‘Have you known Marie long?’
He nodded. ‘Anna and Marie were school friends. They went their separate ways but kept in touch and Anna always talked about when they’d both be living back here with their families.’ That sadness was back, this time for himself and his family.
Great. It was hard to compete with a woman who held all the aces and wasn’t around any more to make mistakes. You’re competing now? What happened to your fixed-in-concrete motto—Have Fun and Move On? That was exactly what she was doing. Having fun. And… in three weeks she’d be moving on. So none of this mattered. Really? Really. She tried for a neutral tone even when she felt completely mixed up. ‘Marie must miss her, too.’
‘She does, especially now her first baby’s due.’
‘What would Marie have to say if she knew about us?’ Would she stick up for Anna or accept that Flynn was entitled to get on with his life? Hello? What does any of that matter? You’re out of here soon enough.
‘I have no idea.’ Flynn looked taken aback. ‘It’s nothing to do with her.’ But now that Ally had put the question out there he seemed busy trying to figure out the answer.
Am I trying to wreck this fling early? Because Flynn is sure to pull the plug now.
Placing her empty mug in the sink, she headed for the bathroom. The hot water could ease the kinks in her body, but it was unlikely to quieten the unease weaving through her enjoyment of being with Flynn. It was ingrained in her to protect her heart, but already she understood this wasn’t a fling she’d walk away from as easily as any other. What worried her was not understanding why. She already knew she was going to miss Flynn.
But she would go. That was non-negotiable.
Sheba and Adam raced ahead of them, one barking and one shouting as they kicked up sand and left huge footprints. Flynn stifled a yawn and muttered, ‘Where do they get their energy?’
‘Perhaps you should try dry dog pellets for breakfast instead of hot, butter-soaked croissants,’ a certain cheeky midwife answered from beside him.
‘You’re telling me Adam didn’t eat a croissant with a banana and half a bottle of maple syrup poured on top? That was all for show and he actually scoffed down dog food?’ Breakfast hadn’t stacked up against Anna’s ideas of healthy eating, but sometimes his boy was allowed to break the rules. Or he broke the rules and Adam enjoyed the result.
Ally’s shoulder bumped his upper arm as she slewed sideways to avoid stepping on a fish carcass that had washed up on the tide. ‘Yuk. That stinks.’
His hand found hers, their fingers interlaced, and he swung their arms between them. For a moment everything bothering him simply disappeared in this simple gesture. How much more relaxed could life get? He and Ally walking along the beach, hand in hand, watching Adam and the dog playing. Right now this was all he needed from life.
Then his phone broke the magic. ‘Hello? Flynn Reynolds speaking.’
‘This is William Foster’s sister, Maisey. He’s having chest pains again and refusing to go in the ambulance I called. Can you talk some sense into that stubborn head of his?’
‘On my way. Can you hold on a moment?’ He didn’t wait for her reply. ‘Ally, I’ve got to see a patient urgently. Can you take Adam home for me when you’ve finished your walk?’ Asking for help twice in less than twenty-four hours didn’t look like he managed very well. She’d probably be running away fast.
‘No problem. Key to the house?’
‘I’ll need it to get my car out so I’ll leave it in the letterbox.’ He waved Adam over. ‘I’ve got to see a patient. Ally’s going to stay with you, okay?’
‘Can we get an ice cream, Ally?’ Hope lightened his face.
‘No, you can’t.’ He wiped that expectancy away. ‘Not after that enormous breakfast.’ Bending down, he dropped a quick kiss on Adam’s forehead. ‘See you in a bit, mate.’
‘You haven’t said goodbye to Sheba.’
‘I’m sure she won’t mind.’ Straightening up, Flynn looked at Ally, leaned in and kissed her cheek. ‘Thanks, I owe you.’
Then he started to jog the way they’d come and got back to talking to Maisey. ‘I didn’t know William had been discharged.’
‘He wasn’t.’
