Chapter Sixteen
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A couple of weeks after Faith had called to let Ottilie know about the trial date for Josh’s attacker, exactly as Faith had predicted, Ottilie received a letter saying it had been postponed. She quickly decided it was best not to work to a date and simply wait and see. When it happened, it would happen, and she ought to leave it at that. And so she went about her days as before, trying not to think about it. There was plenty to keep her busy after all, not only at work but also all the extra things she did in her spare time, like the monthly film club, which was fast approaching.
Heath had always found the notion of Magnus and Geoff’s film club a bit ridiculous, and while Ottilie could see it to a point, she sometimes felt his opinion was unfair. She enjoyed it and saw it as a way to connect on a regular basis with Thimblebury’s community. Heath rarely approved of their film choices either, but the way Ottilie saw it, the film wasn’t important, because it was never really about the film but about them all sitting together and talking about it afterwards.
She always looked forward to their monthly meet-up, but whenever she told Heath this, his expression was more than sceptical. Manchester was far more metropolitan than tiny Thimblebury and there were way cooler things to do there. His attitude to film club made her think that if Heath were to relocate for her, he would miss them a bit too much, and whenever she allowed herself time to dwell on the possibility it worried her. She couldn’t leave Thimblebury now, but if Heath felt the same about Manchester then where would it leave them if their relationship ever got to that stage?
Simon, on the other hand, was as keen to settle into village life as she herself had been when she’d first arrived in Thimblebury. ‘Or die trying’ were his actual words, which had made Ottilie giggle for the rest of the day after she’d heard them. So when she and Lavender had told him about film club and how much fun it was, he immediately wanted to know when the next meeting was and if he would be able to join.
And so Ottilie decided to mention it as she popped into the post-office-cum-general-store for some milk on the way home that evening.
‘He’s staying on?’ Magnus scanned Ottilie’s goods into the till with a satisfied smile.
‘Looks like it.’
‘That is good news.’
Geoff was sitting a few feet away at the other end of the counter. He looked up from his iPad. ‘You would say that.’
‘You get on with that ordering and stop interfering,’ Magnus replied mildly.
Ottilie looked from one to the other with a vague frown.
‘Fancies him,’ Geoff said.
‘I don’t.’
‘Yes, you do. After all these years together you don’t think I can tell when you fancy someone?’
‘I can appreciate he has lovely symmetrical features,’ Magnus said, winking at Ottilie. ‘That’s all.’
‘I suppose he does,’ Ottilie said.
Geoff went back to his ordering. Ottilie couldn’t tell if he was hurt or if he was joking, but she wondered what else had been said in private between the two of them. They hadn’t been getting along all that well – Stacey had said so, and Ottilie had seen it first-hand – but surely it was nothing serious? She couldn’t imagine Thimblebury without Magnus and Geoff and their film club.
‘Which reminds me,’ she added. ‘I told him all about film club and he wondered if he’d be allowed to come along one time.’
‘Of course,’ Magnus said. ‘The more is merry.’
‘The more the merrier,’ Geoff corrected him.
‘That’s what I said.’ Magnus started to pack Ottilie’s groceries into a cloth bag she’d given to him. ‘Anyone who’s interested in movies is welcome to come.’
‘That’s what I thought, but I wanted to check.’
‘It’s not often full anyway because not everyone comes every time.’
Ottilie took the bag from him. ‘I thought that too. So I’ll bring him to the next one?’
‘Sure, why not? I’m sure we can squeeze him in somewhere.’
‘Great! What film are we doing by the way?’
‘ Midnight Run .’
‘Is that the one with Robert De Niro and that comedian?’ Ottilie couldn’t help a grimace, and Magnus laughed.
‘Lavender’s choice – what can you do? It was her turn after all.’
‘I’m sure a couple of wines will help it go easier,’ Ottilie said. ‘What a way to introduce Simon to the club.’
‘What makes you think he won’t like it?’ Geoff looked up from his iPad again.
‘OK.’ Ottilie smiled. ‘You’ve got me there. I’m sure it’s just me who’s not so keen, and I suppose that is the point of film club, isn’t it? Makes us watch things we wouldn’t normally choose.’
