A Single Dad at Heathermere

by Abigail Gordon

  He longed for her to give him a sign that she wasn’t totally immune to him, but he could wait. It was still there, the elusive something that she hid behind every time he tried to get close.

  In the past he’d taken her for granted, but not any more. He was determined that there were going to be no hitches on Saturday night. He’d requested that she be the Laura he knew, he thought with a grim smile, so if she somersaulted into the restaurant dressed in an old T-shirt and a pair of shorts, chewing on a blade of grass, it would serve him right.

  Across the landing Laura’s thoughts were running along similar lines.

  ‘Don’t get dressed up,’ Jon had said. Once she knew where he was taking her, she would decide what she was going to wear, and it would not be anything presently in her wardrobe.

  The opportunity was too good to miss. It would be the first time they had ever dined out together and she couldn’t let it pass without Jon seeing her at her best. She’d appeared out of nowhere looking dowdy, but not any more. The caterpillar was gradually turning into a butterfly. So why not make Saturday night the grand finale of the transformation of Laura Cavendish?

  The following day, after Laura had picked the children up from Marjorie’s, she took them to the small country station in the centre of the village and they caught one of the frequent local trains into Manchester.

  If she was going to look her best on their dinner date, she’d decided that the city was the place to go clothes shopping. Jon knew they were going but did not know the full reason why, and as the children usually went everywhere by car, they enjoyed the novelty of the train journey. While she let her thoughts wander to the occasion that was bringing her into Manchester.

  That morning before the first surgery of the day Jon had informed her that he’d booked a table for eight o’clock on Saturday night at a restaurant in the city centre, and it was the mention of that which had given her the idea of shopping there.

  When he’d made the announcement she’d thought that he had some nerve, taking her to such a place and telling her in the same breath not to dress up.

  ‘Why isn’t Jon coming to Manchester with us?’ Liam asked suddenly as the train sped along beside a changing landscape. ‘I like it best when he’s with us.’

  ‘Abby’s daddy is looking after the poorly people who come to the surgery,’ Laura told him.

  That was one reason why he wasn’t with them, and another was that she didn’t want him to see what she was going to wear until the night. It would have meant buying something to wear in any case, she told herself. She hadn’t bought an evening dress in years, and with it she would need a matching bag and shoes.

  When the train arrived at Piccadilly Station she took them down below to board a tram that would take them to the centre of the city and the fashion departments of the stores, and as Abby immediately entered into the spirit of the thing and Liam joined in reluctantly, Laura began the task of finding a dress that would make Jon sit up and take notice as well as being comfortable to wear…

  It wasn’t easy. There were so many deeply plunging necklines, see-through bodices and intentionally uneven hemlines, that she felt she would never find what she wanted.

  Soon Manchester’s huge working population would come pouring out of office blocks and shops and fill the buses, trains and trams, and she didn’t want the children to be mixed up in the mad scuffle. But this was the only time of day she was free, so now it had to be.

  Abby saved the day by pointing to a smart black dress that was sleeveless, with a scooped neckline that wasn’t too low and a flared calf-length skirt. It fitted just how she wanted it to, and to go with it Laura bought the white beaded jacket that was displayed with the dress. An evening bag and shoes followed without too much hassle, and after another smooth ride on the tram they caught a train home that wasn’t too crowded.

  ‘Don’t tell your daddy what I’ve bought, will you?’ she asked Abby. ‘It’s a surprise.’

  ‘Why?’ she wanted to know.

  ‘We’re going out for dinner on Saturday night. You and Liam are going to sleep at Grandma’s.’

  Abby didn’t seem to have any problem with that but she said, ‘You will tell him that I helped you to choose it, won’t you?’

  ‘Yes, of course I will,’ she promised, giving her a quick squeeze and thinking that was the end of it Laura reached into her bag and produced some sweets. Liam began to munch away contentedly, but Abby had something else to say.

