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“Let me see.”
Before he could protest, Kate had taken his jacket and lifted his shirt. “Bob, that looks terrible! Have you had it checked out by a doctor?”
“No, I might have broken a rib or two, but they can’t do anything about those.”
“Sit down and put this on it,” said Kate, pulling a bag of petits pois from the freezer.
“Ever think of training as a nurse?” asked Bob, wincing as the cold stung his skin.
“No chance. I had enough practice cleaning wounds when Mum was alive to last me a lifetime.”
“Fair enough. I don’t suppose you have anything to take the edge off the pain?”
“Yes, sure,” said Kate, searching through a drawer and pulling out two packets of pills. “Ibuprofen or paracetamol?”
“I was thinking wine or beer?”
Kate laughed. “There’s no shortage of either of those. What’s your preference?”
“Maybe a beer for starters, then I’ll move on to wine at lunch.”
“Wow, you’re going for it today. How was yesterday?”
“Um, OK,” said Bob, offering up no further information. “How about you?”
“It was a surprisingly lovely day in the end. Joy dragged me along to church, then I had lunch with Flo on FaceTime, went for a walk, and did a bit of decorating.”
“You were at St Petroc’s church?” asked Bob, colour draining from his face.
“Yes, why? Were you there too?”
“No, no, I wasn’t,” said Bob, refusing to catch her eye.
He was lying. Kate’s shoulders slumped. First Maddie had been acting weird, now Bob. She’d been so looking forward to this day, and so far, it wasn’t going the way she had hoped.
“Cooee,” came a voice from the garden.
“Joy,” said Bob and Kate simultaneously, smiling at each other.
Bob moved his chair away from the door and Joy joined them in the already squished galley kitchen.
“Blimey this is a squeeze,” said Joy, laying down a clinking bag on the kitchen counter.
“It sounds like you’ve brought an entire brewery with you,” said Bob, peering into the bag.
“Just all the booze I could find in my pantry. Some of it’s been there years, so best check the labels before tucking in. I don’t want to poison anyone.”
“Well it’s a lovely thought,” said Kate, inspecting a bottle claiming to be orange and peach liquor.
“Mind if we sit outside for a bit?” asked Joy, pulling a packet of cigarettes from her bag.
“Not at all, probably better if we do actually. Maddie’s asleep,” said Kate, nodding her head towards the living room.
“Over done the celebrations hey?” asked Joy. “Oh, to be young again.”
Bob grabbed his beer and the two glasses of wine Kate poured and followed Joy to the garden table.
“Fancy lighting the fire pit for me?”
