Chapter 11
MICHELLE
M ichelle drove past the hospital entrance twice before she finally worked up the courage to park the Buick. It wasn’t that she was having second thoughts about helping Danny - she’d have done practically anything to ease the worry she’d heard in his voice.
It was more that she was about to meet Keith Dalton for the first time in her life, and she had absolutely no idea what to expect. Caroline had said he was a sweetheart… but on the other hand, this was the one man in the world her dad loathed.
‘Come on, Michelle, man up!’ she sighed, wishing she could borrow a bit of Caroline’s confidence. ‘It’ll be fine!’
Michelle checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror and immediately regretted it. Her hair was doing that thing where it insisted on sticking up at odd angles, and she still had a smudge of flour on her left cheek despite her mum’s tender ministrations.
‘Brilliant. I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards… again!’
What was it about meeting the Dalton men that seemed to bring out her scruffy side?
! Still, there was nothing for it. Keith was probably sitting in his hospital room right now—packed and ready to go—and she was his only route home.
She’d better get on with it before he really did make a bid for freedom.
She didn’t much fancy having to explain to Danny that his dad had escaped on her watch!
Grabbing her handbag, Michelle locked the car and strode towards the hospital entrance. The automatic doors swooshed open, and she was hit by that distinctive hospital smell - disinfectant with underlying notes of anxiety and overcooked vegetables.
‘Purple Zone,’ she muttered, following the signs through a maze of corridors. Ten minutes and three wrong turns later, she finally found the cardiac ward. The walk had done nothing to calm her nerves.
‘Can I help you?’ A cheerful, tired face appeared at the reception window.
‘I’m here to collect Keith Dalton,’ said Michelle, doing her best to sound like this wasn’t a surprise to her.
‘Oh, he will be pleased!’ The woman’s face lit up. ‘He’s been asking for his son for… well… hours, if I’m honest. You must be his daughter-in-law?’
‘Actually, I’m n—’ Michelle stopped herself. It would probably be easier if she just went along with it. ‘Yes. That’s me.’
‘He’s all ready to go,’ said the woman. ‘Just needs you to wheel him down to the car park.’
‘Wheel him?’ Michelle’s eyes widened. ‘Is he… I mean, can’t he walk?’
‘Oh, he can walk fine,’ chuckled the receptionist. ‘It’s just hospital policy… but I have to warn you, he’s not exactly thrilled about the whole wheelchair thing. He’s been grumbling about it for the last twenty minutes. Anyway, I’ll take you to his room. Just a tic!’
Michelle blew out a nervous breath. This was going to be… interesting!
‘Right, here we go,’ said the woman, appearing around the corner with squeaking steps. ‘Follow me.’
Michelle hurried along in her wake, her stomach slowly tying itself in knots. This was ridiculous! It was just Danny’s dad.
‘Here we are!’ said the woman, coming to a halt in front of a door that looked like all the other doors they’d passed. She gave a smart tap before sticking her head inside.
‘Is my rescue party finally here?’ came a gruff voice from the other side.
‘You’re in luck, Keith,’ said the nurse. ‘Your daughter-in-law has come for you.’
‘Daughter-in-law, eh? Danny’s full of surprises today.’
Michelle winced, crossing her fingers that Keith Dalton wasn’t about to blow her cover.
‘Send her in, then!’
‘Look after yourself now, Keith,’ said the woman, before turning back to Michelle. ‘Take good care of him.’
‘Will do,’ said Michelle, forcing a smile as the woman squeaked off in the direction of another room.
‘Are we getting out of here or not?!’ came a rumbling complaint from behind the door.
Michelle took a deep breath and pushed her way into the room. ‘Mr Dalton?’
‘Well, Danny’s a fast worker, I’ll give him that!’
An older, slightly more weathered version of Danny was sitting fully dressed on the edge of the hospital bed with a small holdall at his feet. He looked like he’d been ready to leave for hours.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’m Michelle.’
‘I know who you are,’ said Keith. ‘You’re Brian Singer’s girl. You look just like your mum did at your age.’
‘You knew my mum?’ Michelle’s surprise made her forget her nerves.
A wistful look crossed Keith’s face, and for a brief moment, Michelle couldn’t help but wonder if her mum might be the reason for the feud. But no… Caroline had said it was something to do with a car, hadn’t she? And… Keith had been her dad’s best man? Or was it the other way around…
‘What have you done with that boy of mine then, eh?’
Michelle snapped to attention. ‘Done? Nothing… we… I…’ she cleared her throat. ‘Oh, you mean where is he?’
Keith nodded, his eyes gleaming in amusement.
‘He said he got caught up in a tricky breakdown,’ said Michelle, wishing her face would cool down. ‘He didn’t want you to get stuck here another night, so he called me.’