‘That and an excuse to drink lots of wine and eat nibbles,’ Magnus said. ‘We’d love to see Simon there. What about your Heath? Will he be coming this time?’
‘I don’t know; I haven’t managed to ask him yet.’
‘I’m not sure Flo will when she hears what the film is,’ Geoff said. ‘She can be awkward as anything when she’s not keen.’
‘What makes you think she won’t like it?’ Magnus asked, throwing his own words back at him.
Geoff rolled his eyes. ‘Because this is Flo we’re talking about and she complains about every film we show.’
‘And you can’t argue with that,’ Ottilie said. ‘I love her to bits but even I can’t stick up for her there.’
‘I don’t know where you find the patience,’ Magnus said as Ottilie made her way to the door to leave.
‘Aww, she’s not so bad when you understand her.’
‘That’s the problem,’ Magnus said as Ottilie opened the door. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever understand that woman as long as I live.’
Stacey was on her way in as Ottilie left the shop.
‘Hey, stranger,’ she greeted. ‘Where’ve you been hiding? Haven’t seen you for ages.’
Ottilie laughed lightly. ‘It’s only been about a week.’
‘It feels like longer. I should take that as a compliment. So you’ve been busy. Work, I suppose? I hear a certain doctor is staying on. What do you have to say about this rumour? Is it true? Are my sources correct?’
‘I forget how fast things get round this place,’ Ottilie said, and it suddenly occurred to her that Magnus might have been pretending not to already know about Simon so as not to steal her thunder. Sweet, but not necessary – Ottilie was under no illusions about the efficiency of the gossip wheel in Thimblebury. ‘He is. Who told you?’
‘Now, now, you know that’s not how it works. I have to protect my sources or they won’t tell me anything again.’
‘Lavender?’ Ottilie raised her eyebrows and Stacey laughed.
‘I will neither confirm nor deny.’
‘It was Lavender then.’
‘And I hear he’s going to be relocating to Thimblebury.’
‘That’s the plan, I think.’
‘So we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.’
‘Possibly.’
‘I’d like to see a lot more of him…and I’m not talking about living here.’
Ottilie grinned. ‘You’re terrible. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. How’s everything with you anyway? Any more on Chloe’s secret boyfriend?’
‘Apart from the fact that she won’t tell me anything so now I definitely know there’s a boy, not really. It’s like something from an espionage film – every time her phone rings she sneaks out with it and she’s whispering. It’d be funny if it wasn’t so ridiculous. What does she think I’m going to do? Ask for proof of honourable intentions and a copy of his latest bank statement? I don’t care who she sees as long as he’s a good’un and he makes her happy.’
‘I seem to recall I was a bit like that when I was younger,’ Ottilie said. ‘I don’t think my parents ever met a boyfriend until I got serious with Josh.’
‘I was like that when I was about fifteen but I’d got it sorted by the time I was Chloe’s age.’
‘Aww, I suppose she’s being cautious after her bad experience with Mackenzie’s dad. How is the cutest little man in Thimblebury by the way?’
‘Oh, he gets more gorgeous every day. Listen…what are you up to tonight?’
‘Not a lot.’
‘Fancy coming round to mine for an hour? Chloe will be out and I’m babysitting, but Mackenzie will probably be down by about eight, and he more or less sleeps through the night now. It’d be good to catch up. I wanted to run some ideas for the mum and baby group by you as well.’
‘That sounds lovely.’
‘Great! Turn up whenever you’re ready!’
After a quick shower Ottilie headed back over to Stacey’s house. They hadn’t arranged to eat, but she had some curry left over and decided to take it with her so they could share it. Even if Stacey had eaten, Ottilie was so hungry she was certain she could manage the entire lot by herself. She was still thinking about it when Stacey opened the front door, the relaxed and fun version from earlier gone and replaced by a face etched with worry. Mackenzie was in her arms, red-faced and screaming.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
‘I don’t know. He started with a temperature all of a sudden. He’s boiling and he won’t stop crying. I’ve tried to call Chloe home, but she’s not answering her phone.’
‘Want me to take a look at him?’
‘Would you? I was going to call the doctor but I knew you were coming over anyway so I thought I’d wait to see what you said.’
