Page 19 of Prognosis So Done

There was another brief exchange. ‘Not for over a day now.’

Renal failure as well. ‘How old is he?’

Theire repeated the question to the distraught mother. ‘Six

months,’ she relayed back.

‘Why did she wait, Gill?’ whispered a distressed Harriet. ‘She waited at the end of the line. She should have brought him straight up.’

Gill gave her hand a squeeze. They both knew that it probably wouldn’t have made much difference. ‘Because that’s what these poor people do, they wait.’

‘His name, Theire? What’s his name?’ Harriet asked, turning to the interpreter, blinking back tears.

‘Nimuk.’

‘Stay here and finish up,’ said Gill as he stood, indicating for Theire and the mother to accompany him. ‘We’re nearly done. I’ll take him in to Kelly.’

‘Nimuk,’ Harriet said, handing the child over. ‘His name is

Nimuk.’

Her eyes burned with a fierce light, boring into his and Gill nodded as he scooped the dying baby from his wife’s arms. ‘Come on, Nimuk,’ he crooned. ‘Let’s get you seen to.’

He turned away but not before he saw a tear slide down Harriet’s cheek and the resignation in her gaze. Harriet knew Nimuk was dying, too, and there wasn’t a damn thing any of them could do about it.

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