Page 90 of A Helpin g Hand for the Village Nurse

‘It’s fit to live in at least.’ Ottilie poured herself some tea. She couldn’t show it, but she was going to miss these breakfasts. It had been nice to feel like she was part of a family, rather than spending every morning eating a hurried slice of toast alone, but she also knew it couldn’t last. None of them could carry on like this forever – it wasn’t practical. She was also increasingly aware of the extra burden she was creating for them both, and especially with Corrine’s illness, though neither of them would admit it. ‘I can keep to the upstairs rooms as much as possible, and at least I have floors to walk on downstairs. It’s not so bad.’

‘The heating pipes aren’t back in,’ Victor said. ‘And the nights are getting colder.’

‘It’s not September until next week,’ Ottilie said. ‘It’s not that bad. Besides, it’ll save on heating bills if I just put on a cardigan – it’s always too tempting to put the heating on as soon as the first leaf falls from a tree anyway.’

‘What about your washing and so forth?’ Corrine asked.

‘I’m sure I’ll find a way around it. People live in worse conditions and manage all right.’ She looked up from buttering a slice of toast and smiled. ‘It’s been lovely here, and you’ve been so kind, but I think I’ve outstayed my welcome.’

‘You could never do that.’

‘Besides, if I don’t go home now I’m afraid I never will. And I don’t know how you feel about adopting another daughter, but you’re in danger of getting one whether you like it or not.’

‘Whatever will I do without our chats in the evenings?’ Corrine asked, looking dangerously close to tears.

‘I’ll visit all the time.’

‘For ten minutes when you come to check on me.’

‘No, proper visits, not just nurse stuff.’

‘You’ll be too busy. You said yourself you’ll have to do your repairs at night now you’re back at work in the day.’

‘I promise I’ll make time,’ Ottilie said gently.

‘I think,’ Victor put in, ‘what Corrine is trying to say is that having you here has been as good for us as it has been helpful to you. You’ve been no bother – in fact, you’ve helped us through a dark time. Thank you.’

‘I should be saying that to you!’ Ottilie said, tears burning her eyes. ‘You’ve been brilliant. When I moved to Thimblebury I never imagined I’d make friends like you.’

Victor wafted his hand, grunted something about seeing to the girls, and then hurried out of the kitchen. Ottilie suspected a show of emotion was about to burst from him and he’d rather keep it to himself. She was sort of on the same page, but it wasn’t so easy to run away from hers.

‘I just have to…’ Corrine began, before taking herself out of the kitchen too.

Ottilie crammed a slice of toast into her mouth and chewed rapidly. It would stop her crying or she’d choke on it – either way the job would be done.

‘Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!’ Lavender was wiping down the counter of the reception desk when Ottilie arrived for her first shift for weeks.

Ottilie looked around the tiny waiting room, and a strange, unexpected affection washed over her. She never imagined she’d have missed it, and her time had been filled with a million other worries, but she realised now that she’d been away for too long. She was a nurse, first and foremost and always, and she needed to be doing what she did best – caring for others.

‘Hope you’ve got a nice full clinic for me.’

‘Be careful what you wish for,’ Lavender said as she folded up the cloth and threw it into a cubbyhole beneath the desk. ‘It’s full, but I can’t promise it will be nice. Want a preview?’ she added, switching on her computer.

‘It’s probably a good idea,’ Ottilie said, making her way around the counter to see the screen. It took Lavender a few minutes to get the page up.

Ottilie gave it a quick look and then nodded. ‘Seems all right.’

‘Oh, and Fliss wants to know if you can do a house call. Darryl Jones.’

Ottilie frowned. ‘I haven’t seen him before?’

‘Perhaps not. He’s on insulin. Some learning difficulties. Been no bother for the past year or so, but his mum rang to say he might be hiding his insulin so he can’t take it for some unknown reason. Says his bloods are all over the place and it’s the only thing she can think of. He has a history of doing random things like that. Fliss would go up there, but it might be sorted just as easily by you if you don’t mind taking a look. It would save her a job.’

Ottilie wrote the name and some details down on her notepad. ‘What’s the address?’

‘I’ll print if off for you. It’s a bit out of the village – Hilltop Farm – but it’s only ten minutes or so in the car.’

‘Brilliant. I’ll go up after morning surgery.’

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