a
man before, not even when I first met Will. I start. Will, your boyfriend, remember him? I look away and dart behind
the counter. ‘I just need to take some details.’
Leo pays, his fingers touching
mine briefly as he puts some notes in my hand. I feel a buzz of energy. Did he
feel it too? He writes a card to accompany the flowers, gives me the ward
details, and then he just stands there. ‘Is there anything else I can help you
with?’ I don’t want him to go.
Leo drums his fingers on the
counter. ‘So that will be delivered today?’
‘Yes, this afternoon.’
‘Right, well, thanks for all your
help.’ He backs away slowly, towards the exit. His smile doesn’t falter and I
smile right back, admiring the view.
Once he’s gone I rush into the
workroom and head for the sink to splash my cheeks with cold water. What is
wrong with me? I feel like such a cow. I think about Will. We’re doing okay, so
why did Leo have such an effect on me? It doesn’t matter - I’ll never see him
again. The thought disappoints me though. Feeling even guiltier, I set to work
on his order.
***
My trainers squeak along the
hospital corridors. Clutching the vase and its contents tightly, I head towards
the maternity ward. I speak to the nurse at the desk and am directed to Mrs.
Morgan, Leo’s sister-in-law. She’s holding her son, gazing at him with such
rapture. I hover, and eventually she looks up, smiling.
‘Hello,’ she says softly.
‘Hi. Mrs. Morgan?’ She nods.
‘These are for you.’ I hand over
the flowers.
‘Oh! how lovely.’ She takes the card. ‘They’re from Leo, how sweet of him.’
I glance at the baby. He’s
cute.
She buries her nose amongst the
flowers briefly. ‘These are beautiful. Did you arrange them? You’re very
talented. Thank you so much.’
‘I’m glad you like them, but
don’t thank me, thank your brother-in-law.’ Your gorgeous brother-in-law. I back away. ‘Congratulations by the
way.’ I nod at Joe.
I’m grinning as I bounce back
along the corridor. I love delivering bouquets to people, being able to witness
their delight.
In the car park I stop in my
tracks as I spot Leo. His six-foot plus frame isn’t hard to miss. He’s heading
towards the entrance; he’ll see me soon. My heart beats faster and faster. I’m
torn between running away and staying put, but I can’t face speaking to him.
There’s nothing else for it; I dash back inside the hospital and into the small
shop. I pull out a magazine and wait, holding my breath. I soon see him
striding past. Finally, I can breathe again. Why does this guy, someone I
hardly know, make me feel this way, like a teenager with a crush? Will and I
are settled and that’s that. But maybe being settled isn’t enough, a
treacherous voice inside me whispers. I groan, dismissing the thought. Haven’t
I got enough on my plate at the moment? My health should be – is – my top
priority.
Chapter Three
Waiting at the Wrexham Maelor
Hospital to see the dermatologist, I’m fast regretting that I didn’t tell
anyone about my appointment; it would be nice to have some company. It doesn’t
help that Mr. Davison is running late. I’m trying to stay upbeat, but the
longer I’m here the more nervous I’m becoming. Thoughts flit in and out of my
mind like floating dandelion seed-heads. What if the mole is cancerous? No, I
mustn’t go there. I can’t wait to have it removed. I feel like I’ve got this
potentially malicious entity on my body, eating away at me.
‘Gemma Davies.’
Taking a deep breath I enter the
room. The man himself has bright blue eyes and white hair, complete with a
beard. He could be Father Christmas. Surely someone who looks like Father
Christmas won’t give me bad news. He has a nice smile, and I feel comforted by
his kind manner. He asks me lots of questions about my mole (it’s even
photographed) whilst examining it thoroughly, then it’s time for the excision
biopsy, which is done under a
man before, not even when I first met Will. I start. Will, your boyfriend, remember him? I look away and dart behind
the counter. ‘I just need to take some details.’
Leo pays, his fingers touching
mine briefly as he puts some notes in my hand. I feel a buzz of energy. Did he
feel it too? He writes a card to accompany the flowers, gives me the ward
details, and then he just stands there. ‘Is there anything else I can help you
with?’ I don’t want him to go.
Leo drums his fingers on the
counter. ‘So that will be delivered today?’
‘Yes, this afternoon.’
‘Right, well, thanks for all your
help.’ He backs away slowly, towards the exit. His smile doesn’t falter and I
smile right back, admiring the view.
Once he’s gone I rush into the
workroom and head for the sink to splash my cheeks with cold water. What is
wrong with me? I feel like such a cow. I think about Will. We’re doing okay, so
why did Leo have such an effect on me? It doesn’t matter - I’ll never see him
again. The thought disappoints me though. Feeling even guiltier, I set to work
on his order.
***
My trainers squeak along the
hospital corridors. Clutching the vase and its contents tightly, I head towards
the maternity ward. I speak to the nurse at the desk and am directed to Mrs.
Morgan, Leo’s sister-in-law. She’s holding her son, gazing at him with such
rapture. I hover, and eventually she looks up, smiling.
‘Hello,’ she says softly.
‘Hi. Mrs. Morgan?’ She nods.
‘These are for you.’ I hand over
the flowers.
‘Oh! how lovely.’ She takes the card. ‘They’re from Leo, how sweet of him.’
I glance at the baby. He’s
cute.
She buries her nose amongst the
flowers briefly. ‘These are beautiful. Did you arrange them? You’re very
talented. Thank you so much.’
‘I’m glad you like them, but
don’t thank me, thank your brother-in-law.’ Your gorgeous brother-in-law. I back away. ‘Congratulations by the
way.’ I nod at Joe.
I’m grinning as I bounce back
along the corridor. I love delivering bouquets to people, being able to witness
their delight.
In the car park I stop in my
tracks as I spot Leo. His six-foot plus frame isn’t hard to miss. He’s heading
towards the entrance; he’ll see me soon. My heart beats faster and faster. I’m
torn between running away and staying put, but I can’t face speaking to him.
There’s nothing else for it; I dash back inside the hospital and into the small
shop. I pull out a magazine and wait, holding my breath. I soon see him
striding past. Finally, I can breathe again. Why does this guy, someone I
hardly know, make me feel this way, like a teenager with a crush? Will and I
are settled and that’s that. But maybe being settled isn’t enough, a
treacherous voice inside me whispers. I groan, dismissing the thought. Haven’t
I got enough on my plate at the moment? My health should be – is – my top
priority.
Chapter Three
Waiting at the Wrexham Maelor
Hospital to see the dermatologist, I’m fast regretting that I didn’t tell
anyone about my appointment; it would be nice to have some company. It doesn’t
help that Mr. Davison is running late. I’m trying to stay upbeat, but the
longer I’m here the more nervous I’m becoming. Thoughts flit in and out of my
mind like floating dandelion seed-heads. What if the mole is cancerous? No, I
mustn’t go there. I can’t wait to have it removed. I feel like I’ve got this
potentially malicious entity on my body, eating away at me.
‘Gemma Davies.’
Taking a deep breath I enter the
room. The man himself has bright blue eyes and white hair, complete with a
beard. He could be Father Christmas. Surely someone who looks like Father
Christmas won’t give me bad news. He has a nice smile, and I feel comforted by
his kind manner. He asks me lots of questions about my mole (it’s even
photographed) whilst examining it thoroughly, then it’s time for the excision
biopsy, which is done under a
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