Oishi's Copper Christmas

Dropping the washing into the sink to soak, she yearned for her bed, but first a shower... She walked into the lounge to find another string of lights on the floor, flashing to guide her to her bedroom. Thin red handkerchiefs hung over her bedside lamps, throwing a red glow over the room.

The bump curled up under her duvet and the clothes folded on her chair showed Oishi was still there. A muffled snore confirmed she was asleep.

Debbie chuckled and went to her bathroom to find hanging on the shower door a new bathrobe, far better than her thin threadbare current one. Tied to the robe was a Christmas tree-shaped label, written on the reverse was

'Merry Christmas. Looking forward to the New Year xx'.

It wasn't long before Debbie slipped exhausted and naked into bed, falling asleep before her head even touched the pillow.

Debbie woke in the early hours, fearing Oishi had already gone. Reaching out with her hand, she felt her, so slid up behind her, finding her body clad in lingerie and a corset. Listening to her shallow breathing, Debbie drifted back off to sleep, nuzzling her hair, and breathing in her perfume.

Oishi had a fitful sleep until she drowsily felt Debbie spooning her, feeling her warm, small hand on her breast and her breath on her neck. Oishi's alarm woke both women, although Oishi was quick to rise, standing in her red stockings and corset, ruffling her hair, as Debbie yearned for her to return to bed.

"Don't go... It's too early. Come back to bed lovely."

"You know I can't. My brothers dropped his kids off at mum's and they expect me to babysit all of them."

Oishi loathed her brothers for perpetuating their grandparent's legacy, as their boys exhibited the same patriarchal traits.

"Awe... It's not fair... I need you."

Oishi's heart broke as she slipped on her clothes, kissed Debbie on her cheek and left her sleeping. She quietly closed the front door behind her and headed down to Trevor, waiting in his taxi, taking her home to change. Later, the two lovers exchanged texts, both apologising and both feeling guilty.

The two continued trading texts like crush smitten teenagers. Often teasing what they would like to do with each other once alone. They both looked forward to their planned break in January, planning activities during the day and night.

Christmas Eve arrived as the lover's last opportunity to meet departed. Oishi had been busy all day with a big business party, which was taking over the Bombay Palace, requiring Oishi's full attention. It included local councillors and business leaders that she needed to impress with her hospitality.

Oishi played her commanding role in full Sari as a figurehead of local trade associations and entrepreneurs. In the late evening, her phone rang unexpectedly. She now noticed several missed texts and calls from her manager of the Taj Mahal, but seeing it was now Trevor, her trusted taxi driver calling, she moved into a more discrete area to answer it.

"Oishi, Trev here. You need to go to the Taj. There's been a fight inside and the police are everywhere. There's a report of a stabbing."

"Thanks, Trevor; I'll be able to run across there. If you aren't already here at the Bombay, meet me at the Taj."

Oishi found her headwaiter and explained her pending absence. She walked elegantly out of the Bombay Palace, where she could see blue emergency service lights flashing off the buildings in the distance and hear sirens wailing.

An ambulance tore past on the main road, heading towards that part of town. Oishi followed the ambulance, jogging through the mingling crowds the short distance to the Taj Mahal. Each step closer increased Oishi's concern for the safety of her staff.

As she jogged around the corner, she met a crowd of people, standing at police tape stretched across the road cordoning the street off. Police cars and vans filled the road, whilst the Police were keeping the public at bay as other officers hurried in and out of her business premises. Oishi ducked under the tape to talk with a police sergeant she knew.

"I'm sorry, Oishi, you can't enter the building."

He sternly blocked her way.

"What about my staff?"

"All safe. Over there giving statements."

The sergeant pointed across the road, where her staff stood huddled together, being spoken to by several police officers.

"Why the ambulance?"

Oishi hoped it was only precautionary, but she couldn't see any paramedics, so they must be inside.

"One of ours I'm afraid. The paramedics are working on her now before they bring her out."

Oishi froze, "Her?"

The sergeant nodded. She looked around, searching for Debbie, but only recognised Police Officer Williams speaking with a senior officer. She looked horrified, more so when she glanced around and saw Oishi. The two Police Officers entered a heated discussion. Officer Williams pointed to Oishi and the senior officer shook his head. There was something he didn't want Oishi to know, making her very anxious.

