Hugh swallowed the rising panic. Mattie wouldn’t go off with a stranger. He wouldn’t. But he knew he wasn’t to wander off alone and he had. Six year olds didn’t understand, not properly, that’s why they needed adults to keep an eye on them. And he hadn’t. Mattie must be here, his attention must have been diverted or he’d been caught up in a group of tourists and swept offcourse.
The chattering Japanese throng had moved along about twenty metres and were taking each other’s photos again. Hugh sprinted towards them.
‘Hugh. Hi! Where is everyone?’
He spun around. Annie! Hurrying up the steps, smiling, hair free from the ponytail swinging wet around her face, skin glistening in the sun. She’d put on her dress again.
‘The kids wanted to go to the toilet.’
‘Me too. Are they still in there?’
‘No, they’re… Annie…’ Hugh glanced around swiftly. No sign of Leonie.
‘What?’
‘I’ll wait here for you.’
‘All right.’ She lifted an eyebrow curiously but turned and headed for the Ladies.
Hugh waited until she’d disappeared, then ran to catch up with the Japanese tour group wandering slowly along the walkway.
‘Excuse me. Have you seen a little boy? He was with me back there.’ He pointed to where he and Mattie had sat then held his hand against his stomach at Mattie’s height. ‘This high, in green shorts.’
Smiling, nodding faces gathered round. ‘Little boy,’ said a young woman. ‘Lost child.’
‘Yes,’ Hugh said. ‘Did you see him go with someone?’
A rapid fire exchange in Japanese ensued. One elderly lady insistently pointed to the Pavilion. Leonie had gone that way.
‘She say boy go there,’ said the woman. ‘Alone.’
‘Thank you very much.’
‘Very pretty boy,’ said the old woman, nodding with a toothy smile.
Hugh ran to the building. What would attract his attention and send him in there? It was a Community Centre housing an art gallery, meeting rooms, concert venue, coffee shop, restaurant. Unless he hadn’t gone in but walked right round to the street side. Hugh hurried around to the back facing inland to the shops, the way they’d walked in from the carpark. What was he going to say to Annie? They should call the police very soon. If Mattie had been abducted, the sooner they were on the case the better.
He ran right along the back of the building to the far end then swung hard right onto the concourse. Annie would be waiting, wondering what the hell was going on. Had Leonie found him? Please, please, let her have found him.
His feet slowed as he closed in on the meeting point. No sign of Leonie but Annie was there, staring around with a bewildered expression.
‘What’s going on, Hugh?’
He cleared his throat, swallowed, met her gaze full on. ‘We can’t find Mattie.’
Her jaw dropped, she gasped for air. ‘What? Since when?’ She spun about wildly, head turning as she searched the crowds. ‘Where is he? When did you see him last?’
Hugh grasped her arm, steadying her. ‘I took him to the toilet and Leonie took Floss to the Ladies. Mattie and I sat on the steps waiting for them. When they came out he wanted to go over to them so I said yes. They were right there, ten metres away.’
‘Why didn’t you go with him?’ she demanded.
His hand slid from her arm. ‘I had a phone call. The hospital.’ Not good enough, her expression screamed it at him.
‘So how come Leonie didn’t see him?’
‘I don’t know. I thought she did.’
Annie’s face twisted in pain. ‘You’re both hopeless.’ She scanned the concourse put both hands to her mouth and screamed, ‘Mattie. Mattie where are you? Mattie.’
‘Where did he go?’ she yelled at Hugh, backing away, turning, searching the crowds. ‘You must have seen something.’
Several people stopped to stare, others gave her a wide berth and hurried by.
‘My son’s lost. Have you seen a little boy? In green shorts.’ Almost hysterical, frantic.
‘Sorry, no.’ Heads shook, people moved on.
Hugh said, ‘Some Japanese tourists said he went that way.’
Annie set off running where he’d pointed but Hugh caught her, pulling her to a halt. ‘I just went right round the building. Nothing.’
She wrenched herself free. ‘We have to call the police. Have you called the police? Some maniac might have taken him. Some pervert.’
‘I haven’t called yet. I hoped Leonie would find him if I didn’t. He’s only been gone about five minutes.’
