Hot-Shot Doc, Christmas Bride / Christmas At Rivercut Manor

by Joanna Neil / Gill Sanderson

  ‘I’m sorry.’ She laid a hand on his arm, feeling the steady pulse of his blood through his veins and the warmth that emanated from his skin. ‘I’ve been insensitive, prying like this. I should never have asked.’

  He shook his head. ‘It doesn’t matter. Those days have long since gone by.’ He smiled whimsically. ‘My parents filed for divorce soon after that, and my father left home. It took us a while to get used to the change, and the next Christmas was difficult for all of us. We divided the time we spent with each parent, but we were always conscious of how the other was feeling. My father was living with my stepmother by then, but it was clear he missed us when he wasn’t with us on Christmas morning.’

  ‘Parents usually try to hide their unhappiness from their children don’t they?’ Alison said. But perhaps it wasn’t so easy to do that when your heart was being wrenched out of you. She had no idea how she would cope if she ever found herself in that situation.

  ‘I’m sure he tried. He phoned to see how we were doing, but there was a snag in his voice that made us realise he was finding it hard. He’d had seven years of seeing our excitement as we ran into our parents’ bedroom on Christmas morning. It was a ritual, almost. We’d bounce on the bed to wake them up if they showed any signs of still being sleepy, and then when they sat up and took notice we’d hunt through our Christmas stockings to see what Santa had brought us. Later we tried to guess what was in the parcels round the tree, and we would all be laughing and happy and full of joy. All of that disappeared. Now he was miles away from us, and he was sharing his Christmas morning with his partner and her children instead.’

  He stopped for a moment, as though he was glancing at the monitor, but his fingers hesitated over the keyboard and Alison knew that he was remembering those times with sadness. ‘Then, when we went to stay with him on Boxing Day, we were naturally anxious about leaving our mother behind. We knew she was sad to see us go. She hugged us just that little bit too long before she handed us over. There were never any more cosy, united family celebrations after that.’

  He gave up all attempts to key in any more notes. Instead, he leaned against the edge of the table, half sitting, half standing. ‘Things stayed that way for a couple of years, and it didn’t really get any easier. There was always that feeling of anxiety for the parent who was missing out, and it didn’t change very much when each of them went on to marry other people. They were happier, of course, but the stable family unit had gone for ever.’

  Alison went to perch on the table next to him. ‘You said there were stepbrothers and sisters. Didn’t that make things better for you?’

  He gave a soft laugh. ‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you?’ He shook his head. ‘To be honest, there were a lot of wounded feelings going around. I think Michelle and I would have coped well enough, but our stepsiblings had other thoughts on the matter. Like, Why have these intruders come to invade our space? Or, Why is my father paying more attention to them? And, How come my mother’s being so sweet to her? Then, of course, there were new siblings born into the various households, bringing new jealousies and mixed feelings. Children can be cruel without even meaning to be that way.’

  ‘Do you still feel that way about one another?’

  ‘Heavens, no.’ He smiled. ‘We’ve become the best of friends. After all, we all had to compromise and try to make the best of things. We grew up a little faster than we might have done, and learned that the world can be a harsh and unforgiving place if you don’t begin to adapt.’

  She studied him thoughtfully. ‘Still, it’s no wonder that you have such a problem with everything that goes along with the Christmas season.’ Her expression was sad. ‘I don’t suppose you’ll be putting up any streamers in your apartment, will you?’

  He shook his head. ‘I seriously doubt that.’ His fingers idly sifted through a sheaf of papers that had been left in the wire rack by one of the computers. ‘How about you? Knowing the way you feel about it, I expect you’ve already made a start on putting up Christmas decorations in your flat, haven’t you?’

  She laughed. ‘Well, we tried. Fraser helped Taylor to bring down a box of bits from the attic, and we had an initial look through to see what was there from last year. We invited the children from next door to come round and give us a hand, because they think it’s a fun thing to do, but unfortunately Chaser came with them. Somehow he managed to get in on the act.’