The sergeant gripped Oishi's wrist, keeping her from walking further. Paramedics emerged from the Taj Mahal's doorway wheeling a stretcher carrying a backpack and a drip, with tubes and wires dangling down to the body on the stretcher.

Oishi oddly felt relieved that whilst they had recently widened the old property's door for wheelchair access, they had never considered that it also facilitated the easier removal of a patient on a stretcher.

Restraints held the patient on the stretcher. A standard red blanket kept the patient warm, but a neck and head brace, coupled with an oxygen mask, obscured her face. The patient's arm rested across their body, where a tube entered her arm.

The patient's height, build, shoes, small hand, diver's wristwatch and blood-splattered short, white hair gave Oishi enough information to recognise the patient.

"Debbie," Oishi screamed.

Oishi flicked her arm, wrenching her wrist free from the sergeant, who relaxed his grip in surprise, allowing Oishi to rush forward towards the stretcher. Reaching the stretcher and paramedics to walk alongside, Oishi looked down at an unconscious Debbie, feeling useless, unable to help in any way, not willing to hear the voices telling her she couldn't be there.

All she could focus on was Debbie, eyes closed, mask on and tubes taped into her. Hands held Oishi back until Debbie was inside the ambulance and the doors closed. The paramedics remained inside with her, without the ambulance moving, as they stabilised Debbie.

Calming down, Oishi took notice of the surrounding voices. She overheard Officer Williams explain to the senior Police officer that Oishi was Debbie's Partner.

"How do you know that?" Oishi asked in shock.

"I saw the way you both looked at each other in your house and her car was still outside your house in the morning. The night when we finished the surveillance, we had a fracas in the town centre. The following day I had to review the close circuit TV, to see you both leaving the Bombay Palace together in the background."

"What happened?" Oishi asked her, with her voice breaking.

The senior officer stepped forward and addressed Officer Williams.

"Officer Williams, you're not to say anything whilst you are under investigation and removed from duty. You need to return home until further notice."

"Mrs Singh, umm your relationship with our officer will remain confidential," He calmly told Oishi. "We were called to an argument between diners that escalated. Unfortunately, they targeted the officer who received possible life-threatening wounds. We need to be discreet here, Mrs Singh."

Oishi's mind raced with questions:

'How did he know her surname, and how dare he talk to her as if he was on the six o'clock news?

"Fuck discreet, you're saying Debbie could die?"

"Possible life-threatening injuries, we don't know for certain," He replied, his calmness infuriating Oishi.

The ambulance siren pierced the air, warning of its departure. Oishi almost went to follow it on foot.

"Where are they taking her?"

"St Bartholomew's Hospital, I would expect."

Oishi couldn't bear to be with this man, so strode over to her staff, which were still in a group. Talking with them, she tried to sound concerned and offer support, but couldn't help asking about the stabbing of the officer. Slowly, she pieced together the story.

A jilted lover confronted a dining couple and started an argument that became a brawl. Three officers entered to calm the situation, but two retreated against an onslaught of glasses and bottle missiles. Whilst one ran to hide behind the bar and remained isolated.

The original two regrouped at the entrance door. A third, younger officer entered and encouraged the two to move forward to protect the staff that had joined the isolated officer behind the bar.

As they gained control and calmed the situation, the new officer, who had taken charge, had her back to the washrooms. The original jilted lover emerged from the toilets, throwing himself onto the vulnerable officer. He knocked her to the floor, whilst stabbing her multiple times before they overpowered him.

A voice came out of the shadows behind the group of staff, "Oishi, it was me... Debbie returned to rescue me... I panicked. I ignored our training and ran to hide behind the bar... I never warned them about the man hiding in the gents. It's all my fault."

Oishi could see officer Williams, now without her fluorescent vest, hiding in the shadows, tears streaking down her face.

"I'm going to St. Bartholomew's to see her."

"You can't, they will only allow family members to visit as she'll be in E.R. then intensive care," Officer Williams stated.

"Then, you'll have to come with me and convince them to allow me to see her."

Oishi pulled out her phone and asked Trevor to bring his car round to meet Oishi down a side road. This would save either of them from crossing the incident tapes again and risk her superior seeing her. Oishi then spoke to the manager of the Taj, agreeing on a course of action for the night.