Annie’s chest heaved, tears streamed down her face. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
He gripped her shoulders. ‘Think, Annie. Why would he not go to Leonie? He saw her and she didn’t move away before he got to her because she came straight across to me.’
She looked around. ‘I don’t know. He wouldn’t go off alone, he knows not to.’ She glared at Hugh, a tiger. ‘You should have been with him. It’s your fault he’s lost. Someone’s taken…’ The last word disappeared in a gulping sob.
‘I know it’s my fault. But I don’t think anyone took him, the Japanese lady said he was alone. We’ll find him, Annie.’
He tried to pull her closer but she resisted and walked away, aimlessly, yelling, ‘Mattie,’ oblivious to the looks from passers-by.
Hugh followed a few paces behind.
A pot-bellied man said, ‘Notify the Life Guards, mate. They’ll find your kid.’ He pointed to the Life Guard station. ‘Might already have him.’
‘Thanks.’ He caught up to Annie. ‘That man said we should tell the Life Guards.’
‘Yes.’ She started running towards the cream-coloured round building with fluttering flags.
‘Annie!’ Leonie’s voice behind him. ‘Hugh!’
He spun around. Leonie with a child clinging to each hand. ‘Oh, thank God.’
‘Mattie!’ Annie charged passed and flung herself on Mattie, sobbing and babbling as she crushed him in her arms.
Hugh exchanged a very relieved smile with Leonie. ‘Where was he?’
‘Down there a fair way. He was coming back.’
‘I wasn’t lost.’ Mattie pulled himself from Annie’s embrace.
‘But why did you run away from Leonie and Hugh? You mustn’t ever do that again!’ Relief turned to anger.
‘I didn’t run away.’ Far from being upset, he had a familiar stubborn set to his mouth.
‘You didn’t tell us where you were going, Mattie.’ Hugh tried for a gentler tone than Annie’s even though he was just as annoyed.
‘We were very, very worried,’ piped up Floss.
‘Why did you go?’ Annie asked.
‘I saw my daddy,’ said Mattie. ‘I tried to catch up to him but he wouldn’t wait for me.’
‘But sweetheart, Daddy’s not living in Sydney anymore.’ Annie threw Hugh and Leonie a puzzled look.
‘Did he see you?’ asked Leonie.
‘I think so but he didn’t wait.’ His mouth drooped, brow wrinkled in confusion. ‘I called out to him.’
‘It can’t have been Daddy. He would have stopped if he’d seen you.’
‘It must be someone who looks just like him,’ said Hugh.
‘Yes, Hugh’s right. It can’t have been Daddy, sweetie.’
But Mattie wasn’t giving in. ‘It was.’
‘I’m starving,’ said Leonie into the bewildered silence. ‘Who wants lunch?’
‘Meeeee.’ Floss bounced up and down.
‘I think we should go home,’ said Annie.
‘Why?’ asked Leonie. ‘Can’t we have our picnic first?’
‘Can we, Mummy? Please?’ The children gazed up at her.
Hugh said, ‘I have to go to the hospital but there’s no reason for you not to stay on, Annie. Mattie’s fine.’ He edged her away a pace and lowered his voice. ‘No need to make more of this than it is.’
‘What?’ Her eyes flashed fire.
‘Come on, kids. Let’s get our picnic set up.’ Leonie gave Annie and Hugh one quick glance and herded her charges towards the sand.
Annie drew a deep controlled breath but rage rose up through her body like milk on the boil, unstoppable, steaming and messy. After what he’d done, or neglected to do, how could Hugh make such a stupid remark?
‘What do you mean by that crack? Do you think I overreacted when my son went missing in this crowd?’ She waved her arm around at the throng, narrowly missing a woman pushing a stroller. ‘My six year old son?’
‘No, but there’s no need to cut short their day out. They’re enjoying themselves and Mattie’s fine. He’s more likely to accept he made a mistake if you don’t make a big thing out of it.’
He was using a professional sounding ‘calm’ voice, the one he’d employ on his most irrational, panic-stricken patients. It was having the opposite effect on her and he was missing the most obvious point.
