Chapter Six
The day went by slowly for Jessica while Nathan was at work. She really did make a terrible invalid, mainly because she wasn’t used to having time to fill. She needed a project to keep her busy — but what? The video game was really fun, but most of what made it fun was playing it with Nathan; it wouldn’t be nearly as good doing it by herself.
As the day was overcast and cooler, Nathan took the dogs out for their walk when he came home at lunchtime so they’d have more time for Fable II in the evening. Jessica only saw him for a total of about ten minutes when he made them both a tuna and bean salad and bolted it down before he needed to get back to the surgery.
She wished there was something nice she could do for him, but it was tricky without being able to move around much, and she knew Nathan would be cross if she overdid it. Though not as cross as she’d be with herself. As frustrating as it was to be so restricted in what she could do, she knew it was really for the best that she follow doctor’s orders to the letter and give herself the best chance of her foot healing up quickly and well. She couldn’t allow herself to contemplate what she’d do if her foot didn’t mend properly and didn’t regain its previous strength.
Nathan was home soon after his clinic ended. Jessica wondered if he’d hurried back to be with her, or if he usually left work so promptly.
“I’ll stick some baked potatoes in the oven,” Nathan said, “and we can get started.”
“Great. I’m the primary player, though,” said Jessica. “I’ve basically spent today working out what we need to do, and it would take me too long to explain it all to you.”
Nathan laughed. “Are you always this competitive?”
“Yes,” admitted Jessica. “You’ve got to be really competitive to make it as a ballet dancer, especially if you’re a woman.”
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
“There are fewer male ballet dancers,” Jessica explained, “So it’s less competitive. Though I guess it’s still more competitive than most careers.”
Jessica’s mobile rang. She looked at the caller ID and her face fell.
“Is it your friend again? The one who’s been given your role?”
“No, it’s Mum. I don’t know what to say to her because I haven’t told her about my foot yet.” Seeing the surprise on Nathan’s face she said, “I didn’t want her to worry. She’ll want to come back and that would ruin everyone’s holiday.”
Her phone stopped ringing.
“I think you should tell her,” he said. “You can reassure her that you’re fine, but she’ll be upset when she gets back if she finds out you’ve lied to her.”
“You’re right. She will be hurt if I keep it from her, even if I am being looked after fairly well.” Jessica smiled. “I’ll call her back.”
“Let me help you get comfortable on the sofa.”
“Don’t worry, I’m all right,” said Jessica. It was lovely how Nathan fussed over her.
She got settled on the sofa, and taking a deep breath, dialled her mum on a WhatsApp video call.
“Hi, Mum,” Jessica said when Sarah answered. “Sorry, I missed your call.”
“Don’t worry, darling. Thanks for phoning back. Where are you?” Her mother squinted at her phone.
“Funny story,” said Jessica. “Do you remember Nathan Townsend? He was in my year at primary school.”
“Of course. He’s the new doctor I told you about. Lovely boy. He was so sweet on you.”
“Was he?” Jessica asked, a grin spreading across her face. “Anyway,” she said, realising she needed to keep on topic, “I’m in his house.”
“Oh,” said her mum, sounding surprised. “I haven’t had a chance to chat with him yet, but I’ve seen him walking his dog.”
“That’s right, Dennis.”
“And you’ve gone round to his house to say hello, have you?”
“Not exactly, Mum. I’m actually staying here while you’re away,” Jessica explained. “With Monty,” she added quickly.
“You’re staying with him,” Sarah repeated.
“Yes. I fell over the other day. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. Anyway, I broke my foot.” Jessica decided not to add Monty’s part in it.
“Oh no!” said Sarah immediately. “How badly?”
“It looks like a clean break from what they could tell on the X-ray, but I’ve got a cast that I need to wear for six weeks.”
“And then after that?”
“A lot of rehabilitation. I won’t be able to dance for at least three months.”
“So, what’s going to happen about The Sleeping Beauty ?”
“My part’s been given to my understudy.” Jessica was proud of herself for managing to hold back her tears.
“Oh, darling, I’m so sorry. What a disappointment. Are you OK? What are you going to do for money?”
“The company’s insured if something like this happens, so I’ll be OK for money.”
“That’s something, at least. Oh, you poor thing,” said Sarah. “But... that still doesn’t explain why you’re staying at Nathan’s house.”
“Nathan was there when I fell and he took me to A there wasn’t much dancer-friendly food on the menu, but she wasn’t going to be training for a while so she could relax with what she ate — at least a little — and she knew what she really fancied.
“Um... a black Americano and a cheese and ham toastie, please. Here, take my purse.”
Nathan returned with drinks a couple of minutes later. Dennis had curled up under the table and gone to sleep, but Monty was not being nearly as obliging. He was getting himself and his lead nicely wound around a table leg.
“Why don’t I take him for you?” offered Nathan. “He’s liable to have your chair over.”
“I need to be able to control him...” Jessica leaned down and unravelled the lead as best she could.
“Sure, but I don’t want him to pull you over and hurt you. I’ve been working on him a bit when I’ve been out with him, but I haven’t had a chance to take him to a café or restaurant before.”
“Thank you,” Jessica said, gratefully handing the lead over to him. “I noticed that he was walking better on the lead today, but I thought it must just be chance.”
“He’s coming along really well.”
“Training my dad’s dog for me really is going above and beyond the call of duty, you know.”
“I’m walking him at the moment so it’s kind of in my own interests to help him. He’s a good boy.” Nathan scratched Monty on his head. “Come here, Monty,” he said and steered Monty over to sit next to him so he was out of the way.
A waitress came over with their food. Dennis knew better than to beg, but Monty’s nose appeared on the table, his eyes beseeching Jessica for a corner of her sandwich. Spotting her wavering, Nathan said, “If you give him some, he’ll be driving you mad for the rest of your meal.”
“I know, but he looks hungry.”
“You know he’s not really that hungry.” Nathan laughed. “Why don’t you keep him a bit for when you’re finished?”
Jessica kept a corner for Monty and one for Dennis, and when she and Nathan were finished eating and ready to leave, she stood up, got the dogs to sit, and gave them each their corner.
“Do you want to walk around some more, or are you done?” Nathan asked.
“I’m afraid I think I’m done,” admitted Jessica. Her foot was definitely aching a lot more than earlier even with the two lots of sitting. She checked her watch. “Hooray, I can take my next lot of painkillers.”
Nathan looked worried. “I hope you haven’t overdone it.”
“I’m sure I haven’t. I’m sorry. It would have been nice to have stayed here for longer.”
“Don’t worry. Let’s get you home,” said Nathan cheerfully.
“Can we play Fable II ?”
“Of course we can,” Nathan replied with a smile she suspected was humouring her.
They walked slowly back to the car park. Nathan got the dogs into the back of the Land Rover and then helped Jessica.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she said.
“It was my pleasure.”
“And thank you so much for looking after me so well.”
“That has also been my pleasure.”
“I really doubt that.”
“It has,” Nathan replied firmly.
“You’ve really been enjoying spending all your free time with a bad-tempered ballerina who can’t even care for her father’s out-of-control dog?”
“Monty isn’t out of control,” he said kindly. “He just needs a bit more training. And you’re much less bad-tempered since I introduced you to video games.”
Jessica smiled.
“Seriously though,” Nathan said, “I’m glad I’ve been able to help. It’s... been nice to have someone else around the house. I think I’ve been getting a bit fed up with my own company.”
“It’s been nice staying with you,” Jessica said. “And not just because I need your help. I think I would have been really lonely staying by myself at my mum and dad’s.”
“It sounds like it’s worked out well for the both of us, then.”