The headmistress of the school, dressed in a nineteen-twenties flapper costume, came to welcome them, and the crowd of parents began to disperse towards the seating that was set up at one side of the large playing field. The children were shepherded by their teachers into groups, ready for the races to begin.
Laurie tapped on the side of his egg, presumably to attract his attention, although in truth Ross’s attention had never left her. That was one of the advantages of coming as an egg, no one could see him stare. She led him over to the seating, and just as Ross was wondering how she was expecting him to sit down, he felt the egg lift a little. He ducked out from under it, and Laurie placed it on a seat and sat down next to it, her arm around it. Ross sat down on the empty seat on the other side.
‘This is fun.’ She was grinning out over the sun-drenched sports field.
‘Wait till you start getting the questions.’
She turned to him, pulling the chicken mask up onto the top of her head. ‘What questions? You never told me there were going to be questions.’
‘I thought I’d save that as a surprise. I always get one or two questions from parents who’ve decided their seven-year-old is going to be the next world champion.’
She winced. ‘You’re not going to tell them, are you?’
‘What, that you’re a bona fide champion? They’d be fascinated...’ He paused for a moment for effect. ‘Nah. Don’t think so.’
She fanned her face with her hand with an expression of relief. ‘Just tell them that the best way to make a champion is give them a happy, healthy childhood.’ She seemed to be wrestling with her costume, and was shedding feathers again.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Trying to get to my purse. That chilled lemonade on the drinks stall looks really nice. You want one?’
‘Yes, but that’s okay. I think Jo’s heading our way.’ He gestured towards the headmistress, who was walking towards them with two glasses of lemonade.
‘Would you like to help give out the medals?’ Jo proffered the lemonade.
‘We get to gi
ve out medals? Yes, please,’ Laurie answered before Ross could, and then frowned at the egg. ‘Although I’m not sure how Ross is going to manage with his costume.’
‘That’s okay. You give them out, and I’ll just tag along.’
‘And the obstacle race?’ Jo eyed the egg.
‘I’ll have a go.’ Ross brushed Jo’s reservations aside.
‘I’d like to.’ Laurie craned around the egg to look at him. ‘My hip’s fine. I can manage something like that. What do you reckon?’
Ross decided to ignore the fact that Laurie had actually asked him what he thought, and answered for them both. ‘Two for the obstacle race, Jo.’
‘Righty. I’ll call you when it’s your turn.’ Jo ticked the list on her clipboard and hurried away, brushing a yellow feather from her costume.
More feathers were dislodged during the course of the afternoon as Laurie got to her feet, cheering and clapping all the kids. All the children who competed got a medal, and when it was her turn to give them out, she presented each one of them as if it was a precious recognition of their achievement.
When she got to the little girl who was looking a little tearful, after having taken a tumble and come in last, Laurie presented her with her medal and then lifted her up in her arms. He turned to see Sam on her feet, cheering and clapping, and everyone else following suit.
‘What did you tell her?’ When Laurie helped him off with the egg, and they resumed their seats again, he saw the little girl run over to her parents, proudly showing off the medal that hung around her neck.
‘I told her that it was a very special medal, because she’d been brave enough to get up and try again.’
Ross nodded. ‘That’s nice.’
And so unlike the woman who’d first walked into the clinic. She’d been quiet, self-contained and focussed. As if the only thing that mattered was winning, whatever she had to sacrifice in order to do it. Ross was proud of the fact that the clinic could work miracles, but this wasn’t one of them. The Laurie who could give a child who’d come last in the race a medal and make her feel like a winner must have been there all the time. And entrancing as the old Laurie had been, this new one was downright irresistible.
CHAPTER NINE
LAURIE’S LITTLE JOKE had well and truly backfired on her. Two weeks ago she’d chosen the egg costume for Ross in an attempt to stop him from following her around to make sure she wasn’t overdoing things. But so much had changed since then. And as it turned out, the yellow feathers were a bit more than she could handle, flying around everywhere and making her sneeze.
Ross glanced up and down the obstacle course, and then lifted the egg over his shoulders. Laurie put her chicken mask on, and they lined up with the others at the start of the course.