mildred had been adamant, and off they had all gone. By the time of their return journey, Julienne had relapsed hard, and was landed in bed with a severe case of bilateral pneumonia.
Phyllis gave her a small nudge to stop her from falling back asleep. “Let’s get you sitting up a little,” she said, reaching over and turning down the blankets. She felt a pang of guilt as she saw Julienne shudder as she did so, but it couldn’t be helped. The last thing they needed was something going down the wrong pipe.
“That’s it,” Phyllis encouraged. With one hand behind Julienne’s back and the other adjusting the pillows, she got Julienne settled. The small exertion of getting seated in bed left Julienne winded, her eyelids drooping and her head lolling to one side. Phyllis pulled up the blankets around her as best she could.
“Aspirin,” Phyllis said, unscrewing the bottle and shaking out two pills. She held them out, and Julienne clearly made an effort to focus. Julienne took the pills and Phyllis held out a glass of water for her to swallow them down with.
Once that was done, Phyllis fetched the tray. Placing it over Julienne’s lap, she could see the trepidation in Julienne’s eyes.
“I know you’re not hungry, but you remember what Doctor Turner said? These are to be taken with food,” Phyllis said, holding out the antibiotics. She didn’t add that the extended illness had reduced Julienne to not much more than skin and bones, and she needed all the energy she could get.
With a faint nod and an unmatching defeated expression, Julienne reached for the spoon. The soup had been fortified with both cream and butter in the hopes it would provide her with some much-needed energy and nutrition.
Phyllis pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed as Julienne slowly dipped the spoon into the soup. She wiped the bottom of the spoon against the rim of the bowl before bringing it close to her lips with a shaky hand, carefully blowing on its contents before taking her first sip.
Agonisingly slowly, she repeated the process. By the third time, her hand was trembling so much that the contents of the spoon threatened to spill onto the blankets. After the third spoonful her hand returned to rest on the tray, the spoon slipping out of her hand as she appeared to be falling back asleep.
Phyllis looked on with great sympathy. She reached out and picked up the spoon from Julienne’s hand. “I know you’re tired, Sister. But you really do need sustenance. Let’s try a little more, if you’ll let me?” she said, holding up the spoon.
Julienne peeled her eyes open and her glazed eyes met Phyllis. With the faintest of nods she acquiesced, just as another shiver went down her spine.
Phyllis reached over and carefully pulled up the blankets further, covering Julienne to up over her shoulders. Then she reached for the bowl, repeating the procedure of filling and wiping the spoon before holding it out to Julienne’s lips.
It was slow going, and they stopped on several occasions to let Julienne rest her eyes for a moment before the next spoonful.
Finally, Phyllis raised the spoon one more time and could see Julienne’s eyes flicker between her and the spoon, her lips pursed together, turning away slightly.
“No more?” Phyllis asked.
“Sorry, I… don’t think I can manage any more,” Julienne said breathlessly.
Phyllis eyed the bowl. Less than half the contents were gone, which wasn’t ideal, but it would have to suffice.
“It’s okay. You did well. Now, antibiotics, and then let’s get you settled again.”
Phyllis removed the tray and handed her the pills and held out the glass. Julienne rinsed the first one down fine, but as she swallowed the second pill something went wrong and she started coughing and spluttering.
Phyllis took the glass and reached for an empty kidney dish on the nightstand. She hoped dearly that all their hard work wasn’t just about to be undone, but it was best to be prepared just in case.
Fortunately the bowl did not need to be deployed, as Julienne’s coughing fit soon subsided. “Just water…” Julienne just about managed, still catching her breath.
“Ready?” Phyllis asked when Julienne’s breathing had calmed a little, and she got an affirmative nod in response.
Phyllis helped her down the bed to get settled. She could feel Julienne tremble, though whether it was from exertion or chills she couldn’t tell. Probably both.
“There,” Phyllis said as Julienne was lying down again. She pulled the blankets over her and tucked her in. “Are you comfortable?”
“Mmh,” came the monotone reply. Julienne already looked half asleep, her eyes having drifted shut. But her creased brow and tense jaw hinted that she wasn’t entirely at ease.
Phyllis rose from her chair. “I’ll be back in a moment,” she said, squeezing Julienne’s shoulder through the blankets before quietly slipping out of the room.
She returned minutes later with a bowl of water and a clean washcloth. Placing the bowl on the nightstand, she soaked and wrung out the cloth before folding it and placing it on Julienne’s forehead.
Julienne tensed up for a second at first, but then relaxed further into the pillows, making a contented noise.
“That’s it. Go back to sleep,” Phyllis said, omitting the implied you certainly need it.
It had been a long journey home, but she knew Julienne still had a long journey of recovery ahead of her as well. Once she had regained some of her strength she would spend some time at the Mother House to convalesce, no matter how much she may protest.
Julienne turned her head slightly and the cloth slid down. Phyllis reached out, turned it over and placed it back on Julienne’s forehead. Her breathing pattern was already shifting. It wouldn’t be long before she fell back asleep.
Phyllis sat in silence for a few moments longer. When she was sure Julienne was asleep, she rose from her seat and picked up the tray. The bowl was far from empty, but it couldn’t be helped. What little she managed had to be seen as a victory. They would try again tomorrow, but for now, it would have to do.
Balancing the tray on her hip, she threw one last look at the sleeping form on the bed, before turning out the lights.