  ‘Are you and Daddy going to get married, Laura?’ she asked.

  ‘Whatever makes you ask that, Abby?’ she said, completely taken aback.

  ‘I heard somebody say that you should, and I know that he likes you.’

  ‘Who said it?’ she asked, trying to sound casual and not succeeding very well.

  ‘Two ladies who’d been to see Dr Gosforth. As they were going out of the surgery one of them said, “Those two should get married. It would be the sensible thing to do.”’

  ‘And how did you know she meant us?’

  ‘Because you and Daddy had just gone out together in front of them.’

  ‘Your daddy and I are just friends, Abby,’ Laura told her gently with a sick feeling inside. ‘But you know that I love you, don’t you? That I would do anything for you. All I want is for you to be happy.’

  ‘Yes, I do, and I love you, Laura, but—’

  She was saved any further questioning by Liam butting in unexpectedly with, ‘If Jon was my daddy, we could play football all the time.’

  At that moment the train pulled into the station. Gathering up her packages, Laura ushered them out on to the platform and hoped that the matter they’d been discussing wouldn’t crop up again, especially when Jon was there.

  Maybe she should warn him, and that was an embarrassing thing to have to do. She felt that she’d handled it badly, should have given Abby a clearer picture of her relationship with her father, but at eight years old she couldn’t be expected to understand the complexities of the adult mind.

  There was nothing she would love more than that the four of them should spend the rest of their lives as a family, but the voting was three in favour and an abstainer, who if he knew what they’d been discussing might feel that he was being drawn into a net not of his choosing.

  When they arrived back at the apartments Jon observed the packages but made no comment. He had a meal almost ready and when the children had washed their hands they all sat down to eat.

  Laura’s trepidation regarding Abby bringing up the subject of weddings again during the meal was forestalled by another subject, momentarily of greater importance, and once again introduced by her.

  ‘I’m going to have riding lessons,’ she told Liam, and as Laura watched his eyes widen she thought that Jon hadn’t wasted any time in telling Abby what he had in mind, and now he was looking in her direction with an expression that said the next move was up to her, and she knew that it was.

  ‘Would you like to be able to ride a pony, Liam?’ she asked of the small boy she loved so much. ‘You and Abby could learn to ride together.’

  Before she’d finished speaking he was jumping up and down with excitement and crying, ‘Yes, please!’

  There was a satisfied smile on Jon’s face, and when they were clearing up in the kitchen after the meal he said, ‘I’m pleased that Liam is just as keen as Abby about learning to ride. If it’s all right with you, I’ll have a word with Sarah to find out when we can visit the riding school…and are you going to let me foot the bill?’

  ‘No, I’m not,’ she said firmly but gently, with a quick sideways glance. ‘Even though you are the most generous of men. The cheque for the sale of my cottage in Cornwall is on its way to me, so I can easily afford the lessons.’

  ‘It was just that I thought he would like it if they came from me,’ he persisted. ‘Liam and I are really getting to know each other. I am loving every moment of it, and so is he, I believe. I know that we’ve been over all this once, but I don’t u
nderstand you, Laura. There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked defensively.

  ‘I don’t know, but I’m right, aren’t I?’

  ‘If you think so.’

  ‘Oh! For goodness’ sake! We’re together again after years apart, but sometimes you treat me like a stranger. Have it your own way about the riding lessons. We’ll go and sort it out on Sunday morning, if that’s all right with you.’

  ‘Yes, that will be fine,’ she agreed meekly. ‘But don’t forget the children are spending Saturday night at your mother’s. We’ll have to pick them up from there. That is, if you haven’t changed your mind about us dining out, as I can tell that you’re not pleased with me.’

  ‘Confused would be a better description of my feelings, if it’s all the same to you,’ he said dryly. ‘And no, I have not changed my mind about Saturday. I’m looking forward to it, and hope that you are, too.’ He looked at her, deciding to test her to see what her response would be. ‘Maybe some time on our own is what we’re short of.’