A pair of car lights announced Trevor's arrival. Oishi and Officer Williams got in the car for the journey to the hospital. At the hospital, they confirmed Debbie was in the emergency ward. Once stable, they will transfer her to intensive care for the night, but they could only allow family members to visit.

Officer Williams spoke with the nursing staff, and they relented. Oishi had to scrub up, wearing a gown, hair cap, and mask to be allowed to wait in the intensive care ward. Debbie was still in emergency, but Oishi could wait in the bay reserved for Debbie.

After an hour, Oishi saw nurses pushing a gurney, carrying machines, tubes, drips, and Debbie. They transferred Debbie and her life support to the enormous bed with side barriers. A doctor arrived and explained that whilst her stab vest had done its job, she had still received minor cuts, requiring stitches. The blow to her head was of more concern to them, and they wanted to keep her under observation.

Oishi sat in a chair holding Debbie's right hand, listening to the beeps and buzzes of the machines, confirming Debbie's life continued. Oishi had remained sitting in the chair holding Debbie's right hand, only dropping off to sleep exhausted in small doses. Nurses tiptoed in and out, keeping a check on the machines monitoring Debbie.

Between bouts of sleep, Oishi reflected on their last liaison. Where she left Debbie in bed, unable to bid her a proper farewell, leaving her lover, for Oishi to live her lie, with a family she despised and didn't deserve her.

Guilt racked through her as she realised how her life had changed since meeting Debbie and how much Debbie now meant to her.

She loved how her heart jumped whenever her phone announced a message from Debbie. With them both giving and receiving innocuous texts, sharing silly nuances about their lives.

How her eyes now searched any group of fluorescent vests yearning to glimpse her lover.

Any rendezvous agreement created a barrage of loving texts between them, which always brought her joy, rather than a mere alignment of calendars, like arranging a business meeting.

Above all, Debbie had shared with her an enormous commitment, a symbol of family, love and trust... She had given her the key to her apartment. A key that gave her the freedom to enter Debbie's private refuge, her castle, possibly the most symbolic object someone could share.

Oishi thought about how this was, how people experienced life and love, not what she was used to. Debbie had opened up, sharing her life with her as lovers and close friends. Those evenings sat, feet up, on her sofa were far more enjoyable and more rewarding than any long weekend in a spa.

Something that Oishi had failed to provide for Debbie, keeping her at an emotional arm's length... Only showing Debbie glimpses of Oishi's life and private self.

Christmas is supposed to be a time for families, to be together, to be happy and unified, not tiptoeing between commitments and lies. For years Christmas had lost its magic for Oishi and this year it seemed no different, kicking her in the ass to remind her of that loss. She needed to free herself from the shackles of her biggest, oldest deception and face the truth. Her life needed to change.

The only person, providing her with the love and commitment, that only family brings is Debbie. She is the closest thing to family Oishi has and she needed to face up to that and create a new reality, one that will make them both happy. She needed to put herself and her lover first.

In the early hours of the morning after these bouts of reflection, Oishi's mind went into overdrive, planning how to start her new lease on life.

At the changeover of shift at six, the new nurses offered Oishi a cup of tea, recognising who she was, as they often ate at her establishments. Whilst sympathetic, they warned her that Debbie's mother was outside demanding to be told the instant Debbie awoke. Oishi would need her parent's permission to remain once they knew of her presence there.

Oishi noticed the machine's beeps and buzzes were increasing. She looked up to see the electronic lines streaking across the screen rise. Debbie's eyelids showed the movement of retinas beneath them.

"Debs... It's me, Oishi... I'm here," Oishi whispered, clasping her hand.

Debbie's eyelids fluttered, as her eyes adjusted to the light. Her eyes searched to find Oishi and a weak smile showed through the mask and tubes. A nurse rushed in, checked on the computer screens and smiled.

"Debbie, it's okay, you're in the hospital, and you've been through a lot. You need rest."

The nurse told her, turning to smile at Oishi.

"She's looking very strong after what she's been through, but don't let her tire herself out."

"Hi Debs, lovely, you heard the nurse. You were in surgery having stitches and the doctors said you'll be fine after a lot of rest. Don't speak, it's okay, I'm here..."

Oishi had never felt so useless before. Debbie's situation was beyond her control. There was nothing she could do except be there for her.

Oishi had a one-sided conversation, trying to be as normal as possible, talking about anything and everything. The doctor had said that Debbie may not remember everything at first, so Oishi kept the conversation about things they had done together.

