Simon’s knee instantly starts shaking and I start praying that my best friend is ok. Gosh, she drives me nuts sometimes but I need for her to be ok. We all do.
We sit for what seems like an hour, but when I glance at the clock, it’s only been seven minutes, then I see Marty striding down the corridor chatting happily with his mum. Surely that means it’s good news.
I jump up and the guys follow quick smart.
Marty and his mum come through the double doors and head straight over to us.
“Is she ok?” Simon eagerly meets them half way.
“She’s fine,” Marty reassures him. “Come over here and sit down. Right, she’s ok, turns out she has a clean break to her ankle. She is in plaster and she has a lot of bruising which will come out in the next few days, but she will be fine.”
“Broken? But we’re on a skiing trip,” Simon looks at Marty incredulously and I struggle to understand why. Marty can’t undo a broken ankle.
Marty sympathetically looks back at Simon, “Sorry mate, she won’t be skiing for a while.”
“She’ll be gutted,” Simon shakes his head disappointedly. “She was vomiting and was almost unconscious by the time the ambulance came. I, I mean, she looked awful, are you sure that’s all that is wrong with her? I mean, a broken ankle?”
“I know, and yes, we are sure. She was in shock, and adding the cold weather to that made it slightly worse, that was why I came down here with her, normally I wouldn’t. She’s been x-rayed and we’ve given her some painkillers, she’s actually managing to have something to eat just now. She’s got some of her colour back and she’s going to have to sit with her leg elevated for the next few days, but she’ll be just fine. I promise. They’ve given her crutches to start using in a day or two,” Marty taps Simon on the knee to reassure him and Marty looks up to meet his eye, “And obviously, she’s got all of you to help her. It’s a clean break though, like I said, and should heal up fine.”
Simon rubs his hands over his face and lets out a deep breath, “Thanks, Marty. Really, thank you.”
“No worries,” Marty smiles and turns to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a hug. “You ok?” he whispers in my ear.
I mould into him and nod my head, “Yeah, I am now.”
I wrap my arms around his waist and hold them there for a minute or so.
“Come on, I’ll bring you through to see her while she finishes eating, then we will get you all home,” Marty guides us through to her.
As we go through several sets of doors, I only now notice just how busy accident and emergency is. I guess the weather has a lot of answer for.
“In here,” Marty guides us through to a smaller room and we are greeted with an unexpectedly huge smile from Bex.
“About time, guys!” Bex exclaims and although looking pale and tired, she seems to be bouncing.
I wonder just how many happy pills she’s been given.
Simon nearly runs over to her then promptly stops beside her and gently gives her a kiss, he then takes her hand like she might be made from glass and stays there.
“How are you feeling?” he asks her and gently strokes her hair with his free hand.
I’ve never seen this side of him before either, I actually think I might barf.
“I’m alive,” she smiles up at him and leans into his hand like a cat being stroked. I’m sure her pupils just turned into hearts.
“You gave me such a scare, Bex,” Simon kisses her hand.
“I know, I’m sorry. I thought I could take those moguls. I did the other’s first and they were fine but I think my ski caught on a rock, or some ice or something, I don’t know,” she looks wistful and bites her lip regretfully.
“So it’s a broken leg for you then, sis,” Joel interrupts the romantic moment. “That was an easy Christmas present.”
“Ha, ha, always the joker, Joel. You’re so funny,” Bex rolls her eyes at him.
“You know I’m joking, you dip-shit,” he smiles at her and she smiles back holding her hand out to him and he gives her a truly heart warming fist bump. They both giggle.
“And where have you been, missy?” Bex turns her attention over to me.
I give her a guilty look, “Here?”
She tilts her head to the side, questioningly.
“I was in the café, where else would I have been? I did good in the ski class and then did a few runs on the green slopes, but I had enough about lunchtime and went inside to wait for you guys, no one showed until you were taken to hospital and Simon came looking for me, and well, now we are here,” I nod at her foot. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. Nothing hurts yet, I’m totally doped up,” she replies with a slight slur to her words.