‘Hugh! He went off all by himself. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? He has to learn he mustn’t do that.’
‘Of course. But he’s only six and he wasn’t being naughty, he had a good reason. Or so he thought. It wasn’t his fault, it was mine. I should have watched him.’
‘Yes, you should.’ He really had absolutely no idea about children. He made Leonie look positively motherly.
‘Could it have been his father?’
‘What?’ Now what was he saying? That Mattie really had seen Kevin?
‘Could it have been your ex? You haven’t heard from him for over a month. He might be here in Sydney.’
‘No.’ She shook her head so vehemently damp hair whipped across her face. She hooked it behind her ears. No way would Kevin come within cooee of her. Would he? And surely he’d acknowledge his son, especially if he was all by himself.
‘Are you certain?’
‘Hugh, this is none of your business. Don’t you have to go?’
He nodded. ‘Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll collect my backpack.’
Annie spun about and headed for the umbrella. What a total disaster of a day, one which should have been relaxing and fun. If anything was going to send Hugh running into Leonie’s arms, this experience would. Well, she was welcome to him. They were made for each other. Both child-free zones, and just as well.
By the time she’d slogged through the hot sand and reached the umbrella she was seething all over again, but this time her rage was directed at Hugh rather than Mattie. Thank goodness he was leaving because she couldn’t guarantee civilised behaviour for an afternoon in his company.
Leonie and the children had laid out the containers of chicken, rolls and salad on one of the extra towels and were already munching.
‘We couldn’t wait,’ said Floss, waving a piece of cold chicken.
Annie sat down. Leonie handed her a plastic plate but her appetite had gone.
‘Can you have something to eat before you go, Hugh?’ Leonie asked.
‘No, thanks, I’d better not.’
He scooped up his backpack and pulled out his shorts. Annie kept her face averted as he put them on. No more ogling his body, magnificently attractive though it may be. It was his brain that needed serious adjustment.
‘How are you getting home?’ Mattie said. ‘We’re not going now.’
She looked at her son in surprise. What had brought about this change of heart? He hadn’t said a civil word to Hugh since they’d met.
‘I’ll take a taxi.’ He smiled down at Mattie. ‘Have fun. Stay close to your mum and Leonie.’
‘I will.’ And Mattie actually smiled back. What had gone on between those two? Annie’s teeth ground against each other. The last thing she needed was her son idolising another irresponsible man.
Hugh raised a hand. ‘Goodbye, girls. Thanks for the ride, Annie. See you later.’ He swung his backpack onto his shoulder.
‘Bye-bye, Hugh,’ Leonie and Floss chorused.
Annie managed a weak, ‘Goodbye.’ His eyes flicked over her face then he was gone, trudging across the sand.
‘Have some chicken,’ said Leonie.
Annie took a drumstick and spooned potato salad onto her plate, but somehow the fun had gone out of the day.
Fifty minutes later Hugh studied the vital signs of Julian Barr. The old fellow was hanging on by a thread. His daughter and son-in-law waited anxiously by the bedside although Julian was oblivious to the tension around him. Hugh caught Nina’s eye. They’d seen this too many times before. Age was against Julian, and the fact he wasn’t a very strong man in the first place, having broken his hip the previous year. Pneumonia could cause a sudden deterioration most often fatal in this age group. The family had opted for no resuscitation. If Julian didn’t respond to the intensive physical therapy and the adjustment Hugh had made to his medication, they might well be into that sad territory.
‘The next fifteen minutes will be crucial,’ he said to the couple.
‘Thank you very much, Doctor, for all you’ve done.’ The woman managed a fragile smile. ‘I really appreciate it.’
‘I’m sorry I can’t do more. But we’ll see.’
The daughter took her father’s hand gently and held it in both hers. Her husband put his arm around her.
Hugh murmured to Nina, ‘Keep me informed. Where’s Doctor Stradbroke?’
‘In the kitchen.’ She drew him away from the group by the bed. ‘I think she’s crying,’ she whispered.
‘Oh dear.’ Her barely knew Eleanor. He couldn’t possibly barge in, he’d embarrass them both and he wouldn’t have a clue what to say.
