A Walk in Wildflower Park

by Bella Osborne

  ‘Did you like it?’ asked Hudson, as they weaved their way through the crowds catching a last glimpse of Santa Claus on his sleigh at the back of the parade.

  ‘I loved it. It reminded me of a mix of a seaside carnival and pantomime.’

  ‘Yeah, it is. I guess. Although I’ve never seen a carnival in the UK.’

  ‘No? We should …’ She quickly corrected herself. ‘You should go.’

  She scurried alongside Hudson, wondering at the masses of people and the flurry of steam coming from the air vents at her feet. It was exactly like the films and it made her grin to think of it. She was actually here in New York City, and even better than that she was doing traditional Thanksgiving activities with the most gorgeous man. She stopped herself. She needed to halt the inappropriate thoughts; she was getting as bad as Sophie. Perhaps now she could empathise a little more with what her friend had been through.

  They waited to cross a street with a hoard of other wrapped-up folk still wishing random strangers a happy holiday when Hudson took her hand and led her across the road. The jolt of contact startled her. ‘Sorry, I didn’t want to lose you in the crowd.’

  ‘It’s okay,’ she said. And it really was.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  They walked a bit further before they came to some railings where a line of horses and small carriages were standing. ‘Hop in,’ said Hudson. ‘This is the best way to see Central Park.’ He was right. The horse trotted off through the entrance at a gentle pace while Hudson tucked a blanket around their legs.

  ‘We’re like a couple of old people,’ said Anna, noticing she was close enough to feel the heat from his body.

  ‘Wouldn’t that be nice?’

  ‘Would it?’ She was shocked by how breathy her voice was.

  ‘Yeah. Wouldn’t you like to find someone you could grow old with and one day come back here and take a carriage ride tucked up under a blanket?’

  ‘Yes, I’d like that very much.’ Do shut up, Anna, she implored herself.

  The trip around the park was chilly but beautiful. It was immense and Hudson was a very good guide, pointing out the things they passed as well as the things they wouldn’t be able to see. They saw the Bethesda Fountain, trotted through the tree tunnel of the Mall and Literary Walk, passed the Dairy and Carousel. It was like watching scenes escaping from an open book. Anna couldn’t get over how vast the park was. It made Wildflower Park look like someone’s back garden. Hudson had a word with the driver, the carriage stopped and Anna reluctantly left the warmth of the blanket behind.

  They continued on foot. She’d seen signs for the zoo and was wondering if that’s where they were heading but when she saw the huge ice rink her face lit up like a child’s. ‘Are we going ice skating?’

  ‘We sure are,’ said Hudson, breaking into a run. They ran towards the rink with abandon. The chill of the air burned her cheeks. They arrived out of breath and were soon kitted out with skates and making their way tentatively onto the ice.

  Hudson gripped her gloved hand tightly. ‘Is that for your safety or mine?’ she said, with a giggle.

  ‘A bit of both. I’m okay once I get going but to start with I’m like Bambi.’

  ‘Me too.’

  They quickly got into a rhythm but continued to hold hands whilst they skated. Anna was soon overheating and skated off to remove layers. She found she was grinning to herself. She was having the best time. Anna turned around and scanned the ice for Hudson. She spotted him on the far side of the rink talking to a woman in a bright red coat. Anna set off towards them. As she approached she could see they were having an animated conversation. A moment before she reached them the woman reached up, cupped Hudson’s face in her hands and kissed him. Not a peck on the cheek or an air kiss; this was a full-on, intimate kiss. Anna toppled on her skates and quickly righted herself but a fraction too late and she careered into Hudson, ending the kiss abruptly.

  ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry,’ she said, disentangling herself from Hudson. She righted herself and faced the other woman. ‘Hello. I’m Anna.’ The woman glared at her.

  ‘Anna, this is Emily Jones. Emily this is my friend Anna.’

  Emily looked Anna up and down and Anna took an instant dislike to her. She was very well groomed and her red coat looked expensive.

