by Joanna Neil
‘We’ll do that,’ the father said. ‘Thank you both for taking the trouble to come and talk to us. It’s been a worrying time.’
‘I know it must have been very distressing for you,’ Brodie said. ‘But I’ve spoken to the registrar and you can be reassured that Janine is all right. She won’t suffer any long-lasting effects and the rash will fade in a couple or so days.’
They spoke for a little while longer then, as they were leaving the office, the staff nurse took Caitlin to one side. ‘I have a mother here who is worried about her baby,’ she said quietly. ‘Seeing that you’re here, would you have a word with her?’
‘Of course.’
‘You might as well use my office,’ Brodie said. He lightly touched her arm in a gesture of reassurance. ‘I expect this thing with the mother is something you can sort out easily enough.’
Caitlin hoped so too.
‘I have to go and meet up with my animal therapy volunteer,’ Brodie said. ‘She rang me earlier to say she’d like to come in—but I’ll catch up with you later.’
‘Okay.’
The nurse handed her the baby’s thin file and she skimmed the notes quickly. By the time the young mother arrived at the office with the infant in her arms, she was fully prepared.
‘How can I help you?’ she asked with a smile, inviting her to sit down in a comfy armchair.
‘It’s just that the surgeon tried to explain things to me, but I don’t really understand what’s happening to my baby.’ The young mother held her baby close to her, wrapping her more firmly in her shawl and looking anxiously at Caitlin. ‘Olivia’s only five weeks old—she keeps being sick and she’s losing weight. I’m really worried about her. Why can’t she keep her milk down?’
‘I know this is upsetting for you, but really, it’s a simple, straightforward operation,’ Caitlin answered kindly. ‘I’ll get some paper and a pen and see if I can draw it for you.’
Swiftly, she drew the outline of a baby’s stomach, showing the opening into the intestine. ‘Usually, see, the opening is wide enough to let the milk pass through—but sometimes the muscle here is thick and causes a blockage. When that happens, the milk can’t get from the stomach to the intestine and the baby brings it back up. It’s a forceful, projectile vomiting, as you’ve discovered, rather than a gentle regurgitation of excess milk.’
‘How will the surgeon put it right? Is it a big operation? Will it leave a scar?’
‘The incision will be very small, near the belly button, and there shouldn’t be much of a scar at all, once it’s all healed up. The surgeon will cut the muscle and that will cause the opening to be wider.’
‘Okay, I get that, I think.’ The young woman frowned. ‘The doctor said she would be admitted to hospital today but they wouldn’t operate until tomorrow. What does it mean? Will you be doing tests and so on?’
‘Mainly for the next few hours we’ll be making sure that she’s not dehydrated—that’s our biggest concern, so she’ll have a fluid line inserted in a vein. It won’t hurt her, but the repeated vomiting means she’s lost a lot of fluid and it needs to be put right, along with minute traces of sodium and potassium and so on that might be out of balance. We’ll need to do some blood tests to check that all’s well.’
‘All right.’ The woman nodded, seemingly reassured. ‘Thanks for explaining it to me.’ She gently rocked the baby in her arms, soothing her. ‘How long will she need to be in hospital?’
‘Until about two or three days after the surgery to make sure she’s feeding properly and that her temperature and blood pressure and so on are normal.’
The girl looked troubled. ‘Will I be able to stay with her?’
‘Yes, we have a room where you can sleep and still be close to Olivia. The nurse will show you where you can put your things—and if you think of any more questions, just ask. We’re all happy to help.’
‘Thanks.’
A nurse came to show her where the baby would be looked after and Caitlin, relieved that she’d been able to help, went in search of Brodie. He was in one of the patients’ bays.
He smiled as Caitlin entered the room. A woman was with him, a slim, middle-aged woman with a kindly face, and she had a calm-looking yellow Labrador on a lead by her side.
Caitlin watched as the woman introduced the dog to the children. They patted and stroked him and Brodie was smiling, looking totally relaxed. Maybe a dog was good therapy for Brodie too, she mused.
