‘You should be a paramedic.’ Kelly gave Jessica a sideways glance as she slowed the car for an approaching bend. ‘You sound enough like one.’
‘That would be my dream career,’ Jessica confessed.
‘So why don’t you do it?’
‘We don’t run to an ambulance service in Silverstream. They get sent up from Dunedin or we get a chopper for serious stuff if one’s available. They’ve talked about training volunteers to run a service but getting funding for a vehicle and equipment would be tough. It’s not a wealthy area.’
‘So why not move somewhere bigger?’ Kelly suggested. ‘Hey! Come up to Christchurch. Wouldn’t that be great? Ricky could keep going to that special school and you could become an ambulance officer.’ She grinned. ‘And Wendy and I would get to see a lot more of you.’
‘Who would look after Ricky?’ Jessica shook her head sadly. ‘I don’t think it’s even on the cards, Kelly. Not for a few years, anyway. Even without Mum I might still be able to keep up part-time work at the medical centre. Jim is very understanding.’
‘How long have you lived in Silverstream?’
‘All my life. Jim delivered me, in fact.’ Jessica smiled. ‘And I delivered his first great-grandchild last year. Kind of a neat circle.’
‘Jim’s the one making the funeral arrangements, isn’t he?’
Jessica nodded. ‘He’s great. Closest thing to a father I’ve ever had and he’s a bit of a character. My mother didn’t really approve of him. Mind you, she didn’t approve of men, full stop.’
Kelly’s glance was curious. ‘Has it always been just you and your mum? What happened to your father?’
‘I don’t know anything about him,’ Jessica admitted. ‘Mum always got terribly upset when I asked questions so I gave up in the end. Even Jim never found out who he was. Mum arrived in Silverstream about eight months pregnant. She got off the bus with one bag of clothes and no money and promptly went into labour.’
‘Good grief! What happened?’
Jessica chuckled. ‘I was born. The community rallied around and found a house for Mum to rent. She earned enough as a dressmaker and piano teacher for us to survive. And she devoted herself to bringing me up. Nothing else mattered to her.’ Jessica blinked back tears. ‘She was a great mother. I’m going to miss her so much.’
‘I know.’ Kelly took one hand off the steering-wheel to pat Jessica’s knee sympathetically. ‘I’m so sorry, Jess.’
Jessica just nodded. She turned her head to stare out of the side window while she struggled to control the new wave of grief assaulting her. There was something darker mixed with the grief as well. Jessica couldn’t shake the blame she was laying at her own feet. Her mother had been the only family she had ever known and although the devotion had seemed suffocating at times, her attempts to break free had only resulted in disaster. And yet her mother had still been prepared to pick up the pieces and make things right for her again.
Following her teenage dream of becoming a nurse had been the first disaster. The years of training had been her first experience of a larger city and a lifestyle her mother would definitely not have entirely condoned, and she had been justified in her opinion. Jessica might have benefited by absorbing a little more of Norma Drummond’s distrust of men. Then she might not have ended up trying to deal with the emotional deception from a much older man who had never had any intention of leaving a wife Jessica had not known even existed. And she wouldn’t have been subjected to the abuse and threatened consequences that had scared her out of her wits and driven her to promise that she would never attempt to pin a paternity suit on the man. He’d died in a car accident when Ricky had been six months old, and her mother had been grimly satisfied.
‘It’s no more than he deserved,’ she had pronounced. ‘And at least he can’t interfere with our lives. We’ll manage just fine by ourselves.’
And so they had, with Jim Summer’s kindly assistance. Ricky had been born prematurely and had been a sickly baby. Those first years had required devoted care from both Jessica and Norma to ensure his survival. Jessica’s world could well have narrowed again to the point of suffocation if Dr Summer hadn’t kept up the mentorship that had been apparent ever since Jessica had expressed her first interest in medicine. Jim had persuaded Jessica to work as a practice nurse and had gently nudged up the hours she spent away from home. His encouragement had led to the short breaks away to attend courses but it had been Jessica’s idea to disrupt Ricky’s tightly guarded routine to bring her mother and son to Christchurch for the duration of the USAR course. Ricky had never been away from Silverstream and the consequences of Jessica’s decision would haunt her for ever. It had been another life disaster and this time her mother wasn’t going to help her pick up any of the pieces. Jessica was on her own. She brushed away her tears and shook her head.