  ‘It’s been wonderful to see you again, Hudson. Don’t leave it too long,’ said Emily, skating backwards from Hudson. She blew him a sultry kiss, performed a pirouette and continued on her way.

  ‘Wow,’ said Anna, skidding slightly. ‘She’s …’ words momentarily escaped her ‘… impressive. Is she a close friend?’ She had to know.

  ‘Emily is divorcing my father.’

  ‘Hang on. When you spoke to your stepmother on the phone. That was her?’ Anna couldn’t hide the surprise in her voice. She wobbled when she turned to have another ogle. The pretty woman didn’t look like she’d hit forty yet; she was certainly very well preserved if she had. Perhaps she’d had work done.

  Hudson pulled his eyes away from Emily’s retreating back. ‘Yeah. She’s the reason they’re selling the house.’

  ‘Ah,’ said Anna, because she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Then she blurted out. ‘That kiss was a bit … well, not really a stepmum sort of kiss.’ It was the sort of thing she really should have kept in her head but it was out before she could censor it.

  Hudson’s expression was grave. ‘It’s because before she married my father …’ he glanced up as if questioning whether to finish the sentence or not ‘… she was engaged to me.’

  Anna felt her skates slip from underneath her and she landed with a hard thud on the ice.

  Anna made the best of the afternoon. The meal at the hotel had been lovely and she’d filled the silences with idle chatter. She could tell Hudson was putting on a brave face but there was an Emily-shaped cloud hanging over them. He hadn’t volunteered any further information, which she could understand. Having your fiancée dump you for your father wasn’t something you’d want to discuss. It explained why he and his father had such a strained relationship. What he had experienced was deceit and betrayal on a huge scale.

  After their meal Hudson took her to the Empire State Building. It was somewhere she had always wanted to go and it didn’t disappoint. She was beginning to master the super-fast lifts and was feeling quite brave until they were ushered out onto the chilly viewing platform and she froze. The breeze and the sight of the city stretched out below made her body go rigid. She couldn’t move a muscle.

  ‘Anna, it’s quite safe.’ Hudson held out his hand. She stared at it and marvelled at the speed of her racing heart.

  She shook her head. She couldn’t do this. She wasn’t even sure if she could make it back into the lift.

  ‘Anna.’ His voice was soothing. ‘You have conquered so much. You can’t come this far and then not see the view from up here.’

  ‘I can see it. Thanks,’ said Anna, darting a glance behind him and feeling her stomach flip.

  ‘But there’s something I want you to see.’ He tilted his head onto one side and beckoned her with his outstretched fingers. ‘Come on. You can do this.’

  Anna closed her eyes. She trusted Hudson. He hadn’t let her down. Logically she knew she wasn’t going to fall but the fear was still there. She relived the screams that woke her the night Esme fell. She imagined herself falling as Esme had done. Perhaps this was always to be her punishment for not being sober enough to stop it happening?

  Her eyes still shut, she felt Hudson’s hand close around hers and grip gently. His thumb bumped over her knuckles. ‘Anna? Are you ready? It’ll be worth it, I promise.’

  No, she was not ready. She would never be ready but if Hudson said it was worth it then her curiosity would pull her through. She opened her eyes and his smile encouraged her further. ‘Okay.’ Her voice was wobbly.

  Hudson pulled her gently forward and she took a tentative step. ‘What did you think of the creamed onions with dinner?’ h
e asked. She knew he was trying to distract her because she’d already tried to compare them to bread sauce, which was something her mother always made at Christmas but nobody really liked. ‘I preferred the creamed asparagus.’ She gave a quick look up and could see a brick wall with diamond-shaped mesh above it and then high metal railings. There was no way she was falling over the side. She kept repeating that in her head in an attempt to convince herself.

  ‘Really? I used to have it on toast as a kid.’

