‘That’s in the summer; I’ve been spared for now,’ he laughed.
It was good to see Maya happy and trying new things. She’d lived so long under pressure from her ex-husband, she really was all in with her new relationship and Bess couldn’t be happier for her friend.
Police had already cleared the beach, so The Skylarks updated HEMS on their arrival and within the next minute, clouds of sand billowed up as Maya set the helicopter down metres from the sea itself. With the stunning backdrop of the cliffs, this perfect stretch of golden sandy beach was a beauty spot for all seasons, except when there was an emergency like this one.
A young boy had been found on the beach not breathing. A quick-thinking, off-duty nurse had found the defibrillator nearby and used it. The patient was already in the recovery position, the nurse and the boy’s sister both beside him. Thanks to the defibrillator, the boy’s heart had been shocked back to life and, upon checking, he had a normal heart rhythm, but there was the worry he’d re-arrest because nobody knew why he’d collapsed in the first place. He was confused, which wasn’t uncommon when a person had undergone hypoxia – a state of low oxygen – so Noah and Bess stabilised him and had him in the air ambulanceas quickly as possible to take him to hospital for further treatment and investigations.
The wind didn’t help their journey. It hadn’t been too bad on the way here but it had increased by the time they left. It made for a shaky flight, something none of them wanted, and touching down on the hospital’s helipad took longer than usual as Maya tried to hold the aircraft steady.
‘Good job out there, team,’ Noah declared when they were on the way back to base.
‘Right back at you,’ Bess smiled. The good thing about this job was that there was so much action, it blocked out any other noise in her head, although she did allow the odd thought of Gio. It was a type of therapy and instilled a sense of calm, which was new.
As soon as they were back at base and she’d put her helmet on the shelf ready to grab for the next job, Nadia leaned around the door jamb. ‘Your mum is in reception to see you.’
And she would’ve seen the helicopter land so Bess couldn’t even ask Nadia to say she was out on a job.
On the phone last night, Bess had said she’d see her mum soon. Her mum had probably got tired of waiting and knew that Bess’s idea ofsoonwas often different to hers.
She took a deep breath and headed for reception.
They hugged and when Fiona pulled back, she beamed. ‘I saw your crew land just now; it never ceases to amaze me the work you all do.’
Bess led her over to the sofas at the far end of reception next to the Christmas tree. ‘Thank you, Mum. My biggest fan.’ When it came to work, yes; probably not so much when it came to her daughter’s lack of ability to organise her own life.
Fiona came right out with it. ‘Last night, you told me we’dmeet up soon but I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer. You’ve been avoiding me.’
‘I’m pretty busy. Talking of which?—’
‘I’ve been worried about you.’
Bess got the impression that today, there’d be no talking her way out of this. ‘I didn’t mean to cause you worry, Mum.’
‘But you did.’ She clasped her handbag on her lap. ‘And that’s how I know whatever is going on with you, it’s very real. And I’m thinking the £500 I lent you doesn’t even come close to sorting out your problems. Am I right?’
Bess said nothing. How could she? She was so ashamed.
‘You don’t come to me for help unless you really need it. You never did. You’ve always been determined to do things your way and on your own. But please, Bess, let me help you now.’
She looked down at her hands in her lap. ‘I don’t know where to start…’ She broke off, glad there wasn’t anyone else around them at this end of reception. ‘If Dad were here, he’d be so disappointed.’ She wasn’t sure why the waters of the gene pool had muddied so much, she hadn’t kept on top of her own finances the way her dad would have and the way her mum did despite losing him. Both of them had been capable; why wasn’t she?
‘Bess, how much trouble are you in? How much debt?’
She reiterated some of the details and, to be fair, her mum didn’t let any shock show in her expression; she simply waited for Bess to finish.
‘I can try to find you more money,’ Fiona insisted. ‘There has to be a way.’
‘You shouldn’t have to.’
‘But that’s why you came to me. For help.’
‘And you did help.’
‘Not enough.’
Bess hung her head. ‘I hate that I took the money in the first place.’
‘You didn’t take it; I gave it. And I have more, some tied up in bonds, but I can get to the money eventually.’