  She cast her mind back to the events of that evening. ‘I remember thinking that his behaviour was a bit strange. At one point he stopped bounding about, getting under everybody’s feet, and it was a relief for a while. But then it struck me that he was way too quiet, Chaser being the way he is, so I started to think that something might be wrong. He was walking about, though…very slowly, very carefully, but he appeared to be all right.’

  She made a face. ‘Then he disappeared for a while, and I suddenly began to think that he was up to something. Sure enough, we found him hiding under the table with a couple of garlands dangling from his mouth. He tried to stuff them in en masse when we found him, gobbling them up as fast as he could…hiding the evidence, so to speak. There really wasn’t much left to hang up after he’d finished with them.’

  Josh chuckled. ‘I expect Tom’s already regretting that moment of weakness when he said they would look after him. I wonder if the dog has been practising on their decorations?’

  ‘They haven’t made a start yet.’ She frowned. ‘I don’t think they’re ready to celebrate Christmas, not while things are looking so bleak. Tom had another letter from the building society, threatening that the house might be repossessed shortly after Christmas. He and Martha were really upset. They did their best to keep it from the children, but it looks as though their walls have ears…Jason and Rachel confessed to listening in. So now they’re all worried. The children think they’re going to be homeless, and it’s as though their world is caving in around them. Even the fact that Chaser is back on form hasn’t helped to make them feel better. That’s why we asked them round last night to help with the decorations.’

  She sighed. ‘I think the building society would be prepared to hold off for three months if there was any sign that Tom was about to find employment, but that’s not looking very likely. I feel so sorry for him. He’s tried so hard to find work, even doing a few gardening jobs for people in the last few autumn months. Of course all that came to an end once winter was here.’

  Josh’s expression was grim. ‘It must be a difficult time all round…But actually I’ve been giving it some thought. Perhaps I could help out. The hospital’s building maintenance team is a man short since the new extension was built. Maybe I could put in a word for him? It sounds like the sort of job Tom would do very well.’

  ‘Oh, would you really do that?’ She stood up to face him and gave him a quick hug. ‘That’s a great idea,’ she said, her mouth curving in a smile. ‘I’ll ask him about it.’

  He moved towards her as though to return the hug, but just then her pager bleeped and he drew back.

  Flustered, she glanced down at the message without really seeing it. What was she doing, hugging him like that? Was she losing control of her senses?

  She focussed on the pager. ‘I have to ring the flat,’ she said with a frown. ‘I hope Fraser’s not in any trouble.’

  ‘Do you want me to leave you alone for a while?’ He straightened, as though he was getting ready to walk away from the annexe.

  ‘No, it’s okay. You go ahead and write up your notes. I’ll move out of the way of the computer.’

  Fraser was in an anxious frame of mind when he answered her call. She could tell straight away from his cautious, halting manner that he was in trouble of some sort.

  ‘Fraser, what’s wrong? Has there been more bad news from the university? Surely they can’t have come up with a final decision this soon? I thought they weren’t going to deal with it properly until the start of next term?’

  ‘No, it’s nothing like that. You’re righ
t, the Dean still has to meet with the university committee before deciding what to do about the situation.’ His voice dropped, as though he didn’t want to say what he had to say. ‘Allie, it’s about Gran. Apparently she slipped on the ice when she was walking to the shops. Someone called an ambulance and they’ve taken her to hospital.’

  Alison sucked in a sharp breath. ‘Did they say what might be wrong with her? How bad is it?’ She reeled as all sorts of possibilities ran through her mind.

  ‘Pretty bad, from what they’re telling me. The paramedic said he thought she might have broken her hip. There was a lot of swelling and bruising, apparently. Mum and Dad are driving over there now. Mum says they’ll stay over until they know what’s happening. Of course Grandad’s taken it badly. He says people can go downhill fast after a fall like that, especially when they’re Gran’s age. He’s very worried. So am I. I love Gran to bits. They said she was in shock, and seemed to be confused about what had happened.’

