‘Where was Frank had he gone into the living room did you think you had stabbed him then?’
Amelia ‘No I had put the knife down and I was just about to gesture to Vivian to come into the kitchen so that we could all go out the back door.’
Norm ‘But you said before that Frank had staggered into the living room, surely you must have realised then that he was hurt?’
Amelia ‘No, Frank’s one of the best actors I’ve ever met, one day I accidentally tapped him across the mouth like this. I gestured a light smack across my cheek, mouth and nose, with three fingers honest to God you would have thought I’d planted a haymaker on his face. He’d often over dramatize situations.’
Keith ‘When did you realise that he wasn’t acting?’
Amelia ‘Vivian ran into the kitchen and said ‘Quick, Mum, he’s bleeding’ and I said ‘Are you sure? Vivian said, ‘Yes, there’s blood everywhere, you’ve stabbed him, Mum.’
Heather and Claire came in screaming that he was bleeding and vomiting. I ran to the phone and started dialling triple zero. I told the kids to go downstairs and to stay out of the way. I got through to the operator, I didn’t know you had to speak to an operator and I just gave my name and address. She kept babbling, ‘What service do you want?’ and I said ‘Ambulance. Then Frank slammed his fist on the phone and disconnected the call.
Norm ‘What happened then?’
Amelia ‘I had to struggle to get the receiver off him and I then had to force his hand off the cradle of the phone. He was bearing down as if he was on the toilet and the blood was spurting everywhere. I said, ‘For Christ’s sake you fool, lie down on the floor or you’ll bleed to death. The stupid bastard stood there laughing. He was obviously in great pain, but then he pushed his fingers into the wound as if he was trying to make himself bleed more then he said, ‘I’ll show you how good I am.’ and he picked up his glass of beer and swallowed every drop.
Norm and Keith’s mouths were agape and they both shook their heads in disbelief.
Amelia ‘By this time I was dialling again he tried to stop me but he ended up sliding down and he lay on the floor. The operator answered again and I had to give her a full explanation why I had hung up. The stupid bitch wasn’t going to put me through to the ambulance for a minute she told me that I was a crank call. Then I rang Dad and told him to hurry up here.
Norm What time did you stab him?’
Amelia ‘I don’t know, I wouldn’t have a clue, what’s the time now?’
Keith ‘Ten to five.’
Amelia ‘God I honestly don’t know. You’d have to check with the operator, she’d have to register the time she got the calls, wouldn’t she? It was only a minute or so before I rang her the first time. Then it was at least another four minutes before I rang her again. It could have been two o’clock or half past, I just don’t know.’
Keith ‘What happened after you spoke to your father?’
Amelia ‘I was only talking long enough to tell him that I had stabbed Frank and that he was in a bad way, and that I had rung the ambulance. He said that he was on his way and I hung up. I turned to Frank who was lying in a straight line directly behind me. I grabbed a cloth and started to mop his brow but he told me to piss off. I told him not to be so stupid and he said, ‘If you want to do something for me pour me a beer.’
Norm (in a disbelieving tone0 ‘He said what?’
I nodded in disgust.
Amelia ‘Yeah, he asked me to pour him a beer can you beat that?’
Norm ‘Christ.’ turning to Keith he said to his partner, ‘You couldn’t beat that with a stick.’
Keith just shook his head in total disbelief.
Norm ‘What happened then?’
Amelia ‘I took his shoes off him and undid his belt and trousers I don’t know if I did the right thing or not. I remember reading somewhere that if a person is in distress to remove any tight-fitting garments. I couldn’t take his shirt or trousers off. I wouldn’t even try to. So, I just took his shoes off and I think I packed the tea towel under his head to sort of try and relieve the pain. I guess that was a bit dumb, but I was panicking. I get a bit confused when I panic.’ I shuddered as I remembered. ‘I know he was vomiting stale grog and bile and that made me almost vomit on him.’
Norm ‘How long did you have to wait for the ambulance?’
Amelia ‘Oh. It could have been five to seven minutes, but it seemed a hell of a lot longer.’
Norm ‘Who arrived first the ambulance or Gordon?’ Keith asked.
Amelia ‘They arrived together the police car was directly behind the ambulance. I couldn’t do any more for Frank, and besides, he kept telling me to piss off. So, I just paced up and down until I saw the Ambulance. I ran out to let them know which house to come to.’
Norm ‘When they came in, what did you do?’
Amelia ‘I showed them to the kitchen.’
Norm ‘Did you say anything to them?’
Amelia ‘Yes, I said, ‘I’ve stabbed my husband, he’s on the kitchen floor, you’d better hurry, I don’t think he’s going to pull through.’
Norm ‘Did you think he was dying?’
Amelia ‘God yes there was too much blood to be just a small nick.’
Norm ‘Did you go into the kitchen then?’
Amelia ‘No I stood in the doorway I didn’t want to be in their way.’
Norm ‘Where was Gordon?’
Amelia ‘He went over to Frank and said ‘How are you mate?’ and Frank abused him and told him to get out because it had nothing to do with the cops.’
Norm ‘He told Gordon that it had nothing to do with the cops?’
Amelia ‘Yes Frank said something like ‘It was an accident, I did it myself when I was cutting the ham, now piss off.’
Norm ‘Are you sure of that, Amelia?’
Amelia ‘I’m positive, you ask Gordon, because he came out of the kitchen into the living room and said, ‘He’s an aggressive little bugger, isn’t he?’
Norm ‘What happened then?’
Amelia ‘You two walked in then.’
Norm turned to Keith ‘I think we’d better get over to the hospital now, hey?’
Keith nodded and stood up. I looked at the two of them inquisitively and Norm told me that they’d take me to the hospital to find out what was happening. I gave them directions of a short cut to the hospital and I thought the drive over, was incredible. I still had difficulty accepting what was happening. I kept thinking on the journey, here I am, sitting in a car that’s identical to the one Frank and I own, chatting pleasantly to two men I had only met a couple of hours earlier. These men should be arresting me for stabbing my husband, but they’re not. Instead they’re talking and laughing with me as if we are old friends. Surely this can’t be reality.
Norm ‘Which school do the girls go to Amelia?’
Amelia