by K. A. Hobbs
“I’ll see you in the morning. Thank you for letting me stay.”
I press a kiss above his heart and hear his sharp intake of breath. I step back and turn around and head upstairs to the guest bedroom. I close the door and rest my back against it. My heart was racing, why is it racing? I get changed into my pyjamas and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I come back out, Daniel is just walking into his room.
“Goodnight, Daniel.” I whisper.
“Goodnight, Katie.” he whispers back.
I slip into the bed and settle back into the pillows, I was right, the bed is comfortable. I fall asleep in minutes and I don’t wake up until morning. That hasn’t happened for months. I am making progress.
Chapter Seven
Before I know it, it’s Tuesday again and I’m working at the hospital with Daniel. My breath hitches a little when I walk in and see him. He is wearing a pair of tan chinos and a white t-shirt, but he looks like he just stepped off the runway. He is kneeling down in front of a little girl and chatting to her. She is wheeling around a machine that she is attached to. When I get a little closer I can hear what they are talking about.
“Well, I think it would work too. Do you think we should try it?”
“We might get in trouble.”
“Well, I’ll keep a look out and if we do get caught,” he leans in and whispers, “I’ll take the blame, okay?”
“Okay.” she whispers back.
I watch as Daniel stands up and holds onto the drip stand while the little girl climbs on to the little ledge at the bottom. Daniel checks she is on then tells her to hold on before beginning to wheel her down the corridor. The little girl grins and giggles as he wheels her further and further away, then turns it around and walks her back up and towards me. He looks up and spots me, his big grin spreading across his face. I head to the staff room and hang up my denim jacket and bag then head back to the reception. Daniel is back and standing chatting to who I assume is the little girl’s parents. I say good morning to Sally and find out if I’m needed anywhere specific.
“Actually Katie, would you and Daniel mind going to outpatients? They are swamped down there and the children are needing a little extra love and attention today, it’s LP day today.”
“LP day?”
“Lumbar puncture. They all hate LP day, they need extra love.”
“Oh, it sounds awful. I’ll go straight down. Will you tell Daniel?”
“I’ll send him straight down when he has finished talking with Amber’s parents.”
I make my way down to the outpatients ward and get to work. I set the tables up with things to do, I chat to the children waiting for a procedure or to see the doctors. I try to take their mind off of what is about to happen to them because it’s all I can do. Five minutes later, Daniel walks through the doors and comes to sit at the table where I’m colouring in with a little boy called Oscar.
“DANIEL!” Oscar yells excitedly, getting up and sitting in Daniel’s lap.
“Oscar, how are you? Have you grown?” Daniel asks him smiling.
“I have!” he says proudly, “Mum says I need to stop growing, I think I need to keep growing. One day, I want to be as tall as you are.”
“Then keep eating all your vegetables and drinking lots of milk.” he tells him.
“I will.” Oscar smiles, then goes back to his colouring.
“Morning, Katie.” he smiles at me.
“Morning, Daniel. You looked like you were having fun?”
“Amber.. I’ll fill you in later.” his face goes dark and my stomach drops.
“Lunch? I’m only here for this morning, would you like to have lunch?”
“I’d love that.” he smiles sadly.
We spend the morning helping with anything that needs doing. I help get water for those just out of theatre and I sit and read stories to a little girl who is waiting to go in while her Mum has a coffee and a chat with the doctor. The morning flies by and soon my time is finished. There are another two volunteers coming in after us so Daniel and I are free to go. We collect our bags and head out of the hospital.
“There is a lovely place by the river, would you like to go there?” I suggest as we walk to our cars.
“It sounds lovely.”
We arrive at the restaurant and park next to each other. The sun is shining and we’re able to get a table outside. When we’ve placed our order I watch Daniel, his face looks tense, his back is straight and he looks like he might bolt any minute.
“Daniel, talk to me, please.” I tell him, taking his hand.
“Amber is dying, Katie.” his sad eyes meet mine and my heart clenches.
“Oh.” It’s stupid I should be able to say more than that, I need to say more than that.
“She doesn’t know. Her parents don’t know how to tell her or even if they should. It just brought everything back.” he looks away and I see tears in his eyes.
“I can’t imagine how it must feel, Daniel. Can I.. Can I do anything?”
“Just this.” he squeezes my hand and smiles weakly at me.
“Will it help to talk?”
“I don’t think it will, not right now, ”
“Okay, well…” I look around trying to work out what to say next, “I’m planning a trip to the seaside. Is that maybe your thing?” Daniel’s face lights up and he smiles at me.