  ‘You’re quite posh then. I used to get excited when we had baked beans that weren’t supermarket value ones.’ She chuckled and realised they had now moved slowly round to the side and were away from the entrance.

  ‘And did you like the pumpkin pie?’

  ‘It was a bit sweet for me. And you can stop trying to distract me with questions about the food because I’m feeling less panicky now.’

  Hudson laughed. ‘You got me. Just a bit further and then I’ll show you what you’ve faced your fears for.’

  It was quite busy but they found a spot to stand in. The light was fading. It wouldn’t be long before it was dark; they wouldn’t be able to see much then. Not a great time of day to do this, she thought.

  ‘We’re going to be here for a while. I want you to lean against me and relax. Can you do that?’

  Leaning she was fine with. Resting her whole body against his she wasn’t sure about. Her pulse started to increase again and this time it had nothing to do with a fear of heights. She tried to be nonchalant. ‘Sure.’

  Hudson was standing behind her. She took a deep breath and let her body relax against his. There were a few people about but as the light faded they began dispersing. ‘Watch the streets and buildings,’ said Hudson, his voice hushed and close to her ear.

  She wasn’t sure what he meant. She didn’t like looking down so she’d focus on the buildings. But buildings weren’t going to do anything. This wasn’t Disney – they weren’t likely to pick up their lower floors and dance a tango. But then she saw it. Just a few at first. Lights were coming on all around them. It was like a show. Her eyes darted about trying to catch each new light when it appeared. She steeled herself and spied the street lights come on below her, followed by more and more.

  ‘Can you see Broadway? It’s the one not on the grid system.’ Hudson’s cheek brushed against hers as he drew a line in front of her.

  ‘Wow. Yes, I see. Why is that?’

  ‘It’s believed to be the oldest path on Manhattan. Originally it was called the Wickquasgeck Trail by the Native Americans. It actually ran the entire length of Manhattan, following an original ridge of land snaking through swamps and rocks. When they introduced the grid system they let Broadway stay as a grand boulevard. Probably to placate those who hated the rigidity of the blocks.’

  ‘I love history like that,’ said Anna, stifling a sigh.

  ‘Me too. I wonder about the people who were here all those years ago. If they could even begin to imagine what they were creating when they first started to build Manhattan.’

  They both drifted off on their thoughts and watched the lights sparkle below them as the night claimed the last of the day. Anna could feel the warmth of Hudson’s body behind her own and she felt safe. It was absurd being eighty-six floors up and yet she did feel safe. It was a sensation she wanted to hang on to.

  Anna felt oddly elated to have stood on the viewing deck and apart from her initial wobble she had enjoyed it. Perhaps at last she was leaving the past behind her and with it some of her guilt, fears and insecurities.

  Once back on the ground she could barely strain her neck back far enough to see the top of the building and she wondered at having been up that high. Her phone buzzed into life and she almost didn’t answer because it was a number she didn’t recognise although it was a country code she knew. It was the UK. Most likely a sales call but she took it anyway.

  ‘Hello. Is this Anna Strickland?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, expecting the sales patter to follow.

  ‘Hi, I’m Greg. I’m a nurse from Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Your parents were admitted earlier today and your mother is asking for you.’

  Anna struggled to take in what she was being told. Hudson was looking concerned, most likely at the shock on her own face. ‘What happened?’

  ‘They were involved in a car accident. Your mother has minor injuries but we’re keeping her in overnight as a precaution. Are you able to visit?’

  Anna’s eyes scanned around her. Taxis scooted by on one side and a throng of people on the other, the bright lights of New York all around her. ‘I’m in New York. I don’t know how quickly I can get a flight home.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’

  ‘No, it’s fine. Is my dad all right?’ There was a brief pause and Anna’s stomach lurched.

  ‘He’s in a different unit. I don’t have an up-to-date picture for him I’m afraid, but I’m sure they’ll tell you more when you get here.’

  ‘Which unit?’ Anna struggled to get the words out.

  ‘Critical Care.’ Anna stifled a sob.