‘He’s like a giant, cuddly teddy bear,’ Jason said, laughing in delight. The four-year-old was getting on well now, off the oxygen for the most part, but having brief sessions with the nebuliser every few hours. He was sitting in the chair by his bed with his parents looking on.
The other little boy, Sammy, two years old and still with his leg in a cast, was much more reticent. He was in hospital briefly for further tests. He too was seated; now he cautiously reached out to touch the dog’s head but pulled his hand back when the dog turned to look at him with big, brown eyes.
‘It’s all right, he won’t hurt you,’ the dog’s owner told him. ‘He loves children and he likes being stroked.’ She crouched down to his level and demonstrated.
Sammy seemed to take to her. ‘What’s his name?’ he asked in a timid voice.
‘Well, we call him Toffee, because he’s such a gorgeous toffee colour. I think it suits him, don’t you?’
Sammy giggled. ‘Toffee,’ he said and giggled again. ‘Toffee...’ He bent over, laughing, as if he found that hilariously funny. Recovering himself, he looked at the Labrador once more and tentatively reached out to stroke him. ‘Toffee’s a sweetie, what you eat,’ he said, chuckling.
Toffee’s owner smiled and Sammy’s mother said cheerfully, ‘Well, he is a bit of a sweetie, isn’t he? He’s lovely.’ She looked at the woman and then at Brodie. ‘I’m so glad you brought him in to see us. It’s been the best thing for Sammy—for Jason too, from the looks of things.’
Both boys were patting the dog now, their troubles forgotten for the time being. Caitlin relaxed, seeing her young charges happy and on the mend.
‘That worked out really well,’ she commented to Brodie when they went for lunch in the cafeteria. ‘I’m glad we came in this morning.’
‘So am I. Anyway, I wanted to be here when the dog was brought in. I think he’ll be a great hit with the children. He certainly brought Sammy out of his shell.’
‘He did. We’ll have to try the dog with children who are in wheelchairs—there won’t be any danger of them being accidentally nudged and he’ll cheer them up no end.’ They filled their trays with a Sunday roast dinner—beef, Yorkshire puddings with roast potatoes and an assortment of vegetables—and went to sit at a table in the far corner of the room.
Brodie glanced at Caitlin as he started to eat. ‘I meant to tell you, I heard from Matt the other day.’ His gaze was thoughtful, pondering. ‘He phoned.’
‘Oh yes?’ She stared at him, suddenly very still.
‘He’s been back at work for a while now and he was asking about you. He wondered how you were doing.’ She nodded slowly, taking that in, and he went on, ‘He said to tell you the little boy you were treating—the one with the infection in his knee—is completely better now and fully mobile. He came to the outpatients’ clinic the other day.’
‘I’m glad about that.’ Molly must have told him she wanted to follow up on the boy. She looked at Brodie guardedly. Matt hadn’t phoned only to update her, had he? ‘What did you say to him?’
He lifted a dark brow in query. ‘About how you were doing?’
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She hadn’t thought about Matt recently but now, at the mention of him, her palms were clammy and her mouth was dry. Her hand trembled a little so she laid down her fork and rested her fingers beside her plate. Brodie’s blue eyes followed the action.
‘I told him you were doing fine—no thanks to him, since he’d treated you so badly.’
She gave a small g
asp. ‘You said that? But Brodie, he’s your friend...’
He shrugged. ‘I couldn’t say too much to him about it at the wedding—it was the wrong time—but I wanted him to know that I didn’t like the way he’d behaved towards you.’
She shook her head. ‘You shouldn’t have done that—it was between me and him.’
His blue gaze was steady. ‘He was my friend, yes, my best friend, so I could be straight with him. I didn’t like it in the first place when I heard he’d started dating you; all kinds of bad feelings swept over me...jealousy, for the most part...but when he took up with Jenny I had mixed feelings. I was glad it was over between you because it meant you were free—but I was concerned for you.’
Her eyes widened a fraction. He’d been jealous? ‘I’d no idea you were keeping tabs on me.’
