Page 41 of Her Fixer Upper

‘I know. And thank you.’ I gestured vaguely between us, hoping to convey my gratitude to him for taking pity on me and staying by my side through the night, even though it couldn’t have been particularly comfortable for him.

Charlie cleared his throat. ‘No thanks needed. It’s what friends are for.’

Friends. Of course.

‘Well, thank you anyway.’

I forced myself to sit up, even though I would quite happily have stayed there snuggled up with him for the rest of the day.

‘Now that’s what I call a bed head,’ said Charlie, laughing.

I reached up and felt the tangle of my hair.

‘You can talk, Mr Hairy Features.’ It felt good to be bantering with Charlie again, distracting myself from worrying about what was happening in the hospital.

‘Just another of my talents. Right, well, I might as well put this to good use,’ said Charlie miming lighting a match on his stubble. ‘I’ll put the kettle on if you want to jump in the shower first.’

‘What a gent. By the time I’ve finished there might be some hot water coming through for you to use.’

‘Darn, you’ve seen straight through my wicked plan.’ He shook his head in faux disappointment.

I hopped out of bed, in a much brighter mood than I would have imagined possible. As I reached the bathroom door, I turned round.

‘Charlie, if…’

But he didn’t even need me to finish my sentence. He held up my phone.

‘If your mum rings, I’ll answer it for you. Unless you want me to rush into the bathroom with the phone while you’re showering.’

I pretended to consider. ‘Nice try. I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of taking a message for me.’

He grinned. ‘It’s good to see you smiling. Now hurry up, or I’ll have drunk all the tea by the time you’re done.’

As Charlie had promised, I felt better still once I’d had a shower and got dressed. While he disappeared to get ready, I prepared our favourite veggie sausage sandwiches, and then forced myself to go outside for some fresh air rather than anxiously pace indoors, willing my phone to ring and dreading it at the same time. Whether I was staring at the screen or had left it by the camping stove in the kitchen, it wouldn’t make any difference to the outcome.

The long grass was shimmering with droplets of dew while the flattering shadows of the early morning made the garden look wild and lush rather than unkempt. Somewhere among the branches of the oak tree, a robin was greeting the new day with a melodious tune. Its song was accompanied by the low hum of bees busily inspecting the wildflowers and weeds for nectar. Despite everything that was going on, I could still appreciate the peace, standing out here in my garden, my home glowing in the sunrise behind me.

I slowly fought my way around the boundary, inspecting it for gaps or holes which would prove tantalisingly inviting to a small and excitable dog. I knew Ted had a track record of disappearing to go exploring and I didn’t want to have to explain to Granddad that he’d gone missing on my watch. We’d have to rig up some kind of barrier at the end of the drive, as the gaps in the rotting five-bar gate that currently stood there would prove no obstacle to Ted, who had got himself through spaces far smaller. And we’d have to find some way of stopping him running into the ruins of the outbuilding, as the remains of the roof were still piled up in the middle of the floor. But at least there would be plenty of interesting places to take him for walks around here, and I was sure once we’d set up his bed and created a cosy nook in each room for him to curl up in, he’d be content enough, although I knew he’d still be missing his master.

‘Freya, your mum’s on the phone.’

Charlie stuck his head round the back door to call me. He was in his dressing gown, hair still wet from the shower, the droplets of water glistening as they dripped down onto his shoulders in a way that could have been thoroughly distracting if I hadn’t had much more serious issues on my mind.

‘Give me two seconds and I’ll be right with you,’ I called back, beating my way through the jungle garden, my heart pounding as my anxiety returned at full throttle. I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear what news she had to share.

‘No need to rush, there’s been no serious change,’ said Charlie, recognising my urgent need for reassurance. ‘Arthur had a good night and they seem to be managing his pain effectively.’

I let out a breath I didn’t even realise I’d been holding.

Charlie passed the phone over to me and hovered in the doorway, clearly unsure whether to give me some privacy or to stay in case I need his support. I answered his unspoken question by moving to stand next to him and putting the phone on speaker so he could hear both sides of the conversation. He and Granddad went way back, and I knew he’d also be very concerned about him. Besides, it was always good to have a second pair of ears when important information was being conveyed, in case I didn’t take everything in.

‘I think Charlie already passed on the good news that your granddad had a decent night’s sleep. But the other bit of news is that he’s about to go into surgery. They’ve decided the most efficient way to treat the break is by doing a hip replacement, as they think it will give him the best chance of getting moving again.’

‘That sounds pretty drastic, but if it’s what’s best for him…’

‘The surgeon sounded confident. I think your granddad’s quite pleased about it. He managed to crack a joke about becoming the Bionic Man anyway, before they wheeled him into theatre. Of course he’s going to have to do a lot of rehabilitation work, and I dread to think how he’ll manage in that house of his.’

‘Mum, let’s take one thing at a time. There’s no point in worrying about how he’ll manage to get home until he’s at that point in his recovery.’

---