Page 42 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘Oh, I didn’t tell her anything. Fool me once and all that. Was a time I might have fallen for it, but not now.’
‘She didn’t come here, did she?’
‘No, no…’ Flo waved away the notion. ‘Only on the telephone.’
Ottilie wanted to ask if Flo thought that would be the end of the matter, but it was obvious by the accusation that she’d opened a can of worms that it was far from the end. She had the worrying feeling that it was only the beginning. Was this the reason Flo had been so tetchy with Geoff?
‘Did it upset you to hear from her?’ Ottilie asked. ‘Only last time she was trying to get money from you.’
Flo didn’t reply. Instead, she went back into the kitchen and Ottilie heard her making the tea.
‘So what time shall I expect you and Heath tomorrow?’ she asked when she came back in with their drinks. ‘Will we be going out anywhere? Let me know in plenty of time so I can look for my mac – it’s given out rain.’
‘Um, I don’t know. Heath hasn’t mentioned plans. I could ask him to let you know.’
‘You’d have thought he’d have the brains to do that himself. Gets that from his mother.’
Ottilie was well acquainted by now with the fractious nature of Flo’s relationship with her daughter-in-law, so she let the comment slide. Any chance to get a dig at Heath’s mum was a chance Flo grabbed, sometimes even at the expense of the grandson she adored.
‘Flo…I’m sorry, I know you don’t want to talk about her, but…’ Ottilie paused. Was this a good idea? ‘Should I be worried?’
‘About what?’
‘About Mila.’
‘Oh, no!’ Flo threw her hands into the air. ‘God, no! Heath thinks the world of you!’
‘It’s not Heath I’m thinking of. I’ve heard things about Mila. She can’t really be as bad as she sounds, can she?’
‘She’d see you for the sap you are a mile away – best to keep well clear.’
Ottilie frowned. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Don’t get me wrong, everyone around here loves you to bits, but you are a bit wet.’
‘Thanks!’ Ottilie huffed. ‘I don’t even know what to say to that.’
‘Trust me, if she comes knocking, don’t open the door.’
‘She can’t be that bad! You’re making her sound like Al Capone!’
‘Hmm…’ Flo put her cup to her lips and slurped a mouthful of tea.
Ottilie watched her. She knew Mila had tried to con her and had caused plenty of trouble during her marriage to Heath, but was she really that bad? And she had a new man now. Then again, she had phoned Flo asking about Ottilie. Why? Curiosity? Perhaps. Perhaps Ottilie could give her the benefit of the doubt. Plenty of women would be curious about their ex’s new partner, wouldn’t they? If not, what could she possibly want from Ottilie? It wasn’t like she had money or anything else Mila might want.
There was Heath, of course. What if Mila had never got over him?
No. Ottilie shook off the thought. That would be insane. They’d been divorced for ages, so why would anything happen now? And there was no way Heath would take her back even if she did want him. Would he? Her mind went back to the restaurant where they’d bumped into her, and she rememberedthe pure hatred on his face, and she thought now, as she’d thought then, that nobody could hate like that without caring. Was he really over her?
‘Is Dr Cheadle back yet?’ Flo asked, breaking into Ottilie’s thoughts.
‘Not yet.’
‘I doubt she’ll come back,’ Flo returned sagely. ‘She’s not getting any younger.’
‘She’s not that old.’
‘Still…What about that new man?’