Ottilie gave a brisk nod and followed Stacey inside.
‘Thank goodness you’re here.’
Stacey went to the living room and sat on the sofa. Ottilie took a seat next to her and opened her arms to take Mackenzie.
As he was passed from his grandma to Ottilie his cries seemed to get even angrier and more desperate. Ottilie put her hand to his back. ‘Really hot…Do you have a baby thermometer?’
‘Somewhere, but I can’t find it.’
‘Has he been sick or had a bad tummy or anything?’
‘No.’
‘Not coughing or anything like that?’
‘No.’
‘Hmm…’ It was then that Ottilie noticed a subtle rash on his chest. Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Would you get me a glass?’ she asked as calmly as she could.
‘A what?’
‘A clean glass – a tumbler will do.’
Looking confused, Stacey dashed out into the kitchen. Ottilie looked at Mackenzie, dread in her heart, hoping to be very wrong. ‘Oh, little man…’ she murmured. ‘What is going on with you? Please don’t do this – anything but this.’
Her thoughts were lightning fast because she needed to act fast. With a free hand she got out her phone and started to dial Fliss’s number. If they’d been in Manchester right now she’d have been calling for an ambulance, but this was Thimblebury, miles away from the nearest ambulance station, and the easiest and fastest course of action was to get Fliss over here.
But the call went to voicemail as Stacey returned with the glass.
‘What do you think it is?’ she asked, handing it over, though her face told Ottilie that she was beginning to work it out.
‘I don’t know,’ Ottilie lied. ‘I’m just checking…Could you get my phone and look for Simon’s contact and call him while I…?’
As Stacey dialled the number, Ottilie rolled the glass over Mackenzie’s rash. She allowed herself to breathe again as she noticed that it seemed to fade with the pressure. It wasn’t absolutely certain, but it was hope.
‘Hello…? I’m with Ottilie…I think she wants to ask you about…’
Stacey handed the phone over and took Mackenzie into her arms. Ottilie could hear his cries fade as she took him into the kitchen, presumably so Ottilie could hear what Simon was saying.
‘What’s the matter?’
‘This is a long shot,’ Ottilie said briskly. ‘I know you stayed behind to do some paperwork and…’
‘I left about ten minutes ago. What’s wrong?’
Ottilie’s heart sank. She’d been pinning her hopes on him still being in the office, but she should have realised he’d have gone by now. She shouldn’t have wasted time trying to get hold of him. She ought to have bundled Mackenzie into her car and driven him to the hospital herself.
‘Ottilie…’ Simon repeated. ‘What’s wrong? Has something happened at the surgery? Is it Charles?’
‘No, nothing like that. It’s my friend’s grandson. He’s about five months old, he has a really high temperature and a rash I don’t like the look of at all. I was hoping you’d still be at work. I can’t get hold of Fliss. It doesn’t matter – I’ll run him to the emergency department now.’
‘I think it’s the best course of action. I could come back, but if it’s what you suspect then there’s not a lot I could do anyway and every second counts. The best place for him would be hospital. Put him in the car and take him there. I’ll come to you.’
‘You don’t need?—’
‘Don’t waste time arguing. I’ll see you shortly.’
Ottilie thought again about calling for an ambulance but in the end decided her way was quicker. They went in Stacey’s car, though Ottilie drove because Stacey was in no state and Mackenzie was better with her anyway. The roads were quiet, headlights sweeping through the gloom. Ottilie was aware of breaking the speed limit on several occasions, but if they got a fine then they’d have to deal with it. The most important thing was getting Mackenzie help, no matter what that took. Stacey was silent too, her attention on keeping Mackenzie as comfortable as they could and trying to get through to Chloe. They’d given the little boy something to try to keep his temperature down – Ottilie hadn’t wanted to alarm Stacey, but if it went much higher she was afraid of fitting, or even more permanent effects.
Under her breath she muttered vague prayers to nobody in particular and sometimes curse words whenever the road or traffic held them up, eyes fixed on the road, face etched with concentration and purpose.
When they finally reached the hospital Stacey dashed in with Mackenzie while Ottilie found a parking space. She allowed herself a moment to release the worry tensing her shoulders. It wasn’t over, but they were here and help was at hand.