‘What is it?’ Kelly queried gently. ‘Is it anything you want to talk about?’
‘I went on that USAR course hoping it might change my life in some way,’ Jessica said slowly. ‘I got rather more than I bargained for, didn’t I?’
‘It’s not your fault, Jess,’ Kelly said firmly. ‘It’s happened and it’s awful but you can’t blame yourself.’
‘Maybe not,’ Jessica agreed. ‘But it’s sure as hell changed my life, hasn’t it? Nothing is ever going to be the same.’
The little house on Elizabeth Street was just the same, however. So was Dr Jim Summer.
‘Everything’s hunky-dory,’ he informed Jessica as soon as he released her from a bear hug accompanied by very sympathetic mutterings. ‘The church committee ladies have rallied admirably. The funeral’s all arranged, the flowers have been done and Reverend Barlow will be over later to discuss the service. The ladies are going to put on tea and cakes in the hall afterwards. They might even run to a sausage roll or two, if we’re lucky.’
‘Thanks so much, Jim. I wouldn’t have known where to start with all this.’ Jessica hesitated. ‘Is Mum…I mean, where…?’
‘Norma’s at the funeral home in the care of old Johnno Bates. You can go and see her any time you like.’ Jim chuckled rather wickedly. ‘Let’s hope she’s not looking down on us. She never could stand that man, could she? What was it she used to call him? That’s right. The village vulture.’
Jessica couldn’t help smiling. Trust Jim not to worry about not speaking ill of the dead. Jim was far too honest not to call a spade a spade. Fortunately, he was so genial and such a loved part of the community he seemed incapable of causing real offence.
‘Jim, this is my friend, Kelly Drummond. She’s a paramedic and she was on the USAR course with me.’
‘Delighted.’ Kelly was treated to a warm handshake. ‘Jessica needs some friends. A town this size hasn’t got nearly enough to offer someone with her intelligence and abilities.’
‘Oh, Jim!’ Jessica was embarrassed. ‘Come off it! This town is great. For me and especially for Ricky.’
‘How is the sprat?’ Jim’s lined face crinkled even more with genuine concern. ‘It’s not like you to leave him with just anyone.’
‘Joe’s not just anyone. He’s a good friend,’ Jessica assured him. ‘And Ricky…talks to him.’
‘No!’ Jim’s expression underlined his comprehension of the comment’s significance. Then he grinned. ‘A good friend, huh? Excellent!’
‘It’s not like that,’ Jessica protested, but Jim was busy exchanging an exaggeratedly meaningful glance with Kelly who was grinning broadly. She liked this man.
‘I’ll leave you two ladies to settle in,’ Jim told them. ‘As usual, Norma left it without a hair out of place but it’s been aired and Kay’s left some groceries in the fridge. Just call me if you need anything else tonight.’ He paused at the door. ‘The funeral’s at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Will you be heading straight back to Christchurch?’
‘No, we’re planning to head back on Saturday afternoon. I need to pack up and sort out the house and garden a bit if I’m going to be away for another few
weeks.’
‘Hmm.’ Jim seemed reluctant to leave quite yet. ‘Where are you going to stay while the lad goes to this special school?’ His hopeful look was mischievous. ‘With this Joe?’
‘No.’ Jessica flapped her hand. ‘Go away, Jim. You’re not going to turn this into the latest gossip. I don’t know where we’ll stay yet. I’ll figure that out after I get this funeral over with.’
Kelly waited until Jim had closed the front door of the tiny house behind him. ‘You could stay with me at my mother’s place,’ she offered. ‘I’m sure it would be OK.’
‘Thanks, Kelly. I’ll let you know. Joe’s expecting me to stay on Saturday night. He says he’s got plenty of space for both of us.’
‘Oh…’ Kelly’s smile was not unlike Jim’s hopeful expression.
Jessica turned away to hide the colour she could feel creeping into her cheeks but Kelly wasn’t going to let her away with it that easily.
‘You really like Joe, don’t you, Jess?’
Jessica nodded shyly. ‘I suspect it’s entirely one-sided, though, so, please, don’t say anything. Especially to Jim. It was his matchmaking that led to the romantic disaster I had a couple of years back.’
‘Really? Who was that with?’
‘The new district vet. Young, single and good-looking. Jim had plans for us to walk down the aisle within a day of Chris arriving in Silverstream.’
‘You didn’t like him?’
‘Oh, I liked him fine. We ended up getting engaged.’
‘And?’
‘And then he suggested that we leave Ricky for my mother to bring up. We could move on somewhere else and have our own children one day. Normal children.’
‘What a creep.’
‘You said it. Anyway, with the way things are with Joe right now, I’d prefer the way I feel to be our secret.’
‘Sure. I don’t think it’s as one-sided as you think, though. I was blown away when Joe offered to look after Ricky for you.’
‘Why?’
‘Joe has a reputation for…’ Kelly poked her tongue into her cheek as she pondered the most tactful phrasing she could use. ‘Ah…he’s always let people think he’s not keen on kids. Apparently his marriage broke up because his wife wanted children and he didn’t.’
‘Oh.’ Jessica stood very still for a moment and then nodded. ‘I thought there was something like that going on. The way he looked at me in class changed as soon as I mentioned Ricky.’
‘But don’t you see? He’s made an exception now. For a man who supposedly can’t stand being around kids it’s pretty significant for him to offer to babysit, isn’t it?’
‘Maybe he just likes Ricky,’ Jessica suggested. ‘They spent a lot of time together in that truck. Or maybe he feels a connection because he saved Ricky’s life.’
‘Maybe.’ Kelly’s smile was encouraging. ‘But that’s not a bad place to start, is it?’
‘No.’ Jessica had to agree. Even the opportunity of a start was more than she had hoped to get.
Thoughts about Joe and even about Ricky had to be put well into the background as Jessica coped with the preparation and then the ordeal of her mother’s funeral. Many people got up at the end of the formal part of the service to say something about Norma’s life and Jim Summer was, as usual, kind but honest.
‘Norma was a very private person, as we know. None of us knew precisely what brought her to Silverstream but it was clearly an escape from something she wanted to forget. Happily for us, she didn’t arrive entirely by herself and it was my pleasure to introduce young Jessie to the world ten minutes after I met Norma.’ His chuckle echoed around the small church. ‘Hell of a way to get to know someone but I think Norma forgave me eventually.
‘She was a devoted mother,’ Jim continued with a smile at Jessica. ‘And while some of us considered her over-protective, it didn’t seem to do Jessie too much harm in the long run.’
Jessica stared at her hands. Her mother had been over-protective but she herself had never considered it a fault. She tuned out of the next person’s praise for Norma’s contribution to the community’s musical skills as a distant memory surfaced. She’d been maybe seven or eight years old and she had persuaded her mother to let her take horse-riding lessons. Her best friend had attended a riding school and Jessica had been desperately keen to give it a go despite her nervousness. Her mother’s agreement had been grudging.
‘I’m not at all sure about this, dear. Horse riding is dangerous. People fall off and break their necks all the time. I couldn’t bear it if you ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.’
‘I won’t fall off, Mum. I promise. Please, let me do it. Please!’
Her mother had only been worried because she’d loved her so much. That was why she’d come to watch the lesson and why she’d been there within a few seconds of Jessica falling off as she’d lost her stirrup and then her balance at her first attempt to trot.
‘You’re OK. Get back on and try again.’ The instructor was brisk. The rest of the class, including Jessica’s friend Amie, were waiting to continue the lesson.
‘Maybe she doesn’t want to get back on.’ Norma was ready to stand by her daughter.
‘If she doesn’t get back on, even for a short time, she’ll lose her confidence.’
Jessica hadn’t had that much confidence to begin with. The rest of the girls were staring at her. The pony was staring at her. They had all decided she was useless. ‘I don’t want to get back on.’ She struggled not to cry. ‘My bottom hurts.’
Her mother was comforting. At least she’d tried. She could try again if she really wanted to but Jessica didn’t want to risk that embarrassment again. Her friendship with Amie faded rapidly and Jessica joined the school orchestra and choir instead of the pony club. She joined the drama club at high school. It didn’t matter that she never got given a major part. Her mother was always there in the audience, as proud of Jessica’s achievements as if they’d been her own.
Kelly listened to the short speeches. She walked with an arm around Jessica as they went on to the graveside ceremony and then to the adjacent hall for a late afternoon tea. Many tears had been shed but there had been laughter as well, mainly thanks to Jim Summer’s contributions. Kelly could see the affection which the small community had for Jessica; she could understand why Silverstream represented a safe haven. She could also see why the elderly GP felt it was too small a pond for Jessica to thrive in.
‘Whatever will we do without Norma to lead the church choir?’ an elderly woman queried over the tea and cakes. ‘Will you be able to take that on, Jessica, dear?’
‘Maybe.’ Jessica sounded as weary as she looked. ‘But I can’t make any promises at the moment, Dorothy.’
‘Of course you can’t.’ Another woman patted her arm. ‘Now…I’ve got some lovely dahlia tubers I’d saved for Norma. It’ll be time to get them into the garden soon.’
‘Thanks, Ethel. I’ll come and visit you as soon as I have time.’
‘We miss you,’ A grey-haired man said gruffly. He nodded at Kelly. ‘Jessie cured my ulcer. I thought I was going to lose my foot but she came to dress it every day for weeks.’
Kelly wasn’t surprised that Jessica looked relieved when it was all over. Jim escorted them from the community hall back to Kelly’s little house.
‘Now, then.’ He rubbed his hands together as soon as the door was closed. ‘I stashed a bottle of gin in here the other day. I think we could all use a stiff drink, don’t you?’
Jessica excused herself for a few minutes to make a phone call.
‘Joe…Hi. How’s it going?’
‘Ricky’s fine. We’re having a ball. How did today go?’
‘There was a great turnout for the funeral. Mum made a lot of friends over the years.’
‘You sound tired. Are you OK?’
‘I’m exhausted,’ Jessica admitted, ‘and totally wrung out. I’m very glad it’s over.’
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t b
e there.’ Joe’s tone was gentle. Sincere.
Jessica hugged the thought that Joe would have even considered being there to support her. ‘You’re helping me more than I’ll ever be able to thank you for, Joe. I’ve had a chance to say goodbye to my mother and remember the good things. Even some of the not so good things. If Ricky had been here I would have been far too distracted to deal with any of that.’ She switched gear mentally. Now seemed the right time to start thinking of the present and the future rather than the past. ‘How are you managing? Is Ricky behaving himself? Is his arm OK?’
‘He’s fine,’ Joe repeated firmly. ‘No problems with the arm. I’ve been watching for any signs of swelling in his hand or the cast getting too loose. He doesn’t seem bothered by it at all. It did take him a while to thaw out yesterday, though. He ignored me for an hour or so and sat in the corner and rocked. He was kind of singing to himself as well.’
‘Oh.’ Jessica bit her lip. Ricky looked weird when he did that. People always stared and tutted sadly as they registered the unusual behaviour. It was worse when he hummed and Jessica cringed inwardly as she imagined Joe’s reaction.
‘He snapped out of it when I told him we were running out of time to do any work on the car before he went to bed. He helped me with some wiring and we got the headlights working again.’ Joe couldn’t disguise the pleasure in his voice. ‘You should have seen Ricky’s smile when they finally worked.’
‘Did he sleep all right?’
‘Went out like a light,’ Joe reported. He omitted the fact that he and Ricky had been up till 11 p.m. getting the damned lights to work. It was the kind of detail a mother who stipulated a 7 p.m. bedtime probably didn’t need to know. ‘He slept till 6 a.m. Then I woke up to find him in my bed.’
THE NURSE'S RESCUE Page 7
