Page 101 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘Whatever.’ Chloe shook her head. ‘Anyway, I’ll be back in a minute. Just got to get Mackenzie from Simon. Come on…’
She grabbed Oliver by the hand and led him to where Simon was doing his best to keep Mackenzie entertained, though he seemed to be losing the battle. Mackenzie might have been a lot more sociable these days, but when his mum was around, he only really had eyes for her and didn’t take his gaze from Chloe the whole time she was talking to Ottilie and Flo. At their approach, his arms went into the air. Chloe swept him into her embrace, and his little face was immediately one huge smile.
‘That lad’s got his work cut out,’ Flo said.
‘Oliver? Oh, I don’t know,’ Ottilie replied. ‘He seems a bit smitten. Nothing’s hard work when love is all new, is it?’
‘I dare say it’s so far back for me I can’t remember. You’d know that better than me.’
Ottilie turned to look. The statement had sounded barbed, but there was no malice on Flo’s face as she watched Chloe introduce Oliver to Simon. The GP shook him warmly by the hand and they struck up a far easier conversation than the onehe’d had with Ottilie. In fact, it was one more way in which Simon seemed to fit into this family. Ottilie was growing tired of waiting for him or Stacey to do something about it, and if they didn’t soon, she might just break her own rules and start interfering.
She was glad for Chloe, though. Oliver seemed sweet and absolutely taken by her, and considering how badly Chloe had been treated by Mackenzie’s father, she’d earned that affection twenty times over. Ottilie hoped that life was going to be kind to her from now on.
‘Drinks, you two?’
Ottilie turned to see Stacey behind her. ‘Want me to do those? You’ve got your hands full with the food about now, haven’t you?’
‘Actually, Simon has offered to man the grill.’
‘Ah…’ Ottilie broke into a slow smile and Stacey blushed again. ‘I’m sure he has. Anything to get into your good books, eh?’
‘Stop it!’ Stacey said, but she was laughing. ‘You’re terrible.’
‘And you’re slow. Stop messing around – the suspense is killing everyone.’
‘What?’ Flo looked between the two of them, and Stacey shook her head.
‘Nothing, Flo. What do you want to drink?’
Ottilie turned back to where Simon was still chatting to Oliver. She wasn’t joking – the suspense was killing her if nobody else. And if she couldn’t have her happy ending, perhaps it might be nice to make it happen for her best friend.
In the end, alcohol did what Ottilie had wanted to. They were well into the evening, and the barbecue had lasted longer and been more raucous than anyone had anticipated. Simon haddone a brilliant job of looking after the grill while Stacey played hostess, and Chloe had encouraged Oliver to come out of his shell. Ottilie, for a short while at least, had forgotten the tough few weeks she’d had and made the most of the moment.
The embers of the barbecue coals were dying and there was litter all over the place, the remains of meals that nobody had yet cleared away. Stacey had decided to put some music on and had started to dance, soon joined by Lavender, who dragged a protesting Simon from his seat. But then Stacey helped her and they got him to his feet, and as he shuffled awkwardly, the track changed to a slower one, and as the pace slowed the heat seemed to rise. Stacey and Simon grew closer, as if magnetised, as if everyone else in the garden had disappeared and it was only those two. They didn’t kiss, but they were so close that it was painfully intimate. Ottilie felt she had to look away to give them a moment. But when she turned back, they’d both gone inside.
She could see them now through the kitchen window. They were talking, still close, and Stacey was smiling like it would split her face if it grew any wider. And then he leaned in and kissed her gently, and Ottilie looked away again, a smile almost as big as Stacey’s pulling at her own cheeks. It looked as if they’d figured things out at last, and nothing could have made Ottilie gladder at that moment. She wished them luck – better luck than she’d had with Heath. But somehow she felt they didn’t need it. If she could be certain about the future of any couple, it had to be them. Something about them told her they were going to go the distance.
She noticed Chloe had seen them go inside and was watching the kitchen window too, and then she caught her eye and smiled. Chloe returned it. It seemed she approved too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ottilie handed the prescription to Flo.
Flo eyed it doubtfully. ‘I thought Dr Cheadle was supposed to make these out.’
‘As I told you, I’m allowed to do certain ones. This is fine; it’s only the same as Dr Cheadle would give you, but you’ll get it from me a lot quicker. Think about what I said too. You need to slow down a bit. I know you think you’re invincible but you’re not. Get help with things; get someone to share the load. You know you can always ask me – if I’m not working I’m happy to pick up shopping and things for you.’
‘A day out would be nice,’ Flo said.
Ottilie smiled. She wasn’t green – Flo wanted to be taken out for a daytrip by Ottilie, exactly like they’d done when Ottilie had been new to the village. In fact, Ottilie was pleased. It meant she was forgiven. Flo had put the whole business with her and Heath behind them. Ottilie only wished she could do the same.
The following month would have marked their first anniversary, and as it drew closer, Ottilie found herself thinking of him more and more. To her surprise – because she’d hardly given herself time to admit it – she missed him almost as muchas she had in the beginning. But from everything Flo said, it sounded as if he’d forgotten her – or at any rate moved on. She could have contacted him to see how he felt, but she suspected the result would be disappointing and very painful. Perhaps it was best to leave things as they were. In time, she’d get over him, because time saw to all such things in the end.
‘A day out would be nice,’ she agreed. ‘Is that an offer?’
‘If you want,’ Flo sniffed.
‘Kendal? I like Kendal. I liked that little café you took me to last time we were there.’