‘I’ve often enquired after you—talked to people I know, kept in touch with your mother from time to time.’ His mouth flattened. ‘Anyway, I told Matt you were getting on well in your new job, that it was great living next door to you and I wished I’d moved in sooner. It’s all true, of course.’ His gaze meshed with hers.
She smiled faintly at his admission. It made her feel better, knowing he liked being near to her, and she expelled her breath in a soft sigh. ‘I thought I was in love with him, that we would get married, but I had it all wrong, didn’t I? How is it possible to make a mistake like that? It’s left me so that I don’t know if I can trust my feelings any more.’
‘Yes, I know. But you could have ended up in a bad marriage. So maybe you had a lucky escape.’
She tried a smile. ‘Then again, we could have been okay. Marriage is what you make it. It depends what you put into it.’
He shook his head. ‘You’d both have had to work at it, and Matt obviously wasn’t prepared to do that. Something must have been out of sync for him to go off with Jenny the way he did.’
‘Yes, you pointed that out once before.’ She pressed her lips together, trying not to let her emotions show. After all this time she was still on fragile ground, and she sensed that Brodie was pushing things, testing her to see if she would stumble.
‘Have you given it any thought?’
She nodded. ‘I have but I’m still not exactly sure what happened,’ she said cautiously. ‘All I can think is...’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’ve always tried to handle situations by myself the best way I can. Ever since my dad died, I’ve tried to be independent, to make sure Mum was all right. But Jenny was never like that. She needed help—with her car, with her state of mind. Things had gone wrong for her and she was a damsel in distress. She’s often needy and I think that must have appealed to Matt. Perhaps he needs to be with someone who will rely on him for support. She brings out the protector in him, whereas I... Perhaps I don’t have that same vulnerability.’
Brodie mulled it over as he slid his fork into green beans. ‘I don’t know about that—the vulnerability thing. I’d want to make sure you were okay, no matter what.’ He ate thoughtfully for a second or two. ‘You could be right, though. Matt does tend to want to take control.’ He studied her as she picked up her own fork once more and began to eat. ‘He’s a fool, if he doesn’t see what he let go.’
‘Thanks for that. But perhaps it was for the best. I suppose it wouldn’t have worked out for us in the end. I wouldn’t want to be in a bad marriage. My parents were always good together, and their kind of relationship is what I want for myself.’
‘I can understand that. That’s probably why I’ve never felt the urge to try it. I don’t want to make a mistake like my mother did with my real, my natural, father and then again with my dad. If it had been a good marriage, he would have handled things differently.’
‘Perhaps...but they stayed together, so they must have had something pretty strong going for them.’
He seemed to be mulling that over. ‘I suppose so. I’ve been looking at things from a different angle.’
She tasted the medium-rare roast beef, savouring it for a moment on her tongue. His troubled background would always affect the way he felt about relationships. ‘Obviously, when it comes to marriage, you’re afraid,’ she said eventually. ‘That’s why you flit from woman to woman without making any commitments.’
His eyes narrowed in mock jest. ‘Who’s been talking?’
She gave a wry smile. ‘My mother, for one, and the hospital grapevine is rife with rumour as usual.’
He laid down his fork. ‘Your mother I can’t account for, and I won’t argue with her because I’m really very fond of her. But I can tell you now that whatever you’ve heard on the grapevine is pure conjecture. I haven’t dated anyone since I came back to Ashley Vale.’
She looked at him steadily. ‘Maybe you’ve been too busy.’
He gave a short laugh, returning her gaze with a penetrating blue glance. ‘Yes, maybe. Perhaps I’ve found someone special...someone who cares about me and makes me feel I might actually be worthy.’
The breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze. If only she could believe what he was saying. ‘That sounds...wonderful...something to be working on.’
‘I’m glad you think so.’ Smiling, he returned his attention to his meal.
