Page 41 of Autumn at the Cornish Garden Café

It felt like years were passing while it happened, but it was only minutes, and soon, Christopher was strapped to the stretcher and covered with a blanket. Rosa climbed into the ambulance, and they drove away. Henry locked up the house, then took Bobby to the bookshop. He would ask Vinnie to watch the small dog while he went to join Rosa.

He went into automatic pilot while he drove, unable to let the fear that Christopher would pass away consume him or he would fall apart, and right now, Rosa and Christopher needed him. There would be time enough to let his sorrow consume him later. For now, he had to be strong for the people he loved.

28

ROSA

Pacing the waiting room, Rosa hugged herself. Despite her thick jumper and coat she was chilled to the bone. Finding Christopher on the floor had been a shock, and she’d been terrified that he was gone. He was in the best place right now and she tried to reassure herself of that fact, but she also knew that he was frail and elderly and that there was something very wrong. He had collapsed and right now the medical staff were performing tests to find out why.

When the door opened, she turned, expecting to see the doctor, but it was Henry. She sagged as he walked towards her and when he opened his arms; she fell into them.

She cried against his chest, felt him holding her up, and she was more grateful than she could have imagined that he was there with her.

‘Any news?’ he asked.

‘Not yet. They’re … still performing tests. Oh Henry, if anything happens to him…’

‘I know,’ he said. He didn’t convince them that Christopher would be fine. He let her know he understood, and that he felt the same. Christopher was their friend, and they cared about him. They wanted the best for him and if they could, of course they would will him to live, but they had no control over this now. All they could do was wait and see. ‘Have you let Vinnie know what’s happening?’

She nodded. ‘I messaged him ten minutes ago.’

‘I left Bobby with him. The poor boy was scared, so I couldn’t leave him home alone at Christopher’s, and I couldn’t bring him here.’

‘He’ll be OK with Vinnie.’

She pulled a tissue from her pocket and dried her eyes and cheeks. Since she’d found Christopher, she’d been going through a cycle of crying, drying her eyes and then crying some more. She’d tried to stop the tears, but it seemed pointless because her pain needed to come out. But now, thankfully, she wasn’t alone because Henry was here.

They sat on the blue plastic chairs and Henry took her hand between his and rubbed it to warm it up. She leant against him, let herself rely on him in this moment because she needed his support and friendship. In return, she would offer him hers.

‘Are you OK?’ she asked.

‘Deeply worried for our friend. I just hope they can help him.’

‘Henry … I’m so sorry.’ She looked up at him, traced the lines of his jaw, his nose, his smooth forehead with her eyes.

‘It’s not your fault,’ he said.

‘No … Not about Christopher…’ She inhaled deeply as she tried to gather her strength. The room smelt of pine disinfectant and coffee from the machine in the corner. It was stuffy and silent, apart from the humming of a generator somewhere nearby. ‘I’m sorry for walking away from you.’

‘Hey … Don’t do this to yourself. It doesn’t matter. Christopher is what matters now.’

She gazed into his blue-green eyes that seemed darker now, more like a pool in a cave than Caribbean waters. Their pain, sadness, and worry pierced her heart like a knife.

‘It matters. I need to explain. Is that OK?’

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I’m listening.’

‘I care about you, Henry, more than care about you, but I’m such a mess. I seem like I have my life together, but there are things that happened before I moved to Cornwall, and when they come back to haunt me, I struggle.’

He nodded but didn’t speak, and she knew he was giving her space to continue.

‘My ex … Zane West… He hurt me badly. I loved him, trusted him and believed in us and he trampled all over that. It made me feel worthless, and I didn’t want you to know what he’d done because…’ She swallowed against the lump in her throat. ‘I … didn’t want you to think he was right.’

‘Rosa … How could I ever think that anyone who has hurt you is in the right? You are wonderful and the fact that some idiot hurt you makes my blood boil. He clearly didn’t deserve you.’ Henry shook his head and his eyes shone. He stroked her cheek with his free hand and held her gaze. ‘You are the most incredible person I have ever met.’

‘I don’t know why you think that.’ She sucked in a shaky breath. ‘I don’t understand why you like me so much.’

‘There are many reasons…’ He smiled then leant closer and kissed her.

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