‘Hi, I’m Joe,’ he’d said, assuming his stepfather already knew but unsure what else to say. ‘Come in.’
‘Thank you.’ The man had held out his hand for Joe to shake. ‘I’m Roger. Faye insisted you could put us up for a bit.’
‘Of course,’ Joe had agreed, wishing his mother had thought to at least ask him first. ‘I’d be happy to.’
Now though, two weeks later, having moved into his spare room when his mother claimed it was only fair that she and Roger took the larger of the bedrooms as there were two of them, Joe was tired of her things being strewn everywhere and never having a moment’s peace. His mother and stepfather were either rowing or tiddly from drinking each evening, and Joe wanted space from them.
Deciding to stop off at the store to buy one of their takeaway coffees and a doughnut, Joe parked his car and went inside.
‘Well, if it isn’t Joe Marett. I haven’t seen you for months. Where’ve you been hiding?’
Recognising the voice, Joe turned and smiled at the local vet. Brodie had returned to the island to take over the village veterinary practice and the pair of them had become good friends in that time.
‘Hi, mate. Here and there.’
Joe thought of his beloved grandad who had left the bungalow to him after his death the previous year. Joe wondered when the pain of losing his grandad would ease. He thought of how much his grandad had done for him. Joe had often returned to the island to stay with him after his mother had taken him to live in France when his parents divorced when Joe was fourteen.
The decor was dated but somehow that only added to his cherished memories of time spent there. As for the tiny shed in the garden where all the old but well-maintained garden tools were neatly stored away, he decided that was his favourite part of the property. Joe pictured coming to the bungalow after school when he was young to spend time with his grandparents until his mother finished work and sitting on a small stool next to his grandfather in front of the shed as they drank lemonade and stared out over the sea below them in Ouaisné Bay. His grandmother had died while he and his mother had been living in France for a decade, but it still felt odd not being able to see his grandfather.
‘I moved in a few months ago. Slowly settling in.’
Brodie rested a hand on his shoulder and Joe struggled for a couple of seconds to keep control of his emotions. ‘If there’s anything you need help with, just let me know.’
‘Thanks, Brodie. I’ll bear that in mind. How come you’re up this early?’ Joe said, tapping his watch. ‘It’s barely seven-thirty. Not had an emergency at your veterinary practice, I hope?’
Brodie shook his head. ‘No, thankfully. I couldn’t sleep too well last night so took Derek out for an early walk.’
Joe grinned as he pictured the strange-looking black rescue Brodie had adopted the previous year when Lettie Torel, Brodie’s now fiancée, had found him by the side of a road. ‘How is he doing?’
‘Well, thanks.’ Brodie frowned. ‘Better than poor Lettie.’
Concerned for his friends, Joe asked, ‘There’s nothing wrong with the pregnancy, I hope? She must be, what, seven months along by now?’
Brodie nodded. ‘Thirty-four weeks.’ He sighed. ‘She’s been overdoing it running Hollyhock Farm. We had a bit of a scare last week.’ He looked around, then lowered his voice. ‘We haven’t told anyone but Lettie has something called placenta praevia.’
‘Sounds nasty,’ Joe said, wondering what it was.
‘It isn’t ideal.’ Joe frowned. ‘It’s where the placenta attaches in the womb lower than normal and can cause haemorrhaging during delivery.’
‘Poor Lettie.’ Joe wished there was something he could do to help. ‘And she’s allowed to work with that?’
‘She’s been getting twinges over the past few days, which is worrying. Lindy and Gareth are away on another cruise, as you probably know, and it was planned so that they would be back a few days before the baby’s due date. The doctor has now insisted she give up work as soon as possible, at least until the baby’s born.’
‘Lettie won’t have liked that, I imagine.’
Brodie shook his head. ‘She wasn’t impressed but the doctor warned us that as soon as she goes into labour she must get to the hospital, just in case there are issues. Now he’s concerned she might have the baby early, and I’m panicking a bit about it all.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ Joe said, resting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. ‘You do know that you can call on me for anything you need, I hope.’
‘Thanks, Joe. I might have to take you up on that offer.’
‘Then do.’ Joe thought of the recent conversation he’d had with his supervisor about taking the four weeks’ leave he had carried over from the previous year. Joe had thought he had hidden his grief well from his colleagues by focusing on his work and taking on extra shifts whenever they were available. He was still surprised by what he had been told.
‘You need time away from the station,’ his supervisor had said. ‘And you have the next few weeks to decide when to take it, otherwise I’ll decide for you.’
Joe shrugged now. ‘Don’t think too long. I’m due four weeks off work and had been putting off taking it because I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. You’ll be doing me a favour too.’
Brodie sighed. ‘You don’t know how relieved I am that I bumped into you this morning. Chatting to you has taken a weight off my shoulders. Lettie and I had planned that I would help out at the farm. I’m only a short drive away in the village in case of an emergency, so wouldn’t be far if she needed me.’
