Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights (Little Duck Pond Cafe #36)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

‘Will you?’ gasped Maddy and her mum at the same time, staring up at me.

‘Of course. Come on.’

‘And what if I don’t want to go?’ objected the patient.

‘Tough. You’ve got no choice in the matter, Dad. So you might as well stop complaining and let us help you up, okay?’

‘She’s right,’ agreed her mum. ‘We need to get to the bottom of what’s going on with your balance, love.’

*****

I drove them to the hospital, Maddy in the passenger seat staring anxiously ahead and her parents sitting in the back. From time to time I heard her mum murmur something and her dad’s brief reply, but apart from that, we travelled in silence. You could cut the tension with a knife.

Once there, I dropped them off at the entrance to A&E, and Maddy thanked me and said she’d phone me when her dad had been seen. I watched them go then I drove off to find the car park.

After waiting in the car for a while, I decided to stretch my legs and go and wait in the A&E reception for them – anything just so that I didn’t have to sit there in that confined space, replaying the scene at the café in my head over and over: Jackie suddenly appearing on the doorstep, interrupting Sylvia’s party, wanting to talk to me...

I found a seat in reception and watched the comings and goings of patients and staff for over an hour, and then Maddy phoned me and said her dad had been seen and they were ready to go.

‘How is he?’ I asked.

‘Well, the head wound is just superficial, thank goodness. But Mum and I made him tell the doctor about his “episodes”, so he’s going to be having some tests, just to make sure there’s nothing wrong, you know?’

‘Right. Well, that’s good, isn’t it? At least then you won’t have to wonder.’

‘Absolutely! Yeah, it’s going to be fine.’

‘I’m in the reception area so I’ll see you there?’

‘Okay. Thanks again, Laurel. We’ll be there in a jiffy.’

Ending the call, I stared into space, my eyes fixed unseeingly on the lifts opposite, thinking about Maddy and her dad. I really hoped the tests would reveal nothing sinister. It really was the worst time for the family to get bad news, with the wedding of Maddy and Jack happening in just a matter of weeks...

A familiar laugh intruded into my daydreaming and my eyes snapped into focus. Two female nurses in blue were getting out of one of the lifts and walking towards me. I knew one of them all too well.

It was Jo.

*****

At the sight of her, my mind and body went straight into panic mode. She suddenly caught my eye and I watched her expression change from easy and relaxed, chatting with the other nurse, to one of pure alarm.

I couldn’t face her. Not right now when I was already in a state after Jackie’s shock appearance at the café. It was all too much.

I got up and walked quickly over to the toilets and disappeared into the Ladies. Jo called after me but I just ignored her. I really wasn’t ready for this. Would I ever be? With trembling fingers, I called Maddy and said I’d be there in a minute. I’d meet them just outside the A&E entrance.

I felt vaguely ridiculous, peering out to make sure Jo had gone.

To my relief, she was nowhere in sight now. Maybe she’d gone for a break with her friend. I’d no idea she was working here, although why on earth would I?

I hadn’t spoken to her since that fateful day last December...