She felt herself redden. Alex had just stripped her of all her excuses, and the loss of that armour made her want to shiver. If it had been anyone else she wouldn’t have been able to countenance it.
‘I’ll take it. Thank you, Alex.’
‘It’s my pleasure. Is tomorrow too early for an interview? Or do you need a bit more time to convince your mother and Zack?’
‘Tomorrow’s great.’ Marie frowned. ‘He won’t be wearing a suit, though...’
Alex chuckled. ‘Good—neither will I. Will nine o’clock suit him?’
‘He’ll be there.’
‘Right, then.’ Alex looked at his watch. ‘It’s nearly five o’clock now and I guess you’ll be needing to go.’
It would have been nice to stay a little longer. Zack was difficult to contend with at the moment, and Marie wanted Alex’s company. She loved the give and take that had developed between them, which made her feel that it was possible to step into new territory.
But she did need to speak to her mother, and to Zack. If he was going to make the best of this opportunity she needed to prepare him, convince him that this was an opportunity and not a punishment.
‘Yes, thanks. I’ll...um...see you tomorrow, then. With Zack.’
‘You will.’ He got to his feet, a satisfied smile on his face. ‘You’re doing the right thing, Marie.’
‘Yes, I know...’
She wanted to hug him again. For caring and for being the tower of strength that had given her a way to really help her brother. Alex had been a true friend.
‘You were right. Thank you.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘I think we’ll never mention that again.’
Alex’s dry humour always made her laugh. ‘Yes, okay. It’ll be our secret.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
MARIE HAD DONE her part. She’d convinced her mother that this was exactly what Zack needed, and then the two of them had hauled him out of his room and given him little choice but to accept the plan. Zack, as always, had been accommodating and cheerful at the prospect of working for his keep and paying back the money he’d taken. Whether he would stick with it for more than a week would be the real test.
She’d called round to her mother’s house at seven-thirty the next morning and found Zack sorting through shirts, throwing them onto the bed. Marie gathered them up, putting them back onto their hangers.
‘Mum’s ironed all these.’
Sometimes she felt like a broken record, nagging Zack about everything. Like the grumpy big sister who squeezed all the joy out of his life.
‘Sorry, sis.’ Zack gave her a winning smile. ‘I just want to make a good impression. I don’t want to let you down.’
‘I’m not your problem.’ Zack knew she loved him, even though he did make her want to scream at times. ‘This is about not letting yourself down.’
‘Okay...’ Zack frowned at the line of shirts that Marie had put back into the wardrobe and then whipped out a checked shirt with a plain tie that matched one of the colours. ‘What about this?’
‘Perfect. My handsome little brother.’
‘I don’t want to look handsome. I want to look...contrite. Hard-working. That kind of thing.’ He pulled a face that indicated deep sorrow.
Marie rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t pull that one with me, Zack. I’m not Mum. You’re going to look nice because this is an interview, but just turning up and saying the right things isn’t going to get you off the hook. Afterwards is when you get to prove whether or not you’re contrite and hard-working.’
She got yet another of Zack’s dazzling smiles. That was his trouble; he never took anything too seriously. She was going to have to keep a close watch on him if he came to work at the clinic.
‘All right. Half an hour to get washed and dressed and have a shave. Then we’re leaving.’
Getting Zack to the clinic was a bit like getting a recalcitrant six-year-old to school. But at least he straightened up a bit and smiled cheerfully when Alex came out of his office and greeted him.
Alex whisked Zack and Sofia into his office, shutting the door firmly behind them. It wouldn’t do to listen at the door, so Marie returned to her office and frowned at the wall, fiddling with a pink paper clip.
After an hour, she called down to Reception, asking Tina to give her a buzz as soon as Alex was free. Zack might be blissfully free from interview nerves, but Marie couldn’t help worrying about him.
* * *
Zack was a graceful, engaging youth, with a ready smile. He declared himself ready for all kinds of hard work, and was excited at the prospect of earning the opportunities that Alex and Sofia outlined. Yes, he wanted to study. And, yes, he wanted to take responsibility for all the jobs in the clinic that no one else wanted to do. He wanted to show that he could take on the outreach tasks that Sonya had outlined as well. But if he could manage to do all that, he’d be working for more hours than Marie had at his age, and that wasn’t really possible.
Despite himself, Alex liked the kid. He was charming and intelligent and he reminded him of Marie. And there was something in those heavy-lashed blue eyes that made Alex feel the boy might just have the same grit as his sister, if it were only possible to bring it out in him.
After they’d shown Zack around Alex left him in Sofia’s care. Then he returned to his office and waited.
He didn’t have to wait long. Marie appeared in the doorway, clearly trying to give the impression that she’d just happened to walk past on her way somewhere else. She put a large piece of card face down on his desk and sat down. They’d fallen into the habit of bringing things for each other’s offices—unusual stationery or pictures for the walls—and he turned the card over, wondering what she’d found this time.
‘Oh! That’s wonderful. Where shall I put it?’