“I can tell,” I smile at her and she giggles again.
“So when can I go home, doc?” Bex turns to Marty. “He’s a doctor, you know?” she points her finger at him but is speaking to me.
“You’re free to go now,” he smiles. “I spoke with Dr. Haggart and she signed your paperwork, so between myself and mum here, we will get you all back.”
“On that note,” Deb waves her hand to get everyone’s attention. “Hi, by the way, I’m his mother,” she motions to Marty. “It’s Christmas Eve as you all know, we have plenty of room at our place, and I spent all day cooking and prepping enough food to do us for the next two months, seriously. Would you all like to come over for dinner? And you’re very welcome to stay the night, if you’d like to, and spend Christmas with us? Marty could nip you to your chalet for an overnight bag?”
We all look at one another slightly stumped for words.
Marty looks at me and nods slightly, prompting me to say ‘yes’.
I look over at the others who are all looking at me expectantly, apparently unsure what to say or do, then back at Marty. I think we are all feeling homesick and exhausted by today’s events. Any thoughts of going back to the chalet now are of dread and I think we all wish to be with our families instead.
“Alright, I think that would be really nice,” I answer for us all gratefully, and wait for anyone to say otherwise. “So long as you’re sure we are not imposing?”
“Absolutely not, it’s Christmas! The more the merrier,” Deb claps her hands together, “And apart from anything, you’ve made this son of mine smile more than I’ve seen him do in a long time. You are very welcome, I can assure you.”
I look over at Marty who is looking at his mum like she just committed murder. I can’t help but wonder what that is all about, but I guess I’m going to have plenty of time over the next day or so to ask.
We all muck in to get Bex up out of the hospital bed, and ready to go. Marty sorts out her prescription we need to pick up, and the medication she got from the other doctor for tonight. Deb helps to get her into a wheelchair so we can wheel her to the car, and I carry the crutches she was given for when she gets out of the car at the other end.
Chapter 19
“Would anyone like some more lasagna or salad?” Deb stands at the top of the dining table looking for more plates to fill.
She seriously was not joking when she said they had made enough food to feed them for the foreseeable future.
“Yes, please,” Simon is first to hand his plate down before he’s even finished swallowing what is in his mouth.
“That was delicious, Deb,” Joel scrapes the last of his meal off of his plate. “I’m packed to the seams, but thank you very much.”
“I can’t take credit for this one,” she smiles back. “Martin Senior is quite nifty in the kitchen. He pulled this one together.”
“Now, now, don’t go telling them all my secrets,” Marty’s dad smiles looking bashful.
“You have him very well trained then, Deb,” I joke and smile at them both.
“She does indeed. Just you wait and see her crack that whip, she’ll have you all standing in line in no time,” Martin Senior laughs.
“Whip? Am I sensing an alter ego aroun
d here?” Simon says below his breath and I reach over and tap him on the back of his head seeing as Bex isn’t here to do it.
“Simon! Shut up,” I whisper, embarrassed.
Deb and Martin Senior both burst out laughing.
“Oh, he wishes,” Deb wipes her eyes and passes Simon’s second portion back to him. “Gosh, you lot really are a breath of fresh air.”
Martin Senior chortles happily, “There may not be any whips, but there are no complaints from over here. Thirty-five years of marriage, forty years together. That one there is a keeper, alright.”
“Now, now, you old fool. I know its Christmas, but don’t you go getting all soft and sentimental on me. We aren’t that old,” Deb grins at him and squeezes her shoulders together at me.
They are a lovely couple and the love in this household is more than apparent.
“So tell me, Deb, what is it you do at the hospital?” I ask as she sits down and pours herself another glass of juice.
“I’m a nurse in the pediatrics ward. Been there for the last thirty years. I love it, it’s not always happy days, but it’s rewarding and I get to help the kiddies,” she nods more seriously. “That’s what makes every shift worth it.”
“Mum is great with the kids,” Marty compliments his mum. “She is always doing fund raisers and organising fun days for them. She really keeps a lot of the sicker kids going.”