“It is my thing. Can I take my camera?”
“Of course.”
“Can we have a hot donut?”
“I’m not taking you with me if we don’t!” I laugh.
“And can we have fish and chips?”
“Daniel,” I lean a little closer, “That is the most ridiculous thing you could have asked, of course we will have fish and chips!”
“Then I’d love to come with you, when were you thinking?”
“Tomorrow? I’m free and the weather is supposed to be glorious!”
“Tomorrow sounds great.”
We eat our lunch and plan our day to the coast tomorrow. Daniel insists on driving so I can fully enjoy my day at the beach. I give up trying to argue and just go with it. When I’ve paid the bill after much persuading, we say our goodbyes in the car park.
“You know where I am and you have my number. Don’t be sad on your own.” I tell him.
“I won’t be sad.”
“And you’ll phone me if you need me?”
“I will.”
“Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning then.” I grin, getting into my car and opening the window.
“Drive carefully. I’ll be at yours by eight-thirty.” he tells me, ducking down so I can see him.
“Why so early?”
“Because we can have breakfast on the way.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason.”
“See you tomorrow, Katie.”
* * *
My evening is spent giving myself a manicure and pedicure. I put on the first season of ER and pour myself a big glass of red wine. After three episodes my nails are dry but my eyes are not. Why do I have to be the girl who cries at everything? I wipe my eyes, switch off the TV and head upstairs for a shower before slipping into bed with my kindle. As I am just about to turn off the light, my phone buzzes with a text.
Daniel: Did you know, there are 250 species of poppies in the poppy family?
Me: No I did not :)
Daniel: Well… There is. And did you know, each one is characterised by appearance, location and other distinguishing factors?
Me: Are we playing the did you know game?
Daniel: Yes. I need to keep my mind active right now, I keep thinking of Amber.
My heart clenches at the thought of Daniel sitting alone, thinking of Amber and I was sure, of Poppy too. I open up a new web page on my phone and search. Two minutes later I have my fact.
Me: Did you know, the story Cinderella is also known by the name, The Little Glass Slipper?
Daniel: I did actually, you forget, books are MY thing ;)
<
br /> Me: Okay… Did you know, in French that translates to either; Cendrillon or La Petite Pantoufle de verre?
Daniel: No. I don’t speak a lot of French. Did you know, in Greek and Roman mythology, poppies were used as offerings to the dead?
Me: Daniel, no talk of the dead. Do I need to come over there and kick your butt?
Daniel: Yes ;)
Me: Well, I can’t. I’m in bed ;)
Daniel: Shall I do the guy thing and ask what you’re wearing?
I laugh out loud when I read his reply, Daniel is feeling cheeky this evening.
Me: No! Go to sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow and you need to be rested.
Daniel: Yes, Katie. I’ll see you in a few hours. x
* * *
I’m siting on the front step when Daniel arrives at bang on eight-thirty the next morning. I have my beach bag stuffed full of everything I’ll need for a day at the beach. When he gets out and his face breaks into a breathtaking smile, I can’t stop the smile spreading over mine either.
“You’re ready?” he half chuckles at me.
“I’m so ready!” I leap up and head over to the passenger side and open the door.
“Then lets get going!”
When I’m buckled in and Daniel is too, he looks over at me, that gorgeous smile of his still firmly in place. He looks rested this morning, I was expecting to have a tired Daniel on my hands but I’m wrong.
“How did you sleep?” I ask him as he reverses out of the driveway and onto the road.
“Better than I thought I would. I think our little text exchange helped.”
“I’m glad.”
“Do you want the radio on?”
“I’m happy with whatever, you choose, you’re driving.”
Daniel presses play on a CD he has in the car and a song begins, after about thirty seconds, a male voice begins to sing. The voice is deep, scratchy and soul-full. He sings about there coming a point in everyone’s life when they are lost and everything they do seems to go wrong. I don’t know why, but the words really effect me. I feel a shiver move up my spine and I suddenly feel overly emotional. When the singer begins to sing about everyone needing a friend, and how he wants it to be him, I turn to Daniel.
“Who is this?”
“It’s Ray LaMontagne. Do you like it?”
“It’s a beautiful song and he has an incredible voice.”
“It is,” he looks over at me and smiles, “He is incredible live.”
“I can’t remember the last time I saw music live.” I muse.
“We should go see something. There are so many great artists out there.”
“We should. I don’t know who. But we should.”
“So what is first on our list of things to do today?” Daniel asks as we hit the motorway.
