Finally the chairman of the judging panel picked up the microphone, and a heavy silence fell. Hannah could feel a bead of sweat running uncomfortably down her back.
‘I’m going to keep this short, because everyone wants to know who the winners are. But I want to thank everyone here. The projects you’ve created in a very short time have all shown imagination and flair, and a sound understanding of what your various hospitals need. I gather that a number of your projects will be going ahead, win or lose, and I can only applaud the determination and resourcefulness of all the contestants here this afternoon...’
Get on with it. Get on with it. Hannah shot Matt an agonised look and he squeezed her hand.
‘And now our winners. Hannah and Matt from Hamblewell Hospital.’
She couldn’t breathe. She was going to have to stand up and walk to the podium, but her legs wouldn’t carry her. Applause started to ripple through the room, and it swelled into a cacophony of sound in her ears.
>
‘One last push, Flash...’ She heard Matt’s voice in her ear, and it gave her strength. He rose, following her to the end of the row of chairs and walking beside her to where the judges were waiting to greet them.
She lost count of the number of hands that she shook. The chairman of the judges handed her a large, golden envelope, and she didn’t dare look inside to make sure that this was real. Matt took the microphone, thanking everyone, and then turned to her.
‘I’m not going to ask Hannah to say anything, because I’m not sure that she can...’ He grinned at her as a rumble of laughter spread around the room, and Hannah mouthed a silent, Thank you. She’d only make a fool of herself if she took the microphone now.
‘I do want to say one thing, though. This last six weeks has been challenging and the person who’s challenged me most is my teammate. Thank you, Hannah, for being my partner, my guide and my inspiration.’
She could feel tears rolling down her cheeks. Matt put his arm around her shoulders and she clung onto him. There were more hands to shake, and when Dr Gregson came to congratulate them she pressed the envelope into Matt’s hand for safekeeping. Drinks were passed around, and she took a sip of champagne, feeling too dizzy to drink the rest of it.
Finally the gathering began to break up. The contestants who came from further afield were going to be staying on at the hotel tonight, but those whose journeys home were shorter were already leaving. She saw Matt signal to her, and followed him out of the room and up to their suite.
‘We did it, Matt!’ As soon as the door closed behind them she flung her arms around him. ‘I can’t believe it, I’m so happy.’
‘Yeah. We did it.’ He’d been smiling and relaxed downstairs, but suddenly he seemed more tense. Maybe he was thinking about the drive home.
Or maybe he was thinking about being home. Back to reality. The last four days had been a fantasy, and neither of them had had time to think ahead. But now they had to, because the bubble was about to burst, and when it did they’d have to face all of the issues that threatened to tear them apart.
But they’d won. That had seemed impossible but they’d done it together. They could do this too, if they wanted to. She could show Matt that his father hadn’t irrevocably soured his life.
‘Would you like to go home?’ He was smiling but his eyes had lost their fire.
‘Yes, I would. Thank you.’
He nodded, turning away from her. ‘I’ll finish packing my things. Will you be ready in half an hour?’
* * *
They took their leave of everyone, thanking the production team once again and shaking the hands of the contestants who hadn’t left yet. Matt drove in silence, all of his concentration on the road ahead.
Hannah would wait. They could talk when they got back, and she’d tell him. She could be there for him, if only he’d be there for her. As they turned off the motorway into familiar roads, she began to feel more calm, more certain of what she wanted. This couldn’t be an ending for her and Matt.
He drew up outside her house, looking at the front door, seemingly deep in thought. Hannah turned to him.
‘Should we talk?’
‘Don’t you want to go and see Sam?’
‘He’ll be in bed, asleep. I didn’t know what time we’d be back, so I told him that I’d be late and that I’d see him tomorrow. He’d only try to stay awake otherwise.’
Matt nodded. ‘We should talk. Soon.’
‘Why don’t I take my bags inside, and we can go for a walk?’ The evening was still warm, even though the light would be fading soon.
‘Yeah. That sounds good.’
He took her bags from the boot, carrying them to the door. Hannah’s mother was waiting for them, and she whispered that Sam had decided that the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner tomorrow would come, and had gone to bed as soon as he was told. Matt waited in the hall while Hannah crept upstairs to see Sam and to blow a kiss to her sleeping boy.