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‘Tell me about it, mate.’ Morgan slipped his chart back on the trolley.
‘Sorry, I forgot, neither of you have had much of a Christmas either,’ Finn said, looking from Morgan to Liv.
‘Not so bad for me – I only live down the road and my wife works shifts too, so we’ll just have our Christmas Day a little late,’ Morgan said moving on to the next patient.
‘And what about you?’ Finn fixed those blue eyes on Liv.
‘Usually, it’s Christmas at home with my family, but well, maybe it’s a January Christmas celebration this year…’ It sounded rather parochial, but she loved it. Every year, just the four of them – somehow, it felt as if Rachel was still there with them. Probably very different to the grand plans Finn and Estelle would have in the city.
‘Home?’
‘Ballycove. It’s in the west…’
‘I know it, I’ve been there.’ He smiled, perhaps remembering. ‘It’s a long way to travel for a slice of turkey though.’ He was laughing now.
‘I suppose it is, but like you, my plans were thrown up in the air on Christmas Eve, so I’m just going to make the best of it.’
‘I’m sorry you missed it.’
‘Don’t be. We had mince pies on the ward and carol singers dropping by at all hours before the holidays and anyway, this year, I’m actually glad I was here…’ she said thinking of finding that note and the fact that if she hadn’t she might have spent years never seeing through Eddie for what he really was.
‘I’m pleased you were here too,’ Finn said.
‘Don’t be too happy about it, if it wasn’t for me, you mightn’t have ended up underneath the wheels of that motorbike.’ It was the truth. Finn had thrown her to safety out of its path and taken the brunt of the collision.
‘I’m still glad,’ he said hoarsely. And for a moment, when their eyes met, there was that uncomfortable feeling that perhaps something more was being said than either of them meant. She was saved from making a complete fool of herself by Estelle’s mobile phone going off.
‘Oh no, I must have forgotten to switch it off. I’m so sorry.’ It was one of the topmost cardinal sins of ICU – no phones. It was right up there with don’t visit if you have a vomiting bug.
‘Go on, go and answer it outside before you set every heart monitor off in the place,’ Finn said, laughing.
Wafting a heady scent of expensive perfume after her, Estelle glided easily between them and towards the foot of the bed. ‘Behave yourself when I’m gone, you.’ Estelle was unrecognisable from that frightened girl who’d turned up that first night. It seemed that as Finn’s condition had improved her confidence had grown and she’d become older, sexier and territorial.
‘Not much chance of anything else.’ Finn laughed.
‘I probably should be getting back on shift.’ Liv went to follow Estelle out of the unit also.
‘Really, is that all you get? Five minutes and then they need you back?’ He was smiling at her, almost challenging her to wait a little longer.
‘No, of course not, but I’m sure you’d much prefer to spend the time with Estelle than having to make an effort with a perfect stranger at the moment.’ The truth was, Liv wasn’t even sure why she’d come up here. After all, he was obviously on the mend, and there wasn’t much more she could do for him now, apart from handing back the gift she’d been holding for the mysterious M as soon as they released him onto the main ward.
‘I like having you here,’ he said easily. ‘It’s…’ he paused, then settled on: ‘distracting.’
‘Well thanks so much. You make me sound like a pothole in the road!’ She liked being here too, for some reason, even now that he was awake. It reminded her of being with Rachel. It was a strange feeling, as if she’d come home again. She couldn’t explain it if she tried, but it almost felt as if her world had turned in some indefinable way when she’d met him. It was ridiculous of course, to think that three seconds could change your whole life, and yet… Here she was; her life had changed beyond anything she’d have imagined before she put her finger on that button to cross the road. Hadn’t she spent the days in the run-up to that, thinking of little more than Eddie proposing to her and that engagement ring and, maybe, a version of a happy ever after that she’d always craved?
And now, well, after finding that note, she knew that if she was ever going to find her happy ever after she’d have to start looking for it without Eddie in the picture. Maybe, she realised too, it wasn’t that Finn reminded her of Rachel, as much as he somehow reminded her of herself. And possibly, that was just what she needed at the moment.
‘Oh no, not like a pothole.’ He was laughing now, jerking her out of her thoughts. ‘You’re much more entertaining than that. And to be honest, even if you weren’t good company, it’s just nice to have someone to talk to; seriously, it’s a long time to be tied here to these machines.’ He shook his head. ‘Perhaps, if they transfer me onto a recovery ward tomorrow I’ll be able to go walkabout,’ he said now.
‘I’m sure you will, in no time. For now though, you just have to rest.’
‘Would you let me buy you coffee on your break, if they allow me out of here?’ He was pulling himself up to watch her and she leant in to straighten the pillows at his back.
‘Sure, but it’s a much longer walk than you might think.’ She knew that getting out of bed that first time might take a lot more of his energy than he realised and the coffee shop was at the furthest end of the hospital from the general wards.
‘Well, if they’ll let me out, I’m holding you to meeting up for coffee tomorrow on your break!’ He looked beyond her now to where Estelle was coming back onto the ward. ‘Ah, that didn’t take long,’ he said changing the subject and winking at Liv.
‘I’d better be getting back,’ Liv said, not entirely sure what she’d agreed to, but suspecting that Finn wouldn’t be telling Estelle about their coffee. On the way downstairs, she shook herself out; after all, it was just coffee. What harm could having a cup of coffee with him do – she wasn’t planning on running off with him, or anyone else for that matter.