As she made her way to the emergency department entrance to find Stacey, Simon approached from the opposite end of the car park.
‘They’re inside,’ Ottilie said. ‘We’ve only just arrived ourselves.’
‘That’s good.’
‘I appreciate you coming but there probably isn’t much point, you know.’
‘I know. But I wasn’t far away and I would have been dwelling on it at home so I might as well be here to help if I can. It might be I need to pull a few strings, have a word with the triage team to get him seen quicker.’
While Ottilie was touched and impressed by his dedication and support, she couldn’t help but feel something more was going on here. He’d only been a locum GP in Thimblebury for a few weeks and he barely knew Stacey. He’d never seen her or Chloe as a patient, and Ottilie was fairly sure he’d never seen Mackenzie either. He was making a permanent move to the village and she supposed that might have some bearing on his decision to come here tonight, but it still seemed very much above and beyond his duties, even then. As she’d told him, the emergency team would be dealing with it now and there was very little for her to do here, let alone him.
But even as these thoughts floated vaguely through her mind, she couldn’t process them. Stacey needed her and everything else would have to wait. There was no point in arguing with Simon either. Perhaps his influence would have no bearing on Mackenzie’s treatment – in fact, it almost certainly wouldn’t – but that didn’t mean to say Ottilie wasn’t grateful for the offer.
Inside, the waiting room of the emergency department was thankfully quiet. There was a woman and a girl who looked about ten and was nursing her arm, sobbing quietly, and a man with his hand in a blood-soaked bandage, though he was alert and joking with his companion, so clearly not too distressed. The walls were covered in posters bearing health advice and slogans about quitting smoking and only using the service for genuine emergencies, and orange plastic chairs were lined up in rows in front of a sweeping reception desk.
Stacey was at the desk now giving some details to a clerk. Mackenzie had stopped crying, his head resting on Stacey’s shoulder as he gazed dolefully out. But the fact he was quiet now didn’t reassure Ottilie at all. In fact, it made her more worried.
Stacey turned to sit down, but when she noticed Ottilie and Simon she seemed slightly taken aback.
‘How’s he doing?’ Simon asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Stacey said wearily. ‘At least he’s stopped screaming.’
‘We gave him some baby ibuprofen,’ Ottilie said to Simon. ‘I expect that had something to do with it.’
She didn’t really think that, and she knew he didn’t either. It was more for Stacey’s benefit, to keep her calm and hopeful. The last thing Ottilie wanted to do was scare her.
Simon seemed to understand and he nodded. ‘That’s good.’
As Ottilie and Stacey sat down, he went to the desk and spoke quietly to the same clerk Stacey had been giving her details to. A minute later, he thanked her and came to join them. Neither woman asked what he’d said, though Ottilie could guess he’d asked for some favour to bump them up the queue. She also suspected it was all rather academic, as their case would have been urgent enough to do that without his input. Mackenzie was a baby and his symptoms would have been concerning enough for that.
Whether it had been down to Simon or whether it would have happened regardless, they didn’t have to wait long. Stacey and Mackenzie were called through to a treatment room, leaving Ottilie and Simon to wait.
‘Hopefully they’ll get to the bottom of it quickly now he’s in,’ he said.
Ottilie turned to him. He looked tired. ‘You didn’t have to come, you know. Not that we’re not touched by it, of course. But if you wanted to head home, that’s all right. There’s not a lot either of us can do now and there doesn’t seem any point in both of us being here for hours.’
‘I know,’ he said, nodding slowly. ‘I’ll stay for a while longer to keep you company if you don’t mind.’
‘God, no, I don’t mind, but I do feel guilty that you’re here. You must be shattered and you’ve got a long drive home yet.’
‘It’s my choice so there’s no need for that. And I’d like to see he’s OK.’
‘I could let you know when they’re out.’
‘I know that too.’ He glanced across at a vending machine. ‘Want a coffee? I’m going to get one to perk me up before I drive home.’
‘I thought you didn’t drink coffee?’
‘True, but sometimes you need caffeine. Do you want one?’
‘I don’t like coffee either, and the tea from those things is usually disgusting. I suppose if there’s hot chocolate it’ll probably be OK.’
