Page 83 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
She was standing in Simon’s kitchen with Charles and Fliss as they explained why they disagreed with Simon’s redecoration, but in the next breath stated they didn’t really care what he did with the place because Charles wasn’t going to go back there. Clearly they did because they had a critical eye for every little thing he’d done to make it his home rather than one he was borrowing.
Ottilie tried to listen and nodded politely where she felt she ought to, but her attention was very much distracted by Heath’s conversation with his grandma to the side of her. He’d been irritable since his arrival, and even though he’d obviously done his best to keep his mood even, Ottilie could tell something wasn’t right. She could hear it now in his tone with Flo too, but at least Flo could give as good as she got. They were going to have to battle it out without her because she wasn’t in a position to referee right now; she only hoped they’d keep things civil enough that the party didn’t get ruined.
Flo had been acting strangely since she’d turned up on Ottilie’s doorstep the other morning. They’d been to visit as she’d promised, but Flo had acted as if nothing had ever been wrong. Ottilie would never understand that woman as long as she lived. Even more confusing, while Heath had appeared to behis normal self, Ottilie couldn’t help but sense an undercurrent of disquiet, though she couldn’t put her finger on what made her feel that or, indeed, what the cause might be.
He turned from his conversation with Flo now, and at the same moment she glanced away from hers with Fliss and Charles and caught his eye. He forced a smile. She could tell it was a forced one – they were getting to that stage now where she could read him better. She tried to return it with one that was warmer and more reassuring, to silently let him know that whatever was on his mind he could share it when they got a moment and she’d do her best to understand.
Whether he got it or not she didn’t know; he turned back to his gran, who was now nudging him and pointing to Magnus and Geoff. Ottilie tried to hear what she was saying, but Fliss and Charles were closer and too loud. In fact, Fliss was on her fourth or fifth large glass of red and they’d only been at Simon’s house for an hour. Ottilie had the feeling things were going to get lively later, and the quiet informal gathering Simon had been hoping for would turn into something entirely different.
Unable to prevent herself, her eyes roved the room to see where Stacey was. She was still by the window, talking to Simon. They were both laughing their heads off. Ottilie allowed herself a smug, private little smile. If they weren’t a couple by the end of the year she’d be shocked. And Simon had as good as admitted to Ottilie that he was interested. The biggest surprise at this point was that he hadn’t yet asked Stacey out. It seemed like he’d made up his mind to do just that when he’d been in Ottilie’s office to admit he had feelings for someone, but as far as Ottilie knew he hadn’t, and that had been over a week ago. She supposed she could have a word with Stacey and nudge her to do the asking, but she’d vowed to stay out of it and assumed one of them would be brave enough to make the first move. Apparently, she’d sorely overestimated them both.
Magnus and Geoff came over to talk to Flo and Heath, and now Ottilie really wanted to be involved in that conversation rather than the one she was currently stuck in with Fliss and Charles. She did her best to tune in but it was no good – she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She cast around for an opportunity to sneak away from her current company. Perhaps it was a bit rude, but she felt like they were both too tipsy to notice. In fact, the way they were going, in half an hour they’d both be too tipsy to notice if she was with them at all. It seemed Charles had forgotten all about his health scare and the fact he wasn’t supposed to be drinking, and if his own fully paid-up GP wife wasn’t going to tell him off, then it certainly wasn’t Ottilie’s place to.
Simon’s dining table had been pushed up against a wall to make room in the centre of the floor, and it was loaded with snacks and bottles. Victor and Corrine were looking over the plates while Ann chatted to them and Darryl, armed with his train books, was on a chair in the corner, alternately reading and glancing up to check the situation in the room. More often than not his gaze went straight to his mum, who seemed to have a sixth sense for it, because every time it happened she responded immediately by turning to him with a smile and a nod of reassurance. And when she did, he’d go back to his books, seemingly satisfied that his anchor was still close by. Ottilie loved their relationship. They’d weathered so much together; Ann was devoted to her son, and he clearly not only needed her but in his own awkward way adored her.
Corrine glanced at Ottilie and offered a little wave. Ottilie smiled back and spied her chance to get away from Fliss and Charles.
‘Excuse me,’ she said at the first gap for breath, ‘I want to see how Corrine is.’
Fliss shook her head wryly and knocked back the remainder of the wine in her glass. ‘Always working, eh?’
Ottilie smiled. ‘I promise I’ll work some socialising into it.’
‘Off you pop then, Nurse Oakcroft.’
As she made her way over, she passed Heath and Flo. Their conversation halted once she was in earshot, and he turned to Ottilie with that forced smile again.
‘Everything all right?’ she asked, laying a gentle hand on his arm and looking from one to the other.
‘Of course,’ Flo said. ‘Why wouldn’t it be?’
‘No reason…’ Ottilie looked into Heath’s eyes, trying to read him. Something was going on, but she couldn’t work it out.
Flo looked over at Simon and Stacey. ‘Hmm…someone’s getting friendly over there.’
‘They get on well,’ Ottilie said.
‘Flirting like mad,’ Flo continued.
‘Well, they both deserve some happiness,’ Ottilie replied. ‘I hope…’ She let the sentence tail off without finishing. She was meant to be keeping out of it, and that included keeping out of gossip about it too.
Heath looked across to where they’d been approached by Chloe, who had Mackenzie in her arms, and Simon was currently making quite a fuss of the little boy, making him giggle. Heath made no comment on his grandma’s observations, but in what must have been an unguarded moment, the dislike was clear on his face. If they’d been alone, Ottilie would have demanded to know what Simon had done to deserve his obvious disdain, because as far as she could tell he’d done nothing at all. They’d barely even exchanged two words, even tonight where Heath was a guest in Simon’s house.
The more she knew Heath, the more she saw things that bothered her. She was no fool – she understood as well as anyone that relationships were like that. The honeymoon periodwas a thing for a reason; the sparkle and fireworks dimmed with time and it required more effort, but while she accepted that, she was also filled with doubt. What if Heath wasn’t her second happy ever after? What if she’d got it wrong? What if discovering this new side to him, one she wasn’t sure she liked, was the beginning of the end? She’d made herself vulnerable for this man, had taken a chance on him and had invested so much of her emotional energy she wasn’t sure she could bear the thought that it had all been for nothing.
‘He lives here alone,’ Flo said.
Ottilie looked at her. It seemed like an unnecessary statement. Simon had made no secret of the fact, even if he’d chosen not to tell people about his past.
‘Yes.’
‘Strange for a man of his age.’
‘Is it?’ Ottilie asked. ‘Why’s that? There’s all sorts of reasons. Heath lives alone.’
‘But there’s a good reason for that.’
‘There might be a good reason for Simon too.’