Nina took one look at his face and smiled. ‘Give her a few minutes, Doctor.’
‘All right, fine. Yes. I’ll be in my office.’
‘Did I overreact?’ Annie flopped into an armchair. The kids were in bed, worn out by their day at the beach. She wouldn’t be far behind, worn out by the emotional trauma of her day at the beach.
Leonie poured a glass of red and placed it on the coffee table in front of Annie. ‘What do you mean?’ She glanced at her watch. ‘My taxi should be downstairs in about fifteen minutes.’ Energy to spare.
‘Hugh implied I overreacted to Mattie going off by himself but he doesn’t understand. He thinks because nothing happened it’s okay.’
‘Nothing did happen and it is okay.’
Annie shook her head. ‘Neither of you understand. I nearly lost him. Some nutter could have taken him. It only takes a second.’
‘That’s true, but Mattie would kick up a stink if someone tried and there were heaps of people around. Anyway Hugh and I would have heard him.’ Leonie grinned. ‘He seems to like Hugh now.’
‘Yes. Should I let them play football next weekend? That was a surprise, Mattie asking if he could go to the park with Hugh.’
‘Don’t see why not. You can go and supervise.’
‘Mmm.’
‘They must have some boy thing happening. Mattie probably needs it. He does miss his father.’
‘But Hugh is no substitute for a father. He’s not interested in having children.’
‘Does that matter?’
‘I suppose not. It’s surprising that he’d bother wasting his time with a six year old.’
Leonie shrugged. ‘He’s a nice guy. He’s also a smart one. He can see Mattie misses his Dad and maybe he thought he could do something to help a bit. It’s no big deal.’
‘Are you saying I’m not managing to provide what my son needs?’
A slow smile slid across Leonie’s face. ‘No. I’m saying Hugh will run about kicking that stupid football with Mattie and they’ll both enjoy themselves and you won’t have to do it. You can read your book.’
Annie laughed. ‘Put that way, you’re right.’ The laughter died. ‘But I’m not letting Mattie out of my sight again. Or Floss.’
Leonie put her glass down and stood up abruptly. ‘Don’t you trust me with your children?’
Annie licked her lips. Did she? Why the hesitation? ‘I do, I trust you far more than I trust Hugh. But they’re my responsibility and I have to make sure I don’t slip up ever again. I’ve messed up twice recently. Twice too often.’
‘I have to go.’ Leonie pulled on her jacket, straightened the collar and yanked the sleeves into place. ‘See you later.’
‘Have fun.’
Annie grimaced as the door clunked into place. Had she offended Leonie? It sounded that way. Was Leonie so invested in what Annie thought? They weren’t close, weren’t best friends; they were work colleagues, but even that was a stretch because Leonie the lawyer was much further up the food chain than Annie in Accounts. But she did trust Leonie and the children liked her. Leonie had been wonderful with them today. She might not want her own children but she was very good with someone else’s, in short bursts.
Hugh, however, was another matter entirely. Annie’s jaw tightened. He didn’t want children and that was fine, but he wouldn’t be left in charge of hers ever again.
She couldn’t very well stop him from playing football with Mattie though. It wasn’t fair on Mattie and would be very difficult to explain to him when he was finally opening up to a male.
Annie clicked on the television and began flicking. Saturday night football held no appeal, a rerun of a Harry Potter movie likewise, yet another forensic crime series. She paused on a movie deciding whether she’d seen it or not but it involved a young woman alone in a house with someone creeping about outside. She moved on. Scary movies weren’t her thing, she’d had enough drama and emotional tension in her life; she wanted light viewing and happy endings.
She settled on a dance show, sipped the wine and curled up on the couch for another scintillating Saturday night of entertainment. The tangoing and foxtrotting was interrupted forty five minutes later by knocking on the door. Five to nine. It had to be a neighbour, no-one had buzzed the intercom.
Annie roused herself and went to peer through the peephole. Hugh. Her stomach lurched. She dragged in a deep breath and opened the door, mentally girding herself against the force of her attraction. Despite his behaviour, despite his attitude, despite everything she knew was wrong with the man, her body said otherwise; her body wanted to crawl all over him.
