Page 38 of An Unholy Affair
Entering the church, Jack spotted Eveline’s bright red hair, and it banished the stormy memories. She glanced up and her smile brought out sunshine in his heart.
Then he noticed the sling.
He strode up the aisle towards her. ‘What happened?’
She looked at her arm, as if surprised to see bandages.
‘Oh, this?’
What the fuck?‘Yes,that. Are you okay?’
There were dark circles under her eyes and she was paler than he remembered.
‘Yes, yes, I’m absolutely fine.’ She smiled. ‘It’s just an inconvenience, that’s all.’
Eveline appeared to be in the process of moving chairs into the small space between the altar and pews.
‘What happened?’ he repeated.
‘The silly pigs got out again. They’re clever and boisterous, and now they’re also big and strong.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Anyway, when I was getting them back into their pen, I fell. Honestly, the sling is overkill, but the doctor in A&E insisted I wear it for a week or so. It’s just a few cuts and bruises and a minor separation of my AC joint.’
‘What?’
‘There’s really no reason to look so horrified. Honestly. It’s just a light sprain and a few little stitches.’
She grabbed the back of a chair with one hand and began dragging it across the floor.
‘Eveline!’ Jack rushed forward, taking it from her. ‘Jesus Christ!’Fuck!‘I mean, holy—’ He broke off and gritted his teeth to stop further expletives spewing forth.
She touched his arm. ‘I’m fine. I promise.’
He took a ragged breath as he stared at her. ‘Eveline.’
She withdrew her hand. ‘Ye-es?’
‘Please tell me what to do with these chairs and sit down. You look… Are you tired?’
Something in her upbeat expression faltered, like a glitch in her perfect matrix. She glanced around as if about to impart a great secret that she didn’t want anyone else to hear.
‘I am a little, er, less chipper than normal.’
His heart cracked.Chipper?Did sheeverput herself first?
He sighed. ‘Please order me about from a seated position. I currently have one hundred per cent more functioning arms than you.’
Eveline hesitated, then sat on the first pew, looking uncomfortable, as if she shouldn’t be there.
‘Right, I take it these should be in some sort of circle?’
‘Yes. Making it work is tricky, but the hall isn’t suitable as the roof is leaking too much.’
Jack pulled chairs from a pile. ‘Is this for the Parish Council?’
‘No, it’s our regular AA meeting.’
‘And you always set it up?’
‘Usually, yes, if Kieran can’t get here in time.’