  He was to be disappointed. She made no comment, just stared at him with her wide blue gaze and he said wryly, ‘We’ll understand each other one day, Laura, and when it dawns there’ll be flags flying and bells ringing.’

  When he looked across there were tears on her lashes and he was appalled to think he had made her weep. He couldn’t sleep at nights for thinking of her. Everything she said and did was important to him. He wanted to reach out for her, hold her close and wipe away her tears, but he wasn’t going to do any of those things. Too many times he’d done the wrong thing and this might be another.

  Back in her apartment, Laura sank down onto one of the kitchen chairs and let the tears flow, until Liam came looking for her and asked anxiously, ‘Why are you crying, Mummy?’

  She managed a watery smile and wiped her eyes. ‘I was just having a sad moment, but I’m all right now,’ she told him, holding him close, and on that reassurance he went back to playing with his toys.

  There was an urge in her to clear the air between Jon and herself instead of continually offending him with what he saw as awkwardness and overdone independence. She ached to tell him that she loved him. That the feelings she’d once had for him had come back a thousandfold, and her youthful affections had matured into a deep abiding love.

  But what would she do if she saw embarrassment in his expression? The sort of look that said he didn’t want to offend her, but wished she’d keep her fantasies to herself.

  Maybe Saturday night would help her to make a decision. The way it went could be a guideline as to whether she could risk making a fool of herself. Of all things she didn’t want Jon to think badly of her, and so far she’d been doing little to prevent that happening.

  CHAPTER SIX

  IN THE days that followed there was a virus going around that brought with it a high temperature and a dry hacking cough, yet seemed to clear up reasonably quickly, but the waiting room always seemed to be full.

  In the evenings once the meal was over, the two doctors took the children to the recreation ground for an hour before bedtime to give them some fresh air.

  That and the non-stop activity during the day at the surgery left little time for any further misunderstandings or heart searchings for either of them. But it didn’t prevent their awareness of each other as they played rounders or cricket with Abby and Liam.

  Every time she laughingly chased balls that he’d hit for a six Jon knew how much he wanted them to be a family. Not so much because Abby needed a mother and Liam a father, but because he needed a wife. A wife to cherish and adore. Crazy fool that he was, he’d let familiarity blind him to how much he cared for Laura, and not knowing how she felt about him was agony.

  What he’d had with Kezia had been just a brief mad attraction. Since then he’d taken out a few women and had been pursued by others. But they’d never been what he’d wanted for himself, or for Abby, and with regard to his precious child, if he asked Laura to marry him, wasn’t that what she would think, that it was because he wanted a mother for his daughter?

  How was he going to be able to convince her that he wanted her because he loved her? Loved the golden slenderness of her and her stubborn integrity. He longed to make love to her with passion and tenderness, and wake up to find her beside him each morning.

  Another ball had come whizzing along, and with his thoughts elsewhere he missed it and it flattened his stumps. ‘Out!’ the three of them called gleefully and Jon playfully put his head in his hands, sending the children into fits of giggles.

  As they walked back to the surgery building there was peace between them, and with the children skipping along in front Jon said casually, ‘Are you looking forward to Saturday?’

  ‘Of course I am!’ Laura replied, and told him laughingly, ‘Be warned. I intend to ignore your instruction not to get dressed up.’

  ‘Ah! So you’re going to surprise me!’ he exclaimed whimsically. ‘No jeans, T-shirt and sucking on a blade of grass.’

  ‘I’m not with you.’

  ‘No, of course you’re not. Just a little joke of mine.’

  When Laura drew back the curtains early on Saturday morning the sun was already shining out of a clear blue sky and as she stood looking out over the peaks, with the promise of the day ahead, her worries and uncertainties were pushed to the back of her mind. Until she heard Liam coughing, and it was the dry bark that she’d heard so many times over the past week.