‘Chocolate… right.’
Ottilie watched him punch numbers into the machine. He was restless, up and down on the balls of his feet as he waited for their drinks to be dispensed. It was strange – she’d never seen him like that before. At the surgery he’d always been relaxed, confident, reassuring. They were in a stressful situation, yes, but surely nothing more stressful than he’d encountered before during his career. He must have seen far worse and more worrying cases than this.
As he turned back, she tore her gaze away, suddenly feeling guilty for staring at him. He handed her a drink in a plastic cup.
‘It’s nice to see they still put this stuff in cups so thin the top layer of your skin is burned off on contact,’ she said as she took it, and immediately had to put it on the floor beside her chair.
‘Yes, why mess with a perfectly good tradition?’
Simon seemed to be more resistant to the heat of his drink. But even then he winced as he took a sip.
‘Is that because it’s so disgusting or because it’s boiling?’ Ottilie asked.
‘A bit of both. But it will wake me up, which is the point.’
‘I’m sure you didn’t need the taste buds on your tongue anyway.’
Simon relaxed into a tired smile. ‘It’s good Stacey has you here.’
‘You too.’
‘I didn’t do anything except show up and be useless.’
‘You didn’t need to show up at all. Not many would have done, knowing it was all in hand and not in their remit to do it anyway.’
‘I feel as if it is in my remit. I am going to be one of Thimblebury’s GPs, after all. I owe it to my patients to do what I can, even when that’s not much. The only reason I haven’t been more involved is because it’s out of hours and I wasn’t there to see him first.’
Ottilie frowned. They were meant to have an out-of-hours service and someone should have been on call. That was supposed to be Fliss. It would be a difficult conversation, and Ottilie might seem to be overstepping the mark, but she’d have to say something about it when she next saw Fliss, because she wouldn’t be able to leave it. She was meant to be available for an emergency like this, and while Ottilie understood that she had Charles to worry about, that fact remained. And perhaps she’d have only sent them straight to the hospital once she’d seen Mackenzie, as Simon had done, but to Ottilie that wasn’t the point.
‘I’m so glad you’re staying on,’ she said. ‘Thimblebury is lucky to have you.’
‘I don’t know about that. I feel lucky to have Thimblebury right now. I wasn’t looking forward to moving on again. I mean, I know that’s part of the deal when you’re a locum, but I didn’t really want to be a locum long-term. It’s a pleasant surprise to get a permanent job so quickly in such a nice place.’
‘You don’t feel it’s going to be too quiet for you then?’
‘Quiet is appealing these days. I had a lifetime’s worth of excitement in Botswana. I can do quiet for a bit.’
‘Was it stressful?’
‘Challenging is more like it. I was working in a very cut-off rural area. Not enough equipment and what we had was often unreliable. If you’re lucky enough to live in a city there’s actually a decent system – the government there have invested hugely in improving it over recent years – but that system is yet to reach poorer areas.’
‘I take my hat off to you. It must have taken guts to go.’
‘Going was the easy bit,’ he said, taking a sip of his coffee. ‘What I left behind…’
Ottilie waited for him to finish his sentence, but he didn’t. Instead, his gaze went somewhere she couldn’t see. What she was beginning to see was tragedy, somewhere in his past, something that had made him run from his old life all the way to Africa. She saw it because she’d lived it herself. She’d been running from her grief when she’d first come to Thimblebury. Everyone had wondered how she’d had the guts to leave everything and everyone she knew behind at such a time, but for Ottilie, staying was so much harder that it was an act of cowardice, if it was anything at all.
After a few moments of silence he turned to her. ‘You’re a relative newcomer to Thimblebury, aren’t you?’
‘Last year.’
‘Fliss tells me you lost your husband. Is that why you moved?’
Ottilie reached for her drink. It had cooled a little and she was able to wrap her hands around the cup, the synthetic aroma of cheap chocolate seeping into her head. ‘I couldn’t stay in Manchester. I worked at the hospital where he died. There were too many bad memories everywhere I looked. People would say to me that there would be good ones too, in time, that I’d be able to see them again, but I didn’t have the strength to wait for that day. I just woke up one morning and thought: I don’t want to be here . So I looked for a job and found my house, and that was that.’