‘Hello, Annie.’
She didn’t trust herself to speak.
‘Is Leonie in?’
She shook her head. So. Her hand tightened on the door ready to close it. Leonie. Of course. But wasn’t Leonie planning to invite him to that party? Had she stood him up? Forgotten him? Not her problem.
‘Can I come in for a minute, please? I’d really like to talk to you.’
He’d come to see her? She firmed her mouth but stepped back to allow him entrance, holding her breath against the overwhelming nearness of him as he passed so close. He followed her through to the living room.
‘Were you in bed?’
‘No.’ Waltz music issued forth from the television. She picked up the remote and clicked the dancers off mid-twirl.
‘I’m sorry, Annie. About what happened to today. I have no excuse. I’m sorry.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Please don’t be too angry with Mattie. Or me.’ His eyes held hers, forcing her to reply, forcing her to forgive. She couldn’t hold on to the anger, not with Mattie unharmed safe in his bed and this man pleading with her. This handsome, desirable man.
Not for her. She didn’t want that complication and she wasn’t a sex with no strings girl like Leonie.
‘I’m not now. I was.’ She gestured he should sit.
He remained standing. ‘Friends?’ He stepped closer and suddenly his arms were on her shoulders and his lips brushed fire across her cheek. Her heart rattled and thudded, lungs stopped and started with a gasp. He drew away waiting for her reply.
‘Yes. Friends.’ She swallowed, fighting a ridiculous urge to follow up with a better kiss. A proper one. An un-friendly one. ‘He really did think he’d seen his father.’
‘Odd.’ Hugh chose the couch, sitting where she’d been sitting, lounging back comfortably. ‘But there must be plenty of similar looking people around and it’s an easy mistake for a little boy to make when he misses his Dad. Especially if he hasn’t seen him for a while.’
Annie nodded. Impossible to stay distant with Hugh so penitent and rational. A relaxed, calming presence. A friend. ‘Would you like a glass of wine? Tea?’
He smiled. ‘Yes, please. Tea would be great.’
She scooped up her used glass and went to the kitchen to set the kettle to boil and dump tea in the pot. When he smiled like that she couldn’t think straight. He’d come to see her, not Leonie. He’d kissed her. The thoughts twirled and spun in her head like the dancers she’d been watching. He’d asked about Leonie purely to check she wasn’t here so he could talk in private. Now he was settling in to drink tea and chat. Not such a bad way to spend a Saturday night.
‘I thought I was the only person who stayed home on Saturday night,’ she said with a little laugh. She leaned against the counter, arms folded.
‘No. I’ve been at the hospital most of the afternoon and evening. Last thing I want to do is go out again.’
No mention of Leonie. Perhaps she hadn’t asked him to the party. ‘Is your patient all right?’
‘Yes. He’s stable now. He’s eighty eight. We nearly lost him when he came in and he came very close again this afternoon. That’s why I had to go. And there’s another one I’m very worried about. A young man. We’re not sure what’s wrong.’
‘Gosh.’ He had such an important job. People’s lives were in his hands and he cared about them, his concern was obvious. And she’d accused him of irresponsibility yet here he was apologising to her.
The kettle clicked off. Annie finished making the tea. She put some shortbread on a plate and carried everything to the coffee table.
‘Home-made?’ Hugh leaned forward to inspect the offering.
‘Yes.’
He ate half a slice in one bite. ‘Delicious!’
‘Thanks. I do a good shortbread. Not bad with cakes, either.’ She poured tea.
‘James’ mother, my aunt Mary, is a great cook.’
‘Do you see them much?’
‘I haven’t lately. I won’t have any leave for a while so unless they come to Sydney I doubt I will until Christmas. What about your parents? Where are they?’
Annie swallowed some tea and set her mug down carefully, said the succinct words she always used for this question. ‘My mother committed suicide when I was twelve. Dad died eight years ago of lung cancer. Lifelong smoker.’
He shook his head slowly and sighed. ‘I’m sorry. That’s hard, to lose your mother so young and then so soon after, your father.’