  ‘We’re all worried, Fraser.’ Alison was still trying to absorb the news. ‘Once Mum and Dad arrive, though, I expect Grandad will cope a bit better. It must have come as an awful shock to him.’ She hesitated, trying to think things through. ‘Did Mum say which hospital they had taken Gran to?’

  ‘No. I didn’t ask, and she probably forgot to say. I think she was a bit taken aback when I answered the phone. She rang, expecting to leave a message for you, and then of course she wanted to know what I’m doing here. I think she’s upset on both counts.’

  Alison sighed. ‘Well, it was only going to be a matter of time before she found out. At least that’s one hurdle out of the way. Now all you have to do is think of a way to explain things to her.’

  ‘Like she’s going to understand.’ Fraser was morose. ‘And I daren’t even think about Dad’s reaction.’

  ‘Just hang in there. They have other things on their minds right now.’ She cut the call a moment or two later, and stood for a while, trying to take it all in.

  ‘Is it your grandmother?’ Josh tried to read the expression on her face, and she knew he was concerned for her.

  She nodded. ‘She’s had a fall and they’ve taken her to hospital. It might be a broken hip.’ Given that they’d just dealt with something similar in the angiography suite, it didn’t fill her with confidence about her grandmother’s condition. Their patient was likely to do well because of Josh’s surgical skill. What if Gran wasn’t so lucky?

  She let out a slow, ragged breath. ‘There are so many questions going through my mind…How bad is it…? Have they given her pain medication…? Are they making all the right checks…? When will they operate? I feel so helpless. I love my gran so much. I can’t bear to think of her having to go through all that.’

  She looked up at him, her troubled gaze clouding over. ‘I feel as though I should be there with her, to make sure that she’s all right, to see that the doctors are doing all they can for her. I know I should be able to trust them, but this is my gran and I need to know that she’s safe.’

  He reached for her, drawing her towards him, and then his arms closed gently around her. ‘Of course you do. But she’s being looked after. You should take comfort from that. Your parents will be with her, and your grandad. She’ll be surrounded by people who care for her just as much as you. Between them, they’ll make sure that she has the best care possible.’

  ‘I know,’ she said, her voice unsteady. She hadn’t realised quite how vulnerable she had become in these last few minutes as the full import of what had happened began to sink in. She, who had always been strong, felt as though her legs were about to fail her at any moment.

  ‘There isn’t anything you could do for her right now. There are checks to be made and procedures to be carried out.’ He wrapped her more securely in his arms, holding her against his strong body as though he knew exactly what she was going through.

  ‘You’re right,’ she conceded. Somehow having him hold her this way lent her strength, gave her the courage to face up to whatever needed to be done. ‘What would I be able to do if I went over there? I can’t interfere with what the doctors are doing, can I? And I wouldn’t really want to do that. I’m sure they’re all far more experienced than I am. But I just feel I need to be with her.’

  ‘Of course you do, and if that’s what you really want there’s nothing to stop you. If you want to go today, I could arrange for someone to cover for you…it isn’t a problem. But it might be more sensible to wait until the weekend. That way you’ll know a little more about what’s happened and what they plan to do about it. And you’ll be in a much calmer frame of mind. At the moment you don’t know for certain whether she’s actually suffered any major damage. Once you know the full extent of her injuries you’ll be in a better position to influence the course of treatment if you’re not happy with her progress.’

  She nodded. ‘Yes, of course. That’s true. I suppose I’m jumping the gun a bit, aren’t I? As to the weekend, I have to work on Sunday. Blame the head of the department for that. I can’t change it…we’re short-staffed as it is.’ She was still feeling a little shaky, and her agitation was reflected in her voice.

  ‘You’re anxious and upset, and you want to do everything you can for her, but you know as well as I do that it’s best to keep a cool head in these situations.’ His hand moved lightly over the length of her spine, a sweeping, caressing motion that acted like a soothing balm. It made her feel warm and comforted, and she leaned against him, accepting the gentle solace he was offering.