A nurse poked her head around the partition corner, looking worried.

"I'm sorry, but her mother is causing a stink up at the front desk. They won't let her in until you leave. So I am afraid you will have to leave with me."

Debbie heard and gripped Oishi's hand, not wanting her to go, or to receive her mother. Oishi reassured her, promising to return as soon as she could.

Walking back with the nurse, Oishi could see an older woman with her husband. She was scrubbing up and refusing to put a surgical gown or hat on. Her husband looked resigned to the commotion.

"What are you doing here?" Debbie's mother demanded of Oishi, even though they had never met before, "You're not a nurse or family."

"Now Margaret, stop causing a fuss, we've only just arrived," her husband tried to placate her.

"No, Fred, I won't. Debbie's cleaner is keeping me from seeing my daughter," Margaret glared at Oishi. "Oh yes, I know all about you. Gladys, at number thirty, has told me all about the cleaner Debbie's employed, so she doesn't have to do any genuine work."

Oishi was as shocked as were the nurses at the desk.

"Margaret, stop it NOW." Her husband insisted, turning to Oishi, holding his hand out to shake hers.

"I'm really sorry about Margaret; I'm Fred, Debbie's dad."

He blushed with embarrassment as he shook Oishi's hand.

"I'm Mrs Oishi Singh, the owner of the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant. I assure you I have no intention of keeping you from your daughter's side."

Before any nurses could stop her, Margaret stormed past everyone shouting, "Some restaurant owner, having to clean other people's houses to pay her way."

A nurse dashed after her, all present around Oishi glanced around in horror, leaving Fred to stammer and stutter an apology as the nurse explained Oishi had come in with Debbie's ambulance and had sat by her side all night.

Fred looked questioningly, then a bright spark lit in his eyes and he exclaimed, "Oh... Debbie told me she had a new partner, but she never said who."

All the nurses seemed to melt away, finding little chores that needed doing, pretending they hadn't heard the comment.

"Ahem, Fred... Hi... It's nice to meet you. Debbie has told me a lot about you."

Oishi stammered, as the lack of sleep, and the emotion of the night caught up with her. Her eyes filled with tears and she felt the blood drain from her. She dropped to sit on a vacated chair.

"I'm sorry... It's been a long night. But she's okay."

"Oh, no, that's okay. Sit there for a bit... Don't worry Debbie tells me more than she tells her mother. If you've been here all night, how would you like to come for a coffee? Margaret will bend poor Debbie's ears for an hour or more, especially as she can't talk back."

Oishi nodded, removed all the PPE and walked with Fred to find the hospital cafe. It seemed Debbie took after her father. As an ex-police officer himself, he was calm and knew far more than he let on.

Oishi explained what she knew of the evening's events, but left out Officer Williams' confession. Fred profusely apologised again about his wife's rudeness over the confusion of Oishi being Debbie's cleaner and brought her coffee and a pastry for breakfast.

Fred and Oishi chatted over their coffees. Oishi's husband Ran rang her. Whilst at home he was aware of events and knowing Oishi's relationship with Debbie, he'd spoken to the surgeon who worked on Debbie and gave Oishi his medical opinion. She will be okay, but they will need to monitor her for a few days over her head trauma. Before he rang off, Oishi told him they needed to talk, and she'd be home later.

Oishi passed the news onto Fred.

"Ahh... That's the GP Dr Singh then?" Fred asked as his mind whirred and added two plus two...

"So you're his wife, and that's why Debbie was candid about her affair."

Fred's words stung a little. After her epiphany overnight, Oishi realised she was the 'black widow, married woman', despised in any film, book or play, encouraging her to implement her changes.

"Yes, and I appreciate it remaining hush-hush... For all three of us."

Fred nodded, understanding the implication that Dr Singh knew of his wife's relationship with Debbie and therefore this was not just a simple extramarital affair.

"Oh... Ah... yes, of course, mum's the word... Well, maybe not in this case as it is best kept away from mother," Fred joked.

After a pause, he continued, "Like any parent, I don't want to see my daughter hurt, physically or emotionally... Although, Debbie is an adult and can make her own decisions... But, saying that, she has been very happy these last few weeks... Give me your mobile number, so I can feed you inside information to keep you and Margaret apart in the future."