Please Release Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

‘Oh okay then. We’ll just have to start small. Maybe with redecorating this room and making it a fun place for the patients and families to hang out, eh?’
    Grace smiled. ‘That sounds like a plan. What do you need me to sort out before Saturday?’
    Harry pulled a notebook out of his back pocket. ‘I have a list.’
    Grace laughed. ‘You always do.’
    Sally tried to sniff. She had a nose, she knew she did. She breathed in. Nothing. There was no smell in the nothingness.
    Peter had said something about flowers. Smelling flowers. He’d said roses. Did she like roses? She was sure it wasn’t that. What did she like? In the comforting darkness, Sally thought of forget-me-nots. She liked forget-me-nots. Little sprays of blue. So, why did she tell Peter she liked roses? And then, out of the nothingness, a memory surfaced.
    ‘Look, Daddy, roses, aren’t they beautiful?’ Sally looked up. She was small. Her little fist clutched her father’s forefinger. There were people about. A market. ‘Mummy would love some roses Daddy. Shall we get her some?’
    Her father smiled down at her. He had a charming smile. Vivid green eyes and brown hair. Sally had inherited them both. ‘I’m not sure we can afford them, Princess.’
    ‘I’m sure we can Daddy. I’m sure we can.’ She pulled him towards the buckets set out at small child level on the floor.
    ‘How much are they?’ Her father asked the seller. When he heard the response, his face fell. Even from that angle, Sally could tell. He crouched down until he was level with her. ‘I’m sorry Princess, we can’t afford those.’
    She wanted them. She wanted her mummy to have the pretty flowers. She wanted to see the smile spread across her face when she came in from her cleaning job. Daddy would get her a cup of tea and she, Sally, would present her with a beautiful bunch of roses. And now that couldn’t happen. Daddy had ruined it all. Hot tears gathered. ‘You always say that!’ She stamped her foot and tried to pull away from his hand. ‘You never do anything nice for me and Mummy.’
    Her father pulled her closer to him and hugged her. ‘I know, sweetheart, I know. I’ve let you down.’ He held her, stroking her hair. ‘Tell you what, we’ll find some different flowers for Mummy on the way home, okay?’
    Eventually, Sally nodded. She wiped a little palm across her eyes and drew away from her Daddy. As he stood up, she thought his face was wet.
    Later, when Mummy came home, Sally was bursting to tell her what they’d found. She hurtled into Glenda as soon as she came in the door.
    ‘Hello darling,’ said Daddy, following his daughter out of the kitchen. He kissed his wife. ‘Sally, let Mummy get her coat off.’ He bent forward. ‘I’ll get Mummy into the living room, you go get the surprise.’
    Sally zoomed off into the kitchen. The posy of forget-me-nots was in a small glass, with one of Sally’s hair ribbons tied round it. It was in the middle of the table, Sally had to drag a chair across so that she could reach. Daddy came in and made a cup of tea. He set a tray, with tea and a small cake they’d bought. ‘Okay Sal? Ready?’
    Sally nodded and went into the living room where her mother was sitting in an armchair, rubbing her temples. ‘Happy Birthday Mummy.’ She presented her with the posy.
    ‘Oh Sally, they’re beautiful. Did you pick them? How lovely.’
    ‘We got them from the park. We would have got a gooder bunch, but the man came and shouted and we had to run away. It was such fun.’
    Her mother glanced up at her father. ‘Really? From the park? What an adventure.’
    ‘Happy Birthday darling.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’m sorry we couldn’t get you the special things you deserve. But …’
    Her mother gathered him and Sally to her. ‘I have all I need, right here.’ She kissed them both. Sally snuggled up on her lap. She looked up and caught the expression on her father’s face. Even at that age, she could