Page 84 of The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright

‘Bea, your labs are all fine. You’re a perfectly healthy young woman,’ he says, turning towards me again. ‘But I am thinking your stress levels are unusually high. Is there anything worrying you? Pressure at work? Or at home perhaps?’

I scoff. He cocks his head.

‘I’m a single parent to a four-year-old. Some days are hard.’

‘Okay.’ He nods, getting it. ‘I’ll write you off sick for a week. I think resting up at home will do you the world of good.’

A tear escapes, but I catch it and flick it away before he notices.

‘Is someone coming to pick you up?’ he asks. ‘Best not to drive for a few days.’

I don’t bother to tell him I don’t have a car. I simply nod. ‘My friend will be here soon.’

‘Okay. Good. And remember what I said. Plenty of rest. Okay?’

‘Not sure how easy that will be with a four-year-old to entertain but I’ll do my best,’ I say.

He smiles, as if I’m making a joke. Maybe I am.

He leaves and I pull the curtain round my bed and get dressed. It feels good to escape the breezy hospital gown and I’m thinking about sneaking down to the storage room to fetch my toothbrush when Tonya returns to clear up.

‘Waste,’ she says, dumping the tray full of food from the woman’s bed into a black bin bag. ‘Pure bloody waste.’

My stomach knots watching good food get thrown away, and I wonder how much waste there is throughout the hospital every day. My eyes follow Tonya and her rattly trolley towards the ward doors, where I find Shayne standing with his hip leaning against the frame. I wonder how long he’s been there and I wait for Ellie to come bounding in. I can’t wait to hug her and hear all about her sleepover.

‘I didn’t know if it was okay to come in,’ he says, straightening up but remaining standing on the spot.

‘Where’s Ellie?’

‘She’s with my grandfather.’

My lips round into an O shape and Shayne quickly jumps in with, ‘I hope that’s okay. Ellie wanted to stay a little longer. She’s had breakfast and they’re watching a movie.Beauty and the Beast.’

‘Ellie loves that one,’ I say.

‘I thought maybe we could get that coffee we talked about?’ he says.

My face must tell him that I’m not sure because he races in again with, ‘Unless you’re not feeling up to it. I mean, you are just getting out of hospital, so if it’s better we can pick Ellie up and I can drop you straight home.’

‘No!’ I gasp, much too loudly.

The woman in the bed opposite stirs at last, rubs her eyes and sits up. ‘Did someone take my breakfast?’

‘Yeah. A while ago. Maybe if you call them, they’ll make you some toast,’ I suggest.

She nods, and presses the bell on her bed frame. When I draw my attention back to Shayne, I notice he has taken a step back and I can see confusion or worry on his face.

‘Is everything okay, Bea? If you’re worried about Ellie, we can go straight there.’

I’m not worried about Ellie. I can tell how fond of her Malcolm is and, as she’s never had a grandparent in her life, I know Ellie is enjoying every moment spent with him too.

‘Coffee would be great,’ I say. ‘They only serve tea here. I mean, who wants tea first thing in the morning.’

‘I love tea,’ the woman chimes in. ‘Do you think they’d bring some tea too?’

‘You could ask,’ I say.

‘Service is terrible here,’ she grumbles.

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