‘You busy today?’
With a sigh, she explained, ‘Always.’
And when the phone rang yet again, there was no hanging about. Time to get to the next job.
‘Dad, I have to go.’ She didn’t have time to wait for an answer but she was aware of him standing back in the hangar with Frank while she and the rest of the crew got their helmets and she went to start up the helicopter. She didn’t look back; she let her thoughts become quieter with every chop of the blades through the air.
The job was straightforward, at least medically. Maya landed Hilda on the beach, which had its challenges, including what the tide was doing and the onlookers who took ages to move out of the way. The patient was airlifted quickly to the nearest trauma centre and they were back at the airbase inside the hour.
She was still smiling, still buzzing, when they got back. At least she was until she took off her helmet to feel the breeze through her hair, headed back to the hangar and saw her dad still inside next to Frank, this time with a mug of tea.
‘Didn’t expect you to still be here.’ She set her helmet on the shelf.
Frank scarpered with a toolbox, claiming he had a few things to see to now he could get his hands on Hilda.
‘Hilda?’ Nigel looked shocked as though Frank was about to take said toolbox and deal with the woman in his life.
Maya grinned. ‘Hilda is the helicopter, named after one of our biggest supporters over the years.’
‘Well, that’s a relief.’
She looked at him once more before she led the way into the building and through reception. He obviously wanted to get something off his chest and she didn’t want the rest of the crew hearing it.
‘I’ll be outside,’ she told Nadia. They could sit on the low wall out front and with another five minutes left on shift, she’d easilyhear the shrill ring of the phone as it echoed all around the base from various points if a job came in.
‘Could you hang around an extra twenty minutes or so?’ Nadia pulled a face by way of apology. ‘Vik is running late.’
‘Sure thing.’
Outside, her dad sat down next to her on the low wall. ‘Who’s Vik?’
‘He’s the pilot on the other team. He’s usually on time, as am I, but if either of us is running late, we cover the other one.’
When it seemed all they were here for was the fresh air and sunshine, she prompted, ‘What did you want to talk to me about, Dad?’
He leant his forearms along his thighs, hands clasped together. ‘I wanted to apologise for my behaviour when you came to me to ask for a favour the other day. For your friend. Noah, wasn’t it?’
‘That’s right, and I’m sure you’ve got your reasons.’
‘I have, but that doesn’t excuse me biting your head off. I seem to do a lot of that and don’t seem able to stop it.’
That was something they had in common, as though they’d fallen into a different kind of normal than they should have. It certainly wasn’t the same for Julie and Nigel.
‘There’s a reason I immediately saw it from the other guy’s perspective rather than Noah’s.’ Nigel cleared his throat. ‘I think I need to explain why.’
‘Did Julie put you up to this?’
He seemed genuinely surprised. ‘Julie? Your sister has no idea I’m here and no idea of what I’m about to tell you. I’ll have to explain it to her too, but I think I need you to hear it first.’
She had no idea what he was about to come out with and he took his time to find the words.
‘Things haven’t been right with us since your mother died,’ he began. ‘Or more importantly, since what happened after.’
‘What do you mean?’
He had his fingers interlaced, something he did when he was thinking, his thumbs rubbing against each other more and more with rising stress. It was his tell. She’d noticed it when she was a young girl, but these days they rarely had exchanges long enough or deep enough for her to spot it.
‘Your grandparents took you and Julie down to Cornwall after Anya died.’
