Page 69 of A Helpin g Hand for the Village Nurse

Stacey nodded.

‘I don’t even know who to get in.’ Ottilie nibbled on the chip. ‘How do I know who to call until I can see what needs doing?’

‘Have your insurers sent round an assessor yet? Surely they’d be able to tell you what needs doing. Sometimes they can send the appropriate people to you as well – I’m pretty sure they have approved tradesmen on their books for this sort of thing.’

‘Is that what they do? I’ve never had to get one in before. I suppose it’ll get sorted one way or another,’ she added carefully. ‘It’s not really dry yet.’

‘Isn’t it?’ Stacey gave a grimace of sympathy. ‘It must have been bad at your place then. Almost everyone else seems to be drying out.’

Ottilie shrugged. ‘It still smells musty, so I assumed it was still wet. I’ve never been flooded before, so I don’t know how it works.’

‘Why don’t I come round tomorrow and?—’

‘It’s fine,’ Ottilie said, perhaps too testily, because Stacey looked taken aback. If she was puzzled by Ottilie’s reaction she didn’t say so, and Ottilie instantly regretted her tone. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just been stressful, you know? And I realise it’s been stressful for everyone and I’m not a special case or anything. I know you’re trying to help but…’

Where did she begin? Of course it had been stressful for everyone else, so how come it seemed to Ottilie that everyone else was coping so much better than she was? She could blame it on the added burdens in her life, but that didn’t seem fair. Didn’t everyone have added burdens that weren’t always apparent to their friends and neighbours? That was life, wasn’t it?

‘We all want to help, if you’ll let us,’ Stacey said.

Ottilie shook her head. ‘People have got enough going on in their own lives without worrying about mine.’

‘Is that how it was in Manchester?’

‘That’s how it is the world over, isn’t it?’

‘I don’t know much about the rest of the world, but that’s not how we do things here.’

‘Maybe, but I’ve got it covered.’

Stacey’s look of scepticism grew. Again, she looked as if she wanted to air her doubts, but if she truly had them, she didn’t.

‘OK then,’ she replied instead. ‘That’s good then. Just know that if you need help you only have to ask.’

‘I’ve had so much help already. Even Flo’s grandson has been round helping me to clean.’

Stacey’s eyes lit up and Ottilie could have sworn she saw mischief there. ‘Not you as well,’ she groaned.

‘What?’ Stacey painted on a look of innocence. ‘No clue what you’re talking about.’

‘Flo seems intent on matching us up. I can do without the rest of you joining in.’

‘But he is good-looking.’

‘Yes, I haven’t failed to notice that.’

‘I mean, you’d have to be dead not to notice that. And he’s single.’

‘Newly single and very messed up from it, as far as I can tell.’

‘Why, what’s he said?’

‘It’s more what everyone else says. Victor said his wife was a nightmare; Flo had a few choice words too. And you can tell how untrusting he is – you know he accused me of being after Flo’s money?’

‘Jesus!’

‘I couldn’t have put it better myself.’

‘I know his wife was a bit of a gold digger, but even so. You’re right – does sound like there are some whopping trust issues there.’

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