  Hudson was already hailing a cab when she ended the call.

  ‘Let’s get you back to the hotel. We can check for flights on the way,’ said Hudson, opening the cab door and slipping in behind her.

  The next few hours had been a whirlwind. Hudson had got her booked onto a flight out of Newark, helped her pack and came with her to the airport. She’d given him a fleeting kiss before she’d entered security and she’d handled the flight like a pro. Nothing scared her more than the thought of her parents being hurt – getting to them had been all that mattered.

  The flight was long forgotten by the time the taxi deposited her at the hospital entrance. Once inside the hospital she was soon in a waiting room feeling like she’d been on fast-forward for the last eleven hours and now everything had come to a screaming halt. She watched the minutes tick by slowly on a white plastic clock. She was about to go in search of someone when a young man with a staff badge came in. ‘Anna Strickland?’ She nodded. ‘I’m Doctor Purcell.’

  Even in her distressed state she was still tempted to ask how old he was. Wasn’t it a sign you were getting old if doctors and policemen looked young? ‘I’m a junior doctor here and I’m treating your father. Firstly, let me say your mother’s brain scan results are clear. She’ll likely be discharged later today.’ Anna didn’t even know her mum was going for a brain scan. It was like being in a soap opera. He continued. ‘Your father has sustained crush injuries. We’re keeping him sedated while we ascertain the damage.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘There’s significant damage to his right leg and he’s lost a lot of blood. There’s also a possibility of some internal bleeding, and if that’s the case we’ll need to operate to resolve that first.’

  ‘What are you waiting for?’

  ‘We don’t want to operate unless we have to. He has suffered significant trauma. The paramedics had to resuscitate him in the ambulance. And there’s still a lot of work to do to save his leg.’

  Anna gasped and felt warm tears run down her cheeks. It was the first time she’d cried. ‘Is there a possibility he could lose his leg?’

  ‘We hope it won’t come to that but we need him stable before we can undertake surgery. Then we’ll know more.’

  Thoughts buzzed around inside her head like angry bees. ‘Can I see him?’

  ‘Of course.’ He led the way through the warren of corridors.

  A swipe of his card had the double doors opening into a large ward. They passed lots of beds before finally stopping. Anna had to do a double take at the man lying motionless on the high hospital bed. It hardly looked like her father. He was surrounded by a great deal of monitoring devices all bleeping at different rhythms. She was overwhelmed with emotion.

  ‘Can I touch him?’ she asked.

  ‘Watch out for the cables. Otherwise it’s fine. I’ll leave you with the nurse – she’ll be able to answe
r any further questions.’

  Anna sat on the edge of the chair next to the bed and gripped her father’s hand. A young nurse stepped into view. ‘Try not to worry about all the machines. They’re here to help him. He’s doing fine.’

  Anna could barely drag her eyes away from her father’s pale battered face. It was like a horror film where you don’t want to look but something compels you to.

  ‘When will he wake up?’

  ‘He’s only asleep because of the medication. We need him to stay still until they’ve finished all the tests. Then he needs to go for surgery.’

  Anna swallowed. She couldn’t begin to think about what it might mean if he was to lose his leg. All the things he and her mum had planned for their retirement. She couldn’t bear the thought of him not being able to walk or worse.

  She stifled a sob and the nurse passed her a tissue box. ‘Press the red button if you need me or if there’s anything you’re concerned about.’ Anna nodded. Anything she was concerned about?That would be everything then.

  ‘Actually, my mum is in the hospital too but I don’t know where.’ Her voice broke and Anna knew she sounded pathetic but she couldn’t help it.

  ‘I’ve got a note about your mother. I’ll ring her ward and get an update for you. They might be able to wheel her down.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Never before had Anna meant those words more. She was totally helpless and at sea in this situation. Her parents were her rock; they were always there for her. Always the ones she turned to when the seas of life got rough but this was the one time they couldn’t help her.