Once Upon a Winter: A totally perfect festive romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  ‘We’re the people who called the ambulance for him,’ Gina said. ‘He’d have been dead without us.’

  Hannah wondered if that was a bit of a melodramatic statement but she was willing to let it go if it helped their cause.

  ‘I can’t tell you anything,’ the woman repeated. ‘There are over two thousand patients in this hospital at any one time and I can’t be expected to know the particulars of every one… that’s what computers and NHS numbers are for.’

  ‘So you won’t help?’ Gina asked, her voice hardening.

  ‘I can’t help,’ the woman replied. She began to flick through a pile of papers on her desk to signal that the conversation was at an end.

  ‘That’s it?’ Gina insisted.

  The woman glanced up. ‘There’s nothing I can do. I’m sorry.’

  She didn’t sound very sorry, and Hannah wished she could tell her, but there was no point. It had been a silly idea and now she couldn’t imagine why she had thought coming here would enable her to see Tom again. And even if she had, what then? She’d have asked him how he was, then the conversation would have petered into awkward silence before she finally left, safe in the knowledge that this would definitely be the last time she saw him. Perhaps it was for the best; this was probably less disappointing, less painful.

  Gina pulled a face at the woman, who wasn’t looking anyway, before motioning to Hannah that it was time to go.

  ‘We tried,’ she said as they walked back out into the snowy grounds, ‘and at least we had a bit of fun in the process.’

  ‘I suppose so,’ Hannah replied. ‘I don’t really know what I was expecting, but I should have known it would turn out like this.’

  ‘Shall we call Ross?’

  ‘He’ll barely be a mile down the road,’ Hannah said. ‘At least it won’t take him long to come back for us and we can get home to Jess.’

  ‘I’m not sure she’ll actually be happy about that,’ Gina said. ‘I bet she’s raiding your liquor cabinet right now.’

  ‘I doubt she’ll find much; I think we drank most of it yesterday,’ Hannah laughed.

  As Gina pulled out her phone, Hannah gazed across the grounds towards the car parks. She listened as Gina flirted with Ross on the phone. At least one of them had been lucky today. But then a figure caught her attention. She shielded her eyes, squinting into a low sun that had finally broken through the clouds to throw sparkles across the white lawns and trees of the hospital gardens. She grabbed Gina’s arm.

  ‘Is that… Is that him?’

  Gina followed the direction of Hannah’s gaze. ‘I don’t think so…’

  ‘It is!’ Hannah cried, ‘It is him!’

  Gina looked again. ‘I’m not sure… if it is, he has someone with him.’

  That detail hadn’t escaped Hannah’s attention, but without conscious thought, she began to track towards him, Gina following.

  ‘What are you doing? He’s got someone with him!’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So, leave them be.’

  ‘I want to know. I have to know that it is him.’

  ‘Why? If it is, that’s good, right? It means his family have come to collect him.’

  ‘Yes… But I need to be certain.’

  Gina let out an impatient sigh. Hannah was just about to call out to him when she checked herself.

  ‘It’s not him,’ she said, the disappointment and relief flooding through her in such conflicting measures that she couldn’t tell which emotion was winning. ‘It’s not him at all.’

  ‘Hurray for that,’ Gina said. ‘Can we go and meet Ross now?’

  ‘I suppose we should.’

  But then Hannah saw a lone figure pushing through the doors of the main hospital. He was clutching a plastic bag, cautious on the snowy path, but there was no mistaking him this time. Hannah stopped on the path, Gina turning with a questioning look.

  ‘There he is,’ Hannah said, in a voice so quiet she wondered why she felt the need to keep it down.

  ‘Here we go again…’ Gina said, and she followed in Hannah’s footsteps as they made their way back. Tom stopped, and turned back to the hospital doors.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ Gina asked, and then all became clear. Hannah and Gina paused, and watched as he was joined by a statuesque looking blonde woman. She was dressed simply and elegantly, in a navy, ankle-length tailored coat and suede boots, her hair pinned up in a neat twist. She took the bag from him and then gestured to a car park in the opposite direction to the one he was facing, before taking his hand. She led and he followed.