Annie bit her lip. Old news. The pain had faded to a dull sense of loss. ‘She’d already left us. I hadn’t seen her for two years. Losing Dad was worse, although he did go quickly. I suppose you deal with that sort of thing all the time. Lung cancer.’
‘More or less, yes. Smoking is a killer. Had your mother been seeing anyone for help?’
‘I don’t know. Dad never talked about her. Except to tell me she died.’ She rubbed her lips together. ‘I’m just sorry the kids won’t ever meet their grandparents. Dad died before Mattie was born. Kevin’s parents live overseas and we rarely saw them even when we were together.’
‘Do you have siblings?’
‘No.’
‘Me neither. Except for James and Harriet who are just as good as.’ A quick frown skimmed like a shadow over his face. ‘Actually I have a younger half-sister I never see.’
‘You were lucky to be so close to your cousins. I would have loved a sister.’
‘I know. They were lifesavers.’ Another piece of shortbread disappeared. ‘You did very well, Annie, to go to university and get a degree after a childhood like that. And tackling an MBA.’
She glanced at him and discovered he was watching her, assessing. It had never occurred to her she’d done well at any time in her life. No-one had ever said that before. She’d worked hard at school and to get her degree, but from where she sat everything had pretty much gone down the drain in the last few years. Doing well now meant keeping her head above water. The prospect of resuming her MBA had receded into the mists.
‘I was determined not to be stuck in some dead-end job, which would have happened if I hadn’t gone to uni. I wanted to leave Sydney and get away. I wanted to travel and I needed money for that. Dad left me enough to finish university.’
‘And did you travel?’
Her mouth twisted into a wry smile all by itself. ‘I met Kevin in my first year and Mattie was born in my second. I was pregnant with Floss when I graduated.’
‘How on earth did you manage?’
‘Kevin was already working and making good money in IT. But we lived in a group house and people minded Mattie for me. It was hard but it was probably the happiest time of my life.’ A brief couple of years before the marriage began to disintegrate at an alarming rate. ‘When I landed the job I have now we were able to afford to rent a house on our own.’
Why was she telling him all this? Must be that very good bedside manner coupled with a sympathetic non-judgmental manner. Plus no-one had ever asked these questions before. No-one was interested enough. Not even Leonie knew some of those details.
‘He must have been a very attractive man for you to fall in love so fast.’
She pulled a face. ‘I was young and I was naïve. I was probably looking for the family I’d never really had. He was persuasive but he was more of a mess than I was.’
‘Being young and naïve doesn’t make you a mess.’
‘I was. I wasn’t experienced with men and I had all sorts of fantasies.’ Still did. She glanced at Hugh then away. Now her fantasies would remain safely in her head. ‘Fancy falling pregnant to the first man who gets you into bed.’
‘You must be very fertile.’ He smiled.
Annie laughed. ‘That’s me. A great breeder. Or stupid.’
‘A very good mother, I’d say.’
‘I try to be.’
Hugh gave a wry little laugh. ‘Some don’t even try.’ He drank tea and set the mug down. ‘Still want to travel?’
‘Sure. I want to see the pyramids and the Taj Mahal, and I want to go to Havana and Rio and the Italian Lakes.’
‘You will one day.’
‘I should get a job like Leonie’s. She travels all the time.’ Annie sighed. ‘Right now I need every penny I earn to keep us afloat.’ She clenched her jaw. No use complaining about it — Hugh would be wishing he’d never sat down.
But he wouldn’t let it go. ‘Does he pay any child support?’
‘Not recently.’
‘Can’t the authorities chase him for you?’
‘They can if I register with them but they can’t make him pay if he chooses not to. All they can do is send him letters requesting the money. And when he left the country that was that.’
‘Are you sure he’s alive? Not been murdered in some Third World country?’ He smiled as though he knew what she’d be thinking about that comment.
She grinned. ‘I think I’d have been told.’
He nodded. ‘Probably.’
‘He sends the kids postcards. Mattie treasures them and he’s convinced his Dad’s coming back.’
‘That helps explain what happened at the beach.’ He said it gently with no hint of reproach but Annie groaned.
‘Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry I was so…’
He held up his hand. ‘Annie, there’s no need to apologise. I was careless. It shouldn’t have happened.’
