She forced her face into a reassuring smile. ‘Most of the time I’m OK.’
Silence fell over them both. There were so many things to say, so many questions to ask, but none of them seemed appropriate given the circumstances. Fin looked around the room, trying to find anything to distract from the stilted, uncomfortable atmosphere. The layout, he assumed, was standard for every resident at the home. Dark wooden furniture, pale green wallpaper, and hospital equipment hidden in the corners, ready to be called upon at a moment’s notice.
Suddenly his eyes clocked the photograph by her bedside. His mum and dad on their wedding day. Fury tore through him. How? How, after everything that had happened, could she still bear to look at him?
‘You look well.’ His mother’s weak voice cut across his thoughts. ‘America clearly suits you.’
‘Thanks.’
Another deafening silence. He could practically see the effort of his mum’s brain as it tried to search for any topic of conversation that might lighten the mood.
‘Did you see Angela as you came in?’ A twinkle of joy danced in her pale eyes.
‘Yeah, we passed each other in the corridor.’
‘She’s still the same as ever. Mad as a bloody hatter, but God love her, she comes and sees me every week without fail. After everything that’s happened to her, she still manages to find time.’
Fin clenched his fists. Was that a dig at him?
‘That’s good of her,’ he replied flatly.
‘Can you believe we’ve been friends for over thirty years?’his mum continued. ‘I always thought you and Eleanor would follow suit.’ She shook her head sadly.
‘Yeah, well … things don’t always go the way you planned, do they?’
His mother turned and fixed her eyes on his.
‘No, Fin. No, they don’t.’
Eleanor
Despite her best efforts to be exactly on time for her date, Eleanor had arrived early. It had all felt quite innocent when she’d agreed to it in the pub. But now Eleanor actually had to go and meet this stranger, and pretend not to be counting down the minutes until she could respectfully leave, it didn’t seem so fun.
It will be fine.
Just one coffee, that’s all it is.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she was grateful for the distraction. Her stomach was flip-flopping wildly, making the double espresso and granola she’d inhaled for breakfast dangerously at risk of coming back up to greet her.
Eleanor stared down at the screen and saw her mother’s name flashing up at her. She took a deep breath in and answered. ‘Hey, Mum. Everything OK?’
‘Darling … you willneverguess who I just saw?’
Angela’s voice was even louder than usual, the excitement physically assaulting Eleanor’s ears.
‘I don’t know … Brad Pitt?’
‘Please, if I had seen Brad Pitt, you wouldn’t hear a peep from me for weeks. We’d be too busy wrapped up in each other for me to call.’
Eleanor shuddered. ‘Ew, enough, Mum. I don’t need that image in my head.’
‘Don’t be such a prude, Eleanor dear.’ She chuckled wickedly.
‘I’m not a prude,’ Eleanor huffed childishly. ‘Anyway, tell me who you saw.’ She closed her eyes, readying herself for a very disappointing story about an old neighbour’s brother’s cat-sitter.
‘Finley Taylor!’
Eleanor’s body jolted violently.