  ‘Get behind this tree!’ Hannah hissed, and yanked Gina by the arm.

  ‘What the hell…?’ Gina yelped as Hannah almost pulled her off her feet.

  Hannah had suddenly felt guilty and a little bit seedy, like a weird stalker spy, and she didn’t want him to see her here – not like this.

  ‘I thought you wanted to see him,’ Gina said.

  ‘I did, but he’s with someone.’

  ‘So what’s different this time? A minute ago when we had the wrong guy you wanted to chase after him.’

  ‘And you said I shouldn’t.’

  ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. I haven’t come all this way for you to hide behind a tree.’

  ‘I just can’t… it’s probably his wife.’

  ‘Possibly. But unless you’re planning to throw your bra at him I don’t see what difference it makes.’

  ‘It just doesn’t seem right, that’s all.’

  Gina sighed as Hannah peered around the tree. Tom and the blonde woman were almost out of sight. Gina’s phone bleeped.

  ‘Ross is waiting for us,’ she said. ‘He’ll be thrilled to learn that he drove us all the way to Millrise for nothing.’

  ‘He didn’t. We came to see whether Tom was alright and it looks as though he is,’ Hannah replied, her tone defensive, though she knew what Gina meant. She just didn’t want to be reminded of what an idiot she’d been.

  The journey home had been quieter for Hannah. She listened to Gina and Ross laughing and joking and wished she could join in, but she couldn’t. She didn’t begrudge them their fun, but her own mind was racing. What the hell had she been thinking chasing after Tom like that? What had she thought was going to happen if she’d found him alone? Why was she behaving so irrationally?

  When they arrived back at Hannah’s little house, Gina put the kettle on and left Hannah to her thoughts as she made them both hot drinks. A few minutes later Hannah was curled up on the sofa, staring into space. While Jess, it transpired, had taken herself up to the spare bedroom to continue a furtive conversation with a boy she vehemently denied she was dating, Gina handed Hannah a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

  ‘It’ll warm you up,’ she said as she dropped onto the sofa bedside her with a mug of her own. ‘Was it a nice dream?’ she asked.

  Hannah looked across at her. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘The one where your Prince Charming fell from the sky?’

  Hannah gave a rueful smile. ‘It was that obvious?’

  ‘Sort of. I can’t say I blame you. He was pretty yummy.’

  ‘And he saved my life.’

  ‘You saved his first.’

  ‘I suppose so…’

  ‘Perhaps it wasn’t his wife. It could have been his sister… Or a cousin… or –’

  ‘Holding hands?’ Hannah cocked an eyebrow at her. ‘If they weren’t married they were something close to it.’

  Gina sipped her chocolate. ‘Probably best to let it go then.’

  Hannah nodded. ‘Yeah, probably.’

  There was only one problem with Gina’s suggestion… Hannah didn’t think she could.

  Part Two: I’m Not in Love

  Bloody hell, I’m unfit! Hannah raced down Holly Lane, her quarry getting further and further away. It felt as if her lungs might explode, but she couldn’t stop. If only her elderly neighbour George hadn’t been outside his cottage. If only her car hadn’t stuttered to a halt righ
t by his gate, just at that moment. If only Trixie hadn’t been in the garden when Hannah climbed out of her car to ask for help, and if only George hadn’t left the gate open as he came to look at her engine. Perhaps then Trixie wouldn’t have shot out up the lane like Usain Bolt on a promise when Hannah’s car engine backfired. There was no way George could chase her, of course, and no way Hannah could leave her to run even if, as George asserted, she’d come back of her own accord once she had calmed down. Because Hannah could tell by the distress in George’s old eyes that he really didn’t think that’s what would happen. So Hannah gave chase, but it only seemed to make the little dog run faster, no matter how hard she tried to coax her back with pleading cries.

  ‘Trixie!’ Hannah panted once more. ‘Come on girl!’ She didn’t really know why she was bothering. George had already called her numerous times, and as she wasn’t responding to him, she was probably too spooked to respond to anyone, let alone a virtual stranger. But she had to try something; if she didn’t stop running soon Hannah was sure she was going to collapse.

