2.37pm

2.37pm, Cariad lay staring at the ceiling wondering if to close the window; it was that age old dilemma, if she shut the window she would roast like a slow cooked joint basted in her own sweat. But, with the window open, the lightest breeze brought with it not only some blessed relief from the heat but also the noise of a town quite reasonably going about its business, unintentionally keeping her wide awake on this boiling, August afternoon. The heavy curtains she'd invested in could keep out the light but they couldn't drown out the noise. She wondered if that was a Dragon’s Den idea she could invent to make her fortune. Cariad closed her eyes trying to summon sleep again, but her mind’s eye played pictures to accompany the noises; the kids swarming like ants over the playground attractions while mothers kept half an eye on their loved ones and swapped recipes, remedies and rumour. A car engine chugged the driver waiting for a passenger, letting the engine tick over. Another car jumped to life with a brisk brmm. Dogs sniffing each other and exchanging barks while old ladies talked about last night's soaps, their words falling on deaf ears. 
Cariad sighed, her body wasn’t used to nights yet and so she felt like she had jet lag; wide-awake when she should have been fast asleep.  She knew in the kitchen there was the solution; strong sleeping pills that she knew from experience would knock her out in a second, she’d be dead to the world nothing would rouse her. But she also knew from experience that those pills made her dopey all night when she was meant to be awake. Another dilemma! But she had to sleep so she’d take the pills. She threw the duvet off her, wrapped a dressing gown around her naked body and headed into the kitchen.

A screech of brakes, a yelled warning, a scream of pain, a cry of despair, a sob of anguish, the gentle afternoon sounds had turned to terror. Cariad didn’t even look out of her window, she dropped the pill, put down the glass of water and bolted out of the door and in to the street. There was a child laying next to a car, a ball lay in the kerb, a driver stood aimlessly while a mother wailed. Cariad fell to the floor, ‘I’m a doctor’ she yelled before checking the child was alive and then looking around for help.

‘You’ she yelled at a startled onlooker. ‘Here! now!’

The woman did as she was told.
‘Lie there. Hold the head and neck. Keep her still. Try not to move a muscle, yours or hers.’

The onlooker obliged, laying on the tarmac and holding the girl’s head. ‘And talk to her, keep her conscious.’

The tarmac was warm on Cariad’s skin. She was naked beneath the gown and blushed slightly as she realised she might be revealing more than just her medical skills to the onlookers. No time for that. She worked on the child; gently but surely her expert hands making sure the child would survive until the paramedics arrived. To be honest she’d done all she could, stability was the most important thing, but Cariad knew that the mother would feel better if the doctor looked busy. She could hear the wailing of the mother and the wailing sirens. Help was at hand!

Cariad briefed the medics and then let them take over, she checked the driver was okay, and then slipped away, heading back inside, thanking a god she didn’t believe in that she hadn’t taken those pills. She flopped onto the bed and as  a reward for her work she fell into deeply delicious sleep.