She had nothing to say to that without reopening a conversation neither of them wanted to have. She said, ‘I don’t understand how someone can walk away from their children. I mean it’s different if you don’t want children in the first place but Kevin did. I thought he did.’ She frowned, thinking back. ‘Maybe deep down he didn’t.’
‘It might have been more than he wanted to take on, two babies so soon — but you have two beautiful children, Annie.’
‘Thank you.’ She smiled. ‘I do, don’t I? I can’t imagine life without them even though they drive me nuts sometimes.’ She tilted her head and studied him. ‘You don’t know what you’re missing Hugh, parenthood.’
‘You paint such an attractive picture.’ He returned her smile but his eyes narrowed slightly. ‘Some people don’t want to be parents.’
‘I know. Leonie’s another one.’
‘The world’s overpopulated anyway.’
‘That’s certainly true, and some people should never be parents,’ she added with an acid edge she couldn’t prevent.
‘Amen to that.’
Hugh took the last piece of shortbread and popped it into his mouth. He really should go home and let Annie go to bed but the couch was comfortable, the conversation meandered along freely. Relaxing company, exactly what he needed after the day he’d had. Annie wasn’t interested in a relationship, he was attracted but it was under control. The perfect situation. He didn’t need to fend off sexy innuendos or monitor what he said in case she thought he was making an advance. Plus she was a good cook.
‘What are you smiling about?’
He looked up in surprise. ‘Am I? I was thinking how comfortable it is sitting here talking to you and how I should go home and let you get to bed.’
The lovely wide smile lit her face. ‘Thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me for ages.’
‘What are friends for?’ Hugh stood up. She really was very enticing, sitting there smiling up at him. If he didn’t leave very soon he’d grab her and kiss her and ruin a beautiful friendship. He’d already almost wrecked it once, he wouldn’t risk it again. ‘I’d better go. Goodnight. Thanks for the tea and shortbread.’
‘Plenty more where that came from.’
‘I’m counting on it. Goodnight.’
She opened the door. ‘Goodnight. Thanks for coming up and thanks for listening to me. I’m sorry to go on about Kevin and my problems.’ Grey eyes held his for a moment.
‘You’re welcome. And you don’t go on — I asked.’ A goodnight kiss? A kiss on the cheek? Too much for friends?
The door started to close. Too late, he’d missed his chance. ‘Next weekend?’ he said quickly. ‘Footie with Mattie?’
‘All right. Whenever suits you.’
‘I’ll call you.’
‘Fine. Thanks, Hugh. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight.’ The door completed its journey and clunked into place. Hugh walked to the lift but changed his mind and opened the stairwell door instead. He couldn’t stand still long enough to wait for that slow lift to arrive; he suddenly had energy to spare, bursting out of his body in waves. He felt like leaping and jumping with a surge of emotion he could barely identify and bounded down the concrete fire escape stairs, feet thudding as he jumped onto each landing and spun around the corner for the next descent.
Panting, he pushed open the bottom door to emerge into cool night air. He walked along the path by the oleanders where he chuckled to himself, remembering Annie climbing about looking for knickers. What a girl. Such a contradiction. She surprised him at every turn. Great reserves of strength in that sexy soft body. Smart, too. Her life was tough at the moment but she got on with things. Plus she didn’t hold a grudge — except with that husband and who could blame her for that?
Eleanor Stradbroke appeared in Hugh’s office doorway with a tight shut face, her angular body radiating tension. She closed the door and leaned on it.
‘We’re losing him, Hugh. He’s in a coma.’
He looked up. He knew even without the name. ‘Lester?’
She nodded. ‘It’s not meningitis. I thought it was but he’s not responding to the treatment and he should be by now.’
‘Have you called in Fred Bryant?’
‘The specialist? No, I was so sure it was either pneumonia or meningitis.’
Hugh reached for the phone. She’d left it too long. He should have followed up but Lester was her patient now, not his, thanks to the sister. Lester was admitted on Friday; it was now Monday morning and he’d been ill for days before that. His time was running out. They had to find out what was wrong.
