‘They’re beautiful.’ Mimi poked Charlie in the ribs. ‘Is there anyone you haven’t told about my coming out of hospital today?’
‘Must be someone.’ Charlie grinned, sliding back into his wheelchair. ‘Right, we’ll have tea and then you can get down to some flower arranging. Then a nap...’
‘A nap? What? Am I ninety?’
‘Then you can have a shower.’ Charlie nodded towards the box that Rafe had sent and he grinned. ‘Then we’ll hang out a bit, have some dinner, and tomorrow you can start on the getting well thing. Okay?’
‘Okay. Thanks.’ Charlie made it sound so easy. They both knew it wasn’t, but it paled into insignificance alongside the journey she was going to have to take before she stopped missing Rafe.
It had to be done, though. All of it. Starting tomorrow.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
MIMI HAD BOUGHT a new dress. She had been exhausted by the shopping trip with Jan, but had refused point-blank to go home until she’d found what she was looking for. A pretty, dusky pink summer dress that she’d got in the sales because everyone was looking forward to the winter fashions now, but which had the advantage of covering her knees.
Tights would have gone some way towards making her leg look a little better, but she still couldn’t bear to have anything touch the swollen, discoloured skin around the snake bites. The supportive brace on her other foot didn’t do much for the outfit either, but at least it allowed her to walk and she opted for a pink canvas sneaker on the other foot.
She’d applied a deep conditioner to her hair, drying it carefully, and was pleased with the shine it gave. There was nothing she could do to make the scar on her face go away, but a little foundation made it less obvious.
‘Bit more cleavage, maybe...’ Charlie gave her outfit a cool, assessing eye.
‘The neck doesn’t go like that. Anyway, what happened to being a woman of mystery?’ Mimi pulled at the lace-edged top of the dress.
‘There’s something you need to learn about men, Mimi. Cleavage is always better than mystery.’
‘You think I don’t know anything about men?’
Mystery was going to have to do. She had too many imperfections now to consider anything else, and Rafe was going to have to take her as she was. Mimi pulled on her coat and got to her feet.
It had been ten weeks since her accident and, now that the cast was off, it was a lot easier to get around. She couldn’t walk very far and still needed elbow crutches to support her, but every day she managed a little more.
Charlie held up his hands in an expression of surrender. ‘Not getting involved, Mimi. I’m just giving you a lift.’
‘Good. Thanks. Let’s get going.’
* * *
Rafe’s road was a nice road. Nice houses. If he’d had to spend all this time away from her, Mimi was glad that he’d found somewhere pleasant to live. Charlie drove slowly, pulling up outside the house on the brow of the hill.
‘Oh...!’
‘Told you.’ Charlie looked at the path, sloping upwards with a couple of steps along the length of it, and three more leading to the front door. ‘Not all that accessible.’
‘Well, what do you do then?’
‘I go round the back.’ Charlie pointed to the concrete slope where Rafe’s car was parked. There was a passageway in between the house and the garage, just wide enough to take a wheelchair.
It was bad enough turning up at his front door; the back door was out of the question. And if she could get this far, then a few steps weren’t going to stand in her way. Even if they did look virtually insurmountable from here.
‘Why don’t you just call him? That would be much easier.’
As if the rest of this was a walk in the park. ‘I’ll manage. I’ll take it slowly.’
Charlie shrugged. ‘Okay. I’ll wait.’
‘It’s okay. Thanks for the lift.’ Mimi grabbed her handbag, looping it across her body, and got out of the car, pulling herself upright.
‘Call me when you want me to come and get you...’