CHAPTER26
Beth was grateful they didn’t have to walk too far before the horses came into sight. They were magnificent, two brown and one larger white one. If she knew anything about horses, she’d have been able to refer to them as something more technical thanbeautiful.
‘Any idea what breeds they are?’ she asked Aiden, who was trailing behind the others.
‘I’m not an equine vet, unfortunately,’ he replied. ‘But I do know that the ones who wear the Ugg boots are Clydesdale horses.’
Beth chuckled, leaning up against Paul to watch them trot around at the shore. She was already tired. Getting here had been manageable but she hadn’t given any thought to how she’d go back. Maybe they’d let her borrow a horse.
‘You know, my brother, Eli. He has multiple sclerosis.’
Beth felt her stomach flip. She glanced at Paul who widened his eyes a little in surprise. ‘Really sorry to hear that,’ she replied. ‘How’s he doing?’
‘It affects mainly his right side and his leg brace isn’t as fancy as yours, but he’s doing well. It’s more common than people think, you know.’
‘Really?’ Beth replied, trying her best to sound naïve on the whole subject matter. ‘You don’t hear about it that much.’
Aiden sniffed. ‘It took him a while to tell everyone too. I understand how hard it is.’
Beth gripped Paul’s hand. ‘I’m not sure—’
‘He took Fingolimod too. You left them on your nightstand.’
The urge to ask what the hell he was doing in her bedroom was curbed when she remembered that he’d nipped in to borrow her phone charger.
‘Look, it’s none of my business,’ Aiden added. ‘Just wanted to let you know that someone else with MS is doing really well. It can be a lonely disease, huh?’
Beth nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. Before she could object, the teardrops began to fall.
‘I… I won’t mention it to anyone,’ Aiden stammered, horrified that he’d turned the normally upbeat Beth into a blubbering wreck. ‘God, I’m sorry.’
Paul wrapped his arm around his wife. ‘It’s been a tough few months,’ he admitted. ‘When was your brother diagnosed?’
‘Fifteen years ago,’ Aiden replied. ‘He’s now secondary progressive, but he’s stable. They switched him to the infusions a while back. No new lesions in three years.’
‘That’s really good to hear,’ Beth said, between sniffs. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just a little overwhelming at times and you’re right. It is lonely.’
‘All the more reason to tell your friends, then,’ Aiden replied. ‘When you’re ready, of course. I’ll give you guys some space.’
Aiden caught up to Becky, Erin and Alex, hoping that he hadn’t just completely overstepped the mark and ruined Beth’s day.
‘Why is it so hard to believe that I’ve never been on a horse?’ Alex asked, now acutely aware that Aiden had joined them. ‘I didn’t even have a pet until I was twenty-five.’
‘My mam made me ride ponies when we’d have trips to the seaside,’ Erin said. ‘I was never that bothered, but I think she thought it made us look quite prestigious. Like it was one step away from owning a bleedin’ herd of horses and some stables.’
‘What about you, Aiden?’ Alex asked, ‘Are you much of a horse fan?’
He smiled. ‘I’m a fan of all animals.’
‘You can’t like them all?’ Alex insisted. ‘That’s like a doctor saying he’s a fan of all people. It’s statistically impossible.’
‘Fine,’ he replied. ‘I’m not crazy about Chihuahuas. There, I said it.’
Alex laughed. ‘What’s wrong with Chihuahuas? They’re cute!’
‘Uh-uh,’ Aiden replied, scrunching his face. ‘They are ugly, noisy and can be quite unpredictable if they’re not well trained. See this…’ He held out his hand. ‘That scar above my thumb, courtesy of Princess the Chihuahua.’
Alex took his hand in hers to inspect it. She rubbed her thumb over the scar. Big mistake. This was a manly hand. Strong. Not too rough but not too soft either. And he had two of them. Two big manly hands. She swiftly let go.