‘But you’ve settled? You like it there?’
‘I love it. The community has been so welcoming. I arrived under a cloud but that didn’t last. Now I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Thimblebury is home.’
‘It’s certainly picturesque.’
‘It’s more than that. It’s…well, it sounds cheesy, but I’d say living in the Lake District is almost a state of being. Like the landscape becomes part of your soul. I think I’d always carry that with me whether I stayed or not, and I’d always miss it.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Wow? It’s that good?’
‘You’ll find out for yourself soon enough. But don’t shoot me if you don’t end up feeling the same. Did you like Botswana?’
‘It’s a beautiful place and I sort of see what you mean about getting into your soul. I don’t think I’d want to live there again but I don’t think it will ever quite leave me.’
‘What made you decide to come back to England? You’d had enough or something happened to make you leave?’
‘I felt what I’d gone for I’d achieved. It had been a strange time in my personal life, but I felt as if I was coming to terms with that too. It just seemed like the right time to end that chapter and start a new one.’
‘And so you ended up in a tiny village in the middle of England.’
‘I must admit I never saw that coming. If you’d have asked me ten years ago where I’d be now in my life, I wouldn’t have seen any of this coming. Not Botswana, not here, not…well…’ He paused and cleared his throat, and then took a huge drink of his coffee. ‘Not losing my wife and our baby.’
Ottilie looked sharply at him. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘I didn’t say – how would you?’
‘God, I’m…I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry.’
‘I think that’s why I enjoy talking to you. I know you understand what it’s like. I’d like to think we’ll become good friends one day.’
Ottilie nodded slowly, uncertain what to make of it all. She wondered if Fliss knew, but he answered the question before she’d asked it.
‘I told Fliss about it when she offered me the job the other day. I asked her not to mention it to anyone else. I don’t know why really, but…well, it seems silly now to keep it a secret. It happened, and no amount of keeping it to myself will change that.’
‘Is it OK to ask what happened?’
‘Yes. Kiki is… was Japanese. We met when I was newly qualified and it was love at first sight. At any rate, I like to think it was, but she used to tease me about that and said there was no such thing. She definitely took longer to fall for me than I did for her. Iris – our little girl – was five months old when it happened. They went to visit family in Japan and I stayed home because I had to work. There was an earthquake, and her parents’ building wasn’t one of those shock-proof ones like they have in Tokyo. It was the middle of the night and they would have been in bed. The building collapsed. Kiki and Iris never stood a chance. I blame myself every day for not being there with them.’
Ottilie’s eyes filled with tears and she rubbed them away. She didn’t want to cry in front of him because it almost felt like stealing his sorrow away, though the story made her desperately sad. The tragedy of losing Josh, that anger and despair it had brought had driven her to the lowest depths she’d been able to imagine, and yet Simon’s was so much worse. At least she hadn’t lost a child. She’d lost the possibility of children yet to come, of course, but it wasn’t the same at all.
‘But you couldn’t have done anything if you had been there.’
‘True, but I would have died with them and in the beginning I think I would have preferred that. Sorry…’ he added hurriedly, glancing at her with an expression like guilt on his face. ‘That wasn’t meant to come out. It’s not fair to burden you with?—’
‘It’s not a burden. I mean, I understand sometimes we wonder how much it’s OK to share. I can’t imagine what it must have been like. I lost Josh and it felt as if my world had ended, but I never…’
She didn’t know how to finish what she’d wanted to say. She’d never wished to be dead, no matter how low she’d been. She’d wished for Josh to still be there, that he hadn’t gone to work that day, that she’d somehow been able to save him where the emergency doctors had failed and many other scenarios, but not once had she wished she’d gone with him. She had wondered how she could carry on living without him many times, but that was a very different thing.
‘How long ago was this?’
‘Coming up to six years.’
‘So you went to Botswana after it happened?’