  They turned a blind bend and Hannah saw Ross’s tractor parked on the side of lane. Ross was nearby, inspecting some fencing. Hannah called out, ‘ROSS!’ His head flicked up. ‘TRIXIE!’ It was all she could manage to squeeze out and she only hoped he would be able to interpret what she actually meant. But she needn’t have worried. In a matter of seconds he had taken in Hannah, flailing madly, and the little terrier hurtling towards him like a bullet from a gun, and he launched himself into the thankfully deserted lane.

  Trixie skidded on the loose surface, her feet scrabbling for purchase as she tried to turn and run in the opposite direction, but Ross was supernaturally fast. She hadn’t made it a foot before his hands had closed around her and Trixie was in his arms.

  ‘There now…’ he crooned to the little dog as he walked towards Hannah, who was now bent double in the road in a less elegant position than she would have chosen for greeting such a handsome young man. The sky spun above her as she fought for breath, and she was faced with the very real possibility that she would now throw up on Ross’s feet. How had she ever run for all those miles and miles when she and Jason had been together? Perhaps it was because he used to nag her. It was true that since he hadn’t been around she hadn’t been out for one solitary jog but, judging by today’s performance, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start training again. Because all she felt fit for now was a quick and merciful death.

  ‘She’s shaking like a leaf,’ he continued as Trixie cowered in his arms, her little ribcage pumping like a piston. She looked as exhausted as Hannah felt, and there was something unsavoury but rather satisfying in feeling glad that she wasn’t suffering alone. It was Trixie’s fault after all that they were both knackered and she felt like hurling on Ross’s boots.

  ‘Car… backfired…’ Hannah managed to pant as she made an almighty effort to push herself upright.

  ‘Oh… no wonder she was haring off like that. Want me to walk back to George’s with you? She seems quiet enough with me now.’

  Hannah gave a grateful nod, and began her shaky walk beside Ross, who continued to rub Trixie’s head as he cradled her in his arms.

  ‘Car trouble then?’ he asked cheerfully. Hannah nodded.

  ‘It cut out by George’s house. He was having a look when the engine went bang and Trixie shot out of the gate like a prize whippet.’

  ‘Lucky you were there to run after her; there’s no telling where she might have ended up.’

  ‘Lucky you were there,’ Hannah corrected. ‘There’s no telling where the two of us might have ended up if I’d had to chase her much further. Probably Millrise General – for me at least.’

  Ross chuckled. ‘I’m usually knocking about here on a weekday; there’s always something to be done on the farm.’

  Hannah wondered why, if he was always knocking around in the week, she hadn’t run into him more often in the past. It was just another strange coincidence in a week of them, starting with her very odd Christmas Day. ‘Don’t you ever take holidays?’ Hannah gave him a sideways look. ‘You were working on Boxing Day and it was only New Year yesterday but you’re back at work again.’

  ‘I’m not one for sitting around,’ he said simply. ‘And anyway, the animals need feeding and looking after every day of every week.’

  ‘Did you have a day off yesterday?’

  ‘A bit of one,’ he said. ‘I was done by midday so I took the evening off.’

  ‘God, what time did you have to start to be done by midday?’

  ‘About four-thirty.’

  ‘You started at four-thirty even with a hangover?’

  He laughed. ‘I wasn’t on the lash on New Year’s Eve. To tell the truth, I’m not the partying sort… nightclubs – I can take them or leave them. They’re mostly full of the wrong sort of people anyway.’

  Hannah wondered who the wrong sort of people were. Did it include her? After all, she’d spent enough evenings in nightclubs during her wayward youth. Not now, of course; these days she’d rather curl up with a book than rave.

  ‘We didn’t do much either,’ Hannah said. ‘It was nice but quiet. We did get through enough drink to keep Nelson’s navy afloat, though.’

  There was a heartbeat’s pause.

  ‘So… your sister is still staying with you?’ Ross asked.

  Hannah looked at him. His gaze was trained on the road ahead, and his expression was neutral enough, but there was no mistaking the sound of hope in his voice.

  ‘Yes… although I’m supposed to be taking her to the station to catch her train home. She’ll probably miss it now, with the car out of action, so I don’t know whether she’ll try for a later one or stay on another day.’

