‘I think you need to go to the accident unit,’ Evan said at last.
Mrs Coco had fetched a bag of ice from inside the pub. Liz held it to Jane’s ankle in an attempt to ward off too much swelling.
‘Don’t worry. We’ll get you to the hospital,’ said Liz. ‘Evan. Call a cab.’
Evan and Nurse Van Niekerk carried Jane between them to a taxi. Bill tried to take the nurse’s place but a single look from her told him not to be so sexist. She was more than capable of taking half Jane’s weight.
‘I’ve lifted cows,’ she said.
‘Now this is what I call being swept off my feet,’ Jane tried to joke, though the pain was making it very hard to smile.
‘I’ll come with you to the accident unit,’ said Bill.
‘Good idea. Liz and I will take the dogs back to our house,’ said Evan.
‘It’s OK,’ said Jane to both men. ‘I mean it would be great if you could take Jezza home but I’ll be fine on my own at the hospital.’
‘No,’ said Bill. ‘I know what these places are like. If you’re too quiet and polite – as I imagine you might well be – they can forget all about you. I’ll make sure you get seen and get home again afterwards.’
‘I can call my daughter.’
‘She’s at work. There’s no need,’ Bill insisted.
‘Bill’s right,’ said Liz. ‘Just let him help you. We’ll take Sapphire and Jezza.’
Bill got into the back seat beside her. Nurse Van Niekerk scooped Jezza up and made him ‘wave bye bye to Grandma’.
The Newbay Hospital accident unit was busy, as it always was, particularly during high season. Jane joined a long queue of people waiting to be seen for foot and ankle injuries, which were especially common in the summer when people swapped their sensible trainers for flimsy flip-flops or went barefoot over broken glass on the beach.
It was three hours before Jane was seen, by which time her ankle looked well and truly damaged. The ice Liz had packed around the twisted joint had not managed to stop the bruising. When she dared to take a peep, Jane thought it looked as though she had got her foot trapped in some kind of snare.
Though she had told Bill she didn’t need him to be there, she had to admit that it was nice to have someone to talk to. And someone to fetch cups of tea from the vending machine. Even if after just one cup, tasting more like plastic than tea, Bill announced that they were not going to drink any more. The next time Jane wanted something, he went out of the hospital to a nearby café, returning with some proper tea in an actual china mug – ‘I said it was an emergency’ – and a plate of sandwiches, which Jane shared with the scared small boy who was sitting beside her and his grateful parents. He’d fallen off a playground swing and was waiting to have his arm put in plaster.
‘Will you need plaster too?’ he asked Jane.
‘I’m not sure,’ she said.
As it turned out, she wouldn’t need a plaster cast.
‘It’s not broken,’ said the young doctor, when Jane was finally seen. ‘But you’re going to need to keep your weight off it for a while. Now, how are you going to get home?’
‘I’m taking her,’ said Bill.
But Dani arrived at the hospital just as Jane was being discharged.
‘Mum, I left as soon as I got your text. What happened?’
‘I fell over Jezza.’
‘He was pulling on his lead,’ explained Bill. ‘He saw something off to the side and …’ Bill mimed Jezza shooting across in front. ‘Oh. We haven’t met. I’m Bill Hunter. I own the pet shop by the station.’
‘I know it,’ said Dani. ‘I used to love going in there when I was a girl.’
‘Well, you should come in and see us again. I’m sure things have changed since you were last there.’
‘Bill was doing the sponsored walk,’ said Jane. ‘With Evan and Liz. They’ve got all the dogs. Bill insisted on coming here with me.’
‘Why didn’t you let me know what was going on sooner?’
‘I didn’t want to disturb you,’ said Jane.
‘Mum, you should always call me in an emergency.’
‘I was being well looked after.’ Jane looked at Bill.
‘Thank you,’ Dani said to him. ‘I’m very grateful.’
‘It was my pleasure. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.’
Dani could tell that he meant it. So could Jane.
The following morning, just as Dani was leaving the house to go to work, a girl from the local florist’s shop arrived with an enormous bouquet.
‘Ms Parker?’ the girl asked.
‘That’s me,’ said Dani, eagerly accepting the blooms. She felt as if she was certainly owed some after the last few crappy weeks. Perhaps Will had woken up to how disappointed Dani might have been by the way he focussed so much attention on Lola. If that was the case, then Dani might consider another date with him. She still hadn’t responded to his last text. But when Dani got the flowers into the kitchen and opened the little card that accompanied them, she discovered that they were not for her after all.
‘They’re very pretty,’ said Jane, as she hobbled into the kitchen.
‘They are. And they’re for you! Mum, you’ve got an admirer.’
Jane read the card, which revealed that the flowers were from Bill.
‘Bill from the pet shop. He must really like you.’
‘Nonsense,’ Jane said. ‘They’re just a nice gesture to wish me a swift recovery.’
‘Mum. He could have sent you a text. Bill is obviously infatuated with you. I could tell that the minute I met him. He’s such a nice man. And the way he looked into your eyes …’
‘Well, I mustn’t encourage him,’ said Jane, tucking the note back into its envelope with brusque efficiency. ‘When I said he could take me to the hospital, I certainly didn’t intend for him to get the wrong idea.’
‘Oh Mum,’ said Dani. ‘You’re allowed to admit you like him.’
Jane bristled. ‘Of course I like him but I don’t want to like any man like that.’
It was an odd reaction, thought Dani.
Jane hobbled to the sink and tried to juggle her crutches while filling a vase with water.
‘I’ll do that,’ Dani took over.
‘Just put them in the vase as they are, please,’ said Jane.
Dani did as Jane asked. She placed the vase in the middle of the kitchen table and Jane affected not to be that impressed. But with her daughter gone and only Jezza left in the house to see what she was up to, Jane pulled out one of the kitchen table chairs and sat down. From there, she was able to subtly rearrange the flowers in the vase, trimming some of the longer stems and taking off the leaves that would only go soggy in the water.
They really were beautiful flowers. Expensive, Jane had no doubt. But also, if Bill had actually specified anything more than the budget, very well chosen. The roses were the orange of a perfect seaside sunset. They were studded with bright pink gerberas, like flowers drawn by a child. She’d always loved gerberas. They seemed so very optimistic.
It was a long time since Jane had received flowers from anyone other than her daughter or granddaughter.
She read the card again and thought about Bill’s friendly smile.
Of course, she had to say ‘thank you’ but the question was ‘how’?
Then she thought about the careful way Bill had wrapped his arm around her waist for support as he led her to and from the car. She thought about his kind eyes. His genuine concern. His easy affection.
She had his number. She should call and thank him right away. She was about to …
But some things only happen once in a lifetime. Jane was a firm believer that her ‘once in a lifetime’ happened when she met the man who would become her husband. Tom.
That he had died so young was just bad luck and she had to live with it.
Sure, Jane had friends who had found love again but she could never quite understand how they could do it. How they could even
think about being with someone else? The love she’d had for her husband was so great that it kept her warm even now he was gone.
And yet. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t get lonely. Of course she did. Even though she lived with Dani and Flossie. It was a godsend for Jane that around the time Tom died, Dani had needed Jane as much as vice versa. Dani always made sure to let Jane know how much she appreciated everything she’d done for her since Flossie was born, but the truth was that being able to be such a big part of Dani and Flossie’s life had almost certainly saved Jane from deep depression.
Now things were changing. Flossie was sixteen. She didn’t need Jane in the way she had done even as a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old. She was hardly ever at home. And maybe Jane was cramping Dani’s style now. It wasn’t too late for Dani to find someone great and perhaps even add to her family. It would be hard for her to get a man to accept that she came with her mum as a permanent plus one.
Jane was not yet quite seventy. Sarah was always reminding her that in the twenty-first century, seventy was ‘young old’. They weren’t ageing in the same way their parents had. Jane had friends who were still active and living independently well into their eighties. Who were still living their lives as though they were worth living well. If not with new spouses, then at least with new companions.
No. Jane pushed the thought from her mind. She couldn’t get involved.
She got out her best stationery and wrote Bill a little note, thanking him for his generosity. Best wishes. No kisses. She would ask Flossie to drop it into the pet shop next time she was out with the dog.
Opening Jane’s note two days later, Bill couldn’t help but be disappointed. He’d hoped for a phone call at least. He’d been gearing up all week to ask her if he could take her to the opera. He’d thought perhaps she liked him. Obviously he was wrong.
Chapter Fifty-One
Soon it was the middle of August. Newbay’s beautiful beaches played host to holidaymakers from all over the country, keen to make the most of an unexpectedly beautiful summer. The temperatures hovered in the high twenties all month. It was picnic weather every day. It was all distinctly un-British.
Jane’s ankle continued to heal. She was soon pretty nifty on her crutches. Flossie spent her days on the beach with Xanthe and Camilla, working on their tans and dreading the results of their GCSEs.
Dani was busier than ever at The Majestic as wedding season reached its peak. She still found time to take Jezza to boot camp, though Nat hadn’t been for a while. Not since he and Lola came to plan their wedding reception at the hotel. He was probably busy with that. Weddings take over. Dani saw it happen all the time. On the one hand she was disappointed but on the other, at least she didn’t have to hear about the wedding prep. Meanwhile, she’d heard nothing more from Will, after finally sending him a text suggesting that perhaps his heart wasn’t quite as free as he pretended. He didn’t protest.
Another Friday evening came round. Over breakfast, Flossie announced that she was going to stay over at Xanthe’s.
‘I thought Xanthe and her family were going on holiday,’ Dani said.
‘That’s next week,’ Flossie told her. ‘Over the bank holiday.’
‘Oh. Give Xanthe’s mum my love, won’t you?’
‘I always do.’
‘All right. Be good. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Flossie picked up her rucksack and hung it over one shoulder – as usual, defeating the back-saving objective of having a rucksack in the first place. She stood in the kitchen doorway. Dani had gone back to the recipe she was reading but gradually she became aware that her daughter hadn’t moved.
‘You OK?’ she asked. ‘Forgotten something?’
‘No,’ said Flossie. ‘It’s just … Mum …’
Flossie suddenly dropped her rucksack on the floor. She rushed up to Dani and threw her arms around her.
‘What’s this for?’ Dani asked. Spontaneous displays of affection were increasingly rare now that Flossie was almost an adult.
‘I just want you to know how much I love you,’ said Flossie. ‘And that you’re the best mum in the world and I’m sorry for all the ways I’ve disappointed you over the years. Especially lately.’
‘Disappointed me? What are you on about, my silly little thing? You’ve never disappointed me.’
‘Not even when I got arrested?’
‘No, because you soon learned your lesson. Flossie, you’re great. I’m very proud you’re my girl.’
Dani touched the end of Flossie’s nose with the tip of her finger, like she used to do when Flossie was small. Flossie sniffed, as though she was trying to stop a tear from rolling down her cheek.
‘Are you sure you’re OK?’ Dani asked, looking deep into her daughter’s eyes. She didn’t look quite OK. ‘What’s brought all this on?’
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ said Flossie. ‘I’m just feeling a bit sentimental, that’s all. And I’m allowed to tell my mum I love her, aren’t I?’
‘You can tell her as often as you like,’ said Dani. ‘And I love you too. And so does Jezza.’
Who was even now trying to insinuate himself into the hug.
‘Group hug, Jezza,’ said Dani, as Jezza got onto his hind legs and buried himself between the two women. When there was affection on offer, Jezza always liked to be involved.
‘Be good, Jezza,’ Flossie told him, as she extricated herself from the embrace. ‘Don’t give Mum any trouble. Do everything she asks you to do. No playing up. I’ll see you soon.’
‘See you tomorrow,’ said Dani.
‘Yeah,’ said Flossie, absently. She looked at her phone. ‘I better go, Mum. Xanthe’s wondering where I am.’
‘Well,’ said Dani to Jezza, as Flossie left the room. ‘That spontaneous PDA was strange. But rather wonderful.’ Jezza wagged his tail in agreement.
Dani went back to reading the recipe book with a warm glow around her heart. There were moments in her life as a parent that made it all worth it. This was one of them. All the crying, arguing, the sleepless nights were as nothing when weighed against this. Her daughter had just told her that she loved her. Dani must have done something right.
While Dani was reading, Jane limped into the kitchen. The doctor had told her just that afternoon that she’d be on crutches for another two weeks.
‘Flossie’s gone to Xanthe’s,’ Dani said.
‘I know. She just came into my room to say goodbye,’ said Jane. ‘Gave me a lovely big hug.’
‘That’s nice,’ said Dani.
‘Isn’t it? It’s good that she has such a nice friend like Xanthe. I mean, I know she looks a bit dodgy with all those strange piercings, but it’s clear the girls can’t do enough for one another. I’m so glad Flossie’s got good pals like her and Camilla.’
‘Yes,’ said Dani. ‘Me too. They seem to be keeping her mind off terrible Jed, at least.’
‘Yes. I wonder what’s become of him?’ Jane asked.
‘I really don’t care, so long as he’s not getting our little girl into trouble any more.’
‘Hear hear. What are you doing this weekend?’ Jane asked. ‘You’re not working, are you?’
‘No. I’ve got the whole weekend off and nothing to do but doggy boot camp.’
Which wasn’t half so much fun as it once had been, Dani thought. When Nat was there too.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Dani was disappointed that she had nothing to do on Friday night except watch TV with her mother, but at the same time, she was grateful that when she woke up on Saturday morning, she was not nursing a hangover. It did not do to be hung over at Best Behaviour Boot Camp.
She was minding her own business, going through the ‘drop’ command with Jezza – who would happily drop anything in return for a big enough piece of sausage – when Nat arrived with Princess. He was unexpected, late and very flustered. He apologised profusely to Nurse Van Niekerk, who sent him and Princess off on a circuit of the field to get rid of some of the puppy’s ex
cess energy. By now, so many weeks into the course, the run was not as daunting as it had been at first. The boot camp was working its magic on the humans as well as the dogs.
Still, Nat was flushed when he took his place next to Dani again. He ran his hand through his hair in a gesture she remembered from years before. Nervous? Anxious?
‘I didn’t think you were coming to boot camp any more,’ she said.
‘Yes, well …’ Nat began but Nurse Van Niekerk caught up with them. There would be no talking except to issue puppy commands until the end of the class. But Nat’s obvious distraction was distracting to Dani in turn. She wondered what might be on his mind.
Nurse Van Niekerk blew the final whistle.
‘Good work today, puppy parents,’ she said. ‘It’s great to see how well your dogs are coming along. They’re going to make wonderful canine citizens.’
‘Praise indeed,’ said Dani as Nurse Van Niekerk jogged on to the surgery where her Waggy Weight Loss group was gathering, leaving the boot campers to tidy up their kit. ‘Do you want a coffee?’
‘Yes. Definitely. Let’s go to Daffodil’s,’ suggested Nat.
‘You seem a bit, er, stressed. Too much wedmin?’
‘I don’t really seem to be needed,’ Nat said.
‘Just have to turn up on the day?’
‘Something like that.’
As they walked, Dani could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket.
She pulled it out just far enough to see who was calling. It was Flossie. She probably wanted to ask if she could stay at Xanthe’s for another night. Dani didn’t answer the call because she sensed that Nat might be about to say something important. He was definitely building up to something, she thought. Flossie would text if she didn’t pick up and then, if it was with a question or request that required some thought – or the making-up of a good reason why Flossie couldn’t have another sleepover with her friends – Dani didn’t have to answer at once.
Nat suddenly stopped on the pavement. He closed his eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then at last he began to talk.
‘The thing is, Dani, ever since that afternoon in the hotel restaurant, I can’t stop thinking about …’
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