that. I’ll get hold of them somehow.’
‘I’ll give Violet a key to my house. I’ll ask her to get them for you,’ she said, in case he decided to break in.
‘Go rest,’ he said. ‘And don’t worry about a thing. I’m in charge.’
Words which would have instantly made Eve panic, had she the strength to start shaking. She so wanted to sleep, to claim some oblivion from this ache in her back.
‘Jacques, please remember the word “winter”. Don’t even attempt to think you can convince me to turn this into a purely Christmas extravaganza.’
‘As if,’ said Jacques, sounding about as convincing as a dieter holding a pork pie in each hand.
Eve clicked off the phone. She would prove Dr Gilhooley wrong. All she needed was a good sleep, then her shoulder would be back at that
winter
grindstone before her so-called partner ran
amok. Work was all the medicine she ever required. She had Nobby to meet with again and then she had to sort out the food kiosks. The last thought on her mind before she lost consciousness was
‘Would it be feasible to sell reindeer burgers?’
Chapter 15
Three days later, Eve awoke with as much of a jump as her exhausted body would allow.
The candle.
It would be nearly out, if it wasn’t already. She tried to sit
up, but it wasn’t happening. So she tried rolling over, which was more successful except that she couldn’t stop and ended up on the carpet, where she found herself stuck. She heard
Auntie Susan’s footsteps thundering up the staircase.
‘Goodness gracious, Eve, what do you think you’re doing?’ said Susan brusquely, but her hands were kind and caring as she hoisted up her niece and deposited her back in
bed.
‘I’ve got to go home,’ said Eve.
‘Whatever it is you think you have to go home for, it can wait,’ said Susan, lifting up one of the bottles of pills on the bedside table and unscrewing the lid. ‘I don’t
know, I hardly see you for years and you’re in a hurry to get away from me. Anyone would think this was a remake of
Misery.
I might have to hobble you if you decide to escape
again.’
Eve might have laughed at that had she not felt sick and as if someone had stolen all her bones and replaced them with jelly.
‘Anyway, you timed that fall out of bed beautifully, your next meds are due. I hate having to wake you up to give them to you. I remember Jeff saying that sleep was as good as it gets when
you have shingles.’
‘The candle flame will go out,’ said Eve. She felt so weak and wobbly and useless as the tears began to flow out of her eyes.
‘Ah,’ said Susan, understanding now. ‘Well, I’ll ring Violet, shall I?’ She lifted a tablet to Eve’s lips and then a glass of water. ‘Don’t you
worry about your flame, we’ll sort that out. You need to rest. Take a drink, love, then settle back down. I’ll try and get hold of her now.’
‘The house keys are in my bag.’
‘I’ll find your keys, don’t you worry. Now, don’t you dare get out of that bed again. You sleep, young lady.’
Eve heard her aunt on the phone talking to Violet. ‘It’s urgent,’ she was saying. ‘It’s the candle.’ She was once again asleep before she heard any more.
Chapter 16
Violet clicked off her mobile and looked across at Pav who had his big strong back towards her as he painted the fifth snow pony onto the wall. It reminded her of when he was
painting the walls of Carousel. Except he was working considerably faster in her cousin’s café than he was in her own. A point which she felt duty bound to mention.
‘Ah, but I wanted to hang around in your café as long as possible,’ he said, turning around and grinning at her. ‘Here is it not so important to be slow because when the
work is done, I know I will still see you.’
‘Crafty,’ Violet smiled as he winked at her. As always, being in his presence made her feel so warm and loved. Alas she did not add ‘safe’ to the list. One day, when she
was forty, Pav
‘I’ll give Violet a key to my house. I’ll ask her to get them for you,’ she said, in case he decided to break in.
‘Go rest,’ he said. ‘And don’t worry about a thing. I’m in charge.’
Words which would have instantly made Eve panic, had she the strength to start shaking. She so wanted to sleep, to claim some oblivion from this ache in her back.
‘Jacques, please remember the word “winter”. Don’t even attempt to think you can convince me to turn this into a purely Christmas extravaganza.’
‘As if,’ said Jacques, sounding about as convincing as a dieter holding a pork pie in each hand.
Eve clicked off the phone. She would prove Dr Gilhooley wrong. All she needed was a good sleep, then her shoulder would be back at that
winter
grindstone before her so-called partner ran
amok. Work was all the medicine she ever required. She had Nobby to meet with again and then she had to sort out the food kiosks. The last thought on her mind before she lost consciousness was
‘Would it be feasible to sell reindeer burgers?’
Chapter 15
Three days later, Eve awoke with as much of a jump as her exhausted body would allow.
The candle.
It would be nearly out, if it wasn’t already. She tried to sit
up, but it wasn’t happening. So she tried rolling over, which was more successful except that she couldn’t stop and ended up on the carpet, where she found herself stuck. She heard
Auntie Susan’s footsteps thundering up the staircase.
‘Goodness gracious, Eve, what do you think you’re doing?’ said Susan brusquely, but her hands were kind and caring as she hoisted up her niece and deposited her back in
bed.
‘I’ve got to go home,’ said Eve.
‘Whatever it is you think you have to go home for, it can wait,’ said Susan, lifting up one of the bottles of pills on the bedside table and unscrewing the lid. ‘I don’t
know, I hardly see you for years and you’re in a hurry to get away from me. Anyone would think this was a remake of
Misery.
I might have to hobble you if you decide to escape
again.’
Eve might have laughed at that had she not felt sick and as if someone had stolen all her bones and replaced them with jelly.
‘Anyway, you timed that fall out of bed beautifully, your next meds are due. I hate having to wake you up to give them to you. I remember Jeff saying that sleep was as good as it gets when
you have shingles.’
‘The candle flame will go out,’ said Eve. She felt so weak and wobbly and useless as the tears began to flow out of her eyes.
‘Ah,’ said Susan, understanding now. ‘Well, I’ll ring Violet, shall I?’ She lifted a tablet to Eve’s lips and then a glass of water. ‘Don’t you
worry about your flame, we’ll sort that out. You need to rest. Take a drink, love, then settle back down. I’ll try and get hold of her now.’
‘The house keys are in my bag.’
‘I’ll find your keys, don’t you worry. Now, don’t you dare get out of that bed again. You sleep, young lady.’
Eve heard her aunt on the phone talking to Violet. ‘It’s urgent,’ she was saying. ‘It’s the candle.’ She was once again asleep before she heard any more.
Chapter 16
Violet clicked off her mobile and looked across at Pav who had his big strong back towards her as he painted the fifth snow pony onto the wall. It reminded her of when he was
painting the walls of Carousel. Except he was working considerably faster in her cousin’s café than he was in her own. A point which she felt duty bound to mention.
‘Ah, but I wanted to hang around in your café as long as possible,’ he said, turning around and grinning at her. ‘Here is it not so important to be slow because when the
work is done, I know I will still see you.’
‘Crafty,’ Violet smiled as he winked at her. As always, being in his presence made her feel so warm and loved. Alas she did not add ‘safe’ to the list. One day, when she
was forty, Pav
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