“Oh, Marty,” Deb sits back motioning him to hush.
“What? It’s true,” Marty shrugs and drinks some of his juice.
“And you?” I look at Marty who has been rather quiet throughout dinner. “You told me you are a paramedic, yet at the hospital they call you doctor?”
“Hmm, yes. Well, I am working as a paramedic at the moment, but I was a doctor,” he looks down and studies his glass, running his finger around the rim of it slowly. “It’s a long story, but I, um, took a sabbatical.”
“Yes, he is a doctor, a very good one at that, might I add. He is on a sabbatical for the moment, but wanted to do something with his time. He loves to ski, so it is a win-win situation for everyone at the moment, he works when they need him,” Martin Senior takes over.
“Hopefully he will get back to practicing soon, though,” Deb clears her throat then busies herself piling the empty plates up.
“Yeah…” Marty stands awkwardly. “I’ll go get some more fire wood.”
He turns and walks out of the room before anything else can be said.
“Wow, he really is a doctor?” Simon looks impressed. “I nearly chinned him that first night we met him.”
Joel looks down and studies the bottom of his jumper, then I see him rub his nose.
I ignore Simon and turn back to Deb, “I’m not really up on sabbaticals, but isn’t he quite young for that?” I ask her.
Deb sits back down and I see Martin Senior give her a warning glance.
“Ah, it’s a very long story, dear. It’s not really my story to tell, but please go easy on my boy. He’s had a rough few years, to say the least,” she smiles tentatively while biting her lip.
“OK, Deb. Leave it at that,” Martin Senior stands up and starts passing some dishes down the table. “Here,” he passes me the salad dish, “Could you pop that into the kitchen for me?”
“Of course,” I take it from him, but am now fixated on finding out what on earth is going on with Marty.
“I’m just going to go and check on Bex, if that’s ok?” Simon wipes his mouth with his napkin and stands up.
“Good idea,” Deb smiles at him. “I kept a plate in the kitchen for her, let me know when she feels like eating something.”
“Sure thing,” Simon hollers as he heads through to the guest room Deb gave them for the night.
I start going back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen with plates and servers, trying to help as much as I can. Deb and Martin Senior have a beautiful home, and it is surprisingly big. I’m not sure why they have such a big home and I can’t help but wonder how they can afford it with her being a nurse and him a train driver. It’s the sort of place I’d imagine a company director or even a celebrity to own, although it is in the middle of nowhere, maybe the land is cheap. I think Deb said they have six bedrooms, seriously… who needs six bedrooms?
“Here,” Deb comes into the kitchen and hands me a pile of plates, “Could you rinse those off and pop them in the dishwasher, please? I’ll quickly wash these trays and then we can sit down in front of the fire.”
“Sounds great. Thank you so much for inviting us to stay, Deb. It really is extremely kind of you, especially as you barely know any of us,” I concentrate on rinsing.
“You know, I didn’t really give it much thought at the hospital, but I could tell by the way Marty looks at you that you’ve made quite the impression on him,” she gives me a small smile, and I think she knows she has more than made my day. “You like him too, right?”
I involuntarily smile wider and feel my cheeks flush, “I do. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
We look at each other for a moment.
“I didn’t come up here looking for a holiday romance, Deb. Honestly, I’m actually just out of a relationship, though that is a whole other story, and really a complete waste of a good year. I think he just used me and really, we were nothing more than house mates, seriously, nothing more,” I grimace.
“Well, it sounds like you didn’t need to be in that relationship. Life has a funny old way of working things out in the end though. I’m not saying that Marty is your destination, but the spark between you is more than apparent. It’s been quite a while since my boy was in a relationship, he needs to move on, and I think you could be just what the doctor ordered,” she grins cheekily at me.
I can’t help the grin that is plastered to my face again, “I sure hope so, Deb. I guess we’ll see how the next few days go. We go home on New Year’s Day.”
“The fire is a rippin’ and a roarin’, ladies,” Marty pops his head in the kitchen door. “You two coming through to join us, or are you going to stand in here gas bagging about me all night?”
