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“Well now, that was heartening.” Mr. Goldhirsh got into the back seat of her aunts’ car beside Mandy.
“I’m not sure how you came to that conclusion,” Mandy said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Aunt Sarah tooted the horn, and everyone but Mandy waved.
“Until recently you just stood on the edges of life, Mandy. Now you’re part of it. That reaction you just got is because of that. People now think of you as theirs and reacted accordingly when they found out you’d kept your diabetes from them.”
“They were really annoyed.”
“Part of that will be fear. You’ve just told them about your condition, they are uneducated as to how it affects you, and so reacted as they did.”
Mandy turned her head to look at Mr. Goldhirsh.
“How come you’re so wise?”
“Age, my dear. Now, what I want to know is how you will proceed from here?”
“Ted is disappointed in me.” Mandy wasn’t sure why she’d said that. Possibly because his anger had upset her most. He’d done so much for her, and she felt like she’d let him down in some way. Putting their intimate relationship to one side, she had to acknowledge he’d been someone who cared enough in her life to make her change.And I’ve let him down.That thought did not sit well with Mandy. Then there was Rory and the others. Would they forgive her?
“I like that man,” Aunt Sarah said.
“Because he’s disappointed in me?”
“Because he doesn’t take any crap. You need someone like that in your life. We’ve tended to tiptoe around you, dear. Your start in life wasn’t a good one, and because of that we’ve—”
“Let you be pathetic from time to time,” Aunt Marla finished her sister’s sentence.
Mandy thought about that and a whole lot more on the drive home, which was slow due to road closures and people still mingling in the streets after the parade.
Tonight was one big party on the main street of Ryker. Stalls, Joe’s bar, and food were all set up outside. She’d been looking forward to it… now, not so much.
“You’re going to have a rest, and then we’re going out.”
“I’m not sure I want to, Aunt Marla.”
“No more hiding. We’re not letting you retreat again. You’re going out.”
“It’s for the best, Mandy. You have to face them all at some stage; it may as well be together, tonight,” Mr. Goldhirsh said, taking her hand in his.
She knew he was right and knew that it would be the coward’s way out to hide in her apartment, but that was what she wanted to do. Stay there, locking the doors and eating her chocolate stash while binge watching her favorite shows.
The problem was, she was no longer that Mandy and she owed it to her friends to be the best person she could be, because they’d always been there for her.
“Okay, I’ll go tonight.” Mr. Goldhirsh squeezed her hand, and the remainder of the journey was spent with Mandy wondering what she was going to say and whether Ted would forgive her.
Chapter 28
Ted went back to the lodge and worked for a few hours after changing out of Fin’s ranger
uniform, which his body thanked him for, then went back to his rooms.
Mandy was a diabetic.
When she’d fainted, his heart had just about stopped. Fear had brought on panic, and that wasn’t his MO. Ted didn’t panic. He assessed and then acted. But he’d panicked twice today. Firstly, during the parade with all those people pressing in on him. He’d then lost the ability to think as he looked down at the limp woman in his arms, and had roared out the word help multiple times.
She’d been breathing, he knew that, but it hadn’t helped. People didn’t faint like that for no reason. Actually, that wasn’t entirely true. Luke told him that fainting was a lot more common than he’d realized. It hadn’t helped. Ted was still angry.
“She should have told me, Branch.” His cat was in the middle of the bed, sleeping like he did most days.
