My friend Janet

My home is in the beautiful village of Kinsdale in the county of Kent . It is a quaint 300 year old cottage with a thatched roof . I had fallen in love with the cottage when I had moved into the area ten years ago when I moved down to Kent from Scotland. Outside the cottage there is a red climbing rose which has reached almost to the top of the roof. I looked up at it and thought to myself  how wonderful it looked in the morning sunshine.”It looks particularly pretty today” I said to myself as I walked back inside the cottage.

I walked over to the coffee table to answer the phone, when I heard my neighbour call out to me . Janet and I had become best friends and we had often met up in town for a coffee and a chat. “Diane, are you there?” I heard her voice call out to me. I walked over to see my neighbour was standing outside my door looking really worried. “Hello Janet, What ‘s the matter? I asked.” Its John, he has had a bad accident on the way to work and has come off  his bike.  The police have just called me and have informed me that he is in hospital. He is not too badly injured so they told me not to worry too much” “Don’t worry I am sure he is going to be fine” I said, trying to reassure her. I can run you over to the hospital if you like” “Thank you Diane that is very kind of you” she replied fighting to hold back tears.

When we arrived at the hospital we were shown to the accident and emergency room. We were informed that John had been moved to the intensive care unit as his injuries were very severe. We followed the sister  and were led over to the bed were John was laying. I told Janet that I would wait outside for her so she could  spend some time with him. After what seemed like an eternity she came back outside.” Diane he’s gone. They  have done all they could for him but they were unable to save him”. With that she burst into tears and began to sob uncontrollably.” It’s okay you will be alright” I replied trying to comfort her. After we had sorted out the formalities with the hospital and they had taken John away, I took Janet back home.

Janet had never had children so now she would be on her own, she had lost her mother last year from cancer, but she is going to be fine she was that type of person I told myself. Even when John had worked long hours in the past she had  never complained about being on her own,  she just accepted things the way they were so I new she would be alright.

When I saw Janet a few days later she looked so sad. I asked her how she was but she did not answer. The next time I see her I will ask if she would like to come in for a coffee, I thought to myself, but I was never to see Janet again.

The following morning Janet was found dead in bed by another neighbour who had called in to see if she was okay.

Now every time I look outside and see the beautiful roses that Janet had brought me all those years ago, I think of my best friend and smile. Now my only regret is that I wish  that I had spent more precious time with her.