AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nurse Jones. Ali Whyte.” I hold out my hand.
She shakes it briskly. “And how are you feeling, Mr Whyte? I hear that was some fall you had.”
“I’m fine, honestly, thank you.”
“Well, Dr Roberts agrees. No significant damage. Maybe a bit of a headache over the next twenty-four hours but it should lift so it won’t ruin Christmas. Dr Roberts has asked me to keep an eye on you for fifteen minutes, then do your final observations. If they are fine, then you can go.”
“So, all he has to do is sit here and not do or say anything stupid for fifteen minutes…?” asks Josh.
“Pretty much,” she confirms.
Josh whistles. “Good luck with that.”
I shoot him daggers over the nurse’s shoulder. “Thanks, friend,” I grumble.
“No worries,” he says with a grin. “Always here for you. Prefer it when you are not bleeding all over my ice rink though.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not planning on making a habit of it. I think my ice skating days might be over. I’ll leave it to the professionals from now on.”
“Probably a good idea. See you at the derby game then.”
“Yup. Medical permitting…”
Nurse Jones’ lips crack into a very small smile.
“Nice to meet you, Anna.” Josh puts his hands on Anna’s shoulders and squeezes. She giggles. “You stick in with the skating. Unlike your uncle, I’m sure you are going to be a superstar on the ice.”
“Thank you,” she beams.
We both watch as Josh exits the cubicle. I get the feeling I’m going to be hearing nothing but Josh Dunbar chatter from Anna from now until the game. And probably beyond.
“Do you like ice hockey, Nurse Jones?” I ask.
“No, not really, I’m afraid.”
“Right. Rugby?”
“No.”
“What? Come on! Everyone in Oakheart Glen loves rugby. You can’t come from Oakheart Glen and not be a Gossie fan. Unless you are Anna.”
“Hey,” pouts Anna. “I don’thatethem or anything. I just prefer ice hockey.”
“I’m not from Oakheart Glen. And I hate sport,” says the nurse.
Okay. Gonna put that one down as a small talk own goal.
Her face is serious, rigidly professional. My consternation must show on my face because she takes pity on me.
“I’m here on family business,” she says. “My…my great-aunt died, and I’ve come to settle up her affairs.”
She looks down.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. My friend from university is a nursing sister here. She had a bit of a staff shortage for Christmas, so I volunteered to do some bank shifts for her. Help her out.”
“A Christmas angel,” I observe.