Caitlin finished her main course and reached for her dessert, a Bramley apple pie topped with creamy custard. She didn’t know what to think. He was making out he was perfectly innocent but she knew him of old. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He would lure her into a false sense of security then when she was completely ensnared he would devour her and move on in search of new prey. Didn’t she know better than to fall for his charm? She’d already been hurt badly by Matt. She was feeling stronger now but surely she shouldn’t make herself vulnerable again if she could help it? All the same, she was so, so tempted.
‘Hey, you two, have you seen the pictures in the papers? You’ve even made the nationals—look.’
Cathy, the staff nurse from the children’s unit, came over to their table. ‘Am I interrupting?’
‘No, of course not,’ Caitlin said. ‘Are these the pictures from Murder Mysteries?’
Cathy nodded. ‘Yes, look. I bought the local paper and the Tribune. You’re both splashed over the TV feature pages—it’s mostly the main characters they’re showing, but you two are there as well. I can’t wait to see the series when it comes out. I’ll be watching out for your scenes all the way through.’
Caitlin and Brodie glanced through the papers. ‘Oh,’ Caitlin said, ‘They filmed the geese when they ran up to the camera!’ Brodie was in the shot, smiling as he looked at the startled cameraman. ‘I thought they would edit those shots.’
‘They probably have in the TV version—but the press will choose whatever appeals, I suppose.’ Brodie was amused. ‘Thanks for showing us these, Cathy.’
‘You’re welcome. I expect they’re in all the papers. All the nurses are talking about them.’
She went off to join her friends, leaving Caitlin and Brodie to finish their lunch. Afterwards, they went to spend some time with Caitlin’s mother.
‘The doctor says I should be well enough to leave here in a few days,’ her mother said, looking happy. Her cheeks were flushed with anticipation. ‘I’m so pleased. I can’t wait.’
‘It’ll be good to have you home,’ Caitlin said, giving her a hug.
They stayed for half an hour then left to meet up with the film crew once more back at the smallholding. David was already there, organising things. Caitlin had given him access to the house and grounds.
‘I thought Daisy and her puppies would like to be out in the sunshine for a bit,’ he said, coming over to greet them, ‘so I’ve put them on the lawn. They won’t be going anywhere,’ he added with a rueful grin. ‘The geese are keeping an eye on them. At least they’re leaving the camera crew alone today. They’re too busy guarding the newcomers.’
Caitlin smiled, seeing the geese gently nudging the puppies back on to the grass whenever they wandered near the edge of the lawn. They were just
beginning to find their feet, but Daisy seemed happy to let the birds shepherd her flock while she simply lazed in the sunshine and gathered her strength. Thanks to good food and plenty of love and care, she was thriving, and her shaggy coat was beginning to take on a healthy glow.
The film crew spent some time working around the house and outbuildings, and then moved off to concentrate their attention on the wooded area around the smallholding. A couple of villagers acted as extras, wandering along the footpath that led from Brodie’s property to the copse beyond. The same man who’d been wheezing the day before was there. Caitlin stood and watched them go.
‘I think they’ve finished with us for now,’ Brodie said as he walked with her to the back of her house. He gave her a long, appreciative look. ‘It looks as though I have you all to myself at last.’
‘Is that what you want?’ she murmured.
‘Oh yes,’ he said. They came to a halt on the terrace overlooking the lawn and in the privacy of a jasmine-covered arbour he leaned towards her.
‘I never seem to get you alone, what with David being around, the film crew and whoever else decides on a whim to drop by.’ He slid his arm around her waist and tugged her towards him. ‘You’ve had all sorts of creatures demanding your attention: a rabbit, the quail, Daisy and the pups, three terrifying geese—and for all I know a motherless kitten could turn up at any minute to distract you. I’m all for moving in on you while I can.’
She smiled and lifted her face to him, rewarded instantly when he bent his head to hers and claimed her lips. She was ready for his kiss, wanting it, needing it, craving the feel of his arms around her. He eased her against the rustic trellis, supporting her with his forearm, raining kisses over her cheek and throat, nuzzling the creamy velvet of her shoulder beneath the loose collar of her shirt. ‘Do you think we could be together, you and I?’ he murmured. ‘A couple? Could we give it a go?’