‘Not straight away. I tried to carry on for a while – threw myself into work and even tried to have some kind of social life. Friends were worried; they were always asking me to go to dinner or whatever, and it was like I was trying to fool myself that I could move on, that I could go back to a normal life. The wheels soon came off that plan. I realised there was no normal life, not any more. And then one of my colleagues told me about the medic placement scheme and I thought I might as well go for it. I thought if I was somewhere totally different and doing things for other people it might help me. Not to forget – because we both know you can never forget – but to stop me from thinking about it every minute of every day. Botswana wasn’t the first placement. I also did some work in Central America before that.’
Ottilie knew only too well what he meant. She understood the logic because it was the same logic she’d applied to her own situation. More time had passed for him, that was true, but listening to him now he didn’t seem any further in his healing than she was. And she had Heath. She didn’t know if that was the answer for everyone, but Heath had helped her do what she hadn’t been able to do alone – and that was to see how life could be good again. Second chances did happen, and they might always have a bittersweet joy to them, but it was joy nonetheless. Simon hadn’t mentioned a partner and she got the impression there had been nobody since his wife. She knew he lived alone in Liverpool and that he hadn’t left anyone in Botswana he’d been close to in that way because she was certain he’d have said so.
‘I nearly packed in medicine altogether, you know.’
Ottilie looked around at this new revelation. ‘After you lost Kiki and Iris?’
‘When I was in Botswana. Now I’m glad I didn’t.’
Ottilie wanted to ask more, but at that moment Stacey came out of the treatment area. She looked drained.
Ottilie stood up. ‘What’s going on? How is he?’
‘They’ve taken him for some tests and they said they’d shout me back in when they were done. I’ve managed to get hold of Chloe. She’s trying to organise a lift to us.’
‘I could go and get her.’
‘I know, I thought you’d offer and I told her that, but she said she thought she could sort it. I’m sure she’ll let us know if there’s a problem.’
‘I don’t mind driving out for her if I can get a postcode,’ Simon said.
‘Thank you.’ Stacey gave him a grateful look. ‘That’s very kind of you. It’s kind of you to be here at all. I think it would be easier to let Chloe sort it. I’m sure she’s got something in mind or she would have said so.’
Simon looked at Ottilie. ‘So should I stay for a while? Just in case?—’
‘You must be tired and you’ve got a long drive home. Honestly, we’ll be fine. Thanks so much for being here.’
‘You’ll let me know when there’s news?’
‘Of course. The minute we hear anything.’
He looked torn, as if he couldn’t quite decide if he ought to leave or not. But then he seemed to come to a decision.
‘You’ve clearly got all this in hand and I don’t want to get in the way. But if you need me, call. I’ll keep my phone close.’
Ottilie decided right then she wouldn’t call. Any circumstance that might require it was unlikely, but even then it wasn’t his problem to deal with. And he was right – they had got everything in hand now that they’d reached proper help.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
Simon gave a brisk nod and drained his coffee cup. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow then? But if you’re here all night let me know and we’ll see what we can do about cutting your clinic.’
‘I’m sure I’ll be fine.’
‘Still, don’t struggle on if you’re unable. Martyrdom isn’t in the job description, you know.’
Ottilie gave a tired smile. ‘OK, I’ll bear that in mind.’
After another brisk word with the receptionist where he appeared to thank her, Simon left them.
Stacey sank into a chair. ‘I can’t remember a night this bad, not for a long time. God, I hope that little boy is all right. I don’t know what I’d do if…’
She burst into tears, and Ottilie threw an arm around her and pulled her close.
‘We got here quick and he’s in the best hands. He’ll be fine.’
‘So much for gossiping and ideas for the mum and baby group,’ Stacey sniffed, rubbing a tissue over her eyes.
‘It couldn’t be helped.’
‘And poor Chloe. She hardly has a social life as it is.’
‘I would imagine her interrupted social life will be the last thing on her mind right now,’ Ottilie soothed.
‘I know that, but I feel responsible. I said I’d look after Mackenzie and…’
‘And you have. These things happen – you couldn’t have stopped it. Neither could Chloe if she’d been home. Nobody could. But Mackenzie’s being looked after now. Everything will be all right – wait and see.’