So the old boy had taken it in his own hands to get out of hospital. ‘He definitely needs that talking to, but I have to say I’ve already tried on more than one occasion and he’s never been very receptive to anything I’ve said.’
‘He’s lost the will to live.’
That was it in a nutshell. ‘I’ll talk to his daughter again.’ Not that he held out any hope. She’d had no more luck than anyone else.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Adam throwing a stick for Sheba, laughing and shouting like only four-year-olds could. When he’s older, will he fight for me if the need arose? I hope I am such a good parent that he will. Ally drifted into his vision as she chased another stick Adam had thrown, and he felt a frisson of longing touch him. Longing that followed him up and across the road and all the way home.
Longing that wasn’t only sexual; longing that reminded him of lazy days with Anna and Adam, of friendship and love. Longing he had no right to explore. He’d been married to the love of his life. No one got a second whack at that. Anyway, as Anna had told him on the day she’d died, he hadn’t been the perfect husband. He’d worked too many hours, putting his career before his family apparently. It hadn’t mattered that the career had given them the lifestyle they’d had. Yeah, the one Anna apparently hadn’t wanted. Not in the middle of Melbourne anyway. Damn it, Anna, I’m so sorry we were always arguing. I’m sorry about so many things.
He needed to scrub that from his mind and concentrate. William needed him urgently. Hitting the gas accelerator, he drove as fast as the law allowed—actually, a little faster.
Sure enough, the ambulance was parked in William’s driveway. Maisey led him inside, where the paramedics had the heart monitor attached to William’s chest. The reading they passed him was abnormal. He inclined his head towards the door, indicating everyone should leave him with his patient for a few minutes.
‘Don’t even start, Doc,’ William wheezed the moment they were alone.
‘You think you have the right to decide when you should clock out, do you?’
William blinked. ‘It’s my life.’
‘From the moment you’re born, it’s not just yours. You have family, friends, colleagues. They all have a part of you, whether you care or not. Whether you love them or not.’
‘I’ve lost interest in everything since Edna di
ed. You know how it is, Doc.’
Yes, he sure did, but, ‘Don’t play that card with me, William. Look me in the eye and tell me Edna would want you ignoring your daughter’s love? What about your grandchildren, for goodness’ sake? What sort of example are you setting them with this attitude? You think teaching them to give up when the going gets tough is good for them?’ Flynn sat down and waited. He wouldn’t belabour the points he’d made. There was such a thing as overdoing it.
Silence fell between them. The house creaked as the sun warmed it. Somewhere inside he heard Maisey and the paramedics talking. He continued to wait.
William crossed his legs, uncrossed them. His hands smoothed his trousers. He stared around the room, his gaze stopping on a photograph of his family taken when Edna had still been alive.
Flynn held his breath.
William’s gaze shifted, focused on a painting of a farmhouse somewhere on the mainland, then moved on to another of a rural scene. Paintings Edna had done.
Flynn breathed long and slow, hoping like hell his patient didn’t have another cardiac incident in the next few minutes. What if he’d done the wrong thing? But he’d tried the soft approach. It was time to be blunt. They had to get William aboard that ambulance and manhandling him when he refused to go wasn’t the answer—or legal. He had every right to say no. But he’d better not arrest, at least not until he was in hospital.
William had returned to that family photo, his gaze softening, his shoulders dropping a little from their indignant stance. Then one tear slipped from his right eye and slowly rolled down his cheek. He nodded once. ‘I’ll go. For my Edna.’
Good for you. ‘I’ll tell the paramedics.’ And Maisey, who’d no doubt be phoning her niece the moment William had been driven away.
After Flynn had filled in some paperwork to go with his patient, he talked briefly to Maisey and then headed for his car. He was going home to Adam and Ally. They’d go for a jaunt round to San Remo. If only he didn’t feel so drained of energy. Already tired after last night’s emergency call-out, talking with William had taken more out of him than he’d have expected. He understood all too well how the other man felt; he also knew William was wrong. Hopefully, one day the old guy would acknowledge that, at least to himself if no one else.