His wall was filling up now, and he’d brought some pictures and vintage record covers from home to go with the various prints Marie had given him. This one was an old photograph she’d got from somewhere, which reeked of late nights and the blues, showing a drink propped on top of a piano and one of his favourite artists, shirtsleeves rolled up and eyes closed as he played.
‘You’re beginning to run out of space.’ Marie surveyed the wall.
‘Not for this one.’
It was clearly something Marie had gone out of her way to get, and an image that Alex hadn’t seen before. He took one of the framed pictures off its hook, and started to prise open the back of it, so he could replace it with the photograph and put it in pride of place.
Marie obviously wasn’t going to ask, so he told her anyway. ‘Zack seems...unrealistically enthusiastic.’
Marie laughed. ‘Yes, that’s him all over.’
‘Maybe an eight-hour day will slake his zeal a little.’
‘He’ll be here before nine o’clock tomorrow morning. I promise.’
Marie flashed him that intent look that he’d seen so many times before. When she took on the troubles of the world and tried to work her way through them. She usually succeeded, but Alex had seen the toll it had taken.
‘Will you do me a favour? Don’t go round to your mother’s every morning and chivvy him.’
‘He told you about that?’ Marie looked a little as if she’d been found out.
‘No, I guessed. You have enough to do here, without running around after Zack.’
Alex could see that this wasn’t reason enough for Marie and decided she needed a bit more persuasion.
‘I’ve told him that he’ll work eight hours, with an hour’s lunch break every day. If he’s late then he can work an extra hour in the evening, but he’s not to stay here after six o’clock. If he gets here after ten in the morning I’ll dock his pay.’
‘That’s very generous. He really should be here at nine every day.’
‘Flexible hours work for us. But he need
s to take responsibility for himself. I’m hoping your mother won’t decide to give him spending money for the weekend if he finds his pay has been docked at the end of the week.’
Marie shook her head. ‘No, she’ll do whatever you ask; she’s really grateful that you’re taking Zack on. I’ll mention it to her, though.’
She seemed a little unhappy with the arrangement, and Alex answered the question that she hadn’t asked but which was clearly bothering her.
‘You won’t be helping him, Marie. Let him suffer the consequences if he can’t get here on time. If he needs to be told to buck his ideas up, let Sofia and me do it.’
She saw the sense in it and nodded.
‘I rather wish I had brothers or sisters.’ Alex leaned back in his chair. It would have been nice to have someone to care about so ferociously. Someone for whom he’d do anything.
‘Sometimes they’re a pain in the neck.’
‘You wouldn’t be without them, though.’
‘No. I wouldn’t. Even Zack.’
She loved her little brother. He was driving her to distraction at the moment, but she loved him all the same. And she’d given him to Alex, trusting that he’d do the right thing. Alex felt a little unequal to the prospect, but it warmed him all the same.
‘So...’ All that was better left unsaid. ‘Anything you want to discuss?’
‘I’ve got the ideas for the mural in Reception back. Would you like to see them?’
‘Not really.’
Marie’s eyebrows shot up.
‘Surprise me.’
She did that all the time, and it was always fantastic. Alex wondered vaguely what he’d do if Marie ever left the clinic. Left him.
But that wasn’t going to happen. He wouldn’t let it.
* * *
Alex had stayed out of the way while the artists took over the reception area. He had a final fitting for his dinner suit, and a few other errands to run, and although he’d spent most of the day itching to see what Marie was doing he’d decided that this was her project and she should be allowed to enjoy it alone.
Zack had expressed a fervent desire to come in on Saturday and help, and since he’d managed to turn up on time for nine of the last ten working days Sofia had allowed it.
When he’d arrived at two in the afternoon one day he’d been abject in his apologies. Alex had smilingly shrugged them off and simply docked his pay. After that, Zack had made sure he wasn’t late again.
Alex arrived at the clinic at four o’clock and saw a dark-haired man walking across the courtyard, pushing a buggy and talking to the small boy who walked beside it. Alex caught him up. He introduced himself and they shook hands.
‘I’m Tom Riley—Corinne’s husband. That’s Matthew, and this is Chloe...’ He bent down to the pushchair, taking the little girl out of it and letting her stagger uncertainly towards her brother.
‘We really appreciate this, Tom. I know your wife has a waiting list for this kind of thing.’
Tom chuckled. ‘I get to spend a day with the kids, and Cori gets to cover herself with paint. What’s not to like about that—particularly when it’s for a project as exciting as this one? Although I’m still cross with you for poaching Marie away from the hospital.’
‘I needed someone who’s the best at what they do.’
Alex shot Tom an apologetic look and he laughed.
‘Then you made the right choice. I’m interested to see what you’re doing here; some of my patients’ families live in this borough.’ Tom swung round, calling to Matthew. ‘Leave the tree alone, son. I don’t think digging around it is going to do it any good.’
‘I’ll give you the tour. And if Matthew would like to plant something we have a garden. There are some bedding plants that need to be put into planters.’
‘Thank you.’ Tom grinned down at his son. ‘Hear that, Matthew? We can help with the garden.’