“Breakfast?” my tummy decides to grumble to prove my point.
“I thought you might say that,” he laughs, “There is a bag in the back, can you reach it?”
I look behind my shoulder and spot a bag, I lean over and lift it, bringing it into the front with me. I take a peek inside and smile. Nestled in a tupperware container are what looks like freshly baked pastries and a flask with two plastic travel mugs.
“Coffee from your machine?”
“Of course and some pastries. I figured, we could eat on the way.”
I set about getting us both a cup of coffee and using the lid of the container as a little table, I place two pastries on it. Daniel presses a button and two little cup holders pop out in front of us, giving us a place to rest our cups.
“How are you going to eat while you drive?”
“I made mini pastries, so it wouldn’t be a problem.” he grins.
“You made these?” I look down at the little flaky treats.
They are perfect, golden and crisp and they have little bits of pecans on them and icing and I feel completely inadequate next to this amazing man.
“Yes, well, I got them ready last night, it kept my mind off… things. I just popped them in the oven this morning when I woke up.”
“You say it like it’s something everyone does, Daniel, most people don’t make their own pastries!”
“Well, no, maybe they don’t. But most people didn’t have a Danish mother either.”
“Your mother was Danish?”
“She was, Ada, the most beautiful and most special mother anyone could want. She doted on my Dad and I. We were spoiled. I remember sitting on the kitchen counter and watching her make these,” he reaches out and takes one of the little pastries, “And when I was old enough, I helped and I learned how to make them.”
I watch him as he raises the pastry to his lips and takes a bite. I find myself unable to look away as he chews and swallows, his strong jaw and neck moving as he does. Daniel is a beautiful man, I’m sure he is aware just how beautiful he is, maybe that makes him more attractive?
“I imagine you’ve wooed many a woman with your pastry making abilities.” I joke.
“I’ve never made them for a woman before, you’re my first one.” he keeps his eyes trained on the road in front of us and I feel the air crackle between us.
I reach for my pastry and take a bite, needing to do something other than just stare at him. The pastry crunches as I take a bite, it’s buttery sweetness filling my mouth. It’s absolutely delicious, the most incredible thing I think I’ve ever tasted.
“It’s soooooo good!” I groan.
Daniel shifts a little in his seat and reaches for his coffee with one hand. I continue to chew and when it’s finished, I reach into the little box and pick out another, handing one to him too. We sit, not talking while we eat, the sound of Prince now filling the car. When the pastries are finished and we’ve drank the coffee, I place everything into the little bag and place it back behind Daniel’s seat.
“When we get there,” I say, brushing a few crumbs off of my dress and putting them into the napkin Daniel has packed, “There is a little gallery, right on the seafront I’d like to visit.”
“We can go wherever you’d like, but while we’re on the subject of things we’d like to do…” he says.
“Uh-oh, this sounds ominous.” he laughs at me.
“I brought my camera with me, I’d like to take some shots today, if that’s okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be okay?”
“Well… I’d like to take some photos of you, Katie.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” my throat feels a little constricted, I have no idea why.
“I take photos of friends, we’re friends aren’t we?” he keeps looking straight ahead.
“Of course we are,” I take a deep breath, “It’s just, I really don’t like having my photo taken.”
Daniel frowns and quickly glances my way before focusing his eyes back on the road, when he speaks, it’s like velvet and his words wrap themselves around me like a blanket.
“Katie, that is absurd. You’re absolutely beautiful, you have an air of confidence around you and you will make the perfect portrait. Why don’t you like having your photo taken?”
“I just don’t. I don’t like the focus on me,” I shrug, “Does anyone like having their photo taken? Other than models.”
“I don’t mind having my photo taken.” he says simply.
“Well of course you don’t,” I half scoff, “Look at you! You’re gorgeous.” the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them or think about it.
I clap my hand over my mouth and close my eyes, sinking a little lower into my seat and shaking my hair to shield my face from Daniel. I am so embarrassed. Why did I just say that? Sure, it’s true, but he doesn’t need to know I think he is gorgeous, that’s just going to make the whole day uncomfortable.
“Well, thank you.” I can hear the smile in his voice, he is enjoying this.
“You must know that?” I can’t look at him. I absolutely can’t.
“Well, I know I’m not ugly, I wouldn’t have sa
id gorgeous though.”
I turn my head to look at him. I study his profile. Strong, masculine jaw, lips that curve up making him look like he is holding on to a smile. His nose, I can’t describe his nose even if I tried. It’s almost like the focal point of his face, his distinguishing feature.