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“Right. But he might balk at the appointment, even.”
Harriet shrugged. “That’s his choice.”
Rachel suppressed a sigh. She knew they thought a little differently about this; it was funny, she supposed, how protective Harriet was of their dad, considering how neglected she’d felt growing up. Maybe that was all part of it, somehow. Heaven knew Rachel had her own issues with both her parents, ones she was still in the process of untangling.
“All right, I’ll go tell him,” she said, and Harriet did not reply, focused completely on the dough in front of her.
Rachel walked slowly upstairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. In the five days since her dad had returned from hospital, she had, Rachel acknowledged guiltily, spent very little time with him. She’d been so taken up with Ben, and it felt as if for a few days she’d been in a complete, and wonderful, tailspin. She was spiralling back to earth now.
She knocked once, gently, on the door before poking her head inside. “Hey, Dad.”
Her father’s eyes fluttered open as he did his best to hoist himself up in bed. “Eh? Just resting my eyes…”
“I know.” She leaned against the doorjamb, feeling a rush of affection for him, ornery old man that he was, or at least that he could be. “Do you want anything? Tea, coffee?”
“No, I was thinking I’d come down in a bit, head out to the barn.” He didn’t look at her as he said it and Rachel merely nodded, deciding it was kindest to maintain the fiction that her dad would be up for that. He had barely left his bedroom since coming back from the hospital, and in just the week at home he seemed much diminished—smaller, somehow, and certainly frailer. He hadn’t shaved, and his hair stuck out about his head in white wisps. He was only seventy-three, and a few weeks ago he’d been as vibrant and competent as ever, but now he seemed much older than his years.
“The hospital called,” she said after a moment, doing her best to keep her voice light yet matter-of-fact, even though her heart was aching. “They have the results from your MRI and they’d like to discuss them with you tomorrow.”
“Eh?” Her father’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and with a lurch of alarm Rachel wondered if he was having one of his memory lapses.
“The MRI, Dad? Remember?”
“I remember the MRI!” he exclaimed irritably. “I’m not that daft. What do they want to talk about?”
“Just the results.”
“Well, it’s not going to be bloody good news, is it?” he returned. “I don’t want to go all the way to Middlesbrough for that.”
“We need to know what’s going on, Dad,” Rachel returned gently, “even if it is difficult news.”
“Do we?” he replied with sudden, unexpected shrewdness. “I don’t know if we do.” Rachel searched for something to say to that as he glanced out the window and heaved a sigh. “Well, we’d best get on with it, then. I’ve got to get my house in order.”
“Dad—”
He turned to face her, a tired smile lining his careworn features. “Rachel girl, you know it as well as I do.”
“I don’t,” she replied, but her voice choked a little and her dad just shook his head and turned back to the window. Knowing there was no more to say, Rachel quietly went back downstairs.
“Well?” Harriet asked as she came back into the kitchen.
“He’ll go.”
“Okay.”
“We can all go,” Rachel suggested. “The three of us, hear what the doctor has to say. I think it can be good to have a couple of pairs of ears, you know, in case one of us misses something.” Harriet did not reply, and she added, a bit stiltedly, “I think it would be good if we were both there.”
Harriet nodded slowly. “Yes,” she agreed. “Let’s all go.”
*
That night Rachelwalked over to the Mackeys’ farmhouse through the gathering dusk. She and Harriet had had tea with their dad, who had ventured downstairs for the first time to eat with them. He’d even dressed and combed his hair, and Rachel wondered who he was making the effort for—them, or himself. Maybe both.
As she walked down the lane, the sun dropping behind the hill and leaving shadows in its wake, she realised she hadn’t actually been to Ben’s house since their relationship had changed four days ago. Only four days! Already it felt like forever, and yet no time at all.
The dogs set to their usual chorus of barking as Rachel came through the barnyard, to the kitchen door. She was expecting Ben, but it was Diana who opened the door, wreathed in smiles when she saw her.
“Oh,Rachel!” This was said with definite meaning, and just in case Rachel wasn’t sure, Diana stepped forward and enveloped her in a warm hug. “It’s so lovely to see you, darling!” she said. Rachel felt almost as if she was already an in-law, and while it was a nice feeling, it also freaked her out just a little.
