Page 75 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘He was,’ Ottilie agreed, her mind going to the argument she’d had with him. She’d been determined not to think about it but realised now that these situations were never so simple.
‘I’ll go and open this,’ Stacey said. She looked at Simon. ‘You’ll stay for another glass?’
Ottilie watched them both carefully, her curiosity piqued once again. Something in her manner was coy, almost shy suddenly. That wasn’t so surprising – she’d admitted to Ottilie she found Simon attractive and she’d made no secret that she wanted to find love again. What was more surprising was that Simon’s reply sounded almost as shy.
‘If you want me to. I don’t want to get in the way if you had plans to?—’
‘We don’t,’ Ottilie cut in. ‘Not at all. I’m the one who crashed the party.’
‘Hardly a party,’ Stacey said, hurrying to the kitchen with the wine Ottilie had given to her.
‘I’d only meant to call for five minutes after I left yours,’ Simon said to Ottilie as she moved a pile of toys to take a seat on the sofa. ‘But then we got chatting and Stacey opened the wine and here I still am. It beats being on my own surrounded by boxes.’
‘I’m sure it does. Stacey’s a good host – you were never going to get away with a quick five-minute visit.’
‘I can see that now. You know what,’ he continued, settling into the armchair and draining his glass, ‘it’s amazing, but I’m starting to feel settled in Thimblebury already.’
‘A couple of glasses of red will do that to you,’ Ottilie said wryly. ‘I’m assuming you’re not on your first one – at least, if I know Stacey you’re not.’
‘Oi!’ Stacey laughed as she came back with the open bottle and a new glass for Ottilie. ‘What are you trying to say about me?’
‘I’m saying you’re always the hostess.’ Ottilie took the glass from her.
‘Good, because it might sound to someone who didn’t know that you were calling me a lush.’
Ottilie laid a hand on her heart. ‘I’d never do that! I mean, you can sink more booze than a navvy but that’s beside the point…’
‘Cheeky cow!’ Stacey’s laughter grew, and Ottilie glanced at Simon to see him smiling. Not at them both, but at Stacey. She allowed herself an inward smile at the situation. Was there something blooming here? Was she witnessing the beginning of something wonderful for them? She couldn’t think of two people who deserved it more, and so with all her heart she hoped so.
Stacey sat next to her. ‘You still want to talk?’ she asked, lowering her voice while Simon pretended a bit too obviously not to be listening.
Ottilie glanced between the two of them and shook her head. What kind of friend would she be if she dampened the mood here now, not when it all looked so promising for them.
‘It’s nothing that won’t wait,’ she said, bouncing a gurgling Mackenzie on her knee. She wasn’t about to spoil whatever was going on here; she was only glad not to have to think about how annoyed she was at Heath for a while.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Heath had phoned while Ottilie had been with Stacey and Simon, and she hadn’t noticed until she was on her way home. She wasn’t drunk, but perhaps less guarded and less tactful than she might have been had she been totally sober, and so she phoned back with such carelessness that she could hear the shock in his voice.
‘Hi…I’m sorry, I thought…Well, I hate the way we left things earlier, and I know?—’
‘That it’s all your fault?’ Ottilie cut in. ‘I’m glad you can see that because it’s true and I’m not going to argue.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said again. ‘You’re right. It’s…You have to understand what I went through before?—’
‘Do I?’ she interrupted again. ‘Whatyouwent through? Yes, I need to understand what you went through because clearly that’s more important than anything I’ve been through. We all have a past, Heath, but some of us try not to live the rest of our lives according to it.’
He apologised again, and it was so full of heartfelt sincerity that Ottilie felt guilty for demanding it with such uncharacteristic bluntness. But at least the matter was settled,and they could say goodnight and leave things on a brighter note, and when she went to bed later that night, she was content that things were back on an even keel once again, and so she went straight to sleep with no bother.
The following morning was Monday and the start of another week. Ottilie’s first job, as always, was a visit to Hilltop Farm to check on Darryl and his mum Ann. When she got there today, to her delight she found Corrine sitting at the table sharing a cup of tea with Ann.
‘You’re out early!’ Ottilie said, giving her a hug.
‘That’s what a farming life does for you,’ Corrine said, glancing at Ann. ‘I’m right, aren’t I?’
‘I can’t remember the last time I slept in,’ Ann agreed. ‘And even without the farm I’d still have mister over there waking me up with the lark.’ She angled her head at Darryl, who wasn’t listening but poring over his two favourite books about trains. Both the one Ottilie had gifted to him and the newer one from Simon were open on the table, side by side, and he appeared to be reading them both at once.
‘How’s Victor and the girls?’ Ottilie asked Corrine as Ann went to pour another tea for her. Ottilie caught sight of her glittering ring, the one Victor had bought for her to show his affection in light of their close call. The sight warmed her.