  ‘It’s a shame she has to miss it,’ he said, but Hannah wondered how genuine the sentiment was. She didn’t think he really thought it was a shame at all.

  The small talk continued as they made their way back. A light, freezing rain began to fall, but Ross didn’t seem to notice at all. As he chatted, she gleaned snippets and hints dropped between the lines, and from what she could tell he was as interested in Gina as she was in him. Was this a good thing? He was a sweet bloke – there was no doubting it – but he was also very young and Gina was fresh from a damaging marriage, not to mention the teenage daughter who was probably closer in age to Ross than Gina was.

  As they approached George’s cottage, they could see the old man sitting on a garden chair by his gate, searching the road. As soon as he saw them, he leapt to his feet with surprising agility, and his face lit up as they drew closer and he could see Trixie in Ross’s arms. Gina’s face lit up too, though George and Gina obviously had very different reasons for their shared reaction to Ross striding down the lane towards them.

  ‘Thank goodness!’ George cried. Trixie gave a little yap, and her tail began to wag furiously as George took her from Ross’s arms. ‘Oh, you little devil,’ George said, ‘I thought I’d lost you for good.’

  ‘Sorry…’ Hannah gave him a pained smile.

  George blinked at her. ‘My dear Hannah; it wasn’t your fault.’

  ‘But if I hadn’t come to you for help…’

  ‘Nonsense,’ George cut in. He laughed as Trixie licked his chin. ‘The main thing is I have her back. Next time I’ll be sure to close the garden gate.’

  Gina and Jess were standing by Hannah’s car and up until now they’d both been silent. But now Gina grinned at Hannah. ‘You go chasing after a little doggie and come back with an extra surprise.’

  Ross shot her a wide and rather soppy smile. It was all Hannah could do not to roll her eyes.

  ‘You weren’t exactly breaking your neck to catch Trixie.’

  ‘I didn’t think it was a very good idea, us all charging after her; it would have scared her half to death.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ Hannah said. ‘Whatever. It was just lucky I met Ross; I don’t think I would have caught Trixie at all without his help.’

  Gina shot
him a flirtatious look. ‘You are making rather a habit of being in the right place at the right time.’

  ‘I try,’ Ross smiled. He dug his hands in his pockets and looked over at the car. ‘Is it still not running?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Hannah said, glancing at George. ‘We were all too busy worrying about Trixie.’

  George scratched his head. ‘I’m blown if I know what’s wrong with it.’

  ‘Would you like me to have a look?’ Ross asked. ‘I’m pretty good with engines, even if I do say it myself.’

  ‘I bet you are,’ Gina said, with such obvious lust in her voice that even Jess did a double take this time. She exchanged a glance with Hannah that conveyed barely disguised disgust. Hannah had to stifle an inappropriate grin and at least pretend to be disgusted too. She supposed that the idea of her mother as a sexual being would be a shock to any teenage girl.

  Ross turned back to Hannah. ‘May I?’ he asked, inclining his head at the car.

  ‘Be my guest. Some kind man offers to get my little Citroen going; who am I to argue?’

  ‘I’ll make us all a nice cup of tea while Ross looks at the car then,’ George said. ‘Unless you all want to come in and get out of the rain?’

  Gina glanced up at the sky and held a hand out. ‘I think it’s stopping now. I expect we’ll be alright.’

  George nodded. He pottered back into his garden, carefully shutting the gate before setting Trixie down. She scuttled off indoors, George watching her with a fond smile. ‘I bet she’s gone for a nap after all her adventures today,’ he said.

  ‘Sounds like a good idea,’ Hannah said approvingly as she wiped a film of cold perspiration from her brow. She was still sweating from her run in her duffle coat, and what she really wanted was a nice warm shower and a change of clothes, but that would have to wait for a while.

  Ross disappeared under the bonnet of Hannah’s car with a look of boyish glee at the prospect, leaving Gina with a look of equal glee as she appraised his denim-clad rear. George clapped his hands together. ‘Right… I’ll make myself useful and get that tea. Are you sure you ladies wouldn’t like to come in to the warm?’