Page 3 of Cupcake

‘Hi,’ she said and waved, making Elsie break into a smile.

Another little girl, younger and almost half the size of her sibling followed, her little mittened hand held tight by her stunningly beautiful mother, her rosy red cheek bones glowing with concern beneath the short blonde strands of hair poking out from beneath her thick winter hat.

‘Let’s get you up,’ said Cole to Elsie as the man’s family gathered around him, fawning and fussing. Her ankle still hurt, but the pain was bearable if she didn’t put any weight on it.

‘Well that’s one way to introduce yourself Els,’ giggled Alice.

‘Is everyone okay?’ said the woman, a genuine lilt of sympathy in her soft voice.

‘I think so?’ said the man, still visibly worried about Elsie’s ankle as he glanced over toward her.

Cole was busy sliding his wife’s leggings up to take a closer look when Alice interjected. ‘My sister works in physio, she might be able to take a look at it for you?’

‘Today?’ said Cole, frowning and looking up.

‘The roads are pretty clear to the south,’ said the man, the feeling of guilt in his voice was palpable. ‘I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going, I was trying to take a picture of the girls.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Elsie, smiling broadly, then wincing as Cole rotated her ankle slightly. ‘It’s fine, honestly.’

‘It doesn’t seem fine,’ he said, nervously laughing as he leaned forward to get a better view of the bruise slowly forming beneath her skin.

‘Em?’ said Alice, turning away as she began speaking into her phone. A small crowd had started to form around them and she shooed them away with a smile and a wave of her hand. ‘Long story - don’t interrupt - I’m ice skating up at Morwell Lake - I know - and my friend Elsie has fallen and hurt her ankle. Any chance you can get up this way to take a look at it?’

Elsie began to shake her head, as if to say the gesture was unnecessary, but a moment later Alice began to nod enthusiastically.

‘It’s called Fern Cottage, I’ll text you a pin. See you soon.’

‘Anna could drive you back with the girls?’ said the man quickly, looking over at his wife. ‘It’s the least we can offer? Then the rest of us could all walk back together and meet you there?’

‘You drove here?’ asked Cole

‘In a four-by-four,’ nodded Anna. ‘And I agree, I don’t think you’re going to be walking very far on that.’

Elsie tried to take another valiant step in an attempt to prove otherwise but the pain was too much and her shoulders sagged, a defeated smile spreading across her face as she leant against her husband. ‘Maybe not.’

‘It’s no trouble at all. We were just about to get going anyway,’ she glanced to the side as her eldest circled them slowly. ‘The girls are getting hungry.’

‘Can we go to Maccie D’s?’ said the older one, her ears listening in to the conversation between the adults.

‘No, sweetie. We’ve got to take this nice lady back to her house.’

‘Okaay,’ came the long and drawn out response.

‘Is that alright?’ said Elsie, turning to Cole and nodding her head towards the couple.

‘I think it’s a good idea,’ he said. ‘You go with Anna, I’ll walk back with Alice and…’ he turned toward the man. ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’

‘Tom.’

Even his name is hot, thought Elsie.

Cole nodded and smiled, turning back to his wife. ‘Ok, let's get you off the ice, then we’ll meet you there in thirty minutes or so.’

*

‘Hop in the front,’ said Anna, opening one of the rear doors one handed whilst gesturing to her eldest, her youngest clinging tightly to her neck. A moment later she started to laugh, covering her mouth as her eyes went wide with shame. ‘Oh fuck, that was so insensitive. I’m so sorry.’

‘You’re not allowed to say fuck, mummy. It’s naughty.’

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