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Chapter Seventeen
‘Ouch!’ Brooke pulledher finger away from the till drawer and clasped it in her opposite hand.
‘Are you okay?’ Heidi passed across a bag of rolls to a customer before coming toward her.
‘I will be. I just caught my finger in the till drawer, that’s all.’ She held her hand open, revealing a trickle of blood dripping from her finger into her palm.
‘Ooh, that looks nasty. Why don’t you go and clean it? There’s a First Aid Kit in the kitchen.’
Brooke nodded. ‘Okay, will do.’
‘Take your time. We’ll manage.’ Heidi turned back to the short queue of customers waiting.
‘Thanks.’ Grabbing a piece of paper towel, she wrapped it around her finger as she pushed open the door to the kitchen.
‘Everything okay, love?’ Elsie looked up from the chocolate cake she was icing.
‘Yes, I’ve just come to get a plaster. I’ve trapped my finger in the till drawer.’
‘Oh dear, that thing can be vicious. I’ll have to get someone to have a look at it.’ putting down the icing bag, Elsie wiped her hands on her apron before pulling out a stool. ‘Come and sit down and I’ll get the First Aid kit.’
‘Don’t worry, I can do it. You’re busy.’
‘Come on. Sit.’ She patted the stool. ‘It’s the least I can do.’
‘Thanks.’ Perching on the stool, Brooke gripped the paper towel around her finger.
‘Here we go.’ Elsie placed the green First Aid box on the table and sat on the stool next to her. ‘Let’s have a look then.’
Trying to focus on the chocolate cake on the other side of the table, Brooke felt Elsie remove the paper towel and automatically looked down, instantly wishing she hadn’t. She watched as the bright red blood oozed from the cut. Gripping the edge of the table with her other hand, she tried and failed to look away.
‘Are you okay, love?’ Covering Brooke’s finger again, Elsie placed her hand on her shoulder.
Swallowing, Brooke nodded. ‘I’m just not so good with blood, that’s all.’
‘Right. I see.’ Elsie nodded and pulled a cake book across the table. ‘Here, have a look in here and I’ll be as quick as I can.’
‘Okay.’ Blinking, Brooke tried to focus on the brightly coloured photographs on the front cover of the book, but soon the images were swimming in her gaze again, tiny dots dancing across the tractor-shaped birthday cake.
‘Oh love, you’re not going to faint, are you?’