  When she went into his room she found him hot and feverish and saying he was going to be sick, and as she carried him into the bathroom it seemed that he’d picked up the virus that was going around. Yet she still checked to make sure he hadn’t got a rash or that the light wasn’t hurting his eyes.

  Neither of those symptoms were prevailing, much to her relief. So the virus it had to be, and like others of its kind it would probably clear up in a day or two. But not today, she thought. Jon was going to have to cancel their dinner arrangement. There was no way she was going to leave Liam, even with the excellent Marjorie.

  After he’d been sick and she’d tucked him up in bed again while his tummy settled down, Laura padded across the landing, still in the robe she’d thrown on when she’d got out of bed, and knocked on Jon’s door.

  He was dressed in a similar manner and when he saw her he smiled and said, ‘It’s eight o’clock tonight we’re hitting the town, not eight o’clock this morning, and in any case I don’t think your outfit is quite right for the occasion.’ But when he saw her expression his smile faded.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

  ‘Liam isn’t well. I think he’s picked up the virus that’s going around. But would you come to have a look at him to make sure that you don’t think it’s anything worse? Doctors don’t always think straight when it’s their own child that is the patient.’

  ‘Yes, of course I will,’ he said immediately, and went to throw on some clothes before heading into Laura’s flat.

  ‘Hey, what’s all this?’ he said gently as Liam looked up at him with fever-bright eyes. ‘My young mate being poorly. Are you sure it’s not from the excitement of getting me out at cricket?’

  Liam managed a smile but it lacked the brightness of his usual beam and he lay docilely as Jon checked him over.

  ‘Glands up a bit,’ he said, ‘and there is no doubt about the temperature. Has he been coughing?’

  ‘Yes. The same sort of bark we’ve been hearing all week,’ Laura told him.

  ‘Hmm. I thought as much. It will be the virus. I don’t think it’s anything more serious than that, Laura. Liam needs something to bring his temperature down and plenty to drink. But I don’t have to tell you that, do I? After a day in bed, and with the attention of two doctors, we should soon have him back to normal.’

  He put his arm around her shoulders and held her close for a second. ‘So don’t worry. After breakfast I’ll phone the restaurant and cancel the meal. There wil
l always be another day for that.’

  She nodded and thought wryly of the dress that was hanging in the wardrobe. It wasn’t going to see the light of day. Instead their rendezvous had turned out to be an anxious bedside consultation with both of them having just got out of bed, and she wondered if Jon was as disappointed as she was.

  But if there was one person who was going to understand her concern it was him. Their children were the most important things in their lives. It would have been just the same if it had been Abby that was unwell.

  ‘Do you want a cuppa?’ she asked, and he shook his head.

  ‘No, thanks. I’ve left Abby asleep. I don’t want her to wake up and find me not there. I’ll come back later to check on our young patient, and you know where I am if you need me.’

  Laura was pale, he thought. Her hair tousled from sleep. The robe she was wearing had seen better days, but to him she was beautiful because he loved her. Whatever she’d been intending dazzling him with that evening, it couldn’t possibly make him love her any more.

  It was a weekend of disappointments. For Jon and Laura no evening out. For the children no sleeping at Grandma’s where Curly, Lambkin and Baa the sheep lived. No visit to the stables to see the ponies, and Liam and Abby were being kept apart to try and avoid her catching the virus.

  But in spite of everything it was a time of contentment for their parents. For Jon because for once he felt needed, and for Laura who’d been glad of someone to turn to in her anxiety. It was something she hadn’t had in recent years and it took away the feeling of aloneness that had always been there at such times.

  By Sunday evening Liam was much better. He and Abby were communicating by notes and the novelty of it was keeping them occupied.

  ‘It doesn’t take much to keep them happy, does it?’ Jon said laughingly when he came in to check on the patient. ‘In fact, Abby is happier than I’ve ever seen her since you and Liam have come into her life, and he is always smiling. too.’