‘I promise you will.’
He’d know she was disappointed but he shouldn’t have to think about that; he was growing up, becoming more independent by the day. And she was delighted to see the wonderful young man he was turning into.
‘I told my friends you were a pilot, by the way,’ he said after she yawned and he matched it with a yawn of his own. ‘They were impressed and asked me if we have our own helicopter.’
That made her laugh. ‘Not quite.’
They talked a while longer – Isaac had called her on his way home and as he arrived at his student house, they finished up.
Maya knew how easy it would be to fall asleep here on the sofa but she forced herself to head on up to bed, the cat in her arms.
Conrad messaged her while she was cleaning her teeth asking whether she’d be able to stop by the pharmacy and pick up a prescription for him tomorrow. Why couldn’t he have mentioned it when they went to the pharmacy earlier? She knew why… the more times he needed her, the better for him. And of course he apologised profusely for being a pain.
She texted back that she would collect it and said goodnight to put a full stop to their conversation. And then she put her phone on silent.
As she fell asleep, she thought about the pub this evening, about the friends she had in Whistlestop River, about Noah. She hadn’t been interested in a relationship since the divorce but he ignited thoughts that maybe one day, she might be ready for one.
And for once, the feeling didn’t fill her with absolute dread. But rather it was the promise of a new beginning.
The following morning, Maya stopped at the pharmacy, collected Conrad’s medication and delivered it to his place. Again, he didn’t answer the door and she was tempted to post everything through the letterbox but eventually, she let herself in and called out his name. No reply.
She found him still in bed and a lazy smile greeted her when she gingerly pushed open the bedroom door. He winced as he tried to lift himself up on the arm in plaster, perhaps notrealising when he was half asleep that that was the one that was injured.
She held up the bag from the pharmacy. ‘I can’t stop for long; I can make you a cup of tea, though.’
‘Coffee would be great.’
She backed out of the room, unkeen to see his bare chest as he sat up with the sheet fallen to his waist.
‘Are you working today?’ His voice followed her from the bedroom.
‘Not today,’ she hollered back.
The kettle hadn’t even reached its peak when he appeared in the kitchen, tracksuit bottoms on, nothing covering his top half. ‘What are you up to then if it’s not work?’
That was code for asking whether Noah was a part of her plans. He’d have been stewing about the new man in town ever since he saw her talk to Noah outside the pharmacy.
‘I’m going to Dad’s,’ she said before he could float any of his own theories. ‘Julie’s home from honeymoon today; I guess she wants to catch up.’ Her sister was often trying to do this: get her and their dad in the same vicinity whether they liked it or not. Maya supposed she couldn’t blame her for trying.
Conrad picked up the sugar jar from the back of the benchtop and set it next to the jar of coffee granules she’d already lined up next to the kettle and the mug. Nigel had never really liked Conrad and the feeling had always been mutual. Conrad tolerated Julie but had never been overly friendly to her. It was as though as soon as they were married, he regarded Maya as his and nobody else’s.
Conrad went to use the bathroom and by the time he came back, Maya had set his mug of coffee on the table in the lounge. ‘You look a lot steadier on your feet,’ she commented.
‘Getting there.’ He rested his good hand on top of the shoulder of the injured arm and lowered himself down onto the sofa. ‘I had a blinding headache last night, can’t shake it.’
‘You need to call the doctor.’
‘I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. But that’s why I was still in bed, couldn’t face starting the day when I’d been up half the night. I was worried I might lose my balance too.’
She sat beside him. ‘What sort of headache was it?’
‘The painful kind.’
‘You know what I mean. Was it one-sided, all over, dull ache or sharp pain?’
‘Maya, I know you’re looking out for me but no need to mother me. You’re sounding like you used to with Isaac when he was little.’ He softened. ‘Remember when he was so tiny, I could rest him along my arm?’
He did this too. He changed the conversation and injected nostalgia as if it might make a difference to how she felt. Over time, she’d soon learned to recognise the segue.