The pushchair was manoeuvred up the ramp and into the reception area. Tom was greeted with an excited cry from a woman in dungarees spattered with paint, some of which had made its way into her red curls. As she hurried towards him Tom backed away, a look of mock horror on his face, and she laughed, leaning forward to kiss him without allowing any of her paint-spattered clothes to touch his. She greeted Matthew and Chloe similarly, making a show of not getting any paint on them.
It was the picture of a happy, relaxed family. Secure in each other and the obvious love that bound them together. Alex felt a pang of loss. It was all that he hadn’t had, and probably never would have. He couldn’t imagine ever trusting himself enough to believe that his were a safe pair of hands which could hold such precious gifts as Tom had.
The reception area was full. Artists were working with people from the clinic, who’d come in to help. Sonya was deep in conversation with one of the film crew who were packing up in one corner. From her paint-spattered hands, and the marks on her designer jeans, she’d obviously been tempted into ruining her manicure by picking up a paint brush.
Zack had obviously torn himself away from painting duties and was working his way round with a large tray, distributing cups of tea. A sudden warmth at his side told him that Marie had seen him and come over to greet him.
No kiss. However much it would have made the moment complete. But Marie was grinning from ear to ear, and that was a very good second-best. She had a smudge of paint on her nose and wore a baggy T-shirt and a pair of frayed jeans. Diamonds couldn’t have outshone her.
‘What do you think?’
Alex tore his eyes away from her, scanning the mural. A black-and-white line-drawn representation of the clinic building was in the middle, surrounded by colour. There was a blue sky, a sparkling rainbow and, at the bottom in freehand writing, the words Living well at our clinic, followed by a list of all the clinic’s services. When he looked more closely, the cloud that floated across the otherwise clear sky was made up of the word Welcome in many different languages.
‘It’s fantastic. Way beyond anything I could have dreamed of.’
The mural brought life and colour into the otherwise bland reception space.
‘Those are mine...’ Marie pointed to a group of people depicted outside the clinic doors. ‘I didn’t draw them; Cori did the outlines and I filled them in. I like people best...’
Of course she did. And Marie was right—the people made the picture. Doctors and nurses, a fitness instructor in gym wear, mothers with babies, old people, young people, people of different colours, sizes and cultures, talking together in groups or walking past. There were animals as well. A family of foxes trekked in a line at one side of the building, and birds flew in the sky, eyed by a lazy cat curled up on the roof of one of the clinic’s cars.
‘It’s breathtaking. It’ll take me a few hours just to look at it all. I think your people are the best, though.’
She gave a little snort of laughter, but was obviously pleased. ‘Cori suggested that we have some extra seating over there, all in different colours.’ She waved her hand towards the space opposite the mural. ‘Just to balance things up a bit.’
‘Good idea. And were you talking about painting in some of the other areas, as well?’
‘We were, and Cori’s offered to do something for the children’s areas. But she’s got some stencils and pictures to work from, so I said we could give that a go ourselves. I said that we were looking for paintings from local artists to hang in the café and communal areas, and she’s given me the names of a few people.’
‘That’s perfect.’
‘You’re happy with it all?’
His opinion seemed to mean a lot to Marie.
‘More than I can say. It’s fabulous.’
He’d planned and built this place, but it had been bland and devoid of any personality. Marie had brought life to it in a way he never could have done alone. She’d made him b
ring a little of himself as well, and now he felt at home here.
‘There’s still lots to do. Would you like to help?’
He’d resolved to step back and let Marie see this through on her own, but that was all forgotten now.
‘Try and stop me...’
CHAPTER NINE
LAST WEEK HAD been all about getting paint in his hair and under his fingernails. After work every day Alex had donned a pair of overalls and laboriously filled one of the walls in the children’s playroom, using the stencils Cori had given them. Zack had been allowed to help too, on account of being on time each day, and doing every job that Sofia gave him cheerfully and well. He was showing real artistic flair, bringing life to Alex’s rather flat representations with a just a few extra brushstrokes.
This weekend was entirely different. Alex had picked up his evening suit from the tailor and gone to the bank to open his safety deposit box. He’d scrubbed every trace of paint off under the shower, and while he towelled himself dry he regarded the suit that was hanging on the door of the wardrobe.
He sat down on the bed. He’d actually rather go naked tonight than pull that dark jacket on over a crisp white shirt. And the bow tie? He had a step-by-step diagram, downloaded from the internet, but he’d never tied a bow tie himself. His mother had always done that for him, brushing specks of dust from his jacket and telling him he looked every inch a prince.
Suddenly he missed her very much. Planting the flowers that spelt out her name and switching on the water feature in the garden had felt like his own very personal goodbye. It had awakened feelings that Alex had tried hard to repress.
Would his mother have loved the clinic the way he did, and allowed it to bring some colour into her life? Or would she have stubbornly clung to his father, fading into his shadow?
But thinking about that now would only make it harder to put the suit on, and there was no way he could answer the door to Marie in this state of undress. Alex pulled the white shirt across his shoulders, looking at the full-length mirror in the corner of the room as he did so. He’d lost all the extra weight he’d put on and felt better for it.
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