‘Test for psittacosis,’ said Fred Bryant after studying the notes.
‘Psittacosis?’ Eleanor frowned.
‘You didn’t think of it?’ Fred raised a bushy eyebrow, eloquently making the same query rolling about in Hugh’s mind. Eleanor should have been onto this earlier.
‘It fits the symptoms perfectly.’ Hugh walked across to where the sister waited by the nurse’s station while Fred examined her brother behind the closed curtains.
‘Does your brother keep birds of any sort?’
‘Birds?’ She glared with all her might. ‘Why haven’t you people worked out what’s wrong yet? What are you doing? You’re supposed to be experts and that Stradbroke woman is even more incompetent than you.’
Hugh gritted his teeth and ignored the flood of vitriol. She had a point underneath all the insults. ‘Parrots in particular. Do you know if he might have been in contact with any in the last few weeks?’
‘Why are you asking about parrots? I suppose this means you’ll do more of those tests you’re all so keen on. Useless.’
‘We think he may have psittacosis. It’s a rare disease carried by birds. The symptoms are very like various other conditions, which is why we’ve had trouble diagnosing it. If we knew he had regular contact with birds, for example in his work, we would have tested for it earlier but as I said it’s rare and seemed unlikely.’
‘When will you know?’ For once she spoke in a relatively normal voice. ‘Will he be all right? Is this sitta thing fatal?’
‘Psittacosis. Dr Bryant will need to establish the connection with a bird. We hope we’ve caught it in time but Lester is very weak. The nurse will ask you some further questions.’
He headed for his office. If Lester died there’d be hell to pay. Eleanor joined him shortly after, pale-faced and tense.
No point skirting the issue, but he kept his tone to curious when he asked, ‘Why didn’t you call Fred in earlier?’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I was so positive I knew what was wrong, then he went into the coma. It’s been a hell of a week all round.’
‘Why? Is there something else wrong?’ He studied her more closely. She looked as though she hadn’t had much sleep lately and her normally neatly pinned up dark hair hung loose and limp on her collar. The crying Nina mentioned…
‘Oh…it’s personal…well I guess it won’t be personal much longer. Word gets around.’ A tiny, weak smile flickered on and off like a tough-to-light match. ‘My husband left me over the weekend. On Saturday morning to be exact. He said he didn’t love me anymore and he was in love with someone else.’
Hugh blew air out through puffed cheeks. ‘I’m so sorry.’
She’d always seemed so controlled and efficient, did her job well without fuss. He didn’t associate Eleanor with excessive emotion. Quite unfairly it seemed, but theirs was a professional working relationship. He wouldn’t say they were friends. Not like he and Annie.
‘We’ve been married twenty three years. Why do men do that? Have I passed my use-by date? I know I’m not pretty but am I so old and boring and ugly?’
To his dismay tears sprang forth and ploughed down her narrow cheeks. He yanked tissues from the box on his bookshelf and handed them to her. Why had she chosen him to collapse on? He cast a desperate look at the door hoping someone would knock. ‘Of course not. It’s complicated. Who knows why marriages break up? I certainly don’t. I’m not married.’
‘Smart man. Stay that way.’ She sniffed and blew her nose. ‘Poor, Hugh. Sorry for dumping on you.’
‘It’s okay.’ Oh cripes! With any luck that was it. She’d pull herself together and get on with her job.
‘I hate him for doing that to me. I’m a highly educated, intelligent responsible woman and he’s made me feel ugly. Dried up and worthless.’ She dabbed at her eyes. ‘I can’t have children and he wants children. Always did. I guess he can have them now with his new, younger…’ The last word was swallowed in a sob.
Hugh stepped around his desk and hugged her, made an indistinct murmuring noise he hoped was reassuring. She stood stiffly, her body surprisingly fragile within the circle of his arms. Nothing like the warm soft comfort of Annie. Annie’s body was made to fit perfectly with his.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said abruptly. ‘I’ll go.’ He released her and she turned to open the door but paused. ‘If Lester dies it’ll be my fault, won’t it?’
‘He may not die.’
She nodded, pale lips jammed together, then pulled the door open and slipped out, head bowed.