‘Stop it!’ she said, surprising herself with the force of her voice.
Everyone looked at her expectantly.
‘I’ll do it,’ she said. ‘I’ll look after you, Rita.’
Carrie came and put her hand on Jules’ shoulder.
‘Jules, you can’t.’
‘Yes, I can,’ she replied, ‘at least for a couple of weeks.’
‘It will need someone with some knowledge,’ the doctor said.
‘I’m a midwife. I think I can cope.’
‘Oh, dearie,’ Rita said, moving the tissue so one eye was visible, ‘thank you, but no. I can’t let you do that.’
‘The occupational therapist estimates you’ll need someone on hand for four to six weeks, Mum,’ Alastair interrupted. ‘Two weeks isn’t long enough.’
‘But it will get Rita home,’ Jules said, ‘which is the most important thing for her recovery in my opinion and will give us time to sort something else out going forwards.’
‘I’m not sure your opinion counts,’ Alastair retorted.
‘Alastair!’ Rita admonished, suddenly sounding like her old self. ‘Where are your manners?’
‘I’m sorry if you think I over-stepped the mark,’ Jules said, ‘but studies have shown that following hip and knee replacements people recover more quickly at home.’
She looked to the doctor for support, and he nodded.
‘This may not be a knee replacement, but it’s still surgery and I think Rita has already shown that she would be much happier back at home. If you are happy in your environment and you have the right care, your body stands a much better chance of healing more quickly.’
‘You don’t need to worry, Alastair. I’m not going to take Jules up on her very generous offer,’ Rita said, suddenly looking totally defeated again.
Jules leaned in closer.
‘Why not?’
‘Because it wouldn’t be fair, lovey. You’re here to recover from your own problems, not take on all of mine.’
‘Sometimes,’ Jules said, softly, ‘the best way to navigate your own problems is to help someone else with theirs. I would be honoured to look after you, Rita, and it’s not entirely altruistic. I get to stay on the island a little longer and keep the real world at bay.’
Rita leaned forward herself so that their foreheads were almost touching.
‘It would really annoy Christabel,’ she whispered. ‘She’d be spitting feathers.’
‘All the more reason to say yes then,’ Jules whispered with a conspiratorial smile.
‘You are an absolute angel,’ Rita whispered.
‘Wait until I’ve been looking after you for a couple of days before you bestow me with a halo.’
‘The Lord works in mysterious ways. I thought he had forsaken me.’
Jules squeezed Rita’s hand.
‘Not you, Rita. He would never forsake you.’
The following morning Jules was packing up some things to take to Orchard Farm when Wilbur came bounding up the stairs.
