AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was what Thea expected. She’d have to send Katie out to see if Toby was back and ask him if he wanted to come in after all.
‘Where can I find my sister?’ Thea asked the receptionist.
‘One moment.’
Thea watched her tap on the computer keyboard. ‘Ah, I see she’s just come out of surgery.’
‘Really? I hope everything is okay.’
‘Yes, she’s just had a plate and screws fitted in her ankle. It went well.’
‘Nobody let us know.’
‘We did let her husband know that another patient cancelled their operation, so she was scheduled instead.’
Thea got her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. When she’d switched it back on, earlier in the day, there had been no text or missed call. Mark hadn’t had the decency to let her know.
Thea glanced at Katie, who had her phone to hand too. She frowned. ‘Dad didn’t let us know.’
‘Perhaps he didn’t read the message from the hospital.’
‘Yeah, maybe.’ The look on Katie’s face said she wasn’t convinced. She looked at Thea. ‘What now?’
The receptionist said, ‘It will take her a bit of time to come round from the anaesthetic, but you’re welcome to take those beautiful flowers to her room. You’ll find a vase in her room for those. They will be lovely for her to wake up to.’
‘Oh, thank you,’ Thea said.
‘If you take the first floor to the wards, one of the nurses at the nurse’s station will let you know which room she’s in.’
‘All right.’
They walked up a flight of stairs, and were directed to a side room where Thea found her sister lying in bed. Her leg was in a plaster cast below the knee and was elevated off the bed. The anaesthetic hadn’t worn off, so she hadn’t woken up yet.
Thea saw a plastic vase on the bedside cabinet, along with a container she guessed was for when Jenna came round from the anaesthetic. Some people were physically sick afterwards. She hoped her sister wasn’t one of them.
Thea said, ‘I’m just going to find a sink and fill this with water.’ Thea filled the vase in a sink just outside the room and returned. Katie was sitting there holding her mum’s hand. It made her think that it would be nice if, when Jenna came round, Toby was there too. She wanted to return to the car and see if he’d come back. ‘Look, do you mind popping the flowers in the vase?’
A nurse walked in at that moment. ‘Well, isn’t that the most beautiful bouquet? Here, let me arrange those for you.’ She walked over and took the bouquet, and vase. ‘I’ll get a pair of scissors and cut those stems.’
Thea smiled at the nurse. She didn’t think the nurses would have time for that sort of thing. ‘Thank you.’ Thea turned to Katie. ‘Do you mind if I just step outside and see if I can find Toby?’
‘I’ll call him.’ Katie dialled, listened for a minute, then frowned. ‘He’s not answering his phone.’
‘Well, I guess it’s back to plan A,’ said Thea. ‘I’ll just nip to the car and see if he’s back. Are you okay if I go?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Katie turned to her mum.
Thea had remembered to bring along her sister’s mobile phone. She popped it on the side table next to her bed, along with one of the boxes of chocolates. As she walked out of the room, she looked at the lovely nurse, and decided that the staff deserved a treat too for taking care of her sister. She could always buy another box. Thea walked over. ‘Here, this is for you.’
The nurse looked taken aback. ‘Oh, thank you. Can I share them with my colleagues?’
‘Oh, yes. Please do.’
A little gathering of nurses formed as she opened the box.
Thea left them to their treat and returned the way she had come, down the stairs and past reception. She walked out of the door. As she neared the car, she could see there was still no sign of Toby. She was starting to get worried. Winston was rather big and boisterous for a pup, and she didn’t know what he would be like on the beach if Toby let him off the lead. Had he run off? What if Winston got into trouble in the water, and Toby followed him into the rough sea to try and save him?
All sorts of scary scenarios were going through her mind as she looked up and down the high street. She was about to cross the road, aiming in the direction of the promenade and the beach, when she spotted him at the top of the high street near the Co-op.
