Chapter Thirteen
'The Christmas star returns'
It was during her sixtieth year of life when the widow Beth Malone was to come back into contact with her Christmas star. Ever since the month of June in 2001, Beth had volunteered her services working at the 'Waterford Regional Hospital'. This establishment was built on the site of the former Ardkeen Hospital off the Dunmore Road near the city centre and it was fast developing a name for itself as being one of the hospitals at the forefront of treating cancer patients.
With her husband Dermot having died from cancer and having had the condition diagnosed too late in its stage of progression, Beth had for some time decided to offer her voluntary services in this field. She would attend the hospital three afternoons weekly and would visit the teenage patients on the cancer ward who had terminal illnesses and had no chance of recovery.
While this type of close contact with the dying young grieved her immensely, Beth knew that it took a special kind of courage to look death in the face and befriend the owner of its mask. During the previous month, Beth had started visiting Daavid; a seventeen-year-old orphan who was still a ward of court having been the subject of a Care Order to the Social Services Department.
With her husband Dermot having died from cancer and having had the condition diagnosed too late in its stage of progression, Beth had for some time decided to offer her voluntary services in this field. She would attend the hospital three afternoons weekly and would visit the teenage patients on the cancer ward who had terminal illnesses and had no chance of recovery.
While this type of close contact with the dying young grieved her immensely, Beth knew that it took a special kind of courage to look death in the face and befriend the owner of its mask. During the previous month, Beth had started visiting Daavid; a seventeen-year-old orphan who was still a ward of court having been the subject of a Care Order to the Social Services Department.
While Daavid's Care Order reached its natural expiry date at the end of November, 2002, the odds were that he'd die in care and would never know freedom again as we know it. It was the dire nature of his circumstances which attracted Beth to Daavid along with his name.
Here was a young man who'd never had the opportunity to sample life, and with so little to look forward to for the remainder of his life. There was no family to visit Daavid; nobody to be there and love him now or to mourn him at his passing. He was a handsome looking young man whom despite his terminal condition, looked to have enough life in him for two people.
His degree of isolation endeared Daavid to Beth like no other set of circumstances ever could and though she would visit a number of patients on the cancer ward, the rest of them had family and friends who visited regularly whereas Daavid only had Beth and an occasional visit from a Social Worker whose face changed so often that no meaningful rapport between him and them ever had the opportunity to develop.
Within a short space of time, Daavid and Beth had unknowingly grown ever more emotionally closer and physically dependent upon each other. Each time that Beth walked on the ward, Daavid would crank up his head from his pillow if he was having a rest in bed as soon as he discerned the approaching footsteps to be those of Beth's. There was rarely an occasion when Beth left that both the young man and older woman didn't feel an empty pain inside their stomachs as they briefly cuddled and said their farewells.
Here was a young man who'd never had the opportunity to sample life, and with so little to look forward to for the remainder of his life. There was no family to visit Daavid; nobody to be there and love him now or to mourn him at his passing. He was a handsome looking young man whom despite his terminal condition, looked to have enough life in him for two people.
His degree of isolation endeared Daavid to Beth like no other set of circumstances ever could and though she would visit a number of patients on the cancer ward, the rest of them had family and friends who visited regularly whereas Daavid only had Beth and an occasional visit from a Social Worker whose face changed so often that no meaningful rapport between him and them ever had the opportunity to develop.
Within a short space of time, Daavid and Beth had unknowingly grown ever more emotionally closer and physically dependent upon each other. Each time that Beth walked on the ward, Daavid would crank up his head from his pillow if he was having a rest in bed as soon as he discerned the approaching footsteps to be those of Beth's. There was rarely an occasion when Beth left that both the young man and older woman didn't feel an empty pain inside their stomachs as they briefly cuddled and said their farewells.
