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Elsie watched as Tom plucked her up and cuddled her tight, kissing her rosy red cheeks as he looked around, smiling at his wife as she passed him in the corridor, her hand affectionately squeezing his arm. ‘Nice walk?’
‘Brisk,’ he laughed, struggling to undo his scarf one handed. ‘How’s the patient?’
‘In recovery. Tea, coffee?’ said Anna.
‘She’s doing fine,’ said Emilia amongst the commotion. As she stood up, the others began placing their hot drink orders in quick succession just as Marlie leapt back up, following her mother to the kitchen and pleading for juice only to be immediately rebuffed.
‘You got here fast,’ said Alice to her sister. ‘Did you turn on the blue’s and two’s?’
‘The roads are almost empty,’ she replied, embracing her.
Elsie looked between them, amazed at how similar they were in appearance and both achingly beautiful. She watched with some dismay as the two of them peeled away toward the kitchen.
‘Where’s my girl?’ said Cole, finally coming in from the cold, throwing his coat onto the couch as he made his way through, just as Anna reappeared with a tray full of brewing cups and a jug of milk.
‘This is amazing,’ said Elsie, starting to feel a little overwhelmed. ‘Thank you all so much.’
‘I’m so sorry, again,’ said Tom, with Amabella clinging to his neck. ‘If there’s anything I can do or we can do to help, just say.’
‘Honestly, you’ve done more than enough.’
‘Tom’s a senior cryptanalyst at CHB,’ said Cole suddenly as Elsie frowned in surprise.
‘Oh, really?’
‘Don’t tell me you’re a maths nerd too?’ laughed Anna as she handed Elsie a warm mug of coffee. ‘Threateningly beautiful and smart.’
‘Something like that,’ she blushed, hiding her cheeks behind her mug and relishing the aroma as the steamy brew drifted and curled in front of her.
‘Where did you study?’ asked Elsie, focusing on the strikingly handsome man, gradually unwrapping himself in front of her.
Hot didn’t quite cut it.
‘MIT. You?’
‘Oxford.’
‘What do you do Cole?’ said Anna.
‘I’m an astrophysicist.’
‘Of course you are,’ she laughed. ‘Normally when I tell people I’m an accountant I feel like the smartest person in the room, but apparently amongst you lot I’m a dunce.’
‘There’s a joke there somewhere,’ laughed Cole, smiling warmly at her.
‘Mummy?’ said Marlie, appearing suddenly at her mothers knee. ‘Can me and Ama go play in the garden?’
‘Ama and I,’ she corrected. ‘If Mr and Mrs... oh gosh, sorry.’
‘Winters,’ helped Cole.
Anna grinned appreciatively. ‘If Mr and Mrs Winters say that it’s okay, then it’s fine by me.’
‘Please do,’ said Cole. ‘It’s secure, just be careful on the decking.’
‘We will!’ shouted Marlie as she tugged Amabella along behind her. ‘We’re going to make more snow angels!’
As Cole turned back to Anna, he found to his surprise that she was looking at him in a way that made him feel hot under the collar of his jumper. As soon as they made eye contact, she blushed and turned away, an awkward smile flashing across her face.