‘Good lad,’ said Keith, nodding his approval. ‘Right then, are we off?’
‘Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?’ Michelle eyed him carefully. He looked perfectly fine, but then again, she had no idea what someone who’d had a mini stroke was supposed to look like.
‘I’m right as rain,’ said Keith firmly. ‘Just needed a bit of an MOT, that’s all. New parts fitted, oil changed, ready to go.’
Michelle couldn’t help but smile at that. ‘The nurse said something about a wheelchair?’
Keith’s face darkened again. ‘Bloody ridiculous. I can walk perfectly fine, but apparently using your own legs is a liability these days, so I’ve got to be wheeled out like a piece of unwanted furniture.’
‘Oh,’ said Michelle, trying not to smile at his obvious irritation. ‘Maybe they’re just being cautious?’
‘Cautious my arse,’ huffed Keith. ‘It’s bureaucratic nonsense, that’s what it is. But if it’s the only way to get out of this place, I suppose I’ll have to put up with it.’
He stomped over to the wheelchair with all the enthusiasm of a man approaching his own execution. ‘Come on then, let’s get this farce over with. And don’t you dare make any jokes about me being an invalid.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ said Michelle, trying to keep the amusement out of her voice as she grabbed the handles. ‘So… unwanted furniture, eh? What look are you going for… wardrobe or bookcase?’
Keith peered up at her, his eyebrows bristling, and for a brief moment, Michelle had a feeling she’d just gone too far. Then he threw back his head, and a laugh filled the cabbage-scented room.
The journey from the hospital room to the car park took about three times longer than it should have done for two reasons.
The first one was that Keith was constantly trying to get out of the wheelchair to walk.
He muttered the entire way about “health and safety gone mad” and “treating grown men like children.”
‘I can walk perfectly well, you know,’ he grumbled as Michelle navigated around a corner. ‘This is completely unnecessary.’
‘I know,’ said Michelle.
The second reason was far more surprising. They had to pause almost every time they passed a member of staff in the corridors, because every single one of them seemed to want to say goodbye to Keith.
‘Did you really know all those people?’ asked Michelle when they finally made it to the lift.
‘Of course,’ said Keith. ‘I’ve been in here for days—plenty of time to get to know everyone.
That was Maureen on reception who brought you to me - her grandson’s just started university.
Dave the porter supports the wrong football team but makes an excellent cuppa.
He’s promised to come see me next week so that we can watch the game together.
Oh, and Dr Williams over there has been trying to convince me to take up yoga. ’
‘Yoga?’ Michelle snorted as the lift doors closed.
‘Apparently, it’s good for stress relief,’ said Keith with a perfectly straight face. ‘I told him I’d rather take up wrestling.’
The minute the lift doors opened back up to deposit them in the car park, Keith jumped out of the wheelchair like a man escaping from prison.
‘That’s quite enough of that nonsense,’ he cheered, straightening his shoulders with obvious relief.
Michelle pushed the abandoned wheelchair over to a little holding pen, and when she turned back, Keith was already striding towards the Buick, eyeing its curves with obvious appreciation.
‘Now that is a beautiful sight,’ he said, as Michelle trotted to catch up with him.
‘She’s amazing,’ said Michelle. ‘I can’t believe Danny’s letting me borrow her.’
‘Course he is,’ said Keith, making his way around to the passenger side. ‘Boy’s got excellent taste. In cars and in women. But then… you already know that, seeing as you’re married to him.’
Michelle felt her cheeks glow hot pink. ‘Erm… sorry about the lie,’ she muttered. ‘It was the easiest way to break you out of that place.’
‘Girl after my own heart,’ said Keith, grinning at her. ‘And trust me, Danny won’t complain!’
‘You’re not going to tell him?!’ gasped Michelle.
‘Not if you don’t want me to,’ said Keith with a grin. ‘Being that you’re here and he’s not, I reckon I owe you one. But you have to promise me something too.’
‘What’s that?’ said Michelle, raising an eyebrow.
‘Don’t breathe a word about that wheelchair!’
‘Deal,’ she said quickly. ‘Right then, shall we get you home?’
‘Music to my ears!’ said Keith, settling into the passenger seat.
‘Here we are then,’ said Michelle as she pulled into the Dalton Garage forecourt. ‘Home sweet home.’
‘Actually, sorry to ask, but would you mind driving me around the back?’ said Keith. ‘The house is just behind the garage… and if I’m honest, I’m a bit knackered.’
‘Of course!’ said Michelle, throwing a concerned glance at him.
‘Don’t look at me like that, girl!’ tutted Keith. ‘I’m fine. I could just eat a horse, that’s all. Blasted hospital food.’