When November 10th arrived along with Daavid's 18th birthday, Beth visited him as arranged on the ward. For the previous two weeks Daavid had been in bed for most of the day as his condition had seemed to worsen. Beth arrived around 3 pm in the afternoon and gave him his birthday present, which she'd boxed up neatly and tied with a ribbon. He opened it to discover a small framed photograph which had recently been taken of him by Beth at his hospital bedside. He had frequently commented upon the other patients in the ward having cards and photographs on their locker tops while he had none.
After talking a while, Beth looked at Daavid and said, "You........ you know I love you lad as though you were my own. God help me, I tried hard not to love you, but it was futile. I'd like to give you a real birthday present; one that's good enough to take to your grave when the time comes. I'd like you to come home with me and.........to die from home with someone at hand who loves you and not in some bloody hospital ward with the smell of death constantly surrounding you. Will you come home with me, Daavid? Will you?"
Daavid looked into Beth's eyes and broke into tears. Unable to speak one word and being overcome with emotion he caressed her tightly and nodded 'Yes.'
After talking a while, Beth looked at Daavid and said, "You........ you know I love you lad as though you were my own. God help me, I tried hard not to love you, but it was futile. I'd like to give you a real birthday present; one that's good enough to take to your grave when the time comes. I'd like you to come home with me and.........to die from home with someone at hand who loves you and not in some bloody hospital ward with the smell of death constantly surrounding you. Will you come home with me, Daavid? Will you?"
Daavid looked into Beth's eyes and broke into tears. Unable to speak one word and being overcome with emotion he caressed her tightly and nodded 'Yes.'
XXXXX
While it took some persuading for the hospital to allow their terminally-ill patient home under the supervision of someone he'd known a matter of mere months, when it came to the stick and lift, being of majority age and no longer a ward of court or under the care of the Social Services Department, there was nothing that could be done to prevent it!
On the 2nd, December, 2002, Daavid and Beth arrived back inside number 14, William Street, Portlaw, where it was envisaged he'd spend his last month or so alive being cared for by Beth in more homely surroundings. After being in Beth's home for less than a week, Daavid asked Beth, "Where's the Christmas tree? We are having one aren't we? It doesn't feel like Christmas without the smell of a tree."
"To tell the truth, Daavid," Beth replied gingerly, "I don't normally do the Christmas thing or bother with a tree and such!"
On the 2nd, December, 2002, Daavid and Beth arrived back inside number 14, William Street, Portlaw, where it was envisaged he'd spend his last month or so alive being cared for by Beth in more homely surroundings. After being in Beth's home for less than a week, Daavid asked Beth, "Where's the Christmas tree? We are having one aren't we? It doesn't feel like Christmas without the smell of a tree."
"To tell the truth, Daavid," Beth replied gingerly, "I don't normally do the Christmas thing or bother with a tree and such!"
"What!" David exclaimed, adding, "I thought everyone did Christmas, Beth! You're kidding me surely, aren't you?"
Without going into detail, and no doubt mindful of the fact that it would be Daavid's last Christmas, there was simply no way she could dampen his expectations of a homely Christmas. Looking towards Daavid, Beth softly said, "Of course we'll have a tree to mark Christmas and your homecoming. How could we not?"
Daavid's face lit up as Beth spoke those words he longed to hear and before the day was out, provisional arrangements had been made to have one delivered by the middle of next week. "No way!" Daavid replied, adding, "I want us to pick it out together from the pine forest outside Waterford and not have someone else do it for us!" Beth relented and agreed to the revision of her plans.
Without going into detail, and no doubt mindful of the fact that it would be Daavid's last Christmas, there was simply no way she could dampen his expectations of a homely Christmas. Looking towards Daavid, Beth softly said, "Of course we'll have a tree to mark Christmas and your homecoming. How could we not?"
Daavid's face lit up as Beth spoke those words he longed to hear and before the day was out, provisional arrangements had been made to have one delivered by the middle of next week. "No way!" Daavid replied, adding, "I want us to pick it out together from the pine forest outside Waterford and not have someone else do it for us!" Beth relented and agreed to the revision of her plans.
The following week, although he was showing signs of chestiness, Daavid insisted on accompanying Beth to the garden centre where they picked out a six foot tree and got one of the workers to carry it through for them and to arrange delivery. They called into the city centre on their way back where they purchased sufficient baubles and trimmings for the tree. By the time they arrived back in Portlaw, Daavid was becoming breathless with all the movement he was unused to and had a lay down on his bed and fell fast asleep.
Two day's later, Daavid had returned to the hospital as a day visitor to receive a check up. The consultant on the wing indicated that his condition hadn't worsened as anticipated, but warned him that his energy levels would become less and less as his time approached. Upon leaving the ward, Daavid picked up a soft star-shaped bauble that the cancer wards were giving away as presents to the families of their patients.
Two day's later, Daavid had returned to the hospital as a day visitor to receive a check up. The consultant on the wing indicated that his condition hadn't worsened as anticipated, but warned him that his energy levels would become less and less as his time approached. Upon leaving the ward, Daavid picked up a soft star-shaped bauble that the cancer wards were giving away as presents to the families of their patients.
Two days later as Beth and Daavid decorated the tree, Daavid took out the star he'd received from the cancer ward and asked Beth to place it on the spire. Then Beth lit the Christmas tree lights and stood back. Daavid noticed a tear in her eyes as she thought about her dearly departed husband Dermot and his love of Christmas. Looking towards Daavid, for a moment she pretended that he was the son they'd never had! Then she remembered that soon, he too would be dead and the grieving would start once more.
"Oh God, how can you be so cruel?" Beth lamented.
"Oh God, how can you be so cruel?" Beth lamented.
XXXXX
The people of Portlaw were initially astounded to see a Christmas tree lit up inside the front room of number 14, William Street; more so it seemed than witnessing their neighbour bring home a dying boy for Christmas from the local cancer hospital. It was the highlight of community gossip between Portlaw and Tipperary over the weeks to come. To even see her curtains drawn daily, to find the door unlocked if they visited or to see Beth out and about shopping in cheerful spirits during the run up to Christmas was a sight not seen before since she'd come to live in Portlaw. And when a taxi was ordered to take both her and Daavid up to 'St Patrick's' to attend the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, it seemed as though the transformation of no less than a Christmas miracle had taken place.
As Beth and Daavid knelt side by side in Mass that Christmas morning, a peace descended on them that warmed their very souls. It was also Beth's 60th birthday that Christmas day and as Daavid insisted it was to be properly celebrated, he persuaded Beth to take him to 'The Cornmill' where he would have his very first legal alcoholic beverage. Before they visited 'The Cornmill' Daavid gave Beth a small present he'd bought her. It was a bottle of Whiskey. She accepted his gift graciously and gave him hers; a woollen sweater to keep him warm.
"Time for a change of appearance," she said to Daavid. Beth went in the bathroom a brunette and half an hour later she emerged a blond.
"Wow!" exclaimed Daavid as he could hardly believe the transformation that could be obtained out of one small bottle of dye.
Beth accompanied Daavid to the Pub and pushed him there in a wheelchair as he hadn't the strength to walk. "What will you have to drink?" he asked Beth.
As Beth and Daavid knelt side by side in Mass that Christmas morning, a peace descended on them that warmed their very souls. It was also Beth's 60th birthday that Christmas day and as Daavid insisted it was to be properly celebrated, he persuaded Beth to take him to 'The Cornmill' where he would have his very first legal alcoholic beverage. Before they visited 'The Cornmill' Daavid gave Beth a small present he'd bought her. It was a bottle of Whiskey. She accepted his gift graciously and gave him hers; a woollen sweater to keep him warm.
"Time for a change of appearance," she said to Daavid. Beth went in the bathroom a brunette and half an hour later she emerged a blond.
"Wow!" exclaimed Daavid as he could hardly believe the transformation that could be obtained out of one small bottle of dye.
Beth accompanied Daavid to the Pub and pushed him there in a wheelchair as he hadn't the strength to walk. "What will you have to drink?" he asked Beth.
"A tonic water with ice and lemon will be sufficient for me, Daavid," she replied smilingly, "I don't drink alcohol anymore as I'm an alcoholic."
Daavid started to apologise for the inappropriateness of his present, but Beth said, "You weren't to know. How were you. No......I'll put the bottle in the cabinet and it will serve to remind me what I used to be."
Two hours later, Daavid was showing signs of extreme fatigue and Beth wheeled him back home. After Beth made the two of them a hot cup of tea and stoked up the fire, Daavid said, "This is the best Christmas I can remember ever having, Beth. The very best Christmas ever. Thank you so much for being there when I most needed someone. I don't know what I would have done without you."
Beth said nothing. She kissed Daavid as would any loving mother have kissed her son and assisted him to bed.
Daavid started to apologise for the inappropriateness of his present, but Beth said, "You weren't to know. How were you. No......I'll put the bottle in the cabinet and it will serve to remind me what I used to be."
Two hours later, Daavid was showing signs of extreme fatigue and Beth wheeled him back home. After Beth made the two of them a hot cup of tea and stoked up the fire, Daavid said, "This is the best Christmas I can remember ever having, Beth. The very best Christmas ever. Thank you so much for being there when I most needed someone. I don't know what I would have done without you."
Beth said nothing. She kissed Daavid as would any loving mother have kissed her son and assisted him to bed.
During the early hours of Boxing Day morning, Beth became aware of movement in Daavid's bed. She heard a loud groan and immediately went to him. Looking at her, he knew that his end was nigh and he asked her to cuddle him. Beth lay on the top of his bed and cradled him as she cried silent tears. The couple eventually fell asleep and when the morning broke and Beth opened her eyes, she could sense that Daavid had died in his sleep, with her arms still around him.
For reasons she knew not, other than she wanted to, Beth continued to cuddle her adopted son tightly as she allowed herself to weep profusely. Though it would be over one week and January 2nd, 2003 before David was buried in 'St Michael's Roman Catholic Church' at the top of the hill, Beth wouldn't dream of sending his coffin off to the funeral parlour until the day before the burial. Instead, Daavid's body was bathed and dressed for burial in Beth's front parlour, where anyone in the village who wished, could visit him and pay their last respects.
For reasons she knew not, other than she wanted to, Beth continued to cuddle her adopted son tightly as she allowed herself to weep profusely. Though it would be over one week and January 2nd, 2003 before David was buried in 'St Michael's Roman Catholic Church' at the top of the hill, Beth wouldn't dream of sending his coffin off to the funeral parlour until the day before the burial. Instead, Daavid's body was bathed and dressed for burial in Beth's front parlour, where anyone in the village who wished, could visit him and pay their last respects.
Strange though it seemed to many a villager who'd been previously accustomed to not having the widow acknowledge Christmas, let alone celebrate it, they much preferred her current behaviour to that of her past. Between Daavid's death and being taken to the funeral parlour the night before his burial, his coffin rested in the lounge which still remained decked in seasonal trimmings. Even the Christmas tree remained lit up all day long and throughout the night. Up on high, the red felt star looked down upon Daavid from the tree spire while outside in the moonlit sky, Beth's Christmas star which had returned to her this Christmas time shone down brightly over her house.
Before Daavid was taken to the funeral parlour, Beth took his felt star down from the tree spire and placed it inside his coffin and kissed him for a final time before the coffin lid was sealed. As she touched his cold face tenderly she wept and felt emptier than she had felt in many years and yet she was so grateful that he had come into her life; however briefly.
Before Daavid was taken to the funeral parlour, Beth took his felt star down from the tree spire and placed it inside his coffin and kissed him for a final time before the coffin lid was sealed. As she touched his cold face tenderly she wept and felt emptier than she had felt in many years and yet she was so grateful that he had come into her life; however briefly.
