I heard the grunt behind me and turned from the larder; my sister stood at the counter looking at her hand. I stared as she raised it up, showing the skewer which had passed right through the palm of it.
"Urgh Rich, I've had an accident," she said softly, her face draining from light tan to white.
I walked over carefully and put my glass down, Holding her hand at the wrist, I inspected the mess. Blood was slowly oozing out of the wound, I raised her arm higher, and pulled her other hand over. Getting her to cup her elbow to keep the hand higher, I steered her to a chair in the lounge. Returning to the kitchen I grabbed a clean tea towel and went back to Jen, gently wrapping it round her hand to keep it clean and sop up the blood.
I dialed the emergency number and calmly asked the operator for an ambulance, then told their control centre the details. Finishing the call I dialed Dad and told him what had happened, he said he'd pick Mum up and head for the hospital if needed or else he'd bring her home. I then phoned Mum, who reacted calmly and said she and Dad would be at the hospital or home as soon as possible, once I let them know what was happening.
I heard the siren outside and then braking, followed by a knock at the door. The paramedics examined Jen's wound and decided she needed to go to hospital, as I feared. We all trooped out to the ambulance, Jen in a wheelchair and holding her arm up. The Paramedics had decided that it would be best if the Hospital dealt with the wound and merely recovered the wound with the tea towel.
I phoned Dad from the ambulance and we sped off to the Royal Free Hospital Accident and Emergency Unit. One paramedic drove as the other called in the details. He finished and patted Jen's shoulder, she smiled wanly and freed her good hand to hold mine, I squeezed it slightly and she mouthed "Thank you".
"No problem Jen, you'd do the same for me," I said and held her good hand a little tighter.
At A&E she was taken in and hustled into a cubicle, transferred to the bed and I sat beside her in the only chair. Seconds later Mum and Dad parted the curtains and came in. I stood to allow Mum to sit. After they had kissed us both they wanted details, so I told the story.
As I finished a large black man with a big smile came in and introduced himself as Dr Objumo . He must have been about six feet eight and had a white coat on and a stethoscope round his neck. He used his big powerful hands to gently remove the tea towel and hold Jen's hand out. Mum went white and I sat her back in the chair. Dad humphed and looked down at the floor. Dr Objumo asked everyone to leave as it was a bit crowded and we gratefully decamped to the waiting area.
Forty minutes later Dr Objumo wheeled Jen out and grinned as we stood to see her. She had a huge white bandage on her hand, like a brand new oven glove. She was perky and smiling. Dr Objumo accepted our thanks then handed me the tea towel congratulating me on improvising a clean dressing so quickly.
"It's funny," he said, "never seen a kebab like it, mushroom, pepper, hand". He then produced the skewer from his pocket and gave it to Jen. "Please be more careful young lady, much as it's good to meet you, I hope our future meetings are rare occasions." He patted her shoulder and walked off.
We clustered round Jen and then walked back to the car park wheeling her in the chair. We got Jen in the car and I took the chair back to Reception. We drove home as Jen told us how they had numbed her hand then withdrawn the skewer, then cleaned the wound, X-rayed it and then dressed it. She had, by a miracle missed anything vital, so when it healed, she ought to have full movement. There'd be a nasty scar but they felt full mobility was certain.
We decided to eat out that night, the unprepared meal dumped in the waste bin. Jen had a salad, Mum, Dad and I settled for beer battered fish and chips. We had a glass of wine and after a coffee went home.
Jen was tired and wanted to go to bed, so Mum went to help her out. Dad and I decided to watch the telly for a while. Eventually about eleven I was losing the battle and decided to go to bed, as I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Friday morning came and before I knew it Mum and Dad had gone to work and Jen was still asleep. I called her workplace and explained to her colleague what had happened and that she wouldn't be in for at least a couple of days. He was ok about it and asked me to pass on everyones good wishes and that they hoped to see her soon. I had no lectures that day so I was free clear to help Jen.
Just then she appeared in the kitchen, wearing a short nightdress that just about covered her upper thighs, her small frame pressing against the thin material. She smiled and sat at the counter.
"Tea or Coffee?" I asked rubbing her back.
"Tea please Rich," she kissed my arm and rubbed her face against my chest.
I made tea and popped the mug in front of her, she grinned and reached for it, double taking as her huge bandaged hand met the cup, laughing she switched hands. Holding the cup awkwardly she sipped and sighed.
"Thanks Rich, that's lovely and thanks for looking after me yesterday, I owe you."
"No problem Jen, after all what are younger brothers for."
"Yeah, just there to pick up their daffy older sisters when they trip up. What an idiot I was, I can't believe I was that stupid."
"Hey accidents happen, no worries, the Doc says you'll be fine, but I won't be able to eat kebabs for a while, know what I mean?"
"Yuk, yeah, too much meat, Huh?" We laughed and I sat next to her.
"Okay I phoned your office and spoke to Mal? He said he'd pass it on and to tell you that everyone says get well soon."
"Oh that was nice, thanks Rich, aren't you going to be late for College though?"
"Tuesday is a free day, no lectures or library time, all the boys and girls are off and away, I'm a free agent."
"Okay have you had breakfast yet?"
"No I was going to have cereal and toast, what about you?"
"Sounds good, but can you do mine, I'm a bit useless at the moment." she held her hand up and sighed.
I fixed breakfast and we ate in silence, finishing I cleared away. Jen got up and then stopped. she turned back and reddened.
"Rich, I need to wash and dress, but..." She halted and blushed deep red. I twigged straight away.
"Oh shit, you can't do it yourself can you?
"I can clean my teeth, but that's about it, oh I can just about wipe myself if I use the loo," She grinned.
"That's kinda funny Jen, but embarrassing, Mums not here, so I reckon you have two choices, three actually."
I raised three fingers, then tapped each one as I spoke.
"One, stay in your nightie all day; two, wait for Mum and get her to sort you out, which is also part of one. Three I help you, but that may not be an option you'd favour."
"I don't want to spend all day like this, but asking you seems a bit too, well not unpleasant, but it's not an ask you might be happy with."
"You're kidding right, my sexy as hell older sister is going to let me wash and dress her, every perverts dream," I mugged "Dirty old Man" and rubbed my hands.
Jen laughed and came and hugged me.
"Stop it you twit, you're not a perver; are you?" she raised an eyebrow and studied me.
I blushed and looked her in the eye.
"Truth?"
"Truth," she nodded.