Stacey’s phone began to ring and she pulled it from her bag. ‘Oh, this is Chloe…Hello…’
Ottilie watched Stacey get up and take the call outside. It reminded her that she hadn’t checked her own phone since she’d arrived at Stacey’s house earlier that evening. She wasn’t particularly expecting anyone to call, but she got it out anyway. There wasn’t much activity, apart from two messages. One was from Heath – some idle banter. The other was from Simon reminding her that he was only a phone call away should they need him.
That one didn’t need a reply, but Heath’s did. She was wording it in her head when another came through.
Everything all right?
There was too much to put into a text and Heath would probably have questions, so she dialled his number.
‘Hey,’ she said as he answered, careful to keep her voice down. ‘Sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. Something’s happened. I’m at the hospital with Stacey and Mackenzie.’
‘Oh God, are they all right?’
‘Mackenzie had a raging temperature and a rash. We didn’t want to risk it so we drove him straight here.’
‘You’re still there? What time was this?’
‘I can’t even remember. I think we got here about half eight.’ Ottilie glanced up at the clock to see it was almost eleven. The last few hours had seemed to last a lifetime, and yet she was still surprised to see how much time had elapsed.
‘You must be exhausted. Need me to come over?’
‘No, there’s not a lot you can do.’
‘I can support you.’
‘I’ve got Stacey here.’
‘I’m sure you’re doing more supporting there than the other way around. Who’ve you got?’
‘Well, Simon’s only just gone so it’s been fine.’
‘Simon? You mean Doctor Simon?’
Ottilie detected a subtle shift in Heath’s tone. She didn’t know what exactly it was, but she didn’t think she liked it. ‘Yes. We phoned him for advice, and he came over to see what he could do.’
‘To the hospital?’
‘Yes.’
‘But they have doctors there, so what did he?—’
‘He was following his instincts, I suppose. If you’re a caring person, you don’t stop caring because you’re not on duty.’
‘Of course not…Let me come to you. Traffic will be light – I can be there in?—’
‘Really, it’s better if you don’t. Thank you, but Stacey is here and Chloe is on her way, so that will be three of us. Four is probably overkill, which is why Simon left.’
‘Oh, I see. You’ll let me know what happens then?’
‘Absolutely. I phoned now because I didn’t want you to worry.’
‘No, sure. Thanks.’
Ottilie’s attention was drawn to the entrance doors. Stacey was back, and she had a strained-looking Chloe with her.
‘Chloe just got here,’ Ottilie told Heath. ‘Sorry, I have to…’
‘I get it. I’ll speak to you tomorrow maybe?’
‘Yes.’
He’d been saying goodbye when Ottilie ended the call. She hadn’t really been listening, distracted by Chloe’s arrival.
At that same moment, a doctor came from the treatment area and called Stacey over. All three women went to speak to him.
‘Our tests have all been clear so far,’ he said. He glanced at Chloe. ‘Are you mum?’
Chloe nodded. ‘Is he going to be all right?’
‘We’re going to keep him in overnight for observation. We think it might be a viral infection – nothing life-threatening, but better to err on the side of caution. You’re welcome to stay with him, but I’m afraid all three of you can’t do that.’
‘That’s OK.’ Chloe gave Stacey a tight smile. ‘I’ll do it.’
Stacey turned to the doctor. ‘Could I stay in here then? I don’t want to leave her alone.’
He paused, and then nodded. ‘I’ll see if I can sort beds out in Mackenzie’s room for you both. Bear with me on that.’
Ottilie was wondering how she was going to get home as they’d driven over in Stacey’s car, when Stacey turned to her.
‘I could run you home and then come back?’
‘Don’t do that – it’ll take ages. I’m sure I can get a cab.’
‘Out here at this time of night? You’ll be lucky, and it would cost you an arm and a leg. Let me take you home – it’s the least I can do after all you’ve done.’
Ottilie hesitated and then nodded. Much as she wanted to refuse the offer, she could see that Stacey had a point. And perhaps it would do her good to get out of the emergency department for an hour anyway. Chloe was a young mum but perfectly capable of being there for her son. In fact, in many ways Chloe was more capable. Where Stacey had been at her wits’ end, Chloe looked worried but calm.
‘Only if it’s no problem.’
The doctor walked away. Chloe hugged Stacey and then followed him while Stacey got out her car keys.
‘Let’s go then,’ she said wearily.