Twenty minutes later Kieran pulled into the hospital car park and tried to find a space. Even though it was only a small hospital it was amazing how busy it was. The bigger hospital that had an Accident and Emergency department was almost an hour away in the opposite direction. When he stepped out of the car into the cold fresh air, Tom felt a shiver run through him that intensified the pain in his finger. A kind lady on reception took his details and asked him to sit down. The biscuit had helped a little with the shock and he wasn’t feeling so wobbly, but he still felt cold and now, very tired. A headache began to pound at the back of his eyes and as he looked outside, he was glad he’d told Kieran the truth. The afternoon was grey and dark and by the time they emerged the purple-blue half-light would be falling. He didn’t want to trip over in front of his mate as he pretended everything was fine, but now Kieran knew he’d be able to give him a minute without feeling self-conscious.
‘So how was Cat last night?’ asked Tom as he plonked down into a plastic chair in the waiting area. Looking around he saw couples holding hands, comforting each other and sharing nervous laughter, joking to pass the time. A spindly Christmas tree had been set up in the corner of the room next to the kids’ play pen. How he wished Nell was there with him. She could always make him laugh and lighten a heavy atmosphere like this one. Her dreamy nature made her incredibly empathetic. He’d give anything to rest his head on her shoulder right now, close his eyes and have a nap. He was so tired.
Kieran pulled off his beanie and scratched what little stubble had grown on his head. ‘I just don’t know what’s going on with her, mate. She’s never been like this before. You know what she’s like normally – wild, fun, a bit mental – but since all this wedding stuff she’s changed. She either withdraws completely and doesn’t talk to me, or she’s really defensive and moody. I’ve told her I’ll come with her to these wedding things. I’d like to, you know, it’s my wedding too, but she doesn’t want me there. And I’ve told her we can run off just the two of us and get married abroad if she’d prefer that.’
‘And does she?’
‘No. She wants to get married at Holly Lodge. Partly for her, partly for Nell. She doesn’t want to let Nell down.’
‘Nell would understand.’ Tom knew she would. Kieran brushed some dried mud from the thigh of his old work jeans. ‘I feel for you, mate, I really do. Not least because the prospect of having Brenda Wilson as a mother-in-law is absolutely terrifying.’
At this he laughed. ‘I just want to marry Cat and I don’t care where, or how, or when for that matter, but Brenda seems to have all these ideas about what should happen and it’s rubbing off on her.’ He crossed his huge arms over his chest, the thick, heavy checked shirt buckling at the seams. ‘I’m glad she stood up to her mum. It was about time, but now she’s worrying about the fallout from that too.’
‘Nell was distraught they had a row. I’m so pleased they made up.’
‘Cat too. I told her just to call and it’d be fine, but she said she was too embarrassed. Good old Nell just came straight out with it and they were all over each other within two minutes of us walking into Holly Lodge.’
‘It’s a shame you’re not joining us for Christmas Day this year.’
‘Yeah, we’ll miss you too. Only a bit though. We’ll be sunning ourselves on a white sandy beach while you’re freezing your tail off with Nell at Holly Lodge. Or you could cuddle down by the roaring log fire.’ Kieran wiggled his eyebrows and the tension eased for a moment.
‘I’ve told you not to wiggle your eyebrows suggestively at me.’
‘You said not in front of your staff.’ He continued to wiggle his eyebrows up and down and Tom chuckled as his name was called by a tall, thin nurse with deep wrinkles and a stern voice.
As soon as Tom made his way towards her, feeling slightly like he was in trouble, her features transformed from stern to kind. ‘That looks nasty, my lovely,’ she said, holding the door open for him. ‘Let’s get that seen to.’
The small treatment room was tightly packed with a bed, a desk, various bins and cupboards stocking everything the nurse might need. ‘Have a seat, my love and let’s have a look.’ Tom let the nurse pull his hand towards her and watched through a half-closed eye as she unwrapped the blood-soaked tissue. It had mostly stopped bleeding but as she examined the depth of the wound it started a little more. ‘So how did you do this?’
He kept his eyes away from the cut, staring out of the window at the branches of the trees rocking wildly in the wind. What he wouldn’t give for a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie by the open fire at Holly Lodge right about now. ‘I nipped it with secateurs. I’m a florist and I just caught myself.’
She must have sensed his hesitation or the note of untruth in his voice and looked at him over the top of his finger. He knew he had to carry on before he changed