  ‘I have to think about my brother, too,’ she said, her cheek resting against his chest. ‘He’s feeling quite shocked by what’s happened. And the fact that Mum knows that he’s not at university has just added to it.’

  ‘But at least it’s out in the open now. I suppose it means that he could go home to your parents’ house, doesn’t it? That might help to ease things at the flat.’

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t think he’ll want to do that. For a start the house will be locked up while my parents are away, and I think he needs to be with friends for the moment. He has an awful lot on his mind.’

  He lifted a hand and ran his fingers tenderly through her hair, brushing the warm gold strands away from her face. ‘I wonder if he appreciates having a sister who looks out for him the way you do?’ He smiled. ‘He ought to, because you’re really very special.’

  She gazed up at him. ‘You would help your own family, wouldn’t you? Perhaps you and your sister have the stronger bond, after what you’ve been through together?’

  ‘There is that, I grant you.’ He placed his fingers beneath her chin, brushing his thumb lightly along the line of her jaw. ‘Don’t let this get you down. I’m here for you, and I’ll help in any way I can.’

  Then, before she realised his intention, his head bent towards her, and he placed a gentle kiss on her mouth.

  She was so startled that her lips parted a fraction and her blue eyes widened. It felt for all the world as though her lips had been touched by flame, but just as she was getting used to the idea that it might be intensely satisfying to explore that kiss a little further he lifted his head and slowly eased back from her.

  ‘I have to go,’ he said, stepping back and glancing down at his pager. ‘More problems on the work front. Go and take a break for a while. Have a cup of coffee and think things through. You’ll feel better for it, I’m sure.’

  Chapter Six

  ‘IT’S just not going to be the same this year at Christmas, is it?’ Fraser said, staring bleakly out over the snow-covered garden the next day. He was clearing the drifts from the patio so that Jason and Rachel could ride their bikes. The gate that divided the two properties was open, and they had the full sweep of combined terraces to explore. ‘Everything’s going wrong. Now Gran’s in hospital, and we don’t have any idea how things are going to turn out, do we?’

  ‘That’s because we’re here and she’s some fifty miles away.’ Alison sighed. ‘I’d sooner be there so tha
t I can ask the questions I want answering. Mum and Dad are doing the best they can to keep us up to date, but neither of them are doctors and it’s so frustrating. I want to know exactly how she’s doing. I want to see for myself.’

  ‘So why not drive over to see her?’ Josh came to join them at the back of the house, with Chaser following hard on his heels. Alison’s heart skipped a beat at his unexpected appearance, and she shifted her attention back to Chaser to cover it up. The border collie was obviously completely wowed by the untouched carpet of snow that was laid out over the lawn. Ears up, panting and ready for action, he bounded over it, racing around like a mad thing, leaving a trail of footprints in his wake. Every now and again he nudged the snowdrifts with his nose, and then jumped back in surprise before scooting off again.

  ‘It will take a couple of hours to get there, but it’s still early in the day. If you leave here before eleven you should be there before lunchtime, and if you start back some time in the evening you’ll still have time to sleep and be back at work in the morning.’

  ‘That’s a fine theory, but the weather forecast predicts blizzards, and I’m not comfortable driving in snow and ice at the best of times,’ Alison replied. ‘It’s one thing to make the short journey to work, but fifty miles or more is quite another.’ She frowned. ‘Then again, I really do want to go and see how Gran is doing.’ She was silent for a moment, mulling over her options.

  ‘I could drive you, if you like? It doesn’t bother me.’ Josh shrugged. ‘I’m used to bad road conditions.’

  Alison looked at him, her heart surging with relief. ‘Would you? It’s an awful lot to ask of you. Are you sure?’

  He nodded. ‘Besides, my car’s probably a sight more comfortable than yours—and the heater actually works a hundred percent all the time…Plus there’s a very effective anti-skid mechanism.’ He grinned. ‘Have I made a sale?’