“Well, who has a big head then?” I put my hand on my hip and question him.
He walks over to me and pulls me into him making me crane my neck backwards so I can look up at his delightful face, and comfortably wrap my arms around his waist.
“So, you’re going to tell me that you weren’t just talking about me?” he asks me playfully.
“I didn’t say that,” I smirk coyly, aware that Deb is still in the same room as us.
“See, I told you,” he squeezes me against him and gently places a kiss on my lips, in front of his mother.
I turn my head to see her back to us, drying a dish, “Don’t mind me, I’m not here!” She waves the back of her hand at us.
“Hmm, that’s not what she was saying when she embarrassed us at the funicular,” Marty says to me loud enough for her to hear and I hear her chuckle.
She turns around slowly, “Surely you guys know that parents were put on this earth to provide some discomfort to their kids? What would be the fun in having kids otherwise? A bit of embarrassment never hurt anyone!”
Marty rolls his eyes at me, “Come on, lets go and chill out by the fire.”
Deb giggles and as we are leaving the kitchen Simon walks in looking for Bex’s dinner.
As Christmas Eve creeps towards an end, I think we are all feeling mutually happy and relaxed. Considering we are pretty much strangers, everyone gets along well and Marty’s parents couldn’t possibly have made us feel more welcome if they tried. They are really good, overly kind people.
I look around the dimly lit room at the gorgeous fir Christmas tree twinkling silently, the red and silver ornaments gleaming as the lights flicker decoratively. Simon and Bex are sitting cosily together on one sofa, her head on Simon’s chest with her eyes closed. I think she has nodded off again, probably the painkillers are making her drowsy, but she has a small smile on her lips and I know a brok
en leg won’t ruin her spirits too much. Deb and Martin Senior are both sitting in arm chairs, cradling their drinks, Deb humming to the nutcracker music as it delicately fills the atmosphere with it’s light fairy steps, for some reason it always makes me think of Tinkerbell fluttering around. Martin Senior is watching the fire intently while holding Deb’s hand and stroking her thumb, so routinely he’s probably done that everyday they’ve been together.
I turn and look at Marty, we’ve been sitting chatting quietly together for the last hour or so, me curled up to his side and his arm draped easily around me. He’s managed to slightly lift the bottom of my fleece so that his finger is lightly rubbing the bare skin of my waist, I’d be completely lying if I didn’t admit that it was a huge turn on. My hand is resting on his upper thigh, and our breathing seems to be in tandem.
“This is nice,” he sleepily kisses the top of my head. “Really nice. We hadn’t even met a week ago, it’s weird when I think about that.”
“I know, I feel like I’ve known you forever. It’s funny how things can evolve so quickly, isn’t it?” I rest my head on his shoulder again. I already can’t imagine not having this nook to curl up in.
“Hmm,” his deep voice seems to have gone down an octave as tiredness consumes him.
“I guess we better hit the hay soon?” I tap his leg and gesture to everyone else.
“Yeah, I need to leave early in the morning for work, before any of you are likely to be awake,” he looks a bit disappointed. “If I’d known you’d be here, I wouldn’t have said I’d work.”
I can’t help but feel disappointed too, “Don’t worry. We’ll be here when you finish,” I smile and give him a light peck on the lips.
It feels strange to be in Marty’s parents house on Christmas Eve, and I feel exhausted as it has been a pretty long day. I finish cleansing my face and lay down on the comforter covering the bed. Simon and Joel helped Bex through to her bed, she barely said a word tonight, and I really feel bad for her. I hope she might feel a bit better tomorrow, for Christmas. We left Deb and Martin Senior to fix the fire and Deb said she’d clear away the glasses. Marty gave me a goodnight kiss then went to his own room. I can’t help but feel disappointed, I mean, it’s not like we’ve done anything other than kiss, but surely a holiday romance entails slightly more than that? Maybe it’s just me, maybe I come across as being frigid or something. I can’t help but squirm feeling wholly unfulfilled